10 Days of Awe - Day 9
The day before Yom Kippur is Yom Tov, for although we stand prepared to be judged in the supernatural courtroom for our deeds of the passed year, we are confident that God is a merciful judge, and will decree a year of life, health and prosperity for us.
Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement") begins this evening at sunset. It is the holiest of days in the Hebrew calendar and is the climax of The Scriptures' High Holidays. This is a prophetic season regarding the Second Coming of Messiah and the final judgment. The Jews believe that back on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of the righteous were written in the Book of Life, and the destiny of the wicked were written in the Book of Death. As an act of grace, most people weren't inscribed in either book, but have been given the "Ten Days of Awe (Repentance)" to repent. On Yom Kippur everyone's name will then be sealed in one of the books. I don't know but, doesn't that have a feeling of Rapture-Tribulation? I mean, God's going to write in these guys that are blameless, but most everyone else gets a "grace-period"?
As Christians we have a permanent "sealing" by the grace and love of God given to us by Jesus, our Messiah (see Eph. 1:13, 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:21-22) and we should celebrate the work of Jesus as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews: 5:10, 6:20). The Old Testament model of sacrificial blood offered upon the altar to make atonement for our souls (Lev. 17:11) and the sacrifice of Isaac find their fulfillment with the Messiah (Rom. 5:11, 2 Cor. 5:21). Because of Jesus, we have a High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:6).
For personal reflection, consider these three models of the bride-groom: Adam, God, Christ. When I look back on the Book of Genesis, something always hits me when Adam takes the fruit from Eve. Think about it, these two cats were rollin' around Eden - chillin', talkin to the animals, eatin' fruit and veg, makin' love, whatever - for who knows how long before the serpent showed up! And they were literally glowing from communion with God (hence they were not naked). I can't imagine how much they had grown to love each other! It is my belief that Adam loved Eve SO MUCH, he wasn't going to allow her to suffer the fall alone. He saw everything that went-down with the serpent and he knew it was going to be bad. He consciously made the choice to join her because of his love for her. Adam is the first model of both Christ and the bride-groom we see in the scriptures.
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Exodus 34:14
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, Deuteronomy 5:9
God cannot be represented with any sort of image or artwork as he is absolutely unique and without equal in the universe. He is not part of the material universe but is Creator and Master over it, hence we don't need physical representations of Him. Just as Christians are the Bride of Christ, Israel is the bride of the Almighty. An Israelite engaging in idolatry is as a spouse engaging in adultery; just as a Christian betrays Christ by doing the same. God watches over Israel like a faithful husband watches over his beloved wife. Christ guards his people in the same way. Always remember that you have a very jealous husband that protects you.
For the Lord your God, Who is among you, is a jealous God
and His anger will burn against you…Deuteronomy 6:15
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for
Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” Zechariah 8:2
This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for
Jerusalem and Zion, but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.
Zechariah 1:14-15
Yom Kippur's most basic observance is a fast that begins at sunset and ends tomorrow evening at nightfall (a total of approximately 26 hours). During this time it is customary to abstain from food and drink in fulfillment of the biblical command (Leviticus 16:29). I've never seriously taken on a fast myself, but I'm going to try it this year. I think I'll be fine tomorrow, but I'm a "midnight eater". I don't eat much during the day, but I graze all night. I'll have a hard time with it when I get home this evening as my first instinct will be to hit the fridge.
Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement") begins this evening at sunset. It is the holiest of days in the Hebrew calendar and is the climax of The Scriptures' High Holidays. This is a prophetic season regarding the Second Coming of Messiah and the final judgment. The Jews believe that back on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of the righteous were written in the Book of Life, and the destiny of the wicked were written in the Book of Death. As an act of grace, most people weren't inscribed in either book, but have been given the "Ten Days of Awe (Repentance)" to repent. On Yom Kippur everyone's name will then be sealed in one of the books. I don't know but, doesn't that have a feeling of Rapture-Tribulation? I mean, God's going to write in these guys that are blameless, but most everyone else gets a "grace-period"?
As Christians we have a permanent "sealing" by the grace and love of God given to us by Jesus, our Messiah (see Eph. 1:13, 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:21-22) and we should celebrate the work of Jesus as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews: 5:10, 6:20). The Old Testament model of sacrificial blood offered upon the altar to make atonement for our souls (Lev. 17:11) and the sacrifice of Isaac find their fulfillment with the Messiah (Rom. 5:11, 2 Cor. 5:21). Because of Jesus, we have a High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:6).
For personal reflection, consider these three models of the bride-groom: Adam, God, Christ. When I look back on the Book of Genesis, something always hits me when Adam takes the fruit from Eve. Think about it, these two cats were rollin' around Eden - chillin', talkin to the animals, eatin' fruit and veg, makin' love, whatever - for who knows how long before the serpent showed up! And they were literally glowing from communion with God (hence they were not naked). I can't imagine how much they had grown to love each other! It is my belief that Adam loved Eve SO MUCH, he wasn't going to allow her to suffer the fall alone. He saw everything that went-down with the serpent and he knew it was going to be bad. He consciously made the choice to join her because of his love for her. Adam is the first model of both Christ and the bride-groom we see in the scriptures.
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Exodus 34:14
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, Deuteronomy 5:9
God cannot be represented with any sort of image or artwork as he is absolutely unique and without equal in the universe. He is not part of the material universe but is Creator and Master over it, hence we don't need physical representations of Him. Just as Christians are the Bride of Christ, Israel is the bride of the Almighty. An Israelite engaging in idolatry is as a spouse engaging in adultery; just as a Christian betrays Christ by doing the same. God watches over Israel like a faithful husband watches over his beloved wife. Christ guards his people in the same way. Always remember that you have a very jealous husband that protects you.
For the Lord your God, Who is among you, is a jealous God
and His anger will burn against you…Deuteronomy 6:15
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for
Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” Zechariah 8:2
This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for
Jerusalem and Zion, but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.
Zechariah 1:14-15
Yom Kippur's most basic observance is a fast that begins at sunset and ends tomorrow evening at nightfall (a total of approximately 26 hours). During this time it is customary to abstain from food and drink in fulfillment of the biblical command (Leviticus 16:29). I've never seriously taken on a fast myself, but I'm going to try it this year. I think I'll be fine tomorrow, but I'm a "midnight eater". I don't eat much during the day, but I graze all night. I'll have a hard time with it when I get home this evening as my first instinct will be to hit the fridge.