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The Day of Atonement 2023

We are now approaching the Day of Atonement, which begins at sundown tomorrow evening and extends through Monday, September 25.

There are some relevant Bible passages to help us understand the prophetic and spiritual meaning of this day, as well as the practical implications of it.

As a precursor to the feast days, Jacob established the precedent when he wrestled with the angel (Peniel) in Genesis 32:24-32. This marked the moment when Jacob received the spiritual name Israel, indicating a change of nature through divine revelation—and with it, a new understanding of his calling.

Next we see how the 12 spies gave their report on the 50^th Jubilee from Adam (the year 2450 from Adam) in Numbers 13:35 to 14:10. The people lacked the faith to declare the Jubilee of Jubilees and so they were unable to enter the Promised Land. Hence, they turned the Jubilee into a Day of Atonement, a day to repent each year for their refusal to believe the promise of God and to enter the Kingdom.

Hence, Jacob’s wrestling was a precursor to the decision that the Israelites had to make about entering the Promised Land.

The story of Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal gives us an outline of events that depict the Autumn feast days in 1 Kings 18. The feast of Trumpets is the call to Mount Carmal; the day of Atonement is the showdown itself; the 7-day feast of Tabernacles is seen in Elijah’s 7 prayers for rain. After 7 prayers, the small cloud appeared, and the rain came, coinciding with the 8^th day of Tabernacles. This prophesied of the outpouring of the Spirit (John 7:37-39).

Hence, Elijah’s showdown overlays upon Jacob’s wrestling match with the angel.

Joel’s prophecy is another. Joel 2:1 says, “Blow a trumpet in Zion.” That suggests the feast of Trumpets, followed by the call to fast (Joel 2:12, 15), which suggests the Day of Atonement. Then comes the outpouring of the Spirit as “rain” in Joel 2:23, 28, and 29.

Hence, the prophet Joel suggests that the purpose of fasting on the Day of Atonement is to prepare for—and to ask for—the outpouring of the Spirit. In the case of Elijah’s successful prayer, God answered by sending fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifice.

The New Testament focuses upon the Spring feasts, which were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming. In our time today, we focus upon the Autumn feasts, which fulfill the prophecies of Christ’s second coming. So at the present time our focus is on the Day of Atonement (or Jubilee) on September 25, 2023.

Today we stand ready to receive the promise of God. In a practical sense, we expect to see this manifested in South Africa, where the bank accounts have been “normalized” by a written agreement signed by all the board members who had stolen Kingdom funds a few years ago. But Monday is a holiday in South Africa, and the banks will be closed that day. So the funds ought to be released and available on Tuesday on a practical level. We have had our own showdown with the modern prophets of Baal, and we have won.

Tomorrow (Sunday) I will join with John online, where he will present our case before the divine court. A week ago God instructed John to write out a plan for the Kingdom, and we are to present it to the divine court for ratification (and enforcement).

Monday will see another divine court case that other friends have been led to conduct on the Day of Atonement. Only a few will participate directly, but as part of the greater body, they represent the body as a whole. What they do, you do.

So as you can see, there is a flurry of activity surrounding the Day of Atonement in 2023.