Erev Yom Kippur 5784
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Me
Me
I hope you don’t mind my being honest and blunt for a moment… But, I hate fasting… I mean obviously, I didn’t get so beautifully plump by fasting all the time… But, while I enjoy a good meal several times a day, and ample snacks, and lots of ice cream, and so on, I can also see the beauty and spiritual benefit of fasting.
Years ago we were at our synagogue in New York and I was preaching one Shabbat. I talked about spiritual disciplines that as followers of Messiah need to be regularly implemented in our daily lives and discipleship practices. I talked about many of the same things you guys regularly hear me talk about here and of which I have great passion and zeal for. I discussed daily time in the Bible, how can we expect to know the Voice of God if we aren’t actively in the Word of God? I talked about daily time in prayer and communion with HaShem, not just pouring our hearts out a talking to Him, but also the value of sitting back and shutting up and just giving the Still Small Voice opportunity to speak. I talked about spend time daily in worship and soaking in His Presence. And much more.
But the one thing I mentioned that caused an interesting conversation was fasting. I said that we should more regularly implement fasting in our discipleship. Now, I am a fervent believer that before I can preach a message to you the Lord must be working on the message in my heart, and that is very much the case with that sermon, especially with regards to fasting. As I said a moment ago, I hate fasting… Up to that point it was something I only did once a year, and really only because it’s what we do on Yom Kippur, not because it was something I wanted to do or took anything away from.
Over the years I have implemented fasting here and there for a few days at a time or what have you. But in preparing for that particular sermon it was something the Lord was moving in my heart about.
So, as is the way God often works, I get done preaching, service has ended, and I’m walking to the back of the sanctuary to chat with folks as they’re leaving. And a gentleman with whom we had a great relationship walks up to me, his name is Lou, and Lou says, “Rabbi, how often do you fast?”
I responded, “Not enough, I can tell you that… That is something the Lord has been working on my heart about.”
Lou said, “Well, rabbi, do you know why we fast?”
I responded, “Yeah, we fast to remove things that might be a distraction so that we can more deeply and more intently focus on God’s Presence and His Voice.”
Lou came back, “Yeah, that’s part of it, for sure. But, there’s something else too. When we are fasting about something it shows God it’s really important to us, like we’re putting skin in the game. You know what I mean?”
And that brief conversation with Lou directly changed my mindset on fasting in general. And since then I have spent much more time in fasting. Sometimes it is fasting food, sometimes it is fasting something like watching TV, or Social Media, or something along those lines. But, I have intentionally mad fasting something a little more regular, and my mindset on fasting changed drastically. I wasn’t focused on the fact that I hate to fast, but rather on why I was fasting to begin with.
We
We
Do you know what I mean? Do you loathe the idea of fasting? As Yom Kippur slowly crept up on you did you experience a growing disdain for the fact that you were going to have to not eat for a whole day?
How many of you this evening as you were eating your last meal before Yom Kippur did so entirely begrudgingly? How many have found yourselves thinking is this really necessary? Why in the world do we have to do this? This is just so stupid...
God
God
Yom Kippur is such phenomenal Mo’ed… It is a time set apart by HaShem solely for us to focus on atonement and repentance, on being restored to the Lord. Tonight as we gather I want to encourage you with regards to the message of Yom Kippur and especially with the power of why we fast on this Appointed Day.
So as I share with you tonight, I want to draw your attention to the powerful reality of fasting before the Lord, and we’re going to focus on this concept this evening as we are commemorate the Day of Atonement.
Principle: We fast to render our heart contrite and humble as we sacrificially subject our flesh to sanctification through the Ruach HaKodesh.
(Repeat)
Let’s dig into the Bible together this evening. Let’s begin with Leviticus 16 which goes into great detail the priestly service of Yom Kippur.
“It is to be a statute to you forever, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you are to afflict your souls, and do no kind of work—both the native-born and the outsider dwelling among you.
For on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. From all your sins you will be clean before Adonai.
It is a Shabbat of solemn rest to you, and you are to afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.
The kohen who is anointed and who is consecrated to be kohen in his father’s place will make the atonement, and put on the linen garments, the holy garments.
He is to make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, for the Tent of Meeting, for the altar, for the kohanim, and for all the people of the assembly.
Verse 31 says:
It is a Shabbat of solemn rest to you, and you are to afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.
Next we go to Leviticus 23…
Adonai spoke to Moses, saying:
“However, the tenth day of this seventh month is Yom Kippur, a holy convocation to you, so you are to afflict yourselves. You are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.
You are not to do any kind of work on that set day, for it is Yom Kippur, to make atonement for you before Adonai your God.
For anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people.
Anyone who does any kind of work on that day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
You shall do no kind of work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Verse 27 and 29 say:
“However, the tenth day of this seventh month is Yom Kippur, a holy convocation to you, so you are to afflict yourselves. You are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.
For anyone who does not deny himself on that day must be cut off from his people.
Finally, with regards to Yom Kippur we read the refresher course in Numbers 29…
“On the tenth day of this seventh month, you are to have a sacred assembly. You are to deny yourselves and do no work.
