10 Days of Awe:  Meditating on the Atonement of Jesus Christ

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

The ten days between Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are called The Days of Awe.  During those ten days, religious Jews spend time in repentance believing that if they confess all their sins, their names will be written in the Book of Life for another year. 

Because Jesus suffered and died, was buried and rose again, the price of the believer’s atonement has been paid in full.  When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life for all eternity. Revelation 20:15 (NKJV) 

Our God is an awesome God.  Let’s spend time each day during The Days of Awe, mediating on the atoning work of the Cross.

1, The death of Jesus on the cross allows us to enter into a new covenant relationship with God.  Our covenant in Jesus is greater than the covenant God made with Adam because the Holy Spirit indwells us and empowers us.   Because of God's new covenant with us, we can come boldly to the throne of grace.  (Hebrews 10: 19-23)

2.  Sin broke the covenant that the Lord had made with Adam and allowed unrighteousness, despair, disease and death to enter in.  When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of worldly wisdom and knowledge, he entered into a covenant with satan. In the Old Testament economy, when two parties entered into a covenant, they exchanged possessions.  Adam ceded his dominion of the earth in that covenant and received all that the enemy had.  Nothing of which was good.  Good things come from God. (James 1:17)

3.  Because God is holy, His holiness prevents Him from coming into covenant with anything unholy.   His holiness within us should prevent us from doing the same thing.  We are not to be unequally yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:14)

This evening is also the weekly sabbath.  In addition, it is also a sabbath Shuva.  This special sabbath occurs on the sabbath during the 10 days of awe between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  

The Hebrew word Shuva means "returning". It shares a Hebrew root with the word teshuvah, which is typically translated as "repentance". The connection between the two words makes sense, as returning and repentance are closely linked. Teshuvah literally means "return," as if turning back to something that has been strayed from or looked away from. In other words, turning back to where you once were. Have we turned 

away from our first love? If so, is a time for Shuva, for returning.

4.  God is also love.  He created us out of His love.  It is His nature to desire relationship with His creation.  Sin separates us from HIs love.  The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Jesus paid the wage of sin for us.  His atoning death allows us to enter into God's covenant.  When we accept His atonement, nothing in creation can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  (Romans 8:38-39)

5.Jesus received our guilt and sin upon Himself. (Isaiah 53:4-6) It was our sin that sent Jesus to the Cross. When I think about this, I am overcome with His love, not only as a part of mankind, but for me as an individual.

6.  Jesus is the only acceptable sacrifice for sin.  In the covenant God made in Christ, His life is given in the place of our death and eternal separation from God; His righteousness is given in exchange for our sin. (John 3:16) (John 14:6)

7.  Jesus' blood had to be shed because our eternal life is in the sacrifice of His blood.. (Leviticus 17:11)  His blood sacrifice sanctifies our lives.

8.  We must understand fully what we have received in our salvation.  Not only have we been saved from the wages of sin, but we also have received the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), healing both physically and emotionally (Isaiah 53:4-6), and a plan and purpose for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).

9.  Jesus' resurrection is the most significant event in history.  Jesus' resurrection signifies Father God's acceptance of His sacrifice.  He is the first fruits of those who are raised from the dead.  (1 Corinthians 15:20)  Because He lives, we, too, shall live. (John 14:19)

10.  Jesus is coming again to receive us unto Himself.  He is the Bridegroom eagerly awaiting the time when He will receive His bride.