I NEVER SHALL FORGET WHAT HE’S DONE FOR ME! (Yom Kippur–Day of Atonement!)

We used to sing a song in the choir at my former church–“Jesus, I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me. Jesus, I’ll never forget how you set me free. Jesus, I’ll never forget how you brought me out, No, no, NO, NEVER!” That’s a song that comes back to me today on Yom Kippur–The Day of Atonement–the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

Was I born a Jew? No. But I was grafted into the family when Jesus died to redeem the entire world. Do I have to celebrate the 7 Biblically-commanded Feasts of the Lord? No. I have already celebrated the 4 spring feasts symbolically, and I will one day fully celebrate the 3 fall feasts symbolically.

But I believe that each year as the feasts roll around in their cyclical way on the Jewish calendar, it is important for me and mine to study them as they relate to our salvation. Jesus the Messiah is revealed in each one. In studying these holy days on God’s calendar, I learn about the past (how Jesus fulfilled them by His death, burial, resurrection, return as the Holy Spirit), the present (how to live holy per the traditions of the feasts) and the future (how He is coming back and what will follow).

Today is Yom (day) Kippur (covering). No longer do I need an earthly high priest to enter into the Holy of Holies once a year to apply the blood of goats and bulls to the mercy seat to cover my sins.

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Heb. 8:11-12

Yes, instead, Jesus became my High Priest once and for all. When He died on the cross, the veil into the Holy of Holies was rent in two. He had marched into the Holy of Holies, applied His own blood to the mercy seat for me and given free access to the most holy place to all who receive Him.

“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Heb. 7:26-27

He was without sin, yet He became sin for me. I cannot emphasize enough the term that is used several times in the Book of Hebrews–ONCE FOR ALL. Redemption for all who will receive it. And that redemption isn’t jerked away from us when we mess up. He knows our frame, that we are but dust. And because of that, He tells us that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

We in the church are so quick to condemn those who commit the “BIG” sins. (I know, because I have been on both sides–condemning those who commit the “biggies” and also committing “biggies.”) REALLY? I have seen church members who refuse to listen to a preacher who is divorced or who admits to backsliding into drug or alcohol abuse at some time in his/her Christian walk. REALLY? Who are you to judge another man’s servant?

What about the preachers who practice gluttony regularly with no recognition of that sin? What about those who are mean and hateful to their families behind closed doors while smiling graciously to their parishioners? You listen to them often enough.

What about those church members who crucify each other with their tongues? What about those respected church mothers who are quick to condemn you and murder you in their hearts for the least offense? They’re still teaching Sunday School and leading the choir, aren’t they?

Isn’t this hypocritical? Did He die for our sins (plural) before we get saved ONLY or also for those sins we might (will) commit after salvation? Why do we continue to look at Christians who sin (which is all of us–yes, you, too) and say, “That’s it. You blew it. You cannot minister/teach/preach/lead anything anymore.” REALLY? Show me where you find that in the Bible. Poor ole King David always gets mentioned in discourses on sin because of his murdering, adulterous, lying ways. (Yes, I said that about David).

But guess what? He repented and THEN (yes, after the horrible sins) was called “a man after God’s own heart.” He was still king of Israel and was still used of God.

On this Yom Kippur, I am alarmed that much of the Christian world is making the grace of God of non-effect. We judge which sins are forgivable. You think not? Then why do we say this sin (your gossip or your “white” lies which were probably not repented of) can be overlooked and you can teach Sunday School again? However, this other person who fornicated or got drunk or whatever but was truly repentant is barred from further service in the church. We might allow them to pass out tracts on the street, but no more service inside our “holy walls.”

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but perhaps it’s time we really took stock of what His atonement truly means. Redemption is serious business. Redemption is ongoing, continual. That blood is still flowing symbolically to cleanse us from day to day as we strive to live a holy life despite our flesh.

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:14-16

And as we rejoice in the fact that we may approach His throne boldly to receive mercy, let us remember that Yom Kippur also represents an event yet to come–Judgment Day. After Rosh HaShanah (Feast of Trumpets–held 10 days ago) which represents His return, there will be the Day of Judgment (Yom Kippur prophetically) followed shortly afterward by the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). (This starts in 5 days on the Jewish calendar–can’t wait! It represents how we dwell with Him eternally. Stay tuned!)

Until then, here is a Scripture that is great to keep in mind as we await His return:

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God,let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb. 10:19-25

Click on the video below to see the teaching I did on Yom Kippur a couple of weeks ago at our church, Times of Refreshing. Please forgive me for not pronouncing everything correctly! Beneath the video is the handout we used in our teaching. It will help you follow along. Enjoy!

YOM KIPPUR (DAY OF ATONEMENT)

What is Yom Kippur?
“Yom” = “day” and “Kippur” = “covering, ransom, redeeming”
Sixth Scripturally-commanded holy day on Jewish calendar
–Held on 10th day of 7th month Tishri for 1 day
Second event in the fall High Holy Days and Days of Awe
–The only mandated holy day that is not a feast
–The only day all of Israel fasted (called “the fast” Acts 27:9)
No mention of it taking place until 444 B.C.

What does Yom Kippur consist of?
Four main components
–Holy convocation (undivided attention to God and gathering on a sabbath)
–Humbling of souls (affliction by fasting and repentance)
–Offerings (Lev. 16, Num. 29:7-11)–including regular sabbath offerings if on a sabbath
–Complete rest (or death as punishment)
Fourfold purpose
–To show the necessity of blood and God’s hatred of sin (Rom. 6:23, Heb. 9:22)
–To show contagious nature of sin–even holy Priest had to be cleansed! (Lev. 16:6)
–To point forward to the death of the Lamb of God
–To be repeated annually to show the way into the presence of God (Heb. 10:3)

What is the order of events on Yom Kippur?
1. High priest bathed his entire body, not just hands and feet as normally
–Washed his flesh in water in the Holy Place
–Had already washed once before entering Holy Place
2. He dressed in white linen with no ornaments
–Holy linen coat, breeches, girdle, fine mitre (headpiece)
–Also wore bells on skirt with rope attached
–Bells: to alert those outside if he was impure and died
–Rope: to drag him out
3. He sacrificed young bull for himself and his house
4. He selected 2 goats
–Goats selected by lot–1 for God, 1 for Azazel (name for Satan?)
–First goat sacrificed for people’s sins
–This blood placed on 2nd goat’s head (scapegoat)
5. Before offering this blood, priest filled censer with live coals from altar and put incense on them
–Cloud of incense covered mercy seat to keep him from seeing God
6. Once in Holy of Holies, blood was sprinkled upon and before mercy seat
–Bull for priesthood’s atonement; 1st goat for people’s atonement
–2 separate trips into Holy of Holies
7. Priest laid hands on head of scapegoat and confessed sins of the people
8. Scapegoat, bearing sins of the people, released into wilderness by trustworthy man
9. Remains of sacrificed bull and male goat taken outside city and burned

What are the Jewish traditions on Yom Kippur?
Main purpose is “teshuvah”–turning FROM sin and TO God
–Process began in 6th month Elul, sped up through Rosh HaShanah and the ensuing 10 days of repentance, reached end on Yom Kippur
Five services held (1 more than usual for festivals); most highly attended all year
–Before leaving for services, blessings pronounced upon children
–Very complicated services
–Proclamations made to nullify any vows/promises unfulfilled in coming year
–Jews still see spoken word as binding: “Words are important. . .The world itself     was created by God through the power of the Word.” (A rabbi)
–Jews believe you can’t be forgiven if you have unfulfilled vows (Matt. 5:24)
–Torah reading describes service in the Temple
–Emphasis also on Isaiah 57:14-58:16
–Book of Jonah read aloud (repentance important)
–They ask God to inscribe them in the Book of Life
Jews seek “kapparah”–cleaning of the slate/new chance at life
–Seen as a “brush with death” (wearing white kittel–burial shroud–and abstaining from life-giving food and water)
Jews observe 5 restrictions (afflictions): “shabbat shabbaton”–sabbath of complete rest
–No eating or drinking (fast day from sundown to sundown, no cooking allowed)
–Children and the sick are exempt
–Fast may be broken immediately after final service
–No bathing (stricter than regular sabbath)
–No anointing of body with oil
–No leather shoes (too comfortable)
–No sexual relations
Day before is a preparation day but also a sabbath
–Based on Lev. 23:32 which calls 9th day of Tishri a sabbath
–Great sabbath meal eaten before sundown!
–Some take mikveh (ritual bath) to purify themselves symbolically
Outdated traditions include twirling rooster or hen around hen while saying prayer for the animal to be killed in one’s stead
–Priests considered this too akin to white magic
–Now some Jews instead wrap money in handkerchief and follow same ritual
–Long ago, some Jews even flogged each other 39 times
–Some Jews still go outside to bless the moon at the end of the day (as at new moon)
Charity containers place in synagogues (typical on holy days)
Candles lit for deceased relatives
Women often wear white; mean wear kittels
Jews believe that the original purpose of this day was to cleanse the Temple of any
pollution that might have infiltrated the priestly system: “Too much pollution will render
   the sanctuary defiled and push the divine presence away.” (A rabbi)
–Since the Temple is no more, they now focus on cleaning up their individual lives,
including reconciliation with others
Shofar is blown to end the holy day–shows successful passage from sin to repentance
Some Jews go home and begin building sukkah
–Ties in Yom Kippur to Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) 5 days later

How does Yom Kippur parallel our salvation?
National cleansing of Israel since the Church will be  raptured out at Feast of Trumpets?
–Zech. 3:9: “. . .And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”
–Verse 10 refers to the millenium
Jesus, our High Priest: applied blood to mercy seat once and for all! (Heb. 5:1-10,
9:24-10:14)
–We all have access into the Holy of Holies now (Heb. 4:14-16)
Priest washing twice on each trip in: our progression in Christ
–First washing is salvation–a “must” to enter the “sanctuary” (safe place)
–To go into Holy of Holies (His manifest presence), must be saturated in the Word
White garment: us being freed from sin
–No longer can wear the “garments” worn on the outside; must “put on” righteousness
Incense often represents prayer (Psalm 141:2: “Let my prayer be. . .as incense”)
–Prayer brings us into Holy of Holies
Priest sacrificed 1st bull for his household: purity in priesthood (We are all priests now)
Jesus represented by both goats
–Like 1st goat, He was killed and mutilated for our sins
–Like 2nd goat, He took our sins upon His own head (Heb. 13:11-12)
Hebrew word for “atonement” means “covering”
–Same word as “pitch,” the substance Noah applied to the ark walls
–Came between Noah and judgment (the waters)–like Jesus’ blood and us!
Prophetic for us: final Judgment Day–Book of Life opened
–Jews either repented and were forgiven or died in sin
Day the shofar is blown for Year of Jubilee
–Lev. 25:9: “Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land.”
–Our freedom from debt!
Rabbinical scholars say that at the time of the atonement, a crimson sash was attached to the door of the Temple and another on the horn of the scapegoat
–They knew when the goat was dead in the wilderness because the sash would turn white to signify the forgiveness of sins was complete
–Is. 1:18: “. . .though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”
–Jewish literature says 40 years before the destruction of the last Temple in 70 A.D., the sash stopped turning white (No more need for the blood of animals to atone for sin!)
From the Talmud: “Forty years before the destruction of the Temple (ie. 30 C.E.) the lot did not come up in the right hand, nor did the crimson stripe become white, nor did the westernmost light burn; and the doors of the heikhal (the Holy Place of the Temple) opened of their own accord, until Rabbi Yochanon ben Zakkai rebuked them.”

Rosh HaShanah–Feast of Trumpets–HE’S COMING BACK!

Ever since God directed me to study the Feasts of the Lord back in the late ’90s, I’ve been fascinated with the Christian symbolism in these holy days that many call “Jewish feasts.” Actually, in the Bible, they were never called “Jewish feasts.” They were HIS feasts–seven of them Biblically-mandated.

The apostle Paul called them types and shadows–“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, Which are a shadow of things to come. . .” (Col. 2:16-17)

And thus each year I study the feasts as they come around, and I even teach on them occasionally. Tonight as I blog this entry, I have finished my celebration of Rosh HaShanah–Feast of Trumpets and the Jewish New Year. It is still technically going on because some of these holy days are celebrated for two days.

Rosh HaShanah, in particular, is a two-day event, because it is the only feast reckoned by the new moon. And the new moon was sometimes tough to spot in ancient Israel. What if it was cloudy? You might miss the appearance of the sliver-sized moon if you were the watchman outside Jerusalem waiting to sound the trumpet signal. So the celebration of Rosh HaShanah went an extra day–just in case. There are other reasons for two-day celebrations of one-day feasts, but that’s not the purpose of this entry.

Our church, Times of Refreshing (on the Old Paths), gathered last week on Sunday, Sept. 9, to study Rosh HaShanah. The video we made is posted at the bottom of this page, along with the handout we used to simplify the lesson.

Last night, Sunday, Sept. 16, some of our group met at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Walnut Cove–a town we have a burden of prayer for. It was not yet Rosh HaShanah as we sat at a picnic table, getting a head start on eating sweet treats as Jews do for the start of their new year.

We reveled in apples dipped in honey–the symbol of a sweet year to come! There was caramel dip as well, mini-Reese’s cups, cookies and other sweet portions, per Ezra 8:10 which tells what they did one Rosh HaShanah: “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

We sipped our sparkling white grape juice as we talked about what was going on around the world–the Muslim uprisings in particular which I believe are no coincidence as Israel’s High Holy Days begin. I had no idea when sunset was supposed to be. (I am still in such a summertime mode that I figured sunset was about 8 to 8:30.)

A sudden impulse hit me to click on my phone to check the time. Despite the fact that I was afraid Revonda, who was telling us something interesting at that time, would think I was rude, I reached for my phone. It said 7:25. I apologized after a minute, saying that I had to look because my kids were coming at 7:30 plus I was wondering when sunset was. Troy checked the weather page on his phone and was amazed when it said sunset was 7:25–exactly when I had looked at my phone!

The Feast of Trumpets had begun exactly as I felt to check the time.

We laughed joyfully at how the sunset timing had worked out. I later thought about some symbolism in even this simple event.

This past summer, I had attended a family Vacation Bible School at Rural Hall Church of God. They randomly (maybe not randomly by God!) placed me and my children in the tribe of Issachar; they had divided the many participants into the 12 tribes of Israel as classes.

As I looked at my name tag each night of VBS, I kept feeling in my gut that it was symbolic that I was in this particular tribe. When I researched the tribe of Issachar, I realized that at perhaps their most important time in Biblical history, they were the minority–very few in number compared to the rest of the tribes, yet they were the ones that all of Israel consulted in this particular situation. “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. . .” I Chron. 12:32

People who had “understanding of the times.” I realized last night as I looked at the phone at exactly the time of sunset, when sunset was indeed the time we were waiting for, that that little “coincidence” reiterated something to me: there are those in the Christian church at this time who have an understanding of the times we live in. They are not the majority. Perhaps some of them are those in whom the gift of prophecy works.

Those who have had a hunger put into their very soul to study the Feasts of the Lord–that includes some of you reading this right now–are likely people who have understanding of the times. These feasts can reveal to us many things: from the plan of salvation foreshadowed to what will happen in the world as we near Christ’s return.

What should you do, you people who are types of the tribe of Issachar? You should pray diligently for how God wants you to disperse the knowledge you have. Be on guard that the enemy of our souls does not pervert your gifting and try to take you into legalism with regard to the feasts. He did not call you to bring people back under the curse of the law if they do not celebrate the feasts in a mandatory fashion or they don’t keep the Law precisely as outlined in the Torah.

Galatians 3:13 tells us that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. . .”

I do not believe that we are under a curse if we don’t keep the feasts, if we eat the forbidden foods noted in the Law, etc. However, although the curse is removed, I still believe that a blessing applies if we do keep the feasts and the Sabbath or if we try to abide by the dietary restrictions. It is not a matter now of keeping the Torah because we HAVE to, but because we GET to! There is a difference in motivation.

So although I do not believe that we are still under command to keep these holy days, I believe that if we DO, there is a special blessing and revelation in it.

Thus I celebrated Rosh HaShanah from sundown yesterday to sundown tonight. I don’t own a shofar, but I listened to one online in a YouTube video that my bosom friend Robin sent me.

And it ran chills over me, bringing tears to my eyes as I realized the prophetic significance of this holy day. One day the trumpet of God will sound and in the twinkling of an eye, the long season of our wilderness journey will be over! (Remember that there are over three long, hot summer months between the final spring feast of Pentecost and the first fall feast of Rosh HaShanah–representative of how after He fills us with His Spirit as at Pentecost, we must walk out our salvation on a pilgrim journey full of trials and tribulations until the trump sounds to herald Rosh HaShanah–His second coming!)

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Cor. 15:51-52

Beloved, I don’t know when the Lord Yahushua is coming back. But I believe that symbolically we are in the sixth month of the Jewish calendar–the month of Elul–the month of preparation for the first day of the seventh, holy month Tishrei which is Rosh HaShanah–the Feast of Trumpets which prophetically points to His return!

If you belong to Him, you have been through the four spring feasts which have already been fulfilled in Jesus Christ–Pesach (Passover) when the blood was applied to your heart through His death, Unleavened Bread when you were freed from sin and buried with Him, Firstfruits when you experienced His resurrection power of new life after conversion and Shavuot (Pentecost) when you were baptized in the Holy Ghost for power in ministry.

You are now in the sultry summer months of the Jewish calendar, waiting for the final three feasts to begin in the fall. As you walk through the fourth month, the fifth month, the sixth month, your eyes are on that seventh month prize–HIS GLORIOUS RETURN (Feast of Trumpets–Rosh HaShanah), JUDGMENT DAY (Day of Atonement–Yom Kippur) and ETERNITY WITH HIM (Feast of Tabernacles–Sukkot).

The four feasts of the spring (four is the number of earthly completion) added to the three feasts of the fall (three is the number of heavenly/Godly completion) equals the divine completion of the number seven. So the next sound we listen for is the sound of the trumpet! THAT’S why I celebrate Feast of Trumpets–to remind me of the day of His appearing!

“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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thess. 4:16-18

Click on the link below to watch our hour-long class on Rosh HaShanah. (Please forgive my mistaken reference to this feast as the “feast of all feasts.” I confused my notes on Feast of Tabernacles with Feast of Trumpets as I typed the lesson. So sorry!)

Our Bible study handout:

ROSH HASHANAH (FEAST OF TRUMPETS)

What does Rosh HaShanah mean?
“Head of the Year”–this term is not found in the Bible (applied in 2nd century A.D.)
–Considered the Jewish New Year

When is Rosh HaShanah?
“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. . .” Numbers 29:1
First day of the month Tishrei
–Tishrei: 7th month on the Jewish holy calendar–holy month.
–1st month on the civil calendar (hence New Year)
On our calendar, occurs anywhere from mid-September to mid-October
Only commanded to be celebrated for 1 day
–Jews celebrate some 1-day holidays for 2 days (moon issues)

Why is it also called Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)?
God commanded them to blow trumpets on that day
—“. . .For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets.” Numbers 29:1
–Other new moons were signaled by short trumpet blasts–this one by long ones

What were the Jews to do on this holiday?
23 “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 ‘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. 25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’” Leviticus 23:23-25
Celebrate it as a Sabbath.
—“You shall do no customary work.” Numbers 29:1
Blow the trumpets in the Temple and through the land of Israel. (Scriptures above)
–Traditionally, shofar (ram’s horn) was blown, not the silver trumpets of the Temple
–Shofar designated for Yom Kippur, Jubilee, call to battle
–A pattern of blows developed: 1 long blast (tekiah), 3 short blasts (shevarim), 9
staccato blasts (teruah), 1 long blast.
–Blown 100 times that day (several sequences)
Give offerings, some burnt
—2 “You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. 3 Their grain offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.”Numbers 19:2-6

How often is Feast of Trumpets mentioned in the Bible?
Besides the instructions on how to celebrate it, only once
–When the Jews returned to Israel from exile in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 3:1-6, Nehemiah 7:73-8:13)
—“Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. . .5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. . . 9And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.’ For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, ‘Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.’ 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.” Nehemiah 8:1-10

What Jewish traditions are held?
Month before (Elul–6th month) is used for preparation
–Shofar blown every morning after prayer service (starting Sabbath before Elul begins)
as a reminder of repentance and approach of high holy days
Week before (last week of Elul) used for repentance
–Selihot (“forgiveness”): repentant prayers made
–Intensifies on final day of Elul: mikveh is popular
Psalm 81 is read (was sung by choir)
3 books are opened: Book of Life (Death) for wicked, Book of Life for righteous, Book of Life for
in-between
–Judge writes everyone’s name in one
–Satan appears before God to accuse Israel
–Shofar blown to confuse him
–Often called Yom Ha-Din–Judgment Day
Greeting is “Leshanah tovah tikatevu” (“May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a
good year!”)–based on Psalm 69:28, Exodus 32:32-33
Casting ceremony “Tashlikh” (“cast off”) held
–Originated in the Middle Ages, still popular
–On the afternoon of Rosh HaShanah, meet near flowing body of water to recite
Tashlikh prayer (Micah 7:18-20, Psalm 118:5-9, Psalm 33, Psalm 130, Isaiah 11:9)
–At end, shake pockets or cast bread crumbs into water (Micah 7:19, Ezek. 18:30-31)
Long services held (morning–5 or more hours often)
–Focus on 3 benedictions: Malkhiyot (Kingships), Zikhronot (Remembrances), Shofarot
(Rams’ horns)
–God’s majestic kingship, His remembrance of His covenant with Israel, the key
role of the shofar in history and the future
Joyful activities are not allowed (no weddings, e.g.)
–Yet there is joy: greeting cards sent, wishing “Shanah tovah!” (“A good year!)
Certain foods eaten
–Apples dipped in honey (next year full of sweetness)
–Fruit not eaten in a while consumed at dinner 2nd night
–Round loaves of braided hallah bread, rather than oval, eaten to symbolize crowns
–Head of fish (head and not the tail)
–No nuts (numerical value of “nuts” equals “sin”)
Observed as the birthday of the world
Believed to be the day the dead would rise for judgment
Sabbath in between Trumpets and Atonement: Shabbat Shuvah (“Sabbath of Turning”
based on Hosea 14:2)

What significance does it hold for Christians?
Does not commemorate any historical event–totally prophetic
Fulfilled in a sense by God’s regathering of Israel
Only holiday held at new moon
–Dark time of the month–like dark day of judgment (Amos 5:18-20, Zephaniah 1:14-16, Joel 2:31, Rev. 6:12-17)
Focus is on the new year, a new beginning
–We are new creatures–God’s focus is on “new”
–New name, song, thing, covenant, tongues, etc.
Takes place in 7th month–month of final harvest
Trumpet reminds us of Jesus’ 2nd coming
–Will call God’s people to assembly (Rapture)
–I Cor. 15:51-52, I Thess. 4:16-17

Remembering 9-11 and knowing that a 10-18 is coming

September 11 is a date that conjures up vivid memories for Americans. Even if you were too young to remember the horrific events of that day, still you feel the pain because we relive it each year on that date. We fill our Facebook walls with photos of the Twin Towers, the American flag, our Patriot Day motto of “NEVER FORGET.” We sit glued to the TV watching specials that take us back to the day the music died, the day we had our innocence stripped from us, the day the world changed forever.

This day haunts me every year. Why? Because–and you may think I’m crazy–I knew it was coming. I didn’t exactly know WHAT was going to happen, but I knew that September 11 was a day that would mean something. If you’re not a Christian, you may scoff at this. But if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you know that He sometimes prepares His people for what is coming. Prophecy is still working in this world.

And if you’re not a Christian, you will not understand the emphasis I am about to put on Israel. It will seem foreign and even ridiculous to you. But if you are a Believer, then you just might understand the focus on the Jewish homeland, unless you are one of those Christians who believe that Israel is nothing any more. I beg to differ. Israel is our timepiece for the future, and the Jews are still the apple of God’s eye, as are His followers worldwide. (Let me clarify that Jesus is the only means of salvation, even for the Jews.)

The experience of which I write actually began a few years before 9/11. I had been prone to have spiritual dreams for many years–dreams that were sometimes even prophetic. Then one night I dreamed that I was arriving at the Stokes County Fair with my children. But somehow the fair was being canceled. Some men came out of the Legion building and said, “Haven’t you heard? The world will never be the same again.”

I never forgot the tense, doomsday-gray atmosphere of that dream. I wrote it down and literally pondered it often for the years before 9/11. Each year when the local fair began, I anticipated some sort of world-changing event.

Then came 2001. The Thursday before 9/11 (that would’ve been 9/6), I was having my morning prayer in my bedroom. I was in the floor on my face.

If you want to know the truth, I was praying a very selfish prayer that focused totally on me. I had been stricken with a mysterious illness in October 2000 and was still very unwell just 11 months later. I was asking God to give me strength to go on.

Suddenly, I heard the Lord speak to me–not in an audible voice but in that way that He imputes something into your brain that you know is Him speaking. He said, “Psalm 83.” Still being in that selfish mode, I jumped up with excitement, just sure that the Lord was giving me a Psalm that would bring me great comfort in my tribulation.

I had no idea what Psalm 83 was, but hey, it was a Psalm–those were mostly all encouraging, weren’t they?

Not this one.

I sat on the edge of my bed, facing the window that looked out at the lovely September morning, feeling quite confused as I read this Psalm. It had an ominous tone to it–all about the enemies of God doing something horrible to cut off Israel. The passage told me who those enemies were. I looked them up in the concordance and found that the descendants of these kingdoms mentioned in the Psalm were the Arab nations who hate Israel today.

Here is the Biblical passage so that you can see what I read that day, per His instructions:

Psalm 83

New King James Version (NKJV)

Prayer to Frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

83 Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
² For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
³ They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
⁴ They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

⁵ For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
⁶ The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
⁷ Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
⁸ Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. Selah

⁹ Deal with them as with Midian,
As with Sisera,
As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
¹⁰ Who perished at En Dor,
Who became as refuse on the earth.
¹¹ Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
¹² Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
The pastures of God for a possession.”

¹³ O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
Like the chaff before the wind!
¹⁴ As the fire burns the woods,
And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
¹⁵ So pursue them with Your tempest,
And frighten them with Your storm.
¹⁶ Fill their faces with shame,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
¹⁷ Let them be confounded and dismayed forever;
Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
¹⁸ That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth.

At the same time that this Psalm became such a huge part of my life, I was suddenly hit by the importance of these numbers: 911. Not as in “nine-one-one” but “nine-eleven.” I racked my brain for what 9-11 meant. The numbers kept rushing through my head for the days preceding the Twin Towers attack.

I even called my dear friend Heather to ask her if we had stayed in a room 911 during our recent travels to Irish dance competitions. It had become a joke to my family and friends how seriously I took the numbers of our hotel rooms at these events. I would always attach some significance to the room numbers, which was probably silly.

But for some reason, I couldn’t remember some of the room numbers from our summer trips–some of which I had taken with Heather and her kids. Heather couldn’t remember either, but she said she didn’t think we stayed in a 911. I told her I couldn’t figure out the significance of those numbers which were mentally screaming at me.

I confess that I didn’t really connect 911 to the actual date of the upcoming September 11. So when that date came, all I knew is that, due to the Psalm, I needed to pray for Israel and her allies–which of course included the U.S perhaps first of all.

I was on the couch in my den on that infamous day, talking to my sister Lori on the phone about meeting up at the Stokes County Fair that afternoon. I had already canceled the habitual Tuesday night prayer meeting at our house, so that my family could go to the fair. The TV was on PBS–probably “Sesame Street.” Some of my kids were obviously awake already.

Suddenly Lori said, “Do you have your TV on? Jon [her husband] says turn it to Channel 12. Something’s going on.” I called out to one of the kids to turn it to WXII. Somewhere in the mix of things, I believe Heather beeped through to tell me to turn on my TV. That part is foggy.

As the kids switched channels, suddenly I saw a picture of the North Tower of the World Trade Centers with smoke pouring from it. Lori told me that Jon was saying a plane had flown into it. I was astounded and at first thought it was a joke.

But it was no joke. Still I had no clue that it was terrorism. I simply assumed that a plane had lost control innocently and hit the building–a terrible tragedy, yes, but nothing more than a mere accident.

I kept watching and then was shocked to see the other plane hit the South Tower. It was then that I, and the rest of the world, knew this was terrorism. And I thought of Psalm 83 and my dream so long ago of a world-changing event occurring the very day I was going to the fair, and suddenly the absolute horror of my preoccupation with 911 for the preceding days hit me. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt–because of the Psalm–that it was a terrorist attack against us because of our support of Israel.

I even knew who did it, thanks to the Psalm–the Arab nations who hate Israel and who hate us for our allegiance to Israel. When I first got sick in October 2000, the USS Cole had just been bombed and no one was sure who to blame. I woke up in the night during the miserable sickness, tossing and turning and moaning the name, “Osama bin Laden” over and over again. I knew then he was the mastermind behind the ship bombing.

And on the morning of September 11, I knew unequivocally that bin Laden was behind the planes flying into the Trade Towers.

And let’s just say that we didn’t go to the fair that night; instead we reconvened the hitherto-canceled prayer meeting at our house.

A few years later, I attended a Feast of Tabernacles celebration in the fall at Ridgecrest Christian Conference Center in Black Mountain, NC.  I felt led to choose a workshop taught by a woman named Dee Baxter. It was called “The Islam Agenda.”

I had no clue that Dee was going to teach a lot about the significance of 9/11. She told us that the 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet looks like a snake coiled to strike and that the 11th letter looks like a bird in flight. “9-11–the devil attacks through planes?” she was basically questioning.

Then Dee said something that made my skin crawl. She said that the 11th letter represents judgment and that Psalm 83 was key in this study because 8 + 3 = 11. She said that Psalm 83 tells us exactly who perpetrated the 9/11 attack on America–the Arab nations in confederacy against Israel. Dee told us that Mohammed originally prophesied in the Koran that the end of days will begin when Muslims worldwide join together to wipe out Israel. I have never read the Koran, but according to Dee, the version we read today has been sanitized.

I sat in that class in total disbelief. This renowned Bible teacher, whom I did not know, was confirming what God had told me BEFORE September 11, 2001.

Added on 9/15/12–**It hit me after originally posting this blog that this year was the 11th year since 9/11/01. With the emphasis on 11 as judgment, we need to think on that as well.**

What is the significance of all of this? Why would God tell me that information ahead of time yet I not totally discern what it meant until it actually happened? I believe He used this as a training exercise for me and to let me know to be listening to Him as the end times hasten toward us. A very spiritual woman at my former church in Winston-Salem had come to me in the late ’90s and told me she had had a spiritual dream about me knowing things before they happened. She spoke a word of wisdom to me: that I should listen carefully to the Lord and tell her and others if an upcoming event was revealed to me.

I did have another prophetic experience before the horrific tsunami in the region of Indonesia–too long to go into here. But very little else since then.

There was, however, one more thing that I was told which I am hanging onto until it happens. Not very long after 9/11/01, I awakened abruptly one morning with the numbers “10-18” imprinted in my brain, as if God had put them there. It was urgent that I find out what they meant.

Since 10-18 sounds like a CB radio term, I called Heather whose husband is a fireman. I also talked to my friend Sandra whose husband is also a fireman. I can’t recall now which one of them called me back excitedly to tell me that a 10-18 is an emergency response, with lights flashing and sirens sounding. “Urgent response needed, complete present assignment quickly.”

I knew then that another 9/11-type attack was coming. This time it would be a 10-18 rather than a 911 call, symbolically. I will admit that I was doubly alert each October 18th after that–in case the 10-18 represented a date the way 9-11 did. I even pondered whether it would happen on the 18th day of the 10th Jewish month, since I was so heavily studying the Jewish calendar.

To this day, I don’t fully understand why 10-18 was given to me–even confirmed in another significant way in the past few years. I simply know that this nation will face another terrorist attack. My feeling is that it will be even worse than 9/11. Do not go quote me as saying that 10-18 represents a date. I never said that. I have no idea. It probably just represents the urgent nature of what is headed our way, the way 10-18 represents “Respond with urgency.”

Those of you who know me can testify that I am a very optimistic idealist who lives her life wearing rose-colored glasses. I am not a doomsday prophet. I am not telling you to store up beans, Bibles and bullets.

Instead I am telling you to store up the Word of God, His Spirit, His love. Make sure that you are spiritually prepared. When you are, then if you need to prepare physically, He’ll let you know. I am leery of many non-spiritual people who are spending all of their time and money storing up things for the coming collapse. I, on the other hand, feel to give away as much as I can, to reach out to the world rather than to focus on self-preservation.

(Disclaimer: I feel that everyone–Christian and non-Christian–should be physically prepared to survive in case of natural or man-made disaster. In the previous paragraph, I am talking about many people who are putting TOO much focus on and money into physical preparation at the expense of spiritual focus. But IF GOD has told you to store up things, who am I to judge another man’s servant?)

Another thing I am telling you is that we as the United States cannot abandon Israel. Not that they can’t take care of themselves–they are B-B-B-BAD. But any nation that turns on them will not prosper.

I hesitated to write this blog for fear of being called crazy or being talked about. But you know what? I realized that I’m not particularly worried any more what people think of me, as long as I know my Savior is leading me and is my focus.

It is time to seek the Lord.