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In this post, we explore some of the main prophetic points of this Holy Day. The Feast of Trumpets symbolizes the Rapture – the last great harvest. The 2022 Feast of Trumpets begins on September 25 at sundown and concludes at nightfall on September 27.
The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. (Leviticus 23:23-25)
Beginning in the spring, the seven Jewish feasts are Passover (Pesach), the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
The Jewish feasts are closely related to Israel’s spring and fall harvests and agricultural seasons. They were to remind the Israelites each year of God’s ongoing protection and provision. But, even more importantly, they foreshadowed the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Not only did they play significant roles in Christ’s earthly ministry but they also symbolize the complete redemptive story of Christ, beginning with His death on the cross as the Passover Lamb and ending with His second coming after which He will “tabernacle” or dwell with His people forever.
While the four spring feasts look back at what Christ fulfilled at His first coming, the three fall feasts point us toward the glory of the second coming. The spring feasts are the source of our hope in Christ—His finished work of atonement for sins—and the fall feasts are the promise of what is to come—eternity with Christ. Understanding the significance of these God-appointed Jewish festivals helps us to better see and understand the complete picture and plan of redemption found in Scripture.
The next unfulfilled feast is the Feast of Trumpets.
Jewish names and themes for this feast include:
Rosh HaShanah – ‘Head of the year’ / Tishrei 1 is the first day of the Jewish new year in their civil calendar. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve.
Yom Teruah – ‘Day of Awakening Blast’ / Jewish belief is that the resurrection of the dead will occur on the feast of Trumpets.
The Last Trumpet – On this day, there are 100 trumpet blasts. The final, long, and most significant trumpet blast is called ‘the last trump’.
Yom Zikaron – ‘Day of Remembrance’ / A day on which the chosen people remember God, and God remembers them.
Yom Hadin – ‘Day of Judgment’ / God opens the books on that day and judges the righteous and the wicked according to what they had done.
Yom Hamelech – the Day of the Coronation of the King.
The time of Jacob’s trouble – There shall be great tribulation in Israel such as never was since there was a nation.
Yom Hakeseh – The Hidden Day / It was ‘hidden’ because they didn’t know the exact day it would begin due to the fact that it is the only feast that starts on a new moon. Thus it was a two day feast because they didn’t want to celebrate it on the wrong day. Concerning Rosh HaShanah, the Jews would typically say “Of that day and hour no one knows.”
The Opening of the Gates of Heaven / The Gate of Heaven is opened on Rosh HaShanah so the righteous nation may enter.
The Wedding of Messiah / The blowing of the heavenly trumpet is a call for the entire, true, bride of God to assemble together.
Now, let’s review some scripture that corresponds to these names of the Feast of Trumpets:
Rosh HaShanah – ‘Head of the year’
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 89:15-18)
Yom Teruah – ‘Day of Awakening Blast’
Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you. (Ephesians 5:14)
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust!
For you will be covered with the morning dew,
and the earth will bring out the departed spirits. (Isaiah 26:19)
The Last Trumpet
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50-52)
Yom Zikaron – ‘Day of Remembrance’
Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.
“They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.” (Malachi 3:16-17)
There are five different names for the Feasts of Trumpets and it is mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures 5 times of which 2 are rabbinic names. The five names are:
1. Zicharon Truah: Means “memorial of triumph” or the “shout for joy.”
This phrase is found in Leviticus 23:24 and the literal meaning is “a remembrance of blowing.” The phrase shouting for you is found in Job 38:7 where all the sons of God shout for joy. Rabbinic Judaism teaches that God created the heavens and the earth on the Feast of Trumpets so it was on this occasion that the angels shouted for joy.
2. Yom Truah: literally means a day of blowing the trumpet.
It is a biblical designation found in Numbers 29:1.
3. Rosh Hashanah: This term is a common Jewish term for this feast today.
Very few Jewish people refer to it as the Feast of Trumpets, but rather it is known as Rosh Hashanah which literally means “the head of the year.” The Jewish people call this Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashanah, or “the head of the year” because they believe that God created the heavens and the earth on this day. Therefore, this feast has become known as the beginning of the Jewish civil year. Judaism has two calendars, a religious and civil new year. However, God only gave Israel one calendar and that is expressly stated in Exodus 12:2. The first began in the Jewish month of Nisan in February/March and the other in Tishrei in the month of August/ September. The term does appear in Ezekiel 40:1 but not in connection with the feast day.
4. Yom Hazicharon: This is a rabbinic name which means “the day of remembrance.”
It is called by that name because Jews are to remember their sins before the next holy day, the Day of Atonement. It is said that on this feast day of Rosh Hashanah that God remembers His creation and shows them mercy. It is important for Jews to remember their sins in preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
5. Yom Hadin: This is another rabbinic name and tradition which means “the day of judgment.”
In Jewish beliefs, all Jews on this day are to pass in judgment to see if their sins will be forgiven or not.
Judaistic Practice:
Judaism had ten practices that went along with the rabbinic traditions in celebrating this day:
1. The Month of Elul:
a. This month processed the month of Tishrei where all three of the fall feasts appear. Elul is a month of preparation; a month to begin repenting of one’s sins; a month to be diligent to fulfill the commandments of God.
b. During this month Psalm 27 is recited. It is done twice a day, throughout the completion of the three fall feasts. The reason for this practice is because the rabbis believed that this Psalm had a direct reference to the Feast of Trumpets.
2. The Meaning of Rosh Hashanah:
In rabbinic literature the meaning of Rosh Hashanah concerns three main things: first it is the anniversary of creation; secondly, it is the day of judgment; third, it is a day of renewing of the bond between God and Israel.
a. Creation occurred on this month.
b. It is “the head of the year” for the Sabbatical Year.
c. It is “the head of the year” for the Year of Jubilee.
d. It is “the head of the year” for trees. When a new fruit tree is planted, rabbinic law forbids the eating of the fruit for the first three years of it growth. That count begins on the Feast of Trumpets.
e. It is “the head of the year” concerning the law pertaining to vegetables. On this day 10 % of all produce was to be given to the Levities.
3. The Blowing of the Shofar:
The blowing of the trumpet is the only actual command in the Hebrew Scriptures as to how this feast is to be observed, but the Bible does not give any reason for it. And where the Bible fails to give a reason, the rabbis felt a need to provide one.
a. In the blowing of the Shofar the Talmud gives 10 rabbinic reasons.
b. There are also three main purposes for Blowing the Shofar.
c. Rabbi Saadiah Gaon (882-942 CE) gives 10 reasons for the blowing of the Shofar, but only one will be mentioned because it is practiced today in rabbinic Judaism.
– to introduce the ten days of penitence that comes between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.
d. The Three Meanings of the Blowing of the Trumpets:
(1) First, it was a symbol of the final regathering of Israel when the Messiah comes.
(2) Second, it was a symbol of the resurrection from the dead.
(3) Third, on this day (Feast of Trumpets) three different books will be open in Heaven. One is called the Book of Righteousness. Those who were perfectly righteous would have their names inscribed in the Book of Life and they would live another year. The second book is called the Book of the Wicked or the Book of the Dead and those whose names are inscribed in this book would die during the year. Most people are neither totally righteous nor totally wicked, so there is a third book call the Book of the In Between. Those inscribed in the third book are given ten days to repent – the ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.
(4) The Trumpet Blasts:
The Tekiah – is a long, single blast. It was straight, plain, smooth, continuous note and it is to symbolize the expression of joy and contentment.
The Shevarim – is three short blasts. A combination of three broken notes to symbolize weeping.
The Truah – Extremely short blasts which are a combination of nine staccato notes in a very quick succession of short trill. This symbolizes trepidation, sorrow and sobbing.
The Tekiah Gedolah – Means “the last trump.” This one symbolizes the hope of redemption. It is a very long, final note.
– In these one hundred blasts, the first of three categories are combined back and forth until there is a total of 99 sounds. Then comes the 100th, the Tekiah Gedolah, a very long-sustained note – as long as the trumpeter had breath to hold it, and this is known as “the last trump.” That will become very significant when the Messianic Implications of this particular festival are discussed.
(5) Scripture Reading:
(a) The Law:
– first day – Genesis 21 and Numbers 29:1-6
– second day – Genesis 22 and Numbers 29:1-6
(b) The Prophets:
– 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10 because rabbis believe Samuel was born on this day.
(c) The Writings:
– Psalm 47 which is a praise to God recited seven times because it mentions the blowing of the ram’s horn in verse 5.
– Jeremiah 31:2-20 because it deals with Israel’s coming forgiveness and restoration.
(6) Tashlich:
The term Tashlich means “the casting forth’ and is a ceremony based on Micah 7:18-20. In verse 19 Micah predicted that God was going to cast the sins of Israel into the depth of the sea.
It has become a Jewish custom on the first day of the Feast of Trumpets in the afternoon following the service, that they go out to a body of water and symbolically empty their pockets into the water. This symbolizes God casting their sins into the depths of the sea. The following passages are also read:
– Psalm 118:5-9 – seeking refuge in God
– Psalm 33 – praise to God for past deliverances and present hope
– Isaiah 11:9 – Messianic Kingdom of Peace
– Psalm 24 – a righteous worshipper & the glorious King
– Yyehi Rratzon – special prayer which means “may it be desirable.”
