Day of Atonement – Time in the Chapel

October 6, 2019October 6, 2019

Yom Kippur 2019

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Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur
by Maurycy Gottlieb, 1878
Note the solemnity of the moment.
Image in the Public Domain

Yom Kippur 2019

There are many things that separate man from the beasts: intelligence, communication skills, sophisticated social order; the list goes on but the one I want to point out here is not so flattering. The animal kingdom is much better at facing reality than humans are. When an animal sees something good to eat, it eats. When an animal finds a safe place to rest, it rests. When an animal senses danger, it does something about it. It either fights or flees. This is where humans fail. Too often when we sense danger, we ignore it. You want proof? How about cigarette smoking, alcoholism and obesity. But there is a far greater danger that countless millions ignore every day:

(Heb 10:30) For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
(Heb 10:31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

“Oh, but we don’t like to concentrate on that in our ministry. We’d rather talk about the love of God.” How very human of you. You see danger, you ignore it.

The cynic will accuse God of being dark and vengeful and repressive because He says things like, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9) or “all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23) . We wonder why God is being so mean. Why doesn’t He just ignore it like we do? Suppose you’ve been driving all night through the Mojave desert. It’s dark. You’ve been on the road for hours and you decide to pull over just to get a little sleep. A few hours later, you are rudely awakened by a sheriff’s deputy banging on your window and shouting at you. You think, “Now, can’t he see that I’m tired and need some rest?” Next thing you know you hear a freight train speeding toward you. In the darkness and due to your unfamiliarity with your surroundings you parked your car on active train tracks. In a flash, that cop goes from obnoxious blowhard to live saver.

God is pointing out your desperate, sinful condition because it is placing you in danger. The Bible makes it clear: We are helpless, hopeless sinners. As much as God loves us all…and He does love us all, He will not ignore sin. Now, this is not the place to discuss “why”. In fact, if you accept that He will not ignore sin than the “why” question doesn’t matter because once you come to the conclusion that God is holy and you’re not you will be driven to the REAL question, “What can I do about it?” Well, your mood isn’t going to improve because the answer to the question, “What can I do about my sin separating me from God” is…nothing. But, ironically…and with God there is SOOO much irony…ironically, though God is ALWAYS the offended party, He is also the only one who can make things right and the ENTIRE Bible is a record of His remedy. By the way, the only way you can make sense of the Bible, the only way the Bible will bring you joy is if you look at it as a picture of “The Atonement”. The Bible isn’t a history book, although there is history in it. The Bible isn’t a morality guide, although there is morality in it. The Bible is not a world peace plan, although there is peace in it. God’s Book is a prescription for removing sin and reuniting His people and the Seven Feasts of Israel are all of that in miniature.

Today we talk about one of the most well-known of all the Seven Feasts: Yom Kippur; in the English, The Day of Atonement. God gave this Feast to His children to demonstrate all of what we’ve said thus far: He will not tolerate sin; it must be paid for; and we will NEED a substitute…a PERFECT substitute as payment. In the Old Testament, God established an elaborate system of offerings designed to do two things: Atone for sin and to tell a story. Join us for this podcast as we find out what that story really is. Spoiler alert: It’s Jesus!

But before you begin, make sure that you are prepared in your mind, heart and spirit. Take a few moments and go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to allow you to see wondrous things out of His Law (Psalm 119:18). Plead with God…pleading means it’s important to you…show God that what He requires is important to you so PLEAD with Him to send His Spirit to fill you with His Truth.

May 12, 2019July 8, 2019

Atonement Part 3-Covering

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The Mercy Seat (Illustration from the Holman Bible)
Image in the Public Domain

Atonement Part 3-Covering

We’re still at it. We’re still trying to pry open the meaning of this word atonement. And, by the way, we’re really more interested in WHY the word atonement was created. “Atonement”, you should know by now, is an invented English word. (I realize ALL words are invented but you get my meaning.) However, it isn’t abundantly clear who invented it. Some say William Tyndale made it up; some say there is evidence that it existed before Tyndale began using it. We can, however, be certain that William Tyndale is the first person to use it in a Biblical context and, frankly, that’s really the only context we’re interested in, at the moment. The problem we’re facing is how the word is currently defined versus what we are told the word meant originally. There appears to be some conflict between the modern use of the word and what Tyndale intended the word to mean. The disparity seems irreconcilable and that is what has set us on our journey. You see, we don’t hide from controversy. We don’t shy away from what some might consider Biblical disagreement and we don’t blame God or His Word when we, in fact, suffer, simply, from a lack of understanding. Around here we do what we can to figure it out.

So, today we will look at the Old Testament use of the word. Of course, William Tyndale is not, necessarily, known for his Old Testament work. He was actually executed before he could finish his translation of the Hebrew Scripture but it is clear that his New Testament translation influenced later Old Testament English translations, including the King James. Those later translators must have liked his use of the word atonement because it appears quite extensively; more than 80 times, the majority of which occur in the Book of Leviticus. Now, this shouldn’t surprise us because it is in the Book of Leviticus that God deals, administratively, if you will, with sin. In God’s Plan, where sin exists, atonement must be present and that speaks of Christ. Starting to see why we’re taking the time to study this word?

So, once again, I call you to pause a moment and go to God and ask for His help. Pray that He will send His Spirit so that you and He can work out how His Plan fits into your life. Ask Him to open your eyes that you may behold wondrous things out of His Law. (Psalm 119:18)

February 10, 2019April 9, 2019

Tabernacle in the Wilderness Part 2

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“And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.” Exodus 33:9
Image in the Public Domain

Tabernacle in the Wilderness Part 2

Today we continue our fascinating series on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. In this lesson we go into depth on the various pieces of “furniture” in the Tabernacle. We explain the meaning of the materials, the placement of the objects and the everyday use of the items and show that, without a doubt, all of it is pointing to Christ. Every bit of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, in all of its many details, is given to us to tell the story of the redemption of mankind by the One we now know as Jesus of Nazareth. I know, I know it sounds hard to believe. How could something tell a story 1400 years before it happened and with this much accuracy? I just ask you to give it a chance. Listen in (as well as Part 1 in the series if you haven’t already) and keep your mind open. Don’t decide until you’ve heard the facts. That’s what this lesson presents: the facts. Before you begin, pray for understanding. Ask God to open your heart and mind so that you can see the wonders of His Word.

February 3, 2019April 9, 2019

Tabernacle in the Wilderness Part 1

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Tabernacle in the Wilderness Part 1

There is a book that is so fascinating, so incredible, so fantastic that it has captivated millions. If you read it with a sincere interest in understanding it, the expected result is deep respect and admiration (and eventually adoration) for its author. Of course, I am speaking of the Bible. Even those that criticize it or dispute the truth of its contents cannot help but admire it. After all, its pages are filled with some of the most remarkable events in all of human history; too remarkable, in fact, to be believable, is the claim of many detractors. In this ministry, we don’t spend much time trying to prove the veracity of the Bible. Sure, there is some of that here and there but don’t we ALL try to defend that which we love so dearly? That notwithstanding, most of the time we simply lay out the facts and let you decide. One of our favorite topics, something we return to time and again, is the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Not too long after the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, God told Moses to build Him a dwelling place and it was going to be like no other building ever built on earth. In fact, its primary purpose, unlike most other buildings, was not to house or contain things or people but rather the purpose of this building was to tell a story. In the building of the Tabernacle we get a glimpse of the immeasurable love God has for mankind. The Tabernacle communicates God’s mercy and provision in such a way that forces us to either go to our knees in utter reverence of His Glory or drive us away in mocking disbelief. This podcast is the first of two in a series that explores this magnificent structure. There is so much to talk about that we’ve had to split it up into two podcasts and, to be honest, that isn’t even enough. Today’s episode is far more general in nature but, nonetheless, crucial to your understanding of this wonderful topic. Make sure you take a moment or two to pray for God’s assistance and make sure you pay close attention because these are sacred things and should be given the respect they are due.