On the biblical date of 1 Tishri (September 8 at sunset) Israel will celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah. This feast must be celebrated in all sincerity and honesty. Why? Because the kingship of the Lord comes into full view at this feast. And He is the Judge. We appreciate that that it is our task and privilege to help Him with our small contribution by acknowledging Him as the Judge and King of the whole world.

At Rosh Hashanah the situations of the next year will be established in which we will be tested and tried. Because of these tests coming up we will be able to show the Judge that our faith is not dead but alive also in the coming year. The shofar reminds us that we will experience redemption soon. And that the Lord will return again with shofar sounds, like He was with us with these impressive sounds on Mount Sinai in order to give us Torah. The  shofar sounds are representing our spiritual growth as well as spiritual war. This kind of war is part of the process which leads to the Judge’s positive verdict we look forward to.

A particular aspect in our struggle, our cleansing, is the recalibration of what we say. On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, 10 Tishri, September 18) this part of our behavior will be examined. Lamenting, being arrogant, slandering, and more. On the Day of Atonement the High Priest wore a robe with small pomegranates and bells embroidered on the hems, which sounded in order to make atonement for all the slander which was taking place. The safest way of living is to continually be aware that we must and can take shelter behind the Lord, for protection, safety, acknowledgment, healing and becoming aware of all of our responsibilities. The sukka (Sukkot, Feast of Booths on Tishri 15, September 23) is clearly meant for that.

Beth Yeshua is a Jewish Messianic congregation, founded at Sukkot of 1991. And now already almost 19 years young. The congregation is established in Holland, in the 21st century city of Amsterdam. In Beth Yeshua the Jewish faith is practiced, like it has been done in the first century in Jerusalem and other cities and villages in Israel by Jews and non-Jews who at that time already appreciated that Yeshua is the Messiah. Beth Yeshua: to freely celebrating and safely hiding.