Occupy Rosh Hoshanah
The Occupy Wall Street movement is observing its one year anniversary on Rosh Hoshanah with protests:
Mon Sep 17, 2012….
(Reuters) – A few hundred Occupy Wall Street activists gathered in New York’s financial district on Monday but police kept them well back from the New York Stock Exchange, which they had threatened to surround as part of a day of protests marking the movement’s one-year anniversary…
Occupy activists had pledged to disrupt the morning commute in lower Manhattan as part of a day of actions in New York and other cities aimed at rejuvenating a movement that has failed to sustain momentum after sparking a national conversation about economic inequality last fall.
The group, which popularized the phrase “We are the 99 percent,” gathered early Monday near Zuccotti Park, where a spontaneous encampment became their unofficial headquarters last year, but were again barred access by police. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-usa-occupy-idUSBRE88G0P720120917
The Occupy Movement is not having the effect that it seems to want to have. Yet, that may change (or at least those with another label will ultimately contribute to severe civil unrest in the USA). There may be a resurgence of Occupy or other protests in the Spring of 2013.
Today is the Feast of Trumpets, also called Rosh Hoshanah/Hashanah. It is the first day of the seventh month in the Bible. The news reports an “Occupy Rosh Hashanah” event has been happening today:
17 September 2012
There was also an “Occupy Rosh Hashanah” service at Zuccotti Park. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/protesters-attempt-create-financial-district-chaos-mark-occupy-wall-street-anniversary-article-1.1161211#ixzz26jUKk8Ne
…we will be picketing the Wells Fargo bank in downtown Berkeley, though our intention is to challenge the lending practices of all the major banks including Bank of America, Chase, etc. This event will be cosponsored by the Shalom Center, Beyt Tikkun, Kehillah community synagogue, and the Occupy Bay Area Jewish Contingent, though we invite people of all faiths to participate both in the services and in the demonstration…
Why on Rosh Hashanah? Isn’t this mixing politics and religion? Well, in Judaism there is no such separation — the entire Torah is the story of a liberation struggle against oppression that Jews read a part of each Shabbat. In fact, a fundamental message of Judaism was that the God of the universe cared about social justice, peace, and love, and hence sought for people to engage in lives that fostered a society that embodied those values. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-michael-lerner/occupy-rosh-hashanah_b_1883522.html
Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish calendar and one of the two High Holidays (along with Yom Kippur) this year fell on the anniversary of Occupy Wall Street…The barricades were up and had been for days as NYPD drilled in expectation of Occupy’s actions for September 17…
But this time instead of the noise being silenced by a mic check, it was quieted by a shofar.
Well, a shofar and a mic check. This was an Occupy service, after all. http://www.alternet.org/hot-news-views/occupy-rosh-hashanah-kicks-jewish-new-year-zuccotti-park
15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:15)
In many cases, “justice” seems to come with a price and it is often much harder for the poor to get the same type of defense in court than the wealthy (though sometimes the opposite happens, and sometimes for the wrong reason). There is a better way, but the way of God does not seem to be a major concern of the Occupy movement. Jesus will return and His Kingdom will be established. And notice:
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)
God will solve the problems that plague humanity when He comes–this is part of the gospel–the good news–of the coming Kingdom of God. The real message of Rosh Hoshanah/the Feast of Trumpets is that God has to stop humanity from destroying itself and it will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom to solve humanity’s ills. And Jesus will return with the sound of a mighty trumpet:
22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:50-55)
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Jesus Christ and His kingdom, and not Occupy protests, are what will solve humanity’s problems.
Individually people should humble themselves and submit to Him and His ways now, but only few will currently do so. People may not wish to hear this, but the Bible is clear that there will always be problems with poverty in this age. Hence, income redistribution per se, which the Occupy movement and various political leaders advocate, would not seem to be the biblical solution.
The Bible shows that despite provisions that some may consider to be regulations and/or restrictions on capitalism, there still will be poor people:
7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs…11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-8,10)
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. 8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. (1 Samuel 2:7-8)
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always. (John 12:8)
And as far as lending, notice that the Bible shows that the poor were to be lent what they needed, not necessarily everything they might want. Lending also implies an obligation to pay back. Also notice:
21 The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. (Psalms 37:21)
While the Bible does have provisions for debt relief (Deuteronomy 15), it does indicate that borrows should try to fulfill their obligations. Yet, many in the Occupy movement have stated that they do not want to pay back what they have borrowed (such as students for their loans and some mortgage holders). Both the borrowers and the lenders should try to resolve these situations without trying to exploit or take advantage of each other. However, this does not happen as often as it should.
The end-time sorrows and troubles in society are still in the beginning stages (Matthew 24:5-8), and will get much worse according to the Bible (Matthew 24:21-22). I believe that class warfare and other protests will escalate and help weaken the USA, Canada, and their other Anglo-nations and likely will also be a factor in them being vulnerable to real warfare: invasion by the final Beast power that the Bible warns about (Revelation 13; Daniel 11:39).
Christians can, and should, pray for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:10).
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21)
How should believers “occupy Rosh Hoshanah”?
They should follow the example of early Christians and observe this holy day and meet together as the Bible enjoins:
23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:23-24)
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
It is the return of Jesus Christ that will ultimately result is what all of humanity needs. And the Feast of Trumpets helps picture that.
Some articles of possibly related interest may include:
The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets? Are they related? Is so how? If not, where not? How do we know that early professors of Christ kept the Feast of Trumpets, which the Jews tend to call Rosh Hashanah?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? Did they? Did Jesus? Should you?
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement”. Does it have any relevance for Christians today?
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach?
Is Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
LCG: Pornography, Who’s Tempting Whom? This is some information about the prevalence and dangers of pornography from the Living Church of God.
CG7 on Pornography This is an article excerpt from the Church of God, 7th Day-Denver about pornography.
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the Living Church of God?
LCG: Homosexuals Gaining Ground “Same-sex marriage” is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?
Is American Football Evil? Is the most popular spectator sport in the USA something that Christians should watch? What do the Bible and early writings show?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about?
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