Shabbat Service 9.9.23
Rapture, Resurrection, and Rosh HaShana

https://fb.watch/m_NYWSdXDp/

Due to technical issues beyond our control I am not able to have a live podcast this morning, I apologize for the inconvenience
9/11 is remembered as one of those days that changed the world. Some ask how a loving God would allow such a thing to happen. When people begin to reject the Creator He allows them to go their own way and often they will experience something that reminds them to repent. A nation can experience the same thing much like Jonah’s walk across Nineveh. The difference is that Nineveh repented, the US didn’t. Jonah 3;10, “God saw what the people did. He saw that they stopped doing evil things. So God changed his mind and did not do what he had warned. He did not punish them”

THIS WEEK:
Rosh Hashanah רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה
Festival of Trumpets

TORAH: GENESIS 21:1-34
PROPHETS: 1 SAMUEL 1:1-2:10
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 24:29-36

Portion Outline

TORAH
GENESIS 21:1 The Birth of Isaac
GENESIS 21:8-21 God Protects Hagar and Ishmael
GENESIS 21:22-34 A Treaty with Abimelech

PROPHETS
1 SAMUEL 1 The Birth of Samuel
1 SAMUEL 1:21-28 Samuel Given to the Lord
1 SAMUEL 2:1-10 Hannah’s Prayer

As we are approaching the Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teruah I had to ask the question to myself:

Does it state in the Bible that two witnesses are needed to declare a new moon?

Well, the Bible does mention the importance of witnesses in the context of establishing various legal and religious matters, but it does not specifically state that two witnesses are needed to declare a new moon. The determination of the new moon in the Jewish calendar was traditionally done by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, based on the sighting of the new moon by reliable witnesses.

The process of establishing the new moon involved the testimony of witnesses who had seen the thin crescent of the new moon, and the testimony of two witnesses was generally required for matters of this nature. However, the specific requirement of two witnesses for the declaration of the new moon may have been established through rabbinic interpretation and tradition rather than being explicitly stated in the Bible itself.

It's also important to note that different religious traditions and sects may have their own interpretations and practices related to the declaration of the new moon, and these practices can vary.

Since 2016, I've been monitoring the new moon sightings in Israel to determine the timings. Given our access to the internet while living in the diaspora, there's no excuse for not staying informed.

Small Straws by Marsha Burns
When you feel as though you do not belong, you must remember that you belong to Me, says the Lord. You belong in My eternal kingdom. You are not an outcast where it really counts. You are precious in My sight and loved beyond your ability to imagine. Rise above all thoughts of being unloved or not cared for; you are Mine and I am yours.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Happy birthday Yeshua