The Jewish New Year
The date is 25th September 2022, a Sunday and the last Sunday in the month of September. However, for Jewish people the evening of Sunday 25th September 2022 represents a rather momentous occasion and increasingly somber time as the Jewish civil year begins ushering in a string of Biblical high holidays. In the Jewish or Hebrew calendar, the year is 5782 and the month coming to a close on this day is the month of Elul, a time when the Jewish people have been in reflection and repentance as they gear up for this evening which also ushers in the Jewish month of Tishrei.
The Hebrew calendar has its roots in the findings of Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta who is credited to have deducted the day of creation as October 7th 3671 BCE or BC (Before Christ) using time references in the Torah (Epstein, 2020) and the lifespans of bible figures. It is noted that the results of computations to find the year of creation by other Jewish scholars varied slightly with Rabbi Ben Halafta’s observations and findings. All in all, this presents a momentous occasion for the nation of Israel and the nations.
The day of creation is linked to the first day of the month of Tishrei which is the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar and in the Bible, God commanded the Jewish people and the nations to observe this day as The Feast of Trumpets. Leviticus 23:23 – 25 says, Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath – rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.” (NKJV)
Therefore, this year on 25th September 2022, the Jewish people and those who observe this feast took a day off in the presence of the LORD in fulfillment of Leviticus 23: 23 – 25. Teachers of eschatology or teachings of the end time liken this day to the day of rapture when the trumpet will sound and those dead in Christ shall arise first to meet Jesus in the air together with those who are alive and have kept their faith in Jesus and their garments pure before Him.
The Feast of Trumpets ushers in several other Bible Feasts namely The Day of Atonement and The Feast of Tarbanacles. Stay tuned for more information on the above feasts as we understand more about God’s appointed times and how we should position ourselves to receive from Yahweh the rains and showers of blessings for the appointed Biblical times. God Bless You.
References
Epstein, N. (2020). The Year Everything Changed. Moment. https://momentmag.com/the-year-everything-changed/
Written by:
Elizabeth Yvonne Njeri.
