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Happy Yom Kippur or G’Mar Chatima Tova

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What is Yom Kippur? The Bible refers to it as the Day of Atonement or becoming “at-one-in a moment” with God. An article on the website of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews reminds us, in more detail, why Yom Kippur was instituted by God. It states: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year and is the culmination of the High Holy Days. In 2025, the observance of Yom Kippur starts at sunset on October 1 and concludes on the evening of October 2. In Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur marks the final opportunity to repent before God before the Book of Life is sealed for another year. This day marks the culmination of the High Holy Days or Ten Days of Repentance, which began ten days earlier with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year or, as the Bible describes it, the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” The Bible states, “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance” (Leviticus 16:29–32).

The Yom Kippur Goats: “Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats — one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.” — (Leviticus 16:7–8) Today, Yom Kippur is marked with a day of fasting and worship in the synagogue. However, when the Temple stood, the people observed an elaborate service, culminating when a red thread representing the sins of Israel would miraculously turn white when they were forgiven. The service that once took place in the Temple was based on the commandments regarding two goats. Today, we only read about that service; however, it is imperative that we understand the meaning behind this ritual. Once we do, we can still benefit from the message. The Bible instructed the High Priest to select two goats and then cast lots to determine each one’s fate. By way of the lots, God would determine which goat would be consecrated to Him and which would become the scapegoat sent into the desert to die. The commandment required that the two goats be identical in appearance, size, and value. These goats would look like twins – the same on the outside – but their destinies would be completely different.

Identical Twins: 2000 years ago mankind’s Identitical Twin, Jesus, came to earth to die in our place, as our substitute. In Matthew 27:15-17, 21-26 the Apostle records an interesting “coincidence”: Now at the Feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free for the people any one prisoner whom they chose.16And at that time they had a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas. 17So when they had assembled for this purpose, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to set free for you, Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?…Again the governor said to them, Which of the two do you wish me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas! 22 Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with Jesus Who is called Christ? 23They all replied, Let Him be crucified! And he said, Why? What has He done that is evil? But they shouted all the louder, Let Him be crucified! 24 So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying, I am not guilty of nor responsible for this righteous Man’s blood; see to it yourselves.25 And all the people answered, Let His blood be on us and on our children! 26So he set free for them Barabbas; and he [had] Jesus whipped, and delivered Him up to be crucified. – Obviously it was no coincidence that Jesus, the True Son of God, took the place of Barabbas. Why do I say this? Barabbas’ name translated from Aramaic means, “son of the Father.” But note one more interesting detail in verse 25: Let His blood be on us and on our children! At Yom Kippur the blood of the sacrificial goat was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, in front of it, and on the horns of bronze altar….in the outer court. (Where was the Ark of the Covenant supposed to be? In the Temple in Jerusalem) Where was Jesus sacrificed? Outside the city gates of Jerusalem. On the “horns” of a cross.

Jesus, our Identical Twin, and Scapegoat, took the place of us goats preparing a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. On this day we celebrate the sacrifice He paid on our behalf 2000 years ago, at Passover. Remember His Sacrifice that made all who will trust in, and receive it – the righteousness of God! From Goats, to sheep, to the righteousness of God! How? Because His Blood is on us! It’s time to give thanks and overflow with it throughout the day.

Hide and Seek

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A pastor phoned the home of some recent visitors to his church, and a voice on the other end of the phone answered with a whispered “Hello.” The pastor said, “Who is this?” The whisperer said, “Jimmy.”  The pastor said, “How old are you, Jimmy?”  “Four.”  “Well, Jimmy, can I please speak to your mom?”  “She’s busy.” “Well then, Jimmy, can I please speak to your dad?”  “He’s busy.” “Jimmy, are there any other adults in your home?” “The police.” “Can I speak to one of the police officers?”  “They’re busy.” “Jimmy, who else is there?” “Firemen.” “Well, Jimmy, can you put one of the firemen on the phone?” “They’re all busy.” “Jimmy, what are they all busy doing?” “They’re busy looking for me.”

1 Timothy 6:16 states: Who alone has immortality [in the sense of exemption from every kind of death] and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honor and everlasting power and dominion. Amen (so be it). On the other hand Psalm 18:11 He made darkness His secret hiding place; as His pavilion (His canopy) round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about Him [as at Sinai]; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

On the surface this appears to be a contradiction. God dwells in unapproachable light, and clouds and darkness surround Him? Which one is it? It’s actually both. One describes the manifestation of God – the Light, and the other the hiddenness of God – the Dark. We’ve been exploring meeting Jesus outside the camp through prayer and seeking. Yet one aspect of the seeking is to realize that you will eventually have to encounter the horrors of the cross. Scripture records that It was now about the sixth hour (midday), and darkness enveloped the whole land and earth until the ninth hour (about three o’clock in the afternoon), While the sun’s light faded or was darkened; and the curtain [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit! And with these words, He expired. (Luke 23:44-46)

Jesus found Himself in the darkness. What’s more, Matthews Gospel records what Jesus was experiencing: Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o’clock). And about the ninth hour (three o’clock) Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?—that is, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me [leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need]? (Matthew 27:45-46) Jesus was experiencing what some would call separation from God as the sacrificial Lamb of God, took on the sins of all mankind. This is a great mystery. How can Jesus, the Second Person, be separated from the Godhead? He can’t – but His flesh, soul, or carnal man can. His soul man felt the estrangement, but it is my belief that His Spirit Man knew where the Father dwelt. And it is through His Spirit Man that He prevailed by faith over His soul, or flesh.

Graham Cooke has spoken, and written extensively, on the hiddenness and manifestation of God. He states: A key part of God’s nature is the fact that He moves in two ways: hiddenness and manifestation. When we come to terms with this truth, we are set free spiritually to ebb and flow with whatever God is doing. We begin to acknowledge that there are times when God reveals Himself to us and times when he hides. And he has reasons for doing both. I think we all love times of manifestation. I love it when God is right in my face, speaking into everything He can.  But for every time of manifestation, there is a season of hiddenness, where God seems to move away from us. When God hides from us, He is trying to draw us into His presence. So while manifestation takes place in our reality; hiddenness happens in His. And hiddenness is what draws us into a new place in the Spirit.

If, and when, you are experience what St. John of the Cross called the Dark Night of the Soul (La noche oscura del alma) – know that your spirit man (or woman) is being drawn to where Jesus is. The conscious awareness of separation, or distance from God, is simply God’s way of making you aware that He is drawing you to where He is. It’s this understanding that allows you to cooperate with God instead of fighting Him off through it. Understanding is the key to growing through this process, and faith is the handle that will pull you through to the other side.