Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement
Tishrei 9-10, 5785 - October 11,12, 2024
Leviticus 23:26-32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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. If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”
The High Priest in the Most Holy Place
In Leviticus. 23:26-32 Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is described as the most solemn day of the year, a time of soul searching, repentance and re-commitment to God. Only on Yom Kippur could the High Priest enter the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in the Temple and he would have to make a sacrifice for himself before he could even approach the Most Holy Place where he would present the blood from the sacrifice made for the people.
On this day a goat was sacrificed to make atonement for the whole nation.
On this day a goat was sacrificed to make atonement for the whole nation.
The Scapegoat
See the following reading from Leviticus Chapter 16 New Living Translation (NLT):
The Day of Atonement
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died after they entered the Lord’s presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him. The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.“When Aaron enters the sanctuary area, he must follow these instructions fully. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He must put on his linen tunic and the linen undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe himself in water before he puts them on. Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord.Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle. He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord. “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. After he has slaughtered the bull as a sin offering, he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the Lord. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain. There in the Lord’s presence he will put the incense on the burning coals so that a cloud of incense will rise over the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. If he follows these instructions, he will not die. Then he must take some of the blood of the bull, dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it on the east side of the atonement cover. He must sprinkle blood seven times with his finger in front of the atonement cover. “Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. Through this process, he will purify the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites. No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the Lord. “Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the Lord. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar. Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy. “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. “When Aaron goes back into the Tabernacle, he must take off the linen garments he was wearing when he entered the Most Holy Place, and he must leave the garments there. Then he must bathe himself with water in a sacred place, put on his regular garments, and go out to sacrifice a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this process, he will purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord. He must then burn all the fat of the sin offering on the altar. “The man chosen to drive the scapegoat into the wilderness of Azazel must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water. Then he may return to the camp. “The bull and the goat presented as sin offerings, whose blood Aaron takes into the Most Holy Place for the purification ceremony, will be carried outside the camp. The animals’ hides, internal organs, and dung are all to be burned. The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before returning to the camp. “On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you. In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.”
Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him.
The Day of Atonement
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died after they entered the Lord’s presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him. The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.“When Aaron enters the sanctuary area, he must follow these instructions fully. He must bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He must put on his linen tunic and the linen undergarments worn next to his body. He must tie the linen sash around his waist and put the linen turban on his head. These are sacred garments, so he must bathe himself in water before he puts them on. Aaron must take from the community of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord.Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle. He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord. “Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. After he has slaughtered the bull as a sin offering, he will fill an incense burner with burning coals from the altar that stands before the Lord. Then he will take two handfuls of fragrant powdered incense and will carry the burner and the incense behind the inner curtain. There in the Lord’s presence he will put the incense on the burning coals so that a cloud of incense will rise over the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. If he follows these instructions, he will not die. Then he must take some of the blood of the bull, dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it on the east side of the atonement cover. He must sprinkle blood seven times with his finger in front of the atonement cover. “Then Aaron must slaughter the first goat as a sin offering for the people and carry its blood behind the inner curtain. There he will sprinkle the goat’s blood over the atonement cover and in front of it, just as he did with the bull’s blood. Through this process, he will purify the Most Holy Place, and he will do the same for the entire Tabernacle, because of the defiling sin and rebellion of the Israelites. No one else is allowed inside the Tabernacle when Aaron enters it for the purification ceremony in the Most Holy Place. No one may enter until he comes out again after purifying himself, his family, and all the congregation of Israel, making them right with the Lord. “Then Aaron will come out to purify the altar that stands before the Lord. He will do this by taking some of the blood from the bull and the goat and putting it on each of the horns of the altar. Then he must sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times over the altar. In this way, he will cleanse it from Israel’s defilement and make it holy. “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. “When Aaron goes back into the Tabernacle, he must take off the linen garments he was wearing when he entered the Most Holy Place, and he must leave the garments there. Then he must bathe himself with water in a sacred place, put on his regular garments, and go out to sacrifice a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this process, he will purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord. He must then burn all the fat of the sin offering on the altar. “The man chosen to drive the scapegoat into the wilderness of Azazel must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water. Then he may return to the camp. “The bull and the goat presented as sin offerings, whose blood Aaron takes into the Most Holy Place for the purification ceremony, will be carried outside the camp. The animals’ hides, internal organs, and dung are all to be burned. The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water before returning to the camp. “On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you. In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.”
Moses followed all these instructions exactly as the Lord had commanded him.
The following information was downloaded from the Chabad.com website:
An Overview of Yom Kippur's Traditions and Customs
Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G‑d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Forty days after hearing G‑d say at Mount Sinai: "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G‑d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: "I have pardoned, as you have requested." From that moment on, this date, henceforth known as the Day of Atonement, is annually observed as a
commemoration of our special relationship with G‑d, a relationship that is strong enough to survive any rocky bumps it might encounter. This is a day when we connect with the very essence of our being, which remains faithful to G‑d regardless of our outward behaviour. And while it is the most solemn day of the year, we are also joyful, confident that G‑d will forgive our sins and seal our verdict for a year of life, health, and happiness. For nearly twenty-six hours –from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 until after nightfall on Tishrei 10 – we "afflict our souls": we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from spousal intimacy.
We are likened to the angels, who have no physical needs. Instead of focusing on the physical, we spend much of our day in the synagogue, engaged in repentance and prayer.
Preparations - On the day before Yom Kippur, the primary mitzvah is to eat and drink in abundance. Two festive meals are eaten, one earlier in the day, and one just prior to the onset of Yom Kippur. Some of the day's other observances include requesting and receiving honey cake, in acknowledgement that we are all recipients in G‑d's world and in prayerful hope for a sweet year; begging forgiveness from anyone whom we may have wronged during the past year; giving extra charity; and the ceremonial blessing of the children. Before sunset, women and girls light holiday candles, and everyone makes their way to the synagogue for the Kol Nidrei services.
In the course of Yom Kippur we will hold five prayer services:
1) Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur;
2) Shacharit—the morning prayer;
3) Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Yom Kippur Temple service;
4) Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah.
5) Finally, in the waning hours of the day, we reach the climax of the day: the fifth prayer, the Neilah ("locking") prayer. The gates of Heaven, which were open all day, will now be closed—with us on the inside. During this prayer we have the ability to access the most essential level of our soul. The Holy Ark remains open throughout.
The closing Neilah service climaxes in the resounding cries of "Hear O Israel... G‑d is one." Then joy erupts in song and dance (a Chabad custom is to sing the lively "Napoleon's March"), followed by a single blast of the shofar, and the proclamation, "Next year in Jerusalem."
After the fast we partake of a festive after-fast meal, making the evening after Yom Kippur a Yom Tov (festival) in its own right. We immediately begin to look forward to the next holiday and its special mitzvah: the construction of the sukkah.
For further information see http://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Holidays.htm
Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G‑d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Forty days after hearing G‑d say at Mount Sinai: "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G‑d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: "I have pardoned, as you have requested." From that moment on, this date, henceforth known as the Day of Atonement, is annually observed as a
commemoration of our special relationship with G‑d, a relationship that is strong enough to survive any rocky bumps it might encounter. This is a day when we connect with the very essence of our being, which remains faithful to G‑d regardless of our outward behaviour. And while it is the most solemn day of the year, we are also joyful, confident that G‑d will forgive our sins and seal our verdict for a year of life, health, and happiness. For nearly twenty-six hours –from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 until after nightfall on Tishrei 10 – we "afflict our souls": we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from spousal intimacy.
We are likened to the angels, who have no physical needs. Instead of focusing on the physical, we spend much of our day in the synagogue, engaged in repentance and prayer.
Preparations - On the day before Yom Kippur, the primary mitzvah is to eat and drink in abundance. Two festive meals are eaten, one earlier in the day, and one just prior to the onset of Yom Kippur. Some of the day's other observances include requesting and receiving honey cake, in acknowledgement that we are all recipients in G‑d's world and in prayerful hope for a sweet year; begging forgiveness from anyone whom we may have wronged during the past year; giving extra charity; and the ceremonial blessing of the children. Before sunset, women and girls light holiday candles, and everyone makes their way to the synagogue for the Kol Nidrei services.
In the course of Yom Kippur we will hold five prayer services:
1) Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur;
2) Shacharit—the morning prayer;
3) Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Yom Kippur Temple service;
4) Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah.
5) Finally, in the waning hours of the day, we reach the climax of the day: the fifth prayer, the Neilah ("locking") prayer. The gates of Heaven, which were open all day, will now be closed—with us on the inside. During this prayer we have the ability to access the most essential level of our soul. The Holy Ark remains open throughout.
The closing Neilah service climaxes in the resounding cries of "Hear O Israel... G‑d is one." Then joy erupts in song and dance (a Chabad custom is to sing the lively "Napoleon's March"), followed by a single blast of the shofar, and the proclamation, "Next year in Jerusalem."
After the fast we partake of a festive after-fast meal, making the evening after Yom Kippur a Yom Tov (festival) in its own right. We immediately begin to look forward to the next holiday and its special mitzvah: the construction of the sukkah.
For further information see http://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/jewish/Jewish-Holidays.htm
Mordechai Ben David sings Kol Nidre on the 1992 Chabad "To Life" Telethon. He is accompanied by pianist Yaron Gershovsky. Kol Nidre is the traditional prayer recited on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Kol Nidre means All Vows. The words of this melody ask God to forgive any vows people have made to God and not kept. |
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When the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D., the Jewish people could no longer present the required sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, so it came to be observed as a day of repentance, self-denial, charitable works, prayer and fasting.
Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath. No work is done on this day. Today, Orthodox Jews observe many restrictions and customs on Yom Kippur. The book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur in remembrance of God's forgiveness and mercy.
