THE SOUND OF THE SHOFAR (1 OF 3)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Exodus 19:1, Exodus 19:8-20
This content is part of a series.
The Sound of The Shofar (1 of 3)
Series: The Sounds Of Scripture
Jeff Strite
Exodus 19:8-20
OPEN: Today is the first day of the New Year - 2017. Many of us who live in Western cultures tend to take it for granted that the New Year has always started on January 1st. But that's not true.
-The ancient Babylonians and Romans celebrated their New Year in March.
-The Chinese celebrate theirs somewhere between January 21st and February 21st and they party for 15 days.
-Ethiopians do theirs in September.
-Muslims have their New Year in November.
-And then there are the Thais people who celebrate in April. Do you know how they observe the coming in of the New Year in Thailand? According to one of my sources, they throw water on each other. They'll use garden hoses, buckets of water and even squirt guns.
But perhaps the most important New Year celebration EVER was held by the Old Testament Israelites around the month we call September. They began with their Feast of Trumpets and ultimately culminated their rejoicing on the Day of Atonement.
Now, the Jews today call this New Year's Celebration - Rosh Hashanah.
And they welcome the New year... with a Shofar.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5dO1m4HMCU - no more than 30 seconds or so)
(I pulled out a shofar I'd gotten in Israel)
This is a shofar I bought last year when you folks sent me to Israel. It cost $60. You could get one about twice the length for anywhere between $200 to $300. For that kind of money you'd think they'd throw in a couple of lessons on how to play it.
But they don't.
This is a Ram's horn.
In Jewish culture the Rabbis have made several observations about the horn's role in Rosh Hashanah. They say they blow the Shofar at Rosh Hashanah as a way of signifying the need for folks to their need for repentance. And they say the curve in the horn reflects the posture of a person who bows before God.
On the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah (ten day festival) they read the story of Abraham ...
Series: The Sounds Of Scripture
Jeff Strite
Exodus 19:8-20
OPEN: Today is the first day of the New Year - 2017. Many of us who live in Western cultures tend to take it for granted that the New Year has always started on January 1st. But that's not true.
-The ancient Babylonians and Romans celebrated their New Year in March.
-The Chinese celebrate theirs somewhere between January 21st and February 21st and they party for 15 days.
-Ethiopians do theirs in September.
-Muslims have their New Year in November.
-And then there are the Thais people who celebrate in April. Do you know how they observe the coming in of the New Year in Thailand? According to one of my sources, they throw water on each other. They'll use garden hoses, buckets of water and even squirt guns.
But perhaps the most important New Year celebration EVER was held by the Old Testament Israelites around the month we call September. They began with their Feast of Trumpets and ultimately culminated their rejoicing on the Day of Atonement.
Now, the Jews today call this New Year's Celebration - Rosh Hashanah.
And they welcome the New year... with a Shofar.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5dO1m4HMCU - no more than 30 seconds or so)
(I pulled out a shofar I'd gotten in Israel)
This is a shofar I bought last year when you folks sent me to Israel. It cost $60. You could get one about twice the length for anywhere between $200 to $300. For that kind of money you'd think they'd throw in a couple of lessons on how to play it.
But they don't.
This is a Ram's horn.
In Jewish culture the Rabbis have made several observations about the horn's role in Rosh Hashanah. They say they blow the Shofar at Rosh Hashanah as a way of signifying the need for folks to their need for repentance. And they say the curve in the horn reflects the posture of a person who bows before God.
On the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah (ten day festival) they read the story of Abraham ...
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