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| The Temple Mount in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, courtesy of Ritmeyer |
We're in the midst of the fall High Holy days, having just celebrated Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashana) last week and will soon be observing Yom Kippur. The Biblical holy days are on my mind!
I was reading the book of Ezra this week when I came across something I hadn't noticed before. In chapter 3, Ezra describes the first order of business when Israel returned to the land. Here it is:
When the seventh month arrived and the sons of Israel were settled in the towns, the people gathered together as one man in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, his fellow kohanim, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel, in order to offer burnt offerings on it as written in the Torah of Moses, the man of God. They set up the altar on its fixed resting place despite their fear of the peoples of the lands and they offered burnt offerings on it to Adonai, both the morning and the evening sacrifices. They also kept the Feast of Sukkot as it is written and offered the prescribed number of daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day.A few things jump out at me in this passage.
First, it was of prime importance to the Israelites that they resume the sacrifices. Their business was rebuilding enough of the Temple to resume the sacrifices to God. They did this even though they were surrounded by hostile people. Why were sacrifices so important? I think it's because sin had to be dealt with. Sin state and purity were of utmost importance to restoring God's presence to Israel.
Secondly, Israel resumed sacrifices on the first day of the seventh month: Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashana). And this may contribute to why it is now called rosh ha-shana ראש השנה, head of the year. It might officially mark the end of the exile and the beginning of Israel's renewal. It is not likely a coincidence that God allowed for this to happen on Yom Teruah.
This might explain part of the mystery of Yom Teruah. The Torah commandment for Yom Teruah is that it be a zichron teruah זכרון תרועה, a memorial [shofar] blast. What are we memorializing? What are we remembering? The Torah doesn't say. Perhaps because this very act is the thing future Israel would remember: the rebuilding of the Temple, the resuming of sacrifices, and the end of the exile. (And, if I might put on my Judeo-Christian thinking cap, it may one day signal the return of Messiah.)
Thirdly, Israel observed and celebrated the Holy Days.
This is noteworthy because I have often heard Christian critiques of Messianic practice saying, the Kingdom of God is not about eating or drinking (Rom. 14).
Well, yes.
But the Kingdom of God is about God's holy days. That too is part of the Kingdom of God.
The prophets of the Bible foretell the arrival of Messiah where all the nations of the world will go up to Jerusalem to keep Sukkot (Zech. 14) -- that is Kingdom of God stuff. And it involves celebration with eating and drinking.
Paul's words about the Kingdom of God being more than eating and drinking must not be a polemic against the Biblical holy days.
Nehemiah 8 gives more details to what went on when Israel returned from exile:
Ezra the kohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which included men and women and all who could understand what they heard. This happened on the first day of the seventh month...Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people. When he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed Adonai, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, amen!” as they lifted up of their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Adonai with their faces to the ground...Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the kohen-scribe, and the Levites who were teaching the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to Adonai your God. Do not mourn or weep!” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the Torah... So he said to them, "Go! Eat choice food, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who have nothing ready. For today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of Adonai is your strength."
Taken together, we can sum up Israel's priorities when they returned from exile:
- Rebuild the Temple
- Resume sacrifices to God
- Hear the Torah read
- Humble themselves
- Worship God
- Celebrate the Feasts
There is more to God and the Kingdom than Feasts and Holy Days. But those Feasts and Holy Days were of great importance when the exiles returned to Israel. Maybe they should be important for us too.
Have an easy fast, dear Kineti readers. More importantly, turn your hearts to Him and get sin out of your lives. That's a fast that's pleasing to God (Is. 58)