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The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets

Taking part in the Creator's appointed time of the Feast of Trumpets is an option for you, even if it's not something you have ever done before! The Biblical holidays were given to all believers, regardless of ethnicity or nationality, and they are a joy to take part in. I believe that the Creator communicates much to us through these special times, and that our faith will grow by participating in them. Here's how to get started.

What you need to know about the Feast of Trumpets:

-It is a one-day holiday that typically happens in very late summer or early fall (in the northern hemisphere).

-It is considered a Sabbath.

-The Hebrew name for this holiday is Yom Teruah and that can be used interchangeably.

-Yom Teruah means something like, "Day of Sounding," or "Day of Shofar Blasts."

-Shofars are a horn used as a music instrument that are typically made out of a ram's horn. Modern English uses 'trumpets' in place of shofar.

-It is a day filled with joyful noise and verbal expressions of praise to YHWH.

Spiritual significance of the Feast of Trumpets:

-The Messiah is expected to return on the Feast of Trumpets. When he said that no one knew the day or the hour of his return, he was using that as an idiom to mean the Feast of Trumpets!

-Trumpets/shofars have sounded at many weighty historic moments in Scripture, including the Battle of Jericho, the giving of the Torah, the coronation of kings, and to announce the start of Jubilee years. See this post for more.

-Starting in Revelation 8, seven trumpets are sounded by messengers. Significant events of the last days happen in this passage, and the shofars of the Feast of Trumpets remind us to be prepared and serving YHWH when those trumpets are blasted.

Spiritual Significance of the Feast of Trumpets | Land of Honey

How to observe the Feast of Trumpets:

-Take the day off of work, errands, homework, and household chores. Since this holiday is considered a Sabbath, we aren't to do any work on it and treat it as we would the weekly Sabbath. Honor YHWH with your full attention on this day.

-Sound the trumpets. If you have a shofar, blast it on this day! Play praise music, sing to YHWH, or host or attend a worship night with live music.

-Gather with other believers, if possible. Attend congregation if that's an option or think about inviting friends and family over for Bible study, worship, or fellowship time.

-Have a special meal. Good food is an easy way to add fun and festivity to any special occasion, so think about what you'd like to enjoy! If you're getting together with other believers, consider having a potluck.

-Remember! Leviticus 23 tells us that the Feast of Trumpets is to be a "remembrance of teruah." This is an opportunity to remember all the amazing things that YHWH caused to happen at the sound of a shofar. It is also a chance to recall and share how you have seen him at work in your own life.

How to observe the Feast of Trumpets: -Take the day off of work, errands, homework, and household chores. Since this holiday is considered a Sabbath, we aren't to do any work on it and treat it as we would the weekly Sabbath. Honor YHWH with your full attention on this day. -Sound the trumpets. If you have a shofar, blast it on this day! Play praise music, sing to YHWH, or host or attend a worship night with live music. -Gather with other believers, if possible. Attend congregation if that's an option or think about inviting friends and family over for Bible study, worship, or fellowship time. -Have a special meal. Good food is an easy way to add fun and festivity to any special occasion, so think about what you'd like to enjoy! If you're getting together with other believers, consider having a potluck. -Remember! Leviticus 23 tells us that the Feast of Trumpets is to be a "remembrance of teruah." This is an opportunity to remember all the amazing things that YHWH caused to happen at the sound of a shofar. It is also a chance to recall and share how you have seen him at work in your own life. | Land of Honey

More about the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Trumpets:
The Meaning of Yom Teruah and Where We See it in Scripture
Yom Teruah Scripture Reading List
Smoothie Bowls for the Feast of Trumpets

Ways Churches Can Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

These are ways that churches large or small can celebrate the Biblical holidays that the Creator gave to all of his people to enjoy and learn from!

At this time of year I see so many churches having special events from backyard barbecues and apple dumpling fundraisers to worship nights and youth group retreats...why not take part in the Bible holidays by doing something like that during the special times of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles?

Many of us have been told that in order to take part in the Biblical holidays you have to do animal sacrifices or that it's super boring, but that is absolutely not the case! While Scripture does give a few instructions for each holiday, there is plenty of room for creativity and there are different ways to enjoy the holidays that are Biblically appropriate. Because of that, you don't have to worry about 'looking Jewish' with your celebrations. The goal here is to put God's word into practice and honor him at these times, not to try and emulate how someone else does a holiday like the Feast of Trumpets.

The Biblical holidays are a joyful time and there are many ways we can celebrate them and honor the Creator! If your church has worship nights or fellowship meals on random days, it can certainly do something like that on the days appointed as special in the Bible.

Ways churches can celebrate the Biblical holidays of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Worship night.

-Children's recital.

-Hymn sing.

-Prayer service.

-Churchwide retreat.

-Youth group camp out or lock in.

-Fellowship meal.

-Drive for canned goods, Bibles, winter coats, etc.

-Outdoor games night.

-Movie night.

-Chili cookoff.

The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

This post is an overview of the Biblical holidays from Scripture, explaining what the holidays are according to passages like Leviticus 23, and Deuteronomy 16. These are not traditional Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, but rather set apart times created by the Living God. We will go over the basics of each holiday from Passover to Shavuot to the Feast of Tabernacles, what happened on them historically and what they symbolize.

In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are seven different holidays that we are instructed by Scripture to set apart. These times are special, and not only because we are told to celebrate them. Each holiday has significance historically, prophetically, and in the life of the Messiah. Paul wrote in Colossians that these times are a shadow of things to come. That means we have a lot to learn from these holidays.

