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People Fasting in New Zealand

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From sunset September 15th through sunset September 16th, it is the Day of Atonement in 2021. We have online sermons in English and Spanish.

The Day of Atonement is one of God’s feasts and is considered to be a time for fasting, on which no food or drink are to be consumed:

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. (Leviticus 23:1-2; NKJV throughout unless otherwise specified)

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:26-32).

7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work. 8 You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. Be sure they are without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, besides the sin offering for atonement, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings. (Numbers 29:7-11)

Evening to evening means from sunset to sunset.

Fasting is historically how the phrase “afflict your souls,”Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance word 6031, has been interpreted by the Jewish and Church of God communities–unless one is somehow ill, and thus is already afflicted.

The Hebrew words kaphar (Strong’s #3722) and kopher (Strong’s #3724), from which the word translated as “Atonement” Kipuriym (Strong’s #3725 is kippur) in Leviticus 23:27 comes from, literally means “to cover or cover over” (and Strong’s #3722 is used in passages such as Numbers 29:5 to refer to the atonement sacrifice. The New Testament discusses the idea of covering over sins through Jesus sacrifice. Notice what the Apostles Paul and Peter were inspired to write:

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:5-8)

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21-25)

This is something Christians need to realize, and the Day of Atonement (as well as Passover) serves as an annual reminder.

Christians kept the Day of Atonement after the New Testament was written.

A Muslim document, dated from the period of the fifth-tenth century, states that Jesus and His disciples kept the fast on the same days as the Jews. It indicates that Judeo-Christians were still keeping the Day of Atonement while the Greco-Romans came up with a 50 day Lenten-like fasting period that Jesus did not keep (Tomson P. Lambers-Petry L. The Image of the Judaeo-Christians in Ancient Jewish and Christian Literature, Volume 158 of Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. Mohr Siebeck , 2003, pp. 70-72; Stern SM. Quotations from Apocryphal Gospels in ‘Abd Al-Jabbar. Journal of Theological Studies, NS. Volume XVIII, (1) April 1967: 34-57).

Reports from other historians support this view (cf. Pines S. The Jewish Christians of the Early Centuries of Christianity according to a New Source. Proceedings of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Volume II, No.13; 1966. Jerusalem, pp. 32-34).

This is further substantiated in a Jewish account (reported in the Talmud) which has been related by a Catholic scholar. Priest Bellarmino Bagatti stated that it is recorded that an early second century Christian named Jacob (100-120 AD) held a discssion with a Jewish scholar about the Day of Atonement. In it, the Christian Jacob explained how it was a reminder which helped show “Christ head of the angels” and that we are to be “blameless” in our “conduct” (Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Circumcision. Nihil obstat: Marcus Adinolfi. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 26 Junii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, p.97).

And of course, when God has an angel bind Satan (Revelation 20:1) this will be another related fulfillment for the Day of Atonement and it does help show that Christ is the head of the angels (and that Satan is not).

Furthermore, it is known that in the first and second century, Polycarp of Smyrna kept both the Spring Holy Days and the Fall Holy Days. Polycarp also knew that Satan was behind sin:

“For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist”(1 John 4:3), and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning (Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians, Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1 as edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson; American Edition, 1885; Reprint Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, pp. 33-36).

In the early third century, Origen of Alexandria taught that:

A DAY of atonement is necessary for all who have sinned, and for this reason among the festivals of the Law, which contains visions of heavenly mysteries, one certain festival is held which called a day of atonement.” (Origen. Gary Wayne Barkley editor. Homilies on Leviticus, 1-16. Homily 9 (1), p. 176),

But he discouraged keeping that day by fasting (Ibid, Homily 10 (3-5), p. 205-207). This indicates that there were others who were fasting then and that Origen disapproved.

It is reported that early Christians kept the Day of Atonement in Antioch the same time the Jews observed Yom Kippur in the third and fourth century (Ben Ezra DS. The Impact of Yom Kippur on Early Christianity: The Day of Atonement from Second Temple Judaism to the Fifth Century. Mohr Siebeck, 2003, pp. 2, 261, 277)

Canons 37 & 38 of the Council of Laodicea of the fourth century prohibited the observation of the unleavened bread and other festivals of the Jews and there was a similar condemnation in Canon 69/70 of the Syrian Apostolic Canons near this time which also prohibited in Jewish fasts (Seaver JE. Persecution of the Jews in the Roman Empire (300-438), Issue 30 of University of Kansas publications: Humanistic studies. University of Kansas Publications, 1952. Original from the University of Virginia, Digitized Apr 29, 2009, pp. 34-35; also at http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_books/seaver/text.html).

