Rosh HaShanah is coming up on us, and it is an important holiday connected with the Second Coming.  Jewish tradition calls the trumpet blown at Rosh Hashanah the "Last Trump" because it is the last in a series of trumpets blown throughout the year.  And it was the only holiday in which no one knew the day or the hour.  It's timing was known to within a 2 day period, but because witnesses on the ground had to spot a new moon before a new month can be declared, and since the exact day that happens isn't known about in advance, and since it is the only holiday falling on the first of the month, it is the only holiday no one knows until it occurs.

Months in ancient Judaism could be of variable length; either 29 or 30 days.  A new month is declared when a new moon is spotted.  If it is too cloudy to see the new moon after 30 days, a new month is declared on the night after the 30th day, because it was known a month could not be longer than 30 days.  But when the "Last Trump" of the year was blown, men would quit working in the field, change their clothes and put on their best whites, and gather to the assembly. WOW!  What a picture of what we are described in the NT.

There is an interesting article about exactly how to interpret the phrase "day or hour" at http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/no-man-knows-the-day-or-hour.htm that is worth reading.  Very good article.

Shalom,

Joe