When you think of Jewish festivals, what comes to mind? Do you think of ancient celebrations in a faraway place and time? Do you think of fasting, prayer, and the sound of the shofar? Or do you think of how Jesus and salvation comes into your day-to-day?
There are no wrong answers to those questions! But with Yom Kippur coming up in just a few days, let’s dig in a little deeper to unpack the hidden meanings and virtues in one of the most well-known festivals in the Bible!
Day of Atonement: The Day the High Priest Makes Atonement for Sin
Yom Kippur(Yome Ki-POOR), also known as Day of Atonement, is the most solemn holy day of the Jewish people. Yom means “day” and Kippur means “atonement” or “covering.” Atonement means the reconciliation of God and humankind. The ten days which include Rosh means the reconciliation of God and humankind. The ten days which include Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are known as the “days of repentance.” Yom Kippur is the final day of judgment when God judges the people. The shofar (ram’s horn) is blown at the end of the evening prayer service for the first time since Rosh HaShanah. In Bible times, the high priest sacrificed an animal to pay for his sins and the sins of the people. It was a time of fasting and prayer. When the high priest was finished with the atonement sacrifice, a goat was released into the wilderness. This “scapegoat” carriedIsrael’s sins away, never to return (Lev. 16:8–10, 20–22, 29–34)
Enjoy this FREE session from our Feasts of the Bible DVD!
Feasts of the Bible DVD Series
From Passover and Yom Kippur to Rosh Hashanah, easily find out how all the major Jewish feasts of the Bible point to Christ with this ready-to-use DVD study! Featuring simple explanations and showing actual artifacts and utensils used in each celebration, this self-guided DVD study is easy to understand and packed with fascinating facts! Learn the history and symbolism in the Old Testament, and understand the Jewish roots of Christianity (includes how to host a Christian seder!). Hear how to say important Hebrew words and phrases as you find out their meaning and how they point to Christ. Enjoy discovering fascinating facts, such as: Pentecost means 50 in Greek. It is celebrated 50 days after Passover.
Perfect for small groups! Anyone can lead this study using this complete kit! (Additional Participant Guides are recommended for each person in the group.) This kit contains the following:
- DVD containing six 30-minute teaching sessions.
- One printed Leader Guide (ISBN 9781596364660) that includes a session outline, key terms and definitions, a step-by-step guide for leading a discussion, tips for Group Discussion, Reflection Questions, etc. (A PDF version of the Leader Guide is also included.)
- One Printed Participant Guide (ISBN 9781596364677) that includes a session outline, key terms, key Bible verses, discussion questions, reflection questions, charts, diagrams, photos, definitions, and more.
- CD-ROM containing PDFs of fliers, brochures, bulletin inserts, door hangers, posters, and banners for promoting the study.
- Additional Resources to Go Even Deeper, including:
- Feasts of the Bible PowerPoint, featuring more than 100 full-color slides.
- Feasts of the Bible pamphlet (ISBN 9781496463470): a fold-out, side-by-side chart that shows key information at a glance.
- Messiah in the Feasts of Israel printed book (ISBN 9780970261977): a 240-page book by series host Dr. Sam Nadler.
- God’s Redemptive Plan, Sabbath Rest
- Passover (includes how to perform a Christian seder), Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits
- Pentecost
- Feast of Trumpets
- Day of Atonement
- Feast of Tabernacles
Also available separately:
- Feasts of the Bible Participant Guide (ISBN 9781596364677 and also available as an e-book): It gives the participant discussion questions, quizzes, a place for taking notes and listing prayer requests, additional Old Testament information about types of offerings, the role of the priests, the meaning of Jesus’ teaching that he was “Lord of the Sabbath,” and more.
- Feasts of the Bible Leader Guide (ISBN 9781596364660 and also available as an e-book): Along with the DVD, it gives the leader everything needed to host this fascinating topic as a Sunday school class, small group, or home fellowship. Note that a PDF version of the Leader Guide is included with the DVD.
Sam Nadler is a Jewish believer in Jesus who was brought up in an Orthodox Jewish home in Queens, New York. As he began looking at the Old Testament prophecies, they seemed to point to Jesus as the Messiah. He soon came to faith in Jesus and realized his Jewishness wasn’t just some accident of nature, but that God had a plan and purpose, not only for the Jewish people as a whole, but for Sam personally. Sam is president of Word of Messiah Ministries, an outreach which develops leaders for worldwide impact for the gospel among the Jewish People. He served as president of Chosen People Ministries and started the Jews for Jesus outreach in New York City. He received a doctoral degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary and has authored several books including Messiah in the Feasts of Israel, The Messianic Answer Book, Feasts of the Bible, and devotional commentaries on Jonah and Ruth.
