Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20010221.htm

LEVITICUS: GOD'S CALL FOR A SEPARATED WITNESS
Part II: The Path Of Walking In Fellowship With God (Leviticus 11-27)
M. God's Prophetic Assemblies Of Christ's Redemption
6. The Feast Of The Day Of Atonement: Foretelling Israel's National Repentance
(Leviticus 23:26-32)
  1. Introduction
    1. We read in Romans 11:25-26 that though the nation Israel is now spiritually blind about accepting Christ as her Savior, the day is coming when the nation will eventually repent and be cleansed of her sins.
    2. The Feast of the Day of Atonement predicts this event, and offers us invaluable applications regarding handling our own sins, and regarding our attitudes as messengers of God to others in sin (as follows):
  2. The Feast Of The Day Of Atonement: Foretelling Israel's National Repentance, Leviticus 23:26-32.
    1. When Christ presented Himself as Israel's Messiah in His first coming to the earth, the nation rejected Him, opting to believe salvation was mainly by keeping the works of the Law rather than by faith in Him, cf. Luke 19:37-40, 41-42 in light of Daniel 9:24-26 along with Romans 2:17-18; Acts 15:1-2.
    2. As a result, the generation of Hebrews who rejected Christ was displaced from God's blessing through the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A. D., cf. Luke 19:43-44. For this Jesus wept over His Jerusalem, Luke 19:41.
    3. Yet, God's promise to Abraham and David to set up a Davidic kingdom to bless all the world through His seed is yet going to be fulfilled, and that through Jesus Christ, Gen. 12:1-3; 2 Sam. 7; Rev. 20:4. For that to occur, Israel must repent as a nation concerning Christ, an event prophesied in the Feast of the Day of Atonement as follows (Leviticus 23:26-32):
      1. Just nine days after the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast we have learned predicts the regathering of the nation Israel in the latter days, the Feast of the Day of Atonement was to occur, Lev. 23:26-27, 24.
      2. The assembly for this Day of Atonement was to be an unusually melancholy one, a time for the people of Israel to afflict their souls instead of being joyful, Leviticus 23:27. This pictures the grief each persona in Israel will express when he recognizes the crucifixion prints in the Risen Lord Jesus' body, cf. Zechariah 12:10-14. This grief will be remorse over Israel's previous rejection of Christ.
      3. The Day of Atonement was also the day the High Priest entered into the Holiest of Holies to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat, atoning for Israel's sins as a nation, cf. Lev. 16:29-34. This predicts the time when God will respond to Israel's grief over her sin with forgiveness, Zechariah 12:10a.
      4. Of significance is the repeated emphasis on this day as being a Sabbatical rest, Lev. 23:28, 30-32. This shows the emphasis on Israel's salvation by GRACE and not by works as opposed to Israel's initial emphasis on justification in Christ's era, cf. Romans 2:17-18; Acts 15:1-2.
      5. Also, any Hebrew who refused to afflict his soul or to keep the Sabbath rest was to be removed from the assembly, Leviticus 23:29-30. This predicts the time of Christ's Second Coming when all who stoutly refuse to believe in Him will be removed from this earth in judgment, Mtt. 24:36-41. All who retain a form of belief in salvation by works as opposed to salvation by faith alone will be likewise judged so that the Millennial Kingdom starts only with believers on the earth!
    4. As the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Pentecost have all been fulfilled on the day of the year in which each occurs, we believe this repentance will occur on the tenth day of Israel's first civil calendar month. It will come just as Christ prepares to set up His Messianic Kingdom.
Lesson: Though Israel rejected Christ as her Messiah, opting to hold to salvation by the works of the Law, She will yet put her faith in Christ for salvation and enjoy God's rich forgiveness and blessing.

Application: (1) God's promises to Abraham and David concerning the world reign of Christ will yet be fulfilled due to His great forbearance and grace, and that in spite of Israel's great sin of rebelling against Christ and His salvation at His first advent. (2) Hence, one who comes to Christ for cleansing, regardless how great has been his past sin or how inexcusable his rebellion, if he truly repents, he WILL find God abundantly willing and able to pardon, Isa. 55:6-7. (3) In like manner, we who are sent by God with the Gospel of Christ to the lost as His representatives are to represent our gracious God with the same self-sacrifice and unmerited favor attitude as did Jesus in His first coming, cf. Jn. 20:21.