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Discover these 
Biblical festivals!


 

What does Yom Kippur mean for believers in Yeshua?

Q. Dear Sam, Yesterday I was reading in Leviticus about the holidays/feasts, especially the Day of Atonement. There is something that I don't quite understand. Some of the holidays said at the end that it was to be ‘lasting ordinance’ and some didn't. Why was the Day of Atonement to be lasting ordinance? 

It seems to me that since Yeshua is our atonement and it was once and for all, that atonement wouldn’t need to be done every year. Am I reading something wrong or out of context? And Sam, does this mean I can, or can’t eat lunch on the Day of Atonement? *Joann.

A. Dear Joann, The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a lasting ordinance with binding authority over the Jewish people, in fact over all who are without Messiah, and therefore, technically “lawless” regardless of how ‘religious’ they may be. As Paul wrote, “...the law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners,...”(1 Tim. 1:9) The Torah is to authoritatively lead all who are without salvation to Messiah. "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24) Once we are believers, Yom Kippur, and the other feasts, are yearly reminders of all we have in Yeshua (Col. 2:16,17). Yom Kippur will one day find prophetic fulfillment when all the remnant of Israel will look to Messiah (Zech 12:10) and the true atonement in Yeshua will be applied to them nationally (Zech 13:1) even as it has been applied to you personally. Please pray that the Jewish people around the world will be led by the Torah and specifically the Day of Atonement to the Messiah, who is the true atonement.

And regarding whether you can eat on the Day of Atonement: Joann, if you gotta, you gotta! But seriously. I think we need to understand our liberty not as way to indulge our appetites, but as a means to reach out even more with the love of Messiah. When I fast, it is not to gain merit with God (which is fully in Yeshua, 2 Cor 5:21) but to identify with my people in their need for forgiveness. By God’s grace we are free to love freely, not live foolishly (1 Cor 9:19-23).  Blessings, Sam 

For More on Yom Kippur click here