L'shana Tova.. A Biblical/Messianic/Scriptural Perspective

[kayte]

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The Fall Biblical holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are custom designed for us by our loving Father to fix wrong things in our lives.
Rosh HaShanah begins at sundown on Friday September 18, 2009 and ends at nightfall on Sunday September 20, 2009. It is the start of the Jewish New Year. The ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe. ​

This is an opportunity for us to examine our lives, clean up gray areas, mend fences and turn our hearts toward our loving Father in Heaven. If we are honest with our selves we all have areas in need of a tune up. Perhaps the job is too big for us. This is the time to call upon our loving God for guidance.​

The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) was celebrated at the beginning of the month Tishri, the first month of the civil year. This season is a time of reflection, contemplation, and putting things in order and getting right our relationship with God.​

God named the other holidays, Sabbath, Passover, Day of Atonement, etc.; however, this holiday has no name. It’s simply referred to as Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar), so it became known as the Feast of Trumpets, a special day calling attention to the coming holy day—the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). A shofar (ram’s horn) is blown during the Feast of Trumpets service.

Leviticus 23 calls the blowing of trumpets a memorial but does not say what it is a memorial of. Many believe it is a memorial of God’s grace to Abraham when He substituted a ram to be sacrificed instead of Isaac (Gen. 22). It is also regarded by both Jews and Christians as a memorial of the creation of the world, at which the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 38:7). This holiday was the new year’s day, on which the people rejoiced in a grateful remembrance of God’s benefits and implored His blessing for the future year.

The Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are the holiest days of the Jewish year. These ten days are called the Days of Awe or High Holy Days. Unlike other holy days, they do not celebrate a season or historical event. This season is a time for looking inward to spiritual growth

 

[kayte]

Adonai said to Moshe, "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest and remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar. Do not do any kind of ordinary work, and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.'" -Leviticus 23:23-25

Where does the name come from?

The Hebrew word rosh means "head". The prefix ha means "the". The word shana means "year". Thus the name translates to "head of the year". This day is also called Yom Teruah, which means "day of trumpets".

Why is the new year begun on the seventh month? (See Exodus 12:2)

There are two traditional answers. The first is that there was an agricultural calendar from pre-Sinai days that started the year in the fall, and the ancient Israelites kept the fall as the head of the year. (Exodus 34:22 mentions a "feast of ingathering at the turn of the year.") Also, tradition teaches that Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the first day of creation.

Why is Rosh Hashanah important when the Torah says so little about it?

Rosh Hashanah begins the ten Days of Awe: the ten days until Yom Kippur which are for introspection, repentance, and making amends with others. Tradition says that on Yom Kippur our fate for the next year will be decided, and those who will live through the year will have their name inscribed in God's book of life. A traditional greeting is L’shana Tova, meaning "may your name be inscribed". Rosh Hashanah focuses on the majesty and sovereignty of God to begin this time of repentance, and the shofar blasts wake us up to the need for repentance.


How should believers celebrate?

Notice that this day is called a memorial. What are we remembering with the shofar blasts? According to tradition, this day is the anniversary of the beginning of creation! Job 38:7 mentions that during creation "all the sons of God shouted for joy". We should do this again!

Days that are memorials are also often a time for renewing commitments. What commitment comes with creation? The creation story implies an initially pure relationship with God. Pray about regaining this, with introspection and repentance, making amends to other people and to God.

In Matthew 19:21, Yeshua tells the rich young ruler, "If you want to be perfect..." To the Judaism of that time this idea would be either nonsense or sacrilege! The Mosaic Law was to make us holy (set apart), not perfect! Who could be perfect? Yet Yeshua was speaking truth. Yeshua’s name means "salvation". Matthew 1:21 says this is about being saved from sin. God's spirit works in the lives of believers to remove sin and iniquity. This is also worth celebrating! We can be saved not just from death in the future, but sin and iniquity in the present!

Since Jewish believers are under the covenant of Sinai they should still have a holy convocation, blow shofar blasts, and have a sabbath from work.

How has this day been involved in prophecy?

This day foreshadows the rapture, an assembly called by blowing of trumpets to assemble before God in a renewed state.

 

[kayte]

A blessed sweet New Year ~

 

[Prudent1]

Awesome post Kayte!! I really enjoyed this. I have a desire to learn more about the holy days God wants us to observe.