The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is considered the most holy day on the Jewish calendar for all Jews, both individually and collectively. On the Day of Atonement, the Jewish people rested from their work with a holy fast and recognized all their sins committed throughout the year against the living Sovereign LORD God (Adonai). Then, the high priest of Israel on this most holy day made a confession for their sins and the sins of the people and entered the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) in the Tabernacle (Temple) with the blood of reconciliation to ask for forgiveness and to atone for the people’s sins against the living Sovereign LORD God so they would not reap the destruction and death because of their sins. Importantly, the living Sovereign LORD God pardoned and forgave the people’s sins and wrongdoing after the high priest’s atonement. Leviticus chapter 16 in the Old Testament goes into great detail about the Yom Kippur ceremony, which centered on the sacrifices of two goats - one goat slain as a blood sacrifice for sins and the other goat (scapegoat) removing the people’s sins.

Here is even more Good News: Christ Jesus, our Great High Priest, fulfilled the Day of Atonement for all people! The living Sovereign LORD God of the heavens and earth so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, by His grace as the final atonement, ransom, and sacrifice to deliver and free us from Satan’s sin and eternal condemnation. Christ Jesus’s sinless blood and sacrificial death on Calvary’s Cross (execution stake) as the Suffering Servant and Passover Lamb of God provided atonement for all eternity with both a propitiation (appeasement, and satisfaction of God’s judgment) and expiation (payment to God) for our sins so we would not experience God’s wrath and punishment but instead God’s grace, peace (shalom), redemption, salvation, and forgiveness through faithful obedience to Him. On Calvary’s Cross, Christ Jesus was displayed as the final kapparah (propitiation, expiation, ransom, and atonement) and our sacrifice to fulfill Yom Kippur, but even more as our Liberator and Jubilee to set us free from Satan’s slavery to sinfulness and sickness. Christ Jesus declared He is our Jubilee, and He is the “time for the LORD’s favor” and grace. The King and Savior of the World is found only in Christ Jesus our Deliverer, who is the Son of the living God. Through repentance with faithful obedience to Christ Jesus as Lord, the living Sovereign LORD God offers everyone atonement, salvation, and redemption with spiritual peace and rest on earth and for all eternity. Christ Jesus makes us holy and righteous before His Holy Father when we trust in Him and obey Him with faithful obedience as our Lord and Savior. Christ Jesus is our Yom Kippur! Let everyone REPENT and come to Christ Jesus as Lord!