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ROSH HA-SHANAH
(THE JEWISH NEW YEAR)
By Dr. Elias E. Hidalgo
THE TERM ROSH HA-SHANAH
THE TERM ROSH HA-SHANAH ACTUALLY MEANS 'THE HEAD OF THE YEAR', AND ACCORDING TO THE JEWISH CALENDAR IT FALLS ON THE SEVENTH MONTH (TISHRI). THIS YEAR (2015) IT IS OBSERVED ON THE 13th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH BEGINS THE YEAR 5776, ACCORDING TO TRADITION.
NOW ISN'T THAT ODD, THAT A NEW JEWISH YEAR WOULD BEGIN ON THE SEVENTH MONTH. ONE WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD FALL ON THE 'FIRST' MONTH?
WELL, ORIGINALLY, THE ABOVE DAY, ACCORDING TO THE HOLY BIBLE AS FOUND IN LEVITICUS 23: 23-25, IS ACTUALLY CALLED, 'THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS', WHEN THE 'SHOFAR' (RAMS HORN) IS BLOWN AND A HOLY CONVOCATION (GATHERING) IS CALLED, IN ORDER FOR THE PEOPLE TO WORSHIP AND EXALT THE ALMIGHTY LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, WHOM WE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND TO BE, Y'SHUA HA-MASSIACH ADONAI, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
YEAR AFTER YEAR
YEAR AFTER YEAR JEWISH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD OBSERVE AND REMEMBER ROSH HA-SHANAH AS A MOST SACRED DAY, AND A TIME TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR THEIR SINS AND TRESPASSES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IN LEVITICUS 23: 25, WE ARE TOLD, "YE SHALL BRING AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE UNTO THE LORD.", THAT IS, A BLOOD ATONEMENT. THUS, ON THIS DAY SINCE THERE IS NO LONGER A TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, NO PRIESTHOOD, AND NO SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM, TRADITION HAS EVOLVED INTO THE FOLLOWING SUBSTITUTION: THE GATHERING OF INDIVIDUALS NEAR A BODY OF WATER, AND SYMBOLICALLY, THEY CAST THEIR SINS INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. BUT NOTICE, THERE IS NO 'BLOOD ATONEMENT', WHICH IS REQUIRED BY TORAH (THE LAW).
AND AS A RESULT
AND AS A RESULT, THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT ONE’S SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND THE REASON BEING THAT THE HOLY BIBLE ITSELF RECORDS THE PROCEDURE BY WHICH SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
WE READ IN LEVITICUS 17: 11, "FOR THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD: AND I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU UPON THE ALTAR TO MAKE AN ATONEMENT FOR YOUR SOULS: FOR IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKETH AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL".
FOR US TODAY, AS JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH INDIVIDUALS, THAT NEED ATONEMENT AND THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS, THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID, THE ATONEMENT HAS BEEN MADE, THE OFFER OF SALVATION IS EXTENDED TO ALL, "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD." (JOHN 3: 16-18).
IS THERE A SCRIPTURE
IS THERE A SCRIPTURE THAT RELATES TO THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR?
YES, IN EXODUS 12: 2, "THIS MONTH SHALL BE UNTO YOU THE BEGINNING OF MONTHS: IT SHALL BE THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR TO YOU."
CLEARLY, THE LORD GOD ANNOUNCES A NEW YEAR FOR HIS PEOPLE (ISRAEL), WITHOUT ANY EQUIVOCATION, AND IT FALLS AT THE OUTSET OF THE FEAST OF PESACH (PASSOVER).
ISN’T THAT INTERESTING?
ISN’T THAT INTERESTING? WHAT THE ALMIGHTY GOD HAS CALLED THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR, MEN HAVE CHOSEN RATHER TO CALL THE SEVENTH MONTH, THE FIRST? THINGS OF THIS NATURE ALWAYS REMIND ME OF THE FAMOUS ABBOTT AND COSTELLO PARADOX, 'WHO'S ON FIRST?'
NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG
NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD OBSERVE AND REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH AS THE HOLY BIBLE TELLS US, AS THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS, AS A SPECIAL DAY, A SABBATH DAY, A NO SERVILE DAY, A SERVICE DAY IN HONOR OF OUR LORD AND GOD, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. AND AS WE REJOICE IN THIS WONDERFUL DAY, WE SHOULD BLOW THE TRUMPET (HA-SHOFAR), TO ANNOUNCE THE FACT THAT THE 'OFFERING MADE BY FIRE' HAS BEEN OFFERED AND ACCEPTED BY THE LORD IN THE PERSON OF OUR BLESSED MESSIAH, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THROUGH HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.
LET US HEAR
"LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER: FEAR GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. FOR GOD SHALL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT, WITH EVERY SECRET THING, WHETHER IT BE GOOD, OR WHETHER IT BE EVIL." (ECCLESIASTES 12: 13-14).
"HE HATH SHEWED THEE, O MAN, WHAT IS GOOD: AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF THEE, BUT TO DO JUSTLY, AND TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH THY GOD?" (MICAH 6: 8).
"COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN OF ME; FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART: AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT." (MATTHEW 11: 28-30).
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT NEARLY THIRTY-FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO AS RECORDED IN THE HOLY BIBLE, THE LORD GOD SPOKE TO MOSES, AS WRITTEN IN LEVITICUS 23: 24 - 25, 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. YE SHALL DO NO SERVILE WORK THEREIN: BUT YE SHALL OFFER AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE UNTO THE LORD ...
IMAGINE, SOMETHING SAID SO LONG AGO, IS STILL REMEMBERED AND COMMEMORATED TODAY.
ON SEPTEMBER THE 13TH, 2015 AS THE SUN BEGINS TO SET IN THE WEST, A GREAT EVENT WILL BE TAKING PLACE: ROSH-HA-SHANAH (ALSO KNOWN AS THE JEWISH NEW YEAR).
JOIN ME AS WE THINK UPON THIS WONDERFUL DAY. IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE JEWISH NEW YEAR 5776.
HOW INTERESTING THAT THE LORD WOULD GIVE ISRAEL A CALENDAR (CIVIL) TO GO BY. DID YOU NOTICE THAT IT BEGINS ON THE SEVENTH MONTH?
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST MONTH OF THE RELIGIOUS CALENDAR IS THE MONTH 'NISSAN' WHICH AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, IS THE MONTH UPON WHICH WE CELEBRATE PESACH (PASSOVER).
NOW, BACK TO ROSH HA-SHANAH WHICH LITERALLY MEANS, 'HEAD OF THE YEAR'.
IT IS TO BE CONSIDERED A SABBATH (A DAY OF REST), AND, A SACRIFICE BY FIRE IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO THE LORD. LASTLY, NO SERVILE WORK IS TO BE DONE ON THIS DAY.
JOIN ME AS WE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING IN REMEMBRANCE OF ROSH HA-SHANAH.
THE SABBATH:
SABBATH MEANS 'REST', AND WAS INSTITUTED BY THE ALMIGHTY GOD IN GENESIS 2: 1 - 3, ... THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD MADE; AND HE RESTED (SHABBAT) ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD MADE. AND GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY, AND SANCTIFIED IT: BECAUSE THAT IN IT HE HAD RESTED (SHABBAT) FROM ALL HIS WORK WHICH GOD CREATED AND MADE ...
THE ALMIGHTY GOD HAD A SHABBAT (REST). NOW IN OUR TEXT IN LEVITICUS, HE COMMANDS A DAY OF REST (SHABBAT) AS THE CIVIL NEW YEAR BEGINS.
IN HEBREWS 4: 9, WE READ ... THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST (SHABBAT) TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD ...
