This study is going to be about understanding the Feast of Trumpets. We will be explaining the symbolisms used as well as the purpose of those symbols. We will be also discussing if this feast has an application for us today and in the future. As we begin, there is a thought that this feast is a memorial of creation but I see no evidence of that idea being correct. Let's begin by going to the first time this feast is mentioned.
Lev 23:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Lev 23:24 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. Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
This feast is centered on blowing trumpets, resting from servile work and Assembling with brethren. The word Trumpet is not in Hebrew but it’s implied. The word blowing or sounding is in the Hebrew and that word is Teruah. This word means to Shout/Declare, Alarm and even a battle cry. This day is called Yom Teruah or the day of acclamation or alarming. This alone gives us the nature of this feast and what it’s supposed to teach us.
Let us look at when the Father gave them the instructions to make the trumpet so we can see what the Father intended this feast to teach us.
Num 10:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Num 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. Num 10:3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Num 10:4 And if they blow but with one trumpet,then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. Num 10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. Num 10:6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. Num 10:7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Num 10:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. Num 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Num 10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
We see Father emphasizing on quite a few points. We see that the trumpet is blown to tell the people to assemble themselves with one another, to prepare to journey and when their enemies were approaching. Each one of these soundings of the trumpets has very important spiritual meaning. Another important reason for the day of acclamation/Feast of Trumpets is to get the people to assemble and prepare for the Day of Atonement which was ten days later. This day is also referred to as the Day of Judgment but we will have a separate study specifically on that.
Let’s look simply at what the blowing of trumpets symbolizes before we go into anything else.
Isa_58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voicelike a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
The blowing of the trumpet symbolizes the lifting up of our voices. Now if there is a command from our Father to lift up our voices, we have to see why this command is made. We saw that one of the reasons of the blowing of trumpets in Number chapter 10 was to call an assembly. Let’s see if this occurs by trumpets or by lifting our Voices.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Jer 4:5Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
Not only do these verses reveal the declaration to repent and have our hearts circumcised but it also shows us that the blowing of the trumpets is our voices. It uses the words, declares, Says, and CRY, which are all referring to lifting up of your voice. Verse 5 of Jeremiah chapter 4 also shows us that the call is to assemble ourselves and go into a defenced city which emphasizes in protection. Isaiah 58 verse 1 says to show my people their transgression and Israel their sins. So we see prior to assembling yourselves there has to be repentance. How can a people repent if no one lifts up their voice to show the people their sins?
Another purpose of lifting up our voices or Sounding the trumpet is to get people aware of the enemy.
Num 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemythat oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies
We know that our enemy is the devil and his devices.
Mat_13:39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
We also know that the devices from the devil is something we war against as well.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The prophet Jeremiah is a perfect example showing how we ought to lift up our voices for the people to be warned so they wont get destroyed by sin and the enemy.
Jer 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
Jer 4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? Jer 4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Do we see a Warning call, as well as a call to assemble in the last days?
Messiah tells us that in the days right before His return there will be a call from every place. He will call His sheep and they will Hear His voice.
Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Messiah Tells us in the future there will be a call to assemble in order to manifest that Messiah is the shepherd of only one fold or people. With this in mind, we also have the universal principle of warning our brethren of their sins.
Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
The day of Declaration or the feast of trumpets is not only to call us to assemble and repent but to remind us that as a people, we were called to sound a trumpet in this world. We are called to warn this world that the current state it is in will lead them to destruction by the hands of the enemy. This trumpet also calls them to beware of the inevitable wrath of the Father. The prophet Joel tells us about our present and future work.
Joe 2:1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joe 2:14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? Joe 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Joe 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Joe 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
Verse 1 in Joel chapter 2, tells us the purpose of the trumpet being blown. It's because the Messiahs return is about to happen and Those who have not heard this call to repent and assemble have this opportunity. This is a mercy plea. Father is using His people to shout and cry loud and let the world know Messiah is coming and they can escape the destruction that goes along with holding on to sin.
Is there a message we are supposed to be given in these last days resembling this idea of lifting a trumpet and calling as an assembly?
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
The Message is exposing the sins of the people and these organizations in this world and calling those who desire to, to come out of those deceiving organizations as well as sinful lifestyles. This is when Messiah will finally have the Fold He is calling. This is done by His servants and messengers lifting their voice like a trumpet in the last days.
We see this trumpet sounds right before judgment is executed and the Messiah returns. It is NOT a coincidence that the Day of Declaration/Feast of Teruah occurs right before the day of atonement which is the day of judgment and cleansing.
Joe 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
We know that the fast is associated with the Day of Atonement. Let’s see another example:
Isa 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Isa 58:3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Isa 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Isa 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul?is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
We see that the Day of declaring or the Feast of Teruah not only reveals to us our mission as watchmen but It also teaches us the message as we see this trumpet sounding throughout scripture by the prophets. We see it is to call Gods people to repent, assemble, fast as well as prepare for the time of Judgment. Due to the lack of observing and studying this feast, we are unaware of what message is needed at this time. Many are also walking around unwarned of the upcoming danger of those who hold on to sin. This is a solemn time in which the trumpet should be sounding constantly. Time is not on our side, and judgment is nigh.
I hope this study brought some light as to the meaning of the Feast of Teruah as well as clarity of the message those who blow the trumpet should declare. I pray we lay down all that which is contrary to the Word of God and receive the Spirit of Messiah to receive power to walk even as He walked.