From: Eddie Chumney
To:      heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject:  The Season of Teshuvah / Rosh HaShanah


                                         From the Book:
                       (The Seven Festivals of the Messiah)
                                     by Eddie Chumney


                                     Rosh HaShanah
                                The Season of Teshuvah

      A special season known as Teshuvah, which in Hebrew means "to
return or repent," begins on the first day of the month
of Elul and continues 40 days, ending with Yom Kippur. Thirty days
into Teshuvah, on Tishrei l, comes Rosh HaShanah. This begins a final
ten-day period beginning on Rosh HaShanah and ending on Yom Kippur.
These are known as the High Holy Days and as the Awesome Days (Yamim
Nora'im, the days of awe). The sabbath that falls within this ten-day
period is called Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Return. Five days
after Yom Kippur is Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Teshuvah begins
on Elul 1 and concludes on Tishrei 10, Yom Kippur. Each morning during
the 30 days of the month of Elul, the trumpet (shofar) or ram's horn
is blown to warn the people to repent and return to G-d.

      Teshuvah (repentance) speaks to all people. Those who believe in
the Messiah are called to examine their lives and see
where they have departed from G-d. It is a call to examine the
Scriptures and the evidence that the Messiah was who He said He was.

      G-d has always had a heart to warn people before He proclaims
judgment. G-d warned the people before the flood, and
He warned Nineveh before it was ruined. He does not want anyone to
receive the wrath of His judgment (Ezekiel [Yechezekel]
18:21-23,30-32; Zephaniah 2:1-3; 33:1-7; 2 Peter 3:9).

      The whole month of Elul is a 30-day process of preparation
through personal examination and repentance for the coming
High Holy Days. The shofar is blown after every morning service. Psalm
27, which begins with "The Lord is my light and my salvation," is also
recited at the end of the morning and evening liturgy. The message
from Elul 1 to Rosh HaShanah is clear: Repent before Rosh HaShanah.
Don't wait until after Rosh HaShanah, or you will find yourself in the
Days of Awe.

      There are idioms or phrases that help us identify the days in
the season of Teshuvah (repentance). Just as unfamiliar
foreigners may be confused when they hear Americans call Thanksgiving
Day, "Turkey Day" or "Pilgrims' Day," non-Jewish believers in Yeshua
can be confused by the different terms for the major feasts of the
L-rd.



                         Rosh HaShanah: Names, Themes, and Idioms

   1.Teshuvah (repentance)
   2.Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year, Birthday of the World)
   3.Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast [Feast of Trumpets)
   4.Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment)
   5.HaMelech (the Coronation of the Messiah)
   6.Yom HaZikkaron (the Day of Remembrance or memorial)
   7.The time of Jacob's (Ya'akov) trouble (the birthpangs of the
        Messiah, Chevlai shel Mashiach)
   8.The opening of the gates
   9. Kiddushin/Nesu'in (the wedding ceremony)
  10.The resurrection of the dead (rapture, natza1)
  11.The last trump (shofar)
  12.Yom Hakeseh (the hidden day)


                             Rosh HaShanah: The Head of the Year
                                    (Birthday of the World)

      Rosh HaShanah marks the Jewish New Year and is a part of the
season of repentance. Rosh in Hebrew means "chief or
head" and shanah means "year." Rosh HaShanah is the head of the year
on the civil calendar, and is also known as the birthday of the world
since the world was created on this day (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 11a).

      Jewish tradition believes that Adam was created on this day
(Mishnah, San Hedrin 38b). How did they decide that this
was the day of the year the world was created? Because the first words
of the Book of Genesis (Bereishit), "in the beginning," when changed
around, read, Aleph b'Tishrei, or "on the first of Tishrei."
Therefore, Rosh HaShanah is known as the birthday of the world, for
tradition tells us that the world was created then.

      Note: There are four new years in the Jewish calendar. Nisan 1
is the New Year's day of kings (the date for determining
how many years a king has ruled) and for months (Nisan is the first
month). Elul 1 is the new year for the tithing of animals. Shevat 15
(Tu Bishvat) is the new year for the trees, and Tishrei 1 is the new
year of years. It also marks the anniversary of the creation of the
world.


                                      Time of Observance

      Rosh HaShanah is observed for two days. It comes on the first
and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (usually
in September or October), which is the first month of the biblical
civil calendar. The month of Tishrei is the seventh month in the
biblical religious calendar. This may seem strange that Rosh HaShanah,
the New Year, is on the first and second day of Tishrei, the seventh
month on the biblical religious calendar. The reason that Rosh
HaShanah is the seventh month in the biblical religious calendar is
that G-d made the month of Nisan the first month of the year in
remembrance of Israel's divine liberation from Egypt (Exodus [Shemot]
12:2; 13:4). However, according to tradition, the world was created on
Tishrei, or more exactly, Adam and Eve were created on the first day
of Tishrei and it is from Tishrei that the annual cycle began. Hence,
Rosh HaShanah is celebrated at this time.


                       Why Is Rosh HaShanah Two Days Long?

      Unlike other festivals that are celebrated in the Diaspora (the
dispersion, referring to Jews who live outside of the Holy
Land of Israel) Rosh HaShanah is celebrated for two days because of
uncertainty about observing the festivals on the correct calendar day.
Rosh HaShanah is the only holiday celebrated for two days in Israel.
As with all other festivals, the uncertainty was involved in a
calendar that depended on when the new moon was promulgated,
designating the beginning of each new month by the rabbinical court in
Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) in ancient times. The problem of Rosh
HaShanah is heightened by the fact that it falls on Rosh Chodesh, the
new moon itself. Therefore, even in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), it would
have been difficult to let everyone know in time that the New Year had
begun. To solve this problem, a two-day Rosh HaShanah was practiced
even in Israel. Creating a two-day Rosh HaShanah was also intended to
strengthen observance of each day; in the rabbinic view, the two days
are regarded as a yoma arikhta, one long day.


                  Yom Teruah: The Day of the Awakening Blast

      In Psalm (Tehillim) 98:6 it is written, "With trumpets and the
sound of the horn shout joyfully before the King, the Lord"
(NAS). The blessing we receive from G-d when we understand the meaning
of Rosh HaShanah and the blowing of the trumpet (shofar) is found in
Psalm (Tehillim) 89:15, as it is written, "How blessed are the people
who know the joyful sound [blast of the shofar]..." (NAS).

      Rosh HaShanah is referred to in the Torah as Yom Teruah, the Day
of the Sounding of the Shofar (or the Day of the
Awakening Blast). On Yom Teruah, the Day of the Sounding of the
Shofar, it is imperative for every person to hear (shema) the shofar.
The mitzvah (or biblical commandment [John (Yochanan) 14:15]), of the
shofar is to hear (shema) the shofar being blown, not actually blow it
yourself, hence the blessing, "to hear the sound of the shofar."

      Teruah means "an awakening blast." A theme associated with Rosh
HaShanah is the theme "to awake." Teruah is also
translated as "shout." The Book of Isaiah (Yeshayahu), chapter 12,
puts the shouting in the context of the thousand-year reign of
Messiah, the Athid Lavo. The Messianic era and shout is mentioned in
Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 42:11; 44:23; Jeremiah (Yermiyahu) 31:7; and
Zephaniah 3:14. The first coming of Yeshua is associated with a shout
in Zechariah 9:9. The ultimate shout is the rapture (natzal) in First
Thessalonians 4:16-17.

      Whether it is by the blast of a shofar or the force of a
supernatural shout, G-d's goal is to awaken us! For this reason
it is written, "... Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will
shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14 NAS). The Book of Ephesians has many
references to Rosh HaShanah and the High Holy Days. For example, in
Ephesians 4:30, being sealed unto the day of redemption refers to Yom
Kippur, the Day of Atonement. G-d gave this festival to teach us that
we will be judged on Rosh HaShanah and will be sealed unto the closing
of the gates (neilah) on Yom Kippur.

      Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 26:19 speaks of the resurrection. The word
awake is associated with the resurrection, as it is written,
"Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the
dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn,
and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits" (Isaiah
[Yeshayahu] 26:19 NAS).

      The theme of awakening from sleep is used throughout the Bible.
It is found in John (Yochanan) 11:11; Romans 13:11;
Daniel 12:1-2; and Psalm (Tehillim) 78:65. In Isaiah 51:9 it is
written, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as
in the days of old, the generations of long ago..." (NAS). The arm of
the L-rd is used as a term for the Messiah in Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 53:1.
The word arm is the Hebrew word zeroah. During Passover (Pesach), a
shankbone, known as the zeroah, is put on the plate. So, "awake" is a
term or idiom for Rosh HaShanah. In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 51:9 quoted
earlier, the awakening is associated with the coming of the Messiah.

      The shofar is the physical instrument that G-d instructed us to
use to hear (shema) the sound of the shofar teaching us to
awake from spiritual slumber (1 Corinthians 15:46).

      In the days of old, the shofar was used on very solemn
occasions. We first find the shofar mentioned in connection with
the revelation on Mount Sinai, when the voice of the shofar was
exceedingly strong and all the people who were in the camp trembled
(Exodus [Shemot] 19:16b). Thus, the shofar we hear on Rosh HaShanah
ought to remind us of our acceptance of the Torah (Bible) and our
obligations to it. The shofar also used to be sounded when war was
waged upon a dangerous enemy. Thus, the shofar we hear on Rosh
HaShanah ought to also serve as a battle cry to wage war against our
inner enemy -- our evil inclinations and passions as well as the
devil, Ha Satan, himself. The shofar was also sounded on the Jubilee
Year, heralding freedom from slavery (Leviticus [Vayikra] 25:9-10).

      Spiritually (halacha), this refers to freedom from the slavery
of sin, the desires of this world, and serving the devil (Romans
6:12-13; James 4:4).

      Another reason for sounding the shofar is that Rosh Hashanah is
the celebration of the birth of creation G-d began to rule
over the world on this day. When a king begins to reign, he is
heralded with trumpets. That is why Psalm 47 precedes the blowing of
the shofar; it is a call to the nations: "..... Sing praises to our
King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth..." (Psalm
[Tehillim] 47:6-7 NAS). It also precedes because of the reference to
the shofar in the previous verse (Psalm 47:5), as it is written "God
has ascended with a shout, the Lord, with the sound of a trumpet"
(NAS).

      In Jewish tradition, many reasons have been offered for the
sounding of the shofar: The ram's horn is identified with the
ram that became the substitute sacrifice for Isaac (Yitzchak) in
Genesis (Bereishit) 22:1-19. The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai
was accompanied by the sounding of the shofar (Exodus [Shemot] 19:19).
The proclamation of the Jubilee was heralded by the blast of the
shofar (Leviticus [Vayikra] 25:9-11); and the commencement of the
Messianic age is to be announced by the sound of the great shofar
(Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 27:13). The book Gates of Repentance cites
Maimonide's call to awaken from spiritual slumber:

     Awake, you sleepers, from your sleep! Rouse yourselves, you
     slumberers, out of your slumber! Examine your deeds, and turn to
     G-d in repentance. Remember your Creator, you who are caught up
     in the daily round, losing sight of eternal truth; you are
     wasting your years in vain pursuits that neither profit nor save.
     Look closely at yourselves; improve your ways and your deeds.
     Abandon your evil ways, your unworthy schemes, every one of you!
     (Yad Hichot Teshuva 3.4).

      When the rabbis saw the phrase, "Awake, O Israel," they would
identify those verses with something concerning Rosh
HaShanah. The blowing of the shofar took place at the temple (Beit
HaMikdash) on Rosh HaShanah (Nehemiah 8:1-3).

      The shofar was also blown at the temple to begin the sabbath
each week. There are two types of trumpets used in the
Bible:

        1.The silver trumpet, and
        2.The shofar, or ram's horn.

      On the sabbath, there was within the temple (Beit HaMikdash) a
sign on the wall that said, "To the house of the blowing
of the trumpet [shofar]." Each sabbath (shabbat), two men with silver
trumpets and a man with a shofar made three trumpet blasts twice
during the day. On Rosh HaShanah, it is different. The shofar is the
primary trumpet. On Rosh HaShanah, a shofar delivers the first blast,
a silver trumpet the second, and then a shofar the third. The silver
trumpets and the gathering at the temple are specified in the Book of
Numbers (Bamidbar) chapter 10.

      According to Leviticus (Vayikra) 23:24 and Numbers (Bamidbar)
29:1, Rosh HaShanah is the day of the blowing of the
trumpets. According to the Mishnah (Rosh HaShanah 16a; Rosh HaShanah
3:3), the trumpet used for this purpose is the ram's horn, not
trumpets made of metal as in Numbers (Bamidbar) Chapter 10.


                                The Use of the Shofar in the Bible

      The shofar or ram's horn, has always held a prominent role in
the history of G-d's people in the Bible:

   1.The Torah was given to Israel with the sound of the shofar
        (Exodus [Shemot] 19:19).
   2.Israel conquered in the battle of Jericho with the blast of the
       shofar (Joshua 6:20).
    3.Israel will be advised of the advent of the Messiah with the
        sound of the shofar (Zechariah 9:14,16).
    4.The shofar will be blown at the time of the ingathering of the
        exiles of Israel to their place (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 27:13).
    5. The shofar was blown to signal the assembly of the Israelites
         during war (Judges [Shoftim] 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:1).
    6. The watchman who stood upon Jerusalem's walls blew the
        shofar (Ezekiel [Yechezekel] 33:3-6).
     7.The shofar was blown at the start of the Jubilee year (Leviticus [Vayikra] 25:9).
     8.The shofar is a reminder that G-d is sovereign (Psalm [Tehillim] 47:5).
     9.The ram's horn, the shofar, is a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of
         Isaac and God's provision of a ram as a substitute (Genesis [Bereishit] 22:13).
   10.The shofar was blown to announce the beginning of festivals
         (Numbers [Bamidbar] 10:10). The shofar was blown to
         celebrate the new moon on Rosh HaShanah (Psalm 81:1-3).
  11. The blowing of the shofar is a signal for the call to repentance
         (Isaiah [Yeshayahu] 58:1).
  12. The blowing of the shofar ushers in the day of the L-rd (Joel 2:1).
  13. The blowing of the shofar is sounded at the rapture of the
         believers and the resurrection of the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
  14. John was taken up to Heaven in the Book of Revelation by the
         sound of the shofar (Revelation 4:1).
   15.Seven shofarim are sounded when G-d judges the earth during the
         tribulation (Revelation 8-9).
   16.The shofar was used for the coronation of kings (1 Kings
         [Melachim] 1:34,39).


                               Yom HaDin: The Day of Judgment

      Another name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom HaDin, the Day of
Judgment. It was seen that on this day, G-d would sit in
court and all men would pass before Him to be judged. Three great
books will be opened as each man is weighed in the balance and placed
into one of three categories (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 6b). It has been
taught that the school of Shammai says that there will be three
classes on the final Day of Judgment, one of the wholly righteous, one
of the wholly wicked, and one of the intermediates. The wholly
righteous are at once inscribed and sealed for life in the world to
come; the wholly wicked are at once inscribed and sealed for perdition
(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b-17a).

      The righteous are separated and will be with G-d. This is known
to Bible believers as the rapture, which in Hebrew, is the
natzal. The wicked will face the wrath of G-d during the tribulation
period (Yamim Nora'im), known in Hebrew as the Chevlai shel Mashiach,
and will never repent. The average person has until Yom Kippur till
his fate is sealed forever. In other words, the average person will
have until the end of the seven-year tribulation to repent and turn to
G-d. The average person on Rosh HaShanah is judged by G-d and is
neither written in the book of life or the book of the wicked. His
fate is yet to be decided. The average person and the wicked have to
go through the "Awesome Days," the tribulation, until they reach Yom
Kippur (the end of the tribulation when their fate is sealed forever).
Once you are written in the book of the wicked, you can never get out
of it (Revelation 17:8). These are people who never, ever, will accept
the Messiah Yeshua.

      There are 12 months in the year and there are 12 tribes in
Israel. Every month of the Jewish year has its representative
tribe. The month of Tishrei is the month of the tribe of Dan. This is
of symbolic significance, for when Dan was born to Bilhah, Rachel's
maid, Rachel said, "God hath judged me [dannani], and hath also heard
my voice..." (Genesis [Bereishit] 30:6). Dan and din (as in Yom HaDin,
Day of Judgment) are both derived from the same root, symbolizing that
Tishrei is the time of Divine judgment and forgiveness. Similarly,
every month of the Jewish calendar has its sign of the Zodiac (in
Hebrew, Mazal). The sign of the Zodiac for Tishrei is Scales. This is
symbolic of the Day of Judgment.


                             HaMelech: The Coronation of the King

      The recognition of G-d as King is vividly pictured in the Jewish
view of Adam's understanding of his Divine Creator being
King over all the Universe. It was late on the sixth day since G-d
began the Creation of the world, when Adam opened his eyes and saw the
beautiful world around him, and he knew at once that G-d created the
world, and him too. Adam's first words were:

     "The L-rd is King forever and ever!" and the echo of his voice
     rang throughout the world. "Now the whole world will know that I
     am King," G-d said, and He was very pleased. This is the first
     Rosh HaShanah! The first New Year. It was the birthday of Man,
     and the Coronation Day of the King of Kings!

Messianic Understanding

      A theme and term associated with Rosh HaShanah in Hebrew is
HaMelech (the King). It was mentioned earlier in this
chapter that the shofar blown on Rosh HaShanah is known as the last
trump, which Rav Sha'ul (the apostle Paul) mentioned in First
Thessalonians 4:16-17. At this time, the believers in the Messiah who
are righteous (tzaddikim) according to Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment)
will escape the tribulation (Chevlai shel Mashiach) on earth and will
be taken to Heaven in the rapture (natzal) along with the righteous
who had died before this time. What happens to the believers in the
Messiah when they are taken to Heaven at this time? One of the events
that will take place is the coronation of the Messiah Yeshua as King,
which will happen in Heaven (Revelation 5). Yeshua, who had come to
earth during His first coming to play the role of the suffering
Messiah, Messiah ben Joseph (Yosef), will be crowned as King over all
the earth in preparation for His coming back to earth to reign as King
Messiah (Messiah ben David) during the Messianic age, the Millennium,
or in Hebrew eschatology, the Athid Lavo (Revelation 19:16; 20:4).

Daniel 7:9-14 speaks of this in the Tanach.

     I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days
     did sit...the judgment was set, and the books were opened. [This
     is Rosh HaShanah, Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment. The books are
     the book of the righteous, the book of the wicked, and the book
     of remembrance] ... I saw... one like the Son of man [this is
     understood to be the Messiah Yeshua (Matthew 24:30; 26:64)]
     coming with the clouds of heaven [the clouds are the believers in
     the Messiah (Hebrews 12:1; Revelation 1:7)]...And there was given
     Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations,
     and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting
     dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which
     shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:9-10,13-14).

John (Yochanan) saw this same thing in the Book of Revelation.

     After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven
     [the gates of Heaven are opened on Rosh HaShanah, according to
     Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 26:2 and Psalm (Tehillim) 118:19-20]: and the
     first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet [Rosh
     HaShanah is known as the last trump] talking with me [Rosh
     HaShanah is known as Yom Teruah, the Day of the Awakening Blast
     or loud shout(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)]..And immediately I was in
     the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat
     on the throne [this is HaMelech, the coronation of the Messiah;
     the coronation ceremony is described in Revelation 5] (Revelation
     4:1-2).

The description given here in Revelation matches the account in Daniel
7:9-14.


                    The Enthronement Ceremony of a King


There are four parts to the enthronement of a Jewish king.

   1.The giving of the decree. Associated with this is a declaration.
     This can be seen in Psalm (Tehillim) 2:6-7, as it is
     written, "Yet have I set my king upon My holy hill of Zion. I
     will declare the decree...." Next, a rod/scepter is given, which
     is an emblem of a king. Scriptures that refer to the scepter
     include Genesis (Bereishit) 49:17; Numbers (Bamidbar) 24:17;
     Esther 4:11; 5:2; 8:4; Psalm 45:6; and Hebrews 1:8. Scriptures
     that refer to a rod are in Psalm (Tehillim) 2:9; Isaiah
     (Yeshayahu) 11:1,4; and Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:16. The scepter
     is an emblem of a king or royal office and a rod refers to the
     king ruling and reigning righteously in all matters (Isaiah
     11:1,4-5). Yeshua is the King Messiah (Isaiah 11:1,4-5; Jeremiah
     23:5-6; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 1:32-33; John [Yochanan] 1:47-49).

   2.The ceremony of the taking of the throne (Revelation 5). The king
     sits on the throne and is anointed as king. The
     word Christ in English comes from the Greek word Christos and in
     Hebrew is Mashiach, meaning "the anointed one." Yeshua came as a
     prophet during His first coming (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 18:15),
     was resurrected as the priest (John [Yochanan] 20:9,17), and is
     coming back to earth again as King. Kings in Israel were anointed
     (2 Samuel 5:3-4; 1 Kings [Melachim] 1:39-40, 45-46; 2 Kings
     9:1-6).

   3.The acclamation. During the acclamation, all the people shout,
    "Long live the king!" (1 Kings [Melachim] 1:28-31).
     Next, all the people clap (Psalm [Tehillim] 47:1-2). Psalm 47 is
     a coronation psalm. Psalm 47:5 is the shout and trumpet of Rosh
     HaShanah. Verse 6 is the shouting and praising of the king. Verse
     8 is the ceremony of the throne. In verse 9, the believers in the
     Messiah Yeshua are gathered in His presence.

   4.Each of the subjects coming to visit the king after he has taken
     the throne. In this, they will acknowledge their
     allegiance to him and receive their commissioning from him as to
     what their job will be in the kingdom (Isaiah [Yeshayahu]
     66:22-23; Zechariah 14:16-17; Matthew [Mattityahu] 2:2).


                  Yom HaZikkaron: The Day of Remembrance

      Rosh HaShanah is known as Yom HaZikkaron, the Day of
Remembrance. Leviticus (Vayikra) 23:24 calls the day "a
memorial" (zikkaron). Remembrance is a major theme in the Bible. We
can see by examining the following Scriptures that G-d remembers us
and that we are to remember G-d in all of our ways.

There are two elements of remembrance:

a) G-d remembers us (Genesis [Bereishit] 8:1; 9:1, 5-16; 19:29; 30:22;
Exodus [Shemot] 2:24-25; 3:1; 6:2,5; 32:1-3,7,11,13-14; Leviticus
[Vayikra] 26:14,31-33,38-45; Numbers [Bamidbar] 10:1-2,9; Psalm
[Tehillim] 105:7-8,42-43; 112:6). In fact, G-d has a book of
remembrance (Exodus [Shemot] 32:32-33; Malachi 3:16-18; Revelation
3:5; 20:11-15; 21:1,27).

b) We must remember G-d (Exodus [Shemot] 13:3; 20:8; Deuteronomy
[Devarim] 7:17-19; 8:18; 16:3; Numbers [Bamidbar] 15:37-41).


      In Daniel 7:9-10 it is written:

     I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days
     took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of
     His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its
     wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and
     coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were
     attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
     the court sat, and the books were opened (Daniel 7:9-10 NAS).

      Since the court was seated and the books were opened, it is
understood to be Rosh HaShanah. The books are the book
of the righteous, the book of the wicked, and the book of remembrance.
The third book that will be opened is the book of remembrance
(zikkaron). This is why the common greeting during Rosh HaShanah is,
"May you be inscribed in the Book of Life."

      Spiritual Application (Halacha). In Romans 14:10 it is written,
"But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you
again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all
stand before the judgment seat of God [Christ]" (NAS). In Second
Corinthians 5:10 it is written, "For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his
deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad"
(NAS). This is also discussed in First Corinthians 3:9-15. The works
of the believers in Messiah will be judged by G-d, but not their
salvation. This is a judgment of the believers in Yeshua only. All
people in this judgment are the believers in Yeshua only. All people
in this judgment will be saved. This is not a judgment of your
salvation, but a judgment of your rewards based upon your works. On
this day, G-d will open the Book of Life and hold a trial (Talmud,
Rosh HaShanah 16b). This is known as the Bema judgment.

                                    ++++++++++++++++++++

>From Eddie:
**************

         Now is the time to purchase the book, "The Seven Festivals
of the Messiah" for your study of the fall festivals. The cost is $12
postage paid. Please make out your check to me (Eddie Chumney) and
send to:

         Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int''l
         PO Box 81
         Strasburg, Ohio  44680

         You can buy this book AND my "Bride" book for $32. May God
bless you in your studies.

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