Yom Kippur

Just outside the city walls, this man may be job or house hunting...or simply reading the news.

Tomorrow is Tishrei 10, Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement (or covering), on Yehovah Elohim's Calendar; October 5 on the Gregorian Calendar. Yom Kippur actually begins at sundown this evening and ends at sundown tomorrow evening. It is considered the holiest day of the year. Joseph Good explains that "in the days of the Temple, there was an elaborate ritual involving two goats, one to be slain and one to be led off into the wilderness, symbolically bearing away the people's sins. The blood of the slain goat was sprinkled before the mercy seat of G-d. This was the only day of the year that the inner portion of the Temple could be entered and only by the High Priest. At this time he came 'face to face' with G-d...Even as in this yearly ritual, the High Priest would sprinkle the assembled people for their cleansing, so will Messiah in his second coming do likewise. ("And I shall sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean - from all your filthiness and from all your idols I cleanse you." Ezekiel 36:25)

Although we do not know the exact year or minute when Yeshua Jesus will return, it is believed by many that His return will be on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the Holiest Day of the Year. For the past 40 days, and especially the past 10 days of Awe, practicing Jews have been observing Teshuvah (repent - return) and many intercessors across the world are in prayers of repentance, standing in the gap, for loved ones, churches and nations all over the world. This festival is not one of partying. It is one of solemnness. It is one of fasting and prayer. Joseph Good says, "At his second coming (Yom Kippur), Yeshua will reestablish his throne in Jerusalem, and all those who by faith have been gathered to him will also reign with him the remainder of the 1,000 years. Those that are vessels fit for destruction and those intermediates who have not by this time received haMashiach will lose their life."

Ministries of New Life has provided a Confessional from Torah/Tanakh/New Testament that is a valuable way to examine ourselves and repent (turn from our sins) any day of the year because 1 John 1:8 & 9 says, "If we say that we have no sin, we are misleading ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."Thank You, Messiah Jesus, haMashiach! For it is only through repentance of one's sins, and faith in the death and resurrection of Messiah Jesus (haMashiach) one is made righteous in the eyes of G-d and is written into the Book of Life.

Would you join me in confessing and repentance?

"May it be Your will, Yahveh our Elohim, and Elohim of our ancestors, to forgive all our sins, to pardon all our iniquities, and to cleanse us from all our sins. We have sinned against You through baseless hatred...and we have sinned against You by the hardening of our hearts. And for all these,

O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us!

For the sin we committed in Your sight, forcibly or willingly;

For the sin we committed against you with hard heartedness;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, without intention;

For the sin we committed against you by idle talk;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by lustful actions;

And for the sin we committed against you by offensive speech;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by oppressing others;

For the sin we committed against you by contempt for parents or teachers;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by lewd thinking;

For the sin we committed against you by insincere confession;

For the sin we committed in Your sight by violence;

For the sin we committed against you by defaming Your name;

For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us!

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by fraud and deception;

For the sin we committed against you by bribery;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by mocking;

For the sin we committed against you by slander;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by usury and interest;

For the sin we committed against you by pride;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by our manner of speech;

For the sin we committed against you by wanton glances;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by arrogance;

For the sin we committed against you by scornful defiance;

For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us atone, for us!

For the sin we committed in Your sight by shirking responsibility;

For the sin we committed against you in passing judgment;

For the sin we committed in Your sight by plotting against others;

For the sin we committed against you by gross selfishness;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by foolishness;

For the sin we committed against you by being stubborn;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by running to do evil;

For the sin we committed against you by tale-bearing;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by swearing falsely;

For the sin we committed against you by groundless hatred;

For the sin we committed in Your sight, by breach of trust;

For the sin we committed against you by a confused heart;

For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us!

For not listening to Your voice within us;

For denying the need of our soul;

For making this world a god;

For not doing ourselves justice;

For giving our money and withholding ourselves;

For shrugging our shoulders;

Forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement.

For passing blame on others, for using them for our own ends;

For not taking responsibility;

For calculating kindness and measuring our pity;

For charity that is cold and prayer without feeling;

For sins we committed against You, through evading and avoiding because we could not face the truth;

For our flight into hypocrisy and deception because we did not dare to speak it;

For feeding our bodies and starving our souls;

For interfering with the souls of others and neglecting their needs;

For the appeals we ignored and the people whom we refused;

For the affection which died and our love that became bitter;

For vision that faded, ideals we neglected, and opportunities we lost;

For the hoarding of grudges and insults, for refusing to let go;

For abandoning hope;

For fear of change and renewal;

For saying prayers aloud, but refusing to listen;

For being our own worst enemy.

For all these, O Elohim of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, atone for us!

Forgive us for all these sins, for we read of our Messiah,

"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our sins was on Him, and with His stripes we are healed."

"All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and Yahveh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

"For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to His Father, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim." Hebrews 9:13-14

Thank You, Messiah Jesus, Yeshua haMashiach!

(From Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come by Joseph Good and

Ministries of New Life's Restoring the Father's Teaching)