Day of Atonement, or the Fast

Pagan Holidays - or God's Holy Days - Which? by Herbert W Armstrong

Excerpt from - http://books.wwcg-archives.com/Pagan%20Holidays%20or%20God's%20Holy%20Days%20Which%20-%20WWCG%20Archives.html

Day of Atonement, or the Fast
Next, let us read Leviticus 23:26, 27, 31-32-- "And the LORD spake... saying...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 [fast].... Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 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." Wonderful mystery! At-one-ment with God! Man at last made one with his Maker!
Again, in the 16th chapter of Leviticus, verses 29 and 31, where the symbolism of the Day of Atonement is explained, we find it instituted a holy Sabbath to be kept forever: "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... It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever."
Notice, too, in Leviticus 23:32, the expression "from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Every Sabbath keeper quotes this passage to show that the Sabbath begins at sunset. If we believe that, then why not keep the Sabbath that this very text is speaking of—the high Sabbath of the Day of Atonement, instituted forever? Are we consistent, when we continually quote this text to show when to begin the Sabbath, and then refuse to keep the very Sabbath referred to?
 
Meaning Pictured by Day of Atonement
The Day of Atonement pictures a wonderful and great event, to take place after the Second Coming of Christ, which the world is in total ignorance of because it has failed to see the true significance of these annual Sabbaths holy unto the Lord. It has failed to keep them as a constant reminder of God’s plan of redemption!
The symbolism is all expressed in the account of the events of the Day of Atonement, as carried out before the crucifixion, in the 16th chapter of Leviticus.
Verse 5--"And he [Aaron, or the high priest] shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering."
Verse 6--The high priest offered HIMSELF and his house.
Verses 7 and 8--"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; the one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat" (margin, Hebrew, Azazel).
Now because this has not been understood—because there are many different views and opinions and ideas and explanations of this, we here pause sufficiently to go into this in some detail. Let us, therefore, regardless of our own former convictions, study with open minds, without prejudice, proving all things. We want truth!
The key to the whole explanation lies in a correct understanding of the meaning of Azazel. This word does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament. The Comprehensive Commentary has: "Spencer, after the oldest opinions of the Hebrews and Christians, thinks Azazel is the name of the Devil, and so Rosen... The word scapegoat signifies the goat which went away. " The One Volume Commentary says: "The word ‘scapegoat’ in the AV. is not a translation." It is merely an interpretation of the supposed meaning by the translators.
True, the English word "scapegoat" signifies "one who bears blame or guilt for others." But "scapegoat" is an English word, and is not a translation of the Hebrew word Azazel. The word "scapegoat," and the meaning attached to this English word, is not a translation of the Hebrew word Azazel, and therefore it is not the word inspired originally. Continues the One Volume Commentary: "Azazel is understood to be the name of one of those malignant demons."
 
Types of Christ and Satan
These two goats were, of course, types. Notice, it was necessary to be decided by lot, which one was qualified to represent Christ, and which Azazel. Some say BOTH were qualified. The scripture does not say this. Let us not assume it. Now a "lot" is a solemn appeal to God to decide a doubtful matter. It is a sacred religious ceremony. It included a supernatural act of God. That is why lotteries and gambling are of the devil—an actual profaning of a holy service appealing to God.
Notice, men were unable to decide which goat was qualified to represent Christ. This involved an appeal to God to decide! "One lot for the Lord, and the other lot for Azazel." Now one lot was for the Lord—this goat typified Christ—but the other lot was not for the Lord, did not typify Christ, but Azazel—Satan! These words most naturally suggest that Azazel is the name of a person, here contrasted to the Eternal! Notice the contrast—one for the Lord, the other for Azazel.
Now the goat which God selected, through lot, to represent Christ, was slain—as Christ, its antitype was slain. But the other goat selected by God to represent Azazel was not slain, but was driven, alive, into an uninhabited wilderness. It was not a resurrected goat, symbolizing the resurrected Christ, for it never died. The uninhabited wilderness, to which this goat was driven, cannot, as we shall show, represent heaven, where Christ went. Heaven is neither uninhabited, nor a wilderness.
After God designated which goat represented Christ and which Azazel, the high priest (verse 11) killed the bullock for a sin offering for himself, then took the burning coals of fire and the sweet incense into the Holy of Holies, also sprinkling the blood of the bullock before the mercy seat, typical of the throne of God, covering the tables of testimony (the law). This the high priest was required to do in order to purify himself to officiate, and to represent Christ as High Priest. In the antitype, this was not done, for Christ, our High Priest, had no need of this purification as the typical substitutionary priests did.
Now the Levitical high priest was ready to go out and officiate.
Next, the goat which God selected by lot to represent Christ, as the sin offering of the people, was killed. Thus the sins of the people were borne by the goat, even as Christ, finally, once for all, bore our sins on the cross. But Christ rose again from the dead, and ascended to the throne of God in heaven.
Now, who, or what, from this point on in the Levitical ceremony, typified the resurrected Christ, who went to heaven? Some say the goat representing Azazel. Let us see.
The risen Christ, now at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven (I Peter 3:22), is called—what? Our High Priest! What was the earthly type of God’s throne? The uninhabited wilderness? No! That is where the live goat went!
The earthly type of God’s throne was the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. After Christ died, He went to the heavenly mercy seat interceding for us, as our High Priest. "... Entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Heb. 6:19-20).
Now, again, who, or what, in the Levitical ceremony of the Day of Atonement, typified the risen Christ, our High Priest, who went within the veil to God’s throne in heaven? The one goat had been slain. It represented the slain Christ. It can no longer represent the risen Christ. The slain Christ was not our High Priest, because the Levitical priesthood, with its high priest, did not end until Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven as a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. But the risen Christ was High Priest. Now WHO took this part in the Levitical ceremonies, temporarily re-enacted year by year, on this eternal Holy Day? Why, so obviously a child could see, it was the Levitical high priest, not the goat representing Azazel!
 
