ATONEMENT - Fast or Not #4

Fred Coulter - December 22, 1990

This is number 4 in our series of To Fast or Not Fast on the Day of Atonement. And we’re coming up against quite a bit of a phenomena here concerning doctrine, so let’s look at a couple of scriptures as we’re going through here and see if we can make a little sense out of what is happening, because we’re being bombarded by so much false doctrine.

Let’s go to Deuteronomy 12:8. And in just my conversations with different people, and talking to them about some of the doctrines that they are being inundated with, and all the false teachings that are coming along, and so many different churches and groups, and strange doctrines which are about to take place. And even one by a man who predicted, that on January 3, that Saddam Hussein is going to nuke Saudi Arabia. And he’s supposed to be a minister of God. I don’t put too much stock in it happening, number one because he also said that Christ was going to return in 1988. And of course we know that the Bible says that if they say something and it doesn’t come to pass, then we know that God didn’t send him.

But here in Deuteronomy 12:8 we have a principle, which is happening in so many churches, and ministers, and people - it’s incredible. “Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.” And let’s look at that from the point of view of a minister, or a would be minister, or a teacher, or a would be teacher, who wants to teach the Word of God. You know, if you don’t want to be faithful with the Word of God then you might ask yourself the question, why do you even want to preach it? Because you know you’re going to get yourself in trouble. And you know for sure that those who are teachers, as James said, has the sterner judgment. Now those things ought to be enough warning for us to understand.

Now let’s go to 1 Corinthians 14, and I think that this depicts too many of the ministers and problems that are there with ministers in small churches, or scattered brethren, or whatever your circumstance may be. Or, even big churches, because one of the biggest churches of God that we know of, is soon going to enter into a lot of doctrinal error. It’s going to come. It’s already been happening. But here’s almost what the condition of the church is concerning ministers, and brethren, and people. 1 Corinthians 14:26, very interesting. “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.” Everybody’s got their own ideas, their own things, their own thought - whatever it is.

And when it gets down to it, this thing of “your opinion”, ok. Let’s look at people’s opinion. Now in America we honor people’s opinion. Everyone has a right to their opinion, right? And as a result of that what do we have? We have a million different movements going, in ten million different ways. You know, I was commenting about it’s cold here today, and some of you have worn your fur coats. I’m glad you did. And I was teasing Nola about her fur coat, and sort of chiding her. And when I got out of the car she was standing there in the parking lot and I said, took sort of the adversarial position of an anti-furist, and I said, “How dare you wear a fur coat and deprive that animal from its living, fur and everything.” So she said, “Well, this came from an acrylic animal.” (laughter) So anyway, it keeps her warm. But it’s almost that way with a lot of these doctrines. They come along and they look so good, and they feel so good, and it fits just right, but it’s a fake. It’s an acrylic. Now I’m not saying throw away your coat, of course, you know. But just using that as an analogy. Everybody’s got a psalm, a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation, a prayer. Someone said now that Saddam Hussein is going to go ahead and nuke Saudi Arabia, someone else has a doctrine. One man said that Saddam Hussein is the beast. Before, he said Kurt Waldheim was the beast. Well then, who is the beast? Some said Gorbechev is the beast. And what did we say? He may not be here in March. Well, Shevrednadze just resigned the other day, so you know, don’t count on the things that you can see, that you really understand the Bible or not. It’s got to be that God has to make it sure and true, and so forth.

So, true, it comes to the saying, 1 Timothy 1, and it’s just like we’ve discussed - there is no new false doctrine under the sun. There have been many false doctrines come along and they’ve been recycled. And here we have part of the problem with Paul and the people that he was dealing with in 1 Timothy 1:3. “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,…” That’s the whole point that we’re dealing with in this thing of fast or not fast on Atonement. So we’ll see why. “…Neither give heed to fables…”, that is, things not based on truth. And a fable is an imagination of your mind, which you may think is true based upon what you think is in the scripture, but may not be true in fact because you’re using human reasoning and logic rather than Biblical reasoning and logic. “…And endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do” (1 Tim. 1:3-4). So we need to have the Godly edifying, and that is teaching, uplifting, encouraging with the Word of God to bring that Godly edifying.

