Much of God’s instruction to the Hebrew
people was repeated—just to emphasize the importance of His instructions. Now in the seventh month, on the first day
of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious
work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets. Numbers 29:1.
In the scripture passage above this holy
day known as Rosh Hashanah, or Festival of the Trumpets, is the beginning of a
New Year, but it isn’t celebrated like we celebrate our New Year. It is a time
of remembering creation…and the beginning of a time of repentance. Actually ten
days of repentance begins a few days later on Yom Kippur, read Leviticus 23:27-32.
Jewish holidays aren’t well known by most Americans—but for Christians these
should be part of our heritage, too—since our roots are in the Old Testament.
Blow the trumpet. It was not really a trumpet, but a shofar. Have you ever heard
a shofar sounded? It is sort of mournful. There are different sounds made, not
necessarily different pitches, but short and long notes that are blown—rapid and
extended sounds.
When Joshua and the Israelites conquered Jericho,
there was great power released when the trumpets were sounded, the people
shouted and the walls came tumbling down! Trumpets sounded at God’s command are
powerful. In the book of Revelation it mentions that trumpets are sounded as
alarms or announcements of events. Listen up. Start preparing your heart for
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset this year on
September 13th and ends at nightfall on September 15th.
Do you want to honor God by following His directions on these festivals? The
answer is not just blowing in the wind. God loves you—will you seek Him with
all your heart?
Prayer
~ Holy Spirit, guide our hearts, thoughts, minds and actions that we would live
to please You. May we find within You the power to rejoice in the New Year and
to seek repentance and renewal in our relationships with You and with others. We
give You the glory and honor and praise for all things good and honorable in
our lives—for knowing us and allowing us to be part of Your family.
© 2015 by Mickey
M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise
noted.
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