The High Priest—Type of Christ
As soon as the slain goat was dead, who went within the veil, presenting the blood of this goat before the typical throne of God?
Leviticus 16:15--"Then shall he [the high priest] kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and [now the high priest himself typifying the work of the risen Christ] bring his blood within the veil... and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat...and [verse 16] he shall make an atonement for the holy place."
And so it was the high priest taking blood within the veil, to the mercy seat, that typified the risen Christ figuratively taking HIS blood, once for all, within the veil to the very throne of God in heaven, there to intercede for us as High Priest. Surely this is so plain a child can see.
The slain goat represented the crucified Jesus. The high priest, by taking the blood of this slain goat into the veil to the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, a type of God’s throne, represented and did the work of the risen Christ, who ascended to the right hand of the Majesty on high, there interceding as our High Priest. Can we honestly continue to teach that the goat representing Azazel represented the work of the risen Christ? Did this live goat take the blood of Christ within the veil, to the mercy seat?
The high priest going within the veil, into the Holy of Holies, symbolized Christ’s return to heaven. The work he did while in the Holy of Holies symbolized Christ’s work these 1900 years interceding for us, presenting His shed blood before the mercy seat in heaven. Now, returning, symbolizing Christ’s return to earth, what did he do?
"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, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him [Fenton: shall carry upon itself] all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. And Aaron shall...wash his flesh with water.... And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat [Azazel] shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp" (Lev. 16:20-26).
 
The Azazel Goat Not Our Sin-Bearer
Let us get this straight! Is there justice with God? Is not God a God of justice, as well as of compassion and mercy? Who is the real author of our sins? The devil is the author of them, even as Christ is the author of our salvation. Jesus took our guilt—our blame—our sins—upon Himself as an innocent substitutionary sacrifice. He was an innocent victim. He loved us, and was willing to die for us. Our guilt—our sins, were borne by Him, and Him alone—and God forgives them when we repent and accept His sacrifice. And yet, is this, if we stop there, full justice?
The real cause—the actual author of those sins was Satan the devil. Is it justice for Christ to bear guilt that is not His, while the devil goes off scot-free? Do you not suppose GOD’S great plan will finally work full justice by placing that original blame and guilt right where it belongs?
Now mark carefully this distinction. Christ bore our guilt. For we have been guilty, even though the devil was the original cause of it all. But justice certainly demands that God place right back on the head of the devil his guilt—not our guilt, but his own guilt—for leading us into sin. We were guilty, too—and our guilt Christ bore—yet all our sins belong right back on the devil as his own guilt!
Now notice another point. The Azazel goat carries away the sins of all the people already forgiven. These sins already were fully paid for by Christ’s substitute sacrifice, symbolized by the killing of the innocent goat before those same sins were finally laid on the live goat. They had been previously paid for by the death of the slain goat.
The devil is the real author of all sin. Can we, then, be finally made at one with God, as long as this instigator of sin is with us? Can we not see he must first be driven away? And there would not be justice with God unless his own guilt in our sins were placed right back on his head? Is it justice for Christ to bear the devil’s guilt, as well as our own guilt, for our sins? Christ has carried our sins, but must He continue to carry them? Should they not be removed entirely from us, and from the presence even of God?
Thus the killing and sprinkling of blood of the first goat visibly set forth the means of reconciliation with God, through the substituted sacrifice of an innocent victim. So finally the sending away of the second goat, laden with those sins, the expiation of which had been signified by the first goat, no less vividly sets forth the effect of that sacrifice, in complete removal of those expiated sins from the presence of God!
 
Satan the Accuser
Satan is the accuser of the brethren. His power over men is founded on sin. When all these sins, of which he is the author, are laid back on him, after being removed from us by Christ, then Satan shall have lost his claim on us. And no longer can he accuse us!
Thus, finally, as the acceptance of the blood of the first goat (Christ) symbolized complete propitiation, and pardon of Israel’s sins, so the sending of Azazel bearing away those expiated sins symbolizes the complete removal of all sins—deliverance by the atonement from the power of the adversary.
The sacrifice of the first innocent victim was the means of reconciliation with God, but not yet complete justice.
The driving away of the second live goat shows the final atonement, by placing the sins on their author where they belong, and the complete removal of the sins and their author from the presence of God and His people—and thus the complete deliverance of the people from the power of Satan.
Webster says to atone means to set at one. To join in one—to form by uniting. We shall not be completely joined in one, and united with God, until this is done.
Before leaving this, notice, too, that after laying both his hands on the live goat, Azazel, Aaron had to wash and cleanse himself before coming in contact with the people. So, too, the "fit man" also had to wash his clothes and bathe himself after coming in contact with the Azazel goat, before he came into the presence of the people. The symbolism is certainly that of having come in contact with the devil!
Notice, now, this act of putting these already expiated and forgiven sins on the head of this live goat does not take place until after the high priest returns from the Holy of Holies within the veil—so this typified an act to take place after the Second Coming of Christ to this earth!
But if the live goat represented the resurrected Christ, then the sins Christ bore on the cross were placed by another, typified by the high priest, back on Christ, after His resurrection. Would this make sense? Is the theory of the Azazel goat being Christ consistent? No, but the plain simple meaning does fit at every turn, and IS consistent. The first goat represented the innocent Jesus who died for our sins—the high priest represented the risen Christ going within the veil to the mercy seat, or throne of God in heaven, for over 1900 years—and the high priest returning to place the sins finally upon the head of the live goat represented the return of Christ who will place the sins He bore on their author, the devil, and who will send him away alive into a desolate uninhabited wilderness—the "bottomless pit" or abyss of Revelation 20:3.
In the 19th chapter of Revelation, we have the prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ. At the beginning of the 20th chapter, what is to happen?
Exactly what the 16th chapter of Leviticus shows. The devil is sent away—the symbol here used is the "bottomless pit" symbol of an uninhabited desolate wilderness (Rev. 20:1-3)--and he is sent there by a FIT man—an ANGEL from heaven. Now the devil is not killed. He does not die. He is still alive a thousand years later—after the Millennium (Rev. 20:7).
Now a few points that will come to mind. Both goats were "presented before the Lord." Can Satan be presented before the Lord? Job 1:6 and 2:1 says he has presented himself before the Lord. Note, too, Azazel was driven away from the Holy of Holies, a symbol of God’s presence.
And so the annual Day of Atonement was instituted forever to keep continually before God’s children and His Church the plan of redemption, to occur after the Second Coming of Christ.
And we find this annual holy day recognized in the New Testament. In Acts 27:9, when Paul was on his perilous sea voyage to Rome, it is recorded that "when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past...." See the margin in your Bible. The fast refers to the Day of Atonement—the 10th day of the seventh month. Now this day could not then have been past on that particular year unless that day was still in full effect and force and existence. Otherwise the Holy Spirit surely could never have inspired those words! Surely this strongly indicates that this day was still in existence and being recognized thus by the Holy Spirit.  

WHERE IS the original true Church that Jesus Christ founded?

WHERE IS the original true Church that Jesus Christ founded?

Personal from Herbert W Armstrong

http://good-news.wwcg-archives.com/1980-1986/Good%20News%201983%20%28Prelim%20No%2007%29%20Aug.pdf#page=3

   I have written about the ecumenical movement to unite the churches — by compromise of doctrines and practices. 
   So now I would like to ask and answer: What about this whole church question — as it concerns YOU? WHERE IS the original true Church that Jesus Christ founded — the one the living Jesus Christ STILL HEADS today? 
   That is the question that haunted me, back in 1926 and early 1927. 
   I had been reared, like many of our readers, in one of the respected and older Protestant denominations. From infancy I was taken to Sunday school and church. I was told that I was "saved" because I had a "birthright membership" in the church. I didn't know much about what my church believed — but I don't remember worrying about that. 
   But by age 18 I lost interest, and seldom attended after that. On leaving school I entered the advertising profession. I was ambitious. I craved STATUS. So I worked hard, studied continually to improve my abilities, drove myself relentlessly toward that goal of STATUS! 
   Then, after nationwide occurrences totally beyond my control had twice taken businesses I had started, I was angered into an intensive study of the Bible for the first time in my life. So far as the Bible was concerned, I had always said, "I just can't UNDERSTAND the Bible." 
   Strange — I had always craved understanding, but about other things. The Bible seemed to me a dry, dull, dead book that NOBODY could understand. I assumed, of course, that the churches had received all their beliefs, teachings and customs from the Bible — but then, I just had no interest in religion. 
   But finally, early fall of 1926, I was challenged! I was doubly challenged! My wife had taken up with "religious fanaticism" — that is, it seemed fanaticism to me! She claimed she found it IN THE BIBLE — but I knew good and well that was impossible, because it was a belief and practice utterly CONTRARY to the churches. 
   "All these churches can't be wrong," I said. "They get their teaching from the Bible, and this fanaticism of yours is contrary to what they teach." 
   "Well, maybe they teach contrary to the Bible, then," my wife insisted, "because I got THIS out of the BIBLE!" 
   Argument was no use. She said if I'd show her where the Bible taught differently, she'd give it up, but not otherwise. 
   At the same time a sister-in-law challenged me in regard to the theory of evolution. I had never happened to study evolution in school or college. She said I was just plain IGNORANT if I didn't believe in evolution! This stung my pride! Me IGNORANT? What an INSULT! 
   "All right," I answered, "I'll study into the evolutionary theory thoroughly, and if you're wrong, as I know you are, I'll PROVE IT to you, and make you eat those words!" 
   I had always believed in GOD — though I knew little about Him, and just was not concerned about "religion." Of course I had never researched the question deeply and thoroughly, to PROVE whether God exists, or whether evolution is true. Few ever have. I just took God for granted, and supposed evolution was a false theory. Nearly all who believe either in God or evolution have assumed their belief WITHOUT PROOF! 
   But no longer for ME! NOW I had to KNOW! 
   It became an almost night-and-day study of the Bible, and of in-depth research in books on evolution, geology, paleontology, biology, physics. I did research into radioactivity. That proved there had been no past eternity of matter, but CREATION! I studied the creation account in Genesis. 
   It was a six months' intensive research, often studying until 1 or 2 a.m. But in the end I PROVED the existence of GOD and the infallible inspiration of the Bible; I disproved the evolutionary theory and did make the sister-in-law "eat those words!" 
   But in the argument with my wife, I LOST! She was right. I was wrong. It was by far the bitterest pill to swallow that had ever confronted me. 
   You see, it meant not only confessing I was wrong. That is hard enough for the carnal mind. But I had now learned HOW wrong I was, not only what I had believed through assumption, but what I had done and what I was. I had thought I was pretty good! Human nature always thinks that. I had learned it is just plain BAD and EVIL. 
   I thought immediately, IF I accept Bible teaching and begin to LIVE by it — IF I give in to accept Christ, become converted, live a Christian life — what will all my former business associates and friends say? 
   In my mind, it meant GIVING THEM ALL UP — for good! It meant conversion! And that is something I don't believe happens really, and fully, without an inner struggle. It certainly didn't in my case. It meant GIVING UP! It meant giving up everything my heart had been set on — my life goal. It meant forsaking my way of life — a total about-face! Actually it meant giving up my IDOL, though I didn't see it that way, then. 
   It meant UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER to God. It meant giving up MY LIFE, actually, and GIVING IT TO GOD! 
   In the end, I did it! 
   But now I faced a NEW CHALLENGE! In this intensive study, I had found that "all these churches" CAN BE wrong! I found that, so far as I knew of what the church I was reared in believed, it was diametrically contrary to the Bible. 
   Now the question came, WHERE is the TRUE Church — the one Jesus Christ founded — the one He HEADS today — the one that carries out His MISSION — the one He said He would never leave or forsake? 
   I had been shockingly disillusioned! It had been virtually a traumatic six months. 
   When I read Romans 6:23, I stared at that verse in my Bible in shocked, incredulous disbelief! It said, "For the wages of sin is DEATH; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Authorized Version). I had always believed the wages we earn for SIN was just the opposite of DEATH. I had been taught that what we get paid for SIN was ETERNAL LIFE — in hell fire! This verse says eternal life is something we can only receive AS A GIFT from GOD. 
   But NO! Surely no! We already have eternal life — so I supposed — we are immortal souls! 
   I learned that many theologians INTERPRET that verse — that is, they PUT A DIFFERENT MEANING INTO IT. They change the meaning of the words to make them conform to their belief instead of letting God's Word change their belief to conform with God's truth. They manufacture a new definition of the word death. They define death to mean "separation from God." 
   I looked at this verse again. On the one hand, for sin, we get DEATH. On the other hand, the opposite of that penalty is ETERNAL LIFE. 
   Now, it certainly was clear, if ETERNAL LIFE is the very opposite of DEATH, then DEATH cannot mean eternal life! 
   I was shocked to find that in many, if not most, teachings of Jesus and the New Testament, the churches now teach the very opposite, and follow opposite customs and practices! 
   I was confused! My head was swimming! 
   But there it was, in plain language. I read that SOULS can die! "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:4, 20). It was important enough to be stated twice. Then my startled eyes read, in Revelation 16:3, AV, "And every living soul DIED in the sea." That said SOULS can DIE. Then I saw where Jesus said souls can be DESTROYED: "But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28)! 
   It began to look like the churches were wrong, after all! 
   But did not Jesus Christ found His CHURCH? He surely did, and I found where He said the gates of the grave would never prevail against it — IT COULD NOT BE DESTROYED! I found where Jesus Christ said He would never leave nor forsake it — where He would always be "in the midst" of it. I found where He was the living HEAD of it! Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave. HE IS STILL ALIVE! 
   So WHERE was the Church He was guiding, directing and using? 
   I was perplexed. But I kept searching. I continued studying. 
   I found where Jesus Christ came to DO THE WORK OF GOD. He came to bring mankind the GOSPEL, from GOD. Yet He said that of Himself, as a human, by His own human power, He could do nothing — He was utterly powerless, of Himself, for this divine spiritual MISSION. The Father that dwelt within Him — by the power of His Holy Spirit — did the work. 
   So it was really GOD doing it, by His Holy Spirit, using the individual human mind and body of Jesus as His instrument. GOD started HIS WORK of revealing HIS MESSAGE and building His Church through the individual human BODY of Jesus Christ. 
   I saw where God's true CHURCH is called "THE BODY OF CHRIST" (I Cor. 12:27, 13, Rom. 12:5). How could the Church be the BODY OF CHRIST? I searched. I studied. God's Word made the truth PLAIN. 
   God started His Gospel WORK — proclaiming the Gospel (good news) of HIS KINGDOM — through the individual human BODY of Jesus. But after His resurrection, Jesus sent the same HOLY SPIRIT on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, and thereafter, to enter into the COLLECTIVE BODY of those constituting GOD'S CHURCH. 
   The CHURCH, then, is the COLLECTIVE BODY Christ uses as HIS INSTRUMENT, empowered by God's Spirit, to carry on GOD'S WORK. Jesus Christ heads and directs it from heaven! 
   How does one become a member of this ONE BODY? By receiving God's Holy Spirit. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized [immersed] into ONE BODY" (I Cor. 12:13). The word baptize means to immerse — to plunge into. It is God's Holy Spirit that PUTS ONE INTO the only true Church! 
   But are there MANY CHURCHES? No, everywhere the New Testament speaks of the ONE Body — ONE CHURCH. "For in fact the BODY is not one member but many� . But now indeed there are many members, yet ONE BODY" (verses 14, 20). Christ is NOT divided (I Cor. 1:13). There is ONE true Church. All in it "speak the same thing" (I Cor. 1:10). 
   But WHAT is the divine MISSION of that Church? What is its PURPOSE? The answer is to do the WORK OF GOD, which Jesus started and now continues through His Church. And what did Jesus start DOING? 
   Mark tells us: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). Then, beginning verse 2, Mark records how John the Baptist prepared the way before Him. Coming, then, directly to the BEGINNING of the WORK Christ did, Mark says: 
   "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee" — DOING WHAT? — "preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. REPENT, and BELIEVE the gospel' " (verses 14-15). 
   Two things Jesus commanded His hearers to do: 1) REPENT and 2) BELIEVE. But believe WHAT? Believe His GOSPEL! YOU have to believe that Gospel — that good news of the KINGDOM OF GOD — to be saved! JESUS SAID SO! 
   The KINGDOM OF GOD is the GOVERNMENT of God. It is also the divine FAMILY of God, into which we may be born. It is the UNIVERSE-RULING Family! 
   You repent of — WHAT? Your rebellion against that GOVERNMENT of God. God governs by HIS LAW, summed up by the Ten Commandments. Some will say, we must repent of SIN! Yes, SURELY! For sin IS the transgression of THE LAW (I John 3:4). 
   Repentance means unconditional SURRENDER to the GOVERNMENT of God — to yield to let God RULE your life, according to His laws — it means to live by EVERY WORD IN THE BIBLE (Matt. 4:4). 
   What is the divine MISSION of God's true CHURCH? It is to carry on THE WORK Jesus started. Jesus commissioned His Church, "Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOSPEL to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Not just any gospel. Not a gospel merely about the person of Christ, but His Gospel of the Kingdom of God — the Gospel He said we have to BELIEVE in order to be converted and saved! 
   Again, Matthew records His great commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in [into] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have COMMANDED you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20). In proclaiming HIS GOSPEL, Jesus specifically said, "Teach them to OBEY God's COMMANDMENTS"! 
   Jesus gave a prophecy for our time — just before the END of this world. His disciples came to Him privately. They asked, "What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matt. 24:3). 
   Jesus warned against false ministers saying that Jesus is Christ — yet DECEIVING THE MANY. And answering their question as to what sign would show when He is to come, He said: "And this gospel of the KINGDOM [the same Gospel He taught the original apostles] will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, AND THEN the END will come" (Matt. 24:14). 
   That Gospel was not preached after A.D. 70 to all the world. In every generation it has been preached — to a FEW, but not TO ALL THE WORLD — on ALL CONTINENTS! 
   Wherever God's true Church is — the ONE Church that is CHRIST'S — it will be preaching THAT GOSPEL to the whole world — over all continents — today. For we are near the END! That is the Gospel of the living Christ! It is the GOOD NEWS of the coming KINGDOM OF GOD to RULE THE WORLD! 
   It is the Gospel of the divine GOVERNMENT. It teaches people to REPENT of rebellion against God's government — transgression of GOD'S LAWS. It teaches salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ — the remission of sins through Jesus' shed blood and reconciliation to God by Christ's DEATH, and salvation through His LIFE. 
   It has NO PART in this world's governments — its members are AMBASSADORS, as in a strange land, of THE KINGDOM OF GOD, soon to destroy and replace all human governments of the nations today. 
   Jesus prayed for His Church: "Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be ONE as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name... 
   "But now come I to You... I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not OF the world, just as I am not OF the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not OF the world, just as I am not OF the world. Sanctify them by Your TRUTH. Your WORD is TRUTH" (John 17:11-17). 
   Jesus said His true Church was to be KEPT in the name of the Father — GOD. Twelve times in the New Testament, the NAME of this one true Church is the Church of God! It is GOD'S Church, and Jesus Christ is its guiding, sustaining, directing HEAD! 
   In this world, churches are named after MEN, or after the SYSTEM men have devised, or the kind of church government MEN have thought out, CONTRARY to God's Word, or after a significant doctrine they emphasize, or what men hope to make it — all-encompassing, universal or catholic. 
   But wherever that ONE true Church is, it will be named the Church of God. 
   But that is not all. Many have appropriated God's name, but are not proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD, as the GOVERNMENT of God, which we must OBEY — teaching obedience to God's law (Ten Commandments) — teaching REPENTANCE of rebellion and transgressing God's holy LAW — teaching that we may be now BEGOTTEN into the KINGDOM (Family) of God, and may, by the resurrection, be BORN into the GOD FAMILY! 
   That true Church is preaching the imminency of the coming of CHRIST as King of kings and LORD of lords, to RULE all nations for a thousand years on earth. Not up in heaven, but ON THIS EARTH (Rev. 5:10). 
   There is only ONE such Church! 
   It is doing THE WORK OF GOD. It is, as Jesus said it would be, a "little flock," persecuted, despised by the world. But it does have dedicated, consecrated, converted, fully instructed and trained, ordained MINISTERS in all parts of the world — available to call on you, visit you in your home, answer your questions, explain the Bible to you — IF YOU REQUEST IT! 
   But none of them will EVER call on you, unless YOU of your own free will request it! Paul had visited the elders (ministers) at Ephesus from house to house — BUT, regarding the general public, Jesus said, "Do NOT GO from house to house" (Luke 10:7). 
   Neither Jesus, nor Peter, nor Paul, nor any of the original true apostles ever approached people and personally URGED conversion on them. God has made every human a FREE MORAL AGENT. God compels each to MAKE HIS OWN DECISION, and the true GOD will never force you to be converted. 
   But if you, of your own volition, want to know MORE about the very Church that Jesus Christ founded and heads today — if you'd like to ask questions about it — why not write your request for a personal visit to the editor? We may be able to have one of God's own ministers call on you quite soon. 
   And let me suggest that you JOT DOWN on paper the QUESTIONS you are going to want to ask. I've learned, personally, by more than 55 years' experience, that you'll forget them unless you do. 
   Hundreds and hundreds — yes, thousands upon thousands — are being converted — their lives CHANGED — by this WORK OF GOD, through the World Tomorrow broadcast worldwide, through The Plain Truth, the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, through this magazine, The Good News, and other vital free literature we send upon request. 
   Some, not realizing one of God's own called and consecrated ministers could call and explain, and answer questions, have JOINED one of the churches of this world. 
   You cannot JOIN the true Church of God — the almighty GOD puts you in. 
   But if you have questions about fellowship, doctrines or practice — or ANY questions about the Church or the Bible or the Christian LIFE, write me. I cannot call and visit with you personally anymore (as I used to do and wish I still could), but God has now given me many truly called and chosen men who CAN. 
   DON'T go to the churches of this world, or join any, UNTIL you hear the full truth and weigh carefully the FACTS, according to your own BIBLE. Then make your decision and take what steps GOD shows you.

