The Feast of Trumpets Why Judah does not know the meaning of this day.

Joseph F. Dumond

Isa 6:9-12 And He said, Go, and tell this people, You hear indeed, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back, and be healed. Then I said, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities are wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land laid waste, a desolation, and until Jehovah has moved men far away, and the desolation in the midst of the land is great.
Published: Oct 6, 2007

Newsletter 5843-030

1st day of the seventh month 5843 after creation

September 14, 2007

Shabbat Shalom Brethren,

Computer crash and not able to access Internet. Sorry for the delay. Fixed now.
Today is the Feast of Trumpets. It has been announced from Israel, that the New Moon has been seen. Here is the report from Nehemia Gordon.
Karaite Korner Newsletter #308
New Moon Report
September 2007
Seventh Biblical Month
Part 2
On Thursday September 13, 2007 the New Moon was sighted from Jerusalem. The moon was first sighted from Jerusalem by Devorah Gordon at 18:45, by Ferenc Illesy at 18:47, by Nehemia Gordon at 18:49, by
Neria Haroeh at c.18:50, by Ziw Arieli at 18:51 and by Johann Schutte at 18:55.
High resolution photos of the New Moon taken from Jerusalem are posted at: http:/www.karaite-korner.org/new_moon/2007Sep13/
The new moon was also sighted by Avi Marcus and Dina Marcus at 19:05
from Netanya.

Yom Teruah Sameah!
Happy Day of Shouting!

New Moon Report
September 2007
Seventh Biblical Month

On Wednesday September 12, 2007 observers from several locations in Israel looked for the New Moon but it was not sighted despite extremely clear weather conditions. This was as predicted by modern
astronomical visibility criteria. Tomorrow night (Thursday September 13, 2007) the moon should be easily visible from Israel given adequate weather conditions. Yom Teruah will begin Thursday night at sunset.

Nehemia Gordon
Jerusalem, Israel

10 days from now will be the Day of Atonement. September 23, 2007
15 days from now will be the start of the Feast of Tabernacles September 28, 2007 to October 4th which is a commanded 7 day Holiday that we are told to keep each year. Some of you may not be aware that the bible tells you to take 7 days each year and rejoice and be happy. A commanded vacation. How many religions tell you to do that? Eh?

The next day after the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles is the Eighth Day Feast. October 5, 2007. This is also Simchat Torah Day and you can get a great explanation of this day from this link http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover/simchat-torah/what-is-simchat-torah.html
Simchat Torah is a Jewish tradition and not a commandment.

The Eighth day is commanded and the tradition is a wonderful tradition that has many shades of meaning that show us the marriage celebration between the word ( Torah ) also known as Yahshua, and His bride Israel.

Today, the 1st day, and then the 10th day and the 15th day and the 22nd day are all Holy Days. You are not to work on these days, the same as the Sabbath.
The Feast of Trumpets begins the ten days of awe which end with the day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. They are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur.

From a Jewish perspective, one of the ongoing themes of the Days of Awe is the concept that Yahweh has books that he writes our names in, writing down who will live and who will die, who will have a good life and who will have a bad life, for the next year. These books are written in on Rosh Hashanah, (This is what the Jews call the Head of the Year. But the scriptures say the beginning of the year is Aviv, not the seventh month) but our actions during the Days of Awe can alter Yahwehs decree. The actions that change the decree are teshuvah, tefilah and tzedakah, repentance, prayer, good deeds (usually, charity). These “books” are sealed on Yom Kippur. This concept of writing in books is the source of the common greeting during this time is “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and Yahweh. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible.
Work is permitted as usual during the intermediate Days of Awe, from 2nd day of the Seventh month to the 9th day of the seventh month, except of course for Shabbat during that week.
The Shabbat that occurs in this period is known as Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath of Return). This is considered a rather important Shabbat.

The Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuvah, Shabbat of Return because its special haftarah reading begins with the words Shuvah Yisrael “Return O Israel”, from the prophecy of Hoshea. It is also referred to as Shabbat Shuvah because it falls during the Ten Days of Repentance.

