ROSH HASHANAH

This evening at sundown will commence Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  It takes place on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar.

Rosh Hashanah begins the Jewish High Holy Days, and is followed ten days later by Yom Kippur, the 'Day of Atonement.'  

What a great day the Old Testament Day of Atonement must have been.  On that day, the children of Israel gathered around the door of the tabernacle.

Except for the high priest, no one could enter the Holy of Holies, where God's presence resided.  And even he only one day a year - today - The Day of Atonement.  There the people crowded around the door - sacrifices to offer in tow.

It was as if God was saying to them, 'Come to My front door and I'll meet you there.'  They weren't invited in.  God spoke from the other side.

I can only imagine the feeling on that one day of the year as the high priest approached the veil that separated God from everyone else.  He must have trembled down to his socks.  If you committed any defilement in God's presence, you'd be struck dead.  God's holy presence couldn't abide sin of any kind.

I can see the people holding their breath until the high priest re-appeared - sacrifices completed - mission accomplished.

Yet, in spite of God's glory in the temple - in spite of visions and dreams given to prophets - in spite of visitation from angels ---- God's people remained outside the veil.

Then ... Jesus.  Yet even with Him, access was restricted by simple logistics.  If you wanted to get to Jesus, you had to go to Judah, where He walked.  That could mean days and days of travel.  Then you had to trace Him to a specific village - a hillside - a lake.  If He'd just left town before you got there, you had to listen for rumors about where He was headed next.

'Anyone can see inside and walk inside.'

And once you found Him, you had to worm your way up to get physically close --- to hear His voice --- to look Him in the eye --- to feel His touch.

People went to great lengths to get to Him.
A woman pressing thru the crowds to touch Him.
A man climbing a tree to see Him.
A foursome opening a hole in a roof to get to Him.
So even then it was restricted access.  In the right place at the right time.

But it was at Calvary where Jesus provided complete and unrestricted access to the Father.  At the moment of His death, the temple veil was literally ripped apart.  In that instant, we were given in the boldest terms access to the place God lives.

We were and are able to enjoy something that generation after generation could not.  Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Daniel ... all of them.  The door is no longer shut to us.  Anyone can see inside and walk inside.  Unrestricted.

Jesus Himself became our great High Priest.  And He swings wide the door to you now and says: 'You are accepted by coming to Me by grace thru faith.  So come.  Come boldly.  Come now.  Walk in.  The door is open.  I'll escort you into the presence of My Father, who is now your Father, day and night.'

And on this Rosh Hashanah ... 

Be blessed.