‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you’ ~ Numbers 29:1 KJV.

Happy Rosh Hashanah! This day of the Jewish New Year (5779) is also referred to as Feast of Trumpets. A shofar blast signals its beginning and Yom Kippur its end. This celebration is referred to in the Jewish community as the “Days of Awe.” It also marks the sixth day of creation when God created man on Mount Moriah.

Right now Jewish people are taking this time to repent of all known sin and to restore broken relationships.

Do you see a connection to Christianity? Through the blood and resurrection of Christ, all men have access to salvation through repentance and belief in Jesus.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ~ Romans 10:10 KJV.

We are also instructed to be at peace with all men.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men ~ Romans 12:18 KJV.

Additionally, hearing the shofar is vitally important. Christianity teaches that this sound precedes the Rapture at the time Jesus returns for His church.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord ~ 1Thesselonians 4: 16-17 KJV.

And

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality ~ 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53 KJV.

From the Jewish perspective, I’d like to share a summary about this day, taken from The Temple Institute:

” ‘And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no manner of servile work; it is a day of blowing the horn unto you. And you shall prepare a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the L-rd: one young bullock, one ram, seven he-lambs of the first year without blemish; and their meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for the bullock, two tenth part for the ram, and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs; and one he-goat for a sin-offering, to make atonement for you; beside the burnt-offering of the new moon, and the meal-offering thereof, and the continual burnt-offering and the meal-offering thereof, and their drink-offerings, according unto their ordinance, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the L-rd.’ (Numbers 29:1-6) Our sages teach us that Rosh Hashana marks the sixth day of creation, the day that adam harishon – the first man – was created. The particular place was none other than what would come to be known as Mount Moriah. We further learn that it was on this very spot that Adam first sinned and repented. Here he built an altar and presented an offering. Some twenty generations later it was here that the angel stayed the hand of Abraham at the binding of Isaac. It ws here that the ram appeared, providing Abraham with the means through which to express his love for G-d. Rosh Hashana is the day that we recognize the sovereignty of G-d the King, Creator of the universe and Judge of all mankind. The day on which “all beings pass before Him like tender sheep,” Rosh Hashana’s message is truly universal: it is incumbent upon all mankind to accept upon ourselves G-d’s sovereignty, and to take account of our thoughts and actions, in light of this awesome recognition. The trumpets sounded before the entrance to the Kodesh – the Sanctuary – of the Holy Temple on Rosh Hashana are reminders of G-d’s dominion. The sound of the shofar – likewise blown on the Sanctuary steps, eminates from breath itself, the breath that comes from deep within us, where it was placed, for the first time, by G-d, in Adam, on the sixth day. ” (https://www.templeinstitute.org/rosh_hashana/introduction.htm)

Studying the Jewish Feast Days completes and deepens our understanding of the Scriptures. The Old Testament mirrors the New Testament, fitting together perfectly. Isn’t it fascinating?

To learn more, go to https://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm.

Shana Tova!