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…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.
Hebrew 9:12
The start of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah (ראש השנה), marks the beginning of the 10 Days of Awe for the nation of Israel, concluding on the day of Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. Jewish tradition teaches that these 10 days are for the nation of Israel to repent and to return to God with all of their hearts, so that their names may be written in the Book of Life.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD.
Leviticus 23:26-28
Yom Kippur marked the day when the fate of the entire nation of Israel would be sealed.
In Old Testament times, the high priest (כהן הגדול Kohen ha-Gadol) would offer a sacrifice for his own sins, and then he would also offer a blood sacrifice for the nation of Israel, for the atonement of their sins. The High Priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year! The New Testament (הברית החדשה Brit Chadasha) 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
The nation of Israel commemorates Yom Kippur with fervent prayer (תפילה tfila) and fasting (צום tzom), and all businesses, schools, malls, shops, and roads close down in honor of Yom Kippur. You won’t find any traffic on the roads and no public transportation at all. There won’t be any TV or radio broadcasts, no restaurants, coffee shops and no entertainment whatsoever. Combine that with the current national Covid lockdown in Israel, it promised to be a one of its kind Yom Kippur.
This change in the nation’s behavior and attitude allows for a time of introspection and reflection. The nation of Israel spends the entire day at their synagogues (בית כנסת Beit Knesset) in prayer and fasting, in hope of redemption. Current lockdown restrictions that were placed on the amount of people that can gather together for prayer have stirred quite a debate in Israel, especially in light of such sacred days as the High Holy Days.
As the whole nation of Israel stands before God in 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
We believe that our salvation (ישועה Yeshua) and redemption (גאולה Geula) has already been won by our High Priest, Yeshua (Jesus), and that our names have been recorded in the Lamb’s book of life! It is God’s deep desire for the nation of Israel to come to know their Messiah, Jesus (Yeshua), and to be saved by receiving his atoning sacrifice for their sins, having their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them (nation of Israel) is that they may be saved.
Romans 10:1
We encourage you, during this time of the Day of Atonement, to fast and pray together with us and the whole nation of Israel. There’s immense power in the “prayer of the righteous” (James 5:16), so we will be devoting this Day of Atonement to prayer, and just taking this time to humble ourselves before the Lord, seeking His face and praying for the salvation of Israel and the nations.
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