Yom Kippur: Messianic and Christian perspectives



On Yom Kippur (By Gottlieb, 1878)



Jews for Jesus reports that “Yom Kippur can be somewhat of a conundrum to Jewish believers in Y’shua.”  These believers are torn between lamenting their sins and rejoicing in being saved by Jesus the Messiah.  Many of them choose to observe Yom Kippur by identifying with Jewish brethren, practicing introspection, praying for intercession for loved ones, and giving thanks to God.

The Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation in Clarksville,

Maryland was quoted in Wikipedia as saying this:  For believers

in Yeshua, both Jewish and non-Jewish, the observance of Yom Kippur can hold special significance.  The repentance started at Rosh HaShanah comes to a culmination with atonement ten days later…  Blessed be the Lord God, who has secured our salvation in Yeshua the Messiah!  That is what Yom Kippur is all about for those who call upon his name…  

Christian minister Roderick C. Meredith is in sync with much of this Messianic perspective.  In a booklet titled The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan, Meredith points out that there are seven Holy Days that Jesus observed – and they do not include Christmas and Easter.  These seven days are as follows: the First and Last Days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Pentecost (Shavuoth), the Feast of

Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth), and the Last Great Day (Eighth Day of Sukkoth).

Regarding the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Meredith first cites Leviticus 23:27-28:  Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement.  It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord…  He follows this up with a reference to Paul from Acts 27:9:As we have seen, even the Apostle to the Gentiles was obviously KEEPING the Day of Atonement in a Roman prison ship in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea – years after everything was supposed to have been nailed to the cross!  Merredith therefore strongly believes that

today’s Christians should also be observing Yom Kippur as a Day of Atonement.  

Resources

http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/the-holy-days-gods-master-plan

http://jewsforjesus.org/judaica/yomkippur

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_observances_of_Yom_Kippur

Copyright October 8, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved