Roots of Faith

Yom Teruah - A Day of Shouting!

Shalom!

This first day of the 7th month is known biblically as Yom Teruah, (a day of blasting, shouting), more commonly known as the Feast of Trumpets and traditionally as Rosh HaShana (or New Year’s day).

You are invited to listen to the Yom Teruah Service of the Roots of Faith Congregation. We assembled Thursday evening (September 13th) in the old Temple Sinai Synagogue for some shofar blowing and a discussion of the Biblical significance of Yom Teruah and the blowing of trumpets.

As you hear the voice of the Shofar - the Ram’s horn at this time of year, please begin to prepare yourself.  The Day of Atonement is approaching!

Shalom and please join us at this APPOINTED TIME!

 

 Yom Teruah at Temple Sinai [31:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I have added some features to the site that I feel will be helpful to my guests.  The web is an incredible tool and there are many gifted people out there that have created some wonderful “gadgets” for web site builders like myself (even those without great talent for these sorts of things:).

One such gifted individual is Michael J. Radwin.  His site is www.hebcal.com. This web site is worth a look and I encourage you to check it out. I added some content on my site from his work.  On the splash page and welcome page I added a script that enables you to see the Hebrew calendar date. Also on the welcome page I added a script that shows holidays, the week’s Torah portion and candle lighting times for my own zip code. This display gives the name of the Torah reading, but you can click on the link to learn more.  This site is realy great and I am confident that you will use it often.  I know that I will.  I realize that the script for the Hebrew month does not contain the Torah readings though it does show the festivals.  I need to dig into this a bit..but not tonight.

Another gifted individual is David Rose. I got the moon phase display from his site - http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases/moon_phases.phtml

A proper understanding of the Bible requires an aquaintance with the way that the Hebrew calendar works and one cannot begin to understand the Hebrew calendar without keeping an eye on the moon.   

I am hoping to add more content to the site as I am made aware of things such as these that will aid all of us in our quest for Biblical truth.

Check back often and be sure and email me if you have ideas that will make my site more helpful in your studies.

On Friday night @ 7:00 PM, December 15th, the congregation gathered at the synagogue to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

It was a very special service as the Morgan family acted out the story of Hanukkah.  Chris read the story as the Morgan boys (Tanner, Collin, Garrett, Dillan, and Jarred), dressed in constumes that their mom had made, put on a star performance.  Sheree played music on the keyboard during the service.  Everyone enjoyed the show and then Sheree gave a talk on the significance of this festival for believers.

I wish you all could have been there.  We look forward to many more services by the Morgan Family!

Don’t get all nervous just because I am talking dates in the title.  I just wanted to cover something that got me thinking this past week as we are studying and discussing the festival of Dedication (Hanukkah).

As part of my own preparation for the keeping of this festival I decided to re-read the First book of Maccabees.  The story of Hanukkah recounts the tale of the re-dedication of the altar by a brave group of Jews who refused to partake in the wickedness brought into their land by the evil Antiochus (referred to in 1 Maccabees as an evil root).

While I have read this story before, I noticed something this time that I had not noticed before and for what it is worth I wanted to share it with you here on my blog.  I hope to write a more fully developed article at a later date on this topic; but until then I will seek to give you a taste of what I am looking at in regards to “dating” the setting up of an abomination of desolation.

My thoughts in this regard rely on the idea that “what has been is what shall be” - See Ecclesiastes 1:9.

The synoptic gospel writers Matthew and Mark mention the setting up of an abominating sacrilege.  Matthew tells us that it will be standing in the “Holy Place” whereas Mark simply tells us that it stands “where it ought not”. (see Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14)

Matthew also points us to the prophet Daniel for further instruction and both he and Mark add the admonition to “let the reader understand”.

Daniel makes three references to the abominating sacrilege.

Daniel 9:27 - He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall make sacrifice and offering to cease; and in their place shall be an abomination that desolates, until the decreed end is poured out upon the desolator.

Daniel 11:31 - Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt offering and set up the abomination that makes desolate.

Daniel 12:11 & 12 - From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Happy are those that who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

Many scholars have proposed that the events described by Daniel are speaking of those committed by the evil root Antiochus Epiphanes IV.  At the very least, this ruler and his dealings with, or against the people of God seem to be a picture of that final evil root that many predict will arise in the last days.

It is interesting to note that Antiochus does in fact set up an abominating sacrilege in the temple and the book of I Maccabees even gives a date for this event.

I Maccabees 1:54 - Now on the fifteenth day of Kislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year (167 BCE), they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering.

In case history does in fact replay before the eyes of this present or some future generation, then consider the following. Based upon a reading (my interpretation) of Daniel 12:11 and 12, one may be caused to understand that some future “evil root” will set up an abominating sacrilege on the fifteenth of Kislev. Those who are alive at this time should remain strong until the first of Shevath which would be the 1335th day described in Daniel 12:12.

I am of the opinion that at the time of the appearance of this final evil root there will be a temple standing.  For those that believe the New Testament writings one only has to carefully read 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 to reach a similar understanding.

More on this topic later….shalom!