I.                    Introduction

Lev 23.4 – The Feasts of the Lord.

Verses 26-28 – The Day of Atonement

This is a day of atonement for us – atonement is made on our behalf.  Why do we need atonement?  What happens when we don’t have this atonement?  What has happened to all humanity throughout the ages?

As Paul states, “As in Adam all die.”  We’ve been dying for centuries and people fear death.  Death and its perpetrator have power over the masses with this fear.  What does Atonement have to do with this?

II.                  S.P.S.

Let’s take a look at some aspects of Atonement and see why God has made this special day for us.

III.                Body

How was the world in the beginning? 

John 1.1-5

Christ was with God the Father from the very beginning.  All things came into being through him.

So darkness did not comprehend or overcome the Word.  We see this today – people don’t comprehend the simple truth that Christ brought to this earth.  They didn’t understand him or his message.  They viewed him as a threat.  Why?  We’ll get to that answer later.

Verses 12-14

Those who believed he gave power – power to become the sons of God.  Power to overcome, power to have a sound mind.  Power to change and grown and have the right perspective.  What a wonderful power to have!  People didn’t necessarily listen to The Word but the Father used him to give his message to his creation.

Heb 1.1-4

God used the Word to speak to his people.  There used to be a prophet or an intermediary but now he speaks to his Church and leads his Church.  Christ came to the earth to teach us and then die for the sins of mankind who are all under servitude to a different master.

Heb 2.6-10

Christ truly is our pioneer – he shows us the potential that we have in each of us.  He sets the example that we may experience on this earth.  He suffered for us and now is glorified.  We will suffer because of who we are but will be glorified as well.  Christ did one more thing that is very important – it’s part of the meaning of the Day of Atonement.

Verse 14-15

Christ destroyed Satan’s control over the power of death.  Christ destroyed the grip that Satan had on his creation.  Once called and elected, Christ now give us the power to break free from the bondage that Satan disguises as “light”.  How important is this to us?  How did this happen?

Ezek 28.11-18

Satan was perfect until equity was found in him.  He began to think differently.  What you see around us as society is how he began to think.  He was competitive, he glorified strength, he was the (in his mind at first) the king of payback.  You help me and I’ll help you was his motto – he was the first political posterer!

Isa 14.12-15

12“How you are fallen from heaven,O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!  13For you have said in your heart:  ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;  I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;  14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’  15Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

The Message Bible states it this way:

What a comedown this, O Babylon!

Daystar! Son of Dawn!

Flat on your face in the underworld mud,

you, famous for flattening nations!

You said to yourself,

“I’ll climb to heaven.

I’ll set my throne

over the stars of God.

I’ll run the assembly of angels

that meets on sacred Mount Zaphon.

I’ll climb to the top of the clouds.

I’ll take over as King of the Universe!”

Satan’s success in seducing the other angels – his internal satisfaction of creating a way of life built upon being number one and his jealousy toward God’s creation led him to his downfall.  Satan now is in an attitude of rebellion.  That’s his m.o.!

Luke 10.18

Christ was there, he saw the failure of Satan’s line of reasoning.  He saw what we read about in Ezekiel and Isaiah.

So now the creation was in shambles from the war that had taken place.  Where there was once beauty there was now blackness.  Where there was once order there was now confusion.  God and his spirit are always working as Christ says.

Gen 1.1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  He created it perfect and he put creatures of perfection on his creation to care for it.  The angels left their first abode and strove to live on God’s throne and be God, the master of the universe.

Verse 2-

The earth was not empty and waste from the former rebellion.  But God’s spirit was moving over the waters – he wanted to move forward in his creation.  He wanted to continue to pursue his plan for all mankind.  So as verses 3-25 show us, he now is recreating the earth.  And now, his ultimate achievement physically is the creation of man.

Verse 26 -31

God put man on the earth and gave responsibilities.  He was to have dominion over the earth.  He was to dress and keep it not pollute the living daylights out of it.  It was God’s gift to mankind.

God put man on the earth and gave him choices.

Gen 2.15-17

You can eat of any tree in this garden except one!  Expound!

You can work on any day except one!

You can eat anything you want except one or two categories of food!

Gen 3.1-7

Adam and Eve didn’t trust God.  God had instructed them in righteousness and showed them the outcome of their obedience but it wasn’t enough for them.  They started to reason on their own apart from God.  Do we ever do that?  God lays out his promises and we simply say by our actions that I don’t trust God.  What areas?  Tithing, work, relationships, weaknesses of the heart and mind.

So man sinned and just like Satan man was thrust out of God’s created paradise.  Man now was under Satan’s rule and had to live in a world dominated by Satan’s way of thinking.  Satan’s laws of commerce were in effect as we read in Ezekiel 28.  Satan retained his authority over the earth and his power over death as stated in Hebrews.

