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15 February 2010 (Shanee/Matzah)
Rosh Chodesh 12
and the Spirit of Prophecy
Rosh Chodesh, or the Festival of the New Moon, is distinguished from all other festivals except Yom Teruah (which always falls on the new moon) by the fact that when it is announced, twin silver trumpets are blown rather than the well-known shofar or ram's horn. Most Messianic ministries discount this difference and use the shofar for all of Yahweh's moedim of appointments and as a result obscure some deep spiritual truths that Yahweh wants to convey to us, quite apart from being disobedient to the mitzvot or commandments.
Today is the beginning of the last month of the current biblical and sabbatical year. It is also, I am happy to say, the first time that we as a community have decided to repent of our negligence of this moed and observe it properly and, hopefully, in the right spirit. And although today is not a sabbath, we have gathered, as instructed, to worship, hear the Word of Yahweh, and hear the voice of prophecy.
I should perhaps begin by straightening an error that prevails in nearly the whole of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christianity, namely, that all of these observances have not only been fulfilled and but also therefore done away with by Messiah Yah'shua. The passage quoted to justify their Torah-disobedience is as follows:
"Therefore, let no one judge you (Goyim/Gentiles) in eating and in drinking or in respect of a yom tov (festival) or a rosh chodesh (new moon) or Shabbat (Sabbath); which are a shadow of the things to come in the Olam haBah (world to come); but the reality, the substance, is Moshiach (Messiah)" (Col.2:16-17, OJB).
Believe it or not, there was a group of Christians (so-called) at the time Paul wrote to the Colossians who insisted that all physical ordinances were now irrelevent in Christ. Who were these people? They were called Gnostics. They believed that salvation was through the acquisition of knowledge so that the more you knew, the more you were saved. They denied that Yah'shua the Messiah had any real physical substance, they denied His blood atonement, and they insisted that the world and everything in it was basically a handicap to salvation and should be shunned, denied or repressed wherever possible. In that respect, they were not unlike Hindus, Buddhists and contemporary New Agers. They were what are called 'aesthetics' - they regarded themselves as being 'above' all physical things, and that included the festivals and other outward observances. These Gnostics regarded the sabbaths, new moons and seven annual festivals as being 'too physical' and were trying to persuade the believers at Colossae to abandon them. Paul was jumping in to the defence of Yahweh's moedim, reminding them that these festivals pointed to Messiah and were therefore important still.
"These predominantly gentile Colossians were observing the weekly Sabbath and the Holy days of Yahweh according to the commandments more than three decades after the death and resurrection of Yah'shua (Jesus). Had they not been doing so the false teachers would have had no basis for objecting to the eating and drinking aspects, that is, the feasting portion, of the Sabbath and Holy Days" (God's Sabbath and Holy Days in the Light of an Ancient Heresy).
So we can be assured and confident that the first believers were definitely observing Rosh Chodesh and that Paul was defending them. Those that reject it, and the other festivals, are - perhaps without knowing it - still clinging on to an old Gnostic heresy. Evangelicals in particular need to seriously consider what they may have inherited from the original Reformers who came out of the Roman Catholic Church.
At Rosh Chodesh two trumpets are present, not one. That requires - when both are being sounded - two men, not just one. If one trumpet was blown, only the leaders were to assemble. When both were blown together, the whole of the Congregation of Israel was to assemble. The twin trumpets therefore represent the Priesthood and the Laity - first the Priesthood and then the Laity. This bespeaks order and hierarchy in Israel. And though in the New Covenant everyone is called into the Royal Melchizedek Priesthood, and not just the former Levites, not everyone has yet done so. Entry into the Priesthood is not by physical birth but by the new birth in Messiah, followed by consecration and obedience to Torah. The priesthood isn't for those who still love the world or any part of it.
Rosh Chodesh, by divine appointment, marks the seasons of Messianic Israel. Hearing and responding to the sound of the twin trumpets, blown at the right time, is therefore an important part of our discipleship and relationship with Yahweh. Next month's in particular, when the New Year begins, is of critical importance. At Yom Teruah, the fifth festival, they mark the second coming of Yah'shua the Messiah. Does anyone want to miss that? Today, at each Rosh Chodesh, Yah'shua wishes to come to every obedient believer in a special way, with a word of prophecy. Anciently Israel would gather at Rosh Chodesh to hear the prophets speak. Messianic Israel should be doing the same. This prophecy may be either foretelling the future or forthtelling the Gospel, as moved upon by the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit). We are gathered here today for precisely that purpose - to hear the spirit of prophecy from others or directly to ourselves from Yahweh. And although not everyone has the calling and gifting of a prophet, everyone is called to have the spirit of prophecy:
"For the testimony of Yah'shua (Jesus) is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev.19:10, NKJV)
Every single living being may have this spirit because Yah'shua wishes to reveal Himself to everyone alive if they will just repent from sin and receive Him as Master and Deliverer in their hearts. So I am inviting everyone who does not know Him, who would like to know Him, to receive the spirit of prophecy and know Him as we do. And all those who already know Him, but would like to know Him more, are extended the same invitation again!
Today is another Yah'shua Day - a day to be re-filled and renewed by Him. Please accept Heaven's invitation. Amen.
For a prophecy/revelation received at Rosh Chodesh on this day, see Asmodeus: The Demon of Lust
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