Drawing
near the Lord on Rosh Hashanah of Sept. 30, 2008
By
Pastor George E. Markakis, posted on Sept. 14, 2008 (www.cdrm.org)
This is a call for a time of fasting,
separation and dedication. We have come to believe that the occasion of Rosh
Hashanah is an opportunity prepared by the Lord for us to reflect on our
individual and corporate progress, a time to slow down, look back, measure
things out, seek the Lord for His assessment of our lives and ministries, and
wait on Him for new vision for the times ahead.
On Friday 12 Sept. during our regular Friday
evening prayer meeting, the Lord spoke to our group at Shalom Center in Athens
that we needed to declare a corporate fast until the end of September, in
preparation of a special prayer meeting we are planning for Tuesday Sept. 30,
which is celebrated by the Jews as the first day of the new Hebrew year. More
educational information on this holiday is provided at the end of this
document.
During that special meeting we shall not
celebrate the turn of the year, literally, since we are neither Jews nor
Israelis. However, even though we are gentile believers in God and disciples of
Jesus Christ, we have come to appreciate the spiritual significance of the
Hebrew feasts. Even though we observe the Gregorian western calendar, as
children of God and citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, we have learned by
experience, and sense by the Holy Spirit, that there is a shift in the
spiritual clock on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah. We need to be spiritually
alert and seeking the Lord during this shift!
A brief teaching on God's times and seasons
follows, explaining the background of this call, and shedding some Biblical
light into this under-developed subject of the life of the western Church.
Rosh Hashanah, a time of new beginnings
Our experience with the Lord in the recent
few years comes into alignment with the prophetic voices, which speak of change
of seasons marked by the Jewish feast ‘Rosh Hashanah’. We have observed the
prophetic words that came forth for the recent Hebrew years; we found out that
they accurately described the prevailing work of the Holy Spirit during each
successive annual cycle.
Looking back, we have received significant
new revelations at the times of ‘Rosh Hashanah’. Even though we that live in
Athens observe the calendar of the western world, and, do not observe the
Hebrew calendar, we have clearly seen that the Lord operates (also) on the
basis of the Hebrew calendar… can this be because He was the originator of the
Hebrew calendar? Can it be, that the Hebrew calendar is an earthly mirror of a
spiritual season, instituted by the Creator?
Remembering that Jesus fulfilled several
scriptures, including Hebrew feasts (e.g. Passover, Pentecost), it is worth
noting that the real birth date of Jesus is believed to be at the time of ‘Rosh
Hashanah’, marking a change of seasons for the world, signifying the “acceptable year of the Lord” (ref. Isa. 61:2 and Luke
4:19). We know for sure that He was not born on Dec. 25! Can it
be that September is the mark of the real birthday of Jesus?
Having discerned the open heavens associated
with ‘Rosh Hashanah’, each year we take the opportunity to stand before
the Lord and seek His Face for New Vision for the New Season… each year
the Lord responds with fresh vision and more specific directions for our lives
and ministry. Sometimes the season change may be more significant than a turn
of a year; some new seasons extend over years,
some over generations. We believe that there are times when we shift into new
seasons that span over decades or more! Rosh Hashanah of 2007 was
such a time.
Presenting ourselves before the Lord on ‘Rosh
Hashanah’ may be a decisive factor for years to come, even for the next generation
arising. It is the Lord's timing for new beginnings, and in 2008 this is even
more significant factor than other times.
Timing
It does not take much discernment to
recognize the significance of timing. A quick flashback into church life brings
to memory words like: "that was God's timing", "it was not yet
the appointed time", "the time has not come yet", "times
that God moves and times that seem like nothing is happening", "times
of visitation", "times of refreshing", "a time to sit back
and reflect", etc.
The Bible is full of direct or indirect
references to the importance of time, specific moments in time, and larger
spans of time, which we call seasons. E.g. when the time had come for God to
punish the disobedience of Judah, a season of 70 years of exile to Babylon
came, that no man could change. At the end of that season, God gave discerning
to Daniel, so that he could pray and thereby initiate a new season, the season
of return from the exile and of the restoration of Jerusalem. Also, every
scripture reference to "waiting on God" speaks about timing – letting
time go by until God's timing has come.
