Yom Kippur begins on the night of the 10th day of the seventh new moon or month of the Hebrew calendar. It is the second Fall High Holiday. This is a day to afflict our souls by doing no work at all, this was the only day when the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies and make atonement for the sins of the people.
Leviticus 23: 26- 32:
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying 27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month is a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you; and ye shall humble your souls, and offer a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord. 28 Ye shall do no work on this self-same day: for this is a day of atonement for you, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 Every soul that shall not be humbled in that day, shall be cut off from among its people. 30 And every soul which shall do work on that day, that soul shall be destroyed from among its people. 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a perpetual statue throughout your generations in all your habitations. 32 It shall be a holy sabbath to you; and ye shall humble your souls, from the ninth day of the month: from evening to evening ye shall keep your sabbaths.”
Here are some scriptures that we can meditate on during this holy sabbath day.
Exodus 30: 10 – Atonement for sins occurred once a year on this day.
Leviticus 16: 1 – 34 – The process the priests would go through in order to make atonement for sins.
Leviticus 23: 26 – 32 – Instructions for the Day of Atonement.
Numbers 29: 7 – 11 – Command for Yom Kippur and the sacrifices to bring.
Deuteronomy 6: 25 – Our righteousness comes from doing the commandments of God.
Deuteronomy 13: 1 – 5; 10: 12 – 13; Joshua 22: 5; 1 Samuel 12: 20 – 25 – Our goals should always be to walk in Torah, pray, and do God’s commandments with our whole hearts.
2 Chronicles 6: 34- 42; 2 Chronicles 7: 11 – 22 – God promises to hear prayers made towards Jerusalem and if we confess our sins and repent he promises to hear us, forgive us, and have mercy on us.
Isaiah 57: 14 – 21 – Elohim will restore and be near to the broken-hearted.
Hosea 3: 4 – 5; Hosea 6 – It was prophesized that we wouldn’t always have a temple, so during those times we should seek the Lord with our whole hearts until we are gathered by God.
Hosea 14 – Return back to the Lord.
Joel 2: 12 -18 – The Lord is merciful and compassionate and will forgive those who ask.
All Old Testament scriptures are from the Septuagint.
Read More
Yom Teruah Scripture Reading List
Introduction to the Fall High Holidays
Introduction to the Spring Feast Days
