Understanding the Day of Atonement: (Yom Kippur) God's Credit Card

2,444 Views 3 min Jul 23, 2025

This video examines the connection between the Old Testament Day of Atonement and Jesus' crucifixion, using the metaphor that Hebrew sacrifices functioned like a "credit card" covering sins temporarily while Jesus provided final payment when he declared "It is finished" on the cross. The video clarifies this is a teaching tool and that Jesus' work fulfills rather than nullifies the Old Testament system.

Video Transcript

(00:03):
We are here in Jerusalem standing on the Southern steps, which is one of the few places in Israel you can say for a 100%. Matter of fact, Jesus was here. Behind me is the Eastern gate, which is where on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the Jewish people would’ve brought the goats, the lambs in for the sacrifice, and one lamb was to be sacrificed, and the other was the scapegoat, which the high priest would lay hands on and the sins of Israel. The transgressions of Israel would be put on and they would let down through the eastern gate. And then tradition says it was thrown off a cliff or walked off a cliff. Rough end. Don’t kill the messenger. But what’s interesting about the Southern steps and this day of Atonement is the Day of Atonement is about the covering of Israel’s sin. All throughout the Hebrew scriptures, we have this day of atonement, and it’s often juxtaposed with Passover Pesach because all of these feasts are celebrating something that happened in Ancient Israel.

(01:07):
When Moses led the people out of Israel, really the angel of the Lord led them out of Israel through the leadership of Moses. That was a celebration of Passover where the blood was put on the doorpost. And then you have Shavuot Pentecost, where he comes down with the tablets. But what’s happening below, they are worshiping a golden calf and doing other things that we’re not going to mention in this video. And so what happens next? Moses has to go and make atonement for the people of Israel. Where Passover was individual, rescuing and deliverance. The Day of Atonement was for the entire nation. It was for everyone. Now, what’s interesting about the Day of Atonement, I often think about it as a credit card because the sins of Israel were covered by the Day of Atonement by placing their sins on this scapegoat. But remember, covered is not paid.

(01:56):
If you have a debt and I take my credit card and I pay your debt onto my credit card, all I really did was transfer the debt. The debt wasn’t paid, but it was covered. You have zero in your bank account for this year until you start racking up more debt. Now, the difference between being covered and being paid, when John the Baptist sees Jesus at the baptism, he says, this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He doesn’t just cover them, he takes them away. When Jesus is on the cross and he says it is finished, he’s saying it is paid all throughout the Hebrew scriptures, God gave them away through the sacrificial system to have their sins covered. But Jesus is the only one who paid for the sins once and for all.