Introduction: Yesterday we ended by discussing the Feast of Trumpets. The ancient Egyptians’ civil year began with the Nile’s flood season in September, and ancient Israel’s civil year, used for legal and chronological purposes, began in the autumn on the first day of the seventh month. As you probably know their months coincided with the New Moon. The next two Feasts are tied in with this Feast. Thus this was a New Year Feast!
The Day of Atonement
26 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.” – As the people of Israel entered the New Year in the last Feast, as mentioned above with worship and without proscribed feasting. here is offered the Feast which foreshadowers what Christ did for us when He died on the Cross. There is a complex series of sacrifices ending with the High Priest entering the Holiest of Holies to make a very special offering on the mercy seat symbolic of where God sits as the Creator, Saviour and Judge of Israel – in fact of the whole world! He then had to leave for another year’. Jesus, who Himself died as the sacrifice for our sin, entered but never left but ascended into the very Presence of the Father to be our High Priest and Advocate! The Bible records that the heavy, thick veil into the Holiest of Holies was torn from top to bottom as He died. We should thankfully remember this. His sacrifice was a once for all sacrifice and as He is for ever enthroned in the heavens never needs to be repeated! Jesus the Lamb died, Christ the Lion entered Heaven!
The Feast of Booths
33 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. 36 For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.
37 “These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, 38 besides the LORD’S Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD. – Immediately after that the nation left their comfortable homes and for a week lived in rough booths reminding them of what they had left behind because of God’s provision for them. I take it that this was to cause them to remember the past and be thankful and thoughtful in remembering that they were supposed to be different in the coming year. For us Christians may we remember that ‘the Lion’ is the Judge-King and repent for the past and change as they step into the future! New Year’s Resolutions aren’t enough!
Luke 5: 32- “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Prayer As we enter the New Year, Father, Help me to live well in Your sight. Thank You that when I stumble I can repent.
As I read it! 