The Day of Atonement was a God-ordained Old Testament feast of covering, not of removing sin; true atonement came only through Christ's blood.
Les Feldick teaches that the Day of Atonement, called Yom Kippur, was held in the fall and pictured a covering for Israel's sin until Christ died. Even when the high priest did everything correctly and sprinkled blood on the mercy seat, it never took away a single sin. The Hebrew concept behind atonement meant 'to cover,' so this feast was a temporary stopgap that pointed to the blood of Christ, which alone fulfilled the atoning work.
Leviticus 16 — Leviticus 16 is the central Old Testament passage describing the Day of Atonement, its animals, and the high priest's blood-sprinkling ritual.
The Bible describes the Day of Atonement as an annual Old Testament observance in which the high priest brought animal blood behind the veil and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. He first offered blood for his own sin, then blood for the sins of Israel (Leviticus 16:30, Leviticus 16:21). The scapegoat was also symbolically sent into the wilderness. Scripture connects the shedding of blood with forgiveness: 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Hebrews 9:22). The Old Testament law itself shows that those sacrifices were repeated year after year, for 'it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins' (Hebrews 10:4). Thus, the Bible distinguishes the Day of Atonement's covering ritual from the actual removal of sin.
Les Feldick teaches that calling it the Day of Atonement was a misnomer because true atonement means being 'at one with God,' and that was not accomplished by animal sacrifices. The Hebrew word for atonement meant 'to cover' or 'sweep under the rug,' so the Day of Atonement was really a covering for Israel's sins until the blood of Christ was shed. He also emphasizes that the high priest's yearly ritual of sprinkling blood on the mercy seat never took away a single sin. The Day of Atonement, held in the fall, was distinct from Passover in the spring. Christ fulfilled every detail of the Day of Atonement as the High Priest who presented His own blood on the mercy seat in the presence of God. Only the blood of Christ brings true atonement and redemption.
Les describes the ritual: the high priest would bring three animals. He would kill one, take its blood, go into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat for his own sin. Then he would take the blood of the second animal and sprinkle it on the mercy seat for the sins of Israel. He would then symbolically lay his hand on the head of the third animal, the scapegoat, and it would be taken into the wilderness. Hebrews 9 rehearses this, showing the high priest going in with animal blood for his own sin and for the nation's sin.
Les emphatically teaches that it was a misnomer. The Hebrew word translated 'atonement' meant 'to cover' or 'sweep under the rug,' not 'to remove.' Even when the high priest did everything exactly right and offered blood on the mercy seat, it never took away a single sin. It was a stopgap until the true atonement was finalized at the cross. He says it should have been called the 'Day of Covering.'
Les says the Day of Atonement beautifully pictures what Christ fulfilled in every detail. Just as the high priest came once a year into the Holy of Holies with blood, Christ is the High Priest who presented His own blood on the mercy seat in the presence of God. The tabernacle furniture — brazen altar, laver, showbread, lampstand, incense, and mercy seat — all typify Christ. He fulfilled the brazen altar, became our laver of cleansing, the bread of life, the light of the world, the sweet-smelling incense, and the mercy seat. There is no forgiveness without the shed blood of Christ; it took His blood to fulfill the atoning work.
No. Les teaches that the animal sacrifices never brought about atonement. They only covered sin until Christ's blood was shed. Then all of the covered sins from Old Testament believers were truly atoned for, taken away, and forgiven. The sins were swept under the rug, and God dealt with them at the cross.
Introduction to Leviticus 16
Les introduces the Old Testament Day of Atonement from Leviticus 16, showing it was a picture of what Christ completed at the cross.
Atonement Was a Misnomer
Les explains that the Hebrew concept behind atonement meant covering, not removal, so the high priest's sacrifice never took away a single sin — it was a stopgap.
High Priest's Three Animals
Les walks through the physical ritual: three animals, blood sprinkled on the mercy seat for the high priest's sin and for Israel's sin, and the scapegoat sent into the wilderness.
Passover vs. Atonement
Les distinguishes Passover in the spring from Atonement (Yom Kippur) in the fall, noting Christ is our Passover and also fulfills the Atonement.
Day of Covering
Les says the translators called it the Day of Atonement, but it was not — there was no atonement until Christ died; it should be called the Day of Covering.
Rehearsing Hebrews 9
Les uses Hebrews 9 to rehearse the high priest's annual entrance into the Holy of Holies with animal blood for his own sin and the nation's sin.
Christ Fulfilled the Tabernacle
Les shows how everything in the tabernacle, including the mercy seat and the high priest's yearly presentation of blood, points to and is fulfilled by Christ.
Only Christ's Blood Atones
Les drives home that Old Testament animal sacrifices could never atone; only the blood of Christ fulfilled the atoning work and brings redemption.
Leviticus 16:30: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
This verse gives the Old Testament command for the annual Day of Atonement, which Les interprets as a covering rather than actual removal.
Leviticus 16:21: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.
This describes the scapegoat ritual, which Les references when explaining what the high priest did beyond the blood-sprinkling.
Hebrews 10:4: For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
This directly supports Les's teaching that animal blood could not remove sin — only cover it until Christ.
Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
This scriptural principle underlies why blood was necessary on the Day of Atonement, but Les emphasizes it had to be Christ's blood for true remission.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
This verse shows that God passed over sins done previously, which Les connects to the Old Testament covering under the Day of Atonement.
No. Les Feldick teaches that even when the high priest did everything exactly right, the Day of Atonement never took away a single sin. It was only a covering, a stopgap waiting for the blood of Christ.
Because atonement means 'at one with God,' and that was not possible through animal sacrifices. The Hebrew word for atonement meant 'to cover' or 'sweep under the rug,' so the feast should have been called the Day of Covering.
The high priest symbolically laid his hand on the goat's head, confessed Israel's sins, and the goat was taken into the wilderness. Les describes this as part of the yearly ritual, along with the blood-sprinkling on the mercy seat.
It was held in the fall of the year and is called Yom Kippur by Jews today. Passover was in the spring; Atonement was in the fall.
Watch the Teaching: Why Animal Blood Only Covered Sin — Leviticus 16 Explained