Friday, September 22, 2006
Rosh Hashanah at Sundown
At sundown today, Rosh Hashanah, Tishri 1, the Feast of Trumpets, begins. The Days of Awe, which are the ten days leading to and including Yom Kippur, are recognized by Jewish tradition as a sort of “last chance” for repentance before the final judgment of God. Why a day for trumpet blowing? In Israel, the general meaning is either for the gathering of an assembly before the Lord (Numbers 10:2-4) or it was sounded as an alarm for battle. Last but hardly least, the shofar was blown to announce the crowning of the new king! Just so there is no confusion, the first four biblical feasts are prophecy fulfilled in the first coming of Christ. The last three are prophecy unfulfilled. Rosh Hashanah, dear ones, is a kick-off to the end times, Jesus’ return.
I wanted to write on the feasts someday and this is appearing out of context to my blog’s past direction. Notice I said “my” direction. God has unabashedly taken me on a severe detour! The patterns of His teaching for me have rooted me in humility, repentance, and divine worship (to the point of being mocked by those nearest and dearest. Praise God!) The repetition and consistency in God’s direction is unmistakable. I can’t help wonder if anyone else out there is receiving this same refining. Three books: Randy Alcorn’s The Grace and Truth Paradox; James MacDonald’s specific, heart wrenching bulls-eye, Downpour; Peter Scazzero, with a different sort of detailed instruction, reveals Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Three authors, spanning our nation from Oregon, Chicago, and New York City, saying it is time to dig deep into our souls, get honest and open with ourselves and God, then in wounded submission, let God be the Savior, the Sustainer, the Glory…all powerful. Know the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is holy! Be amazed at His constant, unfailing love for the created…His precious people. Worship Him. Magnify His Name. That old tradition of “devotions once a day” goes out the window! These guys are talking continual, soul-searching emptying of the garbage we sludge through every day and a returning to the Source of strength at EVERY TURN. Scazzero even lays it out in an ancient practice of the Daily Office…established times for devotion to God…dare I utter that dirty word, discipline...throughout the day/night.
I am aware that I have had three books worth of teaching to absorb this so bear with me while I preach it. In the Name above all names, give Him “power, wealth, wisdom and strength…glory, honor and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12) “Worthy is the Lamb, Who was slain, to receive [it].” How do we give Him these things? Rosh Hashanah, at times called Yom Ha-Din or Judgment Day, is a time for humility and sorrowful repentance. Do not give the Accuser the power either by hiding your sin. Do not hold the power for yourself with prideful denial! Give it up…give it ALL up to our holy, yet merciful God. The Lamb is worthy to receive it! When we let go of our own perceived power, wealth, wisdom, strength, glory, honor and praise, we are surely handing it over to our Lord! The thing is, it was never ours to begin with! We have been duped if we think we can have any of these things apart from God's blessing.
Let it rain down blessing from heaven because we refuse to use umbrellas (self-protection) anymore. Listen to this Rosh Hashanah benediction: “The Lord shall appear over them; His arrow shall go forth like lightning. The Lord God shall sound the shofar and march amid the storms of the south.” ~Zechariah 9:14 Amen.
Information on Rosh Hashanah is from The Feasts of the Lord by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal.
I wanted to write on the feasts someday and this is appearing out of context to my blog’s past direction. Notice I said “my” direction. God has unabashedly taken me on a severe detour! The patterns of His teaching for me have rooted me in humility, repentance, and divine worship (to the point of being mocked by those nearest and dearest. Praise God!) The repetition and consistency in God’s direction is unmistakable. I can’t help wonder if anyone else out there is receiving this same refining. Three books: Randy Alcorn’s The Grace and Truth Paradox; James MacDonald’s specific, heart wrenching bulls-eye, Downpour; Peter Scazzero, with a different sort of detailed instruction, reveals Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Three authors, spanning our nation from Oregon, Chicago, and New York City, saying it is time to dig deep into our souls, get honest and open with ourselves and God, then in wounded submission, let God be the Savior, the Sustainer, the Glory…all powerful. Know the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is holy! Be amazed at His constant, unfailing love for the created…His precious people. Worship Him. Magnify His Name. That old tradition of “devotions once a day” goes out the window! These guys are talking continual, soul-searching emptying of the garbage we sludge through every day and a returning to the Source of strength at EVERY TURN. Scazzero even lays it out in an ancient practice of the Daily Office…established times for devotion to God…dare I utter that dirty word, discipline...throughout the day/night.
I am aware that I have had three books worth of teaching to absorb this so bear with me while I preach it. In the Name above all names, give Him “power, wealth, wisdom and strength…glory, honor and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12) “Worthy is the Lamb, Who was slain, to receive [it].” How do we give Him these things? Rosh Hashanah, at times called Yom Ha-Din or Judgment Day, is a time for humility and sorrowful repentance. Do not give the Accuser the power either by hiding your sin. Do not hold the power for yourself with prideful denial! Give it up…give it ALL up to our holy, yet merciful God. The Lamb is worthy to receive it! When we let go of our own perceived power, wealth, wisdom, strength, glory, honor and praise, we are surely handing it over to our Lord! The thing is, it was never ours to begin with! We have been duped if we think we can have any of these things apart from God's blessing.
Let it rain down blessing from heaven because we refuse to use umbrellas (self-protection) anymore. Listen to this Rosh Hashanah benediction: “The Lord shall appear over them; His arrow shall go forth like lightning. The Lord God shall sound the shofar and march amid the storms of the south.” ~Zechariah 9:14 Amen.
Information on Rosh Hashanah is from The Feasts of the Lord by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal.