Not religious observances
When we look at the Old Testament feasts it
may look like we are trying to re-introduce the Jewish religious observances.
That is not what we want to do. Apostle Paul said:
Col.
2:16 So let no one judge you in food or
in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow
of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
Let it be clear
that we are free from all religious observances
of times, seasons and the feasts that were given in the Law of Moses.
However, even though we are free from them, and we are not called to observe
them, should we not try to learn what are those things, of which the festivals,
the new moons and the sabbaths were a shadow? If they were the shadow, then
there is something which receives its substance from Christ, to which
the festivals, the new moons and the sabbaths pointed to!
If the Law was
our educator for the substance of Christ that was to come, then, what have the
feasts and observances of time cycles educated us to understand for our New
Testament dispensation in which we live? As Apostle Paul continues his train of
thought, he says later on: Col. 3:1 If
then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things
above, not on things on the earth.
Apostle Paul
connected the festivals, new moon and sabbaths with the things which are above,
where Christ is. The connecting bridge is that the former were a shadow of
things that would come later. He then proceeds to exhort us to "set our minds on things above, not on things on the earth".
The religious
observances were things on the earth pointing to things which are above, which
pertain to the cycles of time and seasons in the spirit, realities of the
Kingdom of Heaven, determined by God, made known to us through the Law of
Moses.
God operates in Times and Seasons
Apostle Paul had
this understanding about the feasts, new moon and the sabbaths, because the
same man who wrote against observing them, also wrote in 1 Thes 5:1 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you”.
He understood God’s
spiritual times and seasons. He believed that God’s people ought to have such
understanding.
This
understanding comes from the Creator who established and masters the times and
seasons, as we read in Daniel 2:20 "Blessed
be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to
the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding”.
It is important for the people of God to know
that He operates in seasons and timings, which He created both for the physical
world and the spiritual. We read in Genesis 1:14
“Then God said, Let there be lights in the firmament
of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years”.
The creation reveals the heart, mind and
nature of God, who operates in cycles of times and seasons, which He
determines. What He establishes in His own timing in the heavenly realm,
affects the lives of people in the world, and determines the spiritual environment
in which we live. More often than not, He also chooses to reveal what He plans
to do to His friends on earth.
Even though it is written in Acts 1:7 "It
is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own
authority”, that was said in the specific context of people asking
for a specific thing, which was not for them to know, and did not have the
maturity to understand.
On the other hand, as we read earlier, Daniel
said “He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge
to those who have understanding”; he said that in the context of
God’s revelation to the King of Babylon Nabuchadnezzar through dreams
concerning “the latter days” (ref. Daniel 2:28). God revealed things pertaining
to “times and seasons” to come, on that
particular occasion.
God revealed things concerning new seasons on
other occasions, e.g. the 7 years of prosperity and the 7 years of famine in
Egypt (ref. Gen. 41:1-32). He
revealed through Agabus the “famine that was to come
to the whole world” (ref. Acts 11:28).
God’s revelation of times and seasons to Agabus was one of short term
application. But what He revealed to Pharaoh and Nabuchadnezzar were of longer
terms. We see then that there are “small”
cycles as well as “large” cycles of times and seasons.
One large cycle that affected several
generations was revealed to Prophet Jeremiah before the people of Judah were
taken captive to Babylon for 70 years (ref. Jerem.
25:8-11). God revealed to him that the season of prosperity was
coming to an end, and a new season of judgment would come, that would change
the lives of many people for generations to come. So we see that God speaks to
people about coming changes of seasons (or, epochs, or, “chronos” in the original Hellenic text).
Parallel to the Hellenic word “chronos”
(seasons, epochs), a word that appears 58 times in 55 N.T. verses is “kairos”, loosely translated in modern
English as ‘timing’, or, ‘time,-s’. Whilst “chronos” spans over years, “kairos”
marks the specific historical moment of an event. Such “moments” along the
historical timeline may last longer than a day; “kairos” can be weeks,
or, months long, as long that period marks a moment in history when something
worthy of notice took place.
