Do you desire a deeper relationship with God? Do you desire covenant with God and the ability to step into your own new beginnings in Him? Then join us below as we learn about the relationships God had with Adam and with Abraham… and how, through God’s perfect timing, we can step into our own beautiful covenant relationship with Him!
Covenant:
A relationship between man and God came with the first breath of Adam. Before that breath God held a love for Adam, and Eve, and all the people to come, but in the creation of man came a two-sided relationship. A covenant of authority and love, where God gave and we, almost exclusively, took.
Unfortunately, once temptation and confusion were brought in by the enemy, we—as mankind—did not do an excellent job of maintaining our relationship with God, let alone covenant.
God gave one stipulation in the Garden, and we, through the actions of Adam and Eve, broke it. Along with a broken requirement and covenant, we broke our relationship with God. We gave away what was given for a taste of lies, of hate, and everything contrary to God. But, God still loved us…
God chose a few people to have relationship with after the Garden—such as, Noah—but all of the covenants with them were limited in comparison to the first. However, God had plans to do more. To restore covenant. He saw Abraham, chose him, and through that the first Jewish roots of our faith were born. The preparation for our redemption through Jesus firmly set in place.
Yet, if we look closely, Abraham was still imperfect because of the decisions of Adam and Eve in the Garden. Abraham, like many of us, acting out of fear and doubt. So why did God choose him?
Well, despite being imperfect—like all of us—Abraham had an open heart. What is more, Abraham chose to follow God. Abraham wanted covenant with God; to receive blessing, but most importantly, relationship!
Through everything and every generation, God was still present with man, but Abraham’s relationship with God was special, because, just as with Noah, it held some of the first covenant promises since the Garden. In fact, it took this covenant with Abraham to lay foundations for the laws, commandments, and lessons to come. As well as, the coming of our Messiah.
Covenants, such as this beautiful example between God and Abraham, act as new beginnings. Likewise, for each of us on a yearly basis, we get to step into our new beginnings in God. We get to step into the new Hebraic calendar year and the covenant of Rosh Hashanah—as laid forth in the Word—entering into the new beginnings that God has set aside just for us!
What is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah—falling at sunset on September 18, through sunset September 20, 2020—is commonly referred to as the Jewish ‘new year’ and it signifies the preparation needed to succeed in the year ahead. It also serves as a call to repent and remember. A time to cleanse ourselves so that we can enter the new year and season in step with God.
Unlike its secular counterpart in the Gregorian calendar, Rosh Hashanah is not filled with empty promises and covenants. It is preparation for our relationship with God to deepen and a restoration of those covenants which allow us to answer His call for our lives.
It is through this preparation that Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, is sometimes referred to (and literally means) the ‘head of the year.’ Because the head is where our mind, eyes, ears, and mouth are located, and by directing them to where God would lead us, we can follow Him. Allowing us to walk in what God has for us in the year to come.
Another way of thinking of this is that, by putting on the yoke of God at Rosh Hashanah, our heads cannot be pulled into places we should not go. The yoke turns the head, directing where our feet will go and what we see. If we wear the yoke of God, then following the narrow path becomes easy, but if we wear yokes not of Him, we lose our way…
Only God’s yoke is gentle, good and kind: easy (see Matthew 11:30). Only His yoke points us in a direction that will bless us and others!
Symbols, Traditions, and Lessons of Rosh Hashanah:
There are five traditional symbols of Rosh Hashanah. These include:
- Apples
- Honey
- Shofars
- Pomegranates
- Torah—God’s Word
Of these, the most common and important is the shofar; also known as a ram’s horn or even a trumpet. Throughout Jewish and biblical history—and even today—the shofar has served as an important symbol of Rosh Hashanah, the Word, and the Jewish people. It is also a common theme within the archaeological record, confirming the Word of the Lord. Yet, why is it so important?
Within the Word and all throughout biblical times, the shofar was used as a signal. Sometimes in war, and sometimes, as with Rosh Hashanah, to herald in God’s presence and joy!
It is believed that as God breathed life into man, the soul was brought into being, and that through the breath of man sounding the shofar, the cry of that moment is returned to God. A reminder of God’s breath and presence within us, and the joy of creation!
It is also believed that through the sound of the shofar, the Word of the Lord is decreed into the atmosphere. That His Words flow through the shofar which was created through the shedding of innocent blood—like Jesus—and made possible by God’s breath in us.
This cry of the shofar still resonates within the soul today for both the Jew and Gentile who hear it—to many it feels as if their soul is echoing, ringing out the song of creation. Ringing out to God.
If these were not reasons enough for the shofar to be important, then the Word gives more…
God commanded the shofar to be blown on many occasions and the reasons behind these commands varied. From bringing down the walls of Jericho to ringing in the Sabbath/Shabbat rest, the shofar is tied to God, to innocence, and even to our creation.
“Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”—Joshua 6:4-5 (NIV)
The shofar serves as a sound of peace, a sound of war, a sound of repentance, and a sound that echoes the song of creation. No matter its use, the sound penetrates the soul and turns our hearts back to God.
“The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and the trumpets shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations.”—Numbers 10:8 (AMP)
The blowing of a shofar to announce Rosh Hashanah, as with other High Holy Days or even the Sabbath, acts as a cry from man to God. It is a holy sound, a sound of heaven, given by the life of an innocent ram—like the ram that God gave to Abraham in place of his son Isaac—a sacrifice of innocent blood to bring redemption and holiness.
While many Believers have never heard a shofar being blown, or even celebrated Rosh Hashanah, both are important for new beginnings. Nothing in the Word is without purpose. Nothing God has asked us to do fails to hold meaning.
Just as God created covenants and developed relationship with man throughout the Word, He wants us to enter into those covenants and a deeper relationship with Him today! He wants us to move into our new season with Him.
Rosh Hashanah is a unique time to do this. It is within God’s calendar and full of blessings and opportunities for change!
It is time that we took the yoke of God and allow Him to guide our actions! It is time we took the lessons of Adam, of Abraham, of covenant, and of Rosh Hashanah to step into the fullness of all God has for us!
“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”—Matthew 11:30
If YOU would like to discover more about Rosh Hashanah, then click HERE!
If YOU would like to learn about God’s Holy Spirit in you, then click HERE!
If YOU would like to read about physical prophecy fulfilled, then click HERE!