Yom Kippur was a Day of Repentance, Fasting & Sacrifice
Intro: Well morning friends and visitors. My name is Matt Johnson and today we are doing a special one-off sermon for YOM KIPPUR – the Jewish Day of Atonement which fell on Thursday 2nd October this week…
Prayer: Well friends in Jewish terms – Yom Kippur is as significant for Jews as Christmas and Easter are for us. And I believe it is important for Gentile Christians to have some understanding of the Jewish festivals because they give us a wonderful opportunity to share Jesus with Jewish people.
Now it is important that we understand the Jewish festivals a little bit because we are a church that supports JEWS FOR JESUS. (Slide 2). This is A PICTURE of the Jews for Jesus website and I’d recommend having a look because I think Gentile Christians are often very ignorant about mission to Jewish people. Jews for Jesus is a Christian organization that shares THE GOOD NEWS of Jesus with Jewish people all around the world.
Sadly, when Jesus came to earth the first time – a lot of Jews didn’t believe in him as their Messiah. INSTEAD, the Jewish Sanhedrin handed Jesus over to death and then they began to persecute the early church (because they saw the church as a religious threat). The early Gentile church then responded by accusing the Jews of Deicide. The Jews were the evil people who killed God’s Son. THE GENTILE CHURCH then supported many atrocities against the Jews. THIS MEANS from the earliest days of the church there has been BAD BLOOD between Gentile Christians and Jewish people. This is tragic.
The truth is all people, including the Jews, need to believe in Jesus in order to be saved. THE APOSTLE PAUL wrote that he longed for the salvation of the Jews. In Romans 1 Paul writes the gospel is first for the Jews and then for the Gentiles. So, I believe Gentile Christians should have a sincere interest in the Jews and their salvation.
Now until fairly recently, JEWS FOR JESUS prioritised placing Jewish missionaries in New York, Sydney, France, England and Canada. This was because Jewish people were scattered all around the world because of the Diaspora. But after 1948, when Israel was given back the Promised Land – the Jewish government invited all the Jews (around the world) to return to Israel. This return to Israel is called “ALIYAH”. So JEWS FOR JESUS is now placing more and more missionaries in Israel to share the good news of Jesus with Jewish people. This has led to more CHRISTIAN CHURCHES in Israel AND that is a good thing because we want to see Jewish people know Jesus is their Messiah.
FINALLY, I think it is important that Gentile Christians also think very carefully about our attitudes towards Jewish people because of recent antisemitic events. As you know Hamas (which is a terrorist organization) attacked Israel in 2023. This then led to a terrible war in Palestine that everyone wants to end and rightly so. BUT HAMAS has still not released all the hostages. SO, ISRAEL has continued the war in order to remove Hamas from power in Palestine. Now whatever you think is the POLITICAL SOLUTION to this problem I’d say it’s profoundly complicated. But sadly, this war has led to a rise in ANTISEMITISM yet again. Jewish people are scared. And the way we Gentile Christians SPEAK and ACT either supports the ministry of Jews for Jesus or it hinders the ministry of Jews for Jesus. So I am not telling you what your POLITICAL POSITION on this war should be. But I am saying that as a church who loves Bob Mendehlsoh and supports Jews for Jesus – antisemitism has no place in our community.
So, I am speaking today about one of the major Jewish festivals BECAUSE understanding reduces prejudice AND increases gospel opportunity…
Point 1: Yom Kippur is One of Seven Holy Festivals on Israel’s Calendar
Show: Lev.16:29-31 (READ)
Explain: Well as you can see – the Day of Atonement was to happen on the 10th day of Israel’s SEVENTH month each year. This 7th month was called TISHREI and it occurs in September, October on our calendar. (This year YOM KIPPUR fell on the 2nd October). Now the word YOM in Hebrew means DAY and the word KIPPUR means to atone or to cover something. So Yom Kippur means Day of Atonement. And on this day – all the Jews had to come to Jerusalem to CONFESS their sins and make SACRIFICE for their sins. It was a very solemn day.
Now this is ONE OF SEVEN special Jewish festivals that the Jews kept each year. I’ll show you (Slide 5 – Read/Explain). FIRST PASSOVER was a festival that remembered Gods salvation from Egypt. In 1500BC the Jews were slaves in Egypt. But God told Moses he would set the Jews free. God told Moses THE ANGEL OF DEATH was coming and every first born child in every home would die. But God told Moses if the Jews sacrificed a perfect lamb and ate its meat – their firstborn child would be saved. So the Jews obeyed God and they were ok. But every first born child in every Egyptian home then died. Pharoah was so upset he then let all the Jews go free on the 15th Day of Nissan. So the 15th day of Nissan became the beginning of the Jewish calendar year and it was CELEBRATED in remembrance of Gods salvation. But the Passover is also the day JESUS DIED on the cross for our sins. Jesus was our Passover Lamb. So when Christians stop on GOOD FRIDAY to remember Jesus’ death – we are kind of keeping the Passover.
The second festival FIRSTFRUITS marked the beginning of the Spring harvest of BARLEY. It was celebrated on the first Sunday after Passover. But this is also the day Jesus rose from the dead as the firstfruits of the new creation. So when Christians celebrate Easter Sunday we are kind of keeping the festival of firstfruits.
The third festival was FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD. This was a week long festival that began straight after Passover. During this week the Jews had to remove all the LEAVEN from their home AND eat ONLY unleavened bread. This symbolised the Jews removing sin and wickedness from their lives in response to Gods salvation (from Egypt). But Christians are also called to keep the festival of unleavened bread in response to Gods salvation in Jesus, Let me show you (Slide 6; 1Cor.5;7-8) So Christians spiritually keep THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD when we remove malice and wickedness from our lives in response to Jesus salvation.
Now exactly, 50 days after the Sabbath of Passover week there was the Jewish festival of PENTECOST or SHAVUOT. Shavuot marked the end of the wheat harvest. So all the Jews stopped at the end of Spring to thank God for the harvest. On this day the Jews also thanked God for giving them the Mosaic Law. NOW INCREDIBLY PENTECOST OR SHAVUOT is also the exact same day the Holy Spirit was given to Christians in the book of Acts. So Christians now also have special Pentecost Church services (usually in May) to thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. So Christians still kind of keep THE FIRST FOUR Jewish festivals…
Now several months later (around the end of September) there would be three more festivals in close proximity to each other. THIS SECOND GROUP of festivals marked the beginning of THE JEWISH CIVIL YEAR. Like Australia – the Jews had two New Years. The end of the calendar year in Australia is December 31. But the end of the financial year (when we lodge our tax returns) is June 30. Well the Jews also had two new years exactly 6 months apart. The calendar year began in Nisan with 1.5 weeks of festivals in March-April. But the civil, business year began with 2.5 weeks of festivals in September-October. Sabbath years, Jubillee years and dates for cancelling debt and freeing slaves were all counted from the beginning of the civil year.
So every seventh year – slaves would be set free, debts cancelled and the land would enter its Sabbath rest at the feast of trumpets. Now God commanded SABBATH REST on this day. You couldn’t work. THE PROBLEM was no one knew exactly when the feast of trumpets would begin. The feast of trumpets came like a thief in the night.
LET ME EXPLAIN. The Feast of Trumpets is the ONLY JEWISH FESTIVAL that fell on the first day of a Jewish month. But this caused uncertainty about the exact day. You see, the Jewish year follows a lunar calendar. But a moons full phase technically happens every 29.5 days. So the end of a Jewish month and the beginning of the next month was a little bit variable. The sixth month would sometimes have 29, 30 or even 31 days in it. But the second a new crescent moon was spotted by the watchmen – the Jewish leaders would then sound the Trumpets telling everyone to stop work because it’s now Sabbath rest. So the Jews didn’t know the exact day or hour when the Feast of Trumpets would begin. They just had to be ready. So, the Feast of Trumpets is often associated with THE RETURN OF JESUS because we don’t know the day or hour of his return. Like the Feast of Trumpets, Jesus will come like A THIEF IN THE NIGHT and we just have to be ready to enter into Gods Sabbath rest the minute the last trumpet blows. So Christians who are watching and waiting for the last trumpet heralding Jesus’ return are kind of keeping the feast of trumpets as well. We are waiting for the Archangels trumpet call.
Now the festival of trumpets on the 1st day of Tishrei then led into 10 days that were called THE DAYS OF AWE. BETWEEN Trumpets and Yom Kippur their were 10 days for 1) self-reflection, 2) confession of sin and 3) making restitution to anyone you wronged in the previous 12 months. Then the 10th Day would be the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. Once a year – on this special day – the great High Priest of Israel would go into the Holy of Holies in the Temple and offer a special sacrifice for Israel’s sin.
Now in the New Testament (in the sermon on the Mount) JESUS SAYS that if you are going to offer your sacrifice at the temple and on the way you remember your brother has something against you – first go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matt.5:23-24). This idea came from the Day of Atonement. The idea was A) you couldn’t ask God for forgiveness without B) first apologising and making restitution with those you had wronged. So during the Days of Awe the Jews would all be running around trying to make amends with family and friends BEFORE they came to the temple on the 10th Day asking God for forgiveness of their sins.
Now let me show you the sort of prayer that was prayed by the Jews at Yom Kippur (Slide 8; Prayer). Most Jews would have prayed this prayer on Thursday this week. It’s called the AVINU MALKEINU and it is like a SINNERS PRAYER. The Jews prayed this prayer trusting in the High priests sacrifice for sin. Christians pray prayers like this trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin. THE PROBLEM is modern Jews no longer have a temple or a high priest to make sacrifices anymore. So during the festival of Yom Kippur – CHRISTIANS have a wonderful opportunity to explain the good news of Jesus. You could even invite a Jewish person to pray the Avinu Malkeinu trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and I believe they would be saved. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to explain the gospel in Jewish terms.
Now straight after the High priest MADE SACRIFICE for sin at Yom Kippur he would TELL THE PEOPLE that if 1) they truly repented, 2) made restitution and 3) sincerely prayed the Avinu Malkeinu their names were now written in the Book of Life. Its part of their liturgy each year. But likewise, CHRISTIANS believe that if we 1) truly repent of our sins, 2) pray a sinners prayer and 3) trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for sin OUR NAMES are also written into the book of life, not just for one year, but for all eternity. This all comes from Yom Kippur.
Now the seventh festival is called TABERNACLES. Five days after Yom Kippur on the 15th Tishrei – the Jews start a week long festival called TABERNACLES. It starts this Tuesday the 7th October. And during this week – the Jews are all meant to go camping. Like Aussie bogans who go camping by the sea each Christmas, the Jews are meant to live in tents for entire Feast of Tabernacles. THE POINT WAS – if the Jews were 1) ready at the Feast of Trumpets, 2) truly repented in the Days of Awe, 3) prayed the Avinu Malkeinu and 4) God accepted their sacrifice on Yom Kippur – THEN God and man could tabernacle and live together for another 12 months. Of course, this is also true in Christianity. When we truly repent of our wrongdoing, trust in Jesus’ death for our sins and say a sinners prayer like Avinu Malkeinu – God comes and tabernacles with us by the Holy Spirit. The big difference is the Holy Spirit is actually with us personally and one day we will see God face to face – forever.
Apply: The point is – THE SEVEN Jewish festivals kind of tell the gospel story of Jesus. And if you know a little bit about the Jewish festivals there are all sorts of wonderful opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with Jewish people. Now some Christians believe the TWO HALVES of the Jewish calendar year also point to Jesus’ first coming and then his second coming. We know Jesus clearly fulfilled THE FIRST FOUR FESTIVALS at his first coming. But many Christians believe the trumpets, the book of life being opened AND God truly tabernacling with His people forever – will ultimately be fulfilled when Jesus returns. So I hope you can see that ALL SEVEN of the Jewish festivals (that Jews still keep each year) – point to Jesus and are fulfilled in Jesus. So lets now zoom in on the Day of Atonement.
Point 2: Yom Kippur was about Taking Away Gods Wrath at Sin
Show: Lev.16:15-16 (READ)
Explain: Well please notice the word ATONEMENT occurs 16x in this passage. The Hebrew word is “Kippur” (as in Yom Kippur) and it means to cover, to take away or to purge the guilt of sin. The point is sin is a problem for Gods relationship with man. When we sin and disobey God it makes God angry. God is personally offended by your sin and what God should do is punish you for your sin. But God knows that if he pours out his anger and wrath upon you it will destroy you.
