Yom Kippur is holiest if days because it is the day of atonement, the day when sins are forgiven. It is an amazing time of spiritual practices and traditions pointing to a God’s grace and mercy. However, today, our Jewish brothers and sisters are lacking the key element of Rosh Hashanah and it’s culmination Yom Kippur, atonement.
“The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.”
Leviticus 16:32-33 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/lev.16.32-33.NIV
There is no temple and no high priest to make these atoning sacrifices. With the temples destruction in 70 AD there was no longer a role for the high priest and no place for the sins of Israel to be redeemed.
Modern devout Jews still look to Yom Kippur as the most holy of days, but lack the primary means for salvation. Only Gods high priest, in the temple, sacrificing a lamb without flaw can atone for sins, but this is now impossible. So they have established the virtuous habits of repentance, prayer, and charity. While all three are beautiful and powerful especially in the transformation of one’s self, they cannot bring life from death. No amount of good work will fix our broken life.
But Jesus is the high priest and his sacrifice on the cross is the final and complete sacrifice for all of our sin. He alone has the power and position to bring life from death.
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”
Hebrews 10:11-18 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.10.11-18.NIV
The atoning work of Jesus is not dependent on our good deeds. We cannot earn his forgiveness. It is a free gift that is provided to anyone who trusts in Him. This means we repent, turn away from our previous life, and commit to following Him and He does the great work of removing all of our sin!