Now it says, “Now the end of the commandment is [love] charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:…” That’s the whole purpose of the gospel. And it has to be from the heart with Godly love. Verse 6, “…From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;…” Now that’s what God says a lot of this false doctrine is - a lot of vain janglings. Notice verse 7, and this is true. And I know, I’m talking to a woman back east who said, boy, there are some people she knows who are so anxious to be ministers. I mean they are panting, if I could use the word, to be ministers, that they’ve got to create these things. (Panting sound) You know. Hey, be careful. If that’s somebody’s approach to being a minister - be careful. Look, I can’t say being a minister has been a happy event. You know, it’s not a happy event. It’s not something to lust after. It’s not something to gain, or take, or to put yourself into. It’s a calling of God. And that’s what it is. And then if it’s a calling of God, which it is, then whoever’s going to be a minister or teacher better make sure that they love God with all their heart, and mind, and soul, and being, and are going to be faithful to the Word of God regardless of what happens, you see. Because here’s what happens - “…Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (vs. 5-7). And nothing could be truer than in this problem and feast that we’re having a fast or not fast on Atonement. It’s exactly the case. Exactly the problem that is happening. So let’s review just a couple of scriptures here now, so we again get our bearings and make sure we’re headed in the right direction.

Jesus said the first commandment is love God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and being. You love your neighbor as yourself. And on these two commandments hangs all the law and the prophets. Alright, He also said in Matthew 5:17, He said, “Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. And verily I say unto you that one jot or in one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:17-18, paraphrased). Very basic. Very basic. We can start with that last one and say has everything been fulfilled? No. Have some of the things been fulfilled? Yes. And that’s the one that you hear most of the time, the law has been fulfilled, so therefore you don’t have to do it. But they always run back and try and recapture nine of the Ten Commandments. And then they have to justify the day they meet on, being Sunday.

Now, very basic thing. We’re today then, going to look at it from this point of view: what has been fulfilled? What is being fulfilled? And what shall be fulfilled? Let’s just take one example concerning the Passover. The Passover… Let’s start with the first one, just for a minute. That pictured the passing-over of the firstborn of the children of Israel in Egypt. When that occurred, at that midnight, it was already fulfilled, correct? Did they cease keeping the Passover because it was fulfilled? No. It was kept also as a memorial of what was done. It was kept looking forward to the Passover, Who was Christ, correct? Yes. And it also pictures today, now that Christ has come, has the Passover been fulfilled in it’s compete application? Christ has died. That is true. But has the meaning of the Passover been fulfilled? No, because all of God’s plan has not been complete, correct? You can take the Passover, you can take the Days of Unleavened Bread. You can take Pentecost, you can take every one of these holy days that we do and realize that they have not been in their meaning, fulfilled. There is a past fulfillment, there is a present fulfillment, there is a future fulfillment, there is an eternal fulfillment. So we need to view it from that point of view.

Now let’s look at some of the things concerning the law. Last time I went through the sacrifices quite in detail, showing that there was the sacrifice which was not for sin, but it was a burnt offering, it was a sacrifice for sin, the sin of ignorance, or the sin of error, or that is the sin of human nature. There was a trespass offering, which was a specific act, which was another human being or against God. And those things which were against God you had to replace with a 20% thereof. Same way if you stole from an individual. So now in this particular one, before we get to Leviticus 16, what I want to do is break these laws down into a little better understanding for us.

Ok, so let’s look at the blackboard here. When we talk about the sin question, it involves three things. Number one - God - He’s the offended party. And God is wholly righteous, and there is no sin in Him. So whenever there is sin against God it must be made right, otherwise you have no standing with God. Then you have the one who is a sinner, and that involves Satan who is the author of sin - angelic and mankind, and he is wholly evil, and his sins are unpardonable. Those sins cannot be pardoned because he is unrepentant. There is no sacrifice for that, as we’ll see in just a minute. Man, in his sin, has a sin unto death and a sin not unto death. Both under the Old Covenant where if he transgress one of the Ten Commandments in a severe degree that he would have to pay with his life. If he didn’t, he could repent of it and he was required to offer a sacrifice, or the atonement of that sin. So you have sin unto death, and sin not unto death.