ALSO, IN HEBREWS 4: 10, WE READ ... FOR HE THAT IS ENTERED INTO HIS REST (SHABBAT), HE ALSO HATH CEASED FROM HIS OWN WORKS, AS GOD DID FROM HIS ...
THEREFORE, AS WE REMEMBER THE FEASTS OF TRUMPETS (ROSH HA-SHANAH), LET'S DO SO IN REST (SHABBAT) BEFORE OUR LORD, FOR HE AS THE ETERNAL ONE HAS GRANTED US LIFE FOREVERMORE THROUGH Y'SHUA (JESUS) OUR LORD AND MESSIAH.
THE SACRIFICE:
IN ORDER FOR US TO COMPLETE OUR REMEMBRANCE OF ROSH HA-SHANAH A SACRIFICE (OFFERING) BY FIRE IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO THE LORD. SINCE THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL WAS DESTROYED IN 70 AD, AND WITH IT'S DESTRUCTION THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM CEASED AND THE PRIESTHOOD ALSO WAS DISCONTINUED. HOW THEN CAN WE HONESTLY BRING A SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD DURING THIS GREAT FEAST DAY?
THE ANSWER, I BELIEVE LIES IN THE FACT THAT OUR MESSIAH HAS BECOME THE BURNT OFFERING THAT WE CAN OFFER UNTO GOD. WHEN Y'SHUA (JESUS) DIED ON THE TREE, WAS BURIED AND ON THE THIRD DAY ROSE FROM THE DEAD, HE PAID THE FULL PRICE OF THE BURNT OFFERING, THAT WE IN TURN, CAN OFFER ON THIS MOST HOLY DAY.
WE READ IN HEBREWS 9: 27 - 28, ... AND AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, BUT AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT: SO CHRIST (THE MESSIAH) WAS ONCE OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY; AND THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM SHALL HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION ...
THE SERVILE WORK:
ESPECIALLY DURING THIS DAY OF THE NEW YEAR, THE LORD DESIRES OUR SEPARATION FROM AND INVOLVEMENT WITH THE EVERY DAY WORK SCHEDULE THAT WE ALL KNOW SO WELL. THAT IS, AWAY FROM ANY SERVILE (REGULAR WORK) WORK, SO THAT WE CAN DEDICATE OUR SELVES TO HIM AND HIM ALONE.
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL, WHEN I READ AND THINK ON SCRIPTURES, IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO POINT ME TO MY BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR, Y'SHUA (JESUS) THE MESSIAH. THEREFORE, EVEN IN THIS SUBJECT OF NO SERVILE WORK, I THINK OF JESUS.
WE READ IN PHILIPPIANS 2: 5 - 11, ... LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS: WHO, BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD, THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERY TO BE EQUAL WITH GOD: BUT MADE HIMSELF OF NO REPUTATION, AND TOOK UPON HIM THE FORM OF A SERVANT, AND WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN: AND BEING FOUND IN FASHION AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME: THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND THINGS IN EARTH, AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH; AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER ...
IN CONCLUSION, WE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE ROSH HA-SHANAH SO MUCH BETTER, IF WE OBSERVE AND KEEP THIS FEAST DAY AS WE REST (SHABBAT) IN OUR LORD Y'SHUA, ACCEPT THE ETERNAL BURNT OFFERING THAT HE MADE FOR US BY RECEIVING AND BELIEVING ON HIM, AND ULTIMATELY WE CAN SURELY RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED NOT DO ANY SERVILE (NATURAL WORK), FOR OUR MESSIAH HAS GIVEN TO US BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH A NEW BEGINNING ON THIS NEW YEAR OF 5776.
MAY THE LORD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU AND STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH AS YOU WALK THIS LIFE'S JOURNEY WITH THE LORD BY YOUR SIDE AS YOUR REWARD AND RE-REWARD.
PEACE
IS AN ENGLISH WORD THAT MEANS
SHALOM
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