I have seen it first hand and still find it difficult to believe that a modern, industrial nations comes to a complete halt for a twenty-four hour period.
Above is a picture from the Ydiot Achonot newspaper in Israel. You can see the skyline of Tel Aviv from one of the major roads, the Ayalon, with a little helpless, adorable baby sitting in the middle of one of Israel's busiest thoroughfares.
What on earth can get an entire nation to literally stand still for twenty-four hours? I am humbled by the answer. It is really nothing on earth at all, but rather in heaven.
It is considered the most holy day of the year and most Israelis, as well as Jewish people worldwide, spend the day fasting and praying. It is a day of repentance as prescribed by God in Leviticus 23.
It was the one day when the High Priest was able to enter the Holy of Hollies, Kadosh ha Kodashim, and offer the atoning sacrifice on behalf of Israel. I am astonished to see such reverence from a nation. I have read that in the history of my country, the US, we did have days of fasting and prayer called for even by our Presidents. I can only imagine that such a notion today would be considered "unconstitutional" and "intolerant".
I hope that America, and the rest of the world, can learn a lesson from Yom Kippur. Can we put God first, if only for one twenty-four hour period? Can we halt our lives to repent and worship the living God?
Israel was attacked on this most holy day in 1973 in a war that cost many lives. The country is quite vulnerable on Yom Kippur, yet the people of Israel continues to observe this day with perhaps even greater purpose and dedication.
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