Preparing for Christ's 2nd Coming through Fasting!
"On the 10th day of the 7th month is the Day of Atonement, the day when everything will be made right between you and the LORD. Then you will assemble as a holy people and offer an offering to the LORD. You shall not eat or drink anything ("afflicting your souls": fasting) on that day and do no work at all, for it is the Day of Atonement, the day when all things will be made right between you and the LORD your God in the Most Holy Place.” Leviticus 23:26-28.
When you know Christ is coming, you want to make sure you are spiritually and physically clean with a focus on God where Christ and the angels are going to take you. Hence the Day of Atonement is a day of contemplation/prayer and fasting and thus for spiritual and physical cleansing.
A very personal day in which, in addition to fasting from sunset the day before until sunset the day after, takes the time to pray, ask for forgiveness, reflect on your faith, deepen your faith, so certainly also your Bible reading, watching a Biblical film, and so on. Without food or drink, all that goes with greater concentration.
Working does not go together with fasting or with that necessary deepening and worship. You would not be able to pay the necessary attention to the spiritual aspects and you would not have the energy for it.
I see this Feast as a spiritual journey to God and a reference to the real journey that is yet to take place. A journey with a focus on what is to come with God YHWH in Heaven and not on our physical needs. A focus in which faith/trust is the starting point for that moment of travel and for what comes after.
Not everyone will be able to fast; for example due to chronic or non-chronic illnesses, psychological illnesses with medication, life-threatening situations and due to children (who are growing and need energy) with compulsory education. They are then not bound to fast; and those of school age not bound to keeping this Feast day.
God is a God of Love, Truth and Justice and does not want to physically harm anyone or make sick people extra sick. However, within the family it is important to be able to retire to your own room than not to be confronted with non-fasting relatives. Unfortunately, you may still have to feed children, which requires extra perseverance.
In addition, it is important that Christ states that you should nevertheless adopt a cheerful, friendly and light-hearted attitude:
"When you are fasting, do not look gloomy as hypocrites do. They make a grave face to show others that they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have already received their reward." Matthew 6:16.
Remember that you will get rest and a view of the 2nd Coming of Christ. Doesn't that make you happy?!
Not doing strenuous things, praying, studying the Bible, watching Bible movies, listening to praise music, writing down impressions and resting will help you fast and make your day fly by. So that you actually want to continue fasting with sunset!
Then follows on the 15th day: