I have come across people asking me why it is that I mark the DAY OF ATONEMENT (YOM KIPPUR in Hebrew), when Yahshua had died and washed away our sins, and I have always responded with the words- "why not?" Did YAHWEH through Moses not tell us that it "... shall be a statute for EVER (i.e. no end point, at least until HE says so, not even the coming of the Messiah nor his death and resurrection should change that) throughout your generations (hence not meant to end with Moses and the Hebrews who came out of Egypt via YAHWEH's Strong Hand) in all your dwellings (therefore a location outside Israel isn't an excuse for not observing the day)" (Leviticus 23:31).
It matters to me that YAHWEH, through Moses instructed us in the book of Leviticus 23:27 to observe "..a day of atonement: it shall be a HOLY CONVOCATION (a gathering of people/worshippers, such that it cannot be observed in the house or anywhere besides a place where YAHWEH's name is called) unto you; and ye shall AFFLICT your souls (in other words, to deny yourself of ALL pleasures, of which FASTING is key), and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord (of which we are to offer ourselves only, now as LIVING SACRIFICES - Romans 12:1)"
Besides gathering together to fast (of which the soul which isn't afflicted on the day "shall be cut off from among his people" v. 29) on this day, we are admonished to desist from doing any manner of work on that day (v. 28), as anyone who works on the day "...will I destroy from among his people" (v. 30). The fact that attached to this day are strongly worded repercussions goes a long way in stressing it's importance to YAHWEH'S people and their relationship to HIM. Attempting to test HIS resolve into bringing HIS word to accomplishment will be an attempt in futility. It reminds me of the episode in Eden, where Eve was persuaded to eat of the forbidden fruit because she "... shall not surely DIE", and though she didn't immediately die, she eventually did! One of the things the observation of YAHWEH's feast/laws confers on his people is some kind of covering, a protection from some vagaries of life (not that they won't face life's challenges though) that tends to preserve them from one generation to the other. Have you ever wondered how it was and is, that Israel (despite two major exile conditions and holocaust, amongst other acts of genocide perpetuated on its people over the ages) remains (very influential in all spheres of human activity, contributing immensely to human advancement, with numerous NOBEL PRIZES to its sons and daughters to show for it) today where civilizations, even empires that enslaved them and others who were either at par with or greater than them have totally vanished, some with their name and locations virtually non-existent today besides mere mentions. So when YAHWEH, the master of TIME says he will keep someone, HE isn't referring to just the nearest future, same as when he says someone is to be destroyed, which may mean that even the memory of such a one will be obliterated in the minds of generations to come.
This feast meant from evening to evening (as the Jews count their days) is an opportunity to strengthen the bond of intimacy between us and our Creator. In ancient times, it used to be the day YAHWEH's Name was mentioned in the ears of the people in the temple at Jerusalem once, a major contributor to the loss of the name for some time in antiquity. The name was considered then too Holy to be pronounced or mentioned by just about anybody, hence it's restriction, even unto this day by some section of Jewish society, leading to the alienation of many who rather than opt to be Holy to be able to mention the name, were more comfortable keeping their sinful nature then refer to the MOST HIGH as HA'SHEM ("The Name" in Hebrew, that mustn't be named), creating a huge gulf where a gap, via sin had already exists; a gap which Yahshua through his coming bridged, to allow us easy access to YAHWEH by presenting ourselves just as we are before HIM, with Yahshua as our Mediator, not any man, cleric, medium, spiritualist or the likes.
It is a day that affords us the opportunity to review how we have lived our lives in the past year, while ensuring to use the clean slate we have once again being availed to work better with YAHWEH than we had done to HIS glory. It also prepares us for the FEAST OF TABERNACLES reminiscent of when YAHWEH will come to dwell amongst HIS people as it used to be before man fell in the Garden of Eden. On this HOLIEST DAY in the Jewish Calendar, may YAHWEH consider us worthy to be in HIS presence regardless of our shortcomings, unworthiness and sins in Yahshua's name, Amin!
