Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement

            On Saturday (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) this coming week, Oct. 7-8, we celebrate the Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur.  It was on this day during the First Testament period that the Priest went into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people from the prior year.  It was repeated every year.  Heb. 10:1-7 teaches us that it was a reminder of their sins, but didn’t make the people perfect.  It covered their sins before God but didn’t remove the consciousness of those sins.  It was impossible for the blood of animals to take away their sins.

            But now, as we celebrate the Day of Atonement, we do so celebrating the perfect sacrifice of Yeshua on the cross.  His blood has opened a new a living way for us into the Holy presence of God.  By His blood our sins are removed from us and our consciences are made clean from the guilt of sin.  We can live in “full assurance” of faith that “our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Heb. 10:19-22. 

            What pure joy is ours in Jesus.  What great freedom for this life and confidence for eternal life!  Instead of the wrath of God, we have entered into the love of God!

            Pray that your neighbors will see the peace of your heart and be prompted by Holy Spirit to ask you about it.  Pray for Gentiles and Jews alike to come to an understanding of the Atonement available to them in Yeshua.  Pray, pray, pray.  It is the key to seeing God’s kingdom come—and how desperately we need His kingdom to come!