MINISTUDY: The Day of Atonement in God's Great Master Plan

MINISTUDY: The Day of Atonement in God's Great Master Plan 

By Richard H Sedliacik

http://good-news.wwcg-archives.com/1980-1986/Good%20News%201983%20%28Prelim%20No%2007%29%20Aug.pdf#page=25

   God's annual festivals remind us how He is working out His master plan for mankind, step by step. 

   The first three festivals — Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost — picture events leading to the first spiritual "harvest" of Spirit-begotten human beings into God's universe-ruling Family. These days portray the preparation, training and final "reaping" of the firstfruits — those few called by God before Christ's return. 

   The last four festivals show the plan God has for completing salvation for the rest of the world. 

   We learned from the last study that the fourth festival, the Feast of Trumpets, pictures the triumphant return of Jesus Christ to rescue mankind from self-destruction and to set up the world-ruling government of God. It is also at Christ's return that the firstfruits of God's plan are born into His Family, to begin assisting Christ in ruling the nations. 

   But what about Satan? What happens to him? 

   The fifth annual festival, the Day of Atonement, reveals the answer. It pictures Christ deposing Satan the devil from his present position as world ruler (II Cor. 4:4) and Satan's removal to a place completely away and apart from mankind. He will be bound for 1,000 years, no longer able to deceive the nations and influence man to sin. 

   After Satan's imprisonment, the rest of humanity will be reconciled — made at one — with God. 

   Let's understand the hidden meaning in the symbolism of this unique fifth festival of God. 

   1. What annual Sabbath follows only nine days after the Feast of Trumpets? Lev. 23:26-32, 16:29-31. Are God's people commanded to assemble before Him on this day? Lev. 23:27. 

   2. How are we to specifically observe the Day of Atonement? Verse 32. How does one "afflict" his body on this day? Isa. 58:3, Ezra 8:21. 

   The Day of Atonement is perhaps the most unusual Holy Day, as far as what God expects us to do. It is the one day of the year on which God commands us to fast — to abstain from food and water (Ex. 34:28, Esther 4:16) — for 24 hours, from sunset on the ninth day of the month to sunset on the tenth day ("from evening unto evening" — Lev. 23:32). 

   Fasting should be for the purpose of humbling oneself to draw closer to God and His righteous way (Isa. 58:6-11). Thus fasting on the Day of Atonement is a vivid reminder of the state of mind necessary for salvation — of the humility, the godly sorrow, the earnest seeking after God and His way — a condition to which this world will have been brought by catastrophic events culminating in Jesus Christ's return. 

   3. Does the Day of Atonement also differ from all other annual Holy Days in that no work whatsoever (meaning not even simple food preparation!) is to be done on it? Num. 29:7, Lev. 16:29. Why is this day to be kept so solemnly? Lev. 23:28. 

   What does atonement mean? Webster says to atone means to "set at one." To join in one — to form by uniting. This day actually symbolizes God and man being set at one: literally the Day of At-one-ment! But God and mankind cannot be fully at one — in full agreement — until Satan is restrained. 

   The 16th chapter of Leviticus details God's instructions to the Levitical priesthood of ancient Israel concerning the Day of Atonement. Let's briefly examine the activities of this day to see their vital connection with the restraining of Satan after Christ's return. 

   4. Was the Aaronic high priest to make a special sin offering once a year to atone for all the sins of Israel? Lev. 16:32-34. Was this done on the Day of Atonement? Verses 29-30. 

   5. But what was the high priest to do before making this atonement? Lev. 16:5-8. Was one of the two goats to be sent into the wilderness? Verse 10. Whom did the banished goat represent? Verse 8. 

   The English word scapegoat is not a correct translation of the Hebrew word God inspired. Most Bibles with marginal renderings show that the original word was azazel. Azazel refers to none other than Satan the devil! 

   The modern word scapegoat carries an entirely wrong connotation. Originally it was escape goat — the goat allowed to escape in the wilderness — that the translators took to be the meaning of azazel. But today the English word scapegoat signifies "one who bears blame or guilt for others." As we shall see, azazel — Satan — will bear his own guilt! 

   6. Did the high priest next offer the goat chosen by lot for the Lord as a sin offering for all the people? Verses 15-16. Wasn't it Christ Himself who was slain for the sins of all mankind, and who then assumed the office of our perfect, sinless High Priest in heaven? Heb. 2:17, 6:20, 7:26. Did the resurrected Christ begin to do what the Aaronic high priest did in type on the Day of Atonement? Lev. 16:15-19, Heb. 9:7-14. 

   Throughout the year Israel's sins were symbolically transferred to the Tabernacle and its fixtures. Once a year on the Day of Atonement this mountainous load of guilt was symbolically purged from the nation in order that God might continue to dwell in Israel, for sin separates man from God, who is holy (Isa. 59:2). 

   And so we can understand today that the slain goat for the Lord actually represented the crucified Jesus. The high priest, by taking the blood of this slain goat through the veil to the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies (a type of God's throne), represented and symbolically did, in a prophetic sense, the work of the risen Christ, who ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, where He has been interceding as our High Priest for the past 1,952 years. 

   7. Did the high priest then seize the live azazel goat? Lev. 16:20. Did he symbolically place the sins of Israel on the head of azazel? Verse 21. Whose sins were they, really? John 8:42-44. 

   Jesus took our guilt — our sins — upon Himself as an innocent substitution, a sacrifice to pay the penalty of sin, which is eternal death (Rom. 6:23). But the real cause of those sins was Satan the devil. He is the author of the sins of mankind. So here are all of man's Satan-inspired sins symbolically being put right back on Satan's head where they belong. 

   8. Was the azazel goat to continue living? Verse 22. Where was he taken? Same verse. 

   Satan, represented by this live goat, is a spirit being and therefore immortal. To signify that fact, the goat was permitted to live. But notice that he was completely removed from the presence of man. 

   9. What will be done to Satan after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Rev. 20:1-2. Where is he cast? Verse 3. Also notice Revelation 18:1-2. 

   The "bottomless pit" or abyss was pictured by the desert wilderness where azazel was banished. Satan and his demons will be completely restrained by Christ from further leading mankind into sin. No longer will Satan be able to broadcast (Eph. 2:2) his evil attitudes into people's minds. 

   At the devil's chaining by an angel of God (symbolically, the "fit man" — Lev. 16:21, Authorized Version), the minds of men, formerly kept spiritually closed by Satan, will be opened by the Spirit of God! 

   For the first time, humanity will be able to understand God's master plan of salvation. People will then want to repent and receive forgiveness, through Christ's sacrifice, of their sins. Only then will man become at one with Christ and the Father, as pictured by the Day of At-one-ment.