Yom Kippur: The Day of Repentance, Prayer, and Fasting 9 - 10 Tishrei 5776 (September 22-23, 2015)

"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you:  On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work ... because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you.  Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.  It is a Sabbath of rest [Shabbat Shabbaton], and you must deny yourselves."  (Leviticus 16:29–31)

The holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year begins tonight: Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).

This day is so important that the Torah calls it the Shabbat Shabbaton (Sabbath of Sabbaths). 

Even secular Jews observe it by fasting and refraining from all work, despite not observing other Jewish holy days.

As the sun sets tonight, all around the world, the Jewish People will begin a 25-hour fast.  It is traditional, therefore, to greet friends and family today and tomorrow with Tzom Kal, which means Easy Fast. 

Yom Kippur is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that began with Rosh HaShanah, which is believed to be Judgment Day.

That judgment which was issued on Rosh HaShanah—in other words, our fate—is sealed in the Book of Life today.

This highest of holy days stands apart from all other days as the last day to repent and make amends.

The traditional greeting, therefore, is G'mar Chatimah Tovah (May You be Sealed for a Good Year)! 

During Temple times, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur to offer incense and the blood of the sacrifice at the mercy seat so the people would be cleansed from their sins.

Because the Holy Temple no longer stands, the purification offering outlined in Leviticus 16 can no longer be offered.

Believers in Yeshua (Jesus), however, can come confidently before God, knowing that His atoning sacrifice cleansed us from our sins.

Unlike the other high priests, Yeshua does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people.  He sacrificed for our sins once for all when He offered Himself.  (Hebrews 9:14)

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus.  I acknowledge to you that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul.  With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.  This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins.  I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance.  Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.