Adonai said to Moshe, The tenth day of this seventh month is Yom-Kippur; you are to have a holy convocation, you are to deny yourselves, and you are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.”-Leviticus 23:26-27
The next to last feast on the Biblical calendar is YOM KIPPUR, a most solemn and somber day.
The Fall Feasts stand in sharp contrast to the Spring Feasts.
While the Spring Feasts have a festive and joyous tone to them, the Fall Feasts are much more restrained and sober.
When one finally grasps the spiritual significance behind the feasts, it shouldn’t be difficult to understand why HASHEM made each of these Biblical festivals unique with its own purpose and character.
The Spring Feasts signify a release from the curses of the Law.
They represent a doing away of the condemnation for our sin.
The Spring Festivals teach us that we have been redeemed from eternal spiritual death and that our freedom has been purchased.
However, lest I be misunderstood.
Let me make something very clear here.
We have NOT been released from the PRINCIPLES or the COMMANDS of the Law.
We have just been released from the ETERNAL PUNISHMENT due us for trespassing God’s HOLY Law.
The TORAH contains the Godly instructions for living a HOLY life pleasing to God and if we ignore or break those commands, there will be consequences to pay in this lifetime.
The Spring and Summer Festivals of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and SHAVUOT represent a NEW LIFE and a NEW BEGINNING!
On the other hand, the Fall Festivals have a very bittersweet flavor to them.
This makes sense because while the coming of Yeshua will be joyous news to many, it will also signal the final destruction of the faithless, God-denying vast majority of mankind.
I cannot mince my words here.
YHVH Himself is going to unleash and unprecedented, unimaginable portion of death and suffering upon this planet to a degree so intense and severe that we’re told if He didn’t stop it short, there wouldn’t be any life remaining on the planet.
Planet earth would become a just another sterile slab of rock like all the other countless trillions of lifeless rocks floating around in the universe.
If that doesn’t give one pause for soberness and solemn reflection, I don’t know what does.
While the redeemed have much to look forward to, when we think about about the unsaved around us, the thought of the Lord’s coming is indeed bittersweet.
What about our unsaved relatives?
What about whole nations whose governments and culture promote an anti-Godly lifestyle?
What about the dead end future that awaits our close friends who reject our faith?
What’s going to happen to them when the Lord returns?
No wonder Yeshua’s coming is called the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
Not being raised “Jewish” means that what follows is the best of what little knowledge and supposition I have to offer. I accept correction if I am in error; and I encourage anyone to do their own research and come to their own conclusions. Here goes . . .
Fact: Yom Kippur is the sixth of the Moedim ordained by YHVH in Leviticus. The first four Moedim of YHVH have been fulfilled to the day, to the hour. The three remaining Moedim are Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
Because the first four Moedim have been fulfilled to the day, to the hour. Is it not reasonable to conclude that the remaining three will likewise be so kept?
Yom Teruah is considered by many scholars to be the time that the Bride of Yeshua HaMashiach is taken away. I leave it to you to do your own study which is itself quite fascinating. When the Bride departs, the Ruach HaKodesh will leave also. The next Moed is Yom Kipper.
Yom Kippur, or “Day of Atonement” marks the end of the ten-day period of repentance following Yom Teruah (10 is the number for testing). Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. After this day, according to the sages of Jewish tradition, your name will be inscribed in either the Book of Life, or the Book of Death. Those who accept Yeshua as Messiah are inscribed in the Book of Life. (1 Thess 4:13-18; Phil 4:3; 1 Rev 3:5) Hopefully, that includes you.
Supposition: Jews and all others who have not accepted The Word of God Yeshua HaMashiach will have a time of testing after Yom Teruah. This will be the Great Tribulation. At this time the veil will be lifted from the eyes of the Jews and many will proclaim, “Baruch habba HaShem Adonai.” “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD.” (Luke 13:35). At the end of the time of testing, names will be inscribed in either the Book of Life, or the Book of Death. This is the final Yom Kippur.
All who have accepted Yeshua as Messiah are cleansed. They have been declared righteous by faith. Faith produces obedience. The “Kippur” of one who accepts Yeshua HaMashiach is His atoning sacrifice, His blood, His cleansing. For these, Yom Kippur has been satisfied so they may not boast.
What follows Yom Kippur is the millennial rein of the King; when He Tabernacles with His Bride. The Seventh Day.
Admittedly, I glossed over a lot; but . . .