Yom Kippur

by Leon Clymer

The long, hot summer is finally over, and cool, refreshing rains have come. I must admit, that in the heat of this year’s summer, when we had no rain and the ground was parched and dry, I became somewhat irritated with the LORD. While complaining about the weather, I questioned why God would not let us have rain and some relief from the heat. Why would a good and merciful God not give us rain when we need it? Now that He has blessed us with rain and cooler temperatures in His own good time, I am ashamed of my unbelief.

This summer reminds me of my spiritual walk with the LORD. When He doesn’t heal the people I pray for, or doesn’t open certain doors, my faith tends to diminish and I drift away into a mode of depending on myself, rather than Him. Inevitably, God is still God, and I come to realize that my doubts as to His goodness were completely wrong, and that my disbelief has separated me from Him. Fortunately, He has provided a way of reconciliation for me. Through the blood of Yeshua, I can repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness.

He has also provided a Season of Repentance, focused on the feasts of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur. This season is an opportune time for us to confess of the sins we are carrying, repent of them before the LORD, and be free of those burdens. The Feast of Trumpets calls our attention to the awesome Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) that follows and we can use those days to focus on repentance, which involves not only confessing our sin, but also turning away from them.

Unlike the other feasts, Yom Kippur calls us to humble ourselves before the LORD (Lev. 16:29) and again in Lev. 16:31. Being humble before the LORD is an absolute requisite to the next step of repentance, and in turn, receiving forgiveness. Proverbs 15:33 says "Before honor is humility". When I consider the meaning of being humble, I am reminded of the great parable told by Yeshua about the Publican and the Pharisee "The Publican, standing far off, would not lift up so much as his eyes toward heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying "God, be merciful to me, a sinner (Luke 18:13). Yeshua goes on to say in the following verse: "I tell you this man went down to his house justified".

Our human nature resists humbling ourselves before the LORD. But this special season beckons us, and invites us to inspect our hearts and confess those things that have separated us from Him. I am reminded of my favorite verse in Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who forsakes them will find compassion". Well, I want to prosper and to receive compassion. I invite you to join me in this season of repentance, to free ourselves of the sins we have carried, and to move back to a close relationship with our Father. He’s waiting to shower us with His living water through Messiah Yeshua.