Yom Teruah, the Day of Trumpets. Commonly taught by the Jewish as the day of creation, Rosh Hashannah, one of two New Years Days. We, however, can easily dismiss this as it is neither Biblical nor even has roots within Israel. It is a Babylonian belief that such a day to their Holiday held this meaning, and the Jews in captivity adopted it as a part of theirs. Much like Christmas was adopted by the Catholics. It is however the day of the Messiah's Birth, so it still maintains its prophetic significance for his Second Coming, as well as being the true day to celebrate his First Coming.
We find this Holy Day given to us in Leviticus 23:23-25, 23 Adonai said to Moshe, 24 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘In the seventh month, the first of the month is to be for you a day of complete rest for remembering, a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar.25 Do not do any kind of ordinary work, and bring an offering made by fire to Adonai.’”
We see from 1 Corinthians 15:52, 52 It will take but a moment, the blink of an eye, at the final shofar. For the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed.
For those who have read the link above explaining how we know that this is the day of Yeshua's birth, you will be interested to know that the astronomical alignment mentioned in Revelations 12 will come again, and for the first time since 3 BC it will again align on the Feast of Trumpets! This is to happen in the year 2017. While we can not hardline to say that this must be the day of Jesus' second coming it is certainly possible, or that it may very well be used as a counterfeit to harken the Anti-Christ.
What a day of celebration! The day that our Savior will return to Earth to put an end to all wickedness and raise the dead! The day that he came first in order to live, teach, and be crucified. Sound the trumpets, for at this sound Yeshua comes riding back! This is arguably the best Holy Day of the year, the most important, the most eagerly waited for by Believers. It is the day we all look forward to, all believers whether they know the Holy Days or not, as we all look toward the return of our King.
We have very little biblical mandate regarding this Holy Day. The primary is that we blow the shofar throughout the day, and at the opening and closing of the Holy Day. We start it with blowing the shofar in the evening, the start of Yom Teruah. Blowing throughout the day, many common times being during the night, the next morning at dawn, noon and three in the afternoon; but this would be an optional way of doing it. We close the day out the sound of the shofar at dusk the next day, the last shofar!
The next mandate is to Feast! Who doesn't love a chance to get together with family and friends and share good food and good fellowship? The day before Yom Teruah would then largely be like getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner, running around like a chicken with my head cut off to prepare the feast, so we can sit down to it immediately after the first shofar blast. At least, for me as the wife! Ideally to make enough for plenty of leftovers, as the next day is a sabbath preparing food on that day should be kept to it's own minimal.
The third mandate is that the day of Trumpets is to be treated as a Shabbat. With no ordinary work being done on the day. A day to rest and focus both on what has happened and what is to come, looking to Yah. Take the day off work, spend it with your family. It is a special Holy Day!
Many traditions have been passed down through the years for this day. Things like staying up all night to watch for the Messiah's return, making the challah round, and eating apples and honey. Now, personally I'm not as young as I once was, and while and all nighter sounds fun I just can't do it anymore! But we do enjoy having friends over and staying up late as we fellowship. I'm sure we'd give the shofar a few blasts late into the darkness, and the joy of being in the country is no neighbor is going to raise a fuss over the noise. The round challah is meant to symbolize how another year has gone around, and another is yet to go around. I also find the ring a symbol of eternity, something that Yeshua promises to all who believe in him and persevere until his return. The apples and honey are a sign of the harvest being done around this time, the refreshing taste of the apple with the sweetness of the honey holding many allegories to be discussed among yourselves but no matter what certainly serving as a sweet treat!
Many will push a set schedule for the Shofar, but none is Biblically mandated. for those who run better on schedules and stronger traditions however the most commonly used is the tekiah, shevarim, truah pattern; or a long note, three short notes, and nine very short notes. There is also a tradition called Tashlich which is passed down, meant to start the time of Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, leading up to Yom Kippur. Basically to ring in a preparation time of solace before the next big Holy Day. This tradition is to go to a body of water and throw in stones, thanking God for removing our sins like it says in Micah 7:18-19, Who is a God like you, pardoning the sin and overlooking the crimes of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in grace.
19 He will again have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquities. You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Many will push a set schedule for the Shofar, but none is Biblically mandated. for those who run better on schedules and stronger traditions however the most commonly used is the tekiah, shevarim, truah pattern; or a long note, three short notes, and nine very short notes. There is also a tradition called Tashlich which is passed down, meant to start the time of Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, leading up to Yom Kippur. Basically to ring in a preparation time of solace before the next big Holy Day. This tradition is to go to a body of water and throw in stones, thanking God for removing our sins like it says in Micah 7:18-19, Who is a God like you, pardoning the sin and overlooking the crimes of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in grace.
19 He will again have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquities. You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Come the morning of Yom Teruah comes a day of celebration. Treats, family, and the sound of the shofar fleshing out this special day. The man of the home is likely to read passages of scripture about the day, what it means, reading about the birth of Christ and how he will return one day. Anticipation that maybe This Year will be the year he appears in the clouds at the last shofar blast! Teaching our children of everything this day means, what makes it special, and enjoying this blessed day together. As this is the day of the birth of the Messiah, the true Christmas, we have decided to bring in a tradition from the Christmas of my Mother - a birthday cake for Yeshua. adding yet another delicious treat to finish our day before Yom Teruah ends for another year. Some even play songs related to his birth, often played during the christmas season.
There isn't much to say when it comes to how to follow this Holy Day, so long as we keep in mind the three mandates given to us by God through the Bible. From there we each have the ability to make it our own and make it special. May Elohim bless you as you celebrate your own Day of Trumpets this year, and I pray this has helped you to prepare.
