Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

The Day of Atonement is the sixth of the seven annual Jewish feast; it occurs on the 10th of Tishrei.  Reading in Leviticus 23:26-28:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel saying: ‘Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. ²⁸ And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.‘

In the book of Leviticus, chapter 16, you can read the instructions which God gave to Moses concerning the Day of Atonement. Basically, this was the only day of the year when the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat (the Ark of the Covenant) to atone for the sins of the people for the past year. There were very strict regulations concerning the observance of the Day of Atonement. During Biblical days, this was a day of national repentance.

It is interesting to note that for three of the seven feasts, God commanded the men to come to the Temple and bring an offering. However, quite often the entire family would go on these pilgrimages. These three feasts were Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. During each of these three feasts, each man was required to  bring a sacrifice to the Temple (a lamb, a goat or a grain offering) or to perform some other activity, such as building a sukkah, blowing trumpets or making unleavened bread. Each of the seven feasts represented something different to the people and each feast related to Jesus in a different way.

Yom Kippur represents judgement and it was a shadow of what was to come. In Biblical times, the people were not required to attend or even required to take action to observe this feast. On this day, the High Priest did everything. There was nothing the people could do except put their trust in the actions of the High Priest. Many people think that Yom Kippur represents the Great White Throne Judgement. When Christians are finally judged for their life on earth, there is nothing that can be done; no action can be taken on that day to receive mercy. If a person has put his faith in Jesus, as the Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, then the blood of Jesus will cover his sins when the day of judgement comes. Jesus is now our High Priest who makes atonement for those who trust him.

In some ways, you might think that the Day of Atonement, the day of judgement, would be the most important feast that you could attend; to make sure your sins are forgiven. But in reality, it is the first feast, Passover, that is the most important. You must first come to Jesus and have faith in his sinless life and resurrection. After you have observed Passover, then you are ready to move to the next ‘required’ feast, Pentecost. This is the feast where the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers and they were empowered to live a life wholly to God and His Kingdom on earth. That is your next ‘requirement’; to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live a life that brings glory to God. The last ‘requirement’ is to participate in the Feast of Tabernacles, which many believe is a type and shadow of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. On the Day of Atonement, Jesus alone will atone for your sins, which will grant you the privilege to attend the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.

Since the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD, the actions taken today by the Jewish people are quite different. 

1. The Day of Atonement takes place 10 days after the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah). This 10-day period is now called the Days of Awe. Today, Jews believe that these 10 days are a time of prayer and repentance. During the Days of Awe, the people afflict their souls and there are no pleasant activities during this time. These 10 days are also known as the High Holy Days.
2. Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day of the year in Israel. All business are closed on this day and travel is not allowed. Everything comes to a standstill; it is a day of personal repentance and many people fast all day.
3. Today, Jews believe if your name was written in the book of the In-Between on Rosh HaShanah, if you truly repent during these 10 days, God may change his mind and now write your name in the Book of Life. A common greeting is “May your name be written in the Book of Life”.
4. Jews today also believe that on this day, Yom Kippur, God decides who will live or die in the next year. So, it is a very serious and sober day in Israel.

Click the link below to watch a video of how Jews observe this feast today.

https://youtu.be/4oqBzg8wCUg