The Day of Atonement

As a born-again Christian, I am sometimes asked why am I observing the Day of Atonement and other Jewish Holy Days (holidays).  Since the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) recently passed, I decided to write about it.  The Day of Atonement and other holy days that are observed primarily by Jews are not Jewish holidays.  Rather, they are times and dates ordained by God for His people to come before Him.  And I am one of His people.  For God is not the God of the Jews only but also the Gentiles (Romans 3:29).

Many Christians say that we don’t have to do these things because we are not under the law.  And it’s true, we are not under the law, but under grace.  However, Romans 14:5-6 gives us the freedom to do so or not.  It tells us that we are free to regard a certain day above others even as other persons may consider each day alike.  And the same is true when it comes to eating and fasting.  Each one should be convinced in his own mind because whatever we do, it is done to the Lord.

I do not seek atonement for my sins.  Christ Jesus, the Messiah, has already made atonement for that by His death on the cross.  But I seek discipline and consistency to live my life in a manner that is worthy of Him and to achieve His purposes for me.  The Day of Atonement is a day of discipline on which I fast and pray for myself, my family, friends and others; and away from vain, worldly pursuits and entertainments.  It is the day that I humble myself before God to examine what is out of alignment with Him.  A day to be at-one-ment with Him.  And it is my way of saying to God: “I am here at Your ordained time because I love You and I respect You. I wish to honor You. I’m grateful to You, and I need You.”

Observing Other Holy Days

Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles are two other holy days that I sometimes observe.  Unlike the major Christian holidays, these days are not tainted by marshmallow chicks, chocolate bunnies and colored eggs.  Nor are they overshadowed by the crass commercialism of merchants that excise the word Christmas while advertising the unnamed “holiday” sales, pushing purchases and presents. I’m not knocking the celebrations.  I know they are meant to celebrate the birth of Christ and His resurrection.  It’s just hard for me to see my Savior through all of that.

At Passover, however, I see and feel the heart of my Passover Lamb continually delivering me from spiritual bondages.  And I am mindful of His deliverance of Black Americans from slavery, even though I was not so enslaved.  By faith, I apply the Lamb’s blood to the doorposts and lintel of my heart and mind to remind me not only of His love for me, but mine for Him.  He is my Deliverer for everything and Protector from destruction.

In observing the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths, Sukkot, Ingathering), I see and acknowledge my Provider who shelters me from homelessness.  For I have had several occasions when that could have happened.  But God!  As God provided shelter, along with food, water and direction to those who wandered in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land, so He provides for me.  And I never want to take His provision and blessing for granted.

Daily Living and Maintenance

The road of life is neither straight nor obstacle-free. And daily living is a lot like driving a car.  Sometimes it’s uphill, sometimes down. We slam on brakes to avoid collisions with careless drivers; sometimes we are the careless driver.  We miss the right turn or freeway exit.  There is an unexpected detour and we get lost.  We drive through hot, dry and dusty areas; over nails and into potholes.  We skid on slick pavement and sometimes spin out of control.  All of these things impact us and contribute to misalignment.  You get the drift.

For as long as you drive the car, there is a drain on the anointed engine oil.  You will always need to do vehicle maintenance because of all the wear and tear.  And for me, observing The Day of Atonement is my time for a spiritual inspection, alignment and tune-up.  And I just love my Mechanic!

If you liked this article, you may also enjoy my article on the Ark of the Testimony and the Most Holy Place. Just click on the link here.    https://thekingdomquill.com/rediscovering-the-ark-of-the-testimony-and-the-most-holy-place/