So on Yom Kippur TWO GOATS were chosen to fix the problem of sin. The first goat was the SIN OFFERING. Basically, all Gods anger at sin would fall upon the goat instead of the people. So, the first goat would die instead of the people. Then THE HIGH PRIEST would go into the holy of holies and sprinkle the goats blood on the top of the Ark of Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant contained the ten Commandments written by Moses. And the high priest was basically saying to God – “I know your people have broken your laws. I know they deserve to die. But please accept the blood of this goat as a sacrifice for their sins.” Now if God accepted the sacrifice – the high priest would come back out of the holy of holies and tell the people you’ve all been forgiven. Your names are in GODS BOOK OF LIFE for another 12 months.
Apply: Now this was really pointing to Jesus. (GOSPEL) THE NEW TESTAMENT makes it clear that Jesus is both A) the high priest and B) offering for sin. When Jesus died on the cross – he was like THE FIRST GOAT at Yom Kippur. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for his people’s sins. And all Gods anger and wrath at your sin, was poured out on Jesus upon the cross, so you can be spared. Jesus did this for you because he loves you. Then, after Jesus 1) rose from the dead and 2)ascended into heaven he sprinkled his blood in Gods heavenly throneroom. In doing this Jesus was acting as our HIGH PRIEST. Jesus was asking God the Father to accept his sacrifice on the cross as a full and final payment for everything we have done wrong.
The coming of the Holy Spirit – was then like 1) Jesus coming out of the Holy of Holies declaring the sacrifice has been accepted AND 2) that everyone who repents and believes can now tabernacle with God forever. Now the New Testament calls the taking away of Gods anger – PROPITIATION (Slide 11 – READ). This is what the first goat did for the Jews and this is what Jesus did for us at the cross. But this brings us to THE SECOND GOAT – the scapegoat.
Point 3: Yom Kippur was about Taking away the Problem of Sin
Show: Lev.16:20-22 (Slides 12-13; READ).
Explain: Well the SECOND GOAT is called the scapegoat. After all the people 1) confessed their sins and 2) God accepted the first goat as a sin offering – 3) then the high priest would symbolically lay on the scapegoat all the sin of the people. What he was doing was transferring all the GUILT and SHAME of the people onto the goat. Then the goat would be sent far, far out into the desert to die. The New Testament talks about this idea as EXPIATION. (Slide 11 – READ) Expiation takes away the guilt and shame caused by sin. It fixes the problem on man’s side.
Now the Jews believed the scapegoat was being given to an evil spirit called AZAZAEL who lived in the desert. AZAZAEL was like the accuser of the Gods people. He was a fallen angel like Satan. But instead of the evil spirit condemning the Jews for their sin, the evil spirit ended up with condemned a goat. It was like God checkmated Satan. The evil spirit laid claim to the Jews because of their sin. But through propitiation and expiation the evil spirit ended up with a goat, instead of Gods people.
Now again, Jesus kind of fulfills the role of the scapegoat at HIS BAPTISM. Directly before Jesus’ baptism – lots of Jews come to John the Baptist – confessing their sin. Now John the Baptist was A PRIEST. His dad Zechariah worked in the temple. So after all the Jews confess their sin to John and get baptised, Jesus also comes forward to get baptised. But Jesus has no sin to confess.
So John symbolically lays his hands on Jesus AND transfers all the guilt of the people onto Jesus as he gets baptised. Then, straight after Jesus’ baptism John says to the people “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn.1:29). What John the Baptist is saying is that Jesus is like the scapegoat on Yom Kippur. He is the one taking away their sins. Then Jesus goes into the wilderness where he is tormented by Satan. Instead of getting Gods people who confess their sins, Satan ended up getting Jesus. But Jesus is too powerful for Satan and Satan can’t tempt him or destroy him.
Apply: Friends, I hope you can see JESUS is not only fulfilling every Jewish festival, Jesus is also the great high priest, the sin-offering and the scapegoat on Yom Kippur. He is the hope and dreams of Israel. But they struggle to see it – because God has put a veil over their eyes (for a time), so that we dirty, dirty Gentiles can be saved. But God is now opening their eyes to this truth. More and more Messianic Jewish churches are forming both in Australia and in Israel. So before you shout from the rooftops you are PRO-PALESTINE, please begin by telling Jewish people, you are PRO-JESUS. Love your neighbour as yourself and help them to see Jesus in their own festivals – for we know God’s heart is that all Israel may be saved. Let me pray.