Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. Today we commemorate the Day of Atonement which represents Judgment Day; when the nation presents before the Almighty, repents for their sins seeking atonement and redemption.
It is a day of profound reflection, introspection, prayer, repentance and reconciliation, all with one goal in mind: to ensure each person’s name is written in the Book of Life.
In fact, this day is considered so holy to this nation, that for 24 hours everything stops here in Israel. There are absolutely no vehicles anywhere on the roads or streets, all businesses are closed and even the airports, including Ben Gurion International Airport, completely shut down its operations for 24 hours, with no incoming or outgoing air traffic. No other country in the world honours a holy biblical feast like Yom Kippur quite like Israel does.
The Day when the Heart of Israel turns to God in unison
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) marks the day when the fate of the entire nation of Israel is sealed in the Book of Life.
The LORD said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to the LORD. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God.
Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”
Leviticus 23:26-32
In Old Testament times, the High Priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, and then also offer a blood sacrifice for the atonement of the sins of the nation.
The New Testament teaches us that we have a greater High Priest in Yeshua, who through His own sacrifice and the shedding of His blood reconciled us to God and redeemed us once and for all!
These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
Hebrews 9:6-7
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:11-12
This change in the nation’s behaviour and attitude during Yom Kippur allows for a time of introspection and reflection. The nation of Israel spends the entire day at their local synagogues in prayer and fasting, seeking atonement.
As the whole nation of Israel stands before God in the hope of their salvation, we who believe in Yeshua can celebrate our eternal redemption and salvation through Him! Yeshua redeemed us through the sacrifice of His own blood, now and forever!
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelations 21:27
The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
Revelations 3:5
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them (the nation of Israel) is that they may be saved.
Romans 10:1
We encourage you to take this upcoming Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement, on September 25th, to fast and pray together with us for the salvation of the whole house of Israel.
Beit Hallel is a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ashdod, led by pastor Israel Pochtar, serving holocaust survivors and the poor and needy locally and throughout the nation of Israel, while building up the body of Messiah in the promised land of Israel.