On this eve of Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar, we are brought to a standstill and forced to do a much needed introspection of our lives, relationships and paths. According to the Jewish tradition Yom Kippur is believed to be a critical day for the Jewish souls. It is when we come before God and strip away everything, standing before him bare and repentant, seeking His forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. But most importantly, this is the day Jewish people seek atonement and salvation.
They have a clear knowledge and understanding that unless your name is written in the Lord’s Book of Life, you will not be saved and will not enter into His gates. God gave us all Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement also as a foreshadowing of Christ, who is not only our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7), but He is also our Atonement (1 John 2:2). Israel is a unique place during Yom Kippur. The entire country comes to a complete standstill. There are no vehicles on the road, there are no businesses open, no music playing anywhere, no loud chatter or sound of laughter, screens are shut down, just like life itself in Israel for the duration of these sacred 24 hours when all focus shifts on God and our relationship with Him.
It is a somber day for the people of Israel, as they understand not only its significance, but its importance for their eternity. A moment of stillness, a much needed pause in life when you willingly put everything on the examination table and take a long hard look at your choices, decisions, journey and heart. Yom Kippur is probably the one day a year when the entire Jewish nation opens its hearts to God in a complete way. It also means it is the best time to pray and intercede for the people of Israel, lifting them up before the Lord and asking on their behalf. Pastor Israel took this opportunity to sit down and share the profound message of Yom Kippur, its meaning and how it applies to every single believer across the world.
