Rosh Hashana, literally the “head of the year” in Hebrew begins on the evening of September 13 this year at sundown. For Jews around the world this is the beginning of the High Holy Days, which include Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) on September 23 and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) which runs from September 28 until October 6. This is a special time for the Jewish people, and it should also be for Christians.

These High Holy Days are uniquely fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We are told in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father.”

Some, based on the date of the birth of John the Baptist, believe Jesus was born sometime around Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the Feast of Tabernacles. Whenever Jesus was born it most probably was not on December 25th, the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia which was adopted by the Church in the 4th century as the day of Jesus’ birth.

I personally prefer the autumnal date for the birth of Jesus for several reasons.

1. It fits in with the idea of the new year being a time for new beginnings. Jesus’ birth ushered in a new era. We see in the birth of Jesus the beginning of the breaking in of the Kingdom of God into this dimension of time and space. “Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15 The Kingdom of God arrived with birth of Jesus but it will not be fully manifested on this earth until he comes again.
2. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is a complete and total fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. Jesus lived out a life of total obedience and perfection before the Father and He went to the Cross as the unblemished Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. “But when Messiah appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the Holy of Holies once for all, having obtained internal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-2)
3. The Feast of Tabernacles is a celebration of the in-gathering of the final harvest before the winter rains begin and also commemorates God’s provision for the people when they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. We are living in that time before the fullness of God’s Kingdom arrives but we can taste the first fruits of His Kingdom even now. John’s gospel tells us of Jesus traveling up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. On the last day of the feast, Simchat Torah (rejoicing in the Law), the rabbis would take large jars of water and pour them on the ground as they prayed for abundant winter rainfall. “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7: 37-39)

Jesus has fulfilled completely the meaning of the High Holy Days in the Old Covenant. All that remains is the final harvest of those who have believed in Jesus when they are gathered to Him in that final in-gathering.

“And He will send forth His angels with a Great Trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:31)

Make sure you are ready by turning from your sins and placing your faith in Jesus now!

– Alfred Sawyer, Rector