In the month of Tishri, the 7th month of the Jewish calendar, the Fall Feasts are celebrated. On the 1st day of the month is the Day of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23). This is also when the Jewish New Year known as Rosh Hashanah is celebrated. On this day begins the blowing of trumpets, or ram horns known as Shofar, announcing to all the coming Day of Atonement. On the 10th day of the month is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:26). This is the day when the blood of the perfect sacrifice was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant for the covering of the sins of the people. This action provided a way for Israel to once again be reunited with God. On the 15th day is the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) for a period of seven days (Lev. 23:33). This is an autumn harvest celebration which involves constructing a temporary dwelling outside, a “booth”, and eating and sleeping in it for seven days. It commemorates the forty years of wandering in the wilderness for the Children of Israel, and God dwelling with them in the Tabernacle during this time.
During the Israelite's forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God instructed them to build a Tabernacle and institute the sacrificial system. The shedding of blood through animal sacrifices was the means by which the sins of the people were covered. This allowed God to dwell with them, with His Shekinah Glory filling the Holy of Holies.
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. “You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God.” Lev. 23:26-32
The Spring Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are prophetic, detailing the Messiah's death and resurrection. The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) is also prophetic. It details the church age, lasting for 2000 years, beginning at Pentecost with the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church and ending at the rapture of the Church when the Holy Spirit is removed from the world (I Cor. 15:52, I Thess. 4:16). I also believe that both of these events occur on the actual day of the Feast of Weeks.
The Fall Feasts are also prophetic, detailing the Tribulation period, return of the Lord, and the Millennial reign of the Messiah from Jerusalem. We are living in the time of silence between the Feast of Weeks and the last group of Feasts to be fulfilled which is the Fall Feasts, beginning with the Day of Trumpets. The Day of Atonement is a type that will be fulfilled after the rapture of the Church, and prior to the seven years of the Tribulation. Israel will once again be the focus of God's attention, and they will be restored to God. He will become their protector and provider through the time of "Jacob's trouble" the Great Tribulation. Israel will mourn for their Messiah that they rejected, and they will acknowledge Him as Lord.
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." Zechariah 12:10
"And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel." Revelation 7:4
The Jewish word "kippur" means to atone or cover; therefore Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. Kippur itself is from the same root word as kaphar, which also means to cover. Noah was instructed to build the ark, to use "gopher wood" (which may have simply been a type of wood covered with a sealant like pitch or resin), and to cover (kaphar) the wood with "pitch" (kopher). Both of these words are related to kippur, and carry the meaning of atonement or covering. The blood of the sacrifices were also a covering, sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat, which provided atonement and a covering for the people from their sins. The ark of Noah was a type of covering which protected Noah and those inside from the judgement of the flood, and the destruction that resulted. There are three types of people represented in the wrath of the flood: Enoch who was taken up before the wrath, Noah and his family protected through the wrath, and those who rejected the warnings of Noah who perished in the flood. Likewise, during the wrath of the tribulation period, there will be those taken up prior to the tribulation period start, those who perish in the tribulation, and those who are protected through the tribulation period. A portion of the Jews who call out to the Messiah will be protected through the tribulation period.
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch." Genesis 6:14
"For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." Hebrews 9:24-26
The prophetic importance of the Day of Atonement is that it is the start of Jubilee. The fiftieth year is the year of Jubilee, a time of restoration of all things back to God. Revelation chapter five details the opening of the seven sealed scroll by Jesus the Messiah. This scroll is the title deed to the Earth and the entire created universe. Jesus is the only one able to open the scroll, and by doing so, redeem all of creation. It is the opening of this scroll which begins the countdown to the start of the tribulation period. The Day of Atonement (start of Jubilee) is prophetic of the start of the tribulation period, and the beginning of Jesus redeeming all mankind and the created universe.
“I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Rev. 5:1-5
“...and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Acts 3:20-21
The Day of Atonement is a type that will be fulfilled after the rapture and just prior to the start of the seven years of the Tribulation, and in my opinion, ten days after the Day of Trumpets prophetic event (which may be the Ezekiel 38 War). The importance of the Day of Atonement is that the Jubilee Year begins on the Day of Atonement (see my article on My Jubilee Year for more details about Jubilee). During Jubilee, all things reset back to a beginning state: slaves are released from bondage, the land is given a rest from crops, all debts are forgiven, and land reverts back to the original title deed holder. It is at this point in Heaven when Jesus the Redeemer (Kinsmen Redeemer) will stand up as the only one in Heaven, Earth, and below the Earth who is worthy to open the seven sealed scroll. This sealed scroll is the title deed to the universe. With the opening of the scroll, the Tribulation starts, and the process of renewing all things begins. (Ezekiel 16:62-63)
