09/29/2017
Why do Messianic Jews observe Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is almost upon us. For most Jews, this is a day when they are finishing their prayers for forgiveness to be sealed in the Book Of Life, but it is only good until they sin again. Unfortunately, it is too easy to sin and the cycle begins again, usually the next day. Remember, the next day starts at sundown, so we're actually talking just a very short period of time.
The actual sin does not matter, nor does the motivation for the sin. The best of intentions can still allow for a lack of trust in the Lord to make things right, and thus lead to sin; and the most law abiding can sin by failing to choose love first.
For Jews, choosing love above the law is not something that is taught very often, if ever. Instead, Jews are taught from birth that following the law leads to love. Yet they still have an emptiness within, because they are not taught about Isaiah, especially chapters 52 through 55, but specifically 53. Even a child born during Cheshvan will not find Isaiah 53 in their haftorot reading for their b'mitzvot. Jews simply do not know they have it backwards, that Love frees us from condemnation under the Law.
When Yeshua fulfilled the prophecies in Isaiah, the Law became the servant of people again, rather than its ruler. Yeshua broke the chains of slavery to partially understood and misapplied interpretations of torah, and provided freedom from the ever-present cycle so evident in Yom Kippur of failing to live up to the impossible heights of the law.
Jews that believe that Yeshua is the prophesied Messiah are, in general, referred to as Messianic Jews even though all Jews believe in a Messiah. The difference is that most Jews believe in an earthly Messiah who will rule them as an earthly king against the other earthly kings. Messianic Jews have come to accept and understand that the prophecies concerning the Messiah are all fulfilled in Yeshua, including the ones that are not taught by the rabbis in the synagogue but still exist in the TaNaCh.
When a Jew finally comes to accept that Yeshua is the prophesied Messiah of old, he is written in the Book of LIfe forever, just as is any gentile. Since Jews are normally sealed into the Book of Life at Yom Kippur, this acceptance of Yeshua as The Messiah is an eternal Yom Kippur - a day that lasts for eternity.
If someone is written permanently and forever in the Book of LIfe, why observe the commandments as given to Moses and written by him on the Day of Atonement? Why observe these commandments if the eternal Atonement has already been made by Yeshua?
The answer is in the scripture. Leviticus 16:2 - 31 (NASB): "This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute."
Jews do not stop being Jews when they accept that Yeshua is the promised Messiah. That concept is one originally conceived by Christians hundreds of years after Yeshua's resurrection and even later borrowed by rabbis. It is false, and against the precepts laid out in Torah, TaNaCh, and the B'rit Chadashah. Because this statute as laid out in Leviticus, is permanent, Messianic Jews still observe the commandment.
What does it mean for a Messianic Jew when they observe this commandment? A Messianic Jew will do their best to remember their sins, so that they can be atoned for when Yom Kippur is over; they will humble themselves, afflicting their souls through fasting and prayer in order to seek the will of Adonai, and align themselves with His will; they will use the day not just to do no work, but often they will spend it in corporate prayer with the rest of their synagogue, to share the burden of affliction, and thereby wear the lighter yoke of Yeshua.
Messianic Jews are cleansed in the atonement of Yeshua, but this does not stop sin from occurring in their lives. They, too, need to remember their sins in order to perform tushuvah, to make restitution, and turn from their ways. It is only through teshuva and the overriding, loving gift of permanent atoning sacrifice by Yeshua that the chains of the law can be broken and turned.
Jews who do not know Yeshua as Messiah live in constant fear. There is no hope of redemption outside of Yom Kippur, and if they live through Yom Kippur, then they are "safe". The problem lies in that first sin. There is no temple in which they can perform the necessary sacrifices, and so they are taught to sacrifice in other ways by the rabbis, even though this is in contradiction to Torah and TaNaCh. In their hearts, they know this. Because they are no longer safe, they live in constant fear that they will die before the next Yom Kippur, when they can be free again, if only for a short while.
Jews and gentiles who do know Yeshua as Messiah do not have this fear. This fear is removed forever in Yeshua's atoning sacrifice and resurrection three full days later. Instead of condemnation, Yeshua has provided a permanent means of safety, and Messianic Jews are able to be convicted, which Gracefully leads and points back to the Lord through forgiveness and teshuvah.
If you do not believe the Messiah is Yeshua, we here at the Messianic Minyan encourage you to read Isaiah 53, and then read the accounts of Mattiyahu, Yochanan Mark, Luke and Yochanan, or Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, followed by the book written specifically to Jews, the book of Hebrews. You are invited to watch our live feeds and participate with us as we worship and study on erev shabbat.
Accepting that Yeshua is the promised Messiah is just the beginning. Understanding Who He is, getting to know Him, and learning about Him is a unique privilege for Jews and an often unexpectedly different journey for Westerners.
Feel free to hit that email button at the top of our page to reach out to us with any questions. May your Yom Kippur be peaceful, your yoke be light, and your fast be easy. Tzom Kal.
