FEAST OF TRUMPETS Rosh Hashanah

…In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there shall be a sabbath for you, a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation. -Leviticus 16:24

 

Significance: New Year/ New beginnings – to start over

 

Observances: Sounding the shofar (ram’s horn trumpet)

 

Length: 2 Days – the Feast of Trumpets occurs at the time of the new moon. The entire calendar of YHVH revolves around the moon {never the sun}. In Bible times, as it is today, this feast is celebrated for two days instead of one.

 

Customs: Dipping apples in honey; Casting off “sins”(stones) into a river

 

Greeting: L’shanah tovah! (For a good year!)

 

The feast of Trumpets {Rosh Hashanah} occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. The previous month of Elul is the time of preparation {introspection} just as Friday is the day of preparation of Shabbat. The season is a time of reflection, contemplation, and putting things in order and getting right our relationship with YHVH {awakening our spirit}. The Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement {Yom Kippur} are the holiest days of the year. These ten days are called the Day of Awe or High Holy Days. Unlike other holy days, we do not celebrate as season or historical event. This season is a time for looking inward to spiritual growth – also blowing the shofar for our neighbor/friend who needs to be awakened.

 

The themes surrounding this include:

Also known as: Day of Judgment

 

The history of the Feast of Trumpets as a “Day of Judgment” is from the legend that Yahuvah sits in judgment between the New Year {Rosh Hashanah} and the Day of Atonement over mankind to determine fates for the coming year. We need to do introspection of our life in order to repent before His ‘Mercy Seat’ – Seeking to find favor and mercy from our King, instead of judgment and punishment in the year to come.

 

The blowing of the Shofar {Trumpet}

 

The shofar (ram’s horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet).

One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar. A total of 100 notes are sounded each day.

 

There are four different types of shofar notes:

Tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; Shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, Teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; Tekiah gedolah (literally, “big tekiah”), the final blast in a set, which lasts (I think) 10 seconds minimum. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar’s sound is a call to repentance. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat.

 

Reason for blowing the shofar/trumpet:

 

It is used as a signal during time of war and judgment {Judges 3:27}It is an announcement of Jubilee year {Lev 25:9)It is blown during coronation services of a new King {1 Kings 1:34}It is a sign of the regathering of dispersed Israel. {Isa 27:13}It was sounded as a warning of danger {awaken your spirit – the end is near} {Amos 3:6}Sign of anticipation of the day of arrival of the Messiah. {Zech 9:14}

 

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah.

 

Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year. The second Jewish religious practice is: lighting Chanukkah candles. You can also dip bread in honey (instead of the usual practice of sprinkling salt on it) at this time of year for the same reason.

Another popular practice of the holiday is Tashlikh (“casting off”). Walk to flowing water, such as a creek or river, on the afternoon of the first day and empty our pockets into the river, symbolically casting off our sins. Small pieces of bread are commonly put in the pocket to cast off. This practice is not discussed in the Bible, and is only a long-standing custom. Tashlikh is normally observed on the afternoon of the first day, before afternoon services. When the first day occurs on Shabbat, many synagogues observe Tashlikh on Sunday afternoon, to avoid carrying (the bread) on Shabbat.

 

My personal suggestion: Let each person of your family make his/her own list of people {names] – taking time to pray and blow the shofar for every name on the list.

 

Prayer example of: Let his/her spirit be awakened. Let him/her hear the sound of YHVH’s cry and follow Him into the desert – to become set apart. May they find remorse and truth to be able to repent and find YHVH’s Atonement – before it is too late.

 

More: This holiday/feast also focuses on the concept of YHVH Elohiym ’s sovereignty.

The common greeting at this time is L’shanah tovah (“for a good year”). This is a shortening of “L’shanah tovah tikatev v’taihatem” (or to women, “L’shanah tovah tikatevi v’taihatemi”), which means “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

 

You may notice that the Bible speaks of Rosh Hashanah as occurring on the first day of the seventh month. The first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan, occurring in March and April. Why, then, does the Jewish “new year” occur in Tishri, the seventh month?

 

In Judaism, Nissan 1 is the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings and months on the calendar, Elul 1 (in August) is the new year for the tithing of animals, Shevat 15 (in February) is the new year for trees (determining when first fruits can be eaten, etc.), and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is the new year for years (when we increase the year number. Sabbatical and Jubilee years begin at this time).

 

Rosh Hashanah will occur on the following days of the secular calendar:

Will begin in the evening of Monday 30 September 2019

and ends in the evening of Tuesday , 1 October 2019

 

SUMMARY:

Old Testament significance: Repentance and reflection

Trumpets/shofar’s are blown to prepare for day of Atonement {next 10 days of Awe}Yom Teruah: also meaning          “ Day of Awakening blast” (for yourself and neighbor}

 

Yahushua and future significance:

The re-gathering of YHVH’s people for the final Day of Atonement Return of Yahushua our Messiah – we the Bride must be ready We are entering the prophetic times of the 10 virgins {Matt 25} oil lamps must be ready (spirit filled life}.Don’t be asleep or weary when the time of the ‘Bridegroom’ comes Sounding the Trumpet/shofar call – to awake from spiritual drowsiness, sleep and stubborn sin.

Jer 32:37 ‘See, I am gathering them out of all the lands where I have driven them in My displeasure, and in My wrath, and in great rage. And I shall bring them back to this place, and shall let them dwell in safety. 38 ‘And they shall be My people, and I shall be their Elohiym .

1Co 15:51 See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Th 4:16 Because the Master Himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, and with the trumpet of Elohiym , and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.

How do we celebrate (Remember it is more important to understand the spiritual significance – this is merely symbolic guidline):

 

Blow the Shofar during the 2 days.Understand and read (Eph 5:14) That is why He says, “Wake up, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Messiah shall shine on you.”Focus on repentance and reflection before YHVH Elohiym Read the Parable of the 10 Virgins to your kids – Matthew 25

 

With Shabbat – theme: Wedding feast of the Lamb {white linen and silver – talk about purity}With dinner – apples dipped in honey {Song of Songs 2:3-5}This is also time for personal reflection, repentance – next ten days until Day of Atonement {Redemption}.Ask Ruach Ha Kodesh to lead you!

 

Why blast of the Shofar:

To Praise and Worship YHVH Elohiym {Ps 150:3}It marks the beginning of the Year {anniversary of the beginning of Creation}As wake-up call or warning signal (Joel 1:1, 12}Hear the blowing of the horn, we fear and tremble and bend our wills to the will of the Creator for such is the effect of the ram’s horn, which caused shaking and trembling, as it is written {Amos 3:6}We can use it as a watchman{read whole of Ez 33}As part of spiritual warfare for the souls of men {2 Cor 4:4}For revival of the dead {dead in spirit}To fight against strongholds {in people’s minds etc} {Joshua 6}The Gentiles can sound a call for the Jews to return to their land and to Yahushua {Isa 27:13}The Shofar will be blown when Yahushua Messiah comes back for His Bride {1 Thes 4:16}

May you sing aloud unto YHVH our strength: make a joyful noise unto Him. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the El (God) of Jacob. May we hear His voice and not walk in our own counsel. May we walk in His ways. May we be satisfied only by Him. May this ceremony of the blowing of the Shofar be a magnificent sight. May the blowing of the Shofar awaken our conscience – Amein.

 

Roxzaan Botha (Light of YHVH Ministry/Melody of His Heart)