The Moedim – Yom Kippur in prophecy
Continuing our study of Yom Kippur, we want to look at the double prophetic fulfilment of this Moed – in the First and Second Comings of our Lord Jesus. Our study will focus on Heb. 9:24-28 where the writer draws a parallel between what happened on the Day of Atonement and the finished work of Christ, and then points us to the Second Coming.
As we follow his lead, we will look at a number of other Scriptures, including Isa. 27:12-13, Matt. 24:31; Isa. 11:10-12; Jer. 23:7; Ezek. 36:24-27; 37:23 and Zech. 12:10 – something that the OT prophets themselves diligently enquired into when the ‘Spirit of Christ which was in them … testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow’! (1 Pet. 1:11)
Things which ceased AD30-70 indicating that all had been fulifilled?
Talmud Yoma 39b: During the forty years prior to the destruction of the Second Temple, the lot for God did not arise in the High Priest’s right hand at all. So too, the strip of crimson wool that was tied to the head of the goat that was sent to Azazel did not turn white, and the westernmost lamp of the candelabrum did not burn continually. Josephus reports also that the doors of the Temple would not stay closed but opened up of themselves.
Heb. 9:24-28 Fulfilled in Christ
| High Priest on Yom Kippur | Jesus’ one sacrifice for ever |
| Goes in to the earthly Holy of Holies, which is a figure/type of the heavenly (Heb. 8:5) | Entered heaven itself |
| Appears before the Shekinah | Appears in the presence of God |
| Dressed in garment of holiness and humility | Made Himself of no reputation Heb. 7:26 |
| Sprinkles blood of the sacrifices | Presents His own blood (1 Pet. 1:19) |
| Could not make the offerers perfect | Perfect for ever |
| Repeated every year | Once for ever |
| Reminder of their sin each year | Remembered no more |
| Sprinkles the blood in the Holy of Holies then Atones for the altar of incense | Able to save to the uttermost then Intercedes on our behalf Heb. 7:25 |
| Actions speak of judgement for sin | Speaks of justification from sin |
| No seat for the Priests | Sat down for ever at the right hand of God |
| Puts off his garments of humility in the Holy Place | Exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour (Acts 5:31) |
| Appears the second time in his garments of glory and beauty (Lev. 16:24) and pronounces the blessing (and the Name of God) over the people | Appears the second time to bring salvation |
Points to note:
Lev. 16:17 No one in the Tabernacle with him – three times when the Lord is said to act alone:
- Ezek. 22:30 judgement and exile
- Psa. 22:1, 9, 10; 69:8 – First Coming of Messiah – to deal with sin
- Isa. 63:5 – Second Coming of Messiah to bring salvation
Although Aaron enters the Holy of Holies three times, Lev. 16 speaks of Aaron coming out of the Holy Place twice:
v. 17 comes out after completing the atonement in the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies – resurrection
v. 23 he goes back in, to exchange the garments of humility for his garments of beauty and glory – ascension
v. 24 comes out again to complete the burnt offerings, sin having been dealt with previously (the people are looking for him to come out the second time to bring salvation!) – return
Prophetic fulfilment
Key thoughts: Repentance and cleansing Lev. 23:32; 16:30 fulfilled in Ezek. 36:24-27
Schofield: “The day … looks forward to the repentance of Israel after her regathering under the Land Covenant, Deut. 30:1-10 preparatory to the second advent of Messiah and the establishment of the kingdom.
Zech. 12:9 – 13:1
v. 10 “Then I will pour out … a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son …” in the context of v. 9!
God responds to their repentance by bringing cleansing – Ezek. 36:24-26
Schofield: “Historically the ‘fountain’ of Zech. 13:1 was opened at the crucifixion, but rejected by the Jews of that and the succeeding centuries. After the regathering of Israel the fountain will be efficaciously ‘opened’ to Israel.”
The Great Shofar – regathering of Israel from exile
In the Jubilee year, the last thing that happened was the blowing of the shofar announcing its start.
Isa. 27:12-13 In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered one by one. And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Isa. 11:10-12 On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious. On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Followed by Isa 12 – the Messianic era – Sukkot – next week!
Deut. 30:3-4 Then Adonai your God will bring you back from captivity and have compassion on you, and He will return and gather you from all the peoples where Adonai your God has scattered you. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the heavens, from there Adonai your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. See also Jer. 23:7-8; Ezek. 36:24-27; 37:23
Matt. 24:31 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matt. 24:30 is the Second Coming., so this regathering accompanies it)