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The Day of Atonement in Israel
by Hubert F. Sturges, M.D., www.everlastingcovenant.com , December 2009
This article has to do with the origin of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the unique contribution of this church to Christian Theology. It is the first of a series of articles on the Judgment.
Controversies
A brief history: William Miller preached that Jesus would come the second time on October 22, 1844. Christ did not come. This was the Great Disappointment. Further study showed the date correct, but the event wrong -- the sanctuary is in heaven! And in 1844 the Heavenly Day of Atonement began. We live today in the great anti-typical Day of Atonement. It was on this message that the Seventh-day Adventist church was formed.
There are controversies on this doctrine both inside and outside the church. In both cases it is because of misunderstanding of Daniel 8:14 and the sanctuary doctrine. It is a large subject and very important and detailed. The questions that arise are:
1) Jesus made a complete atonement at Calvary. How can we say that there is a “Day of Atonement” at this time in history; or that Jesus is making an atonement in heaven now for us?
2) Daniel 8:10-12 speaks of the sanctuary being defiled by the Little horn. Daniel 8:14 speaks of the sanctuary being cleansed from this defilement, according to the context. How can we then make this a Day of Atonement and a judgment of people?
3) How does Daniel 8:14 point to a judgment?
4) If the “scapegoat” represents Satan, does that mean Satan is our sin bearer?
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A Pre-Advent Judgment
God would not have given a day of atonement in type unless there was a real Day of Atonement to follow. First we will look at some prophecies:
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. . 9 “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
. . 10 “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:9-10, KJV).
The verses above are taken from Daniel’s vision of the great kingdoms of this world. After these great kingdoms had come and gone, the judgment would take place. The books were opened. In the book of Life are all the names of people who profess to know God. You ask: Doesn’t God know each person? Yes! Why then does he have books?
God is not haphazard in what He does. He is a God of order (“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40)). A formal judgment is presented in the courtroom of the Ancient of Days. It is a public judgment with uncounted angels in attendance. The judgment is set (the court is brought to order) and the books are opened. The procedures show exactly what God is doing and that He is merciful and just in how He judges. Judgment is governed by law, and each individual is judged by his works. In the Book of Life (Revelation 20:12), each person is examined to determine if he has put his faith in Christ, in which case, Christ will stand for him.
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. . 13 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
. . 14 “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14, KJV).
Who is the judge? John 5:22 states that “the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” This is further clarified by “He (God) hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:30). Jesus is also our Advocate, Mediator, and Intercessor (1 John 2:1; Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25).
In the formalities of this judgment, Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven, to the Ancient of Days. His first apartment ministration for the forgiveness of sins is now finished, and he comes into the Most Holy, the throne of God. God’s people are acquitted. The record of sin, even the very memory of sin is eradicated. The sanctuary and God’s people are cleansed. The eternal kingdom of glory is initiated.
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Hub, Since my previous critique of your position was deleted, or at least does not appear, am I to understand that this is a one way street? Perhaps my post simply failed?
If you are discouraging detractors, could you make that plain?
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Glenn,
I don't know what happened. I did not delete your post, in fact I do not have ability on this forum to do any such thing. Please, if you can find our post, or remember what you said, please bring it back.
I do not discourage detractors. I expect that people will find things in what I say that they do not agree with. I definitely want to hear these objections -- especially if objections are documented. That way, I can learn something !!
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The Day of Atonement in Type --- was a unique experience!
Every year, the tenth day of the seventh month was appointed as the Day of Atonement. The first ten days of that month were days of penitence. Sins were searched out, confessed, and forgiven. The tenth day was a day of judgment. Only sins confessed and moved into the sanctuary would be blotted out, for on this day the decree of heaven was sealed. Whoever on that day had not afflicted his soul was cut off from Israel (Leviticus 23:29).
Four animals were provided: a young bullock for the High Priest and his household; the Lord’s goat for the people. Then there was the scapegoat and the ram for a burnt offering. Then the high priest must first wash himself with water and put on the holy garments.
