Receiving Messiah’s Substitution as the Ultimate Sacrifice for Sin by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Day of Atonement

TRUTH AND PURPOSE

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was established as a sacred day to afflict the soul and confess sins before God. It remembers the one day of the year when the high priest would go into the tabernacle, behind the veil into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle the blood of the covenant sacrifice over the Mercy Seat. From within the cloud of God’s glory over the ark, God would see the sacrificial blood as evidence of man’s atonement of sin. He would thus reverse His judgment to MERCY.

It’s become apparent, however, that the daily, weekly, and monthly animal sacrifices made to atone for sin were insufficient to establish one’s right standing before God. Instead, the Heavenly Father has received the sacrificial blood of Messiah Yeshua-Jesus once and for all!

RELEVANCE

This appointed time, the Day of Atonement, therefore, was a shadow pointing forward to the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice. His sacrifice was the permanent substitute sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He demonstrated His incredible love and exchanged His life for yours!

So He stood in the place of judgment and paid the price for the penalty of your sins. He did this in ADVANCE so you could walk in the will of God, free from the torment of guilt, condemnation and the forces that cause depression, anxiety, and every other form of inner tension that rob you of the peace God has designed for you to experience.

The writer of Hebrews, in chapter 10:5-7, therefore, quoted Psalm 40:6-8, which speaks prophetically of the Lord’s sacrifice:

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come –In the volume of the book it is written of Me –To do Your will, O God.’

So our opportunity is receiving the great pour of His love and gift of grace in acknowledging Messiah Yeshua-Jesus as Lord and Savior. Consequently, we then walk in the new light and new life of the Spirit; seeking His will be done, in our life and the lives around us.

REFLECT AND RELATE

Have you settled the issue in your heart that the Lord’s single sacrifice has permanently established your position of right-standing or justification before God?

Are there any works you believe you have to accomplish to “earn points” with God… or earn His approval?

REFERENCES

Leviticus 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11; Hebrews 10:1-10; Colossians 2:13-17

NEXT STEPS

Vertical movement: The more you see the reality of the Lord’s substitute sacrifice and atonement for sin, the Holy Spirit draws you deeper to give you greater insights into the difference between living under the law of the Spirit vs. law of sin and death.

Horizontal movement: The more you experience the amazing grace and freedom of the Lord’s sacrifice on your behalf, the more you will be able to enter into His rest and experience His peace.

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