Shanah Tovah to all my Jewish friends. I love your revered celebration of Rosh Hashanah where you celebrate the creation of the the heavens and the earth and introspectively consider your own time for reflection, repentance and renewal, seeking forgiveness and looking forward the day of the atonement – Yom Kipper. High & Holy days indeed.
Although Covid19 will make your celebrations somewhat different this year, remember that God is in charge. He still answers prayers. He will direct the affairs of the people on the earth for His own purposes. May you blow the Shofar long and loud in your synagogues to celebrate this feast of the trumpets. May apples and honey represent the sweetness that the new year may bring.
A little known fact occurred on the exact day of Rosh Hashannah on the 22nd day of September 1827. It was to be a day for new revelation – a record delivered by an angel named Moroni to a young man of 21 years named Joseph Smith.
Moroni had buried this ancient record some 1,400 years earlier. Here is an account of how the record was buried in the earth then delivered to the young man Joseph Smith who translated it by the gift & power of God, in fulfilment of Psalm 85:4-13 and Isaiah 29:10-14
Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Here are some similarities of this record to Jewish Customs:
- It was a record of new revelation written by ancient prophets especially about the atonement of Jesus Christ.
- It is an abridgement of the record of the people of Nephi written to the remnant of the house of Israel and also to Jew & Gentile.
- It calls all mankind to ponder in their hearts the message that it contains.
- Prophets have been again called by God to direct His work on the earth.
- Temples are again being built with the angel Moroni and his trumpet heralding the second coming of the Messiah, and for the specific purpose of the gathering of Israel in the last days.
- It is the stick of Joseph to become one with the Stick of Judah as prophesied in Ezekiel 37:16-17
- It admonishes faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins and the reception of the Holy Ghost.
Moroni trumpeting above the Temple to the people of Adelaide, South Australia
If you would like to know more go to https://www.comeuntochrist.org/
Have a great New (Jewish) Year.