The Head of the Year
“Speak to the children of Israel, 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; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’ ” And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. Leviticus 23:24-28 (NKJV)
Today, September 16, 2023, marks Rosh Hashanah on the Hebrew calendar. In Hebrew this means “the head of the year.” In other words, it is the Jewish New Year. Why is this called their new year if it is in the seventh month of their calendar? The Jewish calendar has several new years, with the one that is on the first day of the first month being the new year for government and legal things- we might call it a fiscal new year. The one noted as Rosh Hashanah, the one observed in the Jewish seventh month, is the new year affiliated with the things of God and is when they change the number on the calendar to show a new year. The Jews count a day as beginning at sundown, so actually, Rosh Hashanah started last evening at sundown. We have entered the year 5784 on the Hebrew calendar.
The Jewish New Year begins with the Feast of Trumpets. In addition, according to Bible teacher Perry Stone and others who have studied Hebrew tradition, the ten days from Rosh Hashanah to the Day of Atonement are called the Ten Days of Awe. They are observed with each person fasting, praying, examining themselves, and repenting as the Lord leads. This period is extremely important because it culminates with the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the day in which the priest historically offered an atonement offering for the sins of the nation that would cover them for the next year. On the Day of Atonement, according to rabbinical teaching, the Lord determines the outcome of the coming year for each person. In other words, in can be called a day of judgment or a day in which the Lord renders a verdict or decision.
As New Covenant believers, we are not bound to these calendar dates, but we are to examine ourselves at all times and repent and walk uprightly with the Lord at all times. We do this by faith in Jesus Christ and His blood. Jesus makes us righteous, or gives us right standing before God. We have access to God personally and can repent and approach Him anytime. In order to maintain a close relationship with God and eliminate any opening for the enemy to have access to our lives, we are to repent when He shows us to do so. However, God still moves in interesting and powerful ways at the times of His holy feasts. As we go through the Ten Days of Awe, we can spend extra time in contemplation and self-examination. Repent for yourself and the nation. Seek God in an even more intimate way. Fast if you are led to fast. And expect God to move mightily on the Day of Atonement, September 25, 2023, as judgment is set for nations and leaders. Always keep an eye on the Hebrew calendar because it was set up by God, which makes it His calendar. We are in the last of the last days, and the last great awakening and worldwide revival are upon us- it would not be surprising to see God do something momentous at this time.
