Day of Atonement

Bible Passage:

Leviticus 23:27-28 [God commands the Day of Atonement].

 

Purpose:

We are to humble ourselves and have atonement made on our behalf for our sins [Leviticus 23:27-29; Numbers 29:7].

 

How to Observe:

To humble yourself on the Day of Atonement means to set someone else’s needs before your own and to give freedom to those in bondage or under a burden. Humbling yourself also means to help the poor, cover the naked, and to not seek the desires of the flesh [Isaiah 58:6-7].  

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The Day of Atonement is a day to be made clean. Physically, we bathe ourselves and wash our clothes that we will wear, to prepare ourselves for entering this solemn time. Spiritually, we are to confess our sins, humble ourselves before God, and accept Yeshua’s atonement for us, asking Him to cleanse us from any known and unknown sins [Leviticus 16:30; Hebrews 10:14; 1 John 3:3].

 

Confession and repentance of sins is important for the believer because if we do not, then we deny the Truth, and by living in sin, reject God [Romans 6:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8; Hebrews 10:26; 1 John 3:4-10].

 

To humble yourself on the Day of Atonement does not mean to bow your head in false humility, to wear uncomfortable clothes, to put ashes on yourself, or in any way try to be noticed for your humility [Isaiah 58:5; Matthew 6:16-18].  

 

Act:

Humble yourself before God, confess your sins verbally and in honesty (you can’t hide anything from God), repent from the way of sin and death, changing your lifestyle away from destructive thoughts and behaviors, and be cleansed by Yeshua’s atoning sacrifice.