In Arkansas every single Wednesday at noon the sirens ring loud and clear all across our city. Even though this is just a test, we’re constantly reminded that danger could be lurking or approaching like when storms and tornadoes are frequent problems in our state. Sirens sound to awaken us.
On the eve of Yom Kippur sirens of a sort are sounding. Trumpets are being blown the world over in observance of the Holiest Day in the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur. Trumpets in the Old Testament time were used for a variety of reasons: for signaling danger, during war, and especially in observance of Holy Days.
With Israel being at war on numerous fronts, the sirens are sounding regularly indicating danger. But during these High Holy Days, trumpets are being blown in observance of these holy gatherings for the Jewish believers and even Christians who observe God’s Holy Days.
Yom Kippur began on the eve of October 11th and will end at sundown on October 12th. It’s also called the Day of Atonement on the Jewish calendar. The start of the New Year or Rosh Hashanah began on Monday, September 22, and culminated on the evening of the 23rd. Trumpets were blown to symbolically awaken people. This holiday was followed by the 10 Days of Awe for a time of introspection and prayer culminating with the holiest day in the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur.
During the Days of Awe, people are to reflect on the past year, goals, and their actions. They are to review their life and relationships and examine how their behavior has possibly hurt others. Then they are to seek forgiveness and reconciliation for wrongs done against God and against other people leading up to Yom Kippur. It is a time to seek to right any wrongs.
In the Old Testament times and when the Temple still stood, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies to make a blood sacrifice on Yom Kippur. This Day of Atonement was a holy day to bring about reconciliation between God and man. The high priest would prepare, and confess his sins, the sins of other priests, and the sins of the nation of Israel while offering a blood sacrifice. He dressed in white symbolic of purity and holiness before God.
As the Temple no longer exists, Jews still fast, pray, confess sins, and abstain from work on Yom Kippur. They gather in synagogues the world over for services including repentance, prayers, and the blowing of the shofars.
According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah or the New Year, God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into the Book of Life. Then He waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. In essence, God is seeing if we will repent and cooperate with Him. It is on this day that we can shake off the old things and enter into all the things God has planned for our lives afresh and repent of anything that is holding us back from all that God has for us in a new season.
The Christian faith saw the fulfillment of the perfect sacrifice in Christ. Now we have the ultimate forgiveness in the perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ as He shed His blood and reconciled us to God. But the principles are still the same: we must all ask forgiveness of God and others to have right relationship, laying aside anything that hinders us from entering into a new life and a new season.
As shofars are blown are you waking up? Examine your heart and life and draw near to God. Make right any wrongs you may have. He has a new life and a new season for you. Will you cooperate?
Beloved:
I long to bless your life but you must be in right relationship with Me and with others. Examine your heart and life. Confess any sin, even any bitterness or unforgiveness you may be harboring against another. Let Me refresh your heart and life and make it anew. Only then can you enter into a new season and all the blessings I have for you.
“You shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” (Leviticus 23:24b)
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
“’For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Great reminder that our Jesus still forgives n heals💯🙏🏻🙏🏻