Getting to my Hebraic/Jewish Roots! YOM TERUAH

Yom Teruah—The Day of Trumpets or Shofar Blast

The Historical Roots of Our Faith, Present Relevance for Believers and Prophetic End-Time Implications

Yom Teruah or the Day of Shouting; the Shofar Blasts (commonly called “Rosh Hashana”) occurs at the end of the summer months and marked the beginning of the fall harvest or festival season for the ancient Hebrews. Prophetically, the summer months between the spring feast of Shavuot/Weeks (Pentecost) and the fall feast of Yom Teruah is a spiritual picture of what is often called the “Church Age,” which is the period of time from the Feast of Pentecost in Acts 2 until the return of Yeshua the Messiah at the end of the age and lasting for approximately 2000 years. For many, especially those living in hotter climes, summer is a time of leisure, vacation, weariness and fatigue due to the excessive heat. Likewise, many Bible believers have fallen asleep growing spiritually weary while waiting for the return of the Messiah. Yeshua discusses this issue in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25) who all grew weary and fell asleep awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Yeshua). 

This all changes on the first day of the seventh month of the biblical Hebrew calendar when off in the distance the sound of a shofar blast suddenly pierces the atmosphere and registers in the eardrums of those who have fallen asleep. Not only does this shofar blast signal the beginning of the seventh month when the new crescent moon is sighted, but it announces the return of the Bridegroom (Yeshua) coming for his bride (the virgin saints). As in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the cry went forth that the bridegroom was coming and all awoke from their slumber to prepare for his arrival. In these end days, that cry is going forth even now for all to hear, to awake and to prepare for the arrival of Yeshua the Messiah.

In the biblical calendar, the visible sighting of the crescent new moon always marks the beginning of the month and is announced by the shofar blast (Ps 81:3). Likewise, on the first day of the seventh month of the biblical calendar, the arrival of the new moon (called Rosh Chodesh) when the shofar sounds marks the beginning of Yom Teruah. This is the first day of the fall (festival) harvest season and is the time when the call goes out for the spiritual drowsy to awake, and to hear the voice of YHVH, to be invigorated by the breath or voice of the shofar, which is symbolic of YHVH’s prophetic word or oracle going forth across the earth in the last days. 

Furthermore, the ram’s horn shofar is bent into a curved shape to represent the contrite heart of both the blower and the hearer. This is the season for the righteous to bend their hearts in humility and contrition before YHVH and repent of spiritual lassitude and lukewarmness and to awake to spiritual action and preparation, for the fall feasts point to awesome end time events that will occur at some point in time in the near future. It is a time to be refreshed by the breath of YHVH, and a time of new beginnings. Let YHVH breathe on you, revive you and empower you as you enter into the fall biblical festival season, and as you prepare to meet your King and Redeemer, Yeshua, in the air.

Yom Teruah also begins a season that prophetically speaks of war and battle, for in ancient times the shofar was a weapon of warfare in Israel, and it will be used again as such in the end times. It was used to call Israel to battle, to defeat her enemies with the help of YHVH. The shofar was then used to proclaim victory after the battle was won and to worship YHVH who had given them the victory. The battle against Israel’s enemies still rages on—even in the end times. Today, the enemies of the redeemed Israelites are mostly spiritual. They are the world, the flesh and the devil (Jas 3:15; Eph 2:2–3). Through faith in Yeshua the Messiah who defeated death, hell and the grave, we can have victory over mortality, sin, the devil and this world (1 Cor 15:51–57; Rom 8:27; 1 John 4:4; 5:4; Rev 12:11). As we hear the sound of the shofar calling us to arise from spiritual slumber, YHVH is telling his people to become overcomers, so that they may be worthy to partake of the glories of his eternal kingdom (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21).

Yom Teruah is also the time of the reaping of the summer harvest. Spiritually speaking, this period will be the time of the reaping of the righteous to their reward (Rev 14:4) and the harvest of the wicked to the great winepress of Elohim’s wrath (Rev 14:14-20). It is the time of the resurrection of the dead in Messiah Yeshua at the end of the tribulation (Matt 24:29) and the beginning of Elohim’s wrath being poured out upon the nations (see Joel 3:11-13). This begins the wrath of Elohim time pictured by Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, which occurs ten days after Yom Teruah) before which time the dead saints will have been resurrected and given their spiritual, glorified, second Adam bodies. 

The New Moon (Rosh Chodesh) and Yom Teruah—A Day of New Beginnings and Expectancy

In anticipation of Rosh Chodesh (the new moon sighted each month) and hence the beginning of Yom Teruah, there is a sense of expectancy and excitement among the saints. It is a time of watching and praying, for the renewal of the moon (the word new as in new moon [Col 2:16] in the Greek New Testament is kainen meaning “renewal or restoration of something which already exists”and is not the word neos which means “brand new”), which represents “new beginnings, good tidings, the renewal of the individual as well as the community.” 

The sixth month on the biblical calendar is traditionally referred to by its non-biblical Aramaic name Elul. Some rabbinical sources see this word as an acronym of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li,” “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine,” a quote from Song of Songs 6:3, where the Beloved is YHVH and the “I” are YHVH’s people. In Aramaic (the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted), the word Elul means “search,” which is appropriate, because this is a time of year when we search our hearts. (from the web site: http://www.jewfaq.org/elul.htm#Selichot).

