This moed/appointed time, is so important that Hebrews 9:6-12 reminds us of the command in Vayikra/Leviticus 23:26-32. On the 10th day of the 7th month. Yom Kippur or Yom haKipuriym/ Day of the Atonements is without question the holiest day on the calendar in Israel. Like the 7th day of each week/Shabbat, Yom haKippuriym is a Shabbat shabaton, a day to rest completely and to not do any kind of work. This day is only one time every year on the 10th of the 7th month and it always begins the night prior.
When we say the word ‘feast’, we think of a sumptuous meal and rejoicing however, this appointed time/moed, is primarily a holy one and we are encouraged to do the opposite by denying the fleshly carnal nature, to ‘deny oneself’ or ‘afflict one’s soul’. This is for us to take the time to reflect and meditate on the fact that without the atonement and forgiveness of sin we are without hope. When the Temple still existed the High Priest/Cohen haGadol, performed the atonements for himself, the altar, the tabernacle, and the whole community of Israel, at this moed the people participate by not participating in any of the proceedings. They were restricted and prohibited from coming near the holy place on this day and instead were to deny their own existence. They were in essence to cease to be on this day by not even allowing themselves food and water, the basic needs for life.
Today however, we as believers in Messiah Yeshua haMashiach /Jesus Christ, find our fulfillment in Him in the same way as we understand the moed of Pesach/Passover. Messiah is both our High Priest/Cohen haGadol and our sacrificial lamb, He atoned for us once and for all and is continually making intercession for us before our Heavenly Father. Hebrews 7. Messiah does not need to make sacrifices for Himself and for us every year in order to atone for our sins, because He has already accomplished that over 2000 years ago, and this stands forever, an eternal sacrifice that never needs to be repeated.
To be clear, denying our fleshly carnal life on this day does not help or enhance our atonement but it does allow us to become seriously aware of our own mortality and sin, and the critical need for atonement through the shed blood of Yeshua haMashiach/ Jesus Christ. This deep reflection should help us to appreciate the enormity of His sacrifice as He willingly denied His own life for each of us. For the people of Israel the sanctity and holiness of this moed cannot be over emphasized; we are encouraged to be thoughtful, repentant, humble, and dead to ourselves.
On this day we are to remember that we are alive and have breath only because our Heavenly Father has chosen that we can; and that should He decide He has the power to take it away, we are only promised today. Although we rejoice in the eternal atonement through Messiah, it’s a day to not forget what He has done for us and to keep these thoughts in the forefront of our minds, that without the Lord, we are truly dead, BUT through Messiah’s atoning Blood and His intercession as our eternal High Priest of the renewed covenant we are truly alive forevermore.
Links are on Homepage for earlier posts containing more details on this subject:
https://www.minimannamoments.com
under the title 7 FESTIVALS/APPOINTED TIMES/FEASTS
e.g. https://www.minimannamoments.com/at-one-ment-with-the-one-you-love/
You must be logged in to post a comment.