The Significance of Yom Kippur

You might be thinking, 

"Huh? Yom Kippur? Isn't that a Jewish holiday? I'm a Christian. What significance does it have for me?" 

Actually, it has a lot of significance for every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 


First of all, it is significant because God Himself established this holy observance. 


And, take a look at what God says about His Word in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

God included His instruction and purpose for Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) in His Word for a reason. There is no longer a tabernacle or temple, but we serve an unchanging God Whose Word stands forever and there very important things He wants us to know about this Day of Atonement.


Bible scholars often speak of people, places and events of the Old Testament as "types" and "shadows" of what was to come in the New Covenant. In other words, "types" and "shadows" are, quite simply, prophecy in action. 


The Day of Atonement, an event involving people and a special place, points directly to the Messiah of Israel and the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. 


So, let's take a look at His unchanging Word and discover the significance of The Day of Atonement.



In Leviticus 13 & 16, God gives Moses all the details of His requirements for this day, including the preparation, the sacrifice and the results of obeying His command to observe Yom Kippur.

1. The Preparation for Yom Kippur 

The Day of Atonement was the only day a human being was allowed go into the holy of holies in the tabernacle and later, in the temple. Only the high priest was allowed to enter and only after completing the steps of purification required by God.

And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died; And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:1-2)

God cannot allow any unclean thing in His holy presence. Anyone entering into the holy of holies where His presence dwelled  would be killed instantly if not made righteous in God's sight prior to entering. Before entering, Aaron had to completely fulfill every detail of God's prescribed preparation.

 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. (Leviticus 16:4)

Aaron (and every high priest who would come after him) was required to wash himself thoroughly and to put on the "holy garments." What's significant for us about that?


Let's  look at Isaiah 61:10 and Revelation 19:7-9 together:

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness...

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Are you beginning to see the significance of Yom Kippur for every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? 


After the significant preparation, the significant sacrifice is made unto the LORD. 

2. The Sacrifice on Yom Kippur

On the Day of Atonement, there were four animals chosen for the sacrifice to the LORD -  a bullock for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, as well as  2 goats. 

It is important to note that the cleansing from sin associated with the Day of Atonement was not exclusively for the Jewish people.  The forgiveness God offered on that one day each year applied to all people, "whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you" (Leviticus 16:29-30). 

The ram was to be a burnt offering unto the LORD (v. 5). The bullock was offered for Aaron's own sins and for those of his family, to make him presentable before the Holy One of Israel (v. 6).  

God's command for the goats is unexpected. If you have ever wondered where the term "scapegoat" came from, you're about to find out.

And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. (v. 7-10)

Again, we have more "types" and "shadows." 

Getting interesting, isn't it? Take a look: 

And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 

And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 

And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. 

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 

And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (v. 12-16)

Now look at the fulfillment of that prophecy in action:

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:23-16)

In the next few verses, God reveals His plans for the goats. One was sacrificed and the other was set apart for a very special purpose. 

And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 

And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 

And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. (v. 20-22)

Look with me at Matthew Henry's interpretation of this passage:

"And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was figured by the two goats. The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins; the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our justification. The atonement is said to be completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat, which was sent away into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and the sending away of the goat represented the free and full remission of their sins."

Matthew Henry provided us with a sneak peak at some of the results of Yom Kippur. Let's take a look at some more.  

3. The Results of Yom Kippur

The Hebrew words "Yom Kippur" in Leviticus have traditionally been translated "Day of Atonement" but the root word behind "kippur" carries the idea of a covering. On this day, God provided the people a way to cover their sin - not cover it up, but cover. 

Psalm 32:21 says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."


The blessing for those whose sin is covered is freedom from guilt, freedom from shame and freedom from a guilty conscience. And even more blessed is the fact that there is no longer a barrier between us and our holy God. We are free to fellowship with Him, free to worship Him and free to serve Him when we are assured that our sin has been forgiven and covered. 

And, just as Yom Kippur applied to all people who were willing to repent, salvation in Christ is also applied to all people who are willing to repent. 


For the children of Israel, this day was not like the other special days God commanded them to set aside for Him. The other days were times of rejoicing and festivity; this was a solemn occasion, set aside for mourning and repentance of sin. 

Interestingly, Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), a joyous celebration, is observed just 5 days after Yom Kippur. 

Take a look at Acts 3:19 for a moment.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, is a time for repentance.

Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is a time of rejoicing. 

Acts 3:19 indicates that after we repent, we can enjoy the presence of the Lord. 

Take a good look at John 1:14 with me.

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. (AMP)

Those who have repented of sin and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation (that was your personal day of atonement) have the blessed privilege of enjoying His presence as He tabernacles within us.  

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Yom Kippur provided only a temporary covering for sin with the blood of animals. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled that prophecy in action.

When the blood of Christ poured out on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. You and I now have access to God's presence. His blood provides for an eternal covering for sin, eternal salvation and eternal relationship with Him. 

I have to ask. 

Do you now see the significance of Yom Kippur for you?




If you want to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, in which you can enjoy forgiveness of sin and His presence with you, please visit peacewithgod.net