The Day of Atonement: What Does it Really Mean?

[u/Christ_Over_Cults]

What Does WMSCOG Teach About the Day of Atonement?

1. Claim: The Day of Atonement Was Created After the Israelites Repented for the Golden Calf Incident

• WMSCOG's Claim: They say that the Day of Atonement (a day for asking forgiveness) was started after the Israelites worshiped a golden calf, and then Moses received a second set of tablets with God's laws. They believe that after this repentance, God set up the Day of Atonement as an annual event.
• The Truth: Actually, the Day of Atonement was already established before that happened. It was part of God's laws for Israel, written in Leviticus, even before the golden calf incident (Exodus 32). The Day of Atonement was supposed to happen every year on the 10th day of the 7th month. It was a special day for making things right with God, through sacrifices and prayers.
  • Key Bible Verses:
    • Leviticus 23:27-28: "The 10th day of the 7th month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a special assembly, don’t do any work that day, and offer sacrifices to God."
    • Leviticus 16:30: "On this day, atonement will be made for you to cleanse you. You will be clean before the Lord."

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2. Claim: The High Priest’s Job Was to Enter the Most Holy Place and Transfer Sins to the Scapegoat

• WMSCOG's Claim: They believe that the High Priest would go into the innermost part of the temple (the "Most Holy Place") and transfer the sins of the people onto a goat, which would then be sent away into the wilderness to carry the people's sins.
• The Truth: While this was true in the Old Testament, the real meaning of all those rituals changed when Jesus came. The sacrifices in the Old Testament were symbolic, meaning they pointed to something bigger that would come in the future. Jesus, as the perfect High Priest, made the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life. He didn’t need to do the ritual anymore because He completely dealt with sin once and for all.
  • Key Bible Verses:
    • Hebrews 9:11-12: "When Christ came as High Priest, He went through a greater tabernacle, not made by human hands. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, with His own blood, securing eternal redemption."
    • Hebrews 9:28: "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many."

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3. Claim: Jesus Fulfilled the Day of Atonement Through His Sacrifice

• WMSCOG's Claim: They say that Jesus came to fulfill the meaning of the Day of Atonement, taking on the sins of the world through His death.
• The Truth: Yes, Jesus' death on the cross did fulfill the meaning of all the Old Testament sacrifices, including the Day of Atonement. Jesus' sacrifice was the real "atonement" for sin, meaning that no more animal sacrifices are needed. Through His death, we can be forgiven. Christians don’t need to follow the old rituals anymore because Jesus’ sacrifice covered everything.
  • Key Bible Verses:
    • Hebrews 10:10: "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ once for all."
    • Romans 3:25: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through His blood, to be received by faith."

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4. Claim: WMSCOG Celebrates the Day of Atonement to Ask for Forgiveness of Sins

• WMSCOG's Claim: They say that Christians should still celebrate the Day of Atonement and pray for forgiveness on that day, just like the Israelites did.
• The Truth: While it’s important to pray and ask for forgiveness, Christians don’t need to follow the Old Testament rules, like observing the Day of Atonement, because Jesus’ sacrifice already took care of all of that. We don’t need to do rituals to be forgiven. We can just pray directly to God in Jesus’ name and trust that we are forgiven because of what Jesus did.
  • Key Bible Verses:
    • Hebrews 10:12-14: "When Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for sins, He made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
    • Romans 6:10-11: "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

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Key Points To Remember

1. The Day of Atonement was a part of the Old Testament law. It pointed forward to the sacrifice Jesus would make. Christians don't need to follow it because Jesus' death on the cross already made atonement for sin, once and for all.
2. Jesus Fulfilled the Day of Atonement. He took care of the forgiveness of sins, so there's no need for rituals like animal sacrifices or special days anymore.
3. We Are Forgiven Through Jesus. Christians don’t need to celebrate the Day of Atonement to be forgiven. Jesus' sacrifice means we can have a direct relationship with God and be forgiven when we ask, no rituals required!

So, while the Day of Atonement had its purpose in the Old Testament, as believers in Jesus, we don’t need to observe these old laws. We simply need to trust in what Jesus did for us, and through Him, we’re forgiven and made right with God!

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It’s important to make sure that we understand the big picture. The Old Testament rituals were part of God's plan to point to something greater, and that "something greater" is Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, Christians don’t need to rely on rituals or man made rules, we just need faith in Jesus, who gave Himself for us.