Chapter IX
A Hope Restored
...but the Lord will be the hope of His people
and the strength of the children of Israel
Joel 3:16
Several years ago, a major motion picture was released depicting the life of a man sentenced to prison for a murder he did not commit. The movie shows how this "convict" dealt with the injustice he received from the courts as well as the evils he experienced in this maximum security facility.
As the story progressed, it became clear that its principle figure was unique. While his fellow inmates became hardened and cynical by prison life, this wrongly accused man maintained a great personal dignity in the most unlikely of places. Even after being raped multiple times by other inmates and repeatedly placed in solitary confinement (“the hole”) by a corrupt warden, his spirit was never broken.
This great inner strength prompted another inmate to ask, “How do you do it?” Upon hearing this question, this man provided a one word answer, “HOPE.” He then proceeded to describe the power of hope to an inmate who seemed to have lost this gift long ago.
Toward the end of the story, this man, who had now escaped from incarceration and had exposed a corrupt prison system, wrote a letter to the inmate who had asked how he had survived in such a horrible place. At the conclusion of the letter, he wrote, “Hope is a beautiful thing.”
It is hard to imagine anything possessing greater value than hope. It is a power that can sustain a person in the most trying of times. Hope is a voice that cries out, “Don’t give up!” It proclaims, “There is something better ahead.” In a very real sense, hope is a beautiful thing.
With this in mind, imagine a world where there is no hope--a world where dreams are only an illusion--a world where despair is all there is for as far as the eye can see. Imagine the thing you love most being taken from you and never given back. Imagine being stripped of your home, your parents, or even your children. Imagine solitude and nothing else. Imagine a world without laughter, or music, or color.
Down through the ages, our world has experienced periods of great despair and hopelessness. The ravages of human suffering fill the pages of history. Whether it’s the crusades of the middle ages, the great inquisition, the Nazi holocaust, or the horrible genocide perpetrated on millions of Russians by the ruthless dictator, Joseph Stalin, mankind has had some very dark days. Throughout history, there must have been times when man undoubtedly thought, “our hope is lost.”
The story of man is truly a story of dashed hopes and shattered dreams. It is true that he has experienced moments of contentment, but those moments, no matter how precious, are fleeting. Imagine how many murders have been committed since Cain slew his brother. Imagine the millions of abuses man has inflicted on his fellow man since Adam and Eve were exiled from a beautiful garden. Imagine how many have died from the ravages of disease or starvation. Imagine the broken homes and shattered lives. Imagine the lost innocence of children or the great perverseness that defines our cultures. Imagine a world where gangs have taken the place of families and where therapists have become the moral voice. Imagine a world where there is no hope.
The God of Lost Hope
The Bible reveals that Satan the devil is the god of this world (2Cor. 4:4). As such, he has dedicated his entire existence to the destruction of hope. He began by blocking man’s access to God Himself in the Garden of Eden. And he has continued his assault on man’s Destiny down through the ages. Satan is totally consumed with the destruction of God’s Plan for man, and his last spiritual breath will be spent fighting against God’s Kingdom and what it pictures.
A steadfast hope
Although Adam and Eve rejected God as the absolute Moral Authority in their lives when they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all hope was not lost. It is true that man was cut off from his Creator – but not entirely. The scriptures reveal that God continued to work with certain people, even when mankind was in its infant stages. For example, Jesus Christ referred to Abel as “righteous” (Mt. 23:35). This would indicate that he had a relationship with his Creator. Additionally, Enoch is described as a man who “walked with God” (Gen. 5:22). Then there was Abraham, who God said would be a conduit for blessings that would eventually touch all the families on earth (Gen. 12:3). God has also worked directly with judges, kings, and prophets since the days of the patriarchs. This being the case, it is clear that despite Satan’s grip on human history, God has not let go of His Vision, either.
