“God spoke all these words saying:” Ex 20:1
Why do we observe these holy days?
Leviticus 23
“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: These are the appointed festivals of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals.”
[Unlike man-made holidays such as Christmas and Easter, these are the holy days that were proclaimed by God and are found in scripture.]
23″ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 24 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts.” 25
[This is why we blow the ram’s horn in the seven month of the Hebrew calendar. God commands us to signal the start of a ten-day period leading to the Day of Atonement.]
26 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 Now, the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall afflict your souls and present the Lord’s offering by fire; 28 and you shall do no work during that entire day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. 29 For anyone who does not afflict his soul during that entire day shall be cut off from the people. 30 And anyone who does any work during that entire day, such a one I will destroy from the midst of the people. 31 You shall do no work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your settlements.”
[Fasting, prayer, contemplation, and supplication for forgiveness of sin constitute “afflicting ones soul.” Also, in this scripture God commands that this day of atonement shall be observed “forever.” ]
Man Atones and God Forgives
Isaiah 43:25
25 ” I, even I, am he that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
Ezekiel 18
“20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
[God teaches us that each person is responsible for his own sins.”
21 “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.”
22 “All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.”
Isiah 55:7
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
[God said here that through our acts of atonement and righteousness we earn forgiveness from the Creator who is merciful.]