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Rosh HaShana
The first mention of Rosh HaShana, the Day of Trumpets, is Leviticus 23:24. God gives very little instruction regarding this holiday, which in view of God’s usual myriad of details, such brevity is indeed surprising.
"Say to the Israelites: `On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.' "
The holiday is mentioned four other times in the Bible, all of which are in the Hebrew Bible:
- Numbers 29:1-6 gives a description of the required sacrifices.
- Psalm 81:3-4 tells us that we’re to use a shofar, a ram’s horn.
- Ezra 3:1-6 records the resumption of the sacrifices by the remnant that returned from the Babylonian captivity. Although the Temple was not yet completed, the “people assembled as one man in Jerusalem…and began to build the altar.” Even on only the foundation, and despite the threats of their neighbors, the people worshipped. Obviously the people were desperately intent to fulfill their vows to the Lord their God who had brought them home.
- Nehemiah 7:73-8:12 records the same event, adding the teaching of the scribes. It’s heartening to see the hunger of the people to know the Word of God. From daybreak to noon is approximately six hours –a long time for any meeting when people are standing. Furthermore, while the intense heat of the summer is gone, the Jerusalem sun can be rather daunting. Not only did the people listen, they responded with passionate worship and repentance.
Significance to the nation Israel
The shortage of biblical information about the Day of Trumpets includes a lack of national or historical relevance. In fact, the only event reported to have occurred on this date was the resumption of the sacrifices after the Babylonian captivity and the reading of the Torah. It is significant, however, to see the passionate response of the people to the Word of God. “They wept, they bowed their heads and they worshipped.” They were so intense that Nehemiah had to instruct them to rejoice!
To this day, the religious community maintains the importance of reading the Torah and the theme of repentance.
Prophetic Significance
Although there is a pleasing argument for aligning the rapture of the church and the spiritual awakening of Israel with this holiday, I do not see validation for that position in Scripture.
While 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 refer to the “last trumpet” and the “trumpet call of God” when describing Christ’s call for His Church, the “sound of the trumpet” often accompanies the presence of God and/or His angelic host.1
Certainly the trumpet is often used (among other purposes) to call the people to a sacred assembly or to repentance, or to sound a warning of impending danger, that does not singularly imply that its prophetic use is for Israel’s turning to their Lord in repentance.2
Personal and Spiritual Significance
While there is no biblical correlation between Rosh HaShana and the judgment of God, nevertheless the sound of the shofar constantly reminds me that I will face judgment.
The rabbinic tradition of using this time each year as preparatory for that judgment has tremendous spiritual significance to us all.
God is our Judge…and God the Father has given all authority as Judge to Jesus, God the Son. Scripture is clear that He will judge righteously because He is not a respecter of persons. He cannot lie. And, all things are known to Him.
One of the greatest lies perpetuated since Satan tempted Eve, is that God is not true to His word. For thousands of years, people have melted God into their own image, seeing Him through their own lenses. (Rose-colored?) How often I have heard, “My God wouldn’t!” How sad it is to misperceive the God who only wants His best for us.
Indeed God is true to His word. God is true to His word. He clearly defines the charge: sin! His determination is equally as clear, “All have sinned. There is none who do good. Our righteousness is like filthy rags. No one can say he has made his heart pure.” 3 Lastly His verdict is clear, “The wages of sin is death. The one who sins must die.” 4
Whereas rabbinic tradition makes no provision for an advocate before God the Judge, God has given Himself as our Advocate. God is Judge, Defense Counsel, and Jury. What court on earth would allow the same person to represent the accused AND be his judge? We’d call that a conflict of interest! But O the wondrous joy of having that conflict in our favor. So even though my knees might shake at the awesome terror of standing before God, I can enter boldly in confident assurance that I will be declared INNOCENT.
If you, dear reader, are like me, knowing that my righteousness comes from Jesus, I am apt to focus on God’s mercy and grace. But the blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShana reminds me that Judge Jesus is waiting for me at the Bema Seat. There I will be judged for every idle word, thought and deed. While my eternal destination has been secured, my rewards are still being determined.
Also, is it not needful for those who are called by the name of Christ to consider our relationship with others? We know that a sign of the end times is brother taking offense at brother. While we are told that we must not come before God unless our relationships are right, we tend to put off difficult and challenging relationships. Rosh HaShana is a good time to take the necessary steps towards reconciliation and restoration.
Finally, we need to remember that God will also judge the nations. I think the judgment of the nations will be made through the Great Tribulation as God brings either His wrath or His protection according to the way the nations dealt with Israel (Joel 3:2, Matthew 25:31ff). This is significant to us as resident intercessors!
As the trumpets sound their call to righteousness, let us be reminded of some of the attributes of God our Judge. God is:
- Holy
- Righteous
- Just
- Gracious
- Merciful
- Sovereign
- Omnipotent
- Omniscient
- Omnipresent
God is Love!
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1Exodus 19:16; Exodus 20:18; Zechariah 9:14; Revelation 1:10, 4:1, Chapters 8-11:
2Isaiah 27:13; 58:1; Jeremiah 6:1; Ezekiel 33:1ff; Joel 2:1-15
3Romans 3:23; Psalm 14:3; Isaiah 64:6; Proverbs 20:9
4Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20
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