The Fall Feasts are upon us and the Day of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) has at our doorsteps. What significance do the Fall Feasts and the Day of Trumpets hold for Torah Observant Believers in Messiah?

What follows is a brief overview of the Fall Feasts of Yehovah and a broader discussion on the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets, in Hebrew, Yom Teru’ah.

 

Grace and the Feasts of Yah

 

It goes without saying that as Bible believing—commandment keeping—disciples of Yeshua Messiah, we are compelled to live a life beyond the norm. [Listen/read my post entitled “A Life Beyond the Norm.”] Ours is not just a cognitive understanding and belief that the Creator (most refer to Him as God), Yahoshua (most refer to Him as Jesus Christ), and the Bible are true and real. Indeed, we know beyond a shadow of doubt that all this is indeed true and real. Yet the life most of us have chosen to live is one of actions.

 

For years, churchianity indoctrinated us with the concept that everything we needed to walk out our commitment to be disciples of Jesus Christ (notice I delineate Jesus Christ apart from Yeshua or Yahoshua Messiah) has been handily imputed to us.

 

“Jesus paid it all…all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed me white as snow.”

 

Indeed, a most beautiful and touching classic Christian hymn. Yet, as touching and beautiful as it is, it has for centuries been the basis upon which much of Christendom has rested her commitment to Christ upon. The Church triumphant has indoctrinated many of her adherents that you cannot do anything whatsoever in your life to inherit eternal life. A true, biblically supported statement. However, this true doctrine is an incomplete one. As stated and written, it naturally leads adherents to conclude that they don’t have to do anything in the course of their commitment to Christ beyond saying the sinners’ prayer and adhering to the established rules of the church leaders. This imputation of all that one needs in this life to fulfill one’s commitment and substantiate one’s profession of faith is embodied in what I have often referred to as the “hijacked doctrine of grace.” (Some in our circle have gone so far as to refer to this doctrine as the “grace perversion.”)

 

Certainly many within and without our Faith Community have taken umbrage over such statements regarding grace and I certainly understand why. Yet those stated exceptions do not in any way excuse the fact that the Church Triumphant has taken the essential, bible-based concept of grace; dismantled it; remodeled and repackaged it; and then sold it to their adherents as the sole, essential element and premier doctrine of their faith and commitment to their Savior.

 

This post is not about the biblical doctrine of grace; yet this post is truly all about the essential biblical doctrine of grace.

 

When we talk about disciples of Yahoshua Messiah keeping Torah, especially as it relates to the keeping, honoring and celebrating of Yehovah’s holy days—His set apart days—His moedim—His appointed times during the sacred calendar year, we are really talking about disciples of Yahoshua doing something beyond the norm of everyday 21st century life. We are actually talking about disciples of Messiah doing something unique at set times during the calendar year that acknowledges the expressed grace of the Creator of the Universe.

 

The grace that churchianity has become primarily known for (i.e., salvation through the shed blood of the Savior), is just a small aspect of the overarching grace that the Creator of the Universe has shown to mankind and the whole of creation. The fullness of grace is embodied in the 7-Feasts of Yah.

 

Because man (includes women and men) is prone to forget the enormity of this truth (or any Truth related to the things and ways of Yehovah for that matter), Father instructed the Hebrews to rehearse these sacred emblems to His grace each and every year without fail. Father commanded the Hebrews:

 

4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. (Lev 23:4 KJV)

 

The Creator of the Universe took it upon Himself to intervene into the deadly affairs of His creation. That intervention was the establishment of a plan—even a rescue to redeem mankind from the clutches of evil and eternal death. The disobedience of Adam to Yah’s Torah (i.e., the instructions of Yehovah) set into motion of series of events that transferred the rulership of this world (i.e., the title deed if you will) over to hasatan. (If it is not readily apparent that the creation is ruled by hasatan, I would encourage you to re-read the account of our Master’s temptation by the enemy in the wilderness, recorded in Matthew 4:3-11; Mark 1:13; and Luke 4:3-13; along with John 8:44; 12:31; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9.)

 

The consequence of that transference of rulership was a forfeiture of eternal life and the absolute certainty of eternal death for every man, women and child who would ever live upon this earth.