'kovich
N.B. The DAY OF ATONEMENT for this year starts evening of Tuesday 22nd September, to evening of Wednesday 23rd.
REFERENCE:
- THE WORD OF YAHWEH, © 2000
PICTURE CREDIT:
- http://www.blogs.nd.edu
It matters to me that YAHWEH, through Moses instructed us in the book of Leviticus 23:27 to observe "..a day of atonement: it shall be a HOLY CONVOCATION (a gathering of people/worshippers, such that it cannot be observed in the house or anywhere besides a place where YAHWEH's name is called) unto you; and ye shall AFFLICT your souls (in other words, to deny yourself of ALL pleasures, of which FASTING is key), and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord (of which we are to offer ourselves only, now as LIVING SACRIFICES - Romans 12:1)"
Besides gathering together to fast (of which the soul which isn't afflicted on the day "shall be cut off from among his people" v. 29) on this day, we are admonished to desist from doing any manner of work on that day (v. 28), as anyone who works on the day "...will I destroy from among his people" (v. 30). The fact that attached to this day are strongly worded repercussions goes a long way in stressing it's importance to YAHWEH'S people and their relationship to HIM. Attempting to test HIS resolve into bringing HIS word to accomplishment will be an attempt in futility. It reminds me of the episode in Eden, where Eve was persuaded to eat of the forbidden fruit because she "... shall not surely DIE", and though she didn't immediately die, she eventually did! One of the things the observation of YAHWEH's feast/laws confers on his people is some kind of covering, a protection from some vagaries of life (not that they won't face life's challenges though) that tends to preserve them from one generation to the other. Have you ever wondered how it was and is, that Israel (despite two major exile conditions and holocaust, amongst other acts of genocide perpetuated on its people over the ages) remains (very influential in all spheres of human activity, contributing immensely to human advancement, with numerous NOBEL PRIZES to its sons and daughters to show for it) today where civilizations, even empires that enslaved them and others who were either at par with or greater than them have totally vanished, some with their name and locations virtually non-existent today besides mere mentions. So when YAHWEH, the master of TIME says he will keep someone, HE isn't referring to just the nearest future, same as when he says someone is to be destroyed, which may mean that even the memory of such a one will be obliterated in the minds of generations to come.
This feast meant from evening to evening (as the Jews count their days) is an opportunity to strengthen the bond of intimacy between us and our Creator. In ancient times, it used to be the day YAHWEH's Name was mentioned in the ears of the people in the temple at Jerusalem once, a major contributor to the loss of the name for some time in antiquity. The name was considered then too Holy to be pronounced or mentioned by just about anybody, hence it's restriction, even unto this day by some section of Jewish society, leading to the alienation of many who rather than opt to be Holy to be able to mention the name, were more comfortable keeping their sinful nature then refer to the MOST HIGH as HA'SHEM ("The Name" in Hebrew, that mustn't be named), creating a huge gulf where a gap, via sin had already exists; a gap which Yahshua through his coming bridged, to allow us easy access to YAHWEH by presenting ourselves just as we are before HIM, with Yahshua as our Mediator, not any man, cleric, medium, spiritualist or the likes.
It is a day that affords us the opportunity to review how we have lived our lives in the past year, while ensuring to use the clean slate we have once again being availed to work better with YAHWEH than we had done to HIS glory. It also prepares us for the FEAST OF TABERNACLES reminiscent of when YAHWEH will come to dwell amongst HIS people as it used to be before man fell in the Garden of Eden. On this HOLIEST DAY in the Jewish Calendar, may YAHWEH consider us worthy to be in HIS presence regardless of our shortcomings, unworthiness and sins in Yahshua's name, Amin!
'kovich
N.B. The DAY OF ATONEMENT for this year starts evening of Tuesday 22nd September, to evening of Wednesday 23rd.
REFERENCE:
- THE WORD OF YAHWEH, © 2000
PICTURE CREDIT:
- http://www.blogs.nd.edu
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