The Day of Atonement

As Christians, when we think of the holiest days of the year, we think of Good Friday and Easter. For Jews, that day is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Sometimes simply called “The Day,” it’s a time for humility, fasting, and getting right with God.

Leviticus 16 describes Yom Kippur in detail. Two goats are sacrificed on Israel’s behalf: one at the altar, and the other, the scapegoat, is driven into the wilderness to bear the people’s sins away. These rituals renewed Israel’s covenant with God and began the next year with a clean slate.

Christians can also find deep meaning in Yom Kippur, not because we need to appease God, but because it reveals His character and deepens our relationship with Him.

Firstly, Yom Kippur reveals God’s holiness. In the Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem, God’s presence inhabited a separate room called the Holy of Holies. The High Priest could enter only once a year, and only after performing the proper rituals. This isn’t because God is picky, but because He is radically different from us. Sin separates us from Him.

Yet that separation reveals God’s humility. We could never close the gap ourselves, but God wanted a relationship with us so deeply that He came to meet us. He even sent His Son to live, die, and rise again as the ultimate sacrifice, even though we don’t deserve it (Philippians 2:5-8).

Finally, Yom Kippur reveals God’s forgiveness. Jesus wiped our slate clean permanently, allowing us to have a relationship with God without guilt or regret. We can experience His peace even as we continue to make mistakes. In return, Jesus asks us to become more like Him. So, this Yom Kippur, remember God’s holiness, humility, and forgiveness, and reflect those qualities to the people around you.

You can watch the full sermon here.