Here’s the “Day of Atonement” Paragraph from Leviticus chapter 23, King James Version of course …

“26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.” As you can see, verses 26 through 32.

This Holy Day is so important that a single chapter is given to it, earlier in Leviticus. Yes, Leviticus 16 covers this epochal Day in detail!

Last month (October, 2019) I wrote and posted here on the Website over a dozen Lessons centering on Leviticus chapter 16, from October 14th through October 28th … all of which are archived for easy access. Plenty of information (not the best, I admit, but thorough) about the Day of Atonement.

Yet still today I’d like to give what I believe is the typical significance of this most “Holy Day.”

With its occurring in the seventh month of the Jewish year, in the Fall or Autumn, late in the harvest cycle … I see it portraying something mammoth yet to come … for the Nation of Israel. (By then the harvest is “over,” and the sheaves have all been “brought in!”)

And with it (the Day of Atonement) scheduled annually “after” the Sounding of the “Trumpets” … after Israel has been miraculously gathered (regathered) into her Land … JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD IS COMING AGAIN TO THIS EARTH!

And when He does, interrupting and bringing to a conclusion the Battle of Armageddon … ISRAEL WILL LITERALLY EXPERIENCE HER “DAY OF ATONEMENT!”

I mean … Israel will be saved, born again!

The Day of Atonement, with all that bloodshed (reads those Lessons) … speaking of forgiveness!

Sin removed!

Sin washed away!

Sin atoned, covered forever!

Paul wrote it, under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit … “And SO ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the DELIVERER (JESUS), and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them, when I SHALL TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” Romans 11:26-27, God Himself speaking!

Then follows (with a redeemed Israel now truly worshipping God and His Son, having been convicted by the Holy Spirit … follows the Feast of Tabernacles … literal joy and victory for all eternity!

Tabernacles, as we shall see tomorrow … a symbol of the Millennium, with Jerusalem as the center of the whole earth!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Zechariah 12:10 … “And I (the Lord) will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

They will look upon Jesus as He returns from Heaven, riding that white horse of Revelation 19 … Jesus coming back to rescue them from the clutches of the anti-Christ (Armageddon) … and “see” (realize, comprehend, believe) Him Whom they have pierced (on the Cross two thousand years ago) … and fall under conviction (“mourn”) … and be saved!

Isaiah 66:8 … “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth IN ONE DAY? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

In one day, the true Day of Atonement!

Hallelujah!

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Really this Holy Day (“Trumpets”) was just that, a single day in the annual life of Israel. Unlike the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles, over a week in duration!

And in Numbers 10 the Lord even furnished Israel with more information, about the specific musical instrument to be used! (Here’s the chapter’s first verse: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.”)

The foremost purpose, clearly stated here: “to call an assembly, to gather a people!” Thus, one of God’s main means of (instant) communication to that precious throng of two million (plus) Jews! Loud and distinct!

God to Isaiah one day: “Cry aloud, spare not, LIFT UP THY VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isaiah 58:1

And of course … no new thought to any Bible student, Israel had become a scattered people, due to her obstinate, habitual sins! Let’s use Jeremiah 13:24 as an example: “Therefore will I (the Lord God) scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.”

Wow!

Who has not heard of “the wandering Jew?”

But … one glorious day in Israel’s future … the Sound of Trumpets will occur! God will gather (regather) His scattered Treasure from the four quarters of the earth!

Israel will come home, to her Land!

Yes, in 1948 this process began. and nowadays between six and seven million Jews already live in the Holy Land, the Nation of Israel.

But this coming Day of Trumpets promises an even greater regathering of Israel! Today nearly 15,000,000 (fifteen million) Jews inhabit earth. (Praise the Lord!)

They will (somehow) hear God’s “Trumpet” call … and repopulate Israel! Hallelujah! Isaiah 54:7 explains: “For a small moment have I (the Lord) forsaken thee (Israel); but with great mercies will I GATHER thee.” Jeremiah 31:10 is also thrilling: “Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel WILL GATHER HIM, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.”

Yes, the Day of “Trumpets” foresees this grand Move of God!

Let’s allow the little Book of Joel to further exposit this Fact. “Blow the TRUMPET in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: GATHER THE PEOPLE, sanctify 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.” Joel 2:15-16

Even so, dear Lord, for Israel’s sake … come!

Come in Thy Mighty Power!

Israel’s Calendar, Leviticus 23 … a preview of God’s prophetic Program!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Of course now, not concerning Israel nationally, but concerning the Church (the New Testament Church) spiritually … another TRUMPET CALL looms! Fundamentally different that the Day of Trumpets for the Jewish people … but beautifully similar in God’s Heart for His Bride … “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMP of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up TOGETHER with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Amen!

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The last three “Feasts” of Israel occurred in the seventh month (very significant, numerologically) and were named (variously) “Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles.”

They of course primarily speak to Israel as a Nation, this being her God given “Calendar,” sequentially outlined in Leviticus chapter 23.

For example, Trumpets is briefly discussed in a single (short) Paragraph: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of TRUMPETS, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.” Leviticus 23:23-25, the Focus of tomorrow’s Lesson, Lord willing.

But today I’d just like to preview these last three Convocations. “Holidays” for Israel, if you will allow me that word, “Holy Holidays.”

Israel needed a day of “Trumpets” because she was a scattered people. (God used the sounding of such a trumpet to gather His people together. Among other things.)

Israel needed the “Day of Atonement” because she was a sinful people. (This Feast definitely involved the forgiveness of sin! Bloodshed!)

And Israel needed the “Feast of Tabernacles” because she was a suffering people. And those days of Tabernacles restored a time of sweet rejoicing and victory to a saddened little nation.

Wow!

God knows what He is doing!

Join us in the morning.

By the way, Trumpets has not only a direct Message to Israel, but an indirect Message to us Gentiles who are born again as well.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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There is a noticeable “gap” between the middle (the middle of seven) Feast (called Pentecost) … and the Fall (Autumn) Feast (called Trumpets). Trumpets also being the first of three in that time of year!

The extended weeks between the third month and the seventh month of the Jewish Calendar.

With the Feast of Trumpets (logically) having to do with some element of prophecy, the “future!”

Meaning that the first four Feasts represent what are now “past” events in God’s great Plan for the ages.

Passover – Jesus Death! (History, He will never die again!)

Unleavened Bread – Jesus’ sinless Life, and by means of His mighty Power … our ability (as Christians) to live holy (unleavened) lives as well.

Firstfruits – Jesus Resurrection from the grave! A two thousand old Fact!

All past tense!

But the last three Feasts (Trumpets and the Day of Atonement and Tabernacles) all propose (promise) future Happenings in God’s grand Chronology.

So … we are currently living (dispensationally) between the “past” and the “future!” What a simplistic sentence!

But, and here’s my point today … what are we to be doing in this Interval? Spiritually and physically speaking?

Better yet, what were the Jews of old doing during that time period?

Answer: they were enjoying the harvest, the grain (Pentecost) that was being gathered! God’s blessings/bounty in the fields!

Back to us … we too are to be “bringing in the harvest!”

Winning souls to Jesus!

“Bringing in the Sheaves,” the old song reminds us!

Yes, there are some “tares” in the wheat fields, problems galore … but the harvest is still the issue!

Have you produced this kind of fruit (souls) for your Lord?

Have I?

We had best be diligent … one of these days the “trumpet” will sound!

Tell someone about Jesus soon!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Remember Luke 19:13 … “Occupy till I come,” quoted from one of Jesus’ lovely Parables.

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In reading Leviticus 23:15-22 (yesterday’s Text) we never found the word “spirit” (or “Spirit”) in its whole scope. Yet in the New Testament (Acts 2) the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is clearly present! In fact, the Day of Pentecost WAS the very Day the Holy Spirit was poured out upon (and filled) those 120 believers in that Jerusalem upper room!

“And when the DAY OF PENTECOST was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all FILLED with the HOLY GHOST …” Acts 2:1-4a

What’s the linkage here?

Well, the Old Testament Pentecost involved bringing in part of the “harvest,” the wheat harvest. With the “poor” and “strangers/foreigners” in mind! “Leave some for them, some grain” … Israel was commanded. Is this not a harbinger of what happened at the New Testament Pentecost? Souls (what a harvest, three thousand) were “brought into” the Kingdom of God! From all over the world! (“Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:9-11)

That’s one “link,” for sure!

Then there’s this.

At Pentecost the “new meat (meal) offering” given to God was to consist of “two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven.” With leaven, Leviticus 23:17?

Yes, and unlike the initial Meat Offering back in Leviticus chapter 2 (see that Lesson, which is archived here for you) … no “oil” or “frankincense” were required, or at least not mentioned!

But why leaven? Clearly a type or symbol of sin?

Because the newly constituted Church (born at Pentecost we have been taught) consists of men and women saved by God’s Grace, yet not yet sinless! Loaves offered to God, now belonging to God … that are still (in practicality) tainted with leaven, with sin. (And no oil or frankincense … because we do not please God fully, not in that leavened sense!) The specific Meat Offering in Leviticus 2 is a symbol of Jesus, totally pleasing His Father! This Leviticus 23 Pentecostal “new meat offering” is a picture of you and me who are saved, God’s harvest indeed, but not yet sinless! JESUS WAS SINLESS, ANOINTED WITH THE OIL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE SWEET FRAGRANCE OF INCENSE, TO HIS FATHER’S DELIGHT!

Wow!

And now for today, one more question, why two loaves?

And here I may speculate a bit. It’s this Preacher’s thought that the two loaves picture both Israel and the (Gentile) Church being saved! Both entities being part of the “harvest!”

Jesus is, after all, the “Saviour of the world,” John 4:42.

Folks, we are now living, in fact, in the long interval between Pentecost and Trumpets (tomorrow’ Lesson) … with souls (those leavened loaves) being given to God (being saved) day after day, both Jews and Gentiles!

Hallelujah!

And henceforth … for a little over two thousand years now … the dear Holy Spirit of God has been “at work” in our midst. Indwelling, filling every Believer in Jesus. Convicting sinners of their iniquity and wooing them to Jesus, to the Cross, to the shed Blood! And empowering God’s people for service! And much more …!

Thank God for Pentecost!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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