Rosh Hashanah

Posted in Biblical Holidays


And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Leviticus 23: 23, 24


Many consider autumn their favorite season. Although I find something beautiful in every season, Autumn does well in providing me an abundant harvest for the senses; one to relish and savor and enjoy. My autumn delights...

But there is another reason I love autumn so. A better reason than any of the things I could list that my senses could consume. It delights my spirit~ my inner woman. It is a holy time of year~

My family celebrates the Biblical Feasts and Festivals. And I always get alot of emails asking me if I am (or my husband is) Jewish. Yes, we are Messianic Jews, but before we knew that Michael was Jewish (his mother hid the fact she was a Jew in order to flee Europe and we found out about 6 years ago), we still celebrated the feasts and festivals. They are not just for the Jews. They are annoited and symbolic for ALL believers. We have, over the past thirteen years, moved more towards following God's way of celebrating the holy days instead of the world's. Our Friday evening Shabbat, Sukkot, Pesach (Passover), Hannukkah, Yom Kippur, Purim, and others are what we celebrate instead of Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day. Each year we added a new feast or festival celebration. And with the arrival of the autumn season, The High Holy Days are upon us!

This weekend is a celebration of a New Year- La'shana Tovah or Happy New Year- 5767! It is the celebration of God creating the world. It is the Coronation Day of our Creator. It is the celebration of a Day of Remembrance; for the remembrance of barren women whom God called up and made fruitful and brought forth life. A time to remember Moses being called up to the Mount to receive God's law. A time to remember Abraham's faith and Isaac's obedience, and God's provision of a sacrifice. A time to remember the exiled Israel, and the enemies whom seek to devour her. A time to remember that we are not of this world, but just members of it. That one day, the shout will raise the dead!

It is the time of year that my spirit~ given to me by God's breath and which groans with all of creation to be with Him, knows that someday, very soon, I will hear the trumpet and be called to the table, and will dine with my Saviour!

Tonight begins the first of the two day celebration of Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of the Days of Awe. The holiday, which is the only one not mentioned by name in the Bible, is celebrated over two days. Many reasons have been given for this. One is that the Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle and in Biblical days, they knew not 'exactly' (mathematical computation) when the moon was new, and required the confirmation of three witnesses set apart in the city to determine which day the new moon began. This, in conjunction with the Sanhedrin determining which day was the Rosh Chodesh, or new moon of Tishri, determined the start of the Yom Teruah, or the Day of the Awakening Blast, or as we Christians call it, the Feast of Trumpets. Read more about it here.

Therefore, you knew not in what hour, or what day, Rosh Hashanah began. This theme is also presented to us in the New Testament in regards to the rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). We know not in what hour, or what day, we will hear the trump of God calling us heavenward. Instead, we are to have our lamps always full and be ready to meet the bridegroom when He comes to take us into the 'chupah', or the wedding canopy. This is what Jesus was referring to when He spoke in John 14:2, 3:

In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

You can read more about Rosh Hashanah here and the rapture of the church here .

To begin Rosh Hashanah, the shofar, or ram's horn is blown in a special succession. If you have never had the pleasure of hearing one, you can hear the shofar call here or here. If you are a Tolkien fan, he made reference many times in the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit to horns and trumpets and their use for calling to battle, to warn of danger, and to summon help. You can read about the names and significance of the three different blasts/sounds that the shofar is to have here. But that is not the only reason the shofar is blown on this day. There are many other reasons~ symbolic reasons, the shofar is important on this holy day. You can read about them and a very good overview of the holiday here.

When you hear the shofar blown, do you feel as I do? Does it hit you right in the middle of the chest, where your spirit resides? Do you get goosebumps thinking of the heavenly one that will one day ring out for all believers to hear?

Tonight also begins the ten day period known as the High Holy Days, or the Days of Awe, ending with Yom Kippur. You can read more about Yom Kippur here.

Of course, as with all Biblical holy days, food and family are at the forefront. Round challah bread, apples dipped in honey, and succulent harvest vegetables are on the table to be enjoyed tonight, along with our Samarian oil lamps filled with fresh olive oil. The smell of a hearty roast and side dishes are filling the house with succulent smells as I type. You can get some excellent recipes here or on this great site.

The children and I spent most of yesterday afternoon getting our tallits (prayer shawls and headcoverings) out, filling the oil lamps, purchasing any meal ingredients we needed, and preparing some of the dishes. This morning and early afternoon, we will study the scripture and texts concerning the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Each year, we have added a new feast or festival to our holiday celebrations, and get more in depth with the ones we are accustomed to observing. This year, our twelfth celebrating Rosh Hashanah, we will focus on scripture concerning the model of a Jewish wedding, being ready for that day, and having our lamps full. The Messianic significance of the Feast and Festival dates is one I highly recommend you study with your children.

The symbolism of this holy day for we believers is as such; one day, perhaps tonight or tomorrow, perhaps not in our lifetime, we will hear the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first, and then we who are still living, will be caught up in the clouds with Him, where we will always be with Him. And on another appointed day, that trump will sound forth again, and the saints will return with Christ to set up His kingdom here on Earth. Until then, we are to be waiting...ready.

Is your lamp full? Will the bridgegroom find you waiting; looking up in anticipation for your redemption to draw nigh? Are you ready?