A Day of Hope
God’s dedication to His Plan for mankind has been unshakable from the day it was first envisioned. Despite attempts by the forces of darkness to thwart it, that Plan continues to steadfastly move forward. Furthermore, God has provided tangible evidence that reveals how committed He is to the magnificent Destiny He has envisioned for His human family, and how He will accomplish what the Bible calls His “good pleasure” (Isa. 46:9-10).
Throughout history God has left clues that reveal a great hope still exists, a hope that when fully realized will reconcile man back to his Creator and pave the way for him to be born into God’s Family as literal sons and daughters. Consider some of these clues.
The book of Genesis records a story of a unique sacrifice offered by Abel at the dawn of human history. This offering was brought by him “in the process of time” (Gen: 4:3). These words are more properly translated “at the end of days.” At this time, Abel brought the “firstlings” of his flock to be presented to God. This sacrifice pictures a greater sacrifice that would come from God Himself. It would take place when He offered up His firstborn Son as a ransom for the sins of all mankind.
But there is more to what took place when Abel presented this gift to his Creator. Notice that it took place “at the end of days.” In other words, a certain amount of time had to elapse before the first fruit of Abel’s flock was to be offered. This being the case, is it possible that Abel was presenting an offering on what would later become the Day of Pentecost? Clearly, this offering came during a harvest season, as evidenced by Cain’s offering (Gen. 4:3).
Pentecost is a very special Holy Day that pictures an important part of God’s Plan for man. One unique aspect of Pentecost is that it does not fall on a particular date, but rather when a certain number of days elapse after a particular Sabbath (Lev. 23:15-22). In other words, Pentecost arrives “at the end of days.”
This great Holy Day, which was kept by God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments, occurs in the late spring and pictures a small, first harvest. This harvest reveals that God will initially select a small community of believers to be the “firstfruits” of His Kingdom. Regrettably, this truth is not understood by the vast majority of professing Christians today. Most believe that God is trying to save all mankind at this time. Tragically, according to this belief, He is not doing a very good job..
Another Clue
Another clue demonstrating God’s commitment to His Plan for mankind was revealed during the days of the patriarch Abraham. The Bible states that at that time, God instructed this great champion of faith to offer up his only son as a sacrifice. Notice the care God takes with this command. He even acknowledges the deep love Abraham had for his son, Isaac.
And He said, Take now your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and get you unto the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of. (Gen. 22:2)
According to the scriptures, Abraham did not resist what God had commanded him to do. He yielded to God as the Great Moral Authority in his life without question. The words from God may not have been easy to hear, but they came from the One in whom Abraham placed all his trust. This being the case, he took his son Isaac along with two servants and some provisions for the journey, and headed for Moriah.
The journey took three days. During this time, Abraham undoubtedly pondered his son’s impending death. However, it should not be lost on the reader of this story that God would later ponder the death of His own Son for three days. Additionally, when Abraham’s party approached Moriah, he and Isaac left their servants and continued the last day of the journey alone. At that time, Isaac carried the wood that would be used for the sacrifice (Gen. 22:6), just as Jesus carried the instrument of His crucifixion (Jn. 19:17).
Although the timing of this event is not addressed in the scriptures, it is difficult to believe it did not coincide with the timing of the Passover. All of the images in this story reflect “types” that would appear in the same place nearly two thousand years later.
When God commanded Abraham to offer up his only son, it was clearly a test of loyalty (Gen. 22:1). But there was something far greater being played out in this event. God was revealing that He, too, would demonstrate His loyalty. That loyalty would be to a Plan that would redeem mankind from the consequences of sin – only this time there would be no angel to cry out, “Lay not your hand upon the lad” (Gen. 22:12).
God’s Holy Days
Perhaps the greatest evidence that God is working out a Plan for mankind is His holy days. These special days tell an incredible story that when fully played out, reveal a great Destiny for all mankind – a Destiny that will see God’s human family ultimately born into His spiritual Family as literal children of their Creator. It is for this reason that God commanded His people to honor His Sabbaths. Notice the force of His words when directing the children of Israel to keep the days He declared as “holy convocations.”
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be HOLY CONVOCATIONS, even these are My feasts...’” (Lev. 23:1-2)
The Hebrew word for “convocations” in this passage is miqra. Literally translated it means “an assembly,” “a calling together,” “an appointed meeting,”or “a rehearsal.” At this point it is important to understand what miqra does not mean. Miqra does NOT mean “optional, but we wish you would come.” It does NOT mean “a good idea if you don’t have other plans.” Furthermore, despite what many “theologians” may argue, miqra does NOT mean “a nice tradition, but not essential for salvation.”
When the Almighty directed Moses to speak His words, He was not being vague. On the contrary, God was being very clear. He was commanding the children of Israel to assemble on the days He would choose. At no time did God ever invite the Israelites to create their own weekly Sabbath or annual Festivals. Furthermore, He has never extended such an invitation to this very day. Mankind has invented all kinds of religious holidays, but never with God’s blessing.
An Architectural Roadmap
God’s Sabbath and holy days reflect His wisdom and reveal His great Plan for mankind. In a very real sense, these days represent the architectural drawings to the Destiny of the universe. They reveal the steps God is going to take to accomplish what He envisioned before the foundations of the world. Because of this fact, God is by far the best equipped Being in the universe to design His miqras.
When God introduced His “holy convocations” to Moses, He began by describing His weekly Sabbath. Notice His words.
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. (Lev. 23:3)
God then outlines seven annual holy days, beginning with the Passover and concluding with the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:36). Included in these special feasts is a day that actually reveals how God will ultimately deal with evil. In a very real sense, this particular day is a re-enactment of what took place in the Garden of Eden, with one notable exception. This time, God’s children will reject the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and will instead, choose life. This day is called the Day of Atonement and reflects God’s total commitment to the success of a Plan He envisioned long ago.
The Day of Atonement
The Shofar
Ram's horns with silver and gold mouthpieces.
The one with the gold mouthpiece is sounded on the Feast of Trumpets.
The silver one is sounded on the Day of Atonement.
Photo by Advanced Photo and Graphic Service courtesy of the Haifa Museum.
The Day of Atonement is the fifth of God’s seven annual holy days. However, this day is unlike any of the other commanded assemblies ordained for the children of Israel. On Atonement, God’s people are commanded to “afflict themselves.” Notice the very specific instructions concerning the observance of this day.
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And you shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his People. (Lev. 23:27-29)
These words are powerful indeed. Here God is stating that anyone not afflicting their soul on the Day of Atonement will be cut off from among his people. Make no mistake about it, this is not what anyone wants to have said about them. To be cut off from God’s people is to be cut off from God Himself. This is a fate that could only lead to certain death. But what did God mean when He commanded the children of Israel to “afflict” their soul?
The term “afflict” used in these verses is very interesting. It comes from the Hebrew word anah. Literally translated this word means to “beat down,” to “depress,” to “abase,” to “chasten,” and to “humble.” It is the same word God used when speaking to Pharaoh through Moses and Aaron.
And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, “Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will thou refuse to humble (anah) yourself before Me? Let My People go, that they may serve Me...’” (Ex. 10:3)
Humble Yourself with Fasting
When God directed the children of Israel to keep the Day of Atonement, they were told to humble themselves before their Creator. Furthermore, this act of humility was to be demonstrated by fasting. In other words, on the Day of Atonement, God’s people are to humble themselves by refraining from that which sustains their physical life.
With this in mind, a very important question needs to be addressed: Why does God want His people to fast on THIS day? Why not fast on the Passover? Why not on Pentecost? Why not on Trumpets? Or during the Feast of Tabernacles? Why does God want His children to fast on this particular holy day – the Day of Atonement? The answer to this question reveals a profound truth regarding God’s Plan for man and the events that have been shaped by God’s Vision for His Kingdom.
The First Atonement
In the previous chapter, we learned that it is very likely that Satan first came into contact with man on the Day of Atonement. At that time, he persuaded Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was done by convincing her that she could be her own moral authority and decide for herself what was “good” and what was “evil.” Satan did this because he knew that God was the true Moral Authority of the universe, although he resents this fact with his entire being.
