Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) this year begins the eve of Wednesday October 1st to sundown Thursday October 2nd. The holiday of Yom Kippur is considered the most holy of all the Jewish feasts. This high holiday has beautiful, rich meanings for believers from the ancient commandments in Scripture as the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year to offer sacrifices for the nation of Israel. As believers, we know the High Priest now is Yeshua (Jesus). Don’t miss the pictures God paints from these rituals and how they coincide with our Great High Priest. Read below an excerpt from Finding Jesus in Judaism on the Day of Atonement:

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, 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. 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. For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people.” Leviticus 23:26-29

The Ten Days of Repentance which begins with Rosh Hashanah concludes with the observance of Yom Kippur. It is considered the holiest of the Jewish holy days. If a Jew goes to synagogue only once a year, this is the day that he/she will go. This is considered the time when the final verdict is made for each human life in the coming year.

Leviticus 23:27 states that Yom Kippur shall be,“ a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls.” This is taken to mean “fast,” as it comes from the Hebrew word “oni,” found in Isaiah 58:5. This word is used specifically for going without food. Yom Kippur is the only biblical fast day, which begins at sunset the evening before the day of Yom Kippur.

A customary holiday meal on the eve before the great fast day is observed, with Mom’s finest dishes and tablecloths. White linen is often used to symbolize the hope of the high holy day, the cleansing of sin. The candles are lit (as they are on the eve of every holiday and Sabbath), and customary blessings are said over the wine and challah (traditional twisted egg bread).

After the traditional meal, Yom Kippur begins and no more food is eaten until the following evening at sundown. Most Jewish people will be attending synagogue for this evening service known as the “Kol Nidre.” This is considered the most holy occasion of the year. The Kol Nidre which means “All Vows” has been sung since the Spanish Inquisition. It is a song in which the Jews invalidated their conversion to Catholicism and made confession for converting unwillingly. The rest of the evening service continues with traditional prayers and songs from the prayer book calling Israel to atonement before God. The day of Yom Kippur is much the same – a very somber holiday – with the theme being the need for atonement of sins. Prayers are also said requesting they be written in the Book of Life for one more year. The “Yizkor” is also said - a special prayer remembering the dead. At the close of the day, a special service called “Neilah” (closing of the gates), the shofar is sounded one last time. Judaism believes that the fate of each person is sealed at this time for the next year. After synagogue, families gather for a “break-the-fast” meal, and the hope for a sweet and blessed year is celebrated, by drinking sweet wine and eating challah (twisted egg bread) with honey.

New Testament Fulfillment: Just as the High Priest in ancient times had to take a ritual bath for cleansing before making atonement for Israel (Leviticus 16:4), so our Messiah was baptized by John the Baptist at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 3:13-17). It is believed that His ministry began around the time of Yom Kippur! Just as the High Priest laid aside his usual ornate priestly garments before entering the Holy of Holies for simple white clothes, Yeshua “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7) and laid aside Himself as God, to become sin for us and atone for our sin. Just as the High Priest wore white garments, Yeshua was pure and without sin. (Hebrews 9:14, 1 John 2:2, 1 Peter 3:18)

The High Priest would offer a young bullock to sacrifice for his own sins before going into the Holy of Holies because he couldn’t intercede for the people of Israel until he dealt with his own sin. So, too, Jesus dealt with our sin by His own blood sacrifice to become the intercessor on our behalf.

There were two sacrifices made on the Day of Atonement – one a blood sacrifice (the Chatat) to cover the sins of the people. The second sacrifice (called the scapegoat or Azazel) was not slain. The High Priest would place his hands on the goat’s head, and he would confess the sins of the people. Then he would set the goat free outside the camp, to symbolize the taking of sins of the people from out of their midst. Just as Jesus, our mediator, has “carried our sin as far as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:12

Ordinarily, the Ark in the Holy of Holies was unapproachable except on the Day of Atonement. Once a year on this day, the High Priest was able to approach the Ark and sprinkle blood in front of the Ark to atone for the people’s sins (Leviticus 16:2, Leviticus 16:14-16), thus making it possible for man to approach God. Just as the shed blood of Yeshua makes it possible for us to approach God while still being sinful men (Hebrews 9:11-12; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9), and just as the High Priest could only enter once a year with a sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrifice is good forever! “You are a priest forever; According to the order of Melchizedek” Hebrews 5:6

The Holy of Holies was closed off by a veil (Leviticus 16:2), but when Yeshua died the veil was literally torn in two (Matthew 27:51), indicating the beginning of the New Covenant and a new path of relationship between God and man.

Once the sacrifices were complete, the High Priest would put back on his priestly garments. When Jesus accomplished His earthly mission and ascended into heaven, He put back on the glory of His divine nature.

The High Priest returned from the Holy of Holies to offer the festival offering after he completed atoning for the sins of the people. Jesus will return for the full and final redemption of His people Israel. “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zechariah. 13:1 and,

. . . “that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27

“And for this reason, He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore, not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the

people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Hebrews 9:15-22

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”

Leviticus 17:11

The yearly observance of Yom Kippur is a picture of the Day of Judgment to come, when the Messiah will come to reign over the Judgment of the world and regather Israel to its rightful place. (Jeremiah 33:11)

I am indebted to Life in Messiah Ministries who graciously provided Feasts and New Testament Fulfillments: Life in Messiah International, lifeinmessiah.org, Lansing, IL, 2000.