Part 2 - Rosh Hashanah and the New Covenant

 

The commandments for the celebration of Rosh Hashanah include the offering of sacrifices. Because the Temple was destroyed in 70AD, many of the Old Testament laws, including the Rosh Hashanah commandments, cannot be kept today. Here are the Rosh Hashanah commandments:

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." - Leviticus 23:23-25 KJV

"Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God." - Numbers 10:10 KJV

The New Covenant brings the final sacrifice of Christ, God manifest in flesh, that is able to take away our sins, while the Old Covenant sacrifices could not. (1Corinthians 15:1-4, Acts 2:37-39).

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. ... For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." - Hebrews 10:1, 4 KJV

"By the which will [For God’s will] we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all [once for all time]." - Hebrews 10:10 KJV

"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." - John 1:10-13 KJV (John 3:5).

We that have received Him look forward to the day when the trump of God will sound.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV

The Feast of Trumpets - the Jewish New Year

 Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year

Tonight, begins the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. It is the Jewish New Year, actually meaning “Head of the Year.”  The Bible calls it, Yom Teruah (Leviticus 23:24), or the Feast of Trumpets.

The holiday begins at sundown on September 6 and continues through nightfall on September 8. It is the start of the “High Holidays.” Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – is a week later, with 10 Days of Repentance (or the Ten Days of Return) in between the two holidays. Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is followed by Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) and Simchat Torah. (Leviticus 23:26-44).

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, on both days of the holiday. (Thus, the Feast of Trumpets). The shofar is blown 100 times each of the two days.

Much of the day is spent in synagogue, saying prayers from a prayer book and hearing readings from the Bible. (Genesis 21:1-34, Numbers 29:1-6, 1Samuel 1:1-2:10. Genesis 22:1-24, Numbers 29:1-6, Jeremiah 31:1-19).

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." - Leviticus 23:23-25 KJV

"Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God." - Numbers 10:10 KJV

Church!

On the Day of Pentecost, when the church first began, Peter preached the Gospel. He preached how Christ was crucified and died, was buried, and was resurrected.

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

“And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:37-42 KJV

 

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." - Hebrews 10:23-25 KJV

Church!

And let them make me a sanctuary

 The Lord desires to dwell among His people.

The Lord spoke to Moses:

"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." - Exodus 25:8 KJV

The Lord dwelt among His people in this sanctuary, from the time they were in the wilderness, until when King Solomon built and dedicated the temple in Jerusalem.

"Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house." - 2 Chronicles 7:1 KJV

Isaiah prophesied that God would one day inhabit human flesh and dwell among us. He came in His name Jesus. (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:21-23, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1, 14, Matthew 1:21, Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:9-11).

Jesus spoke to the Jews.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body." - John 2:19-21 KJV

Jesus paid for our sins by His death so that He could not just dwell among us, but dwell within us.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." - John 14:16-18 KJV

By the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, we become His temple when we repent, are baptized in His name Jesus for the remission of our sins, and receive the gift of His Spirit within us. (Acts 2:38).

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" - 1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." - 1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV

"…For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." - 2 Corinthians 6:16 KJV

"Conversation" - 'walk' i.e. manner of life, behavior, conduct.

There are a number of verses in the New Testament with the word “conversation” in them. Dictionary.com defines “conversation” as: “informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk:”

This is our understanding of this word.

Dictionary.com has one more definition of conversation: “Obsolete. behavior or manner of living.” (“Obsolete” means: “no longer in general use; fallen into disuse:”)

This latter definition – “behavior or manner of living” is the meaning of “conversation” in the Bible. (Exception is Philippians 3:20 - the word “conversation” means “citizenship.”)

Thus, in the following verses, “conversation” means, according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: “‘walk,’ i.e. manner of life, behavior, conduct.” (Strong’s G391).

"For ye have heard of my conversation[G391] in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:" - Galatians 1:13 KJV

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation[G391] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;" - Ephesians 4:22 KJV

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation,[G391] in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12 KJV

"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.[G391]" - Hebrews 13:7 KJV

"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation[G391] his works with meekness of wisdom." - James 3:13 KJV

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;[G391]" - 1 Peter 1:15 KJV

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation[G391] received by tradition from your fathers;" - 1 Peter 1:18 KJV

"Having your conversation[G391] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." - 1 Peter 2:12 KJV

"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation[G391] of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation[G391] coupled with fear." - 1 Peter 3:1-2 KJV

"Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation[G391] in Christ." - 1 Peter 3:16 KJV

"And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation[G391] of the wicked:" - 2 Peter 2:7 KJV

"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation[G391] and godliness," - 2 Peter 3:11 KJV

The following verses also have the meaning of “conduct, manner of life, to conduct oneself, behave oneself:”

"For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." - 2 Corinthians 1:12 KJV

"Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." - Ephesians 2:3 KJV

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;" - Philippians 1:27 KJV

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." - Hebrews 13:5 KJV

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself

 

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank…" - Daniel 1:8 KJV

We are in the world, but we are not of the world. (John 15:19, John 17:14-16).

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." - 1 John 2:16 KJV (Galatians 5:19-21).

We have turned our back on sin, have had our sins washed away by baptism in the name of Jesus, and are filled with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38, Acts 10:43).

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." - 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 KJV

We must daily purpose in our heart that we will not defile ourselves with the things of this world.

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." - 1 John 2:17 KJV

The Bride of Christ: Called, Chosen, and Faithful.

 Called -

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

"Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 2 Thessalonians 2:14 KJV

"That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." - 1 Thessalonians 2:12 KJV

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 KJV

Chosen -

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:" - 2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" - 1 Peter 2:9 KJV

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." - John 15:16 KJV

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." - John 15:19 KJV

"No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." - 2 Timothy 2:4 KJV

Faithful -

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:" - Ephesians 1:1 KJV

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." - Revelation 2:10 KJV

"His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." - Matthew 25:23 KJV

 

"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." - Revelation 17:14 KJV