Why is the shofar sounded during the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Trumpets? What do those sounds mean?
From Hebrew Yom Teruah translates as Day of the Sounding or Day of the Awakening Blasts. The sound in question coming from shofars (Leviticus 23:23). This is why Yom Teruah is also called the Feast of Trumpets.
What is a shofar? It's a musical instrument that is made out of ram's horn. They come in many sizes and, when played by someone who knows what they're doing, they make a lovely sound. While they aren't heard or seen much outside of Hebrew circles, occasionally they are used in movie soundtracks, including Lord of the Rings.
When we hear a sound that denotes something in particular we associate those things. Just hearing the music of an ice cream truck can make us hungry. Police sirens can cause our pulse to quicken as we remember the bill for our last speeding ticket. Hearing the tornado siren test brings to mind memories of bad storms a few years ago. We associate sounds.
Today, sadly, the significance of the sound of the shofar is lost on most of us. It's something we really don't have much to associate with. However, I don't believe YHWH desires for it to stay this way! Let's examine the Bible to see where the sounds of the shofars were heard.
Shofar Uses in Scripture:
1. The shofar is used when YHWH appears. -Zechariah 9:14
2. The Torah was given to Israel with the sound of the shofar. -Exodus 19:19
3. The shofar was blown to announce the beginning of the Biblical holidays. -Numbers 10:10
4. Shofars are used during new moon celebrations. -Psalm 81:4
5. The shofar was a blown at the start of the Jubilee year. -Leviticus 25:9
6. The blowing of the shofar was a signal for the call to repentance. -Isaiah 58:1
7. When the exiles are regathered into the Promised Land the shofar will be blown. -Isaiah 27:13
8. The blowing of the shofar ushers in the day of YHWH. -Joel 2:1
9. Shofars were used for the coronation of kings. -1 Kings 1:34
10. The sound Israel made after marching around Jericho was blasting shofars. -Joshua 6:20
11. Shofars were blown to signal to Israelites during war. -Judges 3:27
12. The watchmen who stood upon Jerusalem's walls blew the shofar. -Ezekiel 33:3-6
13. The shofar is a reminder of YHWH providing a ram for Abraham to use as a burnt offering. -Genesis 22:13
14. During the rebuilding of Jerusalem wall, shofars were used to call for help. -Nehemiah 4:14
15. John was taken up to Heaven in the book of Revelation by the sound of the shofar. -Revelation 4:1
16. At the resurrection of the dead the shofar will sound. -1 Thessalonians 4:16
17. Seven shofars will be sounded when YHWH judges the earth during the tribulation. -Revelation 8
18. Shofars are used to praise YHWH. -Psalm 150:3
19. Shofars are used in joyful celebration before YHWH. -Psalm 98:6
20. The shofar is a reminder that YHWH is sovereign. -Psalm 47:5
21. An angel sounds a shofar to proclaim that the kingdom of the world know belongs to YHWH and the Messiah. -Revelation 11:15
There is a lot of significance with this instrument! This list isn't exhaustive (shofars are mentioned over 80 times in Scripture) but I think we should have an idea that this instrument has so much meaning to the Living God.
What can we associate with the Feast of Trumpets from this list? The presence of YHWH, repentance, worshiping YHWH, the Torah, the Mssiah being crowned as king, the promise of YHWH to regather his scattered people, reminders that He will judge the earth, and that the world belong to Him!
More on Yom Teruah:
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