With Heart and Harp: Is Thy Heart Right With God?

Sometimes, I will have a certain hymn on my mind for a long time. In the past year, there has been a certain hymn on my mind a lot, so much so, I’m writing a post with its theme in mind.

After writing a recent post about the Biblical holiday known as the Feast of Trumpets (called Yom Teruah in Hebrew), I began thinking…

Perhaps there are some reading this blog who are curious about the other Biblical holidays in the fall season?

If that is you, this post is about the next Biblical holiday in the fall season, the second one.

Perhaps I should mention that there are three Biblical holidays in the fall season, and all three of them occur in the span of three weeks. On our calendar, these three Biblical holidays always occur during the months of September or October. This year, all three of them are in October.

The first one is Yom Teruah or the Feast of Trumpets. The second one is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. The third one is Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles.

What is the second Biblical holiday in the fall season all about?

Atonement. To be specific, it is a day of atonement for the nation of Israel.

As Christians, we know that our atonement is in the shed blood of Christ, the Son of God. Christ’s blood provides complete and final atonement for all of mankind.

Sadly, the Jewish people (the house of Judah) do not recognize Christ as the Messiah. They are blind to Him. There is coming a day when the Jewish people will recognize Christ as being the Messiah. Hallelujah for that day! Want to take a guess when that might happen?

It will happen some year on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement! Pretty incredible, isn’t it?!

When you study this Biblical holiday, the connection is so clear. Someday, the nation of Israel will repent before God on a national level.

The Jewish people will mourn over Him whom they have pierced the Bible says.

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

Zechariah 12:10

Sobering words these are. They will weep bitterly, perhaps over their blindness to Him?

How do Jewish people observe this holy day, this Biblical holiday, commanded by God?

They spend the day in fasting and repentance. They also read Scripture about this day, not realizing the entire day points to Christ as our High Priest and to His final atonement for us. What a glorious day it will be when their eyes are opened to Christ!

On Yom Kippur, observant Jews repent for their sin. Repentance is a very beautiful thing to God.

Sadly though, the Jewish people have no blood atonement they trust in right now.

God’s Word makes it clear that without the shedding of blood, there is no atonement or remission. (of sin)

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

Hebrews 9:22

As Christians, we know that when we repent of our sin, we have the blood of Christ to trust in as our atonement. Hallelujah for the blood!

In thinking about this Biblical holiday, about repentance and atonement, I thought about Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Christians trust in the blood of Christ as their atonement - a very beautiful thing to God.

God’s Word says that, in order to receive the blood atonement of Christ, we must repent of our sin.

Sadly, there are many “Christians” who have not repented of their sin. Because of that, they are not born again; God’s Spirit does not live in them.

Sadly, there are “Christians” trusting in Christ’s blood atonement without any repentance of sin.

Jesus said:

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent,
ye shall all likewise perish.”

Luke 13:5

Repentance is very important to God. When we repent, we receive God’s free gift of salvation through the blood of His Son.

The Bible says that it is God’s goodness that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

I’m not talking about repentance for breaking man made rules or for breaking the traditions of man. (we should run from man made things!)

I’m talking about repentance for breaking our heavenly Father’s heart, for breaking God’s good and loving commandments, for not loving God and others as we should.

I’m talking about repentance over a broken relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Can you imagine what it would be like if the entire United States shut down for just one day to repent before God for breaking His commandments?

We would have a completely different nation.

True repentance is so beautiful to God. And it is not a once and done thing. I realized that on the day that I gave my life to God at the age of 11.

When we walk with God, we continue to repent of things that are not right with God.

Repentance. This is the one thing that is missing in Christianity today. Sadly, there is a false Christianity that involves no repentance of sin.

Repentance is getting your heart right with God. I cannot think of anything more beautiful!

When we repent, we receive God’s atonement - the shed blood of His Son.

The hymn that has been on my mind so much this past year says it so well.

Is Thy Heart Right With God

Have thy affections been nailed to the cross?