Does the Jewish New Year 5776 Hold Special Meaning?
Rosh Hashana, the traditional Jewish New Year, fell on Sept. 14 this year and ushered in the year 5776. Although Rosh Hashana is known in the Bible as a day for blowing trumpets, by the time of Yeshua it was observed as the Jewish secular new year.
Could this year hold any special meaning for Christians, based on the unique numbers and letters associated with 5776?
As you probably know, some scholars believe the numbers comprising 5776 represent key themes of Scripture. The biblical concept differs from numerology, which uses numbers and symbols for purposes related to divination, soothsaying or manipulation.
Biblically, 5 could represent grace, 6 can represent humankind or the ways of man, and 7 can stand for completion. If that is true, and if God chooses to speak to us through our admittedly imperfect calendar system, 5776 could herald a watershed year in world history.
The number 5776 could represent a certain completion of grace as we’ve known it, coupled with a certain completion of following in man’s (our) own ways. Now, to be sure, God is never not gracious! But His grace manifests in different ways at different seasons, for our ultimate good, to mature us to Messiah-likeness. Not always pleasant at the time, the complete intersection of grace with our own ways puts an end to (or completes) our ways. It transforms us to godliness in love, joy, peace, holiness and supernatural service. It draws sinners to Yeshua. It is actually a form of judgment.
There’s more. In the Hebrew language, letters are assigned to numbers for various purposes. The letters assigned to the year 5776, “tav-shin-ayin-vav,” spell a word used in modern Hebrew, meaning “heed.” (The letters for the two 7’s differ.)
Could the numbers and letters associated with 5776 confirm predictions or prophecies of impending global crisis? Perhaps. We will know in retrospect. Meanwhile, God does not want us unduly fascinated with signs or coincidences. Those are always intended to turn our focus and fascination upon Him.
At this season of tetrad blood moons, a completed Shemitah, and exponentially escalating sin, of this we can be sure: God is trumpeting a love call to give heed to Him and His ways. To those who respond, He will give grace to receive new grace. He will empower them to boldly withstand and shift some of the ways of the world in the year ahead.
Kingdom conflict will intensify, as the Scriptures say it must. But that’s because the King Himself is coming. My prayer is that in 5776 He’ll come powerfully through each of us. This year, may the shofar’s trumpet draw you deeper into His kingdom goodness and glory!
Sandra Teplinsky has been in Messianic Jewish ministry since 1979. She is president of Light of Zion, an outreach to Israel and the church based in Southern California and Jerusalem. She is an ordained minister and prophetic conference speaker, and has written several books and articles about Israel and the church.
