On the eve of Yom Kippur (Prayer) by Jakub Weinles (1870–1935)
Wikimedia Commons
There is something special about the number seven in the Bible. Scholars have long recognized seven as a sacred number, and also as the number of completion or perfection. With this in mind, it is most interesting that the seventh month of the Jewish calendar is packed with events that seem to point to the completion of God’s redemptive work on earth.
The month begins with a trumpet blast, which surely reminds Christians of that last trumpet spoken of in Revelation 11:15. The sounding of the trumpet is immediately followed by the “Days of Awe.” This is ten days of deep repentance and soul searching. It leads up to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the 15 through 21st days of the seventh month there is the joyful festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This festival symbolizes many things, but perhaps most of all, that the entire harvest of the earth is completed.
Again as Christians we can hardly look at this happy festival without seeing in it the words of Revelation 21:3 (NKJ). This scripture reads: “…Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people…” Let us look at the events of this intriguing month in more detail.
THE SOUNDING OF THE TRUMPET (SHOFAR)
In Leviticus 23:23-24, we read about the Lord speaking to Moses: “…Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.’” On this day, also known as Rosh Ha-Shana, the shofar is still sounded among the Jewish people. It is quite an experience to be in Israel on this day to hear trumpets piercing the crisp fall air. In Jewish tradition the trumpet is said to confound Satan. Perhaps this is so, because its sounding is an age-old announcement of the coming Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is sought by both Jews and Christians, but no doubt despised and resisted by Satan.
THE DAYS OF AWE
Immediately after the sounding of the trumpet the Jewish people enter into the Days of Awe. This is a period of introspection, contrition and deep repentance which continues through the tenth day of the seventh month— the Day of Atonement. During this period devout Jewish people feel it necessary to ask forgiveness from those whom they have hurt or offended. The devout often journey to the lakes and sea coasts and perform a symbolic act known as Tashlikh. This ceremony symbolizes the casting of their sins into the water (cf. Micah 7:19). This ten day period is a time of Teshuvah, which means repentance or returning to God. The greeting often heard during this period is “May you be inscribed (in the book of life)…”
YOM KIPPUR, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
The Lord commanded Moses, “…The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves….” (Lev. 23:26-27). Perhaps there is no day of the year more awesome to the Jew than Yom Kippur. In Israel many of the people leave the country entirely and try to spend the time in some far-away resort— anything but face the heaviness of this day. To the devout, it is a day of fasting from both food and water. In Israel no work is done.
There are no shops open and no busses running. Those who venture out in private automobiles run a great risk of being stoned for violating this holy Sabbath. It is also customary to dress in white. As Christians, we would see this as a symbol of the completion of God’s atoning work on earth, when people will walk with him in white (Rev. 3:4).
At the close of this heaviest of all days, there is a sense of relief that God’s wrath against sin is stayed. Immediately, some families begin to build their sukkahs (tabernacles).
SUKKOT— FEAST OF TABERNACLES
“So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days…” (Leviticus 23:39). At Sukkot, we have not only a festival to be celebrated in the seventh month, but a festival lasting for seven days and ending on the 21st day (3×7). This is surely no accident, but God intends by this to picture for us the conclusion of his redemptive work on earth.
Tabernacles is the fulfillment of both Passover and Pentecost. During the Passover the “wave sheaf” of the very first ripe grain was presented as a sign of the coming harvest. Later during Pentecost more of the harvest was completed. The wheat and barley became ripe, and the wave loaves were offered to the Lord. It was however only during Tabernacles that the whole harvest of the earth was finished, including the grapes, pomegranates, apples, nuts, etc. The rejoicing of this time is surely a sign of that age when the spiritual fruits of our lives will at last be ripe and be gathered into God’s barns.
God has waited a long time for this day (Jam. 5:7). Lest we forget his real purpose in the earth, he has commanded each feast, including the Feast of Tabernacles, to be celebrated as a “statute forever” for all the house of Israel (Lev. 23:41).
-Jim Gerrish
This updated article is presented courtesy of Bridges For Peace, Jerusalem (original publication date, 1985).
Picture credit Wikimedia Commons, public domain.