Yom Kippur

Yesterday, at sundown, began Yom Kippur. In the book of Leviticus, this was known as the Day of Atonement (Lv 16:& 23). This was the time that the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies to offer atonement for him and his family and then for the entire nation of Israel. This was discussed last year (see Fall Jewish Holidays: Yom Kippur). At that time, we also learned that this holiday is prophetic to the national repentance, cleansing and atonement for Israel as a nation when the Messiah, Jesus Christ, returns to earth (Zc 13).

What makes one to make this type of prophetic parallel? We mentioned last time that Rosh Hashanah, or Feast of Trumpets, was to ask God to remember His covenant with Israel. This was necessary because as sinful human beings, which we all are, they have no special element of their own to stand before a Holy God. Therefore, this feast was to make the people look toward God and prepare themselves for the coming Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, when God would pass judgment. Blood is needed to appease God’s wrath and provide atonement for sins. At that time, this had to be done yearly. We learned that these sacrifices pointed to the one Messiah to come who would be the future sacrifice that would once and for all become the payment for the sins of the entire world.

After the Rapture of the Church (or Receiving of the Bride), God’s attention will again turn to Israel. All the troubles that will come on the earth will drive all Jews and Israelites back to Israel and finally force God’s people to once again look to Him. Then when Christ returns, Israel will finally accept their Messiah and be forgiven nationally and individually and the entire land cleansed in preparation for their Messiah, who is now their Lord and Savior, to reign over them and the entire earth (Zc 12-14).

Therefore, both Jews and Christians have much to look forward to in our future. Although all Christians will be taken from the earth at the Rapture, both Jews/Israelites and Gentiles will accept the true Messiah Jesus Christ. Both groups will face many hardships during the Tribulation Period, but the main goal of this troublesome time is to bring God’s chosen people back to Himself. His people are scattered over the entire earth, so the consequences of disobedience of their covenant with God (Dt 28) will be a driving force to have them turn once again back to Him. God remembers His covenant, remembers His chosen people, and brings them to a new covenant as prophesied (Jr 33).

Man may forget God’s promises, but God always keeps his. Hallelujah!

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