On October 6 (July 10 by sacred year), members of the Church of God kept the Day of Atonement, giving thanks to God who has redeemed them from all their sins. For 10 days they'd prayed in the early morning and evening, and gathered in Zion on this day to keep the holy feast.

ⓒ 2003 WATV

God the Father said that only those who keep the feasts can understand the feasts' meaning and be blessed. The members thought deeply the meaning of the Atonement Day while keeping the feast.

In the Old Testament times, only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement for the atonement of his people. On ordinary days the Israelites' sins were carried on the temple; and on the Day of Atonement their sins were handed over the scapegoat by the high priest's laying both hands on the goat and confessing over it all the Israelites' sins; then the scapegoat was sent into the desert and died. This shows that all the sins of us who are the spiritual Israelites are carried on Christ who is represented as the temple through His blood; and the sins are handed over the devil the scapegoat; then he enters into the hell with all our sins caused by himself.

Our redemption comes from the love and sacrifice of Christ who came into the earth to seek us the sinners. In order to participate in this Christ's favor, we are to repent of all our sins in the truth of the new covenant, knowing that we are sinners.

The members had confessed their sins and iniquities for 10 days. For all that, they were worrying that their repentance might not be thoroughing enough before God. However, God already knew such a worry and gave more favor to His children: Mother's earnest prayer in tears was enough to make up for the children's weak prayers.

First, Mother gave thanks to Father, who established this feat and was sacrificed as the atonement offering to wash His children's scarlet sins as white as snow, and prayed for the purified children that they might (would) gather the grains and bring them into the heavenly barn under the grace of the Holy Spirit. And She emphasized that they should be always self-controled and alert lest they should be devoured by the enemy devil who is prowling around like an roaring lion to chain their soul to sin, and that they should love brothers and sisters as their own bodies.

ⓒ 2003 WATV

Mother interceded for the weak children's souls with groans and pleaded Father to advance the day of salvation. Hearing Mother's earnest voice, all the children broke their hearts with tears and repented of their sins of hate and jealousy which distressed heavenly Father and Mother. And the members praised God who destroys the devil's work and resolved to love brothers and sisters all the more and obey God's commands so that they may not give the devil a foothold.