Each of the holidays God prescribed for the Israelites came with unique clues to God’s plans and practical lessons for life today. As I write this, we are preparing for the Fall Feasts or Festivals.
This season includes Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot (translated literally: Day of Trumpets, Day of Covering, and Booths, respectively). As we embark on the Fall Feasts, I discuss these holidays’ traditions and practical and prophetic meanings.
Yom Teruah, Feast of Trumpets, has evolved into a remembrance of the day that the Lord created the earth. The new year begins on October 3, 2024. (The number of years since the beginning of creation is thought to be 5785.)
Traditional Rabbis see the earth as created on this day; a new name has emerged with which you may be familiar: Rosh Hashanah, literally Head (beginning) of the year.
The Jewish civil calendar actually begins in the Spring, two weeks before Passover (Pesach/Unleavened bread), but this “new year” is about creation, awe, and an Almighty God who spoke the world into existence, thus we have a “spiritual new year.”
In addition to memorializing creation, traditional Jews believe one is brought spiritually before the throne of judgment to (hopefully) have one’s name inscribed on the “Book of Life” for the coming year. Therefore, this holy day is a day of repentance and forgiveness for one’s enemies. This practice of a once-a-year examination of one’s spirit is practical, beautiful, and spiritually enriching.
The name “Day of Trumpets” is plural because part of the observance includes the sounding of a trumpet (a ram’s horn prepared for service called a Shofar) multiple times during the service. Four notes are sounded and universally understood in every synagogue. These four notes represent alarms, crying for the past year’s sins, and a wake-up call for the new year ahead.
In our Newer Covenant, a parallel emerges in Matthew 24:31: “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.” The Shofar figures prominently as a call to repentance, an alarm, and an instrument of ingathering. One important thing we can all do for Israel on Rosh Hashanah is pray for their repentance and reconciliation through Jesus, Yeshua, the Prince of Peace.
The ten days that begin on Rosh Hashanah are a self-examination process that ends on Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement (covering). Every individual spends time with God to see where they went off track last year, hurt someone, cheated, lied, etc., makes amends, forgives, heals, and offers grace.
Yom Kippur has to do with covering sin and absolving transgressions. Everyone who observed this Holy Day received their annual forgiveness through the vicarious sacrifice (a spotless lamb.) This is a beautiful picture of Yeshua’s sacrifice for our sins and our invitation to partake in the “power of the blood” to redeem sin.
The good news for all who join Yeshua is that we are not hopeful but guaranteed entrance into eternal life in fellowship with God starting today. We are rich beyond measure as sons and daughters of the King!
Finally, we arrive at a fun and happy time, often called “the time of our rejoicing.” Sukkot is a time of feasting and remembering God’s provision in the forty-year wandering (remembering God is with us.) We build flimsy huts with partly transparent roofs so we can see the stars above. The Orthodox eat and sleep in their booths (sukkot, a single booth is a sukkah) for the entire eight-day feast. (For a heartwarming depiction of Sukkot, please search Ushpizim from your movie provider!)
Guests, particularly the less fortunate, are welcomed, and good food is plentiful. The application for us today is remembering that God with us, He is indeed our provider and His provision is always good. The temporary shelters are also reminiscent of the temporary nature of life on Earth.
May these special holy days of Israel help you pray for the peace of Jerusalem and her salvation, Romans 11:26-27 reminds us “…in this way all Israel will be saved,” that the “Deliverer will come from Zion and take away their sins.”
Today, the ranks of Messianic Jewish believers are growing. May we be ever mindful to support our Jewish brothers and sisters as they find Messiah and tell their friends and relatives.
On the one-year anniversary of October 7, 2023, I wish to remember those hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza, especially the children. May God have mercy and return them home safely. O that Israel will be saved from her calamities today and into everlasting peace with all of us among the followers of Yeshua!