How can Messianic Believers/ Gentile Christians relate to Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement?
Yeshua (Jesus) and Yom Kippur:
The Tabernacle and the Temple give us a clear picture of how sin separates us from the holiness of God. In Biblical times, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies by passing through the heavy veil that hung from ceiling to floor, creating a barrier between the people and the presence of God. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Most Holy place after offering the blood of a bull for himself and his family he would then offer the blood sacrifice to cover the sins of the people. However, at the very moment when Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross, "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:51 (NKJV).
In Hebrews chapters 8 and 9 in the Brit Hadasha (New Covenant) we read how Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) became our High Priest and entered heaven (the Holy of Holies), once and for all, not by the blood of sacrificial animals, but by his own precious blood on the cross. Yeshua (Jesus) himself was the atoning sacrifice for our sins (the Lamb of God); obtaining for us eternal redemption! As believers we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Yom Kippur, the final atonement for sin.
The Apostle Paul (Rav Sha'ul) said in Colossians 2:16-17 that the Jewish festivals and celebrations were a 'shadow' of the things to come through Jesus Christ. And although as Christians we may not commemorate these holidays in the traditional biblical sense, as we discover the significance of each of them, we will certainly gain a deeper understanding of God's Word and the Hebraic underpinning of our faith.
Yom Kippur is a good occasion to take a spiritual inventory, by searching our hearts and 'seeing if there is any wicked way within us.' With its central themes of sin, atonement and forgiveness, Yom Kippur naturally lends itself to this kind of spiritual introspection. Though we are made righteous in Jesus the Messiah, we still sin. We are told to flee from sin and pursue righteousness, yet at the same time the Apostle John clearly reminds us, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8). Yom Kippur focuses on the need to confess sin and receive God's forgiveness. It is also a time for us to take stock of our own lives before God. It's powerful to remember, especially on Yom Kippur, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
Above all as Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) we do well to remember the following verses in 1 John 4:9-11
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath. No work is done on this day. Today, Orthodox Jews observe many restrictions and customs on Yom Kippur. The book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur in remembrance of God's forgiveness and mercy.
How can Messianic Believers/ Gentile Christians relate to Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement?
Yeshua (Jesus) and Yom Kippur:
The Tabernacle and the Temple give us a clear picture of how sin separates us from the holiness of God. In Biblical times, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies by passing through the heavy veil that hung from ceiling to floor, creating a barrier between the people and the presence of God. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Most Holy place after offering the blood of a bull for himself and his family he would then offer the blood sacrifice to cover the sins of the people. However, at the very moment when Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross, "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split." Matthew 27:51 (NKJV).
In Hebrews chapters 8 and 9 in the Brit Hadasha (New Covenant) we read how Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) became our High Priest and entered heaven (the Holy of Holies), once and for all, not by the blood of sacrificial animals, but by his own precious blood on the cross. Yeshua (Jesus) himself was the atoning sacrifice for our sins (the Lamb of God); obtaining for us eternal redemption! As believers we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Yom Kippur, the final atonement for sin.
The Apostle Paul (Rav Sha'ul) said in Colossians 2:16-17 that the Jewish festivals and celebrations were a 'shadow' of the things to come through Jesus Christ. And although as Christians we may not commemorate these holidays in the traditional biblical sense, as we discover the significance of each of them, we will certainly gain a deeper understanding of God's Word and the Hebraic underpinning of our faith.
Yom Kippur is a good occasion to take a spiritual inventory, by searching our hearts and 'seeing if there is any wicked way within us.' With its central themes of sin, atonement and forgiveness, Yom Kippur naturally lends itself to this kind of spiritual introspection. Though we are made righteous in Jesus the Messiah, we still sin. We are told to flee from sin and pursue righteousness, yet at the same time the Apostle John clearly reminds us, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8). Yom Kippur focuses on the need to confess sin and receive God's forgiveness. It is also a time for us to take stock of our own lives before God. It's powerful to remember, especially on Yom Kippur, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
Above all as Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) we do well to remember the following verses in 1 John 4:9-11
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Pastor Charlie Garrett - The Superior Word
The Day of Atonement Leviticus 23:26-32 |
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When Ezra wanted to pray for the people leaving Babylon he called for a fast (Ezra 8:21). When Esther was about to take a big risk and approach the King without being summoned, she asked the Jewish community, including her maidservants, to fast and pray for her (Esther 4:16). Daniel fasted and prayed on behalf of the exiled Jewish nation (Daniel 9:3).
Yom Kippur is a very fitting time to intercede on behalf of Israel, our nations and governments, world leaders and our family and friends who don't know the Messiah and the atonement He has accomplished. Our fast can be a time of intercessory prayer for others. We need to be reminded to faithfully continue praying for those of our loved ones who are resistant to the message of the Gospel. Yom Kippur can provide the encouragement we need to intercede for our families and friends. |