The Trumpet of God
This year, Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year – begins at sundown on Friday, September 18 and ends at sundown the next day. It is not always that Rosh Hashanah falls on a Sabbath, but it does this year. Trumpets were to be blown to mark this Feast of the Lord. A shofar is the Hebrew word for the ram’s horn which is used in this yearly celebration.
Below is a reflection piece on Rosh Hashanah and the “Lord’s feasts” that was written by Cheryl Gonzales from Jacksonville, FL who is the former Director of Shoresh USA.
The Day of Trumpets is upon us! God's Word instructs us to observe His appointed times forever. Now obviously there is no temple for animal sacrifices to take place, and Jesus has fulfilled the sacrificial requirements anyway. So just how in the world do we observe His biblical holy days today? I'll leave that up to you and the Lord, but I do want to say a few words about the importance of our proclaiming God's appointed times - specifically the Day of Trumpets.
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "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; they are my appointed feasts." Lev. 23:1, 2 ESV
First of all, to proclaim means to pronounce, call out, invite, preach. One of the things that I have taught over and over (because the Lord has impressed it upon me over and over) is that until Jesus returns we are to proclaim the Lord's appointed times.
As I have studied the biblical feasts over the years, it remains clear to me that to proclaim the "feasts" is to proclaim the Gospel. To proclaim God's appointed times is to tell the story of Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, His gift of the Holy Spirit, and His return. It thrills me to think that when God was establishing these sacrificial holy days, He was Himself proclaiming the Messiah and what He would accomplish for mankind.
The feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits point to and are fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Feast of Weeks points to the giving of the Torah and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to obey His Word. The Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles point us to Jesus' return.
Since it is the Day of Trumpets that is upon us now, I'll leave you with some passages to consider on this holy day. This day which the Lord appointed would be a good time to consider what His Word has to say about trumpets - after all, it seems an odd thing that the Lord appointed a whole day for the sounding of trumpets! He appointed a day to remember the exodus and a whole day for atonement; so one might naturally ask, "What is the big deal about trumpets that God would set aside an entire day to blow trumpets as a memorial?"
I pray this Day of Trumpets (a.k.a. Rosh Hashanah) will be a memorable time with the Lord for you. Proclaiming His death, resurrection, and return ~
Some Scriptures to Ponder
Leviticus 23:23-35 ~ God's appointment of the day
Zechariah 9:14,16 ~ God will blow the shofar in the last days
I Thessalonians 4:16, 17 ~ The sound of the shofar will be sounded at the resurrection of the dead in Christ
I Corinthians 15:52 ~ We shall all be changed at the last trumpet.
Revelation 1:10 ~ The voice of Jesus is like the sound of the trumpet
Revelation 8:13; 11:15-19 ~ The seven angels with the seven trumpets (read chapters 8 -11!)