Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Leviticus 23:23-25 Making a Spiritual Transition to the New Year

Leviticus 23:23-25 Making a Spiritual Transition to the New Year

Last updated on: January 3, 2016 at 10:15 pm by Jim Erwin

Leviticus 23:23-25 Making a Spiritual Transition to the New Year 2016-01-03T22:15:56-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Leviticus 23:23-25 Making A Spiritual Transition to the New Year

We are about to enter the new year of 2016. I once read of an Italian custom that as midnight on New Year’s Eve approaches, the streets are clear. There is no traffic; there are no pedestrians; even the policemen take cover. Then, at the stroke of 12, the windows of the houses fly open. To the sound of laughter, music and fireworks, each member of the family pitches out old crockery, detested ornaments, hated furniture and a whole catalogue of personal possessions which remind them of something in the past year they are determined to wipe out of their minds.1

“The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration, and joyful shouting —a sacred assembly. You must not do any daily work, but you must present a fire offering to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:23–25, HCSB)

The seventh month in the worship cycle was also the first month in the civil calendar (Tishri), thus the Feast of Trumpets also marked the New Year—and came to be called Rosh Hashanah. To this day Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year celebration and occurs during September/October of our calendar.2

Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishri as the Feast of Trumpets.

““Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation.” (Leviticus 23:24, ESV)

Tishri is the first month of the Jewish civil year, but the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year.

Rosh Hashanah has its origin in the beginning of the economic year in the ancient Near East, marking the start of the agricultural cycle. In its theological interpretation, the day is said to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the believed realization of humanity’s role in God’s world.3

The purpose was to “wipe the slate clean” for the new year, and to commit to follow God more passionately than the previous year.

Today, people make New Year resolutions to try to improve themselves in the coming year. Perhaps it is losing weight, or accepting a new challenge, or trying something new. The key word is “try.” The fact is that many people make resolutions, but they are unable to fulfill them. As a result, they feel guilty about what was left unaccomplished.

Perhaps we should look at the New Year as a time to celebrate God’s goodness, commemorate what God has done in our lives, and to rest in the knowledge by His grace. Perhaps we should resolve to move forward in the new year by enjoying God and being satisfied in Him. Let Him make the changes that we so desire, without the stress and guilt that comes from trying and failing our resolutions.4

DEVELOPING MY SATISFACTION IN GOD

Reflect on the past:

1. Rest and reflect on my past (Leviticus 23:24)

““…you are to have a day of complete rest…” (Leviticus 23:24, HCSB)

As I rest and reflect on my past, I think about what has happened. On this particular day, the people would reflect all day about what God has done in their lives. For some, it may be to ask for forgiveness.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” (Hebrews 4:15–16, HCSB)

We can approach God and ask for help. We can reflect on our past, think about what we have done wrong, and ask God to forgive us. One might ask: Why do that? Because God wants us to keep our present relationship slate clean. God has saved us for eternity through Jesus Christ. He did that one time. But we need to come to God on a regular basis and pray to Him. We don’t have to do this out of obligation, but out of our love desire to seek God and ask for help.

PRAYER: Let’s take time right now to reflect on the past year and ask for forgiveness and seek God’s rest.

2. Commemorate what God has done in my life (Leviticus 23:24)

““…you are to have a…commemoration…” (Leviticus 23:24, HCSB)

Let’s take a moment and reflect on what God has done in my life. Perhaps you would like to share this. You can send a text. I will also give you a minute if you would like to stand and share something.

3. Celebrate God’s goodness (Leviticus 23:24)

““…you are to have a…and joyful shouting —a sacred assembly.” (Leviticus 23:24, HCSB)

I think we need take some time to celebrate God’s goodness. We can do that singing a song. I want us to take a moment and sing a few songs from the hymnal.

Standing on the Promises

Blessed Assurance

Prepare for the future:

4. Move Forward (Leviticus 23:25)

“You must not do any daily work…”” (Leviticus 23:25, HCSB)

The reason that God told Moses to tell the people to not do any work on this day was for one reason: reflection. God wanted people to take time and reflect upon the new year.

“Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14, HCSB)

How are you going to move forward in the New Year? Some people make resolutions. Others set goals. Whatever you choose to do, you need to take some time and ask God what He wants you to do this year.

Maybe it is to get out of debt.

Maybe it is to spend more time with your family.

Maybe it is to make a stronger commitment to the church, to begin attending a Sunday School group, or to grow through a discipleship process. We will begin a study on the book of Revelation this evening. Perhaps you want to get deeper into the Word.

Whatever you choose, you need to consider the idea of moving forward.

5. Enjoy God by Being Satisfied in Him (Leviticus 23:25)

“…but you must present a fire offering to the Lord.”” (Leviticus 23:25, HCSB)

“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, HCSB)

In choosing to moving forward, you want to shift your thinking from an obligation to an opportunity. What I mean by that is to consider enjoying God by being satisfied in Him. You may look at this verse in Leviticus 23:25 and think that presenting a fire offering to the Lord was a duty. But I tell you that it was a form of delighting in God.

The Feast of Trumpet, which started on Rosh Hashanah, was on the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish religious year. It was in the fall, and it came before the tenth day which was Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur was the Day of Atonement. This was the day that a priest let go a scapegoat and sacrificed another for the sins of himself and the people. So the new year anticipated the new cleansing, which happened in Jesus Christ. The third festival was the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles. On this day, the Jews would make a hut and sit under it. The idea is that since the sins have been cleansed and washed away, I can rest and enjoy God’s presence.

For the Jews, they look forward to the Messiah. For us as Christians, we already have the Messiah. So we don’t have to spend time worrying about the eternal consequences of sin. We can learn to rest in God’s assurance of salvation. That is a day-to-day process. It is something we can learn to do this year. Learn to let go and let God.

You can only learn to let go and let God once you have built a relationship with Him. God is pleased with our relationship, not our sacrifice. He wants to know me so that He can work through me. The only way He can best do that is by getting to know me, and by me getting to know God. The best way that can happen is if I read His Word. But I should read His word with a view of enjoying getting to know God – like reading a letter, an email, a text, or a Facebook post from a dear friend.

When I read a post from a friend, I reflect on the relationship we have. I might think about a memory. I might also laugh a little when I realize what that person wrote. When it is an emotional post, I might cry with them. I might offer up a word in response. I might wish them well. I emotionally invest myself in the email, texts, or posts that I read. I should strive to do the same with reading the Bible.

Many of you will make the commitment to read through the Bible in 2016. May I suggest something for your Bible reading plan for the year? Make the effort a joy, and not a struggle. What do I mean? Many time, like New Years resolutions, we attempt to digest too much of the Bible at one time. We strive to read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and we struggle to get through the reading. We fail to continue reading once we hit Leviticus, or 1 Chronicles, or even the Minor Prophets. How do you deal with that?

Challenge yourself, but don’t hurt yourself. Making Bible reading a goal, but not a burden. Make reading the Word of God about knowing God, and not about a marathon reading race to finish.

I challenge you to make a spiritual transition to the New Year. Learn to let go and let God. Learn to enjoy Him and be satisfied by Him. It is a challenge, but it is one in which you will reap eternal benefits.

1 Bill Dudley, Facebook Post, 30 December 2015, 6:24am, accessed on https://www.facebook.com/bill.dudley.50/posts/10208664697514014.

2 Gary W. Demarest and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Leviticus, vol. 3, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1990), 232–233.

3 Wikipedia, “Rosh Hashanah,” 30 December 2015, accessed on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah.

4 Jim Erwin, “A New Years Resolution to Enjoy God and Find Satisfaction in Him,” Personal Reflections, 3 October 2013, accessed on http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jimerwin/2013/10/03/a-new-years-resolution-to-enjoy-god-and-find-satisfaction-in-him/.

Previous Post

January 1, 2016

Prologue to the Revelation of Jesus Christ

Next Post

January 4, 2016 The Image of the Triune God and the Equality of Humanity

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many brothers did Joseph have?

Select your answer to see how you score.

One Eleven Five Two