The Biblical holidays are:

Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
First Fruits

The Feast of Weeks / Shavuot / Pentecost

Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah

Day of Covering / Day of Atonement / Yom Kippur

Feast of Tabernacles / Sukkot

While specific dates are given in Scripture, the Biblical calendar doesn't mesh perfectly with the Gregorian so the dates move a bit each year. Land of Honey posts the dates for the upcoming holidays at the beginning of each year.

Please note that Bible holidays are for Bible believers.

Many people are under the mistaken belief that the holidays that YHWH instructed us to keep were somehow only for the Jewish people, but that idea is not supported by Scripture. Deuteronomy 16:14 expressly tells us that foreigners who join the community of YHWH's people should celebrate these days too, so no matter your background, ethnicity, or family traditions the Creator invites you to these times.

Bible holidays are for Bible believers. | Land of Honey

When we learn about each Biblical holiday, we learn more about Scripture. It's truly stunning how much meaning is jam-packed into each of these times. And studying these holidays means we remember what YHWH did on these days. The holidays are, as N.T. Wright says, 'kingdom moments' and God has always performed amazing miracles on these days throughout history. Celebrating these holidays is celebrating what God has done.

A brief overview of the set apart times:

Passover: In the Biblical year Passover is the very first feast. We see the Israelites keep Passover just before the Egyptian exodus. They were instructed to brush the doors of their homes with blood from a lamb, we are reminded that the Messiah was the perfect sacrificial lamb. That's not just an allegory either, Yahusha was killed on Passover.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This is a week long celebration that starts the day after Passover. Leavened/yeast bread and other products are forbidden this week. As yeast is a very small ingredient that rabidly transforms all the dough, we are reminded that the small things in our life make a huge impact. And this lack of leaven reminds us to purge the sin from our lives, which is made possible through the Messiah's sacrifice.

First Fruits: This day happens the day after the Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread. This is when the first of the barley harvest was to be presented before YHWH. First Fruits is the day the Messiah resurrected from the dead and presented himself to the Father. It is also when we are to start counting fifty days.

Feast of Weeks: Fifty days after First Fruits we are to celebrate Shavuot. This is a day of great significance as the instructions on how to live were given at Mount Sinai and then shortly after the Messiah's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Shavuot. The Feast of Weeks is a celebration of having God's word and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Feast of Trumpets: The first of the fall feasts, Yom Teruah means something like Day of Sounding. All those verses that talk about a trumpet sounding when the Messiah returns? It will happen on that day. Perhaps the most joyous time in history will be on Yom Teruah at the return of the Messiah!

Yom Kippur: Under the Levitical priesthood this was a very significant day because it's the day that the priests made atonement for all of Israel's sin with the two goats. Today we can celebrate that the Messiah has atoned for our sins. Prophetically, it is thought that this will be the day that the earth is judged and the people who have been atoned for by Messiah will be separated from those who have not.

Feast of Tabernacles: This is a beautiful look ahead to when YHWH will dwell or camp with us. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it is believed the Messiah was born during this time. This eight day celebration usually looks like a camping trip, with the commandment being to dwell in tents. Others build a temporary structure on their property and spend time there throughout Sukkot. We reflect on this world being a temporary place for us, while we look forward to the day when the Messiah returns to dwell with his people!

Passover - Messiah crucified Unleavened Bread - freedom from sin First Fruits - Messiah rose to life Shavuot - Holy Spirit is poured out Feast of Trumpets - Messiah returns Yom Kippur - Messiah judges the world Tabernacles - Messiah dwells with us | Land of Honey

If you'd like beginner's guides to the individual holidays, Land of Honey offers these!

The Beginner's Guide to Passover (for believers in Messiah)
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread
The Beginner's Guide to Shavuot
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets
The Beginner's Guide to Yom Kippur

More posts on the Biblical holidays:
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Holidays

Feast of Tabernacles Events for Believers in Messiah - 2022

Here is a list of celebrations for the Feast of Tabernacles happening this year in 2022! Celebrating the Biblical holidays with other believers in Messiah is truly a special opportunity and if you're looking for an event near you hopefully you can find one here. Sukkot is an eight day celebration, and many of these last for the duration. Even if you have to travel or can only make a a day or two I would encourage you to do what you can to worship the Creator with others during this special time.

Please note: I am not familiar with each ministry or all the people responsible for these Tabernacle events. People celebrate the Biblical holidays in a variety of ways, so reach out and contact the organizers ahead of time if you have specific questions about what that will look like. I simply want to give people the option of connecting with others through this list.

Torah to the Tribes Sukkot
September 30-October 9
Stayton, Oregon

The People of Truth Feast of Tabernacles
October 6-9
Paden, Oklahoma

Choose Life Sukkot
October 7-18
Coffeville, Mississippi

Messianic Torah Observant Israel Sukkot
October 7-18
Cleveland, Tennessee

House of David Sukkot Celebration
October 9
Fairland, Oklahoma

Feast of Tabernacles Glacier Country
October 9-?
Hungry Horse, Montana

A Multi-Congregational Feast
October 9-16
Cherry Creek, Colorado

Feast of Tabernacles: Fire on the Altar
October 9-16
Bradenton, Florida

Fellowship Church Tabernacles
October 9-16
Winter Springs, Florida

Founded in Truth Fellowship Sukkot
October 9-16
Casar, North Carolina

Texas Tabernacles
October 9-17
Waco, Texas

Sukkot YES
October 9-17
Amery, Wisconsin