On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lv 16:1-34), the high priest, after making atonement for himself and his family, would take two goats to make atonement for the people. Lots were cast over the goats; one goat would be for making atonement and one for confession of sins and release.

The goat for atonement would be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the people. The high priest would place his hands on the head of the other goat (called the scapegoat) and confess all the sins of the people over it. Another priest would then take the scapegoat into the wilderness and release it and ensure it did not return to camp (or later, to the city). For a long time, the animal was just released into the wilderness and they let nature dictate the method of the goat’s demise. However, later, the priest ensured the scapegoat met a fatal fate. Since this was a symbolism of sin being taken away, they wanted to ensure the animal did not return to civilization because that would indicate their sin had returned.

When Christ atoned for all the sins of all humans on the cross, our sin is forever removed and will never return to us. Scripture says this in Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” One can travel north and will eventually start to travel south once the North Pole is reached. Yet, when one travels east or west, one can travel in that direction forever without going in the opposite direction. This is what the psalmist is conveying here. The distance between east and west is infinite, and, therefore, so is the distance of our sins from God. God even says that he will remember our sin no more: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hb 8:12).

This sacrifice therefore represented one’s sin being forever removed.

But what about our human nature? We still have it even after we accept Christ as our Savior and future hope. Was there a plan for accounting for our sinful human nature? Of course! Join me next time and we’ll discuss how clever God really was—and is!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

At Christ’s second coming, He will remove all sin from the land of Israel, including idolatry, evil spirits and false prophets (Zc 13:1-2). Yom Kippur is the prophetic Jewish holiday of this event. Those false prophets who continue will be turned over for destruction and even if they feign to be otherwise, the evidence of their true nature will give them away (Zc 13:3-6). However, only one-third of the Jews will even live to see this day (Zc 13:7-9) because when the entire world turns against them (Zc 12:3), most will be killed but when the remnant calls upon the name of the Lord, he will answer (Zc 12:9) just as Jesus promised (Mt 23:39).

Christ will first touch down on the Mount of Olives (Zc 14:4), the same place of his ascension (Ac 1:11-12). The mount will split forming a valley east and west (Zc 14:4) which forms a way of escape for those fleeing Jerusalem (Zc 14:5). This day of Christ’s return will be a unique day (Zc 14:6-7) with it being neither a day of light nor dark but something in between.

It has been found that the Arabian fault extends from the Afar Triangle (where the Arabian, African, and Somalian plates meet) up to the Gulf of Aqaba and through the Jordan River basin (called the Great Rift Valley) northward. In addition, there is a fault zone, called the Palmyra Belt of Faults and Folds extending from the Jordan River north of the Sea of Galilee to the Euphrates River. All throughout this area are subterranean riverbeds. When Christ returns to the Mount of Olives, it triggers a massive earthquake which causes all these faults in this area to separate. A fault scarp between Geba (about 5 miles north of Jerusalem) to Rimmon (about 35 miles south of Jerusalem) is formed which causes the area east to become a plain (Zc 14:10). The rift in the mount of Olives will go westward to the Tyropoean Valley in Jerusalem (Zc 14:10-11) and eastward also forming a scarp face and allow a subterranean river to flow from beneath the temple mount in Jerusalem toward the Dead Sea (Zc 14:8; Ek 47:1-12). Also, the Palmyra Belt of Faults will separate causing the Euphrates River to then flow into the Jordan River causing the remainder of the Euphrates River to dry up (Rv 16:12). Therefore, even more fresh water will flow into the Jordan River from the Euphrates and from other subterranean rivers now exposed from the scarp face and will flow into the Dead Sea making it vibrant for fish and vegetation (Ek 47:9-10) and water will then flow out of the Dead Sea to the sea of Aqaba and another part of the Jordan will then flow along the newly developed scarp face into the Mediterranean Sea (Zc 14:8).

Christ immediately goes to the Petra area to save the people there and then goes up to Jerusalem destroying the enemy as he goes. Christ will fight all the enemies of Israel that have come against them, and God will cause a plague to strike them and they will fight among each other, and in the end, Jerusalem will be victorious (Zc 14:12-15). He banishes the Antichrist and Satan who has possessed him to the Abyss (Rv 20:2-3), and then begins the process of setting up his kingdom, which will be a 45-day period (Dn 12:11-12). During this time several events will occur: the angels will be judged. ( 1Co 6:3, Mt 25:41), the survivors will be judged (Mt 25:31-46), assignments for the saints will set in motion (Dn  12:13, Jr 30:9, Mt 19:28), nations, property, and laws will be established for the next 1000 years (Zc 14:17-21), and the temple will be built (Ek 43:6-7; Zc 6:12-13).

Our future will be a glorious one. This is something you don’t want to miss. I hope you don’t. Join us. He is waiting for you. It is just a simple decision of faith on your part, but it opens up so much to a glorious future.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens