OK Doves, now it’s going to be Yom Kippur. LEST we faint or become limp wristed waiting upon the Lord, or fall into slumber while He delays, here are presented some thoughts about Yom Kippur, from one who is ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the day of the rapture ! But I pray that the Spirit guide me in organizing my thoughts for your edification, and that any error is forgiven by His Holiness, and corrected by you Doves. One thing about John’s Doves site, is that we have learned so much from each other, each expressing that particular member of the body to which he is given talent by the Lord, and that we have learned so much about the feasts of the Lord, which, if He had come earlier we would not be able to take up with us, as a freewill offering of learning, for which I might add we just might earn a small crown… I have read with interest the post by OlaIlori, and thank you Ola for your very enlightening study. I agree that there is much to be seen in the feast of Tabernacles and our Lord’s arrival to take us home. But before I answer to these thoughts, I shall attempt to put together a few of my thoughts about Yom Kippur (Day of Attonement).
Now a broad outline as I understand it, Yom Kippur is the final day of the 40-day repentance period which began on Elul 1st, 30 days before Rosh Hashanah, and includes the ten days of awe, or another reprieve period in which to repent before Yom Kippur, when the Book of Life is closed by the righteous judge in heaven, and those who have not been found worthy to be in that book have no further appeal to the Lord thereafter. Let us recall that our Lord said that an evil generation which seeks a sign shall have only the “sign of Jonah”, and one of the aspects of Jonah’s call to repentance for Nineveh was a 40-day call to repentance. So, this should intrigue us at the very least, and beckon us to look further. For, should the Jewish nation seek a sign of their coming Messiah, they would certainly stumble upon this scripture after the rapture and do the math themselves. If, as many say, our Lord’s physical appearing upon earth, on the Mount of Olives, occurs on Yom Kippur, then it follows that seven years earlier (introducing the time of Jacob’s trouble), would occur then also on Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is a day of fasting, and atonement, so there is usually a rather large and hedonistic repast the day before this entire day of donning hair shirts and denial of the flesh. During the Yom Kippur service, the Ark of the Covenant is open, which contains the Torah; this signifies the gates of heaven which are purported to be open during this period. This should lead us into meditating upon those words of the Lord about Himself being “the door”, or the open gate, which also relates to Rosh Hashanah, in that the gates of heaven are open even for the last ten days of repentance before Yom Kippur. So, there is much fuss made about these open doors made during the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Also we shall look later at that door which was open to the Philadelphian church in Revelation, and that door which John saw as open in heaven for his invitation to “come up hither”.
First, before I forget it... I believe this is the only feast day of the Lord, which calls for a day of fasting. Additional prohibitions for the day of Yom Kippur are engaging in marital relations, weddings,
wearing leather shoes, or washing oneself, in addition to not drinking wine or eating food. Was our Lord referring to this day when He said that in the days of Noah, they were “eating and drinking” and “marrying and giving in marriage” until THE DAY that Noah entered into the ark. Likewise, prior to this year’s Yom Kippur, Jews will be “eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage”, until THE DAY of Yom Kippur. Without getting flakey here... I read somewhere on the world-wide net, that the Ark of the Covenant, had the same ratio of measurements as the dimensions of the ark of Noah, and we know that God Himself closed the door to the ark once Noah was inside, so perhaps there is a picture here of that great ark of heaven being open for us, until the completion of Yom Kippur, “God Himself will close the door”. After the Yom Kippur service, the doors of the ark of the covenant are closed, signifying the closing of the door of heaven; they blow the shofar once, and this is called “The Great Trump”. then that’s all she wrote for those who did not repent.
The last hour of the Yom Kippur service offers one final opportunity for repentance. Does this remind you of our Lord’s words to the Laodecian church “behold I stand at the door and knock”?
WHY NOT ROSH HASHANAH?
