Yom Kippur is the Second of the Fall Feasts and the Holiest day of the
year for most Jews. Yom Kippur (meaning
“atonement”) is a Jewish holiday that begins at sundown, 10 Tishrei on the
Jewish calendar or September 22 in the year 2015. We find scripture reference to Yom Kippur in Leviticus
23:26-28:
“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘On
exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall
be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an
offering by fire to the Lord. You shall not do any work on this same day, for
it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your
God.”
We also learn that
“Aaron shall make atonement on its
horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin
offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy
to the Lord.” (Exodus 30:10)
This observance was to be performed once
a year.
“Now you shall have this as a
permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel, for all their sins
once every year.” (Leviticus 16:34)
Historically - Before the first Yom Kippur was
celebrated, the children of Israel committed a grave sin. They knew it was
prohibited to have any other gods before the one true God, yet they grew
impatient for Moses to return from Mount Sinai so they pooled their resources
(and their gold) and, with Aaron’s help, they made a golden calf to worship.
When Moses came down from the mountain, in his anger, he threw the tablets that
contained the Ten Commandments. Despite his anger, Moses pleaded with God to
forgive the people. After the month of Elul had passed, he ascended Mount Sinai
again, and on Yom Kippur, Moses brought down the second set of tablets
and atonement was achieved.
For the Jew - Yom Kippur was the one day of the year
that the high priest (Kohen Gadol) would enter the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. This was the
inner court of the temple where the ark of the covenant was kept and the
presence of God resided. Entrance into the Holy of Holies was forbidden any other
day of the year, but this day was set aside to make special sacrifices to
purify the temple and the people. To purify the temple, blood would be
sprinkled around the sanctuary. To purify the people, blood would be put on a
goat called the scapegoat, and it would be led outside the camp to be released
into the wilderness.
This is the most solemn day of the Jewish Year as the Jews practice teshuva (repentance). The Jewish belief is that on Rosh Hashanah (ten days earlier on 1 Tishrei), the Book of Life and Death is opened and God will write the names of those who will be granted another year of life. For many, this decision is uncertain until Yom Kippur, when the final decision is sealed. Many fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. These ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are known as “the Days of Awe.” This is the reason the prayers of Yom Kippur are designed to inspire one to mend one’s ways.
Yom Kippur is the pinnacle of the Jewish high holy days and has prophetic significance regarding the restoration of Israel, the second coming of Christ, and the final judgment of the world. It is also the day that reveals the high-priestly work of Jesus as our Kohen Gadol (“High Priest”) after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:10, 6:20). Yom Kippur prophetically pictures the “Day of the Lord,” also known as “the Day of Judgment.” During the tribulation to follow the day of judgment, the New Testament insists that all of Israel will be saved, Jesus will physically return to Israel to establish His kingdom on earth, and all the promises given to ethnic Israel through the prophets will be fulfilled.
For the Christians - The New Testament teaches that those who trust in Jesus (messianic Jews included) have complete access to the throne of God and have a permanent “sealing” by the grace and love of God, given through the life and shed blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). Leviticus 17:11 describes the sacrificial blood that was offered by the High Priest on the altar to make atonement for the souls of all God’s children - whosoever believes!