Now here’s what’s important about Satan’s sins. Very important key thing to remember. And remember this when we come to Leviticus 16, because there is that unusual ceremony of the goat that was not sacrificed. Very important to remember. Remember this: Satan’s sins are not atoneable by a blood sacrifice. And also, Satan’s part in human sins not atoneable by a sacrifice - that is, Satan’s part. So Satan, we know, is the prince of the power of the air, correct? Ok. Satan could inspire thought in your mind. Could even tempt you into sin. His part in doing that is unforgiveable. Your part in that, what you did, even though under the inspiration of Satan, if it was not a sin unto death, you can repent of. And that requires the sacrifice of Christ to cover that, but that is your sin. Then you also have the sins of human nature, which we’ll get into a little bit, which those sins can be forgiven because that’s part of human nature. So remember, Satan’s sins cannot be atoned for by a blood sacrifice, an animal, or Christ’s sacrifice. And Satan’s part in human sins cannot be atoned for by a sacrifice.

Now let’s come over here, and we’ve broken the laws down into these:

1)     Spiritual laws, which speak for themselves. And of course the greatest spiritual law is that you love God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and being, and that your heart is right.

2)     Moral law. And those moral laws could be broken down into two sections - religious and civil.

Religious would be something that you had to go to the temple to have taken care of because you broke a law of God and it was against Him. A sin not unto death.

Then you had civil law, such as if you borrowed something from your neighbor, you didn’t take it back, you had to be then judged of that. You had to pay him what it was that you borrowed, plus 20%, and then you had to go offer a sacrifice. Today in the New Covenant the civil laws are not administered by the church. That’s administered by the law of the land. So today if you borrowed something from your neighbor and didn’t return it, he’d take you to small claims court and the judge would say, “Pay him.” You’d still have to go repent to God because you didn’t return it.

3) Health laws. Many of the laws that we covered show the health laws - the clean and the unclean, or we could also say, health and sanitary laws. Now why did God say clean and unclean? Well, He couldn’t tell them, “Now look folks, there are viruses in this. There are bacteria in this. If you touch a dead body you can take the disease and pass it to your self and to other people.” That’s why you were unclean when you touched a dead body of a human or an animal, and you were to bathe. Ok, we should still do that today. That’s a good thing, if you touch something unclean. If you touch something where there’s been sickness.

Now there was {garbled words}. This is kind of gruesome, it’s kind of funny, but it’s kind of bluck also. But there was a man who was recently was convicted for contaminating a hamburger of a police officer. And the way he contaminated the hamburger was, he blew his nose in it. That’s an unclean hamburger, right? Ok, so those laws still apply today, don’t they? Yes.

            4) Then you had agricultural laws.

I forgot the third one, priest laws, which then are the laws how the priest would dress and what he would do, when would he do it. And then the sacrificial laws there.

Ok, under the New Covenant, remember Jesus said that not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law until all be fulfilled. The only thing that can be changed is… Let’s ask the question: who can change anything in the laws of God? Christ, God only can change it because we are not to add to or take from, right? The only thing that God has told us in the book of Hebrews that have been changed is the laws of the priesthood and the sacrifice. That is all. All of the health laws are good for us to keep. The sanitary laws, we keep them in principle, and we go above and beyond. Those are good. You go through and read all the laws in the Old Testament and see that every one of those is dealing with our neighbor, dealing with the poor, dealing with the blind, dealing with each other. Those are all good laws. Nothing wrong with those. Absolutely nothing wrong. Even the one which says you shall not round the corners of your beard. A lot of people misunderstand that and they think now they have to become bear freaks and never cut their hair, and never cut their beard, and they have this big long shaggy thing. That was only intended so that they would not make an obelisk out of their beard. You see this on the Egyptians and on the Assyrians. They made obelisks out of their beards, which was what? A phallic symbol to a god. That’s why. It didn’t mean that you weren’t to trim your beard.

Ok, now, the agricultural laws we should follow a good many of those because we can. Don’t take everything out of the field. Leave some for the poor and have them come in and pick up the things that are on the… Today you can’t do that. They go in and they harvest a tomato field and there are a lot of tomatoes that are not acceptable to the canner, which people could go in and take it. But because people are so dishonest today, they go in and take them before they’re harvested, so not they can’t come in and take them after they’re harvested. But it’s still a good law.

Another one, when you’re in the field and doing whatever you’re doing and you see a birds nest, don’t destroy it. Good law. Nothing wrong with that. Doesn’t require a sacrifice. Those are good. God also says rest the land every seven years. Well today, we don’t know when the Jubilee is so it’s hard for us to rest the land every seven years, so since that is an agricultural law, to follow the principle and rest your land is what should be done. And lo and behold, they have found that even today they pay farmers for not planting because they’re resting the land and recuperating it, right? Yes, it’s a good law in principle. Nothing wrong with those.

