Explaining The Feast Of Trumpets To Those Outside The Jewish Community

By George Peterson


There are probably very few people who are not familiar with the major Christian holidays. Even non-believers take off from work for Christmas. There are some businesses that close for at least part of a day on the Friday before Easter. Of course members of other religions have holy days they observe, but many people don't know about them or understand why they are important. One such holy day, that is very important to practicing Jews, is the Feast of Trumpets or as it is more commonly called today, Rosh Hashanah.

This day is mostly referred to as Rosh Hashanah today, and many people recognize the name without knowing much about it. On God's calendar, it comes on the seventh month and is the first of His holy days. Jews place Jesus' birth at about this time. They also believe the Messiah will return on this day in the future. For them it has pivotal and historical significance. It marks the beginning of God's age and the end of man's. Trumpet sounds will reverberate all through the Kingdom to herald the arrival of this event.

All work and school activities are put off on this day. If you intend to observe Rosh Hashanah, you probably need to inform your employer if your are working or your teacher if you are a student. You don't need to provide all the details. It is usually sufficient to say you are a practicing Jew, and this is a holy day for you.

Classmates and co-workers sometimes question why Jews are allowed Christian holidays and Jewish holidays, or why they are allowed a full day for a ritual that can fall on a work day. Jews reference God's commandments, made specifically to them, as an answer. On this day all work and other earthly issues must be laid aside. The time is spent considering the things that are eternal and lasting.

All believers are commanded to observe this day wherever they find themselves. It is not a time of prayer only for those who can travel to Jerusalem or are members of large congregations that have elaborate ceremonies to mark the date. People who live in small towns or in areas where there is no synagogue nearby must still take the time to observe Rosh Hashanah.

As stated, this day is observed on day one on the seventh month of the calendar according to God. It is actually the beginning of the new year. In Biblical history this was the day when the farmers had all their crops in and had sold enough of them to surrounding villages and towns that they were able to stop and take time to celebrate the holy day.

There is no specific location where Jews must gather to observe this day according to the Bible. It was first observed in the wilderness and then later at the Temple in Jerusalem. Believers don't have to fly to Israel though to celebrate the day. Attending services at local synagogues is perfectly acceptable.

Understanding and accepting the faiths of others is a core tenet of most religions. It is not up to one religious group to question the beliefs of any of the others.




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