Shofar So Good Series

Shofar So Good - Our Hebrew Heritage Series

September 16, 2012 Chester FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A Show Rosh Hashanah video

B Today is the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish spiritual new year.

1 The main them of Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) is repentance.

a It is a day when the people of Israel take stock of their spiritual condition & make necessary changes to insure that the upcoming year will be pleasing to God.

b One of the most significant moments of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar, ram’s horn.

c In Biblical times it was understood when the shofar blew something was about to happen that people should take notice of.

aa Assembled the armies for war, directed battlefield maneuvering during conflict.

bb Blown to mark the beginning of Sabbath.

cc To proclaim the sovereignty of God (IL. God Save the Queen, All Hail to the Chief; Kings, Priests, modern-day president of Israel. God is KING)

dd 6 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it? Amos 3:6 (NASB)

To inspire awe.

ee A call to repentance.

2 In Gen. 22 Abraham’s faith was about to be tested in sacrificing his son, Isaac.

a 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."12 He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the Lord it will be provided." Gen 22:4-14 (NASB)

aa Abraham demonstrated to God that he loved Him more than the gift (Isaac) He gave him by offering him to Him.

bb As Abraham is about to thrust his knife into Isaac’s body . . . God said, “I’ll provide a sacrifice.”

cc A ram, whose horns were caught in the thorns, was sacrificed instead of Isaac.

b A lamb would stand in for Isaac (vicarious atonement.)

aa This spot would later be bought by King David where his son Solomon would build the Temple, the holiest of all sanctuaries, where thousands of animals would be sacrificed for the sins of the Jewish people.

bb This would be the spot where Jesus Messiah would give His own life as an atonement for the sins of the world.

c The sounding of the ram’s horn reminds Jews of Abraham’s great faith as he willing to do whatever the Lord asked him to do . . . no matter what the cost . . . God will provide.

aa 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Gen 22:4 (NASB) Perhaps Abraham saw ahead in time to when God would provide another lamb whose head would be surrounded by thorns, for all of mankind.

bb 56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." John 8:56(NASB)

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. Isaiah 53:6-7 (NASB)