Our Roots: Christianity and Judaism are inseparably linked, joined together in God’s extraordinary predestined plan. The New Testament becomes incomplete without the Old Testament, with volumes of the Old quoted in the New. Orthodox Jews and true Christians worship the same God. This cannot be said of any other religion. The same reverence for the Scriptures exist between the two, both believing in the inspiration of God’s Word. Types and symbolisms abound. There isn’t a single major doctrine in the New Testament which is not illustrated in the Old.
Above all Jesus was a Jew, born into the tribe of Judah, in Israel, in the city of Bethlehem, from the lineage of David. He kept all the Jewish Feasts and prophetically fulfilled most of them.
Currently Jews are celebrating the three fall feasts called the “High Holy Days.” First came Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (also called the Feast of Trumpets) which took place last Thursday, beginning Ten Days of Awe, a focus on personal and national repentance. Second is the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, observed this coming Saturday, where in the Old Testament the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies to make sacrifice for the nation. Lastly comes the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, four days later, an exuberant celebration declaring praise for God’s provision during the wilderness march.
Jesus has fulfilled two of these feasts – the Day of Atonement where He has fully atoned for our sins, shedding his blood once and for all, to cover all our transgressions. And also Tabernacles, as Jesus now tabernacles with us, lives in us, as we abide in Him. Finally the Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled at the Second Coming when the trumpet shall sound and the final resurrection takes place at His return. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
God declared in Leviticus 23:2, “These are My festivals, the festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions.” While most of us are not Jews, I encourage us to enter into this fall feast season with a similar heart of repentance, to awaken from sin and self, seeking to walk with our God in newness of life.
During morning prayer last Thursday, we loudly blew a shofar at the top of the Upper Room stairs, celebrating the Feast of Trumpets.
Prayer Needs This Week…
- “Shine” Bible study, starting up this coming Wednesday, facilitated by Alison Hecht and Robin Tench.
- “Worship Warriors” (4th & 5th graders) beginning this Wednesday with Toby and Kori
- “Beth Moore Bible study” launches this Friday, led by Chris Lins
- Pray for our nation, President, Supreme Court, all those in authority
- Pray for the ministry in Thailand and our facilitator Rolyn Cadiz
- Jacob in Teen Challenge in Hawaii
- Jessie Yeo, leader in Singapore and friend of Little Church, fighting breast cancer
May we all awaken to the awe of God this week.
Jay