Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Most Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is upon us. Beginning tomorrow evening, Yom Kippur marks the holiest of all holy days on the Hebrew calendar. It is the anniversary of the fall of man and it is the climax of the time of Teshuvah (repentance). Starting tonight night and into Thursday, all around the world, the religious will fast from food and water and read prayers in the synagogue, as will the majority of traditional Jews.
Atonement means "covering". On this day, according to the Scriptures, the High Priest would slay a goat and sprinkle its blood on the Ark of the Covenant so that the sins of the people might be cleansed and they could have favor in the sight of God. This act was clearly a foreshadowing of the covering that would come when Messiah would die for our sins, our perfect and innocent Lamb.
Today, there are no more sacrifices and no more Temple. Yet the religious are convinced that their sins will be atoned for by doing their best to keep the law and doing good works. Sadly, there is only one recipe for true atonement -- trusting in the One of whom was prophesied long, long ago -- Yeshua haMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. His blood has covered over all of us who believe so that our sins might be washed away, that we might have favor in the sight of God and that we might have our names inscribed in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Let's take some time to repent and get right with the Lord, ourselves -- allow the Lord to reveal our sins, both known and unknown. Perhaps God will call you to fast and pray along with us for Israel as well. We look forward to the wonderful day when ALL Israel shall be saved!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]As we approach the New Year, we’re back to making New Year’s resolutions … but this year is a bit different, since it’s not only a New Year but a New Decade! During the past ten years we’ve seen such radical changes in our society; the definition of marriage, millennia-old norms of gender identity, bath and locker-room privacy, have all been affected by court decisions as a sea change in social mores has swept through the western world. People of Biblical faith are witnessing the fulfillment of Isaiah’s warning, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” [Isaiah 5:20]
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