What Wise Men See... by Brock and Bodie Thoene

Shanah tovah!

Tonight (Friday, September 18) at sunset is the start of the Jewish New Year---Rosh Hashanah. Tonight inaugurates the Year of Creation, 5770.

It is also the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe which culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

It is a time for reflecting on the choices…victories and short-comings…of the past year. It is a time of recommitment to the Lord for the year ahead. It is a time to acknowledge our need of repentance, to be more constant in prayer, and to regard the needs of others as superior to our own.

In Jewish tradition this is a time when the Lord inscribes His assessment of your year just past and the expectation of your year ahead. (Hence the traditional greeting: “May you be inscribed for a GOOD year!”)

In looking to the skies we note two significant sights in the heavens on this New Year—
Rising in the east at sunset is Jupiter, Tzaddik, the Righteous King. As always, Jupiter is a reminder that Jesus is the One who is wholly righteous. Jesus presided over creation (at its beginning) and continues as the Lord of Creation forever. As the wholly righteous king He is the only one worthy to be the Lord of your life…but can be so ONLY if you LET Him take control of your life.
On this New Year, what part of your life are you still trying to keep in YOUR control instead of surrendering it to Jesus?

Mirroring the sunset image is what we see in the pre-dawn sky: Venus, Nogah, Splendor, rising in the paw of the Leo the Lion. There is a day coming…and closer now than ever before…when the Lion of Judah will return to claim His people (Us!) and to assert His sovereignty.

What a brilliant and encouraging two-part picture this is! This Rosh Hashanah we see Jesus portrayed from being the One Who created all things….right the way through to His coming revelation to the universe when He arrives IN SPLENDOR to rule and to reign!

As you read today’s scripture, observe and reflect on references to Splendor, Creation, Righteousness and Kingship! Marvel with us at how the writer of the letter to the Hebrews anticipated these High Holy Days almost 2000 years ago!
Hebrews 1:1-3, 8-12
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets. In these last days, He spoke to us through a Son, whom He made heir of all things and through whom He CREATED the universe, who is the refulgence of His glory (SPLENDOR!), the very imprint of His being, and who sustains all things by His mighty word. When He had accomplished purification from sins, He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
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of the Son He said: "Your throne, O God, stands forever and ever; and a righteous scepter is the scepter of Your KINGDOM You loved RIGHTEOUSNESS and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, anointed You with the oil of gladness above your companions" and: "At the beginning, O Lord, You established the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment. You will roll them up like a cloak, and like a garment they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end."
The word of the Lord!
To sum up:
Confirming the scriptures, the heavens declare splendor and the soon return of our Righteous King, just as prophets and the heavens pointed the way to His birth 2000 years ago! Stand in awe before your Redeemer! This Rosh Hashanah prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord!

Happy New Year 5770!
Shalom!
Bodie and Brock

Baruch atem b'Shem, Yeshua