Leviticus 23:27
“Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While we often focus on the fasting, the verse also commands presenting a food offering to the LORD on this day. This highlights that repentance isn't just about looking inward with sorrow, but also about actively re-orienting our lives toward God through humble worship.
This verse marks the climax of the fall feasts, immediately following the Feast of Trumpets, which called the people to attention. It's the Day of Atonement, a solemn occasion for purging the nation's sins from the previous year through fasting and sacrifice. This intense day sets the stage for the joyous Feast of Tabernacles that begins five days later, showcasing a cycle of repentance and celebration.
This day demanded more than just abstaining from food. What does it truly mean to 'afflict your soul'?
The command to "afflict yourselves" on the Day of Atonement wasn't just about physical fasting. It was a call for deep, internal repentance and humility.
A Repentant Heart
Commentaries suggest this meant more than abstaining from food; it involved profound sorrow for sins, both personal and national. It was a conscious turning away from sin and a turning toward God.
Remembering National Sins
This day was a crucial reminder of Israel's collective failings, like the sin of the golden calf. Afflicting their souls meant acknowledging these corporate sins and seeking God's forgiveness for the nation.
The Purpose of Humiliation
This deep introspection wasn't an end in itself. It was meant to prepare hearts to receive God's forgiveness and to foster a reliance on Him, rather than self-sufficiency. It was a spiritual reset.
The 'Day of Atonement' points to a profound need in humanity and a gracious provision from God. What was this day all about?
The Day of Atonement, or 'Yom Kippur,' was the holiest day of the Israelite calendar. Its central purpose was expiation – the covering or purging of sin.
The Root Meaning
The Hebrew word for atonement speaks of covering, appeasing, or purging. This annual observance was a divine appointment to deal with the reality of sin that separated people from a holy God.
Corporate and Personal Sin
This was a time when the sins of the entire nation were addressed. Through specific rituals, particularly the work of the high priest in the tabernacle (detailed in Leviticus 16), God provided a way for His people to be cleansed from their transgressions.
Understand the original words
Yom ha-Kippurim · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A designated day of unique ritual significance. In this context, it refers to Yom Kippur, the most solemn day in the Israelite calendar, dedicated to national cleansing from sin.
miqra qodesh · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A set-apart gathering or assembly of the people of Israel for the purpose of worship or responding to God's command. It implies a sacred, official summons.
anah · Hebrew Verb
The act of denying one's physical appetites, often through fasting, as an outward expression of repentance, humility, and submission before God. It signifies the recognition of one's need for divine mercy.
isheh · Hebrew Noun
This passage provides the detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement, explaining what 'afflicting your souls' truly means, including fasting and repentance, and how the sacrifices were to be made.
Numbers 29:7This chapter expands on the offerings commanded for the Day of Atonement, specifying the exact burnt offerings, sin offerings, and other sacrifices to be presented, highlighting the solemnity of the day through prescribed worship.
Isaiah 58:3-7This prophetic passage contrasts God's true desire for fasting and repentance with a superficial observance, echoing the 'afflicting your souls' command by emphasizing genuine humility, justice, and mercy over mere outward acts.
Acts 27:9The Apostle Paul refers to the Day of Atonement as 'the Fast,' demonstrating how this festival was understood and observed by early Christians, underscoring its significance as a day set apart for solemnity and repentance.
calvinLeviticus 23:1-44: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Alloquere filios Israel, et dic eis, Quum ingressi fueritis terrain quam ego do vobis, et messueritis messem ejus, tunc offeretis omnes primitias messis vestrae ad sacerdotem.
And he shall wave the shea…
ellicottLeviticus 23:27: "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD."
(27) Also on the tenth. —See Leviticus 16:29 . And ye shall afflict your souls.—That is, fast. (See Leviticus 16:29.) And offer an offering.—See Numbers 29:8-11.
While we often focus on the fasting, the verse also commands presenting a food offering to the LORD on this day. This highlights that repentance isn't just about looking inward with sorrow, but also about actively re-orienting our lives toward God through humble worship.
This verse marks the climax of the fall feasts, immediately following the Feast of Trumpets, which called the people to attention. It's the Day of Atonement, a solemn occasion for purging the nation's sins from the previous year through fasting and sacrifice. This intense day sets the stage for the joyous Feast of Tabernacles that begins five days later, showcasing a cycle of repentance and celebration.
This verse marks the climax of the fall feasts, immediately following the Feast of Trumpets, which called the people to attention. It's the Day of Atonement, a solemn occasion for purging the nation's sins from the previous year through fasting and sacrifice. This intense day sets the stage for the joyous Feast of Tabernacles that begins five days later, showcasing a cycle of repentance and celebration.
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Pointing to a Greater Sacrifice
While these Old Testament sacrifices were vital, they were a shadow of a greater reality. They served as a constant reminder of sin's severity and the need for a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. The offering 'made by fire' was a tangible representation of God's acceptance of this divinely appointed remedy.
A sacrifice offered to God, usually involving the burning of animal parts, which produces a pleasing aroma to the Lord, signifying dedication, propitiation, or fellowship.
"“Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD." — While we often focus on the fasting, the verse also commands presenting a food offering to the LORD on this day. This highlights that repentance isn't just about looking inward with sorrow, but also…