During the month of Elul, our focus is to be on repentance, restoration and preparation for the coming of the Messiah. In order to repent one must understand that Scripture defines sins as the violation of YHVH’s Torah, or instructions or teachings in righteousness (1 John 3:4). Sin or chet in Hebrew, in a loose sense, means “a failure in our relationship with Elohim.” Our goal should be to continually move closer to Elohim, but “chet” is behavior that causes us to move away from Elohim.

If YHVH requires his people to turn away from sin and turn to righteousness (the act of which is called repentance), then what is therefore involved in repentance? Repentance or teshuvah in Hebrew, means “to return.” In the biblical context, it means “to return to Elohim” and to behavior required of us by Elohim; in other words, return to obedience to his commandments. While we deeply regret our movement away from Elohim, we must not despair, for YHVH has provided the way for our return to him and he tells us that when we repent, he forgives without delay.

According to Scripture, there are, several basic steps to repentance:

• We must first recognize that we have a problem — that we are sinful to the core (Jer 17:9; Rom 8:7; Rom 3:10–18, 23; Isa 64:6). For this to happen, we have to come to grips with the fact that we have broken Elohim’s laws, which define sin (1 John 3:4). Human pride makes this step the hardest one to take.
• We must confess our sin before YHVH (Lev. 5:5; Num. 5:7).
• We must turn from our sins and resolve to stop sinning.
• We must manifest heartfelt regret for our wrong actions by evidencing remorse and contrition before YHVH and our fellow man, if applicable.
• An offering of the legally prescribed sacrifice must be made for the sin (Lev. 5:1–20). Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, became that sacrifice for our sin once and for all when he died on the cross (Isa. 53:5; Heb. 4:14–5:10; 7:14–8:6; 9:11–10:22).
• When we have sinned against our fellow man, not only is confession and forsaking that sin required, but we must make restitution in full of whatever has been wrongfully obtained or withheld from one’s fellow man (Lev. 5:14–19; Matt. 5:23–25).
• We must then accept our Heavenly Father’s unconditional mercy and grace (Ps. 103:3–4, 10–17).

The shofar’s blowing is a call to awaken out of spiritual sleep, lethargy, stagnation, slumber and to repent of sin. No man knows the day or the hour of the new moon’s arrival each month (though one who is alert certainly can know the season and year), so the human tendency is to grow weary in waiting, and to grow slack in one’s obedience to YHVH’s righteous commands. Yet when the new moon is sighted and the shofar sounds, this is the signal for the slumbering to awake, for hope to arise, renewal and spiritual revival to occur and action to be taken to put off sin and to draw closer spiritually to YHVH Elohim.

The awakening sound of the shofar blast is the Hebrew word teruah (Strong’s G8643, see Lev 23:24 and Num 29:1 where the phrase “blowing of trumpets” is teruah), which means “the shout or blast of war, alarm, alarm of war, war cry, signal, and sound of tempest.” Teruah derives from the Hebrew root word ruah meaning “alarm, signal, sound or blast of the shofar, to raise a shout.” The name Yom Teruah could therefore have several literal meanings: “the day of the shout, the day of the war alarm or the day of the shofar blast.” 

When we understand the significance of this day from a biblical understanding, we realize that Yom Teruah is a day of shouting (with exultant joy or as a shriek in alarm), or a day of shofar blowing. Shofars were blown in biblical times to rally the people together, to alert the people in time of war, to warn the people, or as an instrument (along with shouts) to express the people’s joy, or to praise YHVH.

As we shall see, Yom Teruah prophetically involves all these concepts, for it is a day when YHVH’s people will shout with joy as they gather to meet Yeshua in the air after having been bodily resurrected at the sound of the last shofar blast, but it is also a time of alarm and shrieking on the part of the wicked as a time of war and terror brought on by the judgments of YHVH are about to come upon the earth.

Additionally, Yom Teruah is a day of new beginnings or renewal, to wake up from lethargy and slumber, to be broken out of that sleepy, comfort zone state and to be awakened to action. Again, remember the ten virgins of Matthew 25 who slept in anticipation of the bridegroom’s arrival? When the shout went forth that he was coming they were all awakened. Some were prepared to go into the marriage supper of the bridegroom and some were not. Our Bridegroom is Yeshua.

Yom Teruah Versus Rosh Hashana

The biblical name for the fourth feast of YHVH’s seven annual feasts in the Hebrew (as found in Lev 23:24) is Zikaron T’ruah Miqra Kodesh (ase tren vgur, IURFZ) and is translated by various translators as a memorial of blowing of trumpets [shofars], an holy convocation (KJV); a signaled holy gathering (Jay P. Green rough translation); a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation (NAS); a memorable acclamation, a holy gathering (Jay P. Green smooth translation); a holy convocation announced with blasts on the shofar (CJB); and a remembrance with shofar blasts, a holy convocation (ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash/ASEC). In Numbers 29:1, we find the second and only other reference to Yom Teruah in the Torahwhere the Hebrew name for this day is Yom Teruah (vgur, ouh) and is translated into English as a day of blowing the trumpets [shofars] (KJV and Jay P. Green smooth translation); a day for blowing trumpets [shofars] (NAS); a day of blowing the shofar (CJB); a day of shofar sounding (ASEC).Therefore, based on Numbers 29:1, the biblical name for the fourth feast is The Day of Trumpets or more literally, Yom Teruah, which is a direct translation from the original Hebrew. 

Nowhere in Scripture is this festival referred to as Rosh Hashana, which literally means “head of the year”—a reference to the extra-biblical Jewish tradition that the first day of the seventh month is the beginning of the new year. Scripture is very clear about when the biblical new year begins. In Exodus 12:2, YHVH instructs the children of Israel that the month of the abiv barley grain would be the beginning of the year for them. Fourteen days after the beginning of this month the Passover occurs. The beginning of the biblical year is in the early spring of the year when plant life is bursting forth from a long dead winter season. It is a picture of spiritual rebirth or redemption for YHVH’s people. 

It is true that the Jewish sages recognize Abib (or Aviv) or Nisan in the spring as the first month of the biblical calendar and the beginning of civil or agricultural year for ancient Israel, now Judaism recognizes the first day of the seventh month (called Yom Teruah in the Bible or Rosh Hashana in modern Jewish tradition) as the beginning of the civil and religious year (Exploring Jewish Tradition, by Rabbi Abraham Witty, p. 120; The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred Kolatch, pp. 222–223). In fact, the rabbinic Jews maintain the tradition that there are four new years (Kolatch, p. 223; Talmud Rosh Hashana 1:1):

• The first of Nisan/Abib for royalty (dating of royal events).
• The first of Tishiri for agriculture (the beginning of the harvest season) and traditionally commemorating the creation.
• The first of Elul for tithing cattle.
• The first of Shevat as the new year for trees.

Additionally, one Jewish scholar believes that the rabbinic tradition that Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the new year actually derives from pagan customs absorbed by the Jewish people while living in Babylon. These ancient pagans had a new year’s festival called Akitu, that happened to fall on the same day as Yom Teurah. Gradually, the Jews assimilated Yom Teruah with Akitu with the result being Rosh Hashana. (For more information on this, go to http://www.karaite-korner.org/yom_teruah.shtml#sdfootnote1sym.) 

With all due respect to our Jewish brothers, we choose to follow a more literal and strict biblical determination for when the new year is to start and what the name of the festival of the first day of the seventh month is to be. Furthermore, we choose not to follow traditions that are mixed with or derived from pagan practices. Therefore, we neither recognize Rosh Hashana as the true biblical name for this festival, nor as the beginning of the biblical new year.

Overview of the Biblical Feasts

Before continuing our study on Yom Teruah, the fourth of the seven of YHVH’s annual set-apart festivals when he meets with his people, let us quickly review the other six divine appointments. Without understanding Yom Teruah’s synchronization as it relates to the other feasts and YHVH’s overall plan of redemption as revealed in the seven annual feasts, one cannot fully appreciate this fourth festival.

If you had to sum up the entire message of the Bible in one word what would it be? Probably words such as love, hope, salvation, eternal life or heaven are coming to your mind. But I challenge you to find a better word than the following: r-e-c-o-n-c-i-l-i-a-t-i-o-n. The dictionary defines reconciliation as “to restore to friendship or harmony, to settle or resolve a quarrel, to make consistent or congruous.” When man chose to rebel against YHVH and to give in to sin at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil at the very beginning he chose the path of separation from his Heavenly Father. Sin causes man to be separated from a totally holy, righteous and sinless Creator. Since that time YHVH has been endeavoring to reconcile man to himself. He has laid out criteria for man to follow for this to occur—for man to once again have a friendly, loving and intimate relationship with his Heavenly Father as did Adam before he sinned.

The set-apart appointed times (moedim) or divine rehearsals/gatherings (miqra kodesh) of YHVH are prophetic shadow-pictures or symbols of the steps man must take to be reconciled to his Heavenly Father. They are the complete plan of salvation or redemption rolled up into seven easy-to-understand steps. Though a child can understand these steps, the truths contained therein can at the same time be expanded and unfolded until one literally has rolled out before oneself the entire message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation—a message that to the human comprehension is staggering, deep and rich beyond understanding. These feast days are literally the skeletal structure upon which the truths of the entire Bible hang. The message of redemption, sanctification, salvation, the atonement, glorification, eschatology, the history of Israel, the entire Gospel message, the covenants, the marriage of the Lamb, the bride of Messiah and Yeshua the Messiah are all prefigured within the glorious spiritual container of YHVH’s set apart feasts contained in seven steps—seven being the biblical number of divine perfection and completion.

Quite assuredly, without a deep, walking-it-out comprehension of the feast days of YHVH, no matter how learned one is in biblical understanding, or how academically astute and mentally acute in biblical erudition one may be, one will not have a deep understanding of those scriptural subjects listed above. How can one understand end-time events such as the second coming, the great tribulation and the rapture unless one understands the feast days from a deep Hebraic perspective? One simply cannot have just a knowledge of Greek, the Gospels, the Apostolic Scriptures along with a surface understanding (i.e., traditional Christian perspective) of the prophecies of the “Old Testament” and expect to understand eschatology (the study of end-time events) unless one immerses themselves in understanding and keeping the feast days of YHVH. One cannot throw out the foundation or the skeletal structure and expect to have a body of understanding that amounts to anything at all. Simple logic and common sense and the very truth and character of YHVH Elohim demands and dictates this so.