You are to present to Adonai a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma, one young bull from the herd, one ram, and seven year-old male lambs without defect,
along with their grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths of an ephah with the bull, two tenths with the ram,
and one tenth with each of the seven lambs.
Also offer one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement, as well as the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and their drink offerings.
Verse 7 says:
“On the tenth day of this seventh month, you are to have a sacred assembly. You are to deny yourselves and do no work.
It is from all three of these passages that we understand part of the Yom Kippur observance is fasting. However, it’s pretty interesting to look at these a little closer. You’ll note that in the Leviticus 16:31 and Leviticus 27:27 we see the English translation “to afflict yourself” and in Leviticus 27:29 and Numbers 29:7 the English translation is “to deny yourself”. In all four of these verses the Hebrew root word is the word “Anah” which most accurately translates to be humbled or to be afflicted. And it is from this concept that we understand Yom Kippur as a fast day.
Traditionally in Judaism on Yom Kippur we fast from all food and drink, for what is effectively a 25 hour fast. But on top of food and drink, traditionally you would also afflict yourself by avoiding the typical creature comforts of life, such as no excessive bathing, no skin care products or makeup, no comfortable footwear and often avoiding leather products, some won’t even sit on comfortable couches so as to be humbled.
But, the sum of it is that all of Judaism agrees that on Yom Kippur we are to fast as a means of afflicting, humbling, or denying ourselves. And it is the one time a year where even most Secular Jews will stop and take the Hoy Day to heart and fast and pray. Throughout Yom Kippur we are focused on introspection, repentance, renewing our walk with the Lord, and prayer.
It is a solemn occasion. The tone in the synagogue service clearly has a different feel. There isn’t as much celebration and cheeriness, we are much more focused on deep worship than rejoicing. Even in most Messianic synagogues, if worship music is used in the service, it has a much deeper worship focus and you don’t see the typical upbeat praise songs.
So this evening we begin Yom Kippur. This evening we begin our fasting and denying ourselves. This evening, as we begin to observe what is the closing of the Yomim Noraim, we focus on the restoration and renewal of our relationship with the Lord. So, as we fast tonight and tomorrow I want to encourage us all to reevaluate our focus on why we’re fasting and what exactly is going on with this specific Appointed Day.
Principle: We fast to render our heart contrite and humble as we sacrificially subject our flesh to sanctification through the Ruach HaKodesh.
If we are going to fast for Yom Kippur, or any other time, (especially as followers of Yeshua) we better be doing it the right way and with the right heart.
Yom Kippur is a solemn day, but it is a solemn day not specifically because the Torah says it should be. It is a solemn day because of the fact that atonement is even needed. Why is atonement needed? Well, as Paul says in Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
We have been created in the image and likeness of HaShem and we have chosen to sin and separate ourselves from His Presence. It is for this reason we need atonement, it is for this reason that we approach the Mercy Seat of HaShem on Yom Kippur to repent of our many sins and to seek restoration and renewal.
In fact, with regards to fasting this is what Yeshua says,
“And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
And here’s the beauty of it all, we aren’t observing Yom Kippur today with the sprinkling of the blood of goats in the Holy of Holies. Instead, as Messianic believers we recognize the great price at which our atonement came in the offering of Yeshua’s life for our sins and the sprinkling of His Blood on the Mercy Seat in the Heavenly Tabernacle not built by human hands, once and for all. As we fast and observe Yom Kippur today as believers we aren’t just seeking atonement and forgiveness of sins, we should also be taking to heart the great cost at which our final atonement has been made. And we should mourn the fact that, even as believers, in the Olam Hazeh we still fall short of the glory God and sin day in and day out… But we can rejoice in the fact that we know not only that our atonement has been made and when we repent our sins are forgiven. This is not carte blanche to sin as we wish as long as we remember to ask for forgiveness every once in a while, and at least by the end of Yom Kippur. This is not carte blanche to do whatever we want…
When we repent we should be striving to return to the recreation we have found in Messiah Yeshua in the image and likeness we were first created.
When we fast on Yom Kippur, and any other time, we should not be making a big show out of it… We should not be dragging our heads… We should not be whining and whimpering because we’re hungry… We should not be complaining and grumbling… This is not what fasting is about.
Principle: We fast to render our heart contrite and humble as we sacrificially subject our flesh to sanctification through the Ruach HaKodesh.
In what way does whining, griping, and complaining show God that our repentance is important to us? What kind of message does it send to the rest of the world about the Word of God and our relationship with HIm when we are doing the things God has commanded of us with a negative attitude? And what does it say of us when we do so?
Again, Yeshua says...
“And whenever you fast, do not become sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they neglect their faces to make their fasting evident to men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that your fasting won’t be evident to men, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
And lastly, as we fast this Yom Kippur may it be not just do so in repentance of sin, but may it be in the realization of what God has called us through Messiah to be and to do. We live in dark times… The world around us has lost all hope… And we have been called through Messiah to bring Light and Hope to the world. We have been given a very special assignment to walk out, and I believe, as we fast today, that Isaiah 58 brings this all into light much, much clearer.
Is this the fast I have chosen? A day for one to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and spreading out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Adonai?