When God told Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He was appealing to them to accept Him as the Moral Authority in their lives. This would be accomplished by Adam and Eve rejecting that which was physical and instead embracing that which was spiritual. This spiritual food was pictured by the tree of life. As we learned earlier, the tree of life symbolizes God’s will and His way. It reflects His wisdom and virtue. This tree represents everything that is good and just, and rejects everything that is not. In a very real sense, the tree of life tethers man to the source of all that is moral.
When God gave the Israelites specific instructions concerning fasting on the Day of Atonement, He was appealing to them to do the same thing He wanted Adam and Eve to do. He wanted them to reject the physical and embrace the spiritual. He did so because He knew that the Kingdom they would ultimately inherit was a spiritual Kingdom.
So important was obedience in this matter that God said failure to obey would result in being cut off from His people and His Kingdom. In other words, God was telling His children: “If you want to be the moral authority in your life, then go ahead and eat. Just don’t expect to be a part of a Kingdom where I am the Moral Authority.”
Every year on the Day of Atonement, God’s people around the world act out what took place in the Garden of Eden. Two trees are figuratively placed before them. One tree will sustain the physical but has no power over eternity. The other tree will engender eternal life – a life that cannot be destroyed by anything. By fasting on this day, God’s people are declaring their desire to embrace the tree of life.
The irony to this is that today, the vast majority of people on earth go about their daily lives every Atonement and eat to their heart’s content. Little do they know that by doing so, they are literally starving to death because they are eating from a tree that God Himself said was lethal. Meanwhile, the few who are truly honoring this day as God commanded refrain from eating physical food and instead partake of a great spiritual feast. In reality, they are eating from a tree that brings life.
Tethered to God
As we have just seen, the Day of Atonement pictures mankind renouncing his claim to be the moral authority in his life and instead humbling himself and acknowledging God as the true Moral Authority. As a result of God’s children being humbled through fasting, they will be tethered to Him as the Great Moral Force in the universe.
This is not to suggest that man can enter into God’s Kingdom by works. Mankind needs the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. However, it is absolutely essential to understand that the sacrifice of the Messiah will not atone for the sins of anyone who refuses to humble himself before God and to honor his Sabbaths. This is why God said that anyone who does not fast on the Day of Atonement will be “cut off from among his people.” That promise is as alive today as it was on the day God first uttered it.
In essence, the Day of Atonement pictures a time when the effects of man’s decision in the Garden of Eden will be reversed. In other words, instead of being cut off from God as a result of disobedience, man will be reconciled back to God because he chooses to obey. But there is more to this incredible holy day. The Bible declares that the Day of Atonement not only reflects events that took place when Satan first entered into human affairs, but it also reflects events that will take place when he exits.
A Lesson From Two Goats
The sixteenth chapter of the book of Leviticus records specific instructions given by God to Moses regarding entrance into the inner sanctum of the tabernacle. This inner sanctum is called the “Holy of Holies” or the “Most Holy Place.” God informed Moses that Aaron, the high priest, may only enter the “Most Holy Place” once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Failure to obey this instruction would result in death. The “Most Holy Place” is the location of the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat, and according to God when speaking to Moses, “AND I MYSELF AM PRESENT” (Lev. 16:2).
God then informs Moses that every year on this precise day, a special service is to be conducted. He explains that this service is to make atonement for the sins of all Israel. So important is this ceremony to God that He gave very specific instructions concerning what Aaron must do prior to, during, and after he enters and leaves the Most Holy Place. Included in these instructions is a description of the clothing he must wear, the sacrifice he must offer on behalf of himself and his family, the selection of animals to be offered, the protocol for the offerings, and the specific steps to be taken upon leaving this inner sanctum.
God explains to Moses that at one point during this service, Aaron is to present two male goats to the Eternal at the entrance of the tabernacle. At that time, he is to cast lots to determine the fate of each goat. One goat will be chosen to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the entire nation of Israel. Its blood will be brought into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled on and before the Mercy Seat. This blood will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the sins of God’s people (Lev. 16:16). This goat represents the one who would become Jesus Christ and the great sacrifice He would make some fifteen hundred years later.
However, there was a second goat that was not sacrificed, but rather is presented to the Lord alive. This second goat is called a “scapegoat” and has immense significance. God instructed Moses that Aaron was to lay both his hands on it and confess over it all the sins of Israel. He then explained that by doing this, their sins would be conveyed to this goat and placed on his head. Finally, God tells Moses that this scapegoat is then to be exiled from the camp and led away into a desolate place.
Who Is the Scapegoat?
The identity of this second goat has been at the center of considerable discussion among many Biblical scholars. Some have even suggested that it is a symbol of Jesus Christ. However, this understanding is not true. Notice that the second goat’s blood could not atone for the sins of the people. It is true that the act of conveying their sins onto this goat did constitute an act of atonement, but the question is why? Furthermore, why was this second goat not killed? The answer to these questions can be found in understanding who this goat is and what it represents.
The “Azazel”
The Hebrew word translated as “scapegoat” in these verses is azazel. According to the book of Enoch, Azazel was the leader of evil spirits (Enoch 8:1; 10:4). This being the case, is it possible that the scapegoat mentioned in connection with the Day of Atonement is a symbol for none other than Satan the devil? The Bible indicates that Satan will one day be exiled to a desolate place, where he will no longer be able to deceive mankind. At that time, all the sins he has orchestrated throughout history will be conveyed back to him and the misery he has wrought upon man will be removed forever.
The Day of Atonement not only pictures man being reconciled back to his God, but the removal of the very being who orchestrated his estrangement in the first place. In a very real sense, this day pictures the first and last page of Satan’s influence on mankind. The Day of Atonement looked forward to the time when the Savior of the World would come and shed His blood for the sins of all mankind. It also pictures a time when Satan the devil will be removed from his seat as the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4). However, before Satan can be removed, a great battle must be waged. And as amazing as this might be to believe, it has already been fought.
A Hope Delivered
he Bible reveals that as a result of man’s sin in the Garden of Eden, death came into the world. The apostle Paul wrote that “by man came death” (1Cor. 15:21). In the very next verse, Paul identified who that man was. Because of Adam and Eve’s rejection of God as their Moral Authority, mankind was consigned to a corruptible existence: “for as in Adam all die” (1Cor. 15:22). But the Bible also reveals that there would be a second Adam. This “Adam” would change everything. Through Him would come life, and the great hope God had envisioned for mankind.
A Defining Moment
Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth to restore a great hope. However, in order to succeed, He would have to face the greatest adversary the world has ever known. Jesus’ entire life was punctuated by a series of battles against this adversary – a being who also stood as the great destroyer of hope. Jesus’ birth, His life and trials, His betrayal and His ultimate crucifixion were profoundly influenced by a real devil whose contempt for Him was unimaginably all-consuming.
Perhaps the most prominent moment where the life of the Messiah and the life of Satan the devil intersected took place shortly after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. This event stands as what might very well be the defining moment in the history of God’s Plan and matched only by Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent resurrection.
The apostle Matthew captures this moment in the fourth chapter of his gospel. There, he indicates that Jesus was “led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Mt. 4:1). These words clearly reveal that Jesus was fully aware of what was going to take place. In other words, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness did not simply happen by chance. He was literally led to it.
To prepare for this great trial, Jesus fasted for forty days, leading Matthew to make what just might be the greatest understatement of all time: “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered” (Mt. 4:2).
Hunger would hardly seem like the appropriate word to describe the state of a man who had gone without any nourishment – food or drink, for well over a month. Quite frankly, Jesus must have been a physical wreck. His body may even have been convulsing with the effects of starvation. However, at this point, He was also totally connected to the Source of all strength. For forty days and nights Jesus had rejected that which sustains the physical and instead had embraced that which sustains the spirit. The intense prayer and reflection that took place during this retirement in the desert are simply inconceivable.
