Christian Holidays #14

In the autumn of every year, the Jews celebrate their most solemn festival—Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Would it surprise you to learn that Yom Kippur is a Christian holiday as well? That the New Testament church observed the day, only with a different sense of meaning?

Very few Christians take any note of the day at all, and that is surprising, since the day is all about the ministry of Christ. They cheerfully observe Easter which is not in the Bible at all, and ignore the Day of Atonement which is not only biblical; it lies right at the heart of the meaning of the Christian Faith.

Maybe it is because observing the Day of Atonement requires a fast, but it is probably because no one ever thinks of it. So, how can I say that Yom Kippur is a Christian holiday as well as a Jewish holiday? It would be best, I think, to look at the Christian significance of the day.