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January 2009
“How to Have a Biblical New Year”
By: Bro. David Harrell
Numbers 29: 1 - 6
“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.”
This passage of scripture is God speaking to Moses and he is giving him the details for what is known as the Feast of Trumpets. This feast was during the month of Tishri (7th month), which was the first month of the Jewish civil year. Which to us, would be known as the “New Year.” The Feast of Trumpets means “a memorial proclaimed with the blasts of horns.”
During this day, all work ceased. This feast started on the first day and it was called Rosh Hashanah. Several interesting things happened on this day such as: 1) trumpets were sounded on this day all throughout the land, 2) several offerings were given, and 3) there was also a time of public reading of the law. Let's look at these three main things and see how we can have a biblical new year in 2009 by following these guidelines.
#1. The Trumpets Blown:
As we have already said, this was a day where trumpets were blown. Usually a trumpet was sounded in the temple at the time of an offering of a sacrifice, but this was different.. This was a day of blowing trumpets. A shofar (ram's horn) and two silver trumpets were sounded.
Trumpets in the bible were used for many reasons such as:
Calling assemblies Regulating the journeys of the children of Israel. Blowing over the sacrifices on the feast day. Blowing at all religious processions and ceremonies. Assembling the people to war. Proclaiming kings. Giving alarm in cases of danger. Associated with coming of Lord1 Thessalonians 64:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;”
Why is this important with us on our New Year's Service?
Because we have a trumpet to blow. John the Baptist said it the best when he told the Pharisees that he was a “voice.” Romans says that we are to yield our members as instruments of righteousness. We need to sound the alarm that Jesus is coming soon. But we must not do it only in the temple, but yet in the whole land as they did on this day.
#2. The Offerings Made:
Offerings were given in the bible to picture the coming Messiah Jesus Christ. They were for purification from sin so that one could enter into a fellowship with God. There were all kinds of offerings in the bible: sin, trespass, peace, meal, drink, wave, burnt, etc. Usually there were eleven offerings on the first of every month, but on this day there was also a young bullock, a ram, and seven lambs. The offerings were of no value if the offerer did not do exactly what they were told to from God. Christ is our perfect lamb today so we do not have to make offerings of animals anymore.
We are however commanded to offer some sacrifices still today though:
I Peter 2:5- “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
We are told to offer our body a living sacrifice:
Romans 12:1- “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
This sacrifice isn't even that costly to us. Notice Paul says it is “reasonable.” Today, quit all the resolutions about diets, hobbies, etc.; present a body sacrifice for the Lord.
#3. The Service Held:
The service during this time was a service of joy and worship.
Notice in Nehemiah 8:1-6.
“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.. … And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.”
During this Feast of the Trumpets, they had a service that day. They read the law publicly and they ended up worshipping God. What a glad thought that we are to rejoice and meditate on this day. This is the day that the Lord hath made. We must remember to worship Jesus Christ upon this day.
Conclusion:
On this New Year's Day, we need to blow our trumpets, make our offering, and have a worship service. If we do these three things, we will have a biblical New Year's Day.