Why Christians Should Not Keep Yom Kippur

Why Christians Should Not Keep Yom Kippur

Many Chrisitans around the world observe the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur along side those who practice Judaism. However, many Christian find this practice to be a denial of Jesus’ atonement. Here’ s why keeping Yom Kippur is against Christiantiy:

The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, as it is known today, required the Temple and the High Priesthood of Aaron in order to be observed properly. However, since 70 A.D. the Temple does not exist, nor does the genealogical records of the priesthood. But this should not matter to Christians as Jesus is High Priest of a greater priesthood that does not need the Temple,  nor the blood of sacrificial animals. He entered the true holy place and obtained for us forgiveness through His sacrifice for us:

Heb.9:11-12

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. -KJV

Jesus obtained eternal redemption for His people. By keeping the Day of Atonement Christians are denying not only the authority of Jesus’ priesthood, but His entrance into the true holy place by His blood and the redemption He accomplished for us as sufficient. These Christians are ignorantly returning to the shadow and not focusing on the reality giving glory to Judaism in place of Christ:

Rev.1:4-6:

4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. – KJV

Why are Christians giving glory to the ancient Isrqelite or later Jewish Priesthood that can no longer exist?  Jesus has become our sole mediator and our High Priest.  It is a contradiction to profess Christ as the only way of salvation but then keep old feast days and observances that pointed to Him and that He with His authority as the son of God, the Messiah, our King and High Priest fulfilled as they pointed to Him. Glory to Christ should be given everyday of the year, but especially during Holy Week or Easter as this was/is the Christian Day of Atonement as described below by early Church father Origen:

Once a year the high priest, leaving the people outside, entered that place where no one except the high priest might enter. In it was the mercy-seat, and above the mercy-seat the cherubim, as well as the ark of the covenant and the altar of incense.

Let me turn to my true high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. In our human nature he spent the whole year in the company of the people, the year that he spoke of when he said: He sent me to bring good news to the poor, to announce the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of forgiveness. Notice how once in that year, on the day of atonement, he enters into the holy of holies. Having fulfilled God’s plan, he passes through the heavens and enters into the presence of the Father to make him turn in mercy to the human race and to pray for all who believe in him.

John the apostle, knowing of the atonement that Christ makes to the Father for all men, says this: Little children, I say these things so that you may not sin. But if we have sinned we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the just one. He is the atonement for our sins in his blood, through faith (IJn 2:1-2).We have then a day of atonement that remains until the world comes to an end.

God’s word tells us: The high priest shall put incense on the fire in the sight of the Lord. The smoke of the incense shall cover the mercy-seat above the tokens of the covenant, so that he may not die. He shall take some of the blood of the bull-calf and sprinkle it with his finger over the mercy-seat toward the east (Leviticus 16).

God taught the people of the old covenant how to celebrate the ritual offered to him in atonement for the sins of men. But you have come to Christ, the true high priest. Through his blood he has made God turn to you in mercy and has reconciled you with the Father. You must not think simply of ordinary blood but you must learn to recognize instead the blood of the Word. Listen to him as he tells you: This is my blood, which will be shed for you for the forgiveness of sins (Mat 26:28). – Origen, Atonement and the True High Priest, Awakening Faith: Daily Devotions from the Early Church By James Stuart Bell

We cannot close this without pointing out that Peter was rebuked by Paul for living as a “gentile”,  but then acting as a Jew around the Jews:

Gal 2:11-16

¹¹ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

¹² For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they walkednot uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. – KJV

So to all the Christians who are keeping the Day of Atonement today, are you fasting and living as a Jew today because Jesus is not enough for you? Because if He is, you have no reason to keep a day that was long ago fulfilled in Jesus’ death and resurrection.