Great Themes of the Bible (continued)
Atonement 19 the mercy-seat"', for Christ always appears in the presence of God for us. This altar had a crown fixed to it, for Christ intercedes as king.
4. THE Day or ATONEMENT
This solemn act of atonement was to be observed annually, "on the tenth day of the seventh month" (Lev. xvi. 29). The seventh month had been reckoned the first month, till God appointed that the month in which the children of Israel came out of Egypt should from thenceforward be accounted and called the first month. Some have fancied that this tenth day of the seventh month was the day of the year on which our first parents fell, and that it was kept as a fast in remembrance of that. Others say that this was the day on which Moses came the last time down from the mount, when he brought with him the renewed tables and the assurances of God's being fully reconciled to Israel, and his face shone: that day must be a day of atonement throughout their generations, for the remembrance of God's forgiving them their sin about the golden calf might encourage them to hope that upon their repentance he would forgive them all trespasses.
(a) The duty of the people on this day was that they must rest from their labours; "'it shall be a sabbath of rest" (Lev. xvt. 31). The work of the day was itself enough, and a good day's work if it was done well; therefore they must do no other work at all. The work of humiliation for sin requires such a close application of mind and such a fixed engagement of the whole man as will not allow a diversion to any other work. ''The day of atonement'' seems to be that sabbath spoken of by the prophet (cf. Isa. lviii. 13), for it is the same with the fast spoken of in the verse before.
(6) They must 'afflict their souls". They must refrain from all bodily refreshments and delights, in token of inward humiliation and contrition of soul for their sins. They all fasted on this day from food, except the sick and children, and laid aside their ornaments, and did not anoint themselves as Daniel (cf. Dan. x. 3, 12). David chastened his soul with fasting (Ps. xxxv. 13). And it signified the mortifying of sin, and turning from it, "loosing the bands of wickedness"' (cf. Isa. lviti. 6, 7). The Jewish doctors advised that they should not on that day read those portions of Scripture which were proper