Day of Protection

One of the important days in the life of Israel was the Day of Protectin or Covering, literally Yom Kippur.

“Yom” means “day”. The initial Hebrew meaning of the root KPR (which ‘Yom Kippur comes from) actually means ‘to cover’ and can be found in the original Hebrew name for the ‘mercy seat’ of the ‘ark of the covenant’ which is called in the Hebrew Bible ‘Kaporet’ (covering’). Covering provides protection. English translations tend to make KPR into a religious word by using religious words like “atonement”, “propitiation”, and “expiation” in order to make it seems like God needs to be appeased by humans.

According to Leviticus 23:26-38, the day is a holy day for the people to humble themselves. They are to avoid doing work because there is nothing that they can do to earn God’s favour. People who don’t humble themselves are to be cut off from their people and become vulnerable to attack by the spiritual powers of evil.

God placed a covering over his people to keep them safe from the spiritual powers of evil. Covering day was a day for celebrating that privilege.