Rosh Hashanah and Repentance!

This is a very highly charged week for the Jewish community. In 2026, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, Sept. 11 and ends at sundown on Sunday, Sept. 13.They believe that the Lord will write their names in the Book of Life and who gets an entry gets to live the next year. They turn to fasting and repentance(Teshuva) and read Psalm 27 . Many Jews see this as a time to make amends or apologize to those they have wronged in the past year and resolve to do better in the year about to begin.

Repentance is not a yearly affair. We should constantly evaluate ourselves in the light of God's word.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(Matt 3:8)

Jeremiah records "The heart is deceitful above all things And it is extremely sick; Who can understand it fully and know its secret motives?" (Jer 17:9)

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(1 John 1:8)

Hence we need to have a heart of introspection. The Psalmist cries "Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."(Ps 139:23-24)

The Blood of Christ cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7)

Also repentance and Book of life is not just to complete another year. In the light of the New Testament we can clearly see its about inheriting the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus our Lord said

"However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”(Luke 10:20)

St John then goes on to say in Revelation

"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire"(Rev 20:15)

This Rosh Hashanah let's thank God for the way He has made for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Atonement, Redemption, Salvation- we have it all when we have Christ!