When Satan approached Jesus, he may have even thought this great confrontation was going to be little easier than he first imagined. Jesus was clearly in bad shape. He would even need angelic help to assist Him after the battle. With this as the backdrop, Satan advances his first temptation.
If you be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Mt. 4:3)
To many, this temptation appears to be very benign, even harmless. However, in truth, this first test was clearly the most deadly. To better understand what was taking place at this moment, it is essential to know when this temptation was being advanced.
Almost all authorities believe this event took place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. But when did His ministry actually begin? The answer to this question can be arrived at by applying some basic deductive reasoning. If Jesus’ ministry lasted three-and-a-half years as the book of Daniel suggests (Dan.9:27), and it ended during the time of the Passover as the gospel records state, then we can know that this event took place in the fall. But is it possible to get even closer to the time of this event? The answer is yes, and once again it requires deductive reasoning, based on an understanding of precisely when Jesus’ ministry ended.
In all likelihood, Jesus’ public ministry officially concluded when He entered Jerusalem riding on an ass (Mt. 21). At that time, Jesus was presenting Himself as a Lamb that was going to be slaughtered. This event corresponded to the time the children of Israel were instructed to bring a lamb into their home and prepare it for the Passover. This took place on the tenth day of the first month (Nisan or Abib) in accordance with the scriptures (Ex. 12:3-6). With this understanding, if one goes back three-and-a-half years from the time Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, he will find himself on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), or the Day of Atonement. That’s right, Jesus’ first temptation may very well have taken place on the Day of Atonement.
With this in mind, Satan began his testing of God's beloved Son by doing the same thing he did to Adam and Eve over four thousand years earlier. He appealed to Him to rely on the physical when making a moral judgment. However, Jesus knew what this temptation was really all about. IT WAS ABOUT TWO TREES. With great spiritual strength and virtue, He responds by delivering the true Source of life – God’s word.
But he [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Mt. 4:4).
With these words, Jesus was declaring that although bread will temporarily sustain the physical, it has absolutely no impact on that which is spiritual. Furthermore, Jesus knew that everything in God’s Kingdom was spiritual and could only be sustained by spiritual food. Additionally, He knew what that spiritual food was, and He declared it to the Jews of His day.
I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever... (Jn. 6:48-51)
Here, Jesus was declaring that He is the true Source of life. In an earlier chapter we learned that it is God’s word that “quickens.” In other words, it gives life. This being the case, it is Jesus Christ who “quickens,” because He is God’s Word manifested in the flesh. This truth is confirmed by the apostle John. Notice how John introduces his gospel by identifying who Jesus was before He came to earth as a man.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (Jn. 1:1)
The great distinction of being the Word of God will be displayed for all to see when Jesus returns to this earth and subdues the nations. When describing this return, the book of Revelation says the following.
And He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. (Rev. 19:13)
Throughout the scriptures, Jesus Christ is identified as the Word of God. As such, it is He who sustains life. Therefore, as amazing as this might be to believe, Jesus Christ was and is the tree of life. He was and is the great Moral Authority of the universe because He is intimately connected to the Father. It is Jesus who can keep man tethered to the Great Being He called “Abba” (Mk. 14:36).
A Great Victory
The scriptures reveal that Satan the devil tried to prevent man’s access to God at the very beginning – and succeeded. This was almost surely done on the Day of Atonement. The Bible also declares that He tried to do the same thing to the Messiah. Only this time he failed. And once again, this was very likely done on the Day of Atonement.
When Jesus Christ overcame Satan in the wilderness, He paved the way for the fulfillment of God’s Plan concerning the Destiny of man, a Destiny rich in hope. He was able to do this because He had a profound understanding concerning physical and spiritual nourishment. At one point in His ministry, Jesus shared this understanding.
A Food that Endures
The gospel of John indicates that shortly after feeding several thousand people, Jesus spoke to the Jews concerning what real food was. He indicated that physical food may, in fact, be overrated.