From karaite Korner we have the following

Yom Teruah is a holiday on the 1st day of the Seventh month (Tishrei). The Rabbis wrongly call it New Years (Rosh Hashannah) when really it is a Day of Shouting (Teruah) in prayer to God.
On the 1st day of the Seventh month (Tishrei) the Torah commands us to observe a “Day of Shouting” (Lev 23,23-25; Nu 29,1-6) on which work is forbidden. This holiday is widely known today by the Rabbinic misnomer “Rosh Hashannah”. The Bible never calls this holiday Rosh Hashanah but instead variously calls it Yom Teruah (Day of Shouting) and Zicharon Teruah (Remembrance Shouting). The Rabbis renamed the holiday Rosh Hashana (New Years) claiming that the Jewish year actually begins in Tishrei. The absurdity of this claim is immediately apparent since the Bible refers to this holiday as falling out in the Seventh month (Tishrei is a later name never used in the Torah). How could New Years fall out in the Seventh month!

The actual beginning of the year is described in Ex 12,2 which states “This month will be for you the beginning of months; It is first of the months of the year”. After this explicit statement the Torah proceeds to describe the ceremony of the Passover sacrifice which is to take place in this First month. Similarly, Lev 23 and Nu 28 list the holidays and both passages describe Passover in the First month and Yom Teruah in the Seventh month. Thus there can be no question that the “beginning of months” mentioned in Ex 12,2 refers to the first of Nissan (in which Passover is celebrated) and not to Yom Teruah which takes place in the Seventh month.

The Rabbis claim that later in the Tanach Yom T’ruah is referred to as Rosh Hashanna. Indeed, the expression Rosh Hashannah does appear in Ez 40,1 which reads “In the beginning of the year (Rosh Hashannah) on the tenth of the month”. The fact that Ez 40,1 refers to the tenth day of “Rosh Hashannah” makes it clear that the reference here is to the entire First month and not to the first day of the year. Even if Ezekiel is referring to the 1st day of the 1st month there is no justification to say he is referring to anything other than the 1st day of Nissan (First month).

Undoubtedly the Rabbis felt a need to associate Yom Teruah with New Years because they felt uncomfortable that the Bible does not give us a reason for celebrating this holiday as it does for all of the other Biblical holidays (such as the Exodus for Hag Hamatzot and Harvest for Shavuot). However, the true nature of Yom Teru’ah can be adduced from its name. In the Bible “Teruah” means to make a loud noise either by blowing a horn (e.g. Shofar Lev 25,9; Silver Trumpets Nu 10,5-6) or by shouting in prayer (Ps 100,1). The purpose of Yom Teru’ah then was probably to shout to YHWH in prayer similar to the idea commonly expressed in the Psalms such as “Shout unto God with a singing voice!” (Ps 47,2) which uses the same verbal root as “Teruah”. The Rabbis claim that this noise making can only be done with a Shofar (ram’s horn). There is no Biblical evidence for this assertion and on the contrary as has been shown the word “Teruah” can indicate various methods of noise making from shouting in prayer to blowing on the Silver Trumpets (Nu 10) all of which the Bible describes as acts of worshipping YHWH (see also Psalm 150).
Biblical Verses which mention Yom Teruah:

In Lev 23,23-25 “And YHWH spoke unto Moses saying, Speak to the Children of Israel saying, In the Seventh month on the first of the month will be a day of rest (Shabbaton) for you, a Remembrance Shouting, a holy convocation. You shall do no work and you will bring a fire sacrifice to YHWH.”
n Nu 29,1-6 “And in the Seventh month on the first of the month will be a holy convocation for you; you shall do no work, it will be a Day of Shouting for you. [List of Sacrifices for Yom Teruah].”
n Amos 8,4-5 “Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, that make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will New Moon Day pass that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying with deceitful balances?”

From the Jewish sources above, we see that they have no real idea why we keep this day, as we just read in the Karaite Korner. [they felt uncomfortable that the Bible does not give us a reason for celebrating this holiday as it does for all of the other Biblical holidays ] Until I was preparing this News Letter I did not know that.
This then is very similar to when the Jewish people were keeping Passover and again did not know the meaning of those days. So that when the Messiah came they did not recognize Him and killed Him.
Let us then with out prejudice read what the United Church of God says about this day.

