Atone Deaf

Leviticus 23: 26-32

Nine days later there is to be another day of resting- this time a day of atonement. Atonement is really a difficult concept for me to get my mind around. Making amends- or fixing your wrongs. Even in this legalistic context, the Israelites were unable to undo the terrible things they had done- and with all of the specific regulations, there was surely a great need for atonement in every home.

God's arrangement here is a fire offering, fasting, and rest- This is the same prescription as the feast of trumpets- but hanging over this day is the need to be reconnected to God.

Atonement is a word, if not a concept that isn't too common in our culture. Atonement doesn't seem to be the same thing as forgiveness. It implies a making up for wrongs- unless I'm misunderstanding. So, if I get the implication here- and much later with Jesus' gift - the sacrifice is more than forgiving us for messing up countless times- it's rectifying it for us- it's making up for it-

Maybe this is minutia- maybe it's all in my head- maybe I'm saying the same thing in multiple ways- but it all speaks to the enormity of Christ's gift to us. No fire offering, no fasting, no day off, necessarily- but a system where he covers our lacking- he not only forgives, but in a cosmic, spiritual sense- he undoes. The wrong is gone- made up for- erased- over.