Anthology News and a Clean Giveaway 📚
More than a Holy Tradition?
My anticipation mounts as each day passes. The not-so-secret rumblings of a one-world government juxtaposed against current affairs prompts me to cast my eyes heavenward. And the feast of Rosh Hashana, one of seven Biblical feasts, stirs questions within my spirit. Could this Jewish celebration point toward more than a holy tradition?
Is Rosh Hashana a Dress Rehearsal?
The word translated convocations in the Bible means rehearsal. Some pastors and theologians propose that God intended for the holy convocations listed in the Old Testament to direct the hearts of His people toward the coming Messiah.
Prior to Christ’s death, the first four feasts reminded God’s people of the Lord’s faithfulness and directed their attention to the coming Messiah.
The appointed times included the:
Feast of Passover Following more than 400 years of subjugation and slavery in Egypt, God sent an Angel of Death throughout the land. Only those people whose homes displayed the blood of a lamb on the doorposts remained untouched by the loss of their firstborn.
Exodus 12:12 (NKJV) explains, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.”
When God instituted the Passover, it foreshadowed Jesus’ death on the cross–the Lamb of God who suffered crucifixion on that day hundreds of years later.
Feast of Unleavened Bread Following the first Passover, Pharaoh released his grip on the Hebrews. In their rush to escape, the people lacked the time needed to add yeast to bread dough.
Later, God proclaimed, “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life.” (Deuteronomy 16:3 NKJV)
When did the prophetic fulfillment of this feast occur? The moment the stone enclosed the Bread of Life in the tomb. His body, which atoned for all sin, lay dormant on the feast of unleavened bread hundreds of years after its establishment.
Feast of Firstfruits Another of the appointed times, this feast involved surrendering the best of the season to the Father. (Lev 23:9-14) How does this relate to Christ? He was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruits.
Paul addresses the fulfillment of the holy day, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 13:20 NKJV)
Feast of Pentecost Gathered together fifty days after Jesus’ death, the disciples experienced the fulfilling of Pentecost as the Advocate stepped onto the scene. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4 NKJV)
Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashana Only a few feasts, or appointed times, await fulfillment. One of these includes Rosh Hashana–the Feast of Trumpets. Known as the “head of the year”, Rosh Hashana serves as the Jewish new year and provides a solemn opportunity for adherents to reflect on their sins.
The Biblical celebration required the blowing of the shofar, or trumpet. The final blast or the horn resounded the longest.
Could Rosh Hashana model the rapture? Perhaps this holy day aligns with 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NKJV), “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
The Day and Hour
We may not know the day or hour of Jesus’ return, but perhaps the Father’s calendar provides prophetic clues. Whether or not we celebrate this first day of Rosh Hashana, I pray our hearts draw nearer to Him in reflection as we await the Lion of Judah.
Mystery, Suspense, and More for You!
S.F. Baumgartner shared in her last update that Hidden Secrets, book 4 of the Mirror Estate series, is now available for preorder on Amazon. It will be released on September 24th. Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read it for free!
Click on the link to get a glimpse into the lives of her characters.
For all of the animal lovers, you might also enjoy Baxter-K9 Hero by Jodi Burnett.
Time is critical when ten-year-old, Hailey Donovan goes missing. FBI Special Agent Kendra Dean and her K9 partner, Baxter, are assigned to the case. The girl’s estranged parents and her mother’s sketchy boyfriend each have motives for her disappearance and are all prime suspects.
Saddled with a burned-out detective who’d rather retire than investigate, Kendra and Baxter race to find Hailey before the girl’s time runs out. The small trail they find goes cold and the clock is ticking.
Will Kendra and Baxter find a way to thwart evil and rescue innocence?
I’ve discovered a clean Christian fiction giveaway! A few interesting titles include:
Once a Thief (Jan Thomspon).
The Vow (D.L. Wood).
Dawning Light (Deakon Reeves).
Writerly News
Announcing an anthology! In the next week or two, you’ll be able to purchase Sustaining Life’s Victories, an anthology which features articles about overcoming struggles like fear and anxiety. I’m honored to have contributed to this wonderful book and cannot wait to share more soon!
In the works. I’m crafting a couple of new book proposals. The first, More than a Princess, is a little girl’s devotional that incorporates stories about women throughout scripture who made a difference because of their faith.
I’ve also begun working on an Advent devotional for mothers (or any other person raising a little one) and children. Watch for a podcast series introducing fun, faith-focused ideas and activities that honor Christ.
Finally, I’m excited to share that I’m making progress with the Association of Christian Counseling and Light University in my quest to earn certification as a Mental Health Coach.
What have you been up to lately? Let me know. I love to hear from you!
Peace and grace,
Tammy