 

Despite mankind’s natural intransigence in turning to his/her creator for their own good, the Creator of the Universe unilaterally set into motion a plan that would redeem mankind and all of creation from the clutches of the evil one; afford His chosen ones an opportunity for eternal life; and restore the paradise that was lost from the time of the garden. That plan is brilliantly embodied and codified in the Creator’s Feasts: Passover-Unleavened Bread; Firstfruits; Pentecost (the Spring Feasts); Trumpets; Atonement; Tabernacles; Last Great Day (the Fall Feasts).

 

The Spring Feasts embody and codify the Work of Redemption and the Introduction of the Gospel of the Kingdom, both accomplished during and through the earthly ministry of Yeshua HaMashiyach. The Fall Feasts embody and codify the reclamation of all creation from clutches of the enemy; the restoration of paradise lost; and the installment of the eternal Kingdom of Yehovah here on earth. Contrary to common belief and understanding, this plan and its embodiment in the Feasts of Yah did not have its start at Sinai. In fact, Father in His infinite wisdom and knowledge, implanted His plan and feasts in the fabric of His creation: 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons (i.e., moed), and for days, and years: (Gen 1:14 KJV).

 

Let us not delude ourselves into thinking that man in and of himself/herself had anything directly to do with this divine intervention. This was absolutely, positively and totally the Creator’s grace that has and will continue to be extended to His creation. It annoys me to no end when those who are not in the know refer to the Feasts of Yah as Jewish festivals or as the Feasts of the Jews (as popularly translated and transcribed in most of the authorized versions of our bibles). These are the Feasts of Yehovah our Elohim. These moedim were developed and implemented by our loving Father to illustrate His love for us and for His creation before the foundations of the earth was established.

 

Father elected to reveal this intervention plan starting out with His chosen people, the Hebrews—Israel. Instead of going into the nuts and bolts of that intervention plan at Sinai, Father simply instituted this series of annual Feasts which would serve to tell the story of that intervention. At the time the mandate for the keeping of these feasts were given, they served as their school master and as shadows of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1).

 

The existential importance of this intervention plan could not be overstated in Father’s mind no doubt. Knowing the forgetful and evil nature of mankind, He required His chosen ones to observe these shadows—these feasts each year as not only a reminder, but a dress rehearsal of the things that were going to come about in the years and centuries ahead. That instruction to keep His feasts at their appointed times has not changed nor has it diminished, even though the meaningful aspects of the Spring Feasts have been essentially fulfilled.

 

The Apostle Paul (Hebrew=Shaul) informed those of us who come to Faith as to our identity in Messiah: we are graffed in Hebrews, who possess all the rights and privileges afforded any would be converted Jew or biological Israelite (Romans 11). With those inputed rights and privileges, however, comes responsibility. Those responsibilities can be summed up in one word: obedience. Every man, woman and child who comes into Faith is required to be obedient to Father’s instructions for life. Thus, any disciple of Yeshua HaMashiyach who is worth the meddle of their profession and commitment to the cause of Messiah will be compelled to somehow acknowledge, and more importantly, remember the grace shed upon us by our Heavenly Father.

 

As we’ve just discussed, much of Father’s grace is embodied and codified in His Torah and His Feasts. Thus, we are compelled to keep; guard; honor; observe; celebrate Father’s annual feasts. Again, as mentioned previously, these are not Jewish Feasts. These are the Creator’s Feasts. These are divinely established appointments that Father encoded and embedded into His creation for Him to meet with His children—His natural and engrafted children, to celebrate His all encompassing grace. Thus, we who are truly His beloved and who possess the indwelling of His Holy Spirit within us, have a natural, all-consuming desire to keep His Feasts to the best of our understanding and ability.

 

The Day of the Blowing of Trumpets—Yom Teruah

As previously mentioned, the Fall Feasts of Yah picture the return of our long awaited Master, who will established His millennial kingdom and restore paradise lost. Most importantly and collectively, the Fall Feasts, as in the Spring Feasts, is all about Yahoshua our Messiah—our Master.

 

Of Torah and the Feasts, Paul (i.e., Shaul) wrote: “For the goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts” (Romans 10:4; CJB).

 

 

The Fall Feasts of Yah are upon us. For those who are new to this Faith Community, as a review, the Fall Feasts of Yehovah are as follows: (1) The Day of the Blowing of Trumpets (Hebrew=Yom Teru’ah); (2) The Day of Atonement (Hebrew=Yom Kippur); (3) Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrews=Sukkot); and (4) Last Great Day (Hebrew=Shemini Atzeret).