(7) Other Practices and Customs
(8) Legends of Rosh Hashanah:
Things that happened on this day according to legend:
(a) Creation of the world occurred on this day
(b) Creation of Adam on this day
(c) Adam sinned on this day
(d) Cain was born with a twin sister on this day
(e) Abel was born with a twin sister on this day
(f) On this day both Cain and Abel made their offerings
(g) Cain killed Abel on this day
(h) Flood dried up on this day
(i) Abraham was born and died on this day
(j) Isaac was born and died on this day
(k) Jacob was born and died on this day
(l) Isaac was offered on this day
(m) Jacob arrived at Bethel on this day
(n) Sarah gave birth on this day
(o) Rebecca, Rachel and Hannah gave birth on this day
(p) Joseph was liberated from prison on this day
(q) Samuel was born on this day
(r) First Temple was dedicated on this day
(s) Elisha was born on this day
(t) Sacrifices were resumed after the Temple was rebuilt
(u) There are many more.
(9) The Ten Days of Penitence:
Ten days of penitence fall between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These are the ten days during which one must repent, particularly the 7 days in the middle, because the first two of these 10 days are the Feast of Trumpets and the 10th day is the Day of Atonement. So the days of penitence concern days 3 – 9 only. It is during these 7 days that one is to seek forgiveness. Special forgiveness prayers are recited in the Temple. The Sabbath that falls within these days is known as “the Sabbath of Repentance” and there is a great emphasis on repentance, especially on that Sabbath day.
4. The Usage of the Trumpet in the Hebrew Scriptures
1. Two Key Words:
a. Shofar – which literally means “a horn for blowing” and refers to the curved horn.
b. Truah – means “shout,” “a blast of war, alarm, joy.” This is the word that is used for this feast in Leviticus 23:24.
Messianic Implications:
1. Hebrew Scriptures – Isaiah 27:13
– This passage speaks of the regathering of Israel and in this regathering a great trumpet shall be blown. Then the Shofar is blown after this to signal the final return of Israel for the purpose of worshipping God in the Kingdom.
2. New Testament:
– The Signal of the Regathering connects Isaiah 27:13 with Matthew 24:31. Notice the points made:
1. …he shall send forth his angels
2. …a great sound of a trumpet
3. … [He] shall gather together His elect … – that is Israel
4. …from one end of heaven to the other
– Trumpets are used in Announcing Judgment, see Revelation 8-9
3. Fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets:
– 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: This passage speaks of the rapture and the trump of God. It gives seven points as to the Rapture itself.
– 1 Corinthians 15:50-58: This second passage deals with the details of the Rapture and also mentions the role that the trumpet will play. The trumpet mentioned in verse 52 is the last trump. Here Paul draws from Isaiah 27:13 but he also drawls from rabbinic tradition in the use of the Tekiah Gedolah, the last trump to signal the Rapture of the Church.
Summary:
Notice the sequence of events that are fulfilled in the ministry of Yeshua when He came at the First Coming [spring feasts] and what we will see as the fall feasts that fulfill His Second Coming. Look at the sequence and progression of events:
1. The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah.
2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by the righteous character and sinlessness of His blood-offering upon His death.
3. The Feast of First-Fruits was fulfilled by the Resurrection of the Messiah.
4. The Feast of Weeks was fulfilled by the birthday of the Church.
Following the first cycle of feasts [spring feasts] came a four month interval separating the first cycle of feasts from the second cycle of feasts. This four month interval is fulfilled by the Church Age. God’s program for the Church interrupts His program for Israel as revealed in the program of the festivals.
All of the Spring Feasts occurred in a little over 50 days and now the Fall Feasts will occur within a two-week period to fulfill His program for Israel in the Second Coming pictured in the Fall Feasts.
5. The Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled by the Rapture of the Church.
6. The Day of Atonement will be fulfilled by the Great Tribulation with Israel’s national salvation at the end of that period.
7. The Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled by the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom.
Only two passages teach that the Church will be removed at the sound of a trump. One passage calls it the “trump of God.” And the other passage calls it “the last trump.” The two passages are as follows: First, Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonica, 1Revelation Unveiled By Tim LaHaye; Zondervan Publ. House; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Pg 192; ©1999. 2 Grace Through Faith. Jack Kelley; www.gracethroughfaith.com “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:13-18). Second, Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor. 15:51-53). Though Paul was a Roman citizen, he understood the Old Covenant much better than most Christians know and understand the New Covenant. He was taught by one of the greatest scholars of the Old Testament “Scriptures” who ever lived, Gamaliel. Having so great an understanding of the scriptures, Paul also understood the “feasts of the Lord”. During the feasts, shofars were blown at certain times.
