Introduction

It is God's purpose to be at one with all people. However, God is a holy God and will not dwell with evil. He has a plan that will bring man to a state of holiness. That plan is revealed in the Feasts that were revealed first to ancient Israel. This study guide concerns one of those Feasts, the Day of Atonement, and what it reveals about that plan.

Evidence From Scripture

LEVITICUS 16:29-31 "This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who sojourns among you. (30) For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. (31) It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever."

LEVITICUS 23:26-32 " And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying……"

1. Why do we need a Day of Atonement?

2. Why did non-Israelites have to participate in the festival as well as Israelites?

3. How does one afflict his soul?

4. What are we to learn by afflicting our souls?

5. Why would the Day of Atonement be listed as a feast?

6. Why was the penalty for failure to observe the Day of Atonement so severe? Is the same punishment carried out today? Why or why not?

ACTS 27:9 "Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them ...."

7. Was this Feast to continue to be observed after Jesus' death and resurrection?

JOHN 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out."

I JOHN 5:19 "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."

8. Who is the ruler of this world? Is it God?

9. How does the wicked one rule the world? Is the world aware of his rule? Is his rule benevolent?

10. Is the world separated from God and, therefore, in need of atonement?

11. What is God's plan for accomplishing this atonement? Read Leviticus 16:7-9, 21-22.

LEVITICUS 16:7-9 "He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. (8) "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. (9) And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord's lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering."

LEVITICUS 16:21-22 "and Aaron shall lay both hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. (22) The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness."

12. What similarities are there between these verses and Revelation 20:1-3?

13. Who is represented by the goat that was the sin offering?

14. Who is represented by the scapegoat?

15. What is the symbolic meaning of Aaron having to cast lots for the two goats?

16. Why are Israel's sins put on the head of the scapegoat? Read John 8:41-44 and Revelation 12:9, and then comment.

REVELATION 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."

DANIEL 7:18 "But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever."

17. Who replaces Satan and his demons as rulers of this world?

18. Will the world now be at one with the true God?

Summary

1. How does God want us to observe the Day of Atonement today? What does He want us to remember by keeping this Feast?

2. What is the world's attitude toward this day? Is it observed? Does everyone recognize the meaning of this day as it relates to Satan? Is the world aware of what God is doing?

3. What are your personal convictions about the meaning of this Feast and how the Day of Atonement should be observed?