What is Rosh Hashanah? Why is it considered the Jewish New Year yet falls on the Feast of Trumpets which is actually in the 10th month of the year, not the first of the year? Why do Messianics and those in Hebrew Roots observe this holiday when there is nothing in Scripture to support it? Why have Christians now embraced this holiday and prophetically promote Rosh Hashanah as when the Rapture will happen or others, who time the second return of Christ with the Feast of Trumpets?
In Judaism, Rosh Hashanah, which means “New Year” commemorates creation and is the imminent arrival of God’s judgment, in Judaism. On this day, it is said that God inspects the books of judgment for every person. It is advantageous, then, for Jews to repent of their sin, and excise sin as well before that day [the month prior, called Elul]. It is a time of reviewing the past year to see if they owe anyone money or favors, as well as returning borrowed items. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] are considered the “Days of Awe” in which the things one does during that time will guarantee how the year will go for them in regard to the judgment of God. It is also the time that God decides who will live or die in the coming year.
As part of the Feast of Trumpets [Yom Teruah], tradition in Judaism has the blowing of trumpets in the synagogues, heralding the New Year.
I have provided several quotes from Jewish sites describing Rosh Hoshanah. I think it’s important to understand clearly exactly what Judaism believes and practices compared to what NT believers understand about the Scriptures. I do not see harmony between the two, but rather a lot of contradictions to the OT and especially the NT, which we know is fulfillment of the old covenant.
“The month of Elul is the final month in the Jewish year. This month is a particularly propitious time for prayer, self introspection, and repentance. It is a time of intense spiritual preparation for the coming year and the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashanah. This year (2009/5770) the month of Elul begins on Friday August 21, 2009 and lasts through September 18, 2009.
Rosh Hashanah is the first and second days of the first Jewish month of Tishrei. It marks the beginning of the Jewish new year. The celebration of this holiday is marked with solemnity, as it is the day on which the whole world is judged for the coming year. Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the world, as it was on this day that G-d created Man on the 6th day of creation. Every year, on this day, we proclaim G-d as our one and true King.”
“In particular, the first festival of the year, Rosh Hashanah, seems to fit no familiar mold. It is the day on which we tremulously submit to the divine sovereignty and crown G-d as our king, but as the Chassidic masters point out, a coronation is always a festive event, with bands playing in the streets and crowds picnicking in the parks and fields. It is the day on which we stand in judgment before G-d, the day on which the Heavenly Court rules “who shall live and who shall die…who shall be impoverished and who shall be enriched… who shall fall and who shall rise”; but also the day on which we “eat lush foods and drink sweets… for the joy of the Eternal is your strength.” The Talmud offers the image of a person coming to court where a life-or-death verdict will be handed down on him, but he is dressed in white and has a feast awaiting him at home, confident that he will triumph in his trial.”
“Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, “head of the year” or “first of the year.” Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year … the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. More on this concept at Days of Awe.
The name “Rosh Hashanah” is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday. The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar). The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.”
“The ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.
One of the ongoing themes of the Days of Awe is the concept that G-d has “books” that he writes our names in, writing down who will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will have a bad life, for the next year. These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, but our actions during the Days of Awe can alter G-d’s decree. The actions that change the decree are “teshuvah, tefilah and tzedakah,” repentance, prayer, good deeds (usually, charity). These “books” are sealed on Yom Kippur. This concept of writing in books is the source of the common greeting during this time is “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”
Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible.”
“The beginning of the month of Elul marks the one month notice until the “Divine audit” on Rosh Hashana. Throughout the month of Elul, Jews search for every receipt and credit slip left by their behavior. “Did I belittle the secretary who couldn’t remember my name?” “Did I borrow $20 and forget to return it?” “Did I…?”
Elul is the time to look back over the past year, sort out our strengths and weaknesses, and see what impact our deeds have had. Like sorting the receipts, we can put our actions into little piles: wrong to G-d, our fellow humans or even ourselves, and good to G-d, our fellow humans or ourselves. Sometimes an action may fall into several categories. Reviewing our behavior is, according to the Medieval scholar Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides), the beginning of the first step in teshuva, repentance. The Jewish view of repentance goes much farther than mere regret. Teshuva is a pro-active process that recognizes our fallibility and our ability to change.On Rosh Hashana G-d holds each man and woman accountable for his or her actions over the last year … While people should strive to improve themselves throughout the year, as the month of Elul begins and the Shofar is sounded, we are reminded that there is just one month left. Thirty days remain to check one’s balance and settle old accounts. By using Elul to prepare, one is able to face the Divine audit on Rosh Hashana with clarity and confidence, knowing that one has moved towards his/her spiritual goal and has made a better connection with the power of the day, and with G-d.”
Another good summary of Rosh Hashanah can be found here:
http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/roshhashanah.htm
One of the Jewish traditions of Rosh Hashanah is Tashlich. This is the practice of bringing pieces of bread in one’s pockets and then going to a fast moving stream or river and casting the bread on the water. The bread represents sin being cast and swept away by the current.
For those who follow Christ, this practice is completely contradictory to salvation and the full remission of sins that we have in Christ. I am not sure why those who believe in Jesus Christ would do such a thing? Upon confession and repentance to God for sin, He forgives immediately. It is a simple, beautiful thing that we have the assurance of this forgiveness and do not need to spend days preparing and then casting our sins in free flowing water, represented by bread. God is the one who has cast our sins as far as the east is from the west, and as deep as the sea.
Psalm 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Mic 7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Clearly, observing Rosh Hashanah, which was developed by the sages/Rabbis of Judaism who do not accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah – and as Rosh Hashanah is Judaism’s tradition and practice, cannot have a place in the life of a believer. Rosh Hashanah denies the finished work of Christ and is a man-made system that has no merit in one’s relationship with the Lord.
There is not much information in the Bible on the Feast of The Feast of Trumpets. We do know that it required a sacrifice for sin and therefore; is fulfilled completely in Christ with further implications – as noted further down.
Here is the Scripture pertaining to it:
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
Num 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing of trumpets unto you.
Num 29:2 And ye shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweet savor unto Jehovah: one young bullock, one ram, seven he-lambs a year old without blemish;
Num 29:3 and their meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, three tenth parts for the bullock, two tenth parts for the ram,
Num 29:4 and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
Num 29:5 and one he-goat for a sin-offering, to make atonement for you;
Num 29:6 besides the burnt-offering of the new moon, and the meal-offering thereof, and the continual burnt-offering and the meal-offering thereof, and their drink-offerings, according unto their ordinance, for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
For those who advocate, teach, and promote that Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled at a future date in either the rapture or the 2nd coming, I would ask how this can be? The Feast of Trumpets required the blowing of many trumpets. When Christ returns, He will descend with *one* trump and a shout, once – not for a rapture and then later at His second coming. I have heard some say in Hebrew Roots that they must “practice” the Lord’s return by blowing the trumpets. I cannot imagine anything quite so goofy or sacrilegious as that.
In the Hebrew, “teruah” is not the word trumpet – it is a signal, shout, or blast. It is implied in Lev 23 because the word “blow” is used as well.
Lev 23:24 Speak1696 unto413 the children1121 of Israel,3478 saying,559 In the seventh7637 month,2320 in the first259 day of the month,2320 shall ye have1961 a sabbath,7677 a memorial2146 of blowing of trumpets,8643 a holy6944 convocation.4744
H8643
תּרוּעה
terû‛âh
BDB Definition:
1) alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or joy
1a) alarm of war, war-cry, battle-cry
1b) blast (for march)
1c) shout of joy (with religious impulse)
1d) shout of joy (in general)
The word “trumpet” itself is not used in either text. The word “teruah” [H8643] is used 36 times in the OT and associated with trumpets about 9 times – that is only 25% of the usage. Here is the breakdown:
shout 11, shouting 8, alarm 6, sound 3, blowing 2, joy 2, miscellaneous 4 [sounded, sounding, shouted]
Another wonderful example of how “teruah” is used indicating shouting and joy is found in Ezra [each of the bolded underlined words are “teruah”].
Ezra 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
Ezr 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
Ezr 3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
With that in mind, think about the birth of Christ. Gabriel announced His birth to Mary – a remarkable wondrous occasion in which a miracle was manifested in a virgin – she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit fulfilling Isaiah 7:14 as well. AWESOME!
The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds with radiating glory all around, and a multitude of angels heralded His coming and sang for joy as it resounded in the Heavens. Amazing how that all fits together so well when you look at the meaning of “teruah”. This really indicates fulfillment in Christ’s coming as well as His sacrifice for sin.
Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luk 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
For The Love Of Truth 