The Best Commentary On The Bible Is The Bible Itself

	The Reflections Newsletter Friday, September 18, 2009 **In This Issue** The Fall Feasts of the Lord - Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur What Does the Bible Say About...?   Welcome to the Reflections Newsletter from Reflect His Glory.  RHG is a co-ministry with Creation Science Ministries.  Feel free to send this to your relatives and friends.    The Fall Feasts of the Lord Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur This month Jewish communities throughout the world will celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  Rosh Hashanah literally means "head of the year" and commemorates the anniversary of the creation of the world.  It is celebrated on the first day of the month of Tishri. This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 18th and ends at nightfall on September 20th. Rosh Hashanah is often referred to as the beginning of the Jewish New Year.  However, the Hebrew month of Nissan, in which Passover is celebrated, is the first month of the Jewish Religious calendar.  Rosh Hashanah is actually only one of four symbolic Jewish new year celebrations.  The concept of having multiple new years may seem strange, but keep in mind that in America we celebrate the New Year in January and the new school year in August and/or September.  Likewise, businesses often have a fiscal year that does not coincide with the beginning of the calendar year (for example October 1st marks the beginning of the fiscal year for the US government). The commandment to observe Rosh Hashanah is found in Leviticus 23:23-25: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.  You shall do no servile work therein: but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.'"   KJV ER It is also mentioned in Numbers 29:1: "And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, You shall have an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets to you."          KJV ER One of the central features of Rosh Hashanah is the Shofar.  The Shofar is an instrument made from a ram's horn that sounds somewhat like a trumpet.  In the Bible, Rosh Hashanah is referred to as Yom Teruah, the day of the sounding of the Shofar, otherwise known as the Feast of Trumpets. The Shofar is often representative of Abraham offering Isaac to God as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, found in Genesis 22.  It was then that God provided Abraham with a ram, caught by its horns in a thicket, as a substitute for Isaac. Rosh Hashanah is a time of both celebration and repentance.  It is a time of spiritual renewal through prayer and deep personal reflection leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, on the 10th day of Tishri, found in Leviticus 23:26-28.  Rosh Hashanah is when the Jewish people recognize God as King and Judge over all living things.  On Rosh Hashanah the creation of the world is celebrated, when: "God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good."   Genesis 1:31  KJV ER The vast majority of Christians are unfamiliar with most of the traditional Jewish holidays.  Yet they hold great spiritual and prophetic significance.  In Colossians 2:16-17 it says: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come." Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is perhaps the most important holiday of the Jewish year.  Yom Kippur is observed on the 10th of Tishri.  This year Yom Kippur begins at sunset, on September 27th and ends at nightfall on September 28th.  Yom Kippur is considered the holiest and most solemn day of the year.  It is a day of repentance and reconciliation.  Yom Kippur is a Sabbath day.  Therefore most Jews refrain from working and will attend synagogue services.  It is also traditionally a day of fasting. It was on this day, the only day that the High Priest was able to enter the Holy of Holies, and then only after elaborate ceremonial washings, offerings, and associated rituals.  This was also the day that two goats were selected, one for an offering and one as the "scapegoat."  As many aspects of the feasts were prophetic, the scapegoat is also Messianic.  The ceremonial acts that were to be carried out by the High Priest on Yom Kippur are described in Leviticus 16, also Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 23:27-31, 25:9; and Numbers 29:7-11.  Since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., the God-centered observances of the Torah have unfortunately been replaced with a man-centered, good works system of appeasement through prayer, charity, and penitence. Yom Kippur traditionally ends with one long note of the Shofar.  The significance of the ram's horn is traditionally rooted in Genesis 22, mentioned above, where God commanded Abraham: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of."   KJV ER Abraham is called upon by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, as a test of his faith.  After God halts the sacrifice at the last minute, Abraham spies a ram trapped by his horns in a nearby thicket and offers the animal instead as a sacrifice. It is interesting to note that the first instance in which the word "love" appears in scripture is when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice "your only son Isaac, whom you love."  Compare the commandment God gave to Abraham with John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  KJV ER Woven throughout the Old Testament feasts is the foreshadowing of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind.  Those of us who have placed our trust in Christ Jesus are able to enter behind the veil and stand in the Holy of Holies.  We have forgiveness because of the sacrificial death of Christ Jesus on the cross.   Rosh Hashanah is a time of forgiveness and new beginnings.  Please take a moment during this most holy of days to reflect on all of these things, examine your heart before God, spend time in prayer and repent of any un-confessed sin in your life. L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem... Which, in Hebrew, means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."     What Does the Bible Say About...?   In this section of the Reflections Newsletter we answer questions that have been asked.  If you have a question that you would like ask, and do not mind having printed in the newsletter, (your name will not be mentioned), feel free to send your question in an email to me at biblequestions@reflecthisglory.org.  Of course, you may call me anytime by phone at 801.302-1111. The question for this issue is,  "Why did Jesus say Heaven and Earth would pass away, but His words would not?  I thought Heaven was forever." This statement occurs in the Olivet Discourse and is stated three times; in Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33.  There are two interpretations that theologians have given for it, and both have much validity. Many believe that at the end of the Millennium, and after the Great White Throne Judgment, God will form both a new Heaven and a new Earth.  This can be found in 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Revelation 21:1.  It is reasoned that the present Heaven has been tainted by sin; first by Lucifer's rebellion, and after, by his (Satan's) continued access to Heaven, to accuse the brethren (Job 1:6 and 2:1, and Revelation 12:10).  Therefore, Heaven must be destroyed and a new Heaven formed. Others believe and take the position that the past events in Heaven, as outlined above, do not necessitate the formation of a new Heaven, as God's holiness neutralizes any sin that may have been there by Satan's presence.  Therefore, when the Scriptures speak of the creation of a new "Heaven," they are speaking of the atmospheric heavens, the sky that surrounds the Earth.  Given this interpretation, they feel that Christ Jesus' words in this passage were relative, in that even if both Heaven and Earth would pass away, His words would endure.  It is a testimony to the eternal importance of His teaching in relation to any element of creation.     **MEMORY VERSE OF THE MONTH** Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My feasts. Leviticus 23:2 KJV ER   We solicit your prayers and support of this ministry. God Bless. If you received this email from a friend, you can get a FREE subscription by signing up at enews@reflecthisglory.org. You received this newsletter by request from Reflect His Glory, a co-ministry with Creation Science Ministries. Web site: http://www.reflecthisglory.org/ Online Store: TBA Email: questions@reflecthisglory.org For more information: info@reflecthisglory.org Subscribe online: enews@reflecthisglory.org Un-subscribe: nonews@reflecthisglory.org To change your email address in our database, please unsubscribe your old address and subscribe your new address.

"Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him,
"If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed;
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 8:31-32