PERPECTIVES ON

YOM KIPPURRyan White

RootedinTorah.com

Hebrew

s 9Isaia

h 58

Leviticus 16

Yom HaKippurim

Hebrew

s 9Isaia

h 58

Leviticus 16

Yom HaKippurim

Literary Analysis Conflict & Resolution

STRUCTURE OF LEVITICUS 16• After the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they drew near the

presence of YHWH• Aaron restricted entry to Holy of holies to once per year.• Ritual for entry:

• Linen garments on Aaron• Cast lots for goats, one for YHWH, one for “azazel”• Bull of purification for Aaron offered• Firepan with coals from the altar brought inside the veil• Blood of bull sprinkled on the Ark lid x7

AZAZEL OR

AZ OZEL

War Scroll

עזאזל

STRUCTURE OF LEVITICUS 16• After the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they drew near the

presence of YHWH• Aaron restricted entry to Holy of holies to once per year.• Ritual for entry:

• Linen garments on Aaron (and mikveh)• Cast lots for goats, one for YHWH, one for “azazel”• Bull of purification for Aaron offered• Firepan with coals from the altar brought inside the veil• Blood of bull sprinkled on east end of Ark lid x7

STRUCTURE OF LEVITICUS 16

• Goat of purification (L’YHWH) offered• Blood of goat sprinkled on east end of Ark lid x7

• Done to make kippur for the holy place, because of…(read Lev 16:16)

• Blood of the bull and goat cleanses the altar of incense.• “offers” the live goat (read Lev 16:20-22)• Removes linen garments and mikveh’s• Offers up the burnt offering

STRUCTURE OF LEVITICUS 16• Additional instructions (vv 29-34)

• Permenant statute:• Humble your souls • No work, neither native or alien

• Because it is the day which kippur shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before YHWH

• No work, humble your souls, permenant statute• Priest cleanses the sanctuary (repeat of vv 1-18)

ADDITIONAL INFO• Yom haKippurim is the only day called Most Holy.• Every 50th year, on Yom haKippurim, the Jubilee was to be declared:

• Release of slaves• Release of debt• Release of land• Parallels ANE institution of “establishing righteousness & justice”

• In ANE, R&J established upon the enthronement of a new king typically.

• Covenant renewal ceremonies also performed at this time.

ANALYSIS

Conflict Resolution

STRUCTURE OF ISAIAH 58

• Declare loudly…like a shofar…the transgression of My people.• YET they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways!

• As a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the justice of their God.

• They ask Me for right judgments.• They delight in drawing near God.

• The people wonder why their fasting and humbling is not acknowledged.

STRUCTURE OF ISAIAH 58• YHWH responds: Your religious actions are USELESS because

on that day you do your own desire, force your workers to labor hard, and cause contention!

• Was the day designed for your own religious pandering?!?• The Fast is to:

• Stop oppression• Free people from evil• Feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the naked• Strengthen your family bond

STRUCTURE OF ISAIAH 58• If you correct the problem then:

• Your “light will break forth”• Your healing wil spring forth speedily• Your righteousness will go before you, YHWH’s honor will

protect your rear• You will have a close personal relationship with YHWH (vs

9)• This will happen if you stop infighting and slander, instead

focusing on helping those in need and championing justice.

ANALYSIS

Conflict Resolution

BACKGROUND OF HEBREWS

• Written ~66 AD/CE, possibly to Essenes, possibly to Diaspora Jews• For ~36 years the scarlet thread has not turned white on Yom Kippur• There is rebellion in Judea, Roman armies march towards Jerusalem• The office of the High Priest is very corrupt, can be purchased for

money and those in power abuse it for personal gain.• Most Jews in Diaspora; too far to travel to the Temple except once in

their life; participate in sacrifices through half-shekel paying for daily burnt offerings and Yom Kippur service.

STRUCTURE OF HEBREWS 9• (8:13) When He said, “A new ____,” He has made the first obsolete.• (9:1) Even the first ____ had regulations of worship and tabernacle.

• Tabernacle structure described. Read vv 3-4.• Into the holy of holies, the high priest enters only once a year

with blood for himself and the sins of the people• (9:9) Gifts and sacrifices cannot make the offerer perfect in

conscience• Messiah appeared as high priest, entering the heavenly

tabernacle with his own blood once obtaining eternal redemption.

STRUCTURE OF HEBREWS 9

• Messiah’s blood is to “cleanse our consciousness from dead works to serve the living God.” (cf. Heb 10:1-4)

• Mediator of a new (kainos) covenant because of the redemptive death of Yeshua.

• Blood also functions for covenant ratification• According to the Torah, almost all things are cleansed with blood, and

without the shedding of blood there is no aphesis

ANALYSIS

Conflict Resolution

Hebrew

s 9Isaia

h 58

Leviticus 16

Yom HaKippurim

Conclusion• We have all sinned and this creates

separation between us and God. • God provided a way to cleanse His

house to provide continued fellowship with His people.

• People have misunderstood the function of rituals and caused divisions

• Human priests have failed the nation

• Yeshua has become High Priest and has proclaimed the Jubilee from sin

• We should not longer dwell in guilt • Our response should be to free others

from oppression and help those in need