Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:52
Life Application: I must be ready for Jesus’ return.
Bible Text:
1 Thessalonians 4:16
1 Corinthians 15:52
Micah 7:19
Psalm 107:2
Galatians 3:13
John 8:36
Romans 3:24
Zechariah 14:4
Revelation 20:11-15
1 Corinthians 15:25
Revelation21:1-2
Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year” or “first of the year.” It is the Jewish New Year. It is also called the Feast of the Trumpet. The Feast of Trumpets points to the rapture, when Jesus will appear in the heavens as a bridegroom coming for His bride, the church. Some scholars feel that this feast will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to catch away His bride (the rapture), the church, to celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb In heaven. Then He will return seven years later on the Day of Atonement to establish His kingdom beginning on the Feast of Tabernacles. The rapture is associated in scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
Special prayers are recited during the Feast of Trumpets. The prayers emphasize God’s mercy, benevolence and forgiveness. The prayers encourage us to reflect on our deeds. The Feast of Trumpets is a time of offering forgiveness and seeking reconciliation with others. During the Feast of Trumpets special services are held where the Scriptures are read and songs of redemption are sung.
A popular observance during Rosh Hashanah is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol for a sweet new year. The following blessing is recited before the apples are eaten :
“Blessed are You, O lord our God. King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the tree.”
I. Rosh Hashanah is about repentance, redemption, the coming of the Messiah, judgment and creation.
A. Repentance
Repentance is turning from sin to God; changing your mind concerning sin, God, and yourself. It means to “turn back” to God. During the Feast of Trumpets the people examine their lives. They judge themselves. What have they done that God likes this past year? What have they done that God dislikes this past year?
During the Feast of Trumpets the people pray and ask for forgiveness of their sins. They ask God to blot out their transgression.
B. Redemption – restoration of a severed relationship with God / renewing your heart toward God.
Redemption is gaining back from another something that you owned before. It also means to buy back for the purpose of setting free from obligation, bondage, or danger. Redemption is salvation from sin, death, and the wrath of God by Jesus’ sacrifice.
Psalm 107:2 NKJV
“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”
Galatians 3:13 NKJV
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a cure for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,’).”
John 8:36 NKJV
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
Romans 3:24 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”
C. Second Coming Of Christ ( the coming of the Messiah – looking forward to the Second Coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ)
At the end of the Great Tribulation Jesus will return to earth. Jesus’ feet will stand on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. He will defeat the antichrist and throw Satan into a bottomless pit for 1000 years. Jesus will reign over the earth for 1000 years (millennial reign).
Zechariah 14:4a
“And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two…”
D. Judgment – judge yourself, so that God doesn’t have to.
When the millennial reign is over, Satan will again be loosed on earth for a short period of time. He will gather an army to fight against Jesus. Jesus will defeat Satan and his army. The earth will be destroyed by fire and sinners will be judged (The Great White Throne Judgment).
Those who died as sinners will be resurrected (removed from Hell / Hades), to stand before God to be judged for what they did (or did not do) while they were here on earth. Every person whose name is not found in the Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
The Lake of Fire is described several times in the Bible. It is an eternal fire. It is a fire that never goes out. It is black and dark . There will be constant torment with no end – it will NEVER stop.
The Lake of Fire will be a place of extreme suffering, where a person will always remember everything they have done or known. They will always regret not choosing to follow Jesus.
Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was no place found for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
E. Creation – one day God will create the world anew.
After the final judgment, God promised a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus will give His millennial kingdom to God the Father, the Supreme Ruler. All Christians will live with God forever in a beautiful new universe. God will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, sickness or pain.
The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will come down from heaven and will shine with the glory of the Lord. The city will be made of gold and will be decorated with precious jewels. Down the middle of the city will flow the river of life, and on each side of the river will grow trees of life. The throne of God will be in the city, and people will worship God forever and ever.
Heaven will be far better than we can imagine.
As we draw close to God here on earth, we can experience the same wonderful presence of God that we will experience when we stand before His throne.
1 Corinthians 15:25 NKJV
“Then the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.”
Revelation 21:1-2 NKJV
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
II. The Trumpet
The shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets). The shofar sounds something like a trumpet. The end of the shofar is curved and bent as a reminder to bend in respect of God.
1 Corinthians 15:52
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
The blowing of the trumpet is a sign of the return of Christ and a memorial of God’s grace to Abraham when He substituted a ram to be sacrificed instead of Isaac. Isaac is a type of foreshadowing of Christ. Just as Abraham offered his son on the altar, God offered His Son on Calvary’s altar. The births of Isaac and Jesus Christ were both miracles. Both were obedient to the point of sacrifice.
In Biblical times, trumpets were used in giving signals of war. The Feast of Trumpets also points to spiritual warfare. As Christians we should put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the attacks of the enemy. Jesus is our armor because He defeated Satan.
Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) is a time that people should “awake” and correct their ways. The sound of the shofar is meant to:
1. be a rousing call to repentance on the part of the individual.
2. awaken us and cause us to remember the One and Only Creator,
3. remind people to forsake evil ways
4. draw people back to God.
The shofar makes several different sounds, each one has a different meaning.
1. Tekiah – Calls a man to search his heart, abandon his evil ways, and seek God’s forgiveness through repentance.
2. Shevarim – Represents the sorrow that a person feels when they realize that they are wrong (that they are a sinner), and they desire to change their ways (to repent).
3. Teruah – Calls man to stand by the banner of the Lord.
4. Tekiah Gedolah – Represents the final invitation to sincere repentance and atonement (forgiveness).
III. A Preparing of the Spirit
The Feast of Trumpets requires a preparing of the spirit. Each person is to take time to look back in self-examination over the events and emotions of the previous year. To be part of the rapture of the church also requires a preparing of the spirit. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to be part of the Bride of Christ.
A custom still widely observed is the ceremony of Tashlikh. During the ceremony you throw bread crumbs or rocks into a river, lake, or large body of water. This symbolically represents your sins being cast away from you.
Micah 7:19 NKJV
“He will again have compassion on us, and subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
Review
1.Things I did this past year that pleased God.
2. Things I did this past year that displeased God.
3. Read Luke 6:37. What does God’s Word say about forgiving?
Are there people that you need to forgive?
4. What is repentance?
5. What is redemption?
6. _________________ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
7. At the end of the Great Tribulation Jesus will return to earth. Jesus’ ____________ will stand on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem.
8. Jesus will defeat the ________________________ and throw Satan into a bottomless pit for 1000 years.
9. How long is the millennial reign of Jesus?
10. What will happen when the millennial reign is over?
11. Every person whose name is not found in the ____________ _____ _____________ will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
12. How is the Lake of Fire is described in the Bible?
13. All Christians will live with God forever in a beautiful new universe. God will wipe every ____________ from our eyes. There will be no more death, __________________ or ____________.
14. The end of the shofar is curved and bent as a reminder to bend in ____________________ of God.
15. What is respect?
16. A person must have a ___________________ ____________________________ with Jesus Christ to be part of the Bride of Christ.
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