One of my favorite stories in the Bible is Jonah and the Whale; technically, I should say Jonah and the Big Fish. Jonah was told to go to a significant Gentile power and preach repentance, something Jonah didn’t want to do.
The story of Jonah, or Yonah, in Hebrew, shows us God’s great compassion and the desire for Gentiles to turn to Himself in repentance and to begin following His ways. This story is read on Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Leviticus chapter sixteen gives us the instructions for the Day of Atonement; I would encourage you to read it and the book of Jonah, but we will focus on Leviticus 16:1-10 CJB “Adonai spoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they tried to sacrifice before Adonai and died; 2 Adonai said to Moshe, “Tell your brother Aharon not to come at just any time into the Holy Place beyond the curtain, in front of the ark-cover which is on the ark, so that he will not die; because I appear in the cloud over the ark-cover.
3 “Here is how Aharon is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the holy linen tunic, have the linen shorts next to his bare flesh, have the linen sash wrapped around him, and be wearing the linen turban — they are the holy garments. He is to bathe his body in water and put them on.
5 “He is to take from the community of the people of Isra’el two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 6 Aharon is to present the bull for the sin offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and his household. 7 He is to take the two goats and place them before Adonai at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 Then Aharon is to cast lots for the two goats, one lot for Adonai and the other for ‘Az’azel. 9 Aharon is to present the goat whose lot fell to Adonai and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat whose lot fell to ‘Az’azel is to be presented alive to Adonai to be used for making atonement over it by sending it away into the desert for ‘Az’azel.”
A sin offering, a burnt offering, and ‘Az’azel, what do these things have to do with us as Christians? Anytime we sin, we are to repent; we offer words of repentance to God (a sin offering). The burnt offering is voluntary; we will see these offerings again during the third Temple (Ezekiel 40). The burnt offering is a wonderful picture of living a life dedicated to God.
Romans 12:1-2 AMPC “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”
The Day of Atonement is set aside for prayer, fasting, and repentance. The last forty days, the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Awe in Tishrei, have been a wake-up call to stir us to repentance and good works, and to prepare us to stand before God.
We know that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for sins, but that does not negate our need to search our hearts and see if there is any wicked way in us (Psalm 139:23-24).
The ‘Az’azel, or the scapegoat, is the goat of departure. Our sins are cast away as far as the East is from the West. When we repent of sin, dedicate ourselves to God, and receive forgiveness, walking in the fruit it produces, we have connection with God.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a commanded feast (Leviticus 23:26-32) and is a time to reestablish a solid footing with God. Tonight at sundown to nightfall tomorrow is a time of fasting, prayer, and repentance. Participating in this appointed time is a very cleansing thing for our minds and spirits. It sets us on a good path for the year ahead, and it is a reminder that one day we will all stand before God in a final judgment.
I pray that you will have a meaningful fast and that your name will be inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year.
Casey D. Bell 
Leave a comment