The Feast of Trumpets: A Turning Point in History

The Feast of Trumpets introduces the autumn festival’s representing the culmination of the present age of man and the beginning of an incredible time during which God will play a much more direct part in world events. The previous festivals constitute personal responses to the workings of God in the people He calls and chooses. But the Day of Trumpets heralds the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis. This Holy Day represents a dramatic turning point in world history.

This particular festival also marks the beginning of the third and final feast season (Exodus 23:14; Deuteronomy 16:16), which includes the final four Holy Days of the year.

The Return of Yeshua

The Feast of Trumpets depicts nothing less than the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish the Kingdom of God! The book of Revelation reveals a sequence of earth-shaking events depicted by angels sounding a series of seven trumpet blasts. The seventh angel’s sounding of the last trumpet signifies that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). The return of Jesus Christ stands as the final and most significant event associated with the blowing of the prophetic trumpets. Of all the prophecies in the Bible, this one surely heralds the most exciting news possible for this weary, sin-filled world!

The Feast of Trumpets also marks the future fulfillment of the many Old Testament prophecies that speak of a Messiah coming as a king who will rule with power and authority. The concept of a conquering Messiah was on the minds of the apostles immediately after Jesus’ resurrection. When He appeared to them in those early days, they asked questions such as: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

Even in His earthly ministry, Jesus had spoken of distinctions between His first and second coming. When Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, questioned Jesus just before the crucifixion, Jesus stated clearly that He had not come to rule at that time.

“My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus told the government official. “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered in the affirmative: “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:36-37).
After Christ’s resurrection, the apostles excitedly anticipated the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises. They were aware of messianic prophecies such as Isaiah’s that describe a time during which “the government will be upon His shoulder” and “of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
In answer to the apostles’ question when they asked Him if He would soon establish the Kingdom, Jesus told them they were not to know “times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). Instead, Christ told them to focus on spreading the gospel—the good news—throughout the world. Later, in due time, the apostles realized that Christ’s second coming was not necessarily imminent.
Numerous scriptures describe the saints as eagerly looking forward to Christ’s return. Why the symbolism of Trumpets?
The excitement of this Holy Day, picturing these monumental events, is captured in the symbolism of this festival. Ancient Israel celebrated it with “a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts” (Leviticus 23:24, NIV).

What is the significance of the dramatic sounds accompanying the observance of this day? To help us understand the symbol of trumpets, let’s take a brief look at the use of that musical instrument in the Bible.

God instructed ancient Israel in the appropriate use of trumpets to communicate important messages. The sounding of one trumpet meant a meeting of the leaders of Israel. Two trumpets sounded to call a gathering of all of the people (Numbers 10:3-4). God also used a trumpet to herald His meeting with Israel when He descended upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16).
Trumpets could also sound a warning. Numbers 10:9 states, “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets.” In this case the trumpets resounded a warning of impending danger and imminent warfare.

Trumpets could also furnish a festive sound: “Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets … and they shall be a memorial for you before your God” (Numbers 10:10).

With their ability to transmit sound over great distances, trumpets were excellent instruments for attracting people’s attention. In connection with this Feast Day, Psalm 81:3 exhorts: “Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day.”
Amplification of trumpets’ meaning

The writers of the New Testament revealed additional understanding of the significance of the blowing of trumpets. Notice Paul’s description of the return of Jesus Christ: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Paul also spoke of the day when the firstfruits pictured by Pentecost will be resurrected to immortal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:52 he says this will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

The apostle John associated the blowing of a trumpet with Christ’s return when he wrote, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'” (Revelation 11:15). These passages dramatically attest to the significance of the Feast of Trumpets.
Although the Trumpets festival isn’t mentioned by name in the New Testament, we have no valid reason for assuming that this Holy Day should not be kept. On the contrary, the early Church used the Hebrew scriptures as their foundation for doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16). Like the Ten Commandments (James 2:10-11), each of God’s festivals is intimately and intricately related to the others. By keeping all of them, we can understand God’s remarkable plan for humanity as it unfolds. We should not ignore some of His Holy Days while observing others.

Yeshua’s prophetic teaching

Near the end of Christ’s physