Yom Kippur - Be freed from the illusion of separation

Yom Kippur, derived from Leviticus 23:27, refers to the "10th day of the seventh month" and is commonly translated as the "Day of Atonement," meaning covering. It is often seen as a day for cleansing, turning from sin, and making things right. However, its deeper meaning can only be fully understood through study, particularly in light of the Messiah. Yom Kippur can be viewed, especially in light of Isaiah 58, as a day where the deepest reality of the Jubilee is accessed, as outlined in Leviticus 25:8-13. This day reflects the spiritual outworking of the Messiah's work, a moment of reset, setting us free and returning us to our original state, as revealed in the teachings of the apostles in Hebrews 5, 6, and the end of chapter 9. Traditionally, it is a fast day, based on Leviticus 23's instruction to "afflict yourselves," though this can also be interpreted as "answer your soul" (Nephesh, the Hebrew word for soul, meaning the whole self, both visible and invisible).

This idea of answering can be linked to God's first question in Genesis 3:9, where He asks Adam, "Where are you?" Perhaps we can learn to answer through the voice of the second Adam within us (1 Cor 15). In the days of the Tabernacle and Temple, as discussed in Leviticus 16, Yom Kippur was a day of rituals, a national "reset" for the people and the Tabernacle, and the only day the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

Through study, many have come to see Yom Kippur as a day to enter the reality of our true position, visible and invisible, individually and corporately. It is a day to be freed from the illusion of separation from God, which manifests as sin, shame, and blame, and to see others as they truly are too. It is a time to separate distorted self-images from the truth of the Messiah's work.

This Yom Kippur, some may fast, some may pray, but whatever is done, it should come from a place of knowing the truth—the truth that sets us free from destructive patterns and allows us to experience the abundant life God has given us.