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Weekly Message from
Pastor Lynn Beams

September 24, 2009

CHRISTIANITY AND THE JEWISH HIGH HOLY DAYS

“…and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,” Romans 11:16-17

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering…by fire to the Lord .” Lev 23:24-25

“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement…” Lev 23:27

As I was reading the book of Romans one day, my eyes caught chapter 11:16-17. What could it mean, I thought, to be grafted into Israel, God’s natural olive tree? Not long after I recall making a conscious decision to learn more of the Christian’s Jewish-ness. I begin to study Judeo-Christianity and what it was all about. My study proved to be extremely enlightening, and now at Prevailing Word Church, we attempt to unveil our Old Testament Jewish roots as we communicate the New Testament covenant lifestyle.

For example, did you know that our Jewish friends consider these days the holiest time of their religious year? Indeed, the 1^st day of the Jewish month ‘Tishri’ (Fri, Sept 18) the Jewish Feast of Trumpets began. For the succeeding 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement, (‘the days of awe.’), Israeli folks look at their lives & repent of all sin. To the Jewish mindset, the blowing of the trumpets (shofar) announces the Day of Atonement is near. And on that day God will decide whether they will live for another year. (As we study, many Jewish people have accepted Jesus as Messiah. However, to those who haven’t, Heaven is only a possibility based on repentance & keeping God’s laws)

1-Feast of Trumpets is the Jewish New Year – Called “Rosh Ha-Sha-nah” which means the ‘Head of the Year.’ The tradition of the Rabbi’s is that man (Adam) was created the first day of Tishri. They believe that each New Year man is going through a re-creation in order to live another year. How does this fit into Christianity? It quickly brings to mind that there was a day of new beginning for us too. A day which we were “…created in Christ Jesus…” (Eph 2:8-10), the day in which our spiritual journey began.

2-Feast of Trumpets Signals a Day of Personal Judgment – During this 10 day period, God is opening His ‘books’ and checking out each Israeli. Jews ask to be forgiven in the hope that God will ‘sign them into the book of life’ for another year. Now remember this fact my fellow Christian, when you repented of your sin and invited Jesus Christ into your heart to be Lord of your life, He took the judgment for all your sin. Now please realize that we are human and may still fall for sin’s temptations. And if we do sin, we utilize 1 John 1:9 to “…confess our sin…” and receive the Lord’s restoring power “..to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Now as true Christians, we are not trying to get away with sin. No, we are striving not to sin. And we don’t wait to one time in the fall of the year to get right/straight with God. No, if we sin, we immediately get right with God and stay straight with all the time.

3-Feast of Trumpets recalls the Goodness of God – Even though the theme of this time is life and death, the holiday is filled with hope for the New Year. For Jews believe God is a good God. Indeed, that He is compassionate and merciful, and that He will accept their prayers of heart-felt hope and forgiveness. And so it is with Christians also. One reason we originally came to the Lord was because of Rom 2:4 “…the goodness of God leads us to repentance…” We got saved because God is good and we continue to serve Him because He is always good. During the fall of 2009 and always, let’s learn more of our Jewish roots; Next week we will look more at these Jewish Holy Days.