“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, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.” Leviticus 16:29-30

God does everything “on time” we believe.

Including this “most solemn and interesting” Ritual/Set of Commands (perhaps) in all the Old Testament! (One old writer called it “the most impressive Day in the Jewish Calendar!” Yes, the Scriptural “Day of Atonement.”

And it was to occur in the “seventh month,” of the year … that special number (7) being a statement/symbol/type of “completion” or “spiritual perfection.”

Clearly, in a dozen or more ways, this “Day of Atonement” prefigures Calvary, the Cross upon which Jesus died.

From the various sacrifices to the officiating Priest to the attitude of God the Father … I see that old rugged Cross in miniature. In microcosm!

And Jesus died, too, right on time!

In the “seventh month” of world history!

Truly … “But when THE FULNESS OF THE TIME was come, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, made of a woman.” Galatians 4:4

If the Virgin Birth did not occur at the perfect time, I have been surely misled!

The seventh month in Israel … when the crops were ripe and ready for ingathering! Day of Atonement time!

The seventh month theologically for the whole world … when mankind was “ripe” for the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ!

How so, you might ask?

Language had been properly developed … especially Greek … for the telling of the Gospel Message in precise detail! (Greek verbs … miraculously accurate!)

Roads had been properly developed … the Romans had perfected that art … for missionaries to travel and preach the newly minted Gospel! The Death, Burial and Resurrection of our Saviour! (I can see Paul now walking down the Appian Way … starting another “missionary journey!” The “Appian Way” that still exists in places, over two thousand years later! Yes, they could build such durable roads. Our Interstates may not still exist two thousand years from now!)

And the “Pax Romana” (peace like the world had seldom, if ever, known) was in full swing! So the Message of Jesus’ Incarnation and Life and Death and Resurrection … could be promulgated (spread) without the disruption wars/skirmishes (local or widespread) would have caused!

Wow!

By the way, the “Day of Atonement” only occurred once a year. Once per annual cycle. It covered the sins of the people of Israel for Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall! It kept them safe all “rainy season” and all “dry season” too. Not an event in the year, not a day, nor an hour, nor a minute … but that the Day of Atonement had not provided safety from God’s Wrath! (The people were perennially “under the Blood,” in a literal way!)

So with the Cross!

Not just an annual Provision though, an eternal Salvation there was There provided!

Saved (via the Blood) for all the coming Januarys! And Februarys through Decembers as well!

Saved for all the coming Valentine Days, all the Birthdays, all the Thanksgiving Days!

Yes, Jesus … “being made perfect, he became THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him.” Hebrews 5:9

Lastly, the Day of Atonement covered the sins of “all the people,”

Leviticus 16:33 … “And he (Aaron, the High Priest) shall MAKE AN ATONEMENT for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE CONGREGATION.”

And identically, Jesus died for “all the people!” 1 John 2:2 is abundantly clear: “And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD.”

Way back when Jesus was born, an angel said to the shepherds: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you GOOD TIDINGS of great joy, which shall be TO ALL PEOPLE.” Luke 2:8

It sure would no be “good tidings” if I had to tell a man tonight in the Revival that Jesus did NOT die for him! That I could not promise him (on the authority of God’s Word) that Jesus is willing to save “whosoever will” sincerely in faith call upon His Name!

Including that man!

Including you too, dear reader this morning, if you have never been born-again!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

From a motel room in Jacksonville, Illinois. To (I pray) the soul who may have somehow “stumbled” across this Lesson today … to the soul “nearest hell” … Jesus died for you! He will save you if you trust in Him and His magnificent Sacrifice on the Cross!

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