So all the ills that befell the King of Tyre also befall mankind.

God’s plan is still intact and it continues on.

1 John 1.1-4

The Word was made flesh and our predecessors saw him and touched him and were taught by him.  They are our witnesses of what God has done for us through Christ.

1 John 2.1-2

Christ is our mediator – he came to the earth to set an example and then atone for the sins of the entire world.  He had to qualify for that, didn’t he?

Matt 4.1-11

Christ is tempted by Satan, just as Adam and Eve were, just as you and I are tempted every day.  Be your own person, don’t let anyone tell you what to do and I’m worth it!

It isn’t any different except Christ didn’t fall for the temptation, did he?  He saw through Satan’s deception and lies.

I wonder how close Christ and Lucifer were.  Did they spend time together?  Was it Christ who explained God’s plan to Lucifer?  Did they walk about the temple of God together?  Was he ever a trusted companion?  Christ obviously knows him well.

So Christ now qualifies to rule over the earth.  What happens next?  Satan inspires man to kill Christ.

Luke 22.1-6

Satan is always using man as pawns for his plan.  He doesn’t care for us or for God.  He wanted Christ dead but he forgot one little aspect.

1 Cor 15.20-23

Christ was made alive through a resurrection just as we will be if we die remaining faithful to God.  God keeps his promises!  It’s something that neither Satan nor this world understands.  Do we understand it?  Do we take God at face value and is that faith demonstrated in our lives?

Matt 16.18

The gates of the grave will never extinguish the Church of God!  Do we believe that?  Christ knows what we need and what he wants for his Church.  We should let him run the Church and have faith that he has selected leaders of faith as well.  We shouldn’t criticize or complain – that’s a satanic trait.

Let’s other traits of Satan’s followers:

Matt 23.13-15; 25-32

John 8.44

We are either with God or with Satan.  It’s just a matter of degrees.  That’s pretty black and white, isn’t it?  That’s the way it is brethren and we need to remember whose side we are on.  How should we be living?

John 13.34-35

We should be living differently than the world.

John 13.12-17

Christ says that instead of lying and crumbling and complaining that we should follow his example and lay down our lives for one another.  He did it for us and we should now follow his example and lay down our lives for each other.  What is the opposite of this?

Rev 12.9-10

So Satan is our accuser and he has been cast down to the earth as we have seen before.  He is here on this earth with us now.  Brethren, Satan does not want us to become Sons of God in the spirit.  We are going to be doing what he has always wanted to do and that is rule the universe.  He is not a happy camper!

Rev 12.12-17-

Satan is angry with the brethren.  He knows he has a short time – do we realize this?  Satan knows very soon he will be cut off from God and his people.  Why are people having problems again?  Why are people giving up?  The voice of dissention and weariness is being heard again and the volume is being turned up!  Live for yourself, get what you want, God is far off and will not help you.

Lev 16.1-19-

This offering was for the sins of the people – Christ’s blood.

God tells Moses and Aaron what to do exactly to be atoned for and purified.  Are we this meticulous in our preparation for a relationship with God?  Do we approach the throne of God in this way?

Verses 20-22

The sins of man were placed on the other goat – Satan.  He was set to a barren or solitary place.  God places the blame squarely on the shoulders of Satan and he has lots of time to think about it.  This makes him angry.

Verse 29

This is a statute to us forever!

So the author of confusion and deceit is revealed and labeled forever.  Satan during this time is active but it will not always be that way.

Rev 20.1-3

Satan will be bound for 1,000 years so that he will not be able to deceive the nations.  He will not have anyone in bondage to his way of thinking.  His power will be gone.

Verse 7-10

Satan is finally gone forever.  His dominion over man is now done.  The trademarks of his reign will be gone as well.

Verses 11-15

Death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire.  Satan’s power of death is broken because there is no process of death after this – we live forever.

Rev 21.1-4

God tells us again that Satan’s power over us is defeated – death will be no more.  Do we believe this?  Do we live our lives showing that we believe this?

Are we more encouraged now that the hour is closer for our salvation or are we falling into the trap that so many of our former colleagues fell into – unbelief and weariness?

We are at the point in our spiritual lives as a woman giving birth to a child.  Just when the woman thinks that things are too tough and she can’t go any farther, the baby is born.

Christ return is right around the corner.  Don’t lose sight of the promises that God gives us.

IV.               Conclusion

Let’s close with this wonderful promise from God.

Heb 2.10-18

Christ wants to help us!  He’s there to encourage us.  The Day of Atonement has so much encouraging news!  Christ is there for us and has paid the price for our sins and Satan will be bound forever and his power of death will be broken forever.  Let us live our lives according this hope that Gold has given us!