The understanding of these feasts include the timing and the specific patterns of the tones and the lengths of these tones with certain suggestions or commands. For instance, let’s use the pattern in use for the Fall Feast Of Trumpets: Please understand that the pattern will include each of 4 sounds of the shofar).
1) This sound is called Tekiah—a “blast” of the trumpet—meaning to “wake up!”, or “be alert!”
2) This sound is called Sh’varim—“short blasts” to be broken, humbled, ordered repentance.
3) This sound is called T’ruah—“Repeated short blasts”; an alarm; Get prepared!
4) This sound is called Tekiah Hagadolah—“long tone”, it’s the Last Trump. Denotes Resurrection!
The Last Trump is none of the seven Trumpet Judgments of Revelation; and during the times of the Feasts Of The Lord, The Last Trump is not the first sound of the shofar; it is not the second sound, nor the third. The Last Trump is fourth sound—the last sound of a pattern of shofar sounds—the Resurrection/Rapture. The last Trump calls for the resurrection of the Saints of Jesus Christ unto the eternal Glory of the Lord.
We can find a further significance in the blowing of trumpets. Exodus chapters 19 and 20 are the account of God’s appearance on Mount Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 19:4-6 depicts God inviting the nation of Israel into a covenant. In a spectacular revelation, God manifests His presence in smoke and fire on the mountain, along with the fearful sound of a trumpet that causes the people to tremble.
When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.... On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. (Exodus 19:13, 16-19)
The events at Mount Sinai were stamped indelibly in the memory of the nation of Israel. And so, at the Feast of Trumpets, the sound of the shofar—the same word used in Exodus 20:18—reminds Israel that they are a people under covenant, a nation who has accepted the responsibilities of being God’s people. Being in covenant with God includes repenting of sin, a form of breaking the covenant, and then seeking atonement. So, covenant and repentance become hallmarks of this day.
What about the word “memorial” spoken of in Leviticus? The day serves both to remind Israel of the covenant with its need for repentance, but also to “remind” God of His covenant promises, which include restoration upon repentance from sin. When Scripture speaks of God being “reminded” of something or “remembering” something, it means that He is going to take action based on His past promises (see Genesis 8:1, Exodus 2:24). So, the Feast of Trumpets both implores God to accept Israel’s repentance and reminds the Jewish people that they have entered into a binding covenant with God.
The only other reference to this festival in the Torah (or Pentateuch) is in Numbers 29:1. Numbers 29:1-6 reiterate that this is a day “to blow the trumpets” and specifies the numerous sacrifices that were to take place on that day. Since sacrifices were a central component in the worship of ancient Israel, we understand that this was to be a day of worship. The mention of the sin offering “to make atonement” alongside other kinds of offerings reinforces that repentance is a main aspect of the day.
The Feast of Trumpets in the New Testament
The Feast of Trumpets is not mentioned in the New Testament. However, Yom Kippur, which follows 10 days afterwards, is found in Acts 27:9: “Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them.” Here the day is called by its prominent observance, fasting, and the context is that by that late in the season, ocean travel could be perilous. We can assume that Jews in the first century observed the Feast of Trumpets, but we are lacking details.1
The blast of a trumpet gathered attention and presaged something of note.
Trumpets are mentioned in the New Testament, but are not directly connected with the Feast of Trumpets. Jesus advises his followers in Matthew 6:2 to “sound no trumpet” when giving to charity, indicating how attention getting a trumpet blast was. In Matthew 24:31, 1 Corinthians 15:52, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the “trumpet” indicates the gathering of God’s people. Hebrews 12:19 alludes to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai when “the sound of a trumpet” was one of the fearsome phenomena experienced by the nation Israel. Finally, the book of Revelation mentions a trumpet numerous times, either as the way a voice sounded (1:10; 4:1) or more often, as blown by angels (chapters 8-9). While none of these references allude to the Feast of Trumpets, they show that the blast of a trumpet gathered attention and presaged something of note. Similarly, the sound of the shofar on the Feast of Trumpets is meant to call the nation to attention and to the solemnity of repentance.
Jewish tradition says the new month begins after two witnesses see the crescent new moon, testify before the Sanhedrin who declares the beginning of the new month. This happens about a day after the astronomical new moon. Messengers set beacon fires on hills to signal the new month. Distant communities celebrated Trumpets on two possible days. Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the new month and new civil year. Yom Teruah or the Feast of Trumpets is the Rapture.
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. You shall do no work: but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord (Leviticus 23:24-25).
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump [Tekiah Gedolah]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52).
But of that day and hour knows no man (Matthew 24:36).
7. Day of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb
The Feast of Trumpets is the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. Both Jacob's and Samson's weddings last for one week.
In my Father's house are many [rooms]: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:2-3).
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