Tag Archives: atonement

The Price of a Life

            Each year, as we approach Yom Kippur, we are reminded of Noah and his family and the account of the great upheaval . . . the judgment and the deliverance that were dispensed by Abba’s ‘two-edged sword’ . . . and the ‘bringing together’ of the ‘beginning and the end’ of the Gospel picture within the pattern of the Feasts of the LORD.

In the account of the great flood we see most clearly in the hebrew the inseparable partnership of Passover and Yom Kippur . . . the reconciliation and the covering.   “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His (resurrected) life.” (Rom 5:10)

           We know it is old news for some, but this always intrigues us when we think on this passage – ‘Genesis 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.’

           In the english it reads “ pitch it within and without with pitch” . . .  The first use of the word ‘pitch’ is the hebrew word ‘kaphar’ ( kippur ) which means to cover or atone . . . the second time the word ‘pitch’ is used in the verse is the word ‘kopher’ which means ‘ransom’ or ‘the price of a life’ . . . the word translated ‘within’ is actually the Hebrew word ‘bayt,’ or ‘house’ in the English .

          So this passage can literally and legitimately be translated as –

 ‘ cover the house, and outside – the price of a life . . . ‘

( Exodus 12 tells us of the ‘covering of the house with the Blood of the Lamb, the door  being shut, those inside are safe, but outside – the price of a life’ . . . )

          The word for ‘rooms’ in Gen. 16:14 is the Hebrew word for ‘nests’ . . . sounds a little more personal and intimate than just ‘rooms’ , doesn’t it . . . but it is more than that. Birds have nests, don’t they ?

Hosea 11:10 They will walk after the LORD, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar, And  HIS children will come trembling from the west.

 11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD.

 Psalm 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, ( fowler – the one who hunts the birds ) . . .

          And what is ‘gopher wood’ ? . . . don’t know . . . but we do find this interesting . . . the word for ‘wood’ ( ets ) is the also the hebrew word for tree or stake . . . the word ‘gopher’ is spelled gimel peh resh ( or GPR ) . . . the word ‘ kaphar’ or ‘kippur’ is caf peh resh ( or KPR ) . . .

See any similarities in the words ?  

Is it ‘gopher wood’ or is it a picture of the ‘wood that is involved in the covering’  because of what ultimately takes place on that tree ?

 Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: ( Deut 21:23 )

We find it interesting that since a ‘tree’ was involved in the original problem, it follows suit that a ‘tree’ would be involved in the cure . . .

 Genesis 3:17 Then to Adam GOD said, “Because  . . . you have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground . . . “

 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.

          In the Gospels, John the Immerser declares – “ behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” ( john 1:29 )  . . . this is a ‘two-part’ statement.

Where does it say that a lamb takes away sin ? The goat was for Yom Kippur, not a lamb. The ‘lamb’ is the ‘shelem’ – the peace offering – that which reconciles two that are separated or at odds with one another. The two goats were the offerings for the Day of Atonement and the lamb is the reconciliation. Yeshua is both the two goats and the lamb . . .

And remember, GOD only covers ( kippur ) those that come to Him . . . and we come to Him by and through the blood of His Son.

Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by is life.

Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

          As we approach Yom Kippur, is there anything in our lives that has separated us or ‘put us at odds’ with Abba or one another ? If ‘no’, you are a rare individual in a rare position. Most of us would have to answer ‘yes’ to that question.

Now would be a really good time to clear things up.

Do we want more of the Father and His Holy Spirit in our life and the life of our family ? Ask HIM what needs to change so there is more room for Him . . .

          Sukkot is coming up. But we can’t get to Sukkot until we first pass Yom Kippur. Sukkot is the ‘family reunion of all times’. How do we get to be part of the family ?

We enter at Passover. We come in through the Door. But once we’re in, the  ‘sin’ has to go. We can’t come into the presence of Abba at the homecoming with sin. He cannot abide sin, and sinful flesh cannot stand in His presence. So we accept His Kippur – His covering – the blood and body of Yeshua. Now we can enter His presence unafraid . . . for He sees us through the Blood of His Lamb . . . the One Who was born to die . . . for me and for you.

          Chag Sameach – Blessings and Peace to you and yours . . .