Yom Kippur

As the sun rose over the wilderness of East Jerusalem, I was struck by the silence it was leaving behind. The rising sun was welcoming all Jews to the day before Yom Kippur--the last day to atone for sins done to your fellow man. My friends and I looked on, gazing at the serenity of a sunrise over desert mountains. As we trekked to a lookout point facing the Old City, we once again were reminded of the nature of Yom Kippur: silent. We watched the sun hit the Old City; the Dome glowed and the walls, broad and tall, stood valiantly to face a new day.
It was the perfect way to start a day- 4:15 wake up call, becoming alarm clocks for sleepy boys, literally running to the top of the Mt. of Olives, and embracing the sunrise over the desert wilderness and the OC. And then coffee and parfaits with two of my dear friends, Amy and Amelia at Aroma Coffeeshop, followed by 1.5 Harry Potter movies... all before noon. This perfect day was continued with three games of Ultimate Frisbee, Skype date with Nathan and chatting with my Mom.
Finally, Shabbat brought in Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. On this day, Jews fast from all worldly pleasures to confess their sins to God. It is full of intensive prayer and multiple services in the synagogue. Jews pray for forgiveness for their past year and pray for a better year ahead; on Yom Kippur, Jews believe, God seals their fate for the next year, prosperous or difficult.

Psalm 51 is commonly read:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. ... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

As Christians, we remember that Jesus, once and for all, atoned for our sins. Jesus is the High Priest, the one that sacrifices on behalf of His people. We know that Jesus is the ultimate and final sacrifice. He is the only one that can atone for our sins because He prayed on behalf of His people; prayed and responded to the need of His people. Jesus gave us life because of His sacrifice.

"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

We have this this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 5-7
I could go on and on through Hebrews. If you want to fully understand Yom Kippur, read Leviticus 16 and then Hebrews. I am going to a synagogue later tonight, right before sundown, to hear of the salvation that God will bring to the Jews. The salvation we know has already come through Jesus Christ. Because of this knowledge we must constantly pray for God's mercy on His people; that he will uncover the veil blinding them from knowing the truth that is Jesus Christ. We must pray for our Jewish, Muslim, atheist, Buddhist, anything brothers and sisters. Jesus has atoned for their sins so they may walk in the light of life.

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.