Yom Kippur 2023

But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance. Hebrews 9:7 (NIV)

Today, Monday, September 25, 2023, is Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, the holiest day within Judaism. It began yesterday, September 24, at sundown and will end at sundown today. This day was commanded by the LORD to be observed on the tenth day after the beginning of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, to allow Israel to atone for its sins (Lev.23:26-27).

In the tent of the meeting in the wilderness and in the temples that stood in Jerusalem were two rooms, the Holy Place where the priests ministered and the inner sanctum (aka the Holy of Holies). In this second room was the ark of the covenant which according to the writer of the Book of Hebrews held the rod of Aaron, a container of manna, and the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (Heb. 9:4). The lid of the ark was crafted out of solid gold with cherubim, angelic beings, hammered in gold, on each side with wings outstretched over its top (Ex. 25:10-22).

It was here where the presence of God resided and where the high priest would yearly twice sprinkle the blood of an innocent animal sacrifice upon the lid, once for his sins, and once for the sins of the nation. The cover of the ark came to be known as the mercy seat because that was where God’s merciful forgiveness for the year’s past transgressions was granted to the nation. When done as God commanded it became an acceptable atonement for the sins of the people.

The atonement offered only a temporary relief of the sins of the people and was a covering of their sin. There would always need to be an offering made year-to-year. There was no sacrifice righteous enough that could be made once and for all, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls or goats to take away sins (Heb. 9:4).

Because Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18) and not through an earthly father He was the Son of God, born without sin. He was that perfect sacrifice that just did not cover sin but fully forgave it. When Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering you [God] did not desire but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings you were not pleased (Heb. 10:4-6).  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2^nd Cor. 5:21).

Yeshua was rejected as Israel’s messiah for various reasons, probably the most cited being He never established an everlasting reign on the throne of His ancestor David. Before His ascension the establishment of Christ’s kingdom was even on the minds of His own disciples and was their final question to Him. “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Messiah’s eternal kingdom will be restored as Scripture says and with Yeshua legally and lawfully seated on the eternal throne in the lineage of David (2^nd Sam. 7:16, Matt. 1:6, Lk. 3:31). It will be a kingdom that will be glorious and everlasting, however, at the time of Christ’s first advent the establishment of a physical kingdom was not God’s priority. Destroying Satan’s slavery of sin and restoring the human heart into full fellowship with Him was. A happy and healthy kingdom can only come out of a whole and healthy people.

The second temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome over 1900 years ago. Since there is no Holy of Holies or ark now where a high priest can make atonement, our Jewish friends are encouraged to take this solemn and holy day to pray, reflect, and seek God.

As believers, our own day of atonement happened when we confessed faith in the full power of the sacrificial Lamb God offered in Christ Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the will of God even to death on the cross to see it finished (Philippians 2:8). Because of that He can rightfully say there is no other way to God except through Him (Jn. 14:6).

God was pleased to hear from the mouth of His perfect Lamb that His plan to break the slavery of sin was successfully finished on the cross (Jn. 19:30). As our Great High Priest, He brought us to the Seat of Mercy when we believed, sprinkling our hearts with His own blood, making us holy and His own, once and for all time (Heb. 10:10). All glory and honor to our Great High Priest and risen King on this Day of Atonement. Shalom.

Maranatha,

Ken