I am sure we all wilted when Rosh Hashanah came and went with no resurrection, no call of the Bridegroom – nothing. What? It all seemed to fit so well. So, back to the drawing board we go. We are now in the Days of Awe portion of time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These are days of deep reflection, leading up to the most somber day of fasting and repentance, during which we reflect upon our sins. The Sabbath day that falls during these two feasts is called The Sabbath of Return or “Shabbat Shuvah”, which means the Sabbath of repentance, or returning to the Lord from our lives of sin.
I have felt for some time that there lurks in the first (church-related) portion of the book of Revelation, the answer to WHEN the rapture would be, for John himself was called to “come up hither”. John is a “type” of the bride of Christ (he laid his head upon the breast of our Lord at the last supper, typical of what a bride did at a betrothal dinner), and he was called “the beloved deciple”. Therefore, we look at John to find out what becomes of the beloved betrothed bride.
First, John hears a voice like a trumpet, (this is the “first trump) introducing the words of our Lord, and he turns to see the Lord “in the midst of the seven candlesticks” Revelation 1:12-13. He is instructed to write to the churches what He speaks. His feet were like unto “fine brass”, which bespeaks of judgment, and a sharp two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. This two-edged sword we have encountered before, in the words of Paul:
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
So, with this two-edged sword, He is about to both compliment, and rebuke, the seven churches, for He identifies the seven candlesticks as “the seven churches”. He dictates these words of discernment while John is still on earth, which claim I still stick to, else, how could John later be told to “come up hither”, if he was already
“up thither”, and in fact the bride / church is on earth during this time of dressing-down by the Lord, and during this time of repentance.
Now, I think that this scenario pictures exactly what happens prior to Yom Kippur. The reason that the Lord does not come on Rosh Hashanah, is that IT IS STILL IN THE 40-DAY REPENTANCE PERIOD, leading up to YOM KIPPUR, THE LAST DAY OF THE REPENTANCE PERIOD. For:
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance
But “that ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE” speaks of a period of time when our Lord is “longsuffering”,,,and in fact a person can “come to repentance” right up until the last hour before the Yom Kippur service is over, and this period of time for repentance, is the 40-day period prior to Yom Kippur, as also it was during the 40-day period of Jonah’s preaching when he said that God would repent of the evil that He had purposed to do if they did not repent.
But not to dwell here, let’s see what follows in the book of Revelation. Sure enough the letters to the churches have ‘REPENTANCE’ writ large all over them. Repent, or else. Repent or else. Repent or else. This is the language of Teshuvah (the 30 days of repentance prior to Rosh Hashanah, and the ten days of awe or repentance, after Rosh Hashanah.)
Rosh Hashanah is still repentance season, while God is LONGSUFFERING, and awaiting the repentance; that is why the rapture cannot happen on Rosh Hashanah. However, the first trumpet which John heard, was the trumpet of Rosh Hashanah announcing the last ten days of repentance. And to one of these churches He says, “(Rev 3:8) Behold I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT”. This open door is none other than the open door that constitutes the gates of heaven being open during the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur! But it gets better for Philadelphia, because He says, during this period of time that the door is open, that (Rev 3:11) “Behold I COME QUICKLY… hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”. Yes, He comes quickly, in fact within ten days of this judgment of the churches, and this coming happens to involve “crowns” or rewards (the rapture).
Rev 22:12 - And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
To the Laodeceans, He says He is about to spue them out of His mouth, (to spend some time in the coming tribulation years) because THEY SEE NO NEED TO REPENT. They see themselves as rich, increased in goods, and HAVING NEED OF NOTHING. To this church He says “behold I AM AT THE DOOR”. And “be zealous therefore, and REPENT”. If any man opens the door (of repentance), He states He will come in a sup with him (the marriage supper).
We should see hereafter, in the book of Revelation, pictures of Yom Kippur following upon this call to repentance, and sure enough that we do. The next thing John reports (and remember that John is a type of the bride of Christ) is that a door was opened (KJV), elsewhere, “a door standing open”, in heaven and he was called “up hither” by another voice of a trumpet. (Rev 4:1). “Immediately” (the rapture) he found himself in heaven. This time he heard another “trumpet” (the last trump when we shall be changed in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye). And when he looked around, he saw a throne, and right after that the “24 elders”, who were wearing “crowns” – here are the crowns promised to those faithful Philadelphians…
Isaiah 26:2 - Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
Psalm 118: 19-24 - Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Jesus started His ministry on Yom Kippur, for we read that the Holy Spirit immediately took Him after His baptism out to the wilderness to be tempted by satan. In the Law, it states that after the priest attoned for the people, he chose a “scapegoat”, which was led into the wilderness, to carry away the sins of the people, and that a “goodly man” was to lead that goat there (a type of the Holy Spirit leading Christ into the wilderness as our scapegoat). It was also a jubilee year, as Jesus quoted Isaiah 61, that He had come to set the slaves free etc.
Now, on Yom Kippur, and at the jubilee year, the Great Trumpet was to be blown to bring in the jubilee year. Therefore, the trumpet which John heard when he was called up to heaven was the “trumpet of God” which calls us up, at the jubilee of the church, or rapture.
Now, we know from the scriptures that Christ has been made our “high priest” in heaven. Only, unlike the high priest on earth that entered the Holy of Holies once a year, we read in Hebrews:
Hebrews 9:21-28 - Moreover he (the high priest) sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
FACE TO FACE
Another traditional name for Yom Kippur is “face to face”. We know that no man could ever see God and live; however, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies and be in God’s presence, or “face to face” with God. This was a most solemn moment, and the people were gripped with anxiety as the high priest was in there, waiting to see if God would accept the sacrifice. A bright cloud was over the mercy seat, at God’s presence in there.
Now, get this: Paul tells us:
1 Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
But here’s the clincher.
When the high priest exited the Holy of Holies, the people breathed a huge collective sigh of relief, for from the VERY MOMENT when the high priest emerged from the Holy of Holies on the Day of Attonement, they knew that they were absolutely sinless and blameless before the Lord, and could set out upon yet another year of sin and hilarity, until the next year. LET US GO TO EPHESIANS 5:27 now: where Paul speaks of the mystery of Christ and the bridegroom, the church:
Ephesians 5:27 - That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish
In Leviticus 25:9-11, we see that the year of the Jubilee, was to be heraled in on Yom Kippur, the Day of Attonement. And we know that the Jubilee year, was one of the REDEMPTION of lost property or rights, or indebtedness. The REDEMPTION (being redeemed by His blood sprinkled in the Holy of Holies before the Father) mentioned in the song of the 24 elders, speaks of this liberty, and rest, which we acquire at His coming. And, in Joel 2:12-16, it says:
Joel 2:12-16 - Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me (Sabbath of Return) with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (which He did for the Ninevites at Jonah’s 40 days’ call to repentance) Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast (Yom Kippur) , call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify (cleanse) the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
This would indeed be the Julilee of the church, and this Jubilee can ONLY HAPPEN ON YOM KIPPUR as per Leviticus 25:8-13
Leviticus 25:8-13 - And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.
Hebrews 10:21-25 - And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
RUTH
Now if you will bear with me for a short while longer I may enlarge upon this also.
