What Is Yom Kippur And Why It Should Matter To You?

 Good Morning Friends!

Image- Google

I hope everyone is doing well this week! This evening is the beginning of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. In this blog post, I want to explain what is Yom Kippur and why it matters to you. For Yom Kippur this year, I have decided to celebrate this sacred day by partaking in communion. Yom Kippur reminds me of a day of reflection of looking back over the year at what I have done, what I can do better and I usually set some spiritual goals for myself such as drawing closer to the Lord even more for the next year. We just celebrated Rosh Hashanah which is the Jewish new year. Rosh Hashanah is a time to prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord and Yom Kippur is also a time to prepare your heart. If you would like to find out more about this sacred day, keep reading. I hope you have your cup of coffee or tea before we expound more on this topic? Let's begin!

  Yom Kippur is considered a sacred day in the Jewish calendar. It always has been since the time of high priest in the Old Testament. Every year, the high priest would go into the Holy of holies on this sacred day. The high priest would have to make an atonement for the nation of Israel for all their sins and the priest would have to make sure he wasn't guilty of any sin. If he was and he entered the Holy of holies, he would die right there and they would have to pull him out by a rope tied around his ankle. Talk about major pressure, but when you are coming before the King of kings, you had to make sure all your P's and Q's were crossed. God would judge the nation of Israel according to their works every year. If they obeyed His commandments then they would prosper and be rewarded in the coming year. If they didn't, God would judge them and they would be humbled . 

  Do you see a pattern here? There is coming a great day for all of us on this earth that we will have to stand before the Father one on one and answer for our life on earth. God will judge us according to our works on earth? Everything we think, say, or do is recorded in heaven and unless we have asked the Lord to forgive us, we will answer for all those things. Now Jesus' blood was the atonement for our sins, praise the Lord! Otherwise, if it hadn't had been for Jesus, we would have to kill a goat or sheep for Yom Kippur. The Jews usually fast from sun down to sun down on the next day for Yom Kippur. Now what is the reason for fasting on this high and holy day? They believe that fasting can avert and atone for their sins. Now we of course have the blood of Jesus to atone for our sins, but if you are led by the Holy Spirit to fast, you most certainly can. I like to fast sometimes because it refocuses my attention on the Lord. I have nothing against fasting, I always try to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

So, you may be asking, what does all this have to do with me? I am so glad you asked! Friends, the Day of Atonement is a shadow of what is to come. There will be a judgement day for all, no one is exempt. The time we have left on this earth will determine our heavenly reward or eternal destruction. How we live on this earth and treat others matters to the Lord. He watches our every move, He sees every motive in our heart. Also, when we leave this earth, the only thing we are taking with us is our relationship with the Lord. Why is that the only thing we are taking? Our relationship with God is eternal and our knowing Him, truly knowing Him will go with us. This is why Jesus says in Matt. 7:21-23, "Depart from Me you worker of iniquity for I never knew you." How come He never knew you because you didn't take time to cultivate a relationship with Him on earth. Friends, this is so important to the Lord, He wants us to know Him and He wants to know us. After all, look at everything that He has done for us! He has done more than enough for us and for that I am grateful!

  So, friends, as the Yom Kippur is approaching, will you prepare your heart for this holy and sacred day. God may be calling you to do something and He's waiting on your answer. Do you hear Him knocking on the door of your heart? He said, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him. Revelation 3:20 Don't miss your invitation today. Will you open the door of your heart to Him, will you let Him come into your heart today and change the things that need to be changed? Friends, He is waiting on our response to His call? Will we answer His call with a yes? Let Him come and do what you cannot do, let Him have your whole heart fully committed to Him. He loves you child of God and He wants to give you life today. I pray that this blog post has blessed you and encouraged you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. Until next time!