14 September, 2021
💞 Dear Royal Praying Priests, shalom!
💎 “Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: ‘However, the tenth day of this seventh month is Yom Kippur, a holy convocation to you, so you are to afflict yourselves. You are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai. You are not to do any kind of work on that set day, for it is Yom Kippur, to make atonement for you before Adonai your God.” (Lev 23:26-28, TLV)
Yom Kippur 2021 will be observed from sundown tomorrow to sundown Thursday. Yom means “day” and Kippur is “atonement” in Hebrew. The name Yom Kippur is based on Leviticus 23:27, and it is commonly known as the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is considered as the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people and it is a day to atone for misdeeds and to be cleansed from them. Traditionally, the Jewish people fast one day with intensive and concentrated prayer in local synagogues, hoping that they have been forgiven by God.
In the First Covenant (Old Testament), only on Yom Kippur the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holiness to make atonement for himself, his household and all the assembly of Israel. On the cross when Yeshua gave up His last breath, the curtain of the Temple was split into two, from top to bottom. Yeshua, the great Holy Priest, inaugurated a new and living way for us by sacrificing Himself, so we are drawn near to the throne of grace with boldness to receive mercy and to find grace for help in time of need! (Mat 27:51, Heb 4:14-16, 10:19-20)
On Yom Kippur, two unblemished male goats were selected. The High Priest casted lots for two goats – one was chosen for God as a sin offering, and the other one was the scapegoat to be sent out of the camp to die for people’s sins. Yeshua, the perfect and unblemished Lamb of God, was sacrificed for our sins. He was also the scapegoat that suffered outside the camp to make us holy through His own blood.
Here is good news for Yom Kippur – not only for the Jewish people but also for all nations! Yeshua is our High Priest and our atonement. He has put away our sins by sacrificing Himself. We are forgiven by God through our faith in Yeshua!
🙏 Dear Father, thank You for opening our eyes to see Yeshua as the greatest and most perfect atonement! We have the good news for Yom Kippur to tell the world and we will praise You forever! In the name of Yeshua we pray and bless You, Amen!