A special thanks to:
Illustrator: Eduardo Bernal
Editor: Debbie Slaughter
Feast of Trumpets
Meet the Zigmans, Jeremiah (Abba or Dad), Hannah (Ima or Mom) Aviva, Judah, Aria and Tovah. They are preparing for Yom Teruah, or The Feast of Trumpets. They live in ‘The Old City’, which is a very small area in Jerusalem, Israel. They recently became followers of Yeshua (or Jesus), the Messiah.
They have always observed Rosh Hashanah, but this year, it is different.
Now they see this high, holy day as a reminder that Yeshua is returning for His people. There are many important things to be done and discussed on this day. For now, Aviva, Judah, Aria and Tovah are blowing their little trumpets as loudly as they possibly can.
In the background of the city, over 100 blasts will be made by the priests who are signaling the beginning of the High Holy days. The people of the city will respond to the trumpets’ warnings by repenting to the Lord, and then they will prepare their hearts for Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement.
Judah, out of breath from blowing the trumpet, runs inside to take a break and grab some apples to dip in honey. He sees his dad sitting at the table and says, “Abba?”
“Yes, my son?”
“How is this year different from years in the past? The apples taste the same, (as he scoops a huge glob of honey up that gets all over his hand)...my horn stills sounds the same, and these pomegranate seeds are still so hard to get out!”
Jeremiah and Hannah look at each other, and laugh at their son’s innocence and curiosity.
“Well, my son, the sound of the horns mean something very different to us now.”
Judah stops licking the honey off his hand and looks up to his father, “How so, Abba?”
“Remember the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho?”
“Yes, Abba.”
“Good. Do you remember Rahab, the prostitute?”
“Yes, Abba.”
“Think about the Israelites as they marched around the city. They blew the trumpets just like the Lord told them to. For most of Jericho, the sound of the trumpets was a warning that judgement was coming, but for Rahab, the sound of the trumpets meant that she would be saved.”
Judah’s mother began to wipe off his hands. He turned to her and said, “So because Rahab put her trust in God, the trumpets reminded her that she would be rescued?”
She replied, “Yes, my son. The sound of the trumpets can mean something very different, depending upon whom you trust.”
,
She picked Judah up and put him on her lap.
“In the book of Daniel in the Bible, we read about the coming Kingdom of God. In Matthew 24, Yeshua says He will return at a loud trumpet blast, and all those who have put their hope in Him will join Him. 1st Thessalonians Chapter 4 tells us that we will be with Him forever after that loud trumpet blast.”
“Just like Rahab!” exclaimed Judah.
“Yes, Judah,” Abba replied. “Remember how Jericho’s walls fell and the Israelites rushed in at the sound of the trumpet blast? Revelation 11 tells us that after the trumpet call, the kingdom of this world will become the Kingdom of our God.”
“So, for those who put their trust in Yeshua, it will be a wonderful day. But, for those who don’t...what will happen?” Judah asked.
“It will be a very sad day for those who have put their hope in the kingdom of this world”
A look of concern came on Judah’s face.
“What’s wrong?” Judah’s father asked.
“I feel sad for those who don’t believe in Yeshua. I want them to put their hope in Him.”
Jeremiah placed the shofar in Judah’s hand. “Can I tell you a secret about the shofar?”
Judah looked up at his father.
“Remember the story of Abraham? When he was about to sacrifice Isaac? What did God provide instead?”
“A ram?” offered Judah.
“Yes! A shofar is the horn of a ram with the flesh removed from the inside, so that it can sound a clear call when someone blows air through it. My son, the secret is, you are the shofar! God warns us and shows us what must be removed in us, so that when He breathes His Holy Spirit into us, we can sound a clear call. We are the trumpets telling the world of Yeshua’s return!”
Judah’s eyes got very big and a smile spread across his face. He picked up his shofar and blew it loud and clear.
Day of Atonement
1 year ago, in Beijing, China, the Li family lost their 15 year old son, Chen. His little sister, Mei, who is 11, and her mama (mother) Huan and her baba (father) Shen, fled to a different part of Beijing where they attend a house church with 20 other people. It is hard to be a Christian in China. The church where they meet must be kept a secret, so that they can worship freely without fear of persecution. Persecution for Christians is when people pressure, intimidate, or harm you because of your love for Jesus. Chen’s love for Jesus cost him his life.
One night at the Li family’s new house church, the pastor began teaching about The Festivals of the Lord. The Day of Atonement was approaching.
“Baba,” Mei tugged on her father’s sleeve to ask him a question. “What is the Day of Atonement?”
“Listen Mei, and you will learn.”
The Pastor began to share about a story from Leviticus 16 that told of a sacrifice that covered every sin. He then told the people that Jesus was that true sacrifice. He went on to say that there would be a day when the whole world would stand before God, and anyone who accepted Jesus as their Lord would be forgiven of their sin.
Mei’s father looked down with a smile expecting her to be happy at the pastor’s explanation, but to his surprise she seemed very angry.
After service, Mei’s mother and father sat down with her to talk about why she was so angry.
“What’s wrong, Mei?”
“I don’t want them to be forgiven. I don’t want the men who took Chen to be forgiven by God. It’s not fair. They do not deserve forgiveness. I want them to suffer the way they made Chen suffer.”
Tears began to stream down Mei’s face. Her father pulled her close and held her. He thought back to the day they had received news that Chen had passed. Some policemen found him, along with a friend, reading the book of Revelation. They began asking him about his faith in Jesus and where he went to church. They let his friend go, but when he refused to tell them the location, they put him in prison and beat him. Later the next day, he passed away.
“Mei, I want you to know that when your mother and I received the news about your brother, we wrestled with some of the same feelings.”
Mei wiped her tears and looked up at her father, “How did you get through it?”
“Years ago, I did not believe in Jesus. I did not believe in God at all. One night, I had a dream where I saw a man on a cross, and there were many people around him saying very mean things to him. I was angry with the people for what they were doing to this man, because He was asking God to forgive them, as they insulted and mocked him! All of a sudden, I saw myself in the crowd, mocking Him along with everyone else! When I awoke from the dream, I knew this was Jesus, and that I was guilty. I met a man the next day, who showed me in the Bible that everyone has sinned and deserves death. Jesus gave His life to bring freedom to us, even though we were His enemies. After I received the news about your brother, I was angry...angry at the men who had done this to him. As I prayed for God to bring punishment on them, He reminded me that I was deserving of punishment as well. I began to pray for them, that God would turn them from their ways and forgive them.”
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A special thanks to:
Illustrator: Eduardo Bernal
Editor: Debbie Slaughter
Feast of Trumpets
Meet the Zigmans, Jeremiah (Abba or Dad), Hannah (Ima or Mom) Aviva, Judah, Aria and Tovah. They are preparing for Yom Teruah, or The Feast of Trumpets. They live in ‘The Old City’, which is a very small area in Jerusalem, Israel. They recently became followers of Yeshua (or Jesus), the Messiah.
They have always observed Rosh Hashanah, but this year, it is different.
Now they see this high, holy day as a reminder that Yeshua is returning for His people. There are many important things to be done and discussed on this day. For now, Aviva, Judah, Aria and Tovah are blowing their little trumpets as loudly as they possibly can.
In the background of the city, over 100 blasts will be made by the priests who are signaling the beginning of the High Holy days. The people of the city will respond to the trumpets’ warnings by repenting to the Lord, and then they will prepare their hearts for Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement.
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