Yom Kippur: A Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, is observed the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, September or early October in the secular calendar.

The first Yom Kippur took place after Moses returned from his second trip to Mt. Sinai with the replacement set of tablets containing the Ten Commandments. He had broken the original set when he returned the first time to discover the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf rather than G-d, who brought them out from Egypt.

Moses successfully pleaded with G-d on their behalf, and on the first of Elul, he ascended the mountain, this time for a second set of tablets. In Moses' absence, the nation fasted from sunrise to sunset.  Moses descended the mountain on the tenth of Tishri. Upon returning, Moses found the nation truly repentant and announced that G-d had forgiven them.  He decreed that the tenth of Tishri would remain a day of atonement for all generations.

Yom Kippur was so important that those who were not able to worship in Jerusalem spent the entire day in their local synagogues refraining from food and drink. Even those not religious, made an exception for Yom Kippur. For the many who did make the trek to Jerusalem, an awesome experience was waiting.

The crowd of worshipers, in awe of the moment, fell on the floor, and cried out in loud voices, "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuto Le'olam Va'ed," Blessed be the Name, the glory of His kingdom forever and ever, a phrase, that even today, is only said out loud on Yom Kippur.

The High Priest then walked over to two identical goats. Through a lottery, one goat was chosen as a sacrifice to G-d, and the other, a scapegoat, with red wool tied around its horns, was sent out into the wilderness, a symbol of the collective sins of the people. The young bullock was then slaughtered and its blood collected in a basin for later use.

Monday, October 2nd was another Day of Atonement.  Charles Carl Roberts IV went to the Amish schoolhouse in Bart, Pennsylvania.  Mr Roberts sent the young boys “out into the wilderness” and he kept the young innocent girls inside to be “slaughtered”.  I cannot imagine more “innocent young lambs” than young Amish school girls.  What a tragedy!  I think Almighty God is trying to “wake up all people” to the reality of sin on this Day of Atonement.

In Genesis 22: 8, Abraham said , “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering” KJV.  Here we see that God will provide Himself as the lamb;  this Lamb was Jesus Christ, Almighty God Himself!  Note that many modern translations say that “God will provide the lamb”.  That gives the idea that “God may go shopping to find a suitable lamb on someone’s nearby farm.  These translations take away the glory of Almighty God!  Amen.