Leviticus 23:27, commentary and pictures

Also on the tenth day of the seventh month God appointed the yearly Day of Atonement, an autumnal service of the sanctuary. It was to be a holy convocation, with all Israel laying aside common work to gather in solemn humiliation, prayer, fasting and searching of heart. To afflict the soul was to humble oneself before God in remembrance of sin, with confession, repentance, seeking of pardon and reverent keeping of every part of the service, while whoever refused was to be cut off from the people. That service was a type of the work of Christ as High Priest, fulfilled when at the close of the 2300 days in 1844 He entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to make a special atonement and cleanse it by His own blood, which is the investigative judgment now in progress when every case is decided and confessed and repented sins are blotted out. Its call to afflict the soul therefore rests upon the living today, requiring individual and thorough heart-searching, confession and forsaking of sins, humbling of self, reconciliation between brethren, and earnest seeking of God in order to stand in the judgment and be saved.

The Appointed Service

The tenth day of the seventh month is appointed as the yearly Day of Atonement, an autumnal service. It was to be a holy convocation, a holy gathering and holy assembly of all Israel around the sanctuary. Ordinary business was to be set aside, and the day spent in solemn humiliation before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of heart. Every person was to humble himself while the work of atonement was taking place, seeking pardon for sins.

To afflict the soul meant to humble oneself before God, to remember sins, and to confess and repent of them. It meant heart-searching and self-examination, humbling the heart, seeking pardon individually, and observing every part of the service with reverence. Anyone who refused on that day to humble himself and afflict his soul was to be cut off from the congregation and cut off from the people. The ceremony impressed upon Israel that God is holy and abhors sin, and that contact with sin pollutes. An offering made by fire was to be offered to the Lord.

The Heavenly Fulfillment

The autumnal service of the tenth day of the seventh month was a type of the work of Christ as High Priest, fulfilled when at the close of the 2300 days in 1844 He entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to make a special atonement and to cleanse it by His own blood. Its antitype is the investigative judgment now in progress, when each person's case is judged according to deeds and a final decision is made. In that fulfillment confessed and repented sins are atoned for and blotted out while Christ ministers as the great High Priest, and understanding His work and the duties required is essential so that pardon is sought and none are cut off.

The tenth day of the seventh month was at one time held to be the appointed day for the personal advent of Jesus in the clouds of heaven to deliver His people, expected within a few days as an awful moment to the unprepared and glorious to the ready. The type pointed instead to entering the most holy place, not to coming out of heaven that day to bless the waiting people. What was shown was rising from the mediatorial throne and going into the Most Holy Place as Bridegroom to receive the kingdom.

As the type of the present atonement in heaven, the day with its holy convocation, humiliation, reverence, and careful observance of every part of the service calls those who minister in sacred things to be holy and to guard their lives from contamination. Its atonement is received by trusting the efficacy of the sacrifice, humbling the heart before God, repenting of sin, seeking pardon for sins and transgressions, and accepting justifying grace. That justifying work is joined to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in implanting a new nature, clothing the believer with righteousness, and transforming the carnal nature into holiness.

The Present Call

The call to afflict the soul belongs to the present, for the solemn hour of judgment is now and the great conflict is at hand. While Christ as great High Priest ministers in the heavenly sanctuary, sins are to be atoned for and blotted out, and each person's case is judged according to deeds with a final decision made, so confession and repentance cannot be delayed. Each one is to humble the heart before God, seek pardon for sins and transgressions, confess and forsake them, take the proper spiritual position, and prepare to meet God's standard in order to be saved and to have a living experience with God. Accepting justifying grace is joined to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in implanting a new nature, clothing with righteousness, and transforming the carnal nature into holiness. Confession of errors, repentance of sins, and praying for one another belong to this hour.

The searching must be individual and thorough. Each person must examine the heart for sins that shut out Jesus, putting away every wrong, confessing even secret sins, and examining motives under God's searching eye. This is done with entire consecration and surrender to God, with self-abasement and seeking pardon individually before Him. Each is to confess his own sins and humble his own heart, rather than focus on what others should confess.

Wrongs between brothers and sisters are to be removed rather than allowed to remain, as part of examining the heart and preparing to meet God's standard. Afflicting the soul means laboring and agonizing, feeling weakness, and zealously repenting while there is still opportunity, for it must be done now or there will be going down. It is the way to obtain the gold, white raiment, and eyesalve that must be possessed for eternal life.

Afflicting the soul is abasing self and exalting Jesus, stirred by the sight of Calvary to love and good works. It calls for giving God the whole heart and undivided affection, rising to a noble, elevated, sanctified standard, growing in grace, and seeking God most earnestly. It is serving actively in God's strength rather than one's own, using every precious moment with none unemployed, and doing all work carefully to God's glory, because the great day of atonement is now present. This preparation calls for self-humbling and mourning rather than strife, rivalry, seeking the highest place, contention, distraction, or confusion.