This is part of our 10-part series, “Hidden in Plain Sight: Why Christians Should Care About the Jewish High Holy Days.”

The human soul seems hardwired to long for atonement—a strong, sometimes desperate, desire for forgiveness and release. This is a sentiment that echoes across cultures and religious practices, revealing a shared yearning to be set right with God. As we delve into Day 9, we find in the story of the Akedah a vivid representation of how far God was willing to go to grant us that atonement. "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son," Abraham tells Isaac, echoing a promise fulfilled through Jesus (Genesis 22:8). Akedah literally means, “The Binding,” and recounts the story of Abraham taking his “one and only son” Isaac to the top of Moriah to sacrifice him.

Jewish Practice Today

In Jewish tradition, the Akedah resurfaces each year during Rosh Hashanah services, serving as a collective meditation on obedience, sacrifice, and divine intervention. The sound of the shofar, the ram's horn, hearkens back to that moment when God provided a ram to replace Isaac. This narrative reverberates today, as Jews consider God's provision and await the coming of the Messiah. Yet for many, the realization that the Messiah has already come remains an unopened gift.

Prayer for the Jewish People

As we read in Hebrews 11:19, Abraham "considered that God was able even to raise [Isaac] from the dead." This faith foreshadows the faith we're called to have in Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew, as the ultimate sacrifice and final unbinding of sin. Let's pray today for our Jewish brothers and sisters to recognize Yeshua as their atonement and freedom from spiritual bondage.

Application for Believers

The Apostle Paul wrote,

"For freedom the Messiah has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

We are called to walk in the freedom provided by the ultimate sacrifice of Yeshua. Take time today to thank God for this incredible gift and to reflect on how you can live more fully in the freedom He has granted you.

Directed Prayer Point

Today, let’s focus our prayers on the idea of spiritual freedom and release from bondage. Consider the words of Romans 8:2:

"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."

As we pray, let’s ask God to reveal any chains that still hold us back and request the grace to break them. Also, let’s lift up the Jewish people in prayer, that they might come to recognize the eternal freedom offered by Yeshua—freedom from the law, from sin, and from death.

We also mention a special prayer called the “Al Chet.” You can read and pray through it by clicking the button below.

Listen to our Days of Awe podcast for today!

If you would like to hear our full podcast on the Akedah called, “Remember Us For Life,” click the button below.