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Christians have ignored Rosh Hosanna and Yom Kippur because they refer to the end times. Many Christians assume that believers will be caught up to be with Christ when the trumpet sounds and only unbelievers will go through the Tribulation. However, believers must be ready as Jesus states in the parable of the virgins and the marriage feast, and they must be serving Him as Jesus states in the parable of the sheep and the goats, or they will not rise with Christ and will have to face the Tribulation. Therefore, we must be ready every day for we do not know when our time on earth will end. Many will die before Christ comes back and their fate will be sealed forever. In addition, non-Christians will face the Tribulation if we don’t reach them for Christ. Therefore, it is very important for Christians to continue to be reminded of the Second Coming. (see “Before Your Eyes” in “Understanding the Path We Walk” for further explanation)

There were very few references to 9/11 this year. Each year there are less. Many do not realize that Sept 11, 2001 was on Rosh Hosanna. It is a Jewish holiday celebrating God’s restoration of the earth. God will not allow the evil around us to continue forever. He is very patient, waiting as long as possible so that all who come to Him can be saved, but one day His patience will end and He will return to restore the earth to the former glory it had when He created it. Rosh Hosanna begins with the blowing of the trumpet warning of God’s judgement. The trumpets blew that morning as the Jews read the Scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14. (which reads, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” No one realized that terrorists were boarding planes to take out the twin towers and the Pentagon, but God knew and used it to issue a warning. While the terrorists were boarding the plane, trumpets were blowing all up and down the east coast. While there was a great outpouring of faith after 9/11, it was temporarily and since then, it has decreased and many have forgotten. One day Christ is coming back and if we aren’t ready, it will be too late. However, 3000 people woke up that morning expecting a day like any other day, but they died that day and their fate was sealed forever. Some will go to heaven and some will go to Hell. If Jesus comes or you die today, your fate will be sealed, you won’t get a second chance. Will you go to heaven or Hell? If God’s people obey the Scripture and turn back to God, He can still heal this land. The Jews had that choice when Christ came before. They rejected Him and faced over 1900 years of exile. What will America decide?

While Succoth remembers the wandering in the wilderness, it had a deeper meaning as well. It came at the end of the string of holidays and was a feast after the final harvest of the year.  It foretells the end of the tribulation during which God will gather the final harvest before He sets up His kingdom and restores His rule over all of creation. The tribulation will end with Yom Kippur which foretells the final dividing of the “sheep” (faithful) and the “goats” (unfaithful). Succoth was a kind of celebration that they had passed the test and were acceptable to God and would enjoy Gods blessings in the future. In the same way, the marriage supper of the lamb, foretold in Revelation 19, will include all the saints in heaven as they celebrate the uniting of Christ with His  bride (the Church) and look forward to enjoying the blessings of God for eternity.  The Church has no similar celebration except Christ the King day which occurs the last Sunday before Advent and celebrates the return of Christ, however very few churches celebrate it.

Today is Rosh Hosanna. Many today ignore Rosh Hosanna as one of those traditions of the Jews that has passed away but God said it was one of the celebrations which were to be celebrated forever. As we look to the coming of Rosh Hosanna, those of us who have studied the Bible and believe it look at it coming with fear and hope. We look at it with fear because a large part of the church no longer keeps the Word of the Lord. While they proclaim the Bible as God’s Word, they ignore those parts of it that they don’t agree with. Many churches today are Christian in name only for they do not teach the Word of God or live it out in their life. Many feel they are Christians but have never been taught what it means to be Christian and are not walking with God. Many churches will meet on Sunday morning after Christ comes and wonder why they are still here. Many preachers will stand in the pulpit and try to explain to them why they were left behind but it will all be in vain. We look forward with hope because one year on that day, those who are in Christ will rise to be with him in the air. Just as the Jews prayed on Passover that Elisha would come to share the feast with them, we Christians should pray that Christ will come that we might share the marriage feast of the Lamb with Him.