Today as we sit in beautiful and historic Rhodes Greece, we are approaching the most high and Holy day on the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur In English we call the holiday the Day of Atonement

Once a year as Moses was instructed by God, Aaron the High Priest would take the blood of a sacrificed animal into into the Holy of Holies. He passed the brazen altar, golden Laver of water (representing our salvation and baptism).

Then he carefully walked into the Holy Place to eat at the table of bread, worship at the Menora and lay holy Frankinsence on the altar of Insence.

Then came the once a year entry behind the 4 colored veil into the Holy of Hollies. With the blood in his hands the High priest approached the golden Ark of the Covenant (the presence of God). He sprinkled the blood on the Mercy Seat so that the Glory of God between the Cherubim could settle above the ark. The Ten commandments inside the ark pictured our human failure.

In this dramatic act the High Priest and the blood he carried was representing all of the 2 million believers around the camp. Their sins for that entire year were being washed away by the sacrificed animal which had taken their place. God saw all of Israel as pure and Holy at that moment

Today we know that Jesus is not only our High Priest but also the perfect sacrifice for all people for all time. We can now enter the holy presence of God with confidence and boldness. Thank God for the Day of Atonement which was fully fulfilled 2000 years ago when Jesus took my place on the cross!

Have a very blessed Yom Kippur