Feast of Trumpets

A very brief description of Feast of Trumpets

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation.
You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the LORD."
(Leviticus 23: 23-25)

Some would think this a good feast to begin our study, because the Hebrew Civil calendar celebrates the new year at the same time, but really, I see this feast more as the finale’ – like turning to the last page of the book before reading the first chapter; however, chronologically, it is the next feast coming up: the first day of the seventh Biblical month, Teshrei, which falls on September 23, 2006 for us Westerners. So after wrestling with this issue, I have decided to both begin and end the study of feasts with Trumpets, so you will see it again, and then you will understand what I’m talking about. Till then, trust me, and be patient! It is worth the wait!

Yom Truach means day of blasting. On the first day of the seventh month, both trumpets and shofars (rams horns) are blown throughout the day to celebrate this feast. (I love it, because I am a trumpeter!) When Abraham took Isaac to the mountain, a ram was provided as sacrifice because of his faith and obedience. Shofars are made from rams horns. (It takes a little getting used to blowing a shofar. They don’t smell so great, but they make a marvelous sound!)

Numbers 10:1-10 gives instructions to make two trumpets of silver, and describes reasons to blow them:

• to announce a sacred assembly


• to sound an alarm for battle


• to honor God as a memorial at feasts and times of rejoicing

There are numerous illustrations throughout the Bible of the enactment of trumpets in these ways. Following is just one example for each:

• In Exodus 19: 16-20, the Lord had Moses assemble the people as a sacred assembly at the foot of the mountain. As God descends in fire and smoke upon the mountain, trumpets blasted. (vs 16 & 19) {I’m thinking these trumpets were blown by angels}.
  
• Perhaps the most well known for sounding the trumpet in battle is Joshua 6 when the trumpets sounded (v 20) and the people shouted and the walls of Jericho came down.
  
• King David wrote of praising God with the trumpet at feasts and times of rejoicing in His goodness, {along with singing and dancing!} (Psalm 47; 81;150) (I love it!)

The trumpet was also used by the Groom to announce his approaching arrival to his waiting Bride so she would be ready when he came to take her to their wedding. We will discuss this in much greater detail when we revisit this feast and it will amaze you what an absolutely beautiful picture this is of the return of our Lord, Who has gone to prepare a place for His Church Bride ( John 14:2-3) and will sound His arrival for Her with a loud trumpet! (Matthew 24: 30-31; I Thessalonians 4:1-18; I Corinthians 15).

Rosh Ha Shana is a civil holiday. It means “head-of-the-year.” occurring on the first and second days of Teshrei, causing it to coincide with the Feast of Trumpets. {For this reason, many people do not recognize any difference between the two and miss out on the full meaning of Trumpets}. Rosh Ha Shana is the civil new year’s day. The Biblical new year is the first month at Passover.

Perhaps this time is chosen for the civil new year because of the events in Nehemiah 8 when the people were gathered on the first day of the seventh month to hear the book of the law which had not been read for some time, thus re-instituting it, along with the feasts, to their lives and culture.

Though there is feasting for Rosh Ha Shana, it is also a time to reflect and examine one’s life before God as one begins a new year. The ten days from Feast of Trumpets to the Day of Atonement are known as the “Days of Awe.” During this time God's people are called to self-examination, repentance, and restoration.

Of course, every feast has its traditional feast foods. A few can be found at:

http://judaism.about.com/od/roshhashanarecipes/

Intro to the Seven Feasts of Messiah

A great many Christians of the Western World look at the traditions of the Old Testament as Jewish traditions that are not relevant to the modern Christian. But I want to challenge you to ponder that there are God ordained traditions, such as the seven feasts (and one fast) of Leviticus 23, which are for all those who follow Him, for in them He reveals much about His character and His plan for mankind through the ages (past, present, and future). As adopted children into the family of God, it seems to me that whether or not you feel led to practice them, we would all do well to learn the traditions which honor our Heavenly Father, for they hold models of His truth which will enrich our walk of faith.

