Thursday, September 5, 2013

ROSH HASHANAH FOR CHRISTIANS

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 5777 (Starts Oct 2-4, 2016)
UPDATED: OCTOBER 2016
Most Christians are not aware of the significance of Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year. A lot of it is due to the lack of, or improper teaching about the role of Israel in Prophesy and in some extreme cases - just plain error. There is an ungodly teaching out there called "Replacement Theology" which teaches that modern day Christians have replaced not just the Biblical Israel but present and future Israel. It will serve no purpose to put out the shocking list of churches here, but suffice it to say that almost 100 millions Americans in total belong to these churches! To those of us, who are students and lovers of the Holy Land, we honor these major Jewish Feast Days with our Messianic Jewish brethren! Why? Well, we because in the Millennial Kingdom,  guess where the King  - Jesus Christ -will be sitting on His Throne - Jerusalem.

In the Millennial Kingdom, the Sacrificial system will return (not to make blood atonement, but as a memorial). 

In the Millennial Kingdom, the Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot) which is coming up soon in later September, will be so huge and festive and under direct watch of Christ that Scripture warns that those nations that refuse to come up to Jerusalem annually to celebrate it with the rest of us, will have their rain cut off! Read it here.

Anyone who doubts any of this, has an issue with God and His Word, because, well..."thus sayeth the Lord"! Therefore as the Jewish New Year is now in full swing, let us wish our dear brethren a Happy New year...from those of us who are under the worldwide Gregorian Calendar - let us celebrate this day! 

Example: THE KIDDUSH:
This is the blessing given while holding a cup of wine before the evening meal: “Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe who has chosen and distinguished us by sanctifying our lives with commandments. Lovingly have you given us this Day of Remembrance, a day for recalling the shofar sound, a day for holy assembly and for recalling the Exodus from Egypt. Thus have you chosen us, sanctifying us among all people. Your faithful word endures forever. Praise are You, Lord, Ruler of all the earth, who sanctifies, the people Israel and the Day of Remembrance.”

There are some things we can learn from Rosh Hashanah. These are things which can make the understanding of God's Covenant. It is a time of new beginnnings. Just as Christian make resolutions on January 1, Rosh Hashanah give the Christian a time to reflect on the Gift of Repentance! Yes, repentance (or Teshuvah). This is the gift which calls us to answer the Call of God and approach Him with clean hearts and minds!


Why is Teshuvah important? Well, it ties right into the Lamb's Book of Life! Jesus said in Mark 1:15 "Repent, believe the Gospel and be saved"! In fact, one of the main greetings of Rosh Hashanah is "L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu" which means "may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year (in THE BOOK OF LIFE)! Now, do any of us have a problem with this?!  There is more we can go on about as to why we celebrate this meaningful time of year each early Fall, but the main one is this - we celebrate the new beginning - the Creation and the Creator.


The Gregorian Calendar which we live under, begins our new year every January 1. The Jews mark this as the beginning of Creation. Psalm 47:2 says "The LORD is KING of over ALL the earth". It is amazing to follow the tie in with this and the coming Millennial Kingdom of the Maschiach - Yehoshua (King Jesus)! Isaiah 27:13 says "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem." This is Mt Zion, where the Feet of the Messiah will land on the Second Coming, and the entire geography of Israel and its surroundings will be permanently changed at that time!


So let us celebrate and honor our Jewish brothers as we are now in Year 5774 from Creation! If your Jewish friends offer you apples and honey or even pomegranate based delicacies, that's the ticket right there. The traditional Apples and Honey of Rosh Hashanah simply signifies the expected sweetness of the coming year (the honey) and the Shekinah Glory of God (apple slices). 
Shanah Tovah Umesukah! (A happy and sweet new year)!


(All Scriptures are King James Version)

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