In the story of Ruth, which we were God-bothering so much about last spring, we attempted to bring on the rapture happening “at midnight” when Ruth lay at the feet of Boaz, her redeemer, but to no avail. It’s a short and nice book to read for those of you who have not read it, now would be a good time to do that. But I shall not quote it directly so that I may be more general in my thoughts. First of all, Naomi urged her daughter-in-law Ruth to prepare herself (days of repentance) by washing, dressing, and anointing herself, prior to presenting herself at the feet of Boaz on the threshing floor. Naomi was a street-smart Jewess, who knew that the harvest festivals were upon them. Ruth was around throughout the barley harvest “and to the wheat harvest”. That Boaz only had barley heaps on his floor was a stumblingblock to us, for at that time we fancied ourselves to be “barley”, then “wheat”, and hoped to see ourselves somewhere in this story. Apparently Boaz hadn’t seen to his wheat harvest yet... and in fact Jesus said... ”the harvest is the end of the age”, and wheat will be part of this harvest, taken from the parable of the wheat and tares. Knowing that the fall feasts were approaching, Naomi wanted to see to Ruth’s “rest”….remember? (this is our millennial rest as bride of Christ) That is, that she might be “redeemed” by this “kinsman” in whose field Ruth happed. It is interesting that Naomi told Ruth to wait to lie at his feet, until he “has finished eating and drinking”. Now, why is this little detail here... remember, that there is a sumptuous feasting the day before Yom Kippur, because the next day is a fast day. So, Ruth waited until he had eaten and drunk, and his heart was “merry” from the feasting. At midnight, Boaz stirs, (“at midnight a call was made – behold the bridegroom cometh”), and he awakens, and passes a complimentary judgment upon her, his bride to be (the judgment seat of Christ). Ruth returns to Naomi with the news of the threshing-floor encounter, early in the morning, bearing a gift of barley. Now, Naomi says, that Boaz will “not REST (bring in the millennial rest) until this thing be taken care of…”, that is the securing of the right to be a kinsman redeemer and acquire Ruth as bride in the process.
(the millennial rest or jubilee cannot occur until the redemption process is approved by the city’s elders). Boaz the next morning goes to the elders of the city and makes it all right, and REDEEMS Naomi’s property (
Therefore, we come back now to the scene in heaven immediately after John is caught up to heaven (the rapture of the bride), and witnesses the Lamb being found WORTHY to open the seals of the book (the book of REDEMPTION), for in all cases of kinsman redeemers, the kinsman had to be found worthy by the city’s elders to open the scroll of the property rights of the purchased possession. We know that what Christ is redeeming here is all that was lost from the fall of Adam onward. That is why John cried when “no man could be found worthy to open the book…”.
And so it is, that the 24 elders could sing a NEW SONG, about redemption, and that redemption could only have occurred on YOM KIPPUR, and that spotless bride could have only been made spotless and without wrinkle, by the only one who could have done this on THE DAY OF REDEMPTION, or YOM KIPPUR.
So, until Yom Kippur comes and goes, I will not as yet concentrate upon the feast of Tabernacles……..it could well be that “after six days”, when Christ led Peter, James and John “up the mountain”, to see His transfiguration into His glorious body, that it was on Yom Kippur, for the deciples said, “shall we make tabernacles for you, and Moses and Elijah”, for tabernacles were built during the five days between Yom Kippur and the beginning of the feast of Tabernacles, and stocked with their harvest celebration decorations and provisions for the week.
And, if Yom Kippur comes and goes, you can be sure you will see how I will find all kinds of reasons that the Lord will return on the Feast of Tabernacles...
Importantly, we keep learning. The more we learn, the more we appreciate Him, and the majesty of His Word.
POSTSCRIPT TO MY YOM KIPPUR STUDY
And of course I leave out one of the most important scriptures, relating to the rapture on Yom Kippur, buried in this mass of notes. The "engagement or espousal gift" given to us, the church, was the "earnest of the Holy Spirit", or down-payment of that which would be made full later. Ruth was given six measures of barley, so that she would not return to Naomi without an espousal gift, or down payment from Boaz. With this earnest or partial offering of the Holy Spirit, we are "sealed" as the property of the betrothed Bridegroom, Christ. Paul tells us in Ephesians not to grieve the Holy Spirit........for we are sealed with this Spirit, until the DAY OF REDEMPTION, which is YOM KIPPUR. That's about as plain as it can be that the last day of this "partial" sealing of the Holy Spirit will be on YOM KIPPUR, for another name for Yom Kippur is: DAY OF REDEMPTION...... Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
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