The Encourager
“Atonement”
ATONEMENT
by Steve Peeler
There are many words which describe our salvation. Each one emphasizes a particular aspect of that salvation. We talk about forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, redemption, and sanctification. The word that perhaps we least understand is the word atonement. We know about the Day of Atonement for the Israelites and believe in our atonement, but do we have an understanding of the meaning of this word? To help us have a better appreciation for our salvation, consider the meaning of atonement.
Numbers 16 tells of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. This resulted in the death of these men and about 250 others who followed them. The next day, the Jews slandered Moses and accused him of killing the people of God. God was so angry. His wrath was manifested in a plague which killed about 15,000 Jews. What stopped the plague? What was it that appeased His wrath? Aaron took a censer and stood between the Jews and the advancing plague. This action is described as making atonement for the nation (Num. 16:46-47). Wrath was appeased, and this is described as atonement.
In Numbers 25, the Jews were committing the sin of fornication with the Midianite women. God’s anger again sent a plague and killed 24,000 Jews. What stopped the plague? Phinehas took a javelin and thrust it through the bodies of a Jewish man and a Midianite woman who were committing fornication. God said, “Phinehas...has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel because he was zealous with My zeal among them...because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel” (Num. 25:11-13).
Atonement always involves sin which results in God’s wrath against sin, and actions being done to appease His wrath. If there is no atonement, His wrath will surely come. The concept that sins were “rolled forward” on the Day of Atonement does not portray what actually happened. Every year on that day, God remembered the sins of Israel, and if atonement was not made, His wrath was sent. Nations came against Israel when atonement was not made. When it was made, His anger was appeased and God blessed that nation. God remembered their sins every year. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have atonement! God does not remember our sins (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 10:17). Thank God for our atonement!