Notice a translated quote from the falsely named Syriac ‘Apostolic Canons’:

If any bishop, presbyter, or deacon, or any one of the list of clergy, keeps fast or festival with the Jews, or receives from them any of the gifts of their feasts, as unleavened bread, any such things, let him be deposed. If he be a layman, let him be excommunicated. (The Apostolic Canons, Canon 70. Translated by Henry Percival. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 14. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3820.htm>.)

Hence this practice of Christians keeping the Holy Days also must have been going on then in Asia Minor and elsewhere or there would not have been such condemnation–others scholars share that opinion (Seaver, p. 34; Bagatti B, Priest. The Church from the Circumcision, pp. 87-88).

Furthermore the keeping of these days was condemned by John Chrysostom near the end of the fourth century, thus confirming that professors of Christ were keeping the biblical holy days. John Chrysostom specifically condemned observing the Day of the Fast that the Jews also kept (see Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days?):

The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us one after the other and in quick succession: the feast of Trumpets, the feast of Tabernacles, the fasts. There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts and observing their fasts.

This condemnation, though, is specific proof that some who professed Christ still observed the Day of Atonement into the fourth century.

Additionally, comments by Jerome and Epiphanius near that time concerning the Nazarene Christians would also seem to support that those who kept the Holy Days, such as Atonement, were located in several areas at that time (see Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes?).

In the 21st century, we in the Continuing Church of God continue to observe the Holy Day.

We are pleased to announce this Day of Atonement offertory from its ContinuingCOG channel:

11:15

Here is a link to an offertory for the Day of Atonement: Atonement Offertory: Jesus Was the Atoning Sacrifice.

Here is the sermon made and recommended for 2021:

1:11:14

Jesus THE Atonement

The Jews call it Yom Kippur and Christians call it the Day of Atonement. In transliterated Hebrew, the Bible calls the day Yom Hakippurim, which is Hebrew for “Day of the Atonements.” What do Old Testament scriptures say about it? Why is fasting associated with it? Did Jesus shed His blood only for Christians in this age? What about the age to come? If Jesus is only to be sacrificed once, why is He symbolically sacrificed as the Passover lamb as well as one of the goats associated with the Atonement ceremony in the Book of Leviticus? Is the Day of Atonement referred to in the Book of Acts? Is there evidence that Christians kept the Day of Atonement throughout the church age? Why should Christians observe it? Dr. Thiel addresses these topics and more in this video sermon.

Here is a link to the sermon: Jesus THE Atonement.

If you want a second sermon, here is another:

1:25:38

Here is a link to the sermon: The Day of Atonement – God’s 5th Holy Day.

Those who wish a third sermon may also wish to watch:

1:13:11

Here is a link to the sermon: Atonement, Fasting, and Jesus.

If you want another sermon, here is one:

1:09:57

Christians and the Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement was taught in the Old Testament. Is it relevant for Christians? If so, when is it? Did any of the goats involved with the High Priest of Israel represent Jesus? If Jesus is the Passover lamb, why might God have had a sacrifice at the Day of Atonement? What does afflicting of the soul have to do with fasting? How often was Jesus to be sacrificed? Does the Day of Atonement also picture anything to do with Satan the devil? Was Jesus the atoning sacrifice for Christians?

Here is a link to the sermon: Christians and the Day of Atonement.

If you want another sermon, here is one:

The Day of Atonement is part of God’s plan. It pictures that Jesus paid the penalty for sins and that Satan will bear guilt for his actions. What does it mean to ‘afflict your soul’? Why do many connect this with fasting? If Christians should fast, is drinking water okay as part of a biblical fast? What are some of the lessons of the Day of Atonement and fasting? Are there benefits from fasting? Did Jesus expect His followers to fast? Did the Apostle Paul fast? Is there any particular day Christians should fast? What does the Azazel goat of Leviticus represent? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 15th, 2021 at 3:00 pm and is filed under COG News.

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