Biblical meaning – The Bible never uses the name Rosh HaShanah. It is called Zikhron Teruah (Memorial of Blowing of Trumpets) – Leviticus 23:24 and also as
Yom Teruah (Day of Blowing of Trumpets) – Numbers 29:1. Rosh HaShanah means – Head of the Year.
The Past – This designation was not applied to this Feast until after the destruction of the Temple in 70AD as things were radically altered and life became centered around the Shuls (known as Synagogues). Without a Temple and its Sacrificial System the Synagogue services were enlarged, new traditions were started. One being that the Shofar (a ram’s horn) was to be blown instead of Silver Trumpets previously blown by the Priests.
(NB. In recent years The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has reconstructed the long silver fluted trumpets in preparation for the rebuilding of the Temple).
We can note that the Shofar (Rams Horn) was blown for the coronation of a new king – Melech Yeshua is coming and He is coming soon. Halleluyah.
The Shofar is also blown on Yom Kippur and on the 50th year being the Jubilee Year when slaves were set free and the land rested from any farming in Israel.
The Present – Rosh HaShanah is today known as the New Year for Jewish families to celebrate but in effect this holiday is in the 7th month of the Biblical Calendar.
This festival is centered around the Shuls and the home.
It is also a time of prayers of repentance (The Days of Awe) leading up to Yom Kippur where they must repent and fast to be forgiven and to enjoy a new year of walking before the Lord.
Another high light of the Festival is ‘Tashlikh’ – The Casting Ceremony of one’s sins where Jews will congregate before a body of water (a pond, a river, the sea or even a well to throw bread upon the water.
This is symbolic of the Lord’s promise in Micah 7:19 –
“You will cast (Taslikh) all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
In the Talmud we read in Rosh HaShanah 10b that in the month of Tishri the world was created. Other rabbinic sources suggest that Rosh HaShanah is not only the birthday of the world but the birth of man.
The Future – The 3 autumn feasts all have a prophetic meaning to them and so Messiah Yeshua will fulfil them through His glorious return. Succot (Tabernacles)
will be fulfilled by the start of the Millennial Rule of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
1,000 years of peace and prosperity, after 6,000 years of struggle!
The nations and the animal kingdom will be at last be at peace. The earth shall be renewed and replenished.
BUT before this there is Israel’s Dark Day –
The False Messiah and Prophet.
Wars and desolations.
The Great Tribulation.
Armageddon.
The Last Great Shofar blast (The Trump of God) before Yeshua returns.