Day of Atonement – Jesus and Yom Kippur • What is Yom Kippur? | Messianic Teaching | Day of Purging

Understanding God’s Desire to Dwell with Humanity

In this teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship, likely delivered by Matthew Vander Els, the focus is on understanding the profound significance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, within the broader narrative of the Bible and its ultimate connection to Jesus, or Yeshua. The teaching begins by highlighting humanity’s deep-seated desire to be in God’s presence, referencing Psalm 27:4 and Psalm 15:1. These verses express a yearning to dwell in the house of the Lord and to stand on God’s holy mountain.

The speaker emphasizes that the story of the Bible is fundamentally about God’s desire to be in relationship with humanity, starting with the creation in Genesis. God created a good world, epitomized by the Garden of Eden, described as the mountain of God. This garden was a place of intimate dwelling and rest, symbolized by the Sabbath, which, unlike the other creation days, has no end, suggesting an eternal communion between God and humanity. The rivers flowing from Eden further illustrate this as the source of life for the world.

However, humanity’s choice to disobey God in the garden disrupted this perfect harmony. By seeking to determine good and evil independently, mankind was expelled eastward from Eden, guarded by cherubim with fiery swords, preventing their return to this intimate realm. This act created a separation, a pollution that hindered the dwelling of God with humanity.

The Tabernacle and Temple: God’s Dwelling Among His People

Despite this separation, God’s desire to dwell with His people persisted. The teaching traces this desire through the calling of Abraham to return westward towards God’s land, the Exodus event where God met Israel at Mount Sinai, and the command to build the tabernacle. The tabernacle, with its graded levels of holiness – the outer court, the holy place, and the holiest of holies – is presented as a microcosmic mountain, a symbolic Garden of Eden where God could dwell among His people. Aaron, the high priest, is portrayed as a new Adam, the guardian and caretaker of this sacred space, and is even referred to as the Messiah (HaMashiach), the anointed one.

The golden calf incident shortly after the command to build the tabernacle illustrates humanity’s tendency to create its own ways for God to dwell, driven by selfishness and a desire for control. Sin is described as a constant barrier, pushing away the intimacy of God’s presence. This tension between God’s yearning to dwell with humanity and humanity’s propensity for sin sets the stage for understanding the necessity of Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Cleansing and Restoration

Yom Kippur, detailed in Leviticus 16, is presented as the pinnacle of the book of Leviticus and arguably the entire Torah. It is a day specifically set apart for the cleansing or purging of the pollution caused by sin, which threatens God’s dwelling among His people. The first 15 chapters of Leviticus outline the processes for atonement for unintentional sins, while the latter chapters focus on living a holy life after cleansing.

The concept of atonement is explored, moving beyond the idea of simply “covering” sin to the more accurate meaning of “purging out completely.” The use of blood in the sacrificial system is symbolic of this purging, like spraying bleach on mold. On Yom Kippur, the high priest undertakes a series of intricate rituals involving the blood of a bull for himself and the priesthood and a goat for the people. He sprinkles blood on the outer altar, the incense altar in the holy place, and, most significantly, on the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat, in the holiest of holies. This act is meant to purify the pollution of both unintentional and intentional, even unrepentant, sins from God’s presence.

Following these rituals, the high priest symbolically transfers the accumulated sins of Israel onto a second goat, the scapegoat for Azazel, which is then released eastward into the wilderness, carrying the pollution away from God’s dwelling place. This entire process underscores the gravity of sin and God’s merciful provision for cleansing His sanctuary so that He can continue to dwell among His people. The day requires Israel to afflict themselves, traditionally through fasting and humbling themselves.

Jesus: The Ultimate Fulfillment of Yom Kippur

The teaching then transitions to the New Testament, explaining how Jesus Christ, or Yeshua, fulfills the ultimate purpose of Yom Kippur. Referring to 1 Corinthians 15:45, Jesus is called the “last Adam,” signifying a new beginning and a final resolution to the problem of sin that separated humanity from God. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the high priests in the Old Testament, who were themselves sinful and mortal, Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all, ushering in a new creation and a new humanity with the Spirit of God dwelling within them.

The speaker references the book of Hebrews, particularly Hebrews 9:24 and Hebrews 10:19, which explain that Jesus, through the sacrifice of His own body, has opened a “new and living way” for believers to enter the most holy place, the presence of God, with confidence. Just as Yom Kippur provided a yearly cleansing of the earthly tabernacle, Jesus’ sacrifice provides a permanent cleansing for those who believe in Him. Therefore, in Christ, Yom Kippur is not just an annual event but a present reality, a continuous state of cleansed dwelling with God.

The vision of the New Jerusalem in John’s Revelation further illustrates this ultimate dwelling of God with humanity, where the Lamb (Jesus) is the light, and sin and death are permanently exiled. However, a warning is also given that those who reject God and engage in unrighteousness will be excluded from this eternal dwelling. The teaching concludes with a reflection on Psalm 15, emphasizing the qualities of those who may dwell on God’s holy mountain: those who walk blamelessly, do what is righteous, speak truth, and honor God. The call is to examine oneself and remove anything that hinders this intimate dwelling with God, especially during the sacred time of Yom Kippur.

For more Bible Teachings, click the link.

Application for Everyday Life

• Cultivate a Deep Desire for God’s Presence: Like the Psalmist, nurture a daily yearning to be close to God and seek His beauty in your life.
• Recognize the Seriousness of Sin: Understand that sin creates a real separation between you and God, hindering intimate fellowship.
• Embrace God’s Provision for Cleansing: Acknowledge that through Jesus’ sacrifice, there is a permanent way to be cleansed from sin and restored to God.
• Live a Life of Holiness: Strive to live in a way that reflects God’s character, as those who belong to Him and are called to be holy.
• Regular Self-Examination: Take time for introspection, identifying areas in your life that do not align with God’s will and hinder your relationship with Him.
• Draw Near to God with Confidence: Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, you can approach God with a sincere heart and full assurance of faith.
• Be a Dwelling Place of God’s Spirit: Recognize that as believers, you are now part of God’s temple, and strive to live in a way that honors His presence within you.
• Look Forward to Eternal Dwelling: Hold onto the hope of the New Jerusalem, where God will dwell fully with His people and sin will be no more.