15 September, 2020
💞 Dear Royal Praying Priests, shalom!
💎 “Adonai spoke to Moses saying: ‘Speak to Bnei-Yisrael (Israelites), saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a Shabbat rest, a memorial of blowing shofarot (trumpets, horns, ram’s horns), a holy convocation. You are to do no regular work, and you are to present an offering made by fire to Adonai.’” (Lev 23:23-25, TLV)
💎 “For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.” (1Th 4:16, TLV)
שנה טובה ומתוקה
(Shanah tovah u’metukah)
Wish you a good and sweet Jewish New Year!
The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) will begin on 18 September at sundown and end in the evening of 20 September. In Hebrew, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (Rosh Hashanah) literally means “Head of the Year”. The biblical name of the New Year is יוֹם תְּרוּעָה (Yom Teruah), literally “Day of Blowing”, which is often translated as Feast of Trumpets. On this day, according to Leviticus 23:23-25, the ram’s horn (shofar) is blown, and it marks the beginning of ימים נוראים (Yamin Noraim), the “Ten Days of Awe, High Holidays, or High Holy Days” that fall between Rosh Hashanah and יוֹם כִּיפּוּר (Yom Kippur) the Day of Atonement.
Before Moses received the Ten Commandments, the shofar blasts were also heard at Mount Sinai. (Exo 19:16-19) Therefore, the sounding of the shofar is regarded as a forerunner to encounter God and it reminds us of the covenant between God and Israel. In the Old Testament, the shofar was used for various purposes, such as announcing war, calling people for battle, announcing the end of fighting, announcing victory, and frightening the enemies. It was also used for announcing the Jubilee, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought up, or during the renewal of the Covenant. The shofar was blasted also during the coronation ceremonies for the kings.
Our Messiah Yeshua said that when He appears in heaven again, He is coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send out His angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Mat 24:30-31). The shofar will be blasted to announce His second coming. (1Th 4:16).
Among all the crises and challenges, the Jewish people worldwide are celebrating Rosh Hashanah and seeking God fervently this month. Let us praise God and proclaim the biblical promises for the salvation of all Israel. And one day when the trumpet calls, all the Jewish and Gentile believers are together welcoming Yeshua’s return with joyful sounds!
🙏 Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You that Your Word never returns to You empty. You are mighty to save all peoples. During the High Holidays, we know that many Jewish and non-Jewish people will encounter You in a new way, as You promised that when we seek you earnestly, we will find you! In the Name of Yeshua we pray and bless You, Amen.