At Mount Sinai, YHVH gave to his people Israel what is commonly called the “Ten Commandments.” These words from the mouth of YHVH himself were and are literally the foundation and cornerstone to the rest of the 613 commandments from YHVH given to man through Moses contained in the Torah or Pentateuch. The Jewish rabbis have understood this for thousands of years. For example, the prohibition against adultery includes not only marital infidelity, but all manner of sexual sin, for the cornerstone of sexual holiness is a righteous and undefiled marital union. The same can be said of all the other commands. From these ten statements or foundational principles are prefigured and spring forth all 613. Similarly, within the confines of the fourth ­commandment, the seventh-day Sabbath, are contained all the high Sabbath set-apart feasts of YHVH as well as the land Sabbaths, sabbatical and jubilee years. This is Hebraic thought. The point is, the feast days are embodied in the very “Ten Commandments” themselves. These Sabbaths were so vital in YHVH’s eyes and so fundamental to his relationship with his people that he said that they would be, in essence, the wedding ring that he and Israel would wear around their respective fingers symbolic of their covenantal (marital) agreement, for we read the following in Exodus 31:13, 

Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am YHVH that does sanctify you.

Please note that the word Sabbaths is in the plural. It refers not only to the weekly, seventh-day Sabbath, but to all the Sabbaths of YHVH, including his set-apart feasts. These days are so important that they would actually form the basis for his reconciliatory relationship with his people throughout their generations, which means forever!

Now with these preliminary statements made we encourage you to read on to further explore the rich truths of these days. You will be blessed. The words and truths of YHVH Elohim, your Creator and Heavenly Father in whose image you were created and who loves you beyond your wildest comprehension—his words are words of life and truth. 

Why Study and Celebrate the Feasts of YHVH?

• The Feasts are a prophetic shadow-picture of things to come (Col 2:16-17; Heb 10:1). When they were given to ancient Israel they pointed forward to future events that would occur to the nation of Israel. The spring feast days, for example, pointed to Messiah’s first coming while the fall feast days point to his second coming leading into the Messianic Age (Millennium) and into eternity beyond.
• All the feast days point to Yeshua. The name Yeshua means salvation and these days all point to the various steps of the path of salvation that believers find themselves on. 
• Many of the feast days point back to historical events that occurred in Israel’s history from which we can learn lessons and which are representative of our own spiritual journey (1 Cor 10:1–6,11).
• The people of YHVH are commanded to keep what Scriptures calls the appointed times. They are times when he makes an appointment that he will meet with his people (Lev 23:1–2,4). It is at these festivals or commanded assemblies that YHVH teaches his people about his wonderful plan of salvation or redemption of the world through Yeshua the ­Messiah.
• The Feasts are in the Bible and the whole Bible is the inspired word of Elohim (2 Tim. 3:16). Yeshua commands us to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of Elohim (Matt 4:4).
• The feast days set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Heb 8:1–2,5; 9:8–9,23; Exod 25:8–9,40; 26:30; Num 8:4; Ezek 43:1–6,10–12).
• We as physical beings need physical means and methods to help us understand spiritual mysteries. YHVH gives us the natural to help us to understand the supernatural (spiritual) (1 Cor. 2:9–13).

The Seven Biblical Feasts Represent the Seven Steps of YHVH’s Plan of
Redemption/Salvation For Mankind—A Quick Overview

Passover (Pesach)

The first annual festival in YHVH’s glorious lineup in the steps of redemption is Pesach, which occurs in the early spring of the year at the time of the rebirth of the creation after a long and dead winter season. Likewise, it was the time of the birth of the nation of Israel. The Children of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for many years, but they could not extricate themselves from the death grip of Pharaoh, a picture of Satan, without some help from above. YHVH heard their cries of anguish, told them to sacrifice a lamb and smear the blood on the doors of their homes. This they did by faith and YHVH extended his grace and mercy upon them when he caused the death angel to spare them when he passed over their homes. Though sinful and worthy of death, YHVH delivered the Israelites from the wages of their sins, which is death, and at the same time the Egyptians, who were also sinners, received judgment unto death because they were not under the blood of the lamb. The blood of the lamb made it possible for Israel to leave Egypt freely.

Spiritually one must leave the world (spiritual Egypt), a place of spiritual oppression and slavery, darkness and false religion. It is the realm or kingdom of Satan, the prince of death. One cannot leave the kingdom of darkness on one’s own strength. One cannot free oneself from slavery to the strong tyrants and masters of this world, the flesh or the devil. A greater power than these must deliver us from these slave masters who maintain humans in their death grip. Only by the blood of the Lamb of YHVH smeared on the door posts and lintels (our actions and thoughts) of our houses (our lives) will the death angel pass over us, for Yeshua the Lamb of YHVH defeated the enemy at the cross and defeated the death sentence or death grip of sin by resurrecting from the grave on the third day after his death (Col 2:12–15). The Israelites, by faith, trusted in the blood of the Lamb and by YHVH’s grace their sins were not credited to their account, but were forgiven causing the death angel to pass over. At that time they physically began to leave Egypt.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot)

The Israelites left Egypt on the first day of this seven-day long festival. Leaving Egypt was a relatively simple process, but now began the process of “getting Egypt out of them.” Dying to self and overcoming all the sinful habits in our lives is a process. We cannot do this of our own efforts but need the redeeming work of Messiah. This is illustrated during this feast by YHVH’s command to remove all the physical leavening from our homes. Leavening is a type of sin and pride since yeast causes bread to rise and puff up. The sin of pride and hypocrisy leads one to believe that one is in a better spiritual state than one actually is. This is the state of spiritual delusion in which humans naturally find themselves. YHVH has given men six days (6000 years) to come to realize this. The seventh day of this week-long festival is a high Sabbath day that pictures YHVH’s Messianic Age (Millennium) when humans will be living in harmony with YHVH and resting in the saving work of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It represents victory over sin (leavening). Israel celebrated the Passover in the Promised Land then marched around Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho came down! 

The Feast of Weeks, Feast of First Fruits or Pentecost (Shavuot)

This is the third of the seven festivals of YHVH and occurs in the late spring of the year. Humans are not able to remove sin from their own lives by their own efforts anymore than one can pull oneself up by one’s own ­bootstraps. Sin is too much a part of our mind, will and emotions. We need the working and enabling power of the Set-apart Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) in our lives to bring sin to light and to help us to overcome it. This happens as we begin to feed upon the Word of YHVH-Yeshua the Messiah and little-by-little our lives come into conformity with that Word or with the life of Yeshua. He is the Word of YHVH made flesh (John 1:14; Rom 8:29). This is pictured by the Children of Israel receiving the words and instructions on how to live a set-apart and sanctified life (contained in the Torah-law) of YHVH Elohim at Mount Sinai during the Feast of Weeks. This was repeated during the Apostolic Era on the Day of Pentecost as Yeshua promised to send the Comforter to live inside of believers aiding them at arriving at the truth of YHVH (John 14:16). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

The Day of Trumpets or (literally) the Day of the Awakening Blast
(Yom Teruah or commonly called Rosh Hoshana)

This is the fourth festival of YHVH Elohim and hence the fourth step in his plan of salvation. Yom Teruah occurs in the late summer or early fall season of the year. The spring feast days all relate to the work Yeshua accomplished on the earth at his first coming while the fall feast days (of which Yom Teruah is the first) picture the work he will do on earth prior to and after his second coming. This day pictures the beginning of the great tribulation period just prior to the return of Yeshua the Messiah. This festival also pictures the time when Messiah is calling his bride, born-again believers, to ready themselves spiritually for the return of Yeshua, the Bridegroom. The call will go out for her to come out of the world, to fill her lamp with the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh and to put on robes of righteousness in preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. During the ten-day period between this appointed time and the next appointed time (Yom Kippur) is when the great tribulation occurs and when many will be saved out of this tribulation (the great and innumerable multitude, Rev. 7:9). After the tribulation period, which terminates with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (in Hebraic thought called the last trumpet), the resurrection of the righteous dead and the catching away of the righteous living occurs (Rev 11:14–18 and 12:10 with Matt. 24:29-31). This occurs before the wrath of Elohim (the bowl judgments of Rev 15–16).

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

The fifth of the seven festivals of YHVH occurs ten days after the Day of Trumpets. This day pictures when the end of the age (man’s 6000 years) will come to a completion. This period of grace will terminate. All who are saved will have been saved and removed from this earth as YHVH pours out his final judgment (called the wrath of Elohim and which is different than the great tribulation that occurred just prior to this) upon the wicked and godless rebels left upon the earth. This period will culminate with the battle of Armageddon at which time Yeshua the Messiah will return to earth as the Conquering King to defeat his enemies, marry his bride—the righteous saints—and rule the earth with a rod of Iron for 1000 years. At this time Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot or Succoth)

This festival represents the time period when the harvest of souls is completed (therefore, it is a harvest festival occurring at the beginning of the fall season when the agricultural harvest of the fruit of the earth is completed, as well) and a great feast occurs called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. King Yeshua will have put down all of his enemies (the Beast, the False Prophet, the Antichrist, Satan and all else who opposed YHVH Elohim). This festival is a time of great rejoicing and merriment and is often referred to simply as “the feast.” YHVH commanded his people to celebrate it for seven days. It is a picture of the 1000-year reign of King Yeshua on earth (called the Messianic Age or Millennium) from his headquarters in Jerusalem. This will be literally a time of paradise on earth.

The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret)

This is the seventh and final feast of YHVH and occurs the very next day after the last day of Sukkot. Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings and this day pictures what occurs after the Messianic Age and after man’s 7000 years on this earth. It is at this time that eternity in YHVH’s kingdom occurs. This is the time of the New Heaven and the New Earth; the time when New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. We find this time period described in Revelation 21 and 22. Scripture does not give many details about eternity, but just enough to whet our appetites and inspire our hopes to press onward to be overcomers with Yeshua so that we will be participants in his glorious and everlasting kingdom.

The Feast Days Were Ordained At Creation

And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. (Gen. 1:14 )

Here we see the linking of the astrobodies with the sacred seasons and feast days of YHVH Elohim. The word signs (owth, Strong’s H226) means “a distinguishing mark, banner, a remembrance, a proof, an omen, a warning, a token, an ensign, a miracle.” The heavenly bodies were created as signs or signals of something. The word seasons (moed, Strong’s H4150) means “a congregation, feast, season, appointed time, assembly.” What is being taught here is that the sun, moon and stars are signals which set the appointed times, sacred assemblies or feast days of YHVH for his people. In Leviticus 23:4, we see further proof of this point: “These are the feasts of YHVH, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons” (emphasis added).Please note the possessive pronoun their indicating that the feast days “own” or “possess” the seasons and thus predate the seasons which are determined by the astral bodies. In other words, YHVH created the heavenly bodies and seasons for the feast days which are a shadow-picture of his plan of salvation or redemption for the world. It could be said that the entire physical creation was made in order to have a place where in to implement and showcase YHVH’s glorious plan of salvation.

The Feast Days Are Forever

And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to YHVH throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever (Exod 12:14).

[I]t shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings (see also verses 21 and 31; Lev 23:14).

Forever (olam, Strong’s H5769 ) means “everlasting, perpetual, evermore, always, continuous, unending future, for eternity.”Is it possible that Yeshua had the created purpose of the heavenly bodies as well as this earth in mind as well as the eternal nature of the Feast Days contained in the Torah-law of YHVH when he addressed the permanent and inviolate nature of YHVH’s Torah-law, of which the feasts are a part, in Matthew 5:17–19,

Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The Feast Days Were Observed In the Renewed Covenant/Apostolic Period

• Acts 18:21, “But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem …” (one of the Pilgrimage Festivals; namely Passover/Days of Unleavened Bread or Pentecost or Feast of Tabernacles)
• Acts 20:6, Unleavened Bread
• Acts 20:16, Pentecost
• 1 Corinthians 5:7–8, “Therefore let us keep [or celebrate] the feast [referring to Pesach and Hag Ha Matzot], not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
• Acts. 27:9, the Day of Atonement
• Acts 21:24, “… you yourself also walk orderly, and keeps the Torah” (which includes observance of YHVH’s annual festivals).

The Feasts of YHVH to Be Observed In the Messianic Age (Millennium)

• Zechariah 14:16,18,19, The Feast of Tabernacles
• Ezekiel 45:17, The Sabbaths (plural, includes the weekly and annual Sabbaths or festivals) and solemnities (moedim) or appointed times (see also verse 9).
• Ezekiel 45:21, Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
• Ezekiel 45:25, The Feast of Tabernacles
• Ezekiel 46:1, The weekly Sabbath
• Ezekiel 45:17 and 21, solemn or appointed times (moedim) and feasts (Strong’s H2282 ; chag meaning “pilgrimage feast, festival, celebration, holy day, time of dancing, cyclical/yearly seasonal event; i.e., the feast days).”

Yom Teruah (Day of Blowing Trumpets—Commonly Called Rosh Hashanah)

Very little is said in the Tanakh (Old Testament) about Yom Teruah. In fact, it is mentioned in only two places: 

Leviticus 23:24, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”

Numbers 29:1, “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have an holy convocation; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.”

From these scriptures, we see that Yom Teruah is a Sabbath, a time for a holy convocation and a time that memorializes the blowing of shofars. But what are we memorializing? As we proceed in this study, we sill see that the sounding of the shofar figured prominently in the lives of ancient Israelites, and that it has vast prophetic end times implications as well. It is these things that we are memorializing, as we shall see below.

Yom Teruah is observed on the first day of the seventh month at the sighting of the first sliver of the crescent new moon (in Hebrew, called rosh chodesh). It is the first of the four fall festivals and it begins the fall harvest season in the land of Israel. Prophetically the fall set-apart festivals picture the time period leading up to the return of Yeshua, including the tribulation and wrath of Elohim upon the earth, the resurrection of the saints and the establishment of Yeshua’s Millennial kingdom on earth. Specifically, Yom Teruah pictures the beginning of the great tribulation and the beginning of the wrath of Elohim periods along with the resurrection of the righteous saints. 

Although Scripture gives us but a paucity of details about this day, we are nonetheless able to extrapolate a great deal of information from elsewhere in Scripture to arrive at the following understandings.

On Yom Teruah, Moses brought down from Mount Sinai the second set of stone tablets containing the Ten Statements (“Commandments”) to replace the ones that had been broken earlier at the golden calf incident. After this, Israel remained faithful to YHVH and never again built and worshipped a golden calf until the time of King Jeroboam hundreds of years later. Similarly, on the day of Pentecost in the first century the Torah of YHVH was written into the hearts of the Messianic believers at that time by the “pen” of the Spirit of YHVH, yet well before the middle of the second century the church had begun to go apostate, had separated from its Hebraic and Torah-obedient roots, and was well on its way to becoming the Catholic Church that we know today with its many non-biblical and pagan-based traditions, many of which the Protestant churches have inherited.

When Yeshua comes for his bride on or near Yom Teruah at the end of the age, he will be ready to marry a bride that is without spot and wrinkle who has come out of the Babylonish religious whore system, which contain both truth and error (Rev 18:4). This bride who will be wearing the robes of righteousness of Torah-obedience (Rev 12:17; 14:12; 19:7–9) will be ready to receive and enter into a covenantal agreement—a wedding contract, which in the Hebrew is called a ketubah—with Yeshua, the Bridegroom—ever to remain faithful to him and never to stray into Baal/golden calf worship again. He will lead his wife, even as he lead in the pillar of fire the younger generation in the wilderness into the Promised Land of the Messianic Age or Millennium. This is the main picture of Yom Teruah.

The Two Silver Trumpets and the Two Houses of Israel

As to the significance of the two silver trumpets, Batya Wootten suggests, in her book, Israel’s Feasts and Their Fullness, that the trumpets spiritually symbolize voices (Rev 1:10; Isa 58:1). 

She goes on to note that historically there have been two people groups on earth who have been testifying about the goodness of the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These are the Christians and the Jews—both of whom worship the same Elohim as revealed in the Scriptures. Israel was called to be YHVH’s witnesses on earth (Isa. 43:10). YHVH then divided the twelve tribes of Israel into two nations or houses: the houseof Judah and the houseof Ephraim would be later represented by the Jews and the Christians, respectively. 

According to Torah, truth must be confirmed in the mouth of two or more witnesses before it can be believed (Num 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17; 2 Cor 13:1). Wootten says that these “two witnesses” have not been sounding their voices in unison, but instead have been fighting and denying one another. Yet the Paul the apostle states that there is to be one new man in Messiah Yeshua (Eph. 2:15) not two men—a Jewish and a Christian man. These two witnesses have to come together before Yeshua can return to this earth to establish his eternal kingdom here (Acts 1:6–8 cp. Acts 3:21). 

The two silver trumpets, Wootten further notes, were hammered out of one piece of silver (Num 10:2). Silver symbolizes refinement and redemption. Hammered trumpets tell of the Father molding us through affliction (Jer 9:7; Dan 11:35; Zec 13:9; Hos 1:10; Mal 3:3The two silver trumpets, Wootten further notes, were hammered out of one piece of silver (Num 10:2). Silver symbolizes refinement and redemption. Hammered trumpets tell of the Father molding us through affliction (Jer 9:7; Dan 11:35; Zec 13:9; Hos 1:10; Mal 3:3; ibid. pp. 219–228). Before the one new man can become the glorious bride of Yeshua, refinement, repentance and reunification must occur. This is happening now with YHVH’s people and will continue to happen until the return of Yeshua.

Some Additional Thoughts About Yom Teruah —
The Day of the Memorial of the Blowing of Trumpets

The Breath of Life and Yom Teruah

Without the life-giving breath of YHVH we are dead both physically and spiritually. As YHVH breathed the breath of life into Adam who then became a living being (nephesh), so when Yeshua breathed on His disciples (John 20:22) they came alive spiritually. YHVH breathed on the first century redeemed believers through the wind of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Set-apart Spirit) on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2, and the congregation of renewed covenant believers was birthed. Similarly, on the day of Messiah’s second coming (Yom Teruah), the shofar (called the Last Trumpet in Jewish thought, which comes just prior to the final or great trumpet/shofar hagadol of Yom Kippur) will sound and the dead in Messiah will be resurrected. Again the breath of YHVH will revive the dead, which is similar to the breath of YHVH blowing over the Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37.

When YHVH breathes or blows on man, the supernatural pierces the natural dimension and breaks the mundaneness of the natural and supernaturally empowers one to do that which he could not do in his own power naturally.

We need YHVH’s divine breath to blow on us to empower us with his power and his ability to be and act supernatural in a natural world for his glory and the advancement of his kingdom! 

When the shofar sounded in ancient Israel, it signaled that heaven and earth were about to meet, that divine power, the supernatural forces of heaven was about to break into the mundane affairs of men. It signaled that great things were about to happen. 

Are you ready for this to happen again?

When Was the Shofar Blown in Ancient Israel?

• The shofar is an instrument unique to the ancient Hebrews and their descendants. In the Scriptures, we see that the shofar played a highly significant role in Hebraic culture. Below are some examples this instrument’s importance:
• The very first time Scripture records the blowing of the shofar occurring was to herald YHVH’s giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:16,19 and 20:18).
• The shofar was blown to usher in Yom Teruah. This was a call to Sabbath rest, a memorial of blowing trumpets, a set-apart convocation and marked the beginning of a ten-day period of self-examination and repentance culminating with the Day of Atonement (Num 29:1). 
• The shofar was blown to herald the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to announce the Year of Jubilee. Every fifty years slaves were freed, debts were forgiven and land returned to the original owner (Lev 25:9-10 [verse 10 says, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants” and is inscribed on the Liberty Bell.”]).
• Shofars were blown continually by seven priests before the Ark of the Covenant, as part of the battle plan to take the city of Jericho as the Israelites were entering the Promised Land (Josh 6:4–20).
• Shofars were blown by Gideon to rally Israelites soldiers against the Midianites and again by his 300 soldiers in their battle against Midian (Judg 6:34 and 7:8,16,20).
• Shofars were blown to welcome the Ark of the Covenant (representing the anointed and glorious presence of YHVH among his people) while David danced with all his might (2 Sam 6:15; I Chron 15:14).
• The shofar was blown when a king was anointed (1 Kgs 1:34, 39, 41; 2 Kgs 9:13).
• The shofar was blown when the Israelites swore an oath of allegiance to YHVH (2 Chron 15:14).
• The shofar was blown to rally the troops (Num 10:9–10; Neh 4:18, 20).
• Israel sounded the shofar in the time of war to be remembered by YHVH, to be saved from its enemies,  and rout the enemies of Israel by sending fear into their hearts and confusion into their camps (Num 10:9–10; Judg 7:20–22).
• The shofar was blown to announce YHVH’s presence and to praise and worship Him (Pss 47:5, 98:6; 150:3; Isa 18:3; 27:13; Rev 1:10).
• The shofar was blown to call people to repentance or fasting (Isa 58:1; Hos 8:1; Joel 2:1).
• The shofar was blown to sound the alarm of war (Jer 4:19,21; 6:1;17; 51:27; Joel 2:1,15).
• The shofar was blown to sound the warning of danger (Amos 2:2; 3:6; Zeph 1:16; Hos 5:8, 8:1; Ezek 33:2-9; Isa. 58:1). The sound of the shofar is compared to a prophet’s voice.
• The shofar was blown by YHVH (Exod 19:16, 19; Zech 9:14).
• The shofar was blown by the angels (Matt 24:31; Rev 8:2,3; 9:1,13–14; 10:7; 11:15).
• The shofar was blown to announce the coming of a Jewish bridegroom to fetch his betrothed — a picture of Yeshua returning for his bride, the saints. All the righteous living and the righteous dead will receive glorified, resurrected bodies and will meet him in the air at the sound of the shofar. (Compare Matt 24:31; 25:6; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 11:15–18).
• When the righteous hear the sound of the shofar these things should be called to remembrance. The shofar is a powerful reminder of the mighty right arm of YHVH outstretched on behalf of his people. The sound of the shofar sends tremors of fear throughout the camp of the enemies of YHVH and his people and rallies the righteous to take courage and to rise up against evil knowing they will be victorious through faith in YHVH Elohim.

