It Should Not Come As A Surprise

Iran had been telling Israel what was going to happen in the wake of the targeted assassination of Hassan Nasrallah last month. Nasrallah was a cleric and the secretary-general of Hezbollah, a Shia Islamic terrorist organization since 1992. Hezbollah has been Iran’s proxy aggressor against Israel since its formation.

True to their word, Iran launched almost 200 ballistic missiles at targets throughout Israel. At the sound of air raid sirens across the land, almost everyone in Israel headed for bomb shelters. Even though most Americans were surprised by this event, it shocked no one in Israel. It was expected. The Israelis believed what Iran promised and got prepared.
 
Today is October 2nd. At sunset, Jewish people everywhere will observe Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Traditionally, people welcome the holiday with family gatherings featuring apples and honey, signifying their desire for a year filled with sweet experiences. The Jewish people are never surprised by the holidays of their unique calendar. Israelis have come to expect their enemies to attack during their biblically ordained calendar of feasts. No one in Israel feels like celebrating the New Year this year.
 
Rabbinic Misunderstanding
The original name for Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year) is Yom Teruah. Teruah means the "loud blast of a horn." Oddly, the rabbis of earlier times identified the month of Tishri as the first month of their year, even though Leviticus 23 identifies Nisan as the first month. This decision by the rabbis has confused the Jewish people’s understanding of God’s calendar of prophetic events. In some ways, the Jewish misidentification of the 1st of Tishri as Rosh Hashanah is leading to a big surprise for unrepentant Israel in the future. Many will be surprised by the next event on the Hebrew calendar. That event is frequently identified as the Rapture. It begins with the blast of a trumpet.
 
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not proceed those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. - 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

The four spring feasts of Israel all point to the First Coming of Israel’s Messiah, Yeshua. The fall feasts, beginning with Yom Teruah, point to the prophetic events connected to Yeshua’s Second Coming. In the twinkling of an eye, every person, both the dead and the living, who has placed their trust in the Yeshua, our Jewish Savior, will disappear from this world. For two thousand years, Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus have been looking forward to this event.
 
The rabbis teach their people that the ten days after Rosh Hashanah leading up to Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) are a time for deep reflection. During this period, Jewish people are to ask forgiveness of those they have wronged. Why? Their names will be inscribed in the Book of Life for the next year.

Sadly, asking forgiveness of others is not enough to receive the gift of life. The only way anyone can receive that gift is to believe in what Jesus has done on behalf of all people. Again, from the Apostle Paul. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ did for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised again on the third day according to the Scriptures. - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

If you are a disciple of Jesus, you must know what is ahead for unbelieving Israel and the unbelieving among the nations (Gentiles). No one will want to experience the seven years between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur. Those years will be "the time of Jacob's trouble," also known as the Tribulation.

Don’t let people be surprised by what's ahead. Time is running out.