Labor not for the meat that perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you... (Jn. 6:27)
An Interesting Illustration
To illustrate the point Jesus was making, imagine you are sitting at a table and on that table is a crisp, cool apple and a soft dinner roll. Now imagine you are sitting at that table on the Day of Atonement. Furthermore, in accordance with God’s command, you are fasting. As the time passes you become hungry—very hungry. As you look at the apple, you can almost taste it. It looks absolutely delicious. You then consider the roll: put a little butter on it, and it would give such great pleasure. At this point you consider your hunger. You haven’t had food or water for nearly a day. What could God possibly want you to learn from such “torture?” Well, here is the lesson.
If you were to leave these pieces of food out on that table, after a few days, the apple would begin to soften, and the bread would become hard. After a few more days, the apple would begin to rot, while the bread would begin to mold. Furthermore, if these two pieces of food were left on that table long enough, they would start to decompose, and eventually, they would become nothing but dust.
The point to this illustration is this: no matter how great the nutrients in the apple or the roll, they will only sustain you for a little while. Furthermore, there is no physical meal on earth that will protect man from death. No matter how healthy our diet, eventually, we will die.
Now imagine something else on that table. It’s a Bible, perhaps dusty and unread. But what possible benefit could a Bible have to someone so hungry? The answer is: more than you could possibly imagine, for within that book resides food that engenders life. That food is God’s word. God’s word possesses life-sustaining properties that are so powerful, those who partake of them will actually live forever. The point here is that the words in your Bible are eternal. Jesus said as much.
Heaven and earth will pass away but My words shall not pass away. (Mt. 24:35)
The great prophet Isaiah declared that God’s word is everlasting. It possesses qualities that cannot “wither” or “fade.”
The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isa. 40:8)
Why Do God’s People Fast on Atonement?
God’s people fast on the Day of Atonement because by doing so, they acknowledge that the true Source of nourishment for those destined to be in God’s Kingdom is not bread, but rather the Bread of Life. This was the challenge to Adam and Eve in the garden. They failed. It was the challenge to Jesus Christ in the wilderness. He succeeded. And it is the challenge to every true believer today. When God’s people say, “No!” to the physical, they are saying, “Yes!” to the spiritual. They are saying, “Yes!” to the tree of life.
Victory Declared
Throughout His life, Jesus was well aware of the immense destructiveness Satan possessed. He also knew that this evil being must be deposed as the god of this world. When Jesus met Satan in the wilderness, He would lay to rest any doubt as to who the real King was. His great victory over the devil set in motion events that would culminate with God’s Kingdom being restored and Satan being removed.
The gospel of John indicates that during the final hours of His life, Jesus offered a pronouncement regarding the ultimate fate of Satan the devil. As He and His disciples walked toward the garden of Gethsemanae shortly before His arrest, trial and crucifixion, Jesus explained to these men that His departure would enable Him to dispatch God’s holy spirit to them. Jesus then offered words of great consolation and hope. He explained what it all meant.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. (Jn. 16:7-11)
The Greek word for “judgment” used in this passage is krino. Literally translated this word means: “to condemn,” “to sentence,” and “to avenge.” When Jesus spoke of Satan’s judgment, He was declaring that this great architect of evil was ruling the earth on borrowed time. He was now a “marked man,” and his ultimate Destiny would be to spend eternity in a desolate place, a place where there is no hope.
A Final Thought
Six thousand years ago, in the fall of the year and very possibly on the Day of Atonement – the great adversary, Satan the devil, deceived man into rejecting God’s will, and as a result, brought death on all mankind. Two thousand years ago, in the fall of the year – and very possibly on the Day of Atonement – Satan tried to destroy God Himself, but was overcome by the Savior of the world. As a result, the hope of life was restored to all mankind.
When Jesus squared off with the great enemy of all that is decent, He brought a profound spiritual strength that was fueled by His relationship with His Father. As He stood in that Judean desert He knew that a great battle was about to be waged. At stake was hope versus despair.
HOPE WON!
P.S. Hope is a beautiful thing.