Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is revered as the holiest day of the year in Jewish tradition. For followers of Jesus, this is a profound truth, but not in the way that many might think. This is not a day to be observed, but a day to be celebrated as a shadow completely fulfilled by the reality of Jesus Christ.
Many people, including Christians, feel obliged to follow Jewish traditions and celebrate these feasts. However, this comes down to a fundamental choice: do you celebrate the shadow, or do you embrace the Person? The Old Covenant law and its festivals were given to Israel to point them to their need for a Savior, not as a means of salvation. They are a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). You are either under the law, striving to do the works of men to achieve your own salvation, or you choose to receive the free gift of grace—Jesus Christ Himself.