Shared by Leon Clymer

The following is an excerpt from Havurah, published by Jews for Jesus. The article is entitled "Y'shua, Yom Kippur and You," written by Stephen Katz. The section entitled "Intercession" is extremely significant for today and is offered to enrich your spiritual awareness of the importance of fasting and intercession.

INTERCESSION

From: "Y'shua, Yom Kippur and You," written by Stephen Katz • Havurah • page 3

Aug 2002 • Tammuz • Av 5762 • Vol 5 • No. 3

"One of the most central features of Yom Kippur is the fast. At its core, fasting is seen as fulfilling the biblical command-ment to "deny yourselves" or "afflict your souls" (Leviticus 23:27). The fast enables us to put aside our physical desires and concentrate on our spiritual needs.

In Nehemiah fasting is used to deeply express the people's repentance (9:1). Later, God speaks through the prophet Joel and declares, "Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning" (Joel 2:12). In other instances fasting is a means of intensifying prayer in the face of dire need. This was often true when the enemies of Israel came against us (cf. Esther 4:3; II Chronicles 20:3) and our survival was on the line. So it is on Yom Kippur; when it is believed that our individual fate hangs in the balance.

As believers we can certainly fast as an expression of repentance and as an intensi-fication of prayer. But there is another reason to fast on Yom Kippur. That reason is intercession. When Ezra wanted to pray for the people leaving Babylon he called a fast (Ezra 8:21). When Esther was about to take a big risk she asked the community to pray for her, accompanied by fasting (Esther 4:16). Daniel fasted as he prayed on behalf of the exiled Jewish nation (Daniel 9:3).

Yom Kippur is a very fitting time to intercede on behalf of our Jewish family and friends who don't know the Messiah and the atonement He has accomplished. Our fast can be a time of intensifying and deepening our prayer for others. As weeks, months and years go by, we need help and encouragement to continue praying for those who haven't shown positive interest in the gospel.

Yom Kippur can provide the boost we need to intercede for our family members.

As believers in Y'shua, those who know the joy of salvation, many of us approach Yom Kippur with mixed emotions. Do we rejoice — knowing that to be uncharacteristic for the holiday, yet in keeping with our faith and experience? Or do we take this day to examine our lives and confess our own sins to God? Without doubt, there is room for both. A framework of identification, introspection and intercession provides plenty of occasion to repent and rejoice and remember what is important.

Yom Kippur is a holy day that allows us to come to God and express what is on our hearts. May God be with you as you use the occasion to His glory."