In the last post, we focused on the Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah. Prophetically, it is not entirely clear how or when this feast will be fulfilled. It is suggested that it centers around the second coming of Jesus and possibly Israel’s repentance and judgment of Israel to purge out the unbelievers. Could it coincide with the rapture of the Church? Certainly. God will do as He intends, yet no one except the Father knows the exact day or hour. This side of glory, we may not know for certain, but when it happens, I suspect that the awe of being in the presence of Jesus will overshadow all theological debates. Let’s follow what happens after the Feast of Trumpets.
During the ten Days of Awe between Trumpets and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), many Jewish people pray and try to make amends with those with whom they may have had a misunderstanding during the previous year. Yom Kippur involves a fast from both food and drink. Many spend the entire day praying in the synagogue. It is on this day that Jewish people believe their names will be sealed either in the Book of Life or the Book of Judgment. The fates of those within the books are sealed for the coming year.
Whereas repentance and remembrance are part of Rosh Hashanah, sacrifice, substitution, and sealing characterize Yom Kippur. God instructed them to observe the Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the 7th month of Tishri (Leviticus 23:27). Yom Kippur today focuses more on the atonement of the individual. However, when it was instituted, its purpose was for the cleansing of the entire nation of Israel. Somewhat perplexing is that Judaism teaches that a mediator is not needed for the atonement of sins. This view is quite contrary to the evidence in both the Old and New Testament (Exodus 32:30-32; Numbers 8:19; Leviticus 9:7; Leviticus 16:32-33; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:11).
Yom Kippur was to provide an atonement (literal, a covering) for sins. According to Leviticus 16 and 23:26–32, the high priest entered once a year into the Temple’s Holy of Holies and sprinkled blood on the mercy seat to cover up, or atone for, Israel’s sins. Prior to ministering before the Lord on this holy day, the high priest bathed in water (immersed himself in the mikvah) and then put on a special linen tunic. In the Holy of Holies, the high priest was not to wear his usual golden garments, designed for splendor and beauty. Instead, he was to wear simple, white linen clothing that represented purity and humility, which befits this most sacred of all days. Even many secular Jews who do not observe other Jewish holidays consider observe this solemn day.
In ancient times, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest cast lots for two goats. One was offered as the sacrifice, but the other goat was chosen as the Azazel (aka, the scapegoat). Azazel means dismissal or entire removal. The entire removal of the sin and guilt of Israel was symbolized by the High Priest laying both his hands on the head of the live goat, confessing over it all the transgressions of the Israelites. The goat would then be released into the wilderness, carrying Israel’s sin into the wasteland (Leviticus 16:21-22).
During the Second Temple era, it was tradition that a scarlet thread, made from wool, was fastened to the door of the Temple, and later tied to the head of the scapegoat on this day. Rabbinic teaching states that the Priest would tie a scarlet cloth to the horn of the Azazel and when the sacrifice was fully accepted, the scarlet cloth miraculously became white. This symbolizes God’s gracious promise in Isaiah 1:18, and was taken as a sign that God was pleased with the sacrifices giving reassurance to the people of Israel that their sin had been successfully atoned for as a nation. Something changed around 30 AD, which was before the destruction of the Temple. The scarlet thread stopped turning white on the Day of Atonement. This is recorded in the Talmud:
During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal [the Temple] would open by themselves… (Tractate Yoma 39b, Soncino Talmud).
The scarlet thread ceasing to turn white was not a sign that the Jews were rejected. That would be inconsistent with all of the Lord’s disciples being Jewish along with the entire first church and many believers in the first few centuries. The Bible is clear that the Jews have not been rejected (Romans 1:16). God’s plan for Israel continues and is being unfolded even right before our eyes. He is restoring and regathering His people physically and will also bring spiritual restoration to the whole house of Israel, just as He promised (Dry Bones of Ezekiel 37; Romans 11:25; Ezekiel 20:33-38).
What could the scarlet thread sign possibly mean then? Many believe it means that animal sacrifices were no longer going to atone for the people’s sins. The Messiah has died for sin once and for all. Isaiah 53 is strikingly similar to Leviticus 16: “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all….For He shall bear their iniquities…” (Isaiah 53:6,11).
When Jesus died, the veil separating the holy place from the Holy of Holies, was ripped in two, symbolically breaking the barrier between people and the presence of God (Matthew 27:51) through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Perhaps this was also symbolized by the Temple doors opening by themselves as recorded in the Talmud. When Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice and rose again, the work of atonement was done, period. “It is finished: (John 19:30). The scarlet thread monitoring the effectiveness of animal sacrifices each Yom Kippur testified to it. Salvation has gone out to the ends of the earth!
Today, of course, there is no Temple. The Romans destroyed the second Temple in AD 70. Consequently, there is no functioning priesthood and no sacrifice. Those who know Jesus trust in the sacrifice that He made for our atonement. But most of the Jewish people today do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. So for the past 2000 years, they have replaced the animal blood sacrifice with prayer (tefilah), repentance (teshuva) and charity (tzedakah). The Jewish rabbis believe that good deeds will cover sin; yet the Day of Atonement was God’s initiative. God is the Savior, not the people. He is the only one with the power to forgive sins (Luke 7:41-49).
Yom Kippur foreshadows the ultimate salvation of Jewish people. The prophet Zechariah spoke of a day when the nation of Israel will recognize her Messiah, and “they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son” (Zechariah 12:10). When the Jewish people recognize Messiah, as Paul wrote, “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). As followers of Jesus, we look confidently forward to eternal life, because our names are written in the Book of Life. The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, should remind us to be grateful for our salvation by grace. as we look forward to the salvation of Israel! It was through their rejection of God’s salvation through Jesus that sent the Gospel to the rest of the nations. “For if their being cast away is reconciling of the world, what will be their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Roman 11:15). I believe that is the heart of God for the Jewish people. That is the beautiful message of Yom Kippur.