“The Lord said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: These are the appointed feasts of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations (or proclaim as sacred assemblies); they are My appointed feasts.” (Leviticus 23: 1,2)

I would never advocate allowing tradition to become empty ritual, or to replace relationship. That is always a temptation of the flesh; however, I believe that an understanding of, and participation in, God ordained traditions, can add another dimension to our relationship with Him. My viewpoint is that we should consider the instructions God has given through time as being good for us. For example, it is true, no food is unclean to us any more, and we are not called to observe the kosher dietary rules that were once vital to health, although those rules are still healthy if someone chooses to follow them. But I also think that we get so comfortable in our cultural ways, that sometimes we fail to see that we might have abandoned something good for something pleasurable and not so good, just because “we can” and perhaps God intended something better for us. Just a thought to contemplate.

Before I say anything else, I want to emphasize that Jesus was a Jewish man who lived a Jewish lifestyle within the Jewish culture. He observed these traditions, and the first New Testament believers, both Jew and Gentile continued these traditions for many years. Jesus, Yeshua, the Lamb of God, became the ultimate sacrifice, paying the penalty for our sins, fulfilling the law and abolishing the need for any further animal sacrifices (which were instituted as a temporary measure to satisfy the law until Messiah came and fulfilled the law). As we examine each feast, we will see how Yeshua fulfills the role of sacrifice, thereby replacing the old covenant with the new covenant within the feast. This is why the believers understood what Paul was saying in I Corinthians 5:7-8 when He said “Christ the Passover is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast.”

The other really cool thing I learned, is that God has purposefully chosen to reveal Himself and bring about significant events on the feasts, and the meanings of these events with their corresponding feasts is fascinating! Not all seven have been fulfilled. There is a reason! Its discovery is exciting! For now, let’s just say that seven is a number of completion, and the history of man is not yet complete!

Before we can discuss the appointed feasts of the Lord, we must understand some basics. The Biblical day is from sunset to sunset. Sabbath, or Shabbat, is from Sunset of the 6th day of the week [Friday] until sunset of the 7th day of the week [Saturday]. (Leviticus 23:3) [Christians later replaced the 7th day Sabbath with the first day to worship because Christ rose on the first day of the week]. I think both traditions honor God.

The lengths of the Biblical months are related to the New Moon. According to the Biblical calendar, we are in the year 5767; although the Hebrew civil calendar does not recognize the new year until Rosh Ha Shana, which is a civil celebration that falls within the feast of trumpets. [Lev 23: 23-25], so if you look at a calendar and it says 5766, that is why (as of this writing July 2007).

Over the next few weeks, I will briefly explain what I have learned over the past year about the seven feasts of Messiah. There are, of course, many good books which go into greater detail, and I will recommend some. This is just a brief summary from my experience of being discipled by a wonderful Messianic Jewish sister in the Lord, and hopefully it will wet your appetite to learn more. And don’t just take my word for things, go to His Word and ask the Holy Spirit to testify of truth to you.

Psalm 100

There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet.
Each letter is also a number.
Numbers in the Bible have meaning,
but not to be confused with the practice of numerology.

Psalm 100
is an example of literary artistry

100 is for the Children of Promise.
That is, the Jewish people,
and everyone else who is adopted through Jesus (Yeshua) 
into the family of God.

The Children of Promise are given:

instructions to do 7 things:
(1) SHOUT JOYFULLY to the Lord all the earth
(2) SERVE the lord with gladness
(3) COME before Him with joyful singing
(4) KNOW that the Lord Himself is God
      It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
      We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.
(5) ENTER His gates with thanksgiving
      And His courts with praise.
(6) GIVE THANKS to Him,
(7) BLESS HIS NAME.

3 reasons to do them:
(1) For the Lord is good
(2) His lovingkindness is everlasting
(3) And His faithfulness to all generations.

7 stands for Perfect, Complete.
3 is Fullness. Like fullness of time. The Trinity is the fullness of God.
7 + 3 = 10.
10 is for Divine Order.

When the Children of Promise follow seven instructions in divine order,
it brings about fullness in their lives with God.

(Taken from a teaching by Richard Siegal, Remnant of Israel)

There are so many wonderful examples of literary genius in the Bible. One is Proverbs 31: 10-31, which is written as an acrostic poem in Hebrew, each of the 22 verses beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  Beautiful, complex, and rich with meaning.

For more information on Hebrew letters and numbers, visit: http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/hebrew-numbers.html