Gtcotr/ss091326
Recently we have discussed the fact
that God has a calendar and He has a clock. God has marked some special days,
made some special appointments, and sent out some “save-the-date” notices to
everyone on His mailing list.
God is a God of remembrance and
celebration. The Bible is our appointment book. These are appointments we will not miss – even if we forget
them, God won’t, and He will summon us at His command.
God lives by His calendar. When He
makes an appointment and commits to a date, He never forgets, never sends
regrets, and never shows up late.
Yesterday, Saturday, September 12,
2026, was an important anniversary date on God’s calendar. It was the day on
which God decided to begin things. It’s commonly called Rosh Hashanah, which means the Head of the Year. God is very
excited about this day every year, and the next few days are very special days
on His calendar.
Just as the Head turns the body, this
day, according to Jewish teachings, is the day upon which the rest of the year will
turn. Jesus would have been taught this and would have observed this day as a
special season all during His childhood and adult years. Rosh Hashanah is also known
as the Feast of Trumpets. One day, maybe in the
next 10 days, perhaps on the Day of Atonement, I am expecting Jesus to return
for His Bride.
So, from God and from all creation,
let me say: L’Shanah
Tova! Happy New Year! It’s the Jewish year 5787
… (5787 years since the creation of Adam).
Before we move on from remembrance of
this High Holy Day, allow me to share a few things Christians should know about
Rosh Hashanah.
1. Rosh Hashanah is also the day on which I and many others believe:
* God created Adam and Eve.
* The
day on which Jesus was born.
* It is
a New Year for people, animals, and legal contracts. (The Year of Jubilee began on
this day – slaves freed, debt forgiven, and land returned to the original
owners.)
* A
yearly reminder to repent. (Begins the 10 Days of Awe)
* The “Last Trumpet”
will signal the return of the Lord.
Rosh
Hashanah is the most understandable Biblical backdrop we have with which we can
foresee this most remarkable event which is yet to come.
2. So far, we have only seen the dress rehearsals. I believe the
ultimate Feast of Trumpets will usher in the return of Jesus and the gathering
together of God’s people (Leviticus 23; Isaiah 27:13; Matthew 24:31; Revelation
11:15; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4).
10 days after the New Year is the
annual Day of Atonement (Sunday, September 20,
2026). This is the day each year that the High Priest entered the Holy of
Holies in the Temple and sprinkled the sacrificial blood on the mercy seat. 5
days later, the Feast of Tabernacles begins with the promise of a new heaven
and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.
So the next 10 days are awesome days
in Jewish faith and culture. The days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day
of Atonement are called the 10 Days of Awe.
Both Jews and Christians believe that
a person must repent of their sins and be forgiven by God prior to the Day of
Judgment. Jews believe this needs to be done each year during these 10 Days of Awe. Christians
believe repentance is what we offer God when we first give our lives to Jesus Christ.
Salvation by the blood of Jesus opens the door to God’s forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the result of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Without exception, Jews and Christians
alike believe repentance and forgiveness are both necessary elements to avoid
judgment. And this is the day and the season God has set aside on His calendar
to remind us of these truths.
Since the days of Adam, it has been
taught that every person should examine their life and make the adjustments
necessary to align themselves with God’s will. Noah needed it; Rahab needed it;
David needed it; Bathsheba needed it; Peter; Mary Magdalene; Peter and John and
me and you … we all need it. We all need to examine our lives before God and
make the adjustments necessary to align ourselves with His Word and His will.
A life left unchecked
and unchallenged will go unchanged. And nothing
changes until something changes. This is the season God has placed on His
calendar for us to check, challenge, and change our lives before Him.
I encourage you to examine yourself
this morning and make whatever adjustments you need to the way you think,
speak, act, or feel. God is very interested in helping you do this right now.
I believe Jesus is coming soon. Rosh
Hashanah reminds me to look for Him at any moment and make sure I am ready to
meet Him.
1 Corinthians 15 NKJV
51 ¶ Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed —
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4 NKJV
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And
the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
I caution you: don’t wait for the last trumpet and the
return of Jesus before you ask Him to be your Savior. Call upon the name of the
Lord today, for He may sound that proverbial last trumpet in your life before you
know it. Happy New Year! L’Shanah Tova!