 

Of the Fall Feasts, teacher and writer Fred Coulter wrote:

 

“God has always used His feasts and holy days to fulfill His will as well as certain major prophesies” (”The Birth of Jesus Christ and the Feast of Trumpets,” pg. 178; Coulter).

 

So what I intend to do for the remainder of this installment is to focus on the Day of Trumpets (aka, Yom Teruah) and lay out for you: (1) the commandments/instructions given for its keeping and celebrating; (2) Traps common to Yom Teruah; (3) the prophetic meanings embedded in the Day of Trumpets; and (4) 5 things you can do to prepare and keep Trumpets this and every future calendar year.

 

The Commandments/Instructions Given For Trumpets

Much of the Orthodox and Reformed and even Liberal Jewish Communities will be observing the Day of Trumpets, which they call Rosh Hashanah, beginning at sundown on S-nday, 9/9/2018 through sundown T-esday, 9/11/2018. In the next section of this post, I will explain why they refer to this Feast Day as Rosh Hashanah and why they have a 2-day observance.

 

A great many in our Hebrew Roots/Messianic Faith Community will also be keeping or observing Trumpets during these days as well. The dates for this feast is of course found in the Calculated Jewish Calendar.

 

A great many of us will be keeping and observing this day when the renewed moon is sighted by at least 2 qualified witnesses in the land of Israel, anticipated to occur on the evening of M-nday, 9/10/2018 or T-uesday, 9/11/2018. We will only honor this Feast for the Torah mandated single day which falls on the 1st day of the 7th month, which again is anticipated to occur either on 9/10/2018 or 9/11/2018. [If you are interested to know more about the 2-calendars that are used in our Faith Community, I invite you to read or listen to my posts on the topic.] 

 

Consequently, those of us who adhere to the observational calendar cannot know for certain the exact day that the Feast of Trumpets will occur since we rely on the sighting of the renewed moon in the land of Israel to pin down the exact day. This method of time reckoning was the same method used by the Hebrews at time of the Exodus out of Egypt, all the way to the first century and the time our Master Yahoshua walked this earth. Thus, every Torah observant Hebrew was forced to be well prepared and on the watch for the last minute announcement of when the Day of Trumpets would hit. So each Hebrew had to rely upon Father’s providence and the natural elements to pin down the day. It was only after the sighting of the 7-renewed moon of the sacred calendar year was officially declared that the remaining feasts of Atonement and Tabernacles could be finally determined since Atonement occurs on the 10th day of the 7th month, followed by Tabernacles and Last Great Day on the 15th through the 22nd of the same 7th month.

 

The calculated Jewish Calendar was not devised and set into operation until 359 C.E. by the then expelled Sanhedrin (from Jerusalem by the Romans). The calendar, in all fairness, was genius and served to synchronize every Jew scattered to the 4-winds of the world to a single source of time reckoning. Thus all the sacred feasts and festival—both Torah and rabbinic mandated, were calculated out 2,000-years into the future. Justification for the development of this calendar was of course that Jews were expelled from the Land of Israel and thus could not properly follow an observational calendar. The calculated calendar therefore stood in the gap, pending the Jews’ return to the land whereby observational reckoning of time could resume and the feasts observed according to the timing Father set into motion from the very beginning of time.

 

Just as an aside: Trumpets/Yom Teruah, always falls on the first day of the 7th Month. Judaism refers to the 7th month by the Babylonian name Tishri. Tishri as the name of the 7th month of the sacred calendar, has no biblical basis. Father assigned just one month a name and that month was the first month of the biblical calendar year: Aviv (more properly, the Month of the Aviv). The remaining 11-months are only referred to by the number in which they fall during the calendar year.

 

Now, the basis for which Trumpets falls on the sacred calendar is found in our “go-to,” “all things having to do with the Feasts of Yah” portion of Torah: Leviticus 23. The instructions given for the observance of Trumpets is contained in just 2-verses of this 23rd chapter of Leviticus and reads as follows:

 

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yehovah” (vss. 24, 25; KJV adjusted).

