赎罪日与住棚节（Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles)
(Translated from Chinese by ChatGPT, edited by Mijiale, 中文原文在后面)
The usual weekly reading progress of the Pentateuch is suspended in this new week. On Monday (2023/9/25), it’s the Day of Atonement. In the morning, we read Leviticus 16 and Numbers 29:7-11. In the afternoon, we read Leviticus 18, Isaiah 57:14-58:14, Jonah, and Micah 7:18-20. On Saturday (2023/9/30), it’s the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. We read Leviticus 22:26-23:44, Numbers 29:12-16, and Zechariah 14:1-21.
From a Christian perspective, Jesus came for the first time and was crucified for the redemption of humanity around Passover , which is in the spring (around March-April). So, why does the Bible set the Day of Atonement in the autumn (around September-October), nearly half a year later? My understanding is that this corresponds to the future repentance of the Jewish nation during Jesus’ second coming, finally receiving redemption. Although the salvation of the cross already exists, it must be accepted. While the Gospel started in Judea, the Jewish people did not accept Jesus, leading to the Gospel being ‘compelled’ to be preached to the Gentiles first. It will wait until the appointed time when all the selected Gentiles repent, and then Jesus will return, concluding human history. Only then, will the Jews accept the salvation of the cross. Only then, for the Jewish nation, will the Day of Atonement fulfill its ultimate mission: (Leviticus 16:30) ‘For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins.’
So, what does the Feast of Tabernacles symbolize? I believe it should symbolize the worship of the Creator by Israel and all nations together after the second coming of Christ. At that time, the number of Gentiles who believe will have been fulfilled, and Israel will have also returned to the Lord. Zechariah 14:16-17 may hint at this perspective, where it says: ‘Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them.'”
本周通常的摩西五经读经进度又暂停了。周一（2023/9/25)是赎罪日，上午读利未记16，民数记29:7-11；下午读利未记18，以赛亚书57:14-58:14， 约拿书，弥迦书7:18-20。 周六(2023/9/30)是住棚节第一天，读利未記 22:26-23:44，民數記 29:12-16； 撒迦利亞書 14:1-21。
从基督徒的角度来看，耶稣第一次来已经上了十字架为人类赎罪，这个事情发生在逾越节（圣经历一月中旬），是在春天。那么圣经为什么要把赎罪日定在近半年以后的秋天（圣经历七月初十）呢？我的理解是，这对应于耶稣第二次再来时犹太民族悔改，终于得到救赎。十字架的救恩虽然已经有了，但是不接受它就不能赎罪。耶稣的福音虽然开始于犹太地，但犹太民族一直不会接受耶稣，这从客观上使得福音“被迫”被先传遍了外邦，要等外邦人悔改的定数满了，耶稣再来，要把今世的人类历史结束之前，犹太民族才会悔改。那时对犹太民族来说，赎罪日才会完成它预表的使命：（利16:30） “因在这日要为你们赎罪，使你们洁净。你们要在耶和华面前得以洁净，脱尽一切的罪愆”。
那么住棚节象征什么呢？我觉得应该是象征基督再临后，以色列与万邦一起敬拜造物主。那时，外邦人信主的数目已经满了，以色列也已经全家归主。撒迦利亚14:16-17可能有这种观点的影子，那里说:“所有来攻击耶路撒冷列国中剩下的人，必年年上来敬拜大君王万军之耶和华，并守住棚节。地上万族中，凡不上耶路撒冷敬拜大君王万军之耶和华的，必无雨降在他们的地上。 ”