THE HIGH HOLY DAYS

September 2020 | Elul 5780 - Tishrei 5781 | Volume 15 Issue 7

The fall season is considered the time of the high holy days for the Jewish community. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is observed on the first day of Tishri (September/October). Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, falls on the tenth day of Tishri. It is the most solemn day of the Jewish year. This year they fall on September 18th and 19th and 27th and 28th respectively. Remembering that in Judaism the day begins at nightfall. The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the Lord by fire.”

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is a time for personal introspection and prayer, a time of “putting your spiritual house in order”. It is the “Day of Judgment” as Jews worldwide examine their past deeds, and ask for forgiveness for sin. It is also the “Day of Remembrance”, as they review the history of their people and pray for Israel. 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.

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays; it is the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” Once a year that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation. What started on Rosh Hashanah, repentance & self-evaluation, was completed on Yom Kippur with atonement and regeneration.. Of course, all this points to Yeshua (Jesus) who is our great High Priest who made the final atonement for the sins of all mankind..

Sukkot

The Feast of Tabernacles is called in Hebrew “Sukkot” (Feast of Booths). Some of the basic scripture references for the Feast of Tabernacles are found in Lev. 23.34-44 & Deut. 16:11-16. Sukkot is one of the most joyful feasts of the Lord celebrated for 7 days, from the 15th -21st of the month of Tishri, which is the 7 month of the year according to the Hebrew calendar. Yeshua (Jesus) Himself attended the Feast of Tabernacles according to John 7, “and on the last & greatest day of the Feast, He stood up in the midst of the people and cried out 'if anyone is thirsty, let him come unto Me and from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'”, speaking of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37- 39).

DIFFERENT NAMES AND THEMES

It is called in Hebrew “Chag Ha-asif” – “The Feast of Ingathering” because it celebrates the “ingathering” of the fall harvest. It is called “Z’man Simchateynu” – “the Season of our Rejoicing”. It is also called the “Feast of Dedication” – because it was during the Feast of Tabernacles that the Temple of Solomon was dedicated (2nd Chron. 7). It is also called the “Festival of Lights” (“Chag Ha Orim” in Hebrew) because of the “glory” of God that filled the Temple of Solomon.

“CHAG HA GOYIM” (THE FEAST OF THE NATIONS)

This is very interesting, because once again we see that the biblical Jewish feasts of the Lord are not just for the Israelites, but for all the nations. In Deut. 16:11-16, God commanded any “strangers” living amongst the Israelites to celebrate Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) with them. The word for “stranger” reads in Hebrew “geyr” which can also mean a foreigner, and alien, a non – Israelite or a Gentile, from the word “geyr” we get the plural word “goyim” – which means “the nations". God wants Gentile Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with Jewish believers today.

PROPHETIC APPLICATION TOWARD THE FUTURE

Zech 14.16 says that after the 2nd coming of the Messiah and the battle of Armageddon, it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations shall go up year after year to worship the King (that’s Yeshua) the Lord of Hosts, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Yeshua is going to rule and reign the whole earth from Jerusalem for a 1000 years, and each and every year we will all (Jew & Gentile alike) celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles together in the presence of the King. When the thousand years are over, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and the “tabernacle” of God will be with us forever. (REV. 21:1-3) Aren’t you glad that we are all the “Bride of Messiah? And aren’t you glad that God ordained not only the Feast of Tabernacles, but all of His Feasts for us to celebrate together – Jew & Gentile alike.

Tabernacle High Holy Day Services

Please join us as we celebrate the High Holy Days at the Tabernacle. Our Rosh Hashanah celebrations will be on Friday, September 18th at 7:30 PM and again on Saturday, September 19th at 11:00 AM. Traditional apples and honey will be at both services (for a sweet new year!!). Yom Kippur services begin on Sunday, September 27th at 7:30 and will include Kol Nidre (All Vows) which is the prayer for nullification of vows made innocently or under duress during the past year. The service continues on Monday, September 28th at 11:00 AM. Our annual Sukkot campout will begin on Sunday, October 4th and will continue until Thursday at noon. We will build a traditional Sukkah (booth) and decorate it with fresh fruit and branches to remind us that our dependence is on the G~d of Heaven and not on ourselves. For more information on how to join us please contact our office at 417-334-7373 or check it out at the website www.thetabernacleinbranson.com. The final event of the holiday season will be on Saturday, Oct.10th at 11:00 AM for Simchat Torah where we roll out the Torah for the entire congregation to see. Please join us for these exciting times!!