"Be careful to celebrate the Day of
Atonement on the tenth day of that same month—nine days after the Festival of
Trumpets. You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to
deny yourselves and present special gifts to the LORD. Do no work during that
entire day because it is the Day of Atonement, when offerings of purification
are made for you, making you right with the LORD your God. All who do not deny
themselves that day will be cut off from God's people. And I will destroy
anyone among you who does any work on that day. You must not do any work at
all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation
to generation wherever you live. This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest
for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin
at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth
day." Leviticus 23:27-32
God values rest. He created the heavens and
the earth, plants, animals and people in six days and then He rested. He
expects us to do the same. Rest. That is even one of His Ten Commandments.
Remember to observe the Sabbath day by
keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the
seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that
day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and
daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners
living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the
sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8-11
God is pretty serious about keeping this
day sacred, holy and restful. No work. He decreed that He… will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day
(Leviticus 23:30). That is very specific and since He gave that as a warning—if
someone disobeyed they could expect to have their life ended. Would that make
you not work on Yom Kippur? Great deterrent for any workaholic.
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| My light and my salvation. Shine on me to show me the right path. |
This scripture from Psalm 27 is
traditionally read in the synagogues on the Jewish New Year.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I
shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my live…to behold the beauty of the Lord…and to meditate in His
temple. Vs. 1, 4.
That is what I’m looking forward to…to live
forever in the house of the Lord…in Heaven. But to be there…along with family
and friends…we must be pure…have repentant hearts as Jesus required. We wait
patiently for the Lord’s return—in God’s time. Is that soon? Repent. Be ready
and listen for the sound of the trumpet. As Paul wrote to the church at
Corinth:
What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters,
is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying
bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a
wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will
happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.
For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live
forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies
must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be
transformed into immortal bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53
The shofar is blown at the end of the final
service in the synagogue on Yom Kippur, some say to represent the closing of
heaven gates or the temple’s gates. It also is significant of the
reconciliation with God and with others that has taken place…or should have…in the
last ten or more days.
Prayer
~ Lord Jesus… Teach me how to live,
O LORD. Lead me along the right path (Psalm 27:11). You are worthy of all
praise and glory. I am listening for the sound of Your trumpet. Lord, may we
rest in Your presence today—humbly seeking Your mercy in our lives. Thank you
for hearing our prayers.
Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 4-6; Psalm 137
© 2018 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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