Yum Kippur

Dr. Couch: What is Yom Kippur?

ANSWER: This is the Day of Atonement that comes in the Fall. It was the Day in which Israel was to repent of their sins both nationally and personally. In the book by Scofield Ministries entitled "Messianic Systematic Theology of the Old Testament" you can read a full treatment of the subject. The Day of Atonement is not mentioned in the NT. Christ completes the work of our full salvation and therefore we are not under a repeated Atonement today.

The main passage on Yom Kippur is found in Leviticus 16:29-34. The Jewish Rabbis write extensively on the subject from the orthodox perspective. The Jews were told that once each year they were to confess their sins. Kippur means "a covering." You can hear "covering" in "kippur." Repentance and contrition is a great part of the Day of Atonement. The Rabbis say "without such confession, accompanied by the solemn resolve to abandon the way of evil, fasting in itself is not the fulfillment of the Divine command and purpose of the Day of Atonement."

The Jews knew the importance of sacrifice in Atonement. The Bible says "the blood by reason of life that makes atonement" (Lev. 17:11). And the Lord adds "You must afflict (humble) your souls" (23:32). The Rabbis add: "while life and blood are not quite identical, the blood is the principle carrier of life. The blood on the Altar was for the spiritual welfare of the worshiper, not for the gratification of God."

I have been in Israel in October on Yom Kippur 1973, at the time when the Arabs attacked the Jewish people and almost were victorious against them. I was there one other time during Yom Kippur and joined the Jewish families when they gathered together at the Wailing Wall to celebrate that great day. The families put down blankets on the pavement, had food for the small children and then read the book of Lamentations, written by Jeremiah as a reminder of the Fall of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC. What a great experience!

Thanks for asking.
--Dr. Mal Couch (10/11)

Jews Losing Their Salvation on the Day of Atonement

Dr. Couch, I have heard some say if the Jews do not pray for twenty-four hours on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32) they may lose their salvation. What do you say? ANSWER:  That is an extreme view and one that is out of order even in the OT. The way of salvation for the Jews is given in Genesis 15:6: "The [Abraham] believed in the Lord and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." The Bible is written from a common sense viewpoint. By believing all that the Lord had said to Abraham constituted salvation for him. That belief was "accounted, reckoned, applied" to him for righteousness. In other words, God saw him as Positionally righteousness. This is what happens to us with God seeing us as righteous as Himself, and as righteous as His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. "Common sense" is part of good hermeneutics and interpretation. The Bible is not wild and woolly in its approach to reality!    In Leviticus 23:27 this Day is called "the Day of atonement," or (Capher), the Day of Covering. The sins of the Jews were covered for another year. Christ does not atone for us. And where the KJV uses the word "atonement" it is wrong, and that is why I don't use that "old" version. Christ's death was a one-for-all act whereby God is finished with our sins. We read in Hebrews 9:12: "He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION." And, Christ "is a mediator of a new covenant, ... by which we receive the promise of the ETERNAL INHERITANCE" (v. 15).    Back to the issue of the Jews and the OT: In Leviticus 23 the Jews were to humble themselves and do no work or they would be cut off from their people. This is not an issue of loss of salvation but they could die physically, for God "will destroy them from among [their] people" (v. 30).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Mar., 10)