The significance of Yom Kippur for the Pentateuch challenged

[Dr Denis O'Callaghan]

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.(Lev 19:2)

The significance of Yom Kippur for the Pentateuch challenged

Holiness unto the Lord

Dear Gentle Reader,

While Rabbi Del and his dear wife, also directors of Scripture Institute and frequent contributors to Scriptural studies ( an accomplished Hebrew scholar in her own right) Rifikah, teach about the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, I will content myself with giving you, Bible students a wee bit of background and perhaps point you to appreciate why Yom Kippur [Yom Kippur (Hebrew: יוֹם כִּפּוּר‎, IPA: [ˈjɔm kiˈpur]), also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for religious Jews ] is as important to us today as it was and is to the people of Israel:

The Jewish Bible is called the Tanakh, which comprises 3 categories, the law, prophets and writings. The Torah is the "Law", referring to the first 5 books of the the English old testament.

The first five books of the Bible are all as we understand from the pen of Moses. They form a complete group and are known in English taken from the Greek as the Pentateuch. In Genesis we see ruin through the sin of man; In Exodus redemption through the power of God; in Leviticus we find fellowship on the ground of atonement; in Numbers guidance during pilgrimage; in Deuteronomy destination after completed discipline.

In Genesis we see the divine sovereignty; in Exodus the divine power; in Leviticus the divine holiness; in Numbers the divine "goodness and severity"; in Deuteronomy the divine faithfulness.

Leviticus, the middle book of the five, is the divine call to holiness, God insists on the sanctification of His people. The book falls into two main parts. In chapters 1-17 all relate to the Tabernacle; in chapters 18-27 all pertains to character and conduct. Part one shows the way to God by sacrifice ; part two shows the walk with God -by sanctification. Part one teaches us the propitiatory basis of fellowship with God; part two teaches us the personal behaviour which conditions fellowship with God. All thew way through there rings the call to holiness. In part one the stipulation is ceremonial and hygienic ; in part two it is ethical and practical sanctity in daily walk.

So then gentle reader, we have in the "old Testament" the Pentateuch, the Torah, what scholars call a foreshadowing of what is to come. A preview and perhaps a test to show us what God is "really" like. A call to practical sanctification which begins at Chapter 18, and it speaks to God’s people in every age and generation. And gives us a three-fold reason basic reasons why we are to be a holy people. Which I will give you tomorrow. But I leave you with this which every time I read it brings tears to my eyes.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isa 6:1-3)

Love,

Denis