 

We find very succinctly recorded a simple outline for the Hebrews observance of this Holy Day. The basic requires for keeping the day is as follows: (1) the day falls on the 1st day of the 7th month; (2) it is to be treated as a Sabbath; (3) it will be observed with the blowing of trumpets (Hebrew=teru’ah); (4) it is to be a holy convocation (Hebrew=a miqra=a sacred assembly and calling together; a recitation; a rehearsal or reading); (5) no servile work is to be done on that day; (6) an offering made by fire is to offered unto Yehovah (performed by the priests on the brazen altar that stood and operated just outside the tent of meeting and temple respectively).

 

This instruction was given to the children of Israel as can clearly read in verse 24.

 

One thing stands out about this particular feast that differentiates it from the other 6 or so festivals. That thing is the commandment that the day be a memorial (Hebrew=zikrown=reminder or remembrance) of blowing of trumpets (vs. 24).

 

The King James rendering of this commandment that the day be a memorial of blowing of trumpets is somewhat nebulous. Competing translations of the passage, however, gives us a clear understanding of what Father expected of the Hebrews in terms of this memorial of blowing of trumpets or of the teruah. The English translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls’ version of the Torah reads: “…a holy convocation commemorated with the blowing of trumpets” (QBE). The NASB renders this commandment simply as “a reminder by blowing of trumpets.” The CJB reads, “…a holy convocation announced with blasts of the shofar.” And so on.

 

Otherwise, this sacred day was to be treated as a holy day; a Sabbath, where no servile work was to be performed, a convocation was to be convened, and the priests were to offer burnt offerings unto Yehovah. Many choose to refer to the Feasts of Yah as “High Sabbaths,” and of course, Yom Teru’ah is no exception.

 

Interestingly enough, The Day of the Blowing of Shofars (i.e., Trumpets) or Yom Teru’ah, was introduced to the Hebrews at Sinai, probably at the time Torah was spoken to the nation by Yehovah our Elohim. Thus, the rabbis and many teachers and scholars of our Faith Community believe and teach that the given of Torah actually corresponds directly with the Feast of Trumpets—that is, on the Day of Trumpets Yehovah delivered to the nation of Israel His Torah.

 

The astute Bible student will quickly recognize that the timing here does not work out. If one follows the timing and trek of the Israelites out of Egypt to the base of Sinai, it would not seem reasonable to conclude that this great event–the giving of Torah to the people at Sinai—took 6-months to happen. The giving of Torah at Sinai appears to have taken place no more than a couple months after the nation departed Egypt.

 

So how does one factor in that the giving of Torah at Sinai occurred on the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets? Frankly speaking, the belief that Torah was given to the nation on Trumpets is more symbolic than it is reality, if you ask me. The giving of Torah seems more consistent with the timing for Pentecost than Trumpets. Yet the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets factors in to the whole giving of Torah at Sinai simply because the sounding of shofars (i.e., trumpets) factored so greatly when Yehovah spoke down His Torah to the people:

 

“And it came to pass on the 3rd day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled…And when the voice of the trumpet (Hebrew=shofar) sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake and God answered him by a voice” (Exodus 19:16, 19; KJV).

 

What is So Unique About Trumpets or Shofars?

Trumpets in the ancient near east were generally made of ram’s horns. At the time that the tent of meeting and its implements were constructed by the Israelites, special shofars made of silver that the priests were only allowed to blow at specific times of worship, were also constructed (Joshua 6:4; Num. 10:2, 8; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 7:6).

 

The stated purpose for shofars or trumpets was to give an intelligible and understood sound (I Corinthians 14:8) alerting the nation that something is about to happen and that the people need to take appropriate action.

 

The sounding of the shofar was for regulating the journeys of the children of Israel (Numbers 10:2, 5, 6); the calling of assemblies (Numbers 10:2, 3, 7; and as we see stipulated specially for this day); for the posting of sacrifices on the feast days by the priests (Numbers 10:10; Psalm 81:3); to announce processions and ceremonies taking place in the nation (I Chronicles 13:8; 15; 24, 28; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 15:14); for assembling the people to war (Judges 3:27); for sounding a memorial when the people went into battle (Numbers 10:9; 31:6, 7); for proclaiming kings (2 Kings 9:13; 11:14; and we will see how this will play out prophetically related to our Master Yeshua); the start of Jubilees (Leviticus 25:9; see my post on Jubilees if you are interested in knowing more about this special time of Father’s sacred calendar); and the giving of alarm in cases of danger or emergencies (Ezekiel 33:2-6).

 

A few other aspects of Trumpets according to Torah should be mentioned here as well.

 

As stated earlier in this discussion, the Levitical Priests were responsible for making an offering by fire on Yom Teru’ah or the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets. The other things to keep in mind is that Yom Teru’ah was NOT a pilgrimage feast (i.e., those being Passover/Unleavened Bread; Pentecost/Shavuot; and Tabernacles/Sukkot). Thus, the Hebrews were not required to journey to Jerusalem to keep Trumpets. This would of course make even more sense when we take into consideration, as just discussed, that the start of Trumpets relied upon the sighting of the renewed moon. Given the general uncertainty of atmospheric elements, no one could be absolutely certain the exact day Trumpets would hit. Therefore, Father in His infinite wisdom did not mandate this feast to be a pilgrimage feasts, likely in part, because it would be difficult to fully prepare and be at the appointed place at the appointed time.

 

 

 

Traps Common to Trumpets/Yom Teruah

 

As a Hebrew Rooter and Messianic, it is very likely that you will be exposed to certain Jewish/Rabbinic traditions that are tied to the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets/Yom Teru’ah. Some of those traditions exists to encourage celebration, unity, family and introspection. Yet other traditions exists to promote Rabbinic doctrine that in many cases carry the same weight (and in some cases, even exceed) as Torah commandments.

 

It is imperative that every Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah be cognizant of the many traditions and extra-biblical laws surrounding this Feast Day, so that they not be led down a path of destruction. It goes back to the instruction that we not add to or take away from Torah (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). What the sages and the rabbis have done in many cases related to Trumpets is that they have added to the clear instructions given by Father for this day through the enactment of their oral traditions and laws.

 

Yeshua famously railed about this very thing when He confronted the sages and rabbis in Kfar Nahum (i.e., Capernaum). The passage is found in Matthew 14:1-20 and Mark 7. According to Yahsohua, the rabbis’ and sages’ traditions and laws served only to nullify Torah in the peoples’ lives. And the only reason the Jewish leaders erected their fence around Torah in the first place (i.e., their Talmud; their oral traditions and laws) was to control the hearts and minds of the Jews that were under their religious and spiritual control.

 

This push back against the traditions and laws of the sages and rabbis is what, in great part, led to Yahoshua’s crucifixion. Yeshua was not doing this to simply to annoy the religious leaders of His day. He was doing this in great part to distinguish for us the difference between man-made doctrine and Creator given instruction; the difference between the holy and the profane; between freedom and captivity/bondage. The Pharisees were in effect leading a nation down a path of certain destruction and Yahoshua was standing just off to the side of that gate saying to the masses, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13; NASB).

 

Master went on to warn: “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (Luke 11:46; NASB).

 

So, one needs to be careful when looking at the Feasts, especially Trumpets, from a Rabbinic standpoint.

 

Here is a brief rundown of Jewish traditions and laws related to Yom Teru’ah for your reference:

 

(1) The name of the Feast was quietly changed to Rosh Hashanah, which in Hebrew means “head of the year.” Yom Teru’ah was never, ever referred to in Torah or in any other portion of Scripture as Rosh Hashanah. This is purely a Rabbinic addition to Torah.

 

(2)In their adding of the name Rosh Hashanah to this Feast Day, the Rabbis effectively made the day(s) the beginning or start of the Jew’s so-called sacred calendar year. In doing this, the Rabbis violated Yehovah’s instruction that Aviv 1 was always to be the beginning of the sacred calendar year for the Hebrew (Exodus 12:2; 13:4).

 

(3) Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first 2-days of Tishri, again, the Babylonian name given to the 7th month of the sacred calendar year. By adding on a 2nd day to the celebration, again, the rabbis have added to the Torah command to keep His feasts at their appointed time.

 

(4) Many Jews practice a ceremony known as Tashlich. The ceremony involved Jews joining together at a body of running water and symbolically casting off their sins by them casting pieces of bread into the body of running water. Jewish leaders who support this ceremony site Micah 7:9 as their source document. Also during the ceremony, selections of Psalm 118 and 130 are read, supplications are made, and kabbalistic prayers are recited in the hope that God will treat them with mercy. Oh, and there is also a practice of shaking one’s garments to loosen any evil that may be clinging to them.

 

Honestly, what needs to be said further on this foolishness other than, don’t even think about engaging in this practice.

 

Interestingly, the rabbis over the centuries have rejected this ceremony, citing concerns that the practice was superstitious in nature and that the people might actually believe their sins would be expiated through the elements of the ceremony.

 

(5) Rosh Hashanah is the “kick-off,” so to speak, to the 10-days of Awe, which culminate in the Day of Atonement (aka, Yom Kippur). I’ll discuss this in the next installment as we get into the Day of Atonement and Tabernacles. Nevertheless, the Days of Awe is a purely rabbinic invention that has no basis whatsoever in Torah.

 

(6) Gifts of flowers, bottles of wine and calendars are customarily exchanged.

 

(7) Rosh Hashanah is viewed as a time of introspection and spiritual mediation known in Jewish circles as hatarat nedarim, which means the “annulling of vows” (i.e., the vows that are made to God as opposed to vows made to other people). Essentially, the Jew asks God to release him/her from vows that they may have made in a heated moment but were not truly heart felt and from casual statements that may have been worded as vows, but were not intended as such.

 

Some Jews actually go out and find at least 3 other people who also wish to be released from their vows to God. One individual from this group makes a declaration in the presence of the others. That gathering serves as a court of sorts. So, after the 1st person is absolved of their vows by the others, another takes a turn asking for absolution while the remaining members of the court absolve that person of their vows, and so forth until all members have been released from their vows.

 

Well, needless to say, Father is the only one who can release anyone from vows made to Him. Essentially, when a vow is made to the Creator, it needs to be fulfilled. Master wisely advised that we simply not make vows (Matthew 5:34). If we feel strongly that we want to do something to honor Father, simply do it without having to utter a word.

 

(8) Rosh Hashanah is known for apples dipped in honey and in record synagogue attendance. Jews are encouraged to eat a fruit they haven’t eaten in a long time on the 2nd night of the festival. Foods eaten during Rosh Hashanah are meant to symbolize wishes for prosperity and health in the coming year. Such foods include string beans, beets, pumpkins, leeks and fish heads. Certain Jewish sects hold Rosh Hashanah seders in which a blessing is said for each food eaten in a set order.

 

(9) Shofars are customarily blown just before Rosh Hashanah. In fact, the month that precedes Tishri (aka Elul or the 6th month) customarily features the sounding of the shofar each morning, except on weekly Sabbaths. It is suggested by some that the blowing of the shofar confuses hasatan about the date of Rosh Hashanah so that he will not be able to affect God’s judgment of people with his accusations against them.

 

(10) Rosh Hashanah is often accompanied with the recitation of Selichot (which means forgiveness). These are penitential prayers and poems that are added to the daily morning prayers.

 

As you can see, Trumpets in rabbinic influenced Judaism and in certain parts of the Messianic Community, is filled with fun traditions. However, it is also fraught with troublesome and even dangerous traditions and practices that serve, as Master proclaimed, “drawing the people nigh unto Yehovah with their mouths, honoring Him with their lips, but their hearts actually being far from Him; which essentially makes their worship of Yehovah pointless. The rabbis have effectively nullified Torah by teaching the people their foolish doctrines.

 

 

The Prophetic Meaning Embedded in Trumpets/Yom Teruah

The author of the Cepher (i.e., the book) of Hebrews penned, “The Torah is a shadow of the good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1).

 

As I mentioned at the top of this post, the Spring Feasts embody the process by which our salvation was purchased through the atoning sacrifice of our Master Yahoshua Messiah. Thus the Master’s Passion and Resurrection was foretold and rehearsed through the Spring Feasts of Passover/Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Pentecost/Shavuot. With the advent of the Fall Feasts, we enter into a future segment of the Plan of Salvation. The Fall Feasts foretell of the return of Yeshua HaMashiyach, the gathering of the elect from the 4-corners of the world, the establishment of His millennial kingdom headquartered in Jerusalem, the vanquishing of hasatan, and the advent of a new heaven and a new earth.

 

Trumpets is rich in prophetic significance.

 

We stated that Trumpets has some connection, symbolically speaking, to the giving of Torah at Sinai, as the giving of Torah was accompanied with the overwhelming sounds of heavenly trumpets or shofars. Along this line of thinking (i.e., Trumpets heralding the giving of Torah), one can clearly see how Trumpets can be tied to Yeshua Messiah.

 

Many Hebrew Rooters/Messianics believe that Yahoshua was born on Trumpets. Those who believe this point to the Gospel writer’s description of specific events surrounding the Master’s birth such as the shepherds tending their flocks in the field by night (indicative of the time of year); the census of all Jews as ordered by Rome; Herod the Great’s death and a proximal lunar eclipse as testified by the Jewish historian Josephus.

 

I will not go into any of these supposed supports for a Trumpets birth of our Messiah. All such supports have been exhaustively researched and frankly, sound probable to me.

 

Some, on the other end of speculation, place Yeshua’s birth sometime during the Feast of Tabernacles. Again, people in the know cite the same events to support their beliefs and claims.

 

I am torn, quite frankly, between both claims. However, at the end of the day, it really does not matter whether our Master was born on Trumpets or Tabernacles. The fact that He came to earth to set us free from the penalty of eternal death is the greater concern for me.

 

However, if one chooses to dwell upon Yeshua being born on Trumpets of either 6, 5, or 3 BCE, there is stark symbolism to be found here. When we contrast the historical event whereby Torah was given symbolically at Trumpets at Sinai with the birth of Master Yahoshua as the walking, talking, living Torah, who was sent to us to teach us how to live Torah the way Father always intended for it to be lived by His elect children. Yahoshua was prophesied way back in Torah by Yehovah. Moses wrote: “Yehovah your Elohim will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen (i.e., Hebrew=shemah) to Him…I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him” (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; KJV, adjusted).

 

It should be noted that the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets is not specifically mentioned in the books of the New Testament. Many have speculated when certain feasts, include Trumpets may have taken place during the life and earthly ministry of Yeshua HaMashiyach. Truth be told, however, there is no true mention of Trumpets in the Brit HaDashah (i.e., the New Testament).

 

Yom Teruah clearly symbolizes and foreshadows the raising of Father’s elect from the grave in the Last Days. We find in 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 and I Thessalonians 4:16 the following:

 

Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. At the last trump (i.e., shofar), for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed (I Corinthians 15:51, 52; KJV).

 

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (1Th 4:13-17 KJV)

In both descriptions, the sounding of the Trumpet or shofar of Yehovah is intricately and inextricably tied to the resurrection of the dead.

 

I would be remiss in mentioning here, having beaten up the Rabbis above as it relates to their observances of Trumpets/Rosh HaShanah, that they too understand Yom Teruah as the Day of the Resurrection.

 

I personally hold great admiration of the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets for its prophetic symbolism related to the resurrection of the Dead in Messiah and the translation of our bodies into glorified vessels.

 

Which brings me to the belief by some that Yahoshua will actually return on Yom Teruah in a not too distant year from now. Of course, the link to the resurrection of the dead and blowing of trumpets seems to be the support behind this belief.

 

I have never been too comfortable in assigning a return date to the return of Master Yahoshua. Master was quite clear when He responded to His disciples inquiry related to the time of His return and the establishment of His kingdom. He told them:

 

“Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36; KJV).

 

I don’t know about you, but I tend to take Master at His Word. Just saying.

 

So I tend to see Trumpets as more prophetically symbolic of the return of Yeshua with the power to raise the dead elect and translate the living into glorified beings, than an actual day that His return and that the resurrection will take place. That’s not to say that He won’t return on a future Yom Teruah. I am simply saying, He’s returning and He’s going to raise the dead and translate those of us who are Father’s elect in spite of a specific day or month.

 

Trumpets has also been directly tied to the establishing of Yeshua’s Millennial Kingdom here on earth. As King of Kings and Master of Masters, His ascent to the throne in Jerusalem is certainly worthy of the sounding of trumpets. The beloved Apostle John recorded:

 

And the 7th angel (consider the parallels: 7th month versus 7th angel who sounds the 7th trumpet) sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Master and of His Messiah; and He shall reign for ever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15; KJV, adjusted).

 

Another symbolic aspect of Trumpets that some have assumed holds prophetic meaning has to do with the mysterious Day of the Lord and the Great Tribulation. As I mentioned earlier in this post, trumpets were blown in ancient Israel to warn of coming danger (Ezekiel 33:2-6). Certainly, the Day of the Lord or the Great Tribulation will present the world with an existential danger, most aptly worthy of the blowing of trumpets.

 

We find the Prophet Joel (aka Yoel) foretelling that the Day of Yehovah being signaled by the sounding or blowing of shofars (aka trumpets). Yoel writes:

 

“Blow ye the shofar in Tsiyzon, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of Yehovah comes; for it is nigh at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess; a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great people and a strong; there has not been ever the like, neither shall be anymore after it, even to the years of many generations” (Joel 2:1, 2; Cepher, adjusted).

 

The prophet Zephaniah firms up Joel’s prophecy regarding the blowing of the shofar and the day of Yehovah in his writings:

 

The great day of Yehovah is near, it is near, and hastens greatly, even the voice of the day of Yehovah; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the shofar and alarm against the fenced cities and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Yehovah: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Yehovah’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy; for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land” (Zephaniah 1:14-18; Cepher, adjusted).

 

The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah go on to describe how this day will involve all the nations of the world (Jeremiah 25:15-33) and result in the very elements being shaken to their core (Isaiah 13:6-13; Haggai 2:6, 7; 2:10-12, 18-21).

 

Jewish tradition places these prophecies within the confines of the 10-Days of Awe—the 10-days that run between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur (aka the Day of Atonement). If this holds any prophetic water, so to speak, then no better name could be given to such a dark and sobering time as described by the prophets and even our Master, Yeshua Messiah.

 

Master revealed: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21, 22; KJV).

 

The apostle John witnessed images of this time and recorded them in chapters 6, 8 and 9 of his cepher The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah.

 

Indeed, when one really considers the enormity of what Yom Teruah represents in Father’s great Plan of Salvation, it cannot but help humble the Truth-seeking soul.

 

Five Things You Can Do to Prepare and Keep Trumpets/Yom Teruah

 

Contrary to a great many of our cousins in Judaism who place the traditions of the rabbis over the rule of Torah as it relates to the keeping of Trumpets; and contrary to our cousins in churchianity who reject Father’s feasts days and in their stead give themselves over to their pagan-rich festivals and horror-days; the Torah Observant Disciple of Yeshua focuses on the Spirit and Truth aspect of Trumpets.

 

Here I offer 5 things you can do—things that I am doing—in preparation for the Day of the Blowing of Trumpets/Yom Teruah.

(1) If you don’t already have one and you have the means of getting your hands on one, get yourself a shofar. If you already own one or have full access to one, start practicing on it every day. Remember, Father deserves the best that we can offer Him during His appointed times with us. What better way to show our love for Him at Trumpets/Yom Teruah than to sound that regal instrument for His glory?

 

(2) Study up on the Fall Feasts of Yehovah, especially on Yom Teruah. There’s not a whole lot of Scriptures that directly address this Feast, but the prophetic references that are scattered throughout the prophets and the New Testament/Brit HaDashah when read in context with accompanying Torah references to the day will go a long way towards preparing you spiritually to greet the day when it finally arrives.

 

(3) Pray in anticipation of the Day. I would strongly encourage that you start preparing yourself mentally and spiritually for the Day. The best way to do that is, of course, to pray extensively about it. Petition Father to place you and your household in such a spirit and mindset such that the keeping of that day is fully optimized. Also it doesn’t hurt to seek Father’s assistance in banning all evil from our homes during these holy days. Nothing destroys a Feast observance and celebration than the antics and devilish ploys of the enemy in the midst of these holy days. All it takes is a lousy demeanor by a member of our family; an illness in the family; sudden financial strifes; unforeseen misadventures to dampen the planned festivities and spirit of the day. Thus, prepare for the day by erecting a powerful spiritual wall around us, the members of our families and fellowships and our homes to help ensure that Trumpets goes off without a hitch.

 

(4) Plan out how you will keep Trumpets in advance. Father was thoughtful enough to arrange before the foundations of the earth were laid, these special, appointed times to meet with us. It is only sensible and loving on our part to petition the Spirit that is in each of us to show us how we are to specifically keep Trumpets this year. Whether its with the brethren convening a holy convocation or attending a celebration virtually—online, Trumpets should not show up at our doorsteps without us being properly prepared to joyously celebrate the day with our Heavenly Father.

 

(5) Share your thoughts on Trumpets with others of like mind. Or for that matter, with others who may not know anything about the Feasts, but who may be receptive to understanding why we do what we do. Certainly don’t endeavor to cast pearls before swine, so to speak, and squander opportunities to share the Word of the Almighty. However, if Father makes apparent an opportunity to share the Word with someone else, by all means share the Word.