The only other question in law is the civil law. The enforcement of the death penalty and fines for civil violations, God has left to the governments of this world, Romans 13. Alright? So we have scriptural grounds for not having to follow the sacrifice laws, and not having to institute the death penalty because those civil things have been given to the civil government.

Now that we understand that, this is going to help us when we come to the Day of Atonement and we start understanding the Day of Atonement, and what we must do, and what we should and should not do. Let’s first of all then go to Leviticus 16. Let’s get right in it, and then will go to Leviticus 23. Now I hope that after what we’ve gone through, when you go through and read Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, that you can understand it more, and can appreciate it.

Now, let’s go to Leviticus 16, and before we start going through it in detail I want to call your attention to some Hebrew words which are used here. The Hebrew word for sin, or sin of ignorance, or sin of human nature is pronounced khattawth, with a hard “oth” on the end. Chattaah, which are sins - habitual offense or sin. Habitual sinfulness. In other words sins of human nature because of the law of sin and death in you. Right there, ok. That’s sin.

Then we have iniquities, which is awon, which means iniquities, perversities, and evil fault. Then we have the third category, which is pesa, which are sins of revolt, rebellion, sin and transgression. Much more serious, much more serious. And we will see how this all fits into the Day of Atonement, and what was done by the priest.

Ok, let’s go to Leviticus 16 now. Now let’s, in going through this, we want to notice the key things that are done. Now we know that the priest was instructed to put on the holy garments. This particular occasion, they were all the white garments. The linen white garments, which symbolizes what? Righteousness. Then he was to do some offerings. Ok, let’s pick it up here in verse 3. He’s told don’t go in there any time but only once a year. “Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering,…” (Lev. 16:3). Now I want to emphasize that a bullock for a sin offering was always the required sin offering for a priest, or a high priest, or a prince. He could not go in and offer just any old cheap sacrifice. It had to be expensive. It was costly when he sinned.

Verse 4, “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are the holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering,…” (vs. 4-5). These two goats were a whole entire sin offering. And we will see one of them was slain, one of them was not slain.

“…And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.” Because no one can approach God unless they are reconciled. “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one for the LORD, and the other lot for [as it says in the King James] the scapegoat” (vs. 6-8). And the Hebrew here is Azazel. Now Azazel has these three meanings, which becomes very important then. The three meanings are:

1)     The one to be removed.

2)     The guilt carrier.

3)     The chief of the demons.

You have all three of those meanings. There is a fourth meaning along with it, but that is secondary. It means to a place uninhabited, or for a place uninhabited. Either way we will see that all of these meanings can apply in what we are going to understand with the Day of Atonement, and what was done.

Now, “And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.” Now what did we learn about the sins? The sin which was a sin unto death was not atoned for by any animal sacrifice, correct? Ok. In the New Testament, any unpardonable sin is not atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, correct? Ok. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. We know that. Now, verse 10. “But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat [or, to be for Azazel], shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for [Azazel, or to Azazel, or for Azazel] a scapegoat into the wilderness” (vs. 8-10). Why did there have to be an atonement made with the live goat, when all of these other sin offerings are to make atonement for the people, for the holy place, and for the priesthood? Why the live goat? And that becomes very important in answering the question: why should we fast on Atonement?

Let’s come down here to verse 15. After he’s taken the bullock for his own sin offering, “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil [take it right to the throne of God, as it were], and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:…”

Now verse 16 becomes the key verse that we want to focus in on because that it is alleged by those that don’t believe in fasting on Atonement that this ritual was merely for the physical uncleanness of the breaking of the health laws. Merely the breaking of the physical laws. Basically the health laws. And I will prove from this verse that that is absolutely untrue, right from the context. “And he shall make an atonement for the holy place [that is, to reconcile, make it right with God], because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel,…” Now that is, all uncleanness, including health laws, including those that died because of sickness. “…Because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins:…” Now that’s rather inclusive, isn’t it? Does that cover all their sins? That’s what God said. “…Because of their transgression in all their sins:…” Well what if they offer to sacrifice previous to that time on an individual basis? Makes no difference. This is to put the people as a whole in right standing with God, because of all of their uncleanness, because of all of their sins, which then would be every sin except a sin unto death, correct? Because there is not cleansing by sacrifice of a sin unto death, correct? We just read that - Numbers 35.

Now, then he says. Let’s continue verse 16, “…And so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement for the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel” (vs. 16-17). Did he atone for all the people? Yes. Did he atone for all their sins? Yes. Did he atone for all of their uncleanness? Yes. Well then why the live goat? Why the live goat?

Now Edersheim says that the live goat was a type of Christ, where that the sins would be confessed on the live goat, and that he would carry these to heaven. The analogy does not fit. The analogy does not come true. Why is that not so? The live goat, we will see, cannot be Christ. Now why is that? God gave His only beloved Son, that whosoever should believe on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. His sacrifice pays for human sin that is repentable, correct? Yes. Not only our sins, but the sins of the whole world. Just like this sacrifice of the goat covered the sins, all the sins, all of the uncleanness of all of the congregation of Israel. But after you’ve had them forgiven, after you’ve had those sins wiped away, does that still make you at-one with God, which those whole Day of Atonement is for - to make you at-one with God?

Now you have His Spirit - we’ll cover in the New Testament in just a minute - but are you at-one with God, because you have the earnest of the Spirit? Let’s ask the question another way. Do you still sin? Yes. Does sin separate you from God? Yes. Do you still have Jesus Christ as your Savior? Yes. What do you need to do with the sin? Repent, so that the blood of Jesus Christ what? Cleanses you from all unrighteousness, correct? Didn’t we read that in 1 John 1:7? Exactly the same thing here, isn’t that true? Yes. Why the live goat? And I’m going to tell you right now that the Old Testament does not give us the answer. And the Old Testament does not give us the answer because the live goat is pictured by something that is yet to be fulfilled in the future, which is revealed in the New Testament.

Remember what we covered here, that the sins of Satan cannot have a blood sacrifice atoned for his sins, or his part in sins of the children of Israel, or the human beings. So let’s go down here to…let’s just continue right on here, verse 18. “And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,…” (vs. 18-21). And all three words are used right here that I have on the blackboard for sin. Every one of them.

Now, normally in an offering that is to be offered for a blood sacrifice, they would put their hands on the head of the sacrifice and confess their sins, and it was offered. But why was not this goat offered? But it was put on the head of the goat for Azazel, which means “to be removed”, which means to be put away. Which means that Azazel, as the chief of the demons, is a type of Satan, and upon his head he carries those sins which he has inspired. In other words, upon him goes all those sins which cannot be atoned for by a blood sacrifice. Very simple. That’s why he’s not sacrificed. That’s why he is removed. If you have those sins removed from you, then are you at-one with God? Yes.

Question…we’ll answer here in a minute, and we’ll go through it. But let’s project forward in just a minute. When will you be at-one truly with God? At the resurrection when you shall see Him like He is, for you shall be like Him. That’s when you are truly at-one with God. So, as Jesus said, “Not one jot or tittle shall in any way pass from the law until all be fulfilled.” Has Atonement been fulfilled? Just in the sacrifice of Christ. So therefore it being fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ, we do not need to fast on Atonement. We’re going to see that’s not correct thinking. That’s desiring to be a teacher of the law, in which you know not what you confirm or where of you speak. It is an idea, it is a thought, it is an opinion, which may be able to logically be presented to sound good, but is not true.

You know what he would do, ok? And putting all of them, all their sins, all their transgressions on “…the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:…”, which is a place not inhabited. So therefore it can’t be into heaven because heaven is inhabited, correct? Therefore it can’t be Christ carrying our sins to heaven for forgiveness, because they were forgiven by a sacrifice on earth, correct? Yes. Absolutely. So the whole analogy there breaks down. “…And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness” (vs. 21-22). And then the priest was then to wash himself again because he was contaminated by touching this goat, correct? So he had to wash himself again from his uncleanness of the goat. The man who took him out in the wilderness had to come back and bathe himself and be unclean until evening, correct? Alright.

Now, let’s go on a little bit further. Let’s come down here to verse 26. “And he that let go the goat for [Azazel] the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp. And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.” Everything. Total offering. “And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.” Now notice verse 29. “And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls,…” (vs. 26-29). Now that means to fast. No question. The fasting is associated with the day. The fasting is not associated with the sacrifice, but the day.