The Sounds of the Shofar and What They Signify

In Jewish thought, there are several sounds the shofar makes that carry deep significance. Some of  these understanding are based on direct scriptural references, while others are based on inference and tradition (taken in part from aish.com).

Tekiah (one long, straight blast ––––––––– ): This blast announces the coming of our Elohim who is the King of the universe. The long, straight shofar blast is the sound of King Yeshua’s coronation. On this day, Yeshua the Messiah is crowned as our King. On Yom Teruah, we appreciate who he is as our King — the King of kings. This knowledge is wonderful, yet it won’t benefit us unless we internalize this understanding, so that it becomes a living, practical part of our everyday reality. Yeshua as Elohim is all-powerful. He is also the Creator and the Sustainer. In short, Elohim is King of the Universe. Is Yeshua the Lord and Master of our lives? The pure, long and unbroken sound of the tekiah calls man to search his heart, forsake his wrong ways, and seek the King’s forgiveness through repentance.

Shevarim (a broken, staccato sound _–_–_–_–_  ): The Hebrew word shevar (rca; [Strong’s H7665] means “to break (in pieces).” The shevarim shofar call isa broken, staccato, trembling sound. It typifies the sorrow that comes to man when he realizes his misconduct and desires to change his ways. This shofar blast consists of three medium wailing sounds varying from low to a high note not unlike some of our modern sirens. It symbolizes the sobbing cry heart of the broken and penitent person yearning to connect, to grow, to achieve. Every person has the ability to change and be great. This can be accomplished much faster than you ever dreamed of. The key is to pray from the bottom of your heart and ask YHVH for the ability to become great. Don’t let yourself be constrained by the past. You know you have enormous potential. At the moment the shofar is blown, we cry out to YHVH from the depths of our soul. This is the moment—when our souls stand before the Almighty without any barriers—that we can truly let go.

Teruah (nine quick blasts in short succession – – – – – – – – – ):  This word is found in Numbers 10:5 (Strong’s H8643) and means “alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout or blast of war, battle cry, and alarm of joy.” This shofar call was used to call Israel to arms against an enemy attacker. In Leviticus 25:9, we see that the shofar would make the teruah sound to signal the arrival of the jubilee year. This signal was not to be used when the congregation was gathered together to worship YHVH (Num. 10:7). This blast of the shofar is our spiritual warning and wake up call. It is time to be hones and objective about our lives, who we are, where we’ve been and to make certain that we’re headed in the right direction. The teruah’s nine quick blasts resemble an alarm clock arousing us from our spiritual slumber. The shofar brings clarity, alertness, and focus. It is time to open our spiritual eyes and to fix what is broken. A wave-like sound of alarm calling upon us to take solid spiritual stand next to the banner of YHVH. 

Tekiah Gedolah (also called the Great Tekia; one long tekiah blast –––––––––––––––––): The prolonged, unbroken tekia sound typifying a final appeal to sincere repentance and atonement. This sound is based on Exodus 19:13, “When the shofar sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.” This last shofar blast blown on Yom Teruah is very likely that which Paul refers to as the “last trumpet (shofar)” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 signaling the resurrection of the righteous dead to meet Yeshua in the air at his second coming (see also 1 Thess 4:16). If this understanding is correct, then this same shofar blast would correspond to the “great sound of the shofar” in Matthew 24:31 when Yeshua will send his angels to “gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This would also correspond to the seventh and final trumpet of the seven trumpets (or shofarot) of Revelation 8–11, the last of which announces the return of Yeshua and the resurrection of the righteous dead to meet Yeshua in the air (Rev 11:15–18).

Yom Teruah and End Time Prophecy

Yom Teruah is on the first day of the seventh month which corresponds to the seventh or last trump of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and Revelation 11:15-18 as well as the shofar blast to which Yeshua refers in Matthew 24:31. These three passages speak of the resurrection of the saints and their reunion with Yeshua in the air at his second coming at the end of the great tribulation (Matt 24:21) just prior to the wrath of Elohim period (the seven bowl judgments of Rev 15 and 16).