Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) 2026
Leviticus 23: 26 Adonai said to Moshe, 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is Yom-Kippur; you are to have a holy convocation, you are to deny yourselves, and you are to bring an offering made by fire to Adonai. 28 You are not to do any kind of work on that day, because it is Yom-Kippur, to make atonement for you before Adonai your God. 29 Anyone who does not deny himself on that day is to be cut off from his people; 30 and anyone who does any kind of work on that day, I will destroy from among his people. 31 You are not to do any kind of work; it is a permanent regulation through all your generations, no matter where you live. 32 It will be for you a Shabbat of complete rest, and you are to deny yourselves; you are to rest on your Shabbat from evening the ninth day of the month until the following evening.”
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At sundown today, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) begins. Globally, believers in the Messiah will observe this High and Holy Shabbat. There are specific prophetic passages and readings from the word of G-d featured during these services.
Morning Readings
Torah Reading: Leviticus 16, which details the ancient Yom Kippur rituals and the service of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies.
Maftir (additional reading): Numbers 29:7–11, describing the specific sacrificial offerings designated for the day.
Haftarah (Prophets): Isaiah 57:14-58:14 which challenges the community to move beyond empty ritual and practice true justice, kindness, and genuine repentance.
Afternoon Readings
Torah Reading: Leviticus 18 outlining moral purity and holy living.
Haftarah: The Book of Jonah in its entirety, read during the Minchah (afternoon) service to emphasize God's readiness to forgive anyone who turns back with a sincere heart.
As believers in the Messiah, I am including New Testament (B’rit Hadashah) passages as well.
Hebrews 9–10: Comparing the earthly High Priest entering the Holy of Holies once a year with Yeshua entering the heavenly sanctuary once and for all to secure eternal redemption.
Romans 3:21-26; 5: Discussing redemption and justification through faith in Yeshua and the blood of Yeshua as the sacrifice of atonement/mercy seat.
Colossians 2:11–17: Speaking of the forgiveness of all our sins as believers in the Messiah and the observance of the feasts as shadows of things to come.
1 Peter 1:2: Attesting to being set apart by the Spirit for obeying Yeshua the Messiah and being sprinkled with the Messiah's blood.
1 Peter 2:21-25: Saying that the Messiah bore our bore our sins in his body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10–12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Revelation 20:11-15: Speaking of the future judgment from what was written in the books, The Book Of Life, according to what we have done.
Lastly, for those of us who believe the deny yourself on this Shabbat is about fasting, may your fast be one of ease. For those who believe it refers to charity and serving others, may you have a blessed day of service and tzedakah (charitable giving).
Yom Kippur greeting: G’mar chatima tova: (gih-MAR chah-tee-MAH toe-VAH) — "May you be sealed for good in the Book of Life". You can use the shorter version “G’mar tov.”
Shabbat Shalom, Family
G’mar Tov❤️
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