Procedure
The young bullock was then killed as a sin offering for himself and for his household. Before the blood was administered the high priest was to “take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail” (Leviticus 16:12) There he puts the incense upon the fire he has brought, and the cloud of incense covers “the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.” (Vs 12,13).
The blood of the bullock was then taken and sprinkled “with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward;” and before the mercy seat, seven times to make atonement (cleanse) himself and his household.
The high priest then came out from the most holy place to the altar of burnt offering and killed the goat of the sin offering for the people. Re-entering the most holy place, he sprinkled the blood of the goat on the mercy seat as he did with the bullock. This was to atone for the most holy place as well as for the tabernacle of the congregation (the holy place) because of the uncleanness of the people.
Coming back out of the most holy place, the high priest then takes the blood of the bullock and of the Lord’s goat and puts it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He sprinkles the blood on the altar with his finger seven times to “cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel” (Leviticus 16:19).
The details of the procedure are important. Please note that there were a number of steps. Thus the atonement of Christ on Calvary was complete, but only one step in the process. The blood had to be shed, then it had to be applied too !!
Note also that the priest, his household, the congregation, and the sanctuary all had to be atoned. Even the Lord was atoned for by the scapegoat.
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Hub, It appears that someone is deleting my responses to your posts. Two of them have disappeared. Not sure what the problem is.
(Message edited by Hansen on December 26, 2009)
(Message edited by Hansen on December 26, 2009)
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Third attempt:
Hub, Any serious discussion of the Day of Atonement should begin in Hebrews. An inspired interpreter of Scripture explains its significance.
Chapters 9 and 10 focus on the DoA. Hebrews says that Christ entered the tabernacle once in the end of the world to put away sin. The context is the work of the high priest who entered the temple year by year. Because the work of Christ was complete, it is not necessary for him to enter annually, as did the typical priest.
Chapter 10 explains that the ritual service recalled the sins of the people each year; consequently, they could never be perfected under that system. In this context, being perfected refers to having the memory of sin, as well as its condemning nature, forever removed from the mind.
When Hebrews 10 says that Christ has perfected forever them that are sanctified, he is referring to those in verses 1 and 2 described as “those who draw near.” They are the same ones who have been cleansed in verse 2. They were cleansed through their participation in the daily service; however, they were not perfected because they had to recall their sin on the DoA.
The sacrifice of Christ forever removes the condemnation of sin from the life of the believer. Believers are perfected forever.
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Glenn: Your posts aren't being deleted. I rarely ever delete posts. Make sure you're posting the message after previewing. I know I have made the mistake once or twice of leaving my previewed post thinking I had already clicked on the "Post this Message" button.
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Yeah, I've done it too. I have to remember to hit the "post" on the upper frame that shows the larger display rather than the lower one that I type in. I got tricked because the lower one says both "preview" and "post message", but if I hit on that one it just previews again.
I got tricked by Ellen White before too, so I'm kinda used to it.
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Wow, I just tried to post this one and it wouldn't go. I had "cookies" and "images" turned off. I just put them back on. Now let's see if it works.
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Yup
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Thanks Ryan, for the reassurance. Paranoia is a nuisance sometimes.
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Hansen,
I have not been able to get onto the forum for a number of months. I think it was a problem with my computer, as Ryan did his best to correct the problem from his end. I disabled "cookie control" and hope that will help, in addition to having a new forum!!!
Hubert F. Sturges
Last edited by hfsturges (01-24-10 1:55 am)
Hubert F. Sturges
www.theeverlastingcovenant.com
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Hubb, I have found Ryan to be very helpful when I don't understand the new format. He's still working on one that I think might effect readership, the order of posts. In order to get the most recent post you have to touch Recent Posts button or Active Topics, then touch the date rather than the subject to get to the most recent post. Eventually it will get solved, but he responded and let me know he knew of the issue. But welcome back. Your contributions are always welcome.
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