Scripture: Luke 2 v 7 - 11: "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
Matthew 3 v 16 - 17: "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
You may be wondering what the scripture verses have to do with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which is celebrated today. The meaning of the Hebrew words, Rosh Hashanah, is not Happy New Year, the meaning is "when the heavens are opened"!
When the heavens are opened, in scripture, is when God is revealing something very significant to His people, the Jews, in their promised land.
We should know by now that although Jesus' birth is celebrated on December 25th, mid-winter in Israel, this is a tradition set by the Roman Catholic Church, and not by scripture. There is no actual date given for His birth, just timing of when Caesar decreed for every family to be taxed for the first time.
It would not have been in winter as the whole population would be on the move. Plus when Jesus was born the shepherds were watching over sheep by night. That would also not be happening in winter. That leaves the warmer months for the birth of the Lamb of God.
It is possible that Jesus was born on Rosh Hashanah, which is not a fixed date, and that is His actual time of birth. In Romans 14 v 5 - 6: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks."
We have free will given by God to choose whether we celebrate Christmas or any other day as holy to the Lord. Personally, every day is set apart to God for His purpose, so every day is special. I cannot say that Rosh Hashanah is or is not His birthday, but it was the day Jesus was baptized aged about 30.
It was the day the heavens were opened for the Holy Spirit to come down upon Him, alighting on Him like a dove. The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father to the born again Christians. He only came upon the Old Testament prophets when they were prophesying, then departed again.
When He came upon Jesus it was permanently upon Him, giving God "legal precedent" to send the Holy Spirit on all believers ten days after Jesus ascended to Heaven. It gives God the ability to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in the last seven years.
Satan is still god of this world since Adam abdicated his responsibility to the serpent. There is a long running lease which is soon to be over. But while Satan has the lease, our Father has to comply with his rules. Like Abraham had to sacrifice Isaac and have him substituted for a ram at the last moment. This gave God legal precedent to sacrifice His Son, substituting Him for the whole human race.
Our Father can only react to our prayers of faith prayed according to His will. That is the legal right we have. Every person has been given THE measure of Faith, enough to believe in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ. God says anyone who believes will receive eternal life. Eternity in Heaven. This is the best option by far. The alternative is eternity with the Devil in the lake of fire.
Many think that God will show mercy to all humans at the end of days. Trust me, God would not have allowed Jesus to suffer so cruelly to save us if that were the case. Don't be fooled by the devil's lies, start listening to what is said in the Bible.
Anyway Rosh Hashanah starts at 6pm tonight, 20th September and ends on Friday 22nd at 6pm. During this time the heavens are open and our God sends His blessings down in full measure. This may be your window of opportunity. Use this time to praise and worship God and Jesus who are worthy to be exalted.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your love for Israel has given her many gifts and blessings. You extend them to Christians to bear witness to all Your goodness to the lost in the world. Let us be mindful of this precious legacy now and always. In Jesus' name. Amen.
