The Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur and Hesed

Yom Kippur
The Culmination of Adonai's Hesed

Jesus (Yeshua) fulfilled The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur that comes about in the fall after the Feast of Trumpets that was just celebrated this past weekend (see last week’s post here). This year, Yom Kippur begins at sunset on September 27 and ends at nightfall on September 28.

Yom Kippur recognizes Father’s greatest act of hesed toward us. The Lord made His hesed (indescribable love) so tangible to me last August 8 in 2019. I am still not able to put the impact of the experience into words, but it affected everything including my prayers.

In honor of this special lavish learning from my Father, I created this long banner with green satin letters on white linen to be the centerpiece of our home – Hesed Adonai Khadash kol Boker or The lovingkindness of the Lord is new every morning!

Here is the Background of Yom Kippur and Yeshua’s Fulfillment of this most Holy Day

On this day, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. A large veil of blue, purple, and crimson linen blocked access to this holy place where God dwelled. (2 Chronicles 3:14). This veil was a constant reminder that turning away from God’s ways of love reflected in His law brought separation from Him. (to see this Art in the Feast Fulfilled Collection, please click here.)

The yearly sacrifice given on Yom Kippur by the high priest was to be a foreshadow of the Perfect Sacrifice that was to come later. The author of the book of Hebrews tells us, “But when Messiah appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, not of this creation, and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)

Yeshua the Messiah laid down His life for us. He paid the penalty for our sins. “The Lord caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” (Isaiah 53:6b)  He is the Perfect Sacrifice for all people for all time! At His last breath, the thick veil was torn and opened, and we are now welcomed into God’s presence!  (Matthew 27:51; Luke 23:45)

Yeshua said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) – We are welcomed into rest from sin, judgment and death!  “We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one that enters within the veil.” (Hebrews 6:19)

Hesed and Yom Kippur

Author, teacher, singer, songwriter Michael Card writes that Hesed is not a word but a world to live in. I do not have space to explain this, but the love of God is huger than anything we can grasp or describe. No single English word is sufficient to contain the love of God. Michael attempted, though, to create a definition from his study – “When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything.” (from Michael Card’s book Inexpressible Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness)

I didn’t have a right to expect anything at all from Adonai, my Lord. Ezekiel 16 tells Israel’s story, but it tells mine, too. I believe it tells our collective story. Isaiah tells us that we all, like sheep, had gone astray. Before I met my Savior, I was broken, foolish, selfish, blind and clueless to the effects of my behavior on others. THEN HE CAME!  He came and covered my foolishness and opened my eyes. He resurrected and nourished me!  He gave me a new birth on April 3, 1980. In exchange for my shame, He gave me EVERYTHING. He calls me Beloved, Chosen, Forgiven, Redeemed, Beautiful, Holy, Fragrant, Delightful!  Not only does He call me these things, but He makes me these things! But why?

Because I received the Sacrifice He offered. Because of Isaiah 53:5-6. Because He delighted to clothe me in His righteous robe of white linen. When I couldn’t, He did. When I was dead, He caused me to live. I did nothing to deserve such an unspeakable Fountain of Hesed.  I had no right to expect this Glorious Gift!  And yet, He gave. He lavishly gave me Himself in Yeshua the Messiah even Jesus Christ our Lord.  He continues to give based, not on my good deeds, but on His lavish hesed.

If you are interested in how I made the banner, please keep reading:

1. First, I measured the length and width of the area I wanted the banner to cover – 100 inches long by 12 inches high.
2. On graph paper, I determined the size that the letters should be to occupy this space.
3. I made the background of 100% white linen.
4. I consulted with an Israeli friend to be sure of the correct letters.
5. I designed and sketched the letters onto thick paper using various Hebrew alphabets as a reference.
   
6. I cut the letters out.
   
7. I arranged the letters onto a rug to analyze the harmony of the shapes as they related to each other. Then, I made the necessary tweaks.
   
8. I ironed Wunder Under (a fusible facing) onto the back of beautiful, light-green, shiny satin.
   
9. I traced my Hebrew stencil-letters onto the facing-paper backwards.
10. On our trip to the Michael Card Hesed Conference in Pennsylvania, I cut the letters out that I had traced.
    
11. I removed the paper from the Wunder Under that was on the back of each letter. This left the fusible material on them, so that I could iron them onto the white linen. I spaced the letters out to be sure of the spacing. (By the way, I had to add two additional letters that are not shown in this picture, since I was waiting for my friend to review it). Then, I carefully ironed the letters onto the linen.
    
12. I hung the banner first with masking tape and then with tiny nails. I took the masking tape off and dotted the nails with white paint to make them invisible. I hung a string of lights under the shelf so I could see the banner at night. I am ready to make more!

Here is a close-up shot so you can see the texture of the linen contrasted to the satin.

Shale Fragments™ - devotionals by Beth Ann Phifer is a division of Flower Girl Greetings, LLC. ©2020, All Rights Reserved.