Thursday, October 9, 2008

yom kippur

For the Jews, today is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. I talked to one of my Jewish friends today who went to temple to observe the day, and I didn't really get much info on it. So if you are Jewish or have been to Yom Kippur services, I would love to hear about it. What is it like? What do you do to observe this day that was instituted by God so very long ago? My friend told me most Jews just fast today, go to a service/hear a sermon of sorts, and then after sundown, have a big feast. Is this the normal observation of the day everywhere? Since the day started as a day of animal sacrifices, prayer & fasting...how has it changed & what do practicing Jews do?

I am fascinated by Jewish culture. I think the Jews are so cool! I know that sounds funny. But seriously...how much cooler can you be than God's chosen people? I have a book called Harvest Festivals by Hugh Downie that outlines all their feasts and calendar...it is absolutely fascinating! I spent an hour or so last night just poring over his book, and Leviticus, and William MacDonald's commentary, and my A Woman's Heart workbook. I couldn't stop reading. It's amazing how it all comes together!

How perfect God's plan is in detail and time, how perfectly He orchestrates the past to shadow the future. How much He loves His chosen people. Amazing stuff.

So the Day of Atonement as it was first instituted was the one day of the year that the high priest could enter the Holiest of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant and God's mercy seat were located. He did so to make atonement for the sins of the year for the children of Israel.

From Downie:
"The great lessons of this day were the heinousness of sin and the holiness of God. It would appear that the high priest entered into the Holiest of All three times on that memorable day: with the incense (Lev 16:13); with the blood of the bullock for his own sins (Lev. 16:11, 14); and with the blood of the first goat, the sin offering for the people (v. 15)."

What I really love is the picture of the two goats. Two goats were brought to the tabernacle this day, but only one died. The goat that died had its blood sprinkled over the mercy seat, God's throne, to atone the people's sins. Then the high priest layed his hand on the scapegoat, confessed the people's sins over it, and released it into the wilderness.

Why two goats? Again from Downie:
"The reason was that one goat alone was not sufficient to represent the mystery to be revealed. Christ both died and rose again, but the same sacrifice could not die and live again without a miracle.

Christ was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification (Rom 4:25). It takes both the death and resurrection of Christ to meet the claims of God and the necessities of the sinner.

In the slain goat, we have the atoning power of the blood; in the scapegoat we are to see our sins put away forever. Nothing could more graphically set forth the full and free forgiveness of sin than the sending away of the scapegoat into the wilderness to a land not inhabited."

So beautiful...the atoning work of Christ. Once and done forever. No more sacrifice needed.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know that much about Yom Kippur, but from what I do know, it is like Easter in that it is the holiest and most sacred holiday in the Jewish faith. Some of my friends would just fast, others would spend the day in reflection and prayer. Some would observe it to such an extent that they would not even drink water, shower or even brush their teeth. There is a feast, and I attended a few "breakfasts" complete with bagels.

I will say that it is nice that as a Christain I don't have to fast to repent; but there is something to focusing on all your sins and asking forgiveness on one day. I guess that's why the Catholic's have confession - it forces you to focus on the sin for more than a fleeting moment. I think sometimes protestants do something bad, ask for forgiveness, then go on with life. An annual holiday (or even a monthly confession) really forces you to focus on the sin and maybe makes you think about it more so you sin less in the future.

kiwi said...

thanks for the info...as I mentioned, I find the Jewish holidays, how they are celebrated in modern times, so intriguing!

I agree with you...how often we Christians don't dwell long enough in confession and fasting. It's important to remember the weight of our sin in light of the holiness of God.

Thanks for your thoughts!