by Todd Elder at Exploring Creation
The annual festivals given to the Nation of Israel are summarized in Leviticus 23. These festivals are prophetic pictures of the Messiah's actions for the salvation and redemption of mankind. The spring festivals are symbolic of the Messiah's first coming that occurred about two thousand years ago. This includes the atoning sacrifice made at Passover and His giving of the Spirit to mankind at the time of Pentecost. Similarly, the fall festivals represent the second coming of the Messiah. These events include the millennial kingdom, the great white throne judgment, the marriage of the lamb, and the new heavens and earth. The Day of Redemptions refers to the second resurrection and the great white throne judgment where the effects of sin and death are removed from believers forever.
The Hebrew root word 'kippur' means 'to cover'. The use of this root is widespread and includes examples of covering the ark in pitch, protecting a city with a wall, and of the lid on the ark of the covenant. It is also used as the root word from which are translated many words like atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and expiation because a covering is made for a person's sin. 'Yom Kippur', translated as the Day of Redemptions, is the time of the Great White Throne judgment. For believers, this represents the final act of the redemption of mankind as the bondage of death and Satan's influence are thrown into the lake of fire.
The commandment given to the Nation of Israel is 'to afflict the soul'. Elsewhere in Scripture, affliction is connected with a few different types of actions which all revolve around the idea of being humbled. Most prominent of these actions is the act of fasting that can be found numerous times in Scripture. Most of the time, fasting is a choice made by the person or the nation doing the fast. However, the Day of Redemptions is the one day each year where a fast is commanded to be performed.
In almost every instance that the word 'Sabbath' is used in Scripture, it is referring to the seventh day Sabbath of rest which is itself always regarded as the Sabbath unto Yahveh. The single exception to this is the Day of Redemptions which can be on any day of the week and is referred to as a Sabbath unto Israel.
The Day of Redemptions contains a unique ceremony with a pair of goats. One goat is released in the wilderness and is referred to as 'for azazel'. The other goat is a special sin offering whose blood is sprinkled on the lid of the ark of the covenant. These actions refer back to the original sin and curse from the garden of Eden. The fulfillment of this unique ceremony represents the sending of Satan and death to the lake of fire and the end of that curse.
When the Sinai covenant ends, the original sin from the garden of Eden, and the death caused by it, must still be dealt with. When this is complete, the Almighty's people will finally be in close relationship with Himself again. Those who have been judged as righteous will be given eternal life and the New Covenant mentioned in Jeremiah 31:31-34 will be able to take place in its fulfillment.
This is the time of the Great White Throne judgment which makes this a day of both great rejoicing and great sorrow because judgment has come upon the world. This judgment determines whether a person receives eternal life or death. Believers in the Messiah are companions in the book of life.
For the earthly tabernacle, the redemptive work primarily involved the duties of the High Priest. On this one day each year, the High Priest enters the most set apart place in the Tabernacle, to sprinkle blood upon the lid of the ark of the covenant. This special, one time only sacrifice and blood upon the lid is fulfilled with the Messiah's work as High Priest in the Heavenly Tabernacle.