September 25, 2014 (Thursday)
The Jewish calendar is based upon the cycles of the moon. Every year the calendar celebrates the creation of Adam and Eve with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This year it started at sunset yesterday and lasts until sunset tomorrow. (Every day in the Jewish calendar begins at sunset, but of course you knew that, based upon your Bible studies).
It’s a happy time, with sweet foods such as apples dipped in honey, symbolizing the coming sweet year.
Two very special holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, are observed within a ten day period. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement and this year the event starts Friday night October 3.
Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated around the same time each year. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple during the Maccabean period in the 2nd Century B.C. It is also known as the Festival of Lights, or Feast of Dedication, and lasts 8 days. It is a joyous celebration but pales in importance compared with Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur which offers opportunity for self-examination and repentance. Yom Kippur is a time of fasting, followed by a marvelous feast.
These are just a few of the best known and most important Jewish holidays. There are many more.
The Apostle Paul said this of the Jews:
Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. (Romans 9:4-5 NIV)
Most of us Christians need to know more than we already know about the Jews. We need to follow the example of the apostle and pray for them [“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1 NIV)].
The Golden Lampstand (Menorah) shown above stood in the Holy Place and was maintained by the High Priest who kept the lights burning constantly. Click here to read about a special Menorah for Hanukkah with four flames on either side.