Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement ...

Yom Kippur is the one day of the year when the High Priest of Israel would enter the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, to present a special sin offering to God for the people "because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins" (Lev 16:16). The High Priest would also symbolically place the sins of the people upon the head of a living goat (called azazel) and send the goat out into the wilderness (Lev 16:21). This day is of paramount importance to the Jewish people in the Scriptures due to the fact that Yom Kippur was "made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD" (Lev 16:30). The Yom Kippur sacrifices were repeated every year. The majority of Jewish people fast on this day based on the principle stated in Lev 23:27 to afflict/humble one's soul. This day now holds great significance for both Jewish and Gentile followers of the Messiah since He has provided "one sacrifice for sins for all time" (Hebrews 10:11-14).

Ways to celebrate:

Come together in a home or congregation to celebrate the fact that God has provided atonement for Jews and Gentiles once and for all in the Messiah Yeshua! Reading and discussing Leviticus 16 provides the necessary foundation for celebrating the final atonement in Messiah that we read about many places in the New Testament (especially the book of Hebrews). Fasting on Yom Kippur is fitting (and Biblical) in order to intensify our focus on the greatness of the freedom that God has provided for us in the Messiah. At the close of Yom Kippur, it is fun to come together in a home or congregation to have a "break the fast breakfast" by having a breakfast for dinner meal.