For example, the “kairos” of Jesus to
suffer, be crucified, resurrected and then taken up to heaven spanned over few
weeks, but it was only a mark along the historical timeline; it was the event
which marked the beginning of the “chronos” of the New Testament era.
Alert and in prayer at all <kairos> times
It is God who “… gives wisdom ... and knowledge ...” because
He wants us to work together with Him in alignment of purpose and targeted
action, for His Kingdom come and His Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.
What does He expect of us within regard to such critical moments in time?
In the beginning we read Apostle Paul’s
words: 1 Thessalonians 5:1 “But concerning the times and the seasons,
brethren, you have no need that I should write to you”. Shall we now
read on?
“2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and
safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a
pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake
you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of
the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others [do], but let us watch and be sober”.
The emphasis of his words in
relation to knowing the times and seasons is on the need for watchful prayer. The same call to
the Thessalonians is still a call to all of us today. It is the same call that
Jesus also gave, and Paul wrote to the Ephesians.
Luke
21:36 (NASU) "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things
that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Eph.
6:18 (NASU) With all
prayer and petition pray at all times in
the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert
with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…
It needs to be noted that other English
translations do not render the term "at all times" accurately. Some of
them read "always" and
others "on all occasions". The original Hellenic text
reads "en
panti kairo" clearly using the term "kairos"
which we explained earlier. A more accurate modern English translation of the
original Hellenic words could be:
Luke
21:36 But keep on the
alert in all kairos-timings, praying that you may have strength ...
Eph.
6:18 With all prayer and
petition pray in all
kairos-timings in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert
with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…
"In all kairos-timing"
should also be better understood as "in each and every
kairos-timing".
Having understood the specific meaning of
"timing" as well as the spiritual significance of the Hellenic word
"kairos", we may conclude that these scriptures do not simply say
"pray at all times", as in
"always", or, "non-stop". Rather, those verses effectively
communicate to us that there are certain
specific timings, during which we need to be especially alert and in
watchful prayer.
If the Bible wanted to communicate the
concept of always/non-stop prayer, the Hellenic language offered two
alternatives that accurately depict that concept. The word "pantote"
(always) [USB GNT Dict.#4383, Strong's #3842] is found 38 times in the NT
scriptures, and the concept "eis to diinekes" (to the non-ending continuity) [USB GNT Dict.#1547, Strong's #1336] is
used 4 times explicitly in the book of Hebrews. In the following verses the
concept of "always" is communicated, instead of "at
all times". Using the same persons (Jesus and Paul) for continuity, we
find the word "pantote" in:
Luke
18:1 (NKJV) He spoke a
parable to them, that men always ought
to pray and not lose heart,…
Rom.
1:10 (NASU) always in my
prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed
in coming to you.
In Luke 21:36 Jesus said " in all kairos-timings ", but in Luke 18:1 He said "always ".
In Eph. 6:18 Paul said " in all kairos-timings ", but in Rom. 1:10 he said "always ".
We have therefore concluded that there is a
call for the Church of Jesus Christ, which is more of a general instruction for
prayer to always be a way of life. But there is also a more specific call to spiritual alertness
in prayer during each, and, every special "kairos" timing of God.
God is calling us to be sober and watchful
during those special moments of time each year, which He revealed to us through
the feasts, which He had commanded the Hebrews to observe!
Educational information about the Jewish holiday
The
following revised excerpt was copied from http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm
"In
Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means "head of the year" or "first of the
year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. The name
"Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible; its name is Yom Ha-Zikkaron
(the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar).
The holiday was
instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25, to be observed on the first day of the
seventh month. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan,
occurring in March and April. Why, then, does the Jewish "new year"
occur in Tishri, the seventh month? Judaism has several different "new
year's".
Nissan 1 is the new
year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar,
Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is
the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and
Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when the year number increases;
Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time).
The ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending
with Yom Kippur are
commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance.
This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the
previous year and repent before Yom Kippur."
Pastor
George E. Markakis is the Director of Shalom Center Athens
3rd
& 4th floor, 8, Akominatou street, Athens 10437, Hellas (Greece)