The Day of Atonement Feast is in Hebrew called Yom Kippur (Lev. 16; 23:26-32; Num.
29:7-11). The purpose of the feast was to cleanse both the priests and the people from their sins and to purify the Holy Place. The Levitical laws made provisions for atonement through the offering of sacrifices. If the community or a member of the community sins unintentionally, a sin offering or a guilt offering must be made. An animal would be sacrificed: “in this way the priest will make atonement for them and they will be forgiven” (Lev. 4:20, 26, 31).
The Day of Atonement was usually done once in a year, and then a bull would be sacrificed as atonement for the priest and his family. One goat would be sacrificed to make atonement for the people’s sins. Another sent into the desert would symbolically carry the people’s sins and thus make atonement for them. This animal that carries the people’s sins is called the “scape-goat”. Thus, “atonement is usually made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites” (Lev.16:34). Rowley (1956:95) reports:
Beyond these individual sacrifices we find the Law provision for the daily offerings on behalf of the community, so that right relations might be maintained between it and God.
Further, on the annual Day of Atonement, whose ritual was certainly of ancient origin, sacrifice was offered for the sin of the community during the year. Here, however, the scape-goat on which the sin of the people was put was driven out into the wilderness and not sacrificed in the shrine.
Forgiveness of sins was often the result of atonement. Atonement and forgiveness are usually linked together in Leviticus. When the priest offers a sin offering or guilt offering, he makes atonement and the person is forgiven. This is the important ritual of sacrifices and forgiveness. But ultimately forgiveness was dependent on Israel’s confession of sin and God’s forgiving grace. Solomon prayed that if the people sin and then turn and confess their sins, God should hear from heaven and forgive the sin (1 Kings 8:33, 34).
Now, the cleansing achieved was not just for the priest and the people, but for the sanctuary. House (1998:138) opines that this act cleanses the most holy place in particular and the entire sanctuary in general. Israel’s sins, whether breaches of the cleanness laws or outright rebellion against God, ‘pollute the sanctuary to some measure.’ Sin is pervasive, but this sacrifice removes the guilt of all types of transgression.
Self-Assessment Exercise
Describe the nature of the Day of Atonement, and show why it was necessary for redemption in the Old Testament.
The Role of Fasting
Fasting was associated with the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament. Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. The Law of Moses specifically required fasting for only one occasion—the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-30;
23:27-31; Numbers 29:7). This custom resulted in calling this day “the fasting day”
(Jeremiah 36:6) or “the fast,” (Acts 27:9). It was a very solemn and holy day with a lot of elaborate ritual. (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 10:1-1). Fasting, however, could also be done for other reasons. It was sometimes done as a sign of distress, grief, or repentance. Fasting was often accompanied by prayer; also tearing of clothes, throwing dust and ashes upon ones head, dressing in coarse sackcloth and uncombed hair and unwashed bodies.
Some fasting was a natural reaction to grief over the loss of a loved one (like the men of Jabesh-Gilead and David); but more often, fasting was done to purposely: to "afflict the soul" - Lev 23:26-32; "chasten the soul" - Ps 69:10. The purpose of such affliction or chastening was to "humble" the soul (Ps 35:13), and not for any affect it might have on the body. Evidently, they felt that by so humbling themselves they would more likely incur God's favor - cf. Ezra 8:21-23; Is 57:15; 66:1-2. So they would fast when they needed: (a) Forgiveness for sin (Moses, Ahab, and Daniel); (b) Their loved ones restored to health (David); (c) Protection from danger (Ezra); (d) Deliverance from their enemies (the Israelites). Because they were seeking God's favor, fasting would almost always be accompanied with prayer.
The normal means of fasting involved abstaining from all food but not water. Sometimes the fast was but partial - a restriction of diet but not total abstention - cf. Dan. 10:2-3. On rare occasions there was the absolute fast, as in the case of the people of Nineveh, who also included the animals in their fast - cf. Jonah 3:5-10; as in the case of Queen Esther – Esth. 4:16 (cf. Paul, Ac 9:9); the absolute fasts of Moses and Elijah must have had divine assistance - Deut 9:9; 1Ki 19:8.
A fast was often for one day, from sunrise to sunset, and after sundown food would be taken - Judg 20:26; 1Sa 14:24; 2Sa 1:12; 3:35. A fast might be for one night - Dan 6:18.
The fast of Esther continued for three days, day and night, which seems to have been a special case – Esth. 4:16. At the burial of Saul, the fast by Jabesh-Gilead was seven days - 1Sa 31:13; 1 Chron. 10:12. David fasted seven days when his child was ill - 2Sa 12: 16- 18. The longest fasts recorded in Scripture were the forty-day fasts by Moses, Elijah, and Jesus – Exod. 34:28; Deut 9:9; 1Ki 19:8; Mt 4:2; Lk. 4:2.
Fasting can easily turn into an external show and ceremonial ritualism; when it did, the prophets spoke out against it. The most vigorous attack against such fasting is made in Isaiah 58. The people complained that they had fasted and God had not seen – Isa. 58:3a.
But they had not been fasting for the right reason (to be heard by God) – Isa. 58:3b-4. In contrast to simply an external display of bowing one's head like a bulrush and spreading sackcloth and ashes, the Lord would rather they: 1) Loose the bonds of wickedness; 2) Let the oppressed go free; 3) Share bread with the hungry; 4) Bring the poor into one's house;
5) Cover the naked. Then they should be heard in their prayers – Isa. 58:6-9. Fasting without true repentance defeats the purpose of fasting: to have your prayers heard by the Lord! The same point was made about the ceremonial fasts that had been added by the Israelites to commemorate certain occasions - Zech 7:1-14. The people wanted to know if they should fast on the special occasions as they had done - Zech 7:1-3. The Lord responded that the fasts had not been done for Him - Zech 7:4-6. They should have instead done the will of the Lord - Zech 7:7-10. But because they did not, the fasting in the past was of no value - Zech 7:11-14.
Self-Assessment Exercise
What was the role of fasting in the worship life and redemption of the believing community?
3.4 Hermeneutical Considerations
Hebrews 9:7-12 makes the most extensive use of the Day of Atonement in the Scriptures.
There the author says that the problem with the Day of Atonement was that it had to occur annually, which meant that the consciences of the worshippers could not be cleared permanently (Heb 9:7-9). Therefore these rules applied only until Christ’s death atoned for all sins committed by God’s people (Heb. 9:10-12). Before the permanent atonement unfolded the Leviticus system atoned for sins on an annual basis and presented a picture of a greater sacrifice to come (Heb 9:6-8). Presumably, the Day of Atonement helped instill in faithful Israelites a strong desire for a permanent forgiveness of sin. After the cross, however, the Day of Atonement, like the other sacrifices, is subsumed under Jesus’
one comprehensive payment for sins on the cross.
Redemption in the New Testament is deliverance from sin by the blood of Christ. All God's elect were delivered from the penalty of sin at the cross. They are each delivered from the dominion of sin in regeneration and effectual calling. We shall be delivered from the being of sin in the death of these bodies. Finally, we shall be completely delivered from all the evil consequences of sin in resurrection glory.
This redemption is the unaided, unassisted, effectual work of Christ alone. - "Christ hath redeemed us!" In every picture we are given in the Old Testament, as well as in every
explanation of the doctrine in the New Testament, redemption was made for a specific people, and is an effectual work which always results in deliverance experienced. That is the doctrine of redemption taught in the Bible. The notion of a universal redemption, a redemption made even for those who suffer the wrath of God in hell, a redemption which redeems no one, accomplishes nothing, and secures nothing is as foreign to the Word of God as it is blasphemous.
Self-Assessment Exercise
How can you apply the Old Testament concept of Redemption to the New Testament?
4.0 Conclusion
Redemption remains the highest attempt in the Old Testament to redeem mankind. The Day of Atonement was the climax of Redemption activities in the Old Testament. The Priest was required to offer atoning sacrifices for himself, the people, and the worship place. The Day of Atonement was observed with fasting, which was the only annual fasting day commanded by Moses (Lev 16). Old Testament prophets queried any sacrificial act that lacked repentance and sincere faith in God, hence their attack on outward religiosity. The Day of Atonement was only effective if the people participated in it under genuine repentance and faith. However, redemption in the New Testament took a different understanding. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross has abrogated once for all the annual sacrifice for sin required on the Day of Atonement. This is the position of Christianity.
5.0 Summary
In this unit, you have been taught from the redemption stories of the Old Testament which actually runs as a paradigm to God’s actual plan for the redemption of humanity. The redemption of Israel out of Egypt and the Old Testament concept of kinsman-redeemer were explored. The greatest feast in Israel is the Day of Atonement (a feast that is still observed to date). The feast was meant to cleanse both the the priests and the people from their sins and also purify the Holy Place.
6.0 Tutor Marked Assignments
Give a brief survey of God’s redemption plan for humanity in the Old Testament.
7.0 References/Future Reading
Ferguson, Sinclair B. & Wright, David F. eds (1988). New Dictionary of Theology.
Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press.
Hinson, David F. (1976) Theology of the Old Testament. London: SPCK.
House, Paul R. (1998) Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press.
Palmer, Timothy P. (2011) A Theology of the Old Testament. Bukuru: Africa Christian Textbooks.
Rowley, H. H. (1956) The Faith of Israel. London: SCM Press LTD.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. www. Studylight.org.
Unit 2: Mission