“Is not this the fast I choose: to release the bonds of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your house? When you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will spring up speedily. Your righteousness will go before you, the glory of Adonai as your rear guard.”
Then you will call, and Adonai will answer. You will cry and He will say, “Here I am.” If you get rid of the yoke among you— finger-pointing and badmouthing—
If you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will be like midday.
Then Adonai will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.
We fast on Yom Kippur not to wallow in our sorry and gloom. We fast on Yom Kippur not to focus on our sins and wrong doings. We fast on Yom Kippur because our repentance and restoration is important to us. We fast on Yom Kippur in solidarity with the rest of our Jewish world longing for the days when their eyes will be opened to the fact that our atonement has in fact been eternally provided in Messiah Yeshua. We fact on Yom Kippur because we recognize we are but sinners and have been offered amazing grace and forgiven of our sins. And we fast on Yom Kippur yearning to live out the very cry of Isaiah 58…
“Is not this the fast I choose: to release the bonds of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your house? When you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will spring up speedily. Your righteousness will go before you, the glory of Adonai as your rear guard.”
Is this not the desire of our heart? When we fast with a drooping head and are grumbling because we’re hungry are we honoring God in a way to releases the bonds of wickedness, unties the cords of the yoked, setting the oppressed free, tearing down every stronghold?
In Messiah Yeshua we have a message of hope and restoration. We have the Bread of life that will quench our hunger and waters of life that will never run dry!!! On Yom Kippur we we say Avinu Malkeinu and Al Cheit, as disciples of Yeshua we know for a fact that our atonement has been made and our sins have been forgiven. While the rest of our Jewish world is longing for the restoration of the Temple and sacrificial system to be restored and replacing blood sacrifice with the sacrifice of our own efforts of prayer, study of Scripture, Tzedakah, and even fasting, we stand firm in the Blood Atonement of Messiah Yeshua for the forgiveness and washing clean of all our sins. As Paul says in Romans 3:21-26
But now God’s righteousness apart from the Torah has been revealed, to which the Torah and the Prophets bear witness—
namely, the righteousness of God through putting trust in Messiah Yeshua, to all who keep on trusting. For there is no distinction,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
They are set right as a gift of His grace, through the redemption that is in Messiah Yeshua.
God set forth Yeshua as an atonement, through faith in His blood, to show His righteousness in passing over sins already committed.
Through God’s forbearance, He demonstrates His righteousness at the present time—that He Himself is just and also the justifier of the one who puts his trust in Yeshua.
May we take to heart on this Yom Kippur the words of Yeshua in Matthew 6:16-18 and not fast with heads hung low, but fast with the anointing of the Ruach HaKodesh so that the words of Isaiah 58:6-8 may become a reality through our lives and the entire world may know the freedom that can only be found in Messiah Yeshua.
Principle: We fast to render our heart contrite and humble as we sacrificially subject our flesh to sanctification through the Ruach HaKodesh.
You
You
(Call worship team up and unmute)
I’m willing to bet that most of you are exactly like me. You knew that Yom Kippur was rolling up, you dreaded the fast day… You may have even come in here this evening either trying to psyche yourself up to force yourself to make it through the fast, or perhaps even working on a long, drawn out list of reason why you just really don’t think you even need to fast...
Don’t get me wrong, if there are legitimate health reasons why you can do a complete fast, then by all means don’t. But fast something, fast as much as you can. Fast time in front of the TV. Fast Social Media. Fast your favorite snacks… I don’t care, just fast something. Spend this time in deep reverence of your relationship with God. Spend this time introspectively digging deep and listen to the direction of the Ruach on areas you still need to surrender or still need to be set free from. Spend this time asking the Lord to make the fast He describes in Isaiah 58:6-8 a daily reality in your life.
Principle: We fast to render our heart contrite and humble as we sacrificially subject our flesh to sanctification through the Ruach HaKodesh.
We
We
We have a great hope within us!!! We have a tremendous message of forgiveness and salvation in Messiah Yeshua. We have the power in the Ruach HaKodesh to live out the fast of Isaiah 58 in a literal sense, to see people find freedom in Messiah. When we fast on this Yom Kippur may we do so with a new attitude, with a Messiah-like attitude. May we not focus on what we don’t have (as in the food we are not eating), but rather on the great hope we do have in Messiah Yeshua.
What good does it do anyone, even ourselves, if our fast becomes a burden and everyone around us hears us whining about it or sees us hanging our heads low in sorrow? May our fast this Yom Kippur be from a renewed heart! May our fast this Yom Kippur be more focused on repentance and the Presence of God than on the food we think we’re missing out on. May our hearts be focused on the fast Isaiah describes:
“Is not this the fast I choose: to release the bonds of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to tear off every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your house? When you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will spring up speedily. Your righteousness will go before you, the glory of Adonai as your rear guard.”
And may the Light of Messiah truly shine through our lives, even during this fast, and bring Light in this dark world. And as Yeshua says in Matthew 6, may those around us through this Yom Kippur not see us become sad-faced like hypocrites, neglecting our faces to make our fast evident to men. But rather during this fast, and all others, may our heads be anointed with the Rauch HaKodesh.