I read something interesting in Colossians yesterday.

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These were a shadow of the things to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

I knew I had one more Sabbath post in me, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. What is there left to say about obeying God by observing the Sabbath?

Something that was mentioned in my interview with Mark was Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) as the High Sabbath.

Leviticus 16:29-33 says:

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work…because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community.”

And from 23:26-32a:

“The LORD said to Moses,

‘The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God…this is to b a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. It is a sabbath of rest for you…'”

Mark explained that Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is the holiest of all holy days in the Jewish calendar. Even those who don’t regularly go to temple will fast and go on Yom Kippur. (It sounds a lot like Christmas in cultural Christianity.)

The 10-day period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are called the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe. This is a time for you to attend synagogue and confess your sins – to God and to anyone you may have wronged – before the Day of Atonement. Mark mentioned his Grandma lived 5 miles away from nearest synagogue, and since it is unlawful to drive on the Sabbath (and there is a Sabbath the 2nd day of these Holy Days) she would rent a room near the synagogue so she could walk instead of drive.

The culmination of these High Holy Days is Yom Kippur, a Sabbath, where you fast from sundown to sundown, attend synagogue, confess and receive cleansing from God. In searching on the internet, I also found this little bit of info:

“On the day before Yom Kippur it is customary to have a literal transfer of sin from a person to a fowl or live fish. The fowl or fish is waved over the head three times and a prayer is spoken:

‘This fowl should die and I should merit long life and peace.’

In this way atonement is made.” (Source)

In this way atonement is made.

Ah, yes. I’m starting to see how the Colossians verse fits in.

“[The Sabbath Day is] a shadow of the things to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1Jn2:2)

Jesus did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished before God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Heb 9:12-14)

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Heb 10:11-14)

And they sang a new song:

You are worthy to take the scroll and to open the seals,

Because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God

From every tribe and language and people and nation.

(Rev 5:9)

The Sabbath is a shadow. He is our Rest.

Even the High Sabbath is a shadow. He is our atonement.

Traditionally, the Sabbath service of Yom Kippur is ended by blasting a ram’s horn, called a shofar. This is to “remind us of the hope of the re-gathering of all the scattered remnant to the Land of Israel.”

Source

Matthew 24:31:

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Yes.

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies of his glory will shine

Wonderful Day my Beloved One bringing

My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Living He loved me

Dying He saved me

Buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified freely forever

And one day He’s coming

Oh Glorious Day!

(Casting Crowns)

A glorious day indeed.