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The Feast of Trumpets began this Wednesday at sunset. It goes by various names in Hebrew: Yom Teruah (day of the trumpet blast), Zikron Teruah (a memorial for blowing the trumpets) and RoshHoshannah (Head of the Year). It is celebrated on the first day of the Hebrew month called Tishri. It is considered the beginning of the civil year and begins the Ten Days of Awe.
On the Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish people believe that God will write your name in one of three books: the book of life, the book of the wicked, or the book of the intermediate. This is why there is such a heavy emphasis on repentance during the season of Teshuvah. This day also has tremendous prophetic implications.
In the future, a seven-year period called the 70th week of Daniel will take place. It will commence the most chaotic time ever known on planet Earth. There will be wars between many nations, famine will be rife, pestilence will spread like never before and humanity will be in total desperation. God's wrath will be poured out. Billions of people will perish in the process. As we approach the end of this seven-year period, the remnants of the nations will march on Jerusalem to destroy God's people.
Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, who go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. ... They gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Rev. 16:13-14, 16).
These nations are gathering to fight for control of the world. They also want to stamp out what remains of Israel. Just when it seems to be a hopeless situation, Jesus Christ will intervene on their behalf! He will blow the trumpet (shofar in Hebrew, which means a ram's horn) and return to save His people!
"Then the Lord will appear over them, and His arrow will go out like lightning. The Lord God will sound His trumpet, and will march forth like storm winds of southern Teman" (Zech. 9:14).
I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ...
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.
Jesus Christ will return on a white horse to deliver His people from utter destruction. Following Him will be the armies of God, which is the body of Christ (Rev. 17:14). After these armies are defeated, there will be people who have survived this terrible seven-year time period. Zechariah 14 is another passage that discusses this battle. It mentions the survivors of the nations (verse 16).
When Jesus returns, a court will be seated, and books will be opened! Every person who survives the wrath of God will have an opportunity to have their name written in the book of life:
I watched until the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days was seated, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His throne was like the fiery flame, and its wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came out from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened.
As we remember and celebrate this year's Feast of Trumpets, we have much to keep in mind. Let us not forget that Jesus will deliver His people at Armageddon at the sound of the trumpet. He can also deliver you today. Let us also remember that He offers the grace that allows your name to be written in the book of life.
Kelly McDonald Jr.is an ordained evangelist at Hungry Hearts Ministries in Jackson, Tennessee. He has written over 40 books and booklets on pursing Christ, Hebrew roots and end-times prophecy. He is currently president of the Bible Sabbath Association (BSA). You can follow him at kellymcdonaldjr.com.
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Last week, Israelis began excitedly preparing for Rosh HaShanah, the secular Jewish New Year. As you may know, Israel observes two main New Year's. According to Exodus 12:2, the new year which God gave us starts in the spring. The secular or civil New Year's celebrated the first day of the seventh month ("Tishrei").
Rosh HaShana literally means "Head of the Year." The holiday falls this year on Sept. 20-22. It is traditionally celebrated with liturgical worship, merry greetings and gatherings, gift-giving and sounding the shofar. A hearty consumption of apples and honey symbolizes hopes for a sweet new year. Prophetic words about the upcoming year (which will be 5778) now add to the mix, as more and more Christians celebrate this special day.
It is good that Gentile followers of Messiah are engaging in the biblically Hebraic roots of our faith. We Messianic Jews encourage your authentic celebration of the feasts. What you may not know, however, is that some of the most critical, biblical aspects of Rosh HaShana are overlooked by many Jews and Christians due to a focus on extra-biblical traditions. Restoring the purity of God's appointed day in your celebration could bring even greater blessing to you, others—and Him.
What are some ways we can restore the foundations of this week's feast known as Rosh Hashanah? First, Rosh HaShanah as the Jewish new year is not a biblical feast. It is not mentioned or even directly referenced in the Scriptures. The feast that is commanded on what has been popularized as Rosh HaShanah is actually the day of blasting trumpets (Num. 29:1) or according to Leviticus 23:24, memorial of trumpet blasting. The Hebrew name for the day is Yom Teruah.
There is reason to believe Rosh HaShanah was likely observed by the ancient Israelites. It developed as a major holiday during the Jewish exile in Babylon in order to accommodate the pagan culture in which Israel had become immersed. Eventually, it overshadowed any national emphasis on the new year God actually designated for His people, which is the first day of the first month, called "Nissan." Unfortunately, Rosh HaShanah also eroded much of the significance of Yom Teruah. This is reflected in the fact Yom Teruah is the only feast rarely called by its biblical name. So to start, to help restore the pure essence and meaning of the day, Rosh HaShanah ought rightly be called, and observed as, Yom Teruah.
One rationale for the replacement of Yom Teruah with Rosh HaShanah, and resulting new year focus, is the rabbinic belief that Yom Teruah marks either the creation of the world, or of Adam and Eve, or both. (Believing in both could impact the meaning of seven "days" of creation.) This is based partly on a complex, mystical word play on the first word of Scripture, bereishit. In any case, I believe we would do best to call the day as God calls it, namely, a day to sound trumpets:
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you will have a holy assembly. You will do no ordinary work. It is a day of blowing the trumpets for you. You will offer a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the Lord ... [a] grain offering] ... [and other offerings] made by fire to the Lord" (Num. 29:1-6).
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorial with the blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work, and you shall offer a food offering made by fire to the Lord (Lev. 23:23-25).
According to the Scriptures, God wants us to honor what we call Rosh HaShanah as a Sabbath. Instead of our usual daily work, we are to gather in holy assembly with His people. He instructs us to make temple offerings and sacrifice, but thankfully, the atonement of Yeshua fulfills this command. In Yeshua, we are to approach Yom Teruah (and everyday) with a spirit of sacrificial surrender: "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God" (Rom. 12:1). Perhaps most importantly, the Scriptures say God wants us blasting trumpets loudly and repeatedly throughout the day. According to tradition, the shofar was (and is) sounded in Israel 100 times.
Understanding certain Hebrew nuances of the name Yom Teruah can help us grasp deeper realities of the day. The Hebrew word which is translated "sound trumpets" or "blow trumpets" in Numbers 29 and Leviticus 23 is teruah. According to Strong's Concordance, the Hebrew root for teruah means (1) to disfigure or shatter by breaking; (2) to split ears by loud noise, such as by shouting for joy, sounding an alarm or intense crying and (3) loud destruction or triumph. Based on the root meanings of teruah, Yom Teruah can be translated as a day of loud clamor or noise, loud acclamations of joy, piercingly loud alarms, shattering battle cries and jubilee. This is significant!
Collectively, the Hebrew meanings of teruah describe kingdom breakthrough. Not just humankind, but the earth and spirit realms may be affected by the ear-piercing cries, wails and triumphant declarations and decrees released this day through the shofar. One (admittedly exra-biblical) possibility is that heaven's shofars are sounded over the earth realm on Yom Teruah. As we come into agreement with the declarations and decrees of YHVH by likewise blowing trumpets, His kingdom on earth is released in greater measure.
When Yom Teruah was divinely instituted, the Israelites would have associated shofar blasting with their first and only direct, national encounter with YHVH. The literal heaven- and earth-shaking encounter took place at Mount Sinai. After a great and mighty shofar blast, God gave His people the gift of His holy Law (Ex. 19:13, 16-19; 20:18). Therefore, to the ancient Israelites, Yom Teruah would have served as a memorial—but also reaffirmation or renewal—of divine covenant: "If you will faithfully obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My special possession out of all the nations ...Then all the people answered together and said, ' All that the Lord has spoken we will do: (Ex. 19:5, 8a). If you, too, are in covenant relationship with God, Yom Teruah can be a special day to remember and reaffirm or renew covenant as the shofar blasts.
Before long, trumpets were associated in Israel with other key events. They were used to call sacred assemblies. They sounded military battle cries to which God promised to respond: "When you go into battle ... sound a blast ... then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies" (Num. 10:1-10). If you assemble (with or without others) before God this Yom Teruah, or are engaged in battle (and who isn't?) why not ask Him to apply trumpet blast victory to your situation?
A final primary purpose of trumpets was to declare the coronation of a king or anointing of a high priest (1 Kings 1:34, 39; 2 Kings 9:13; 11:12-14, 2 Sam. 15:10) Therefore, on Yom Teruah, observant Jews still declare the kingship of YHVH over creation. Yom Teruah is also an ideal time to declare Yeshua as King and High Priest over your life, your nation, Israel and all the earth.
With Yeshua as its focus, Yom Teruah is not just a memorial or new year celebration. It can serve as a prophetic act of intercession, worship, repentance and re-alignment with YHVH. It is also a form of spiritual warfare. "Dream" with me, for a moment. What might possibly happen if on Yom Teruah, Holy Spirit-filled shofar blasting resounded across Israel and the nations? What kingdom breakthroughs could transpire if His people around the world gathered in their respective nations, in unity by the Spirit, and sounded trumpets for a day to affirm covenant with YHVH, declare Yeshua's kingship and posture themselves for Kingdom advance?
In addition to all the above, Yom Teruah is a prophetic foreshadow of Messiah's return and resurrection of the dead. When Yeshua comes to earth, heaven's trumpets will sound loudly (1 Thess. 4:16-17, 1 Cor. 15:52, Matt. 24:30-31). Some believe that on a future Yom Teruah, followers of Yeshua will be caught up in the air to meet Him. Others say Yom Teruah is the day on which He will physically return to judge humankind. Still others say both could take place simultaneously.
Observant Jews who do not believe in Yeshua (and some who do) have traditionally regarded Yom Teruah as a day of judgment. It is said that heaven contains books in which every person's words and deeds are recorded. There are also books of life and death, and all are opened on Yom Teruah. On Yom Teruah, God carefully reviews the books. Some rabbis believe Satan is given access to heaven's court on Yom Teruah. There he stands and accuses humankind, proverbially throwing the book at us. God hears Satan's case, then gives us 10 days to repent of our sin. Ten days later He closes the books and seals our destiny for the upcoming year. The day of sealed or final judgment is known as Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:26)
Such a scenario could well foreshadow the end of this age. After followers of Yeshua are caught up to join Him in the marriage supper of the Lamb, those remaining will have 10 days, so to speak, to turn to God before they are judged. If this is so, the trumpet call this Yom Teruah offers an ideal time to praise God for the gift of forgiveness of sin and to pray for the salvation of others. He desires that none perish, but that all gain everlasting life. Pray especially for Israel's salvation as our people gather in synagogues this Yom Teruah, read His Word and leave hoping to be inscribed in God's book of life.
Yom Teruah is a day to hear, and then do, what the Spirit is saying through the shofar. It is a day to engage with fresh revelation of and from God. It is a day to celebrate a fresh start—and new year, if you will. I encourage you to eat the scroll that is trumpeted on Yom Teruah, and then, feel free to enjoy your apples and honey, too!
Sandra Teplinsky has been in Messianic Jewish ministry since 1979. She is president and founder of Light of Zion, a Messianic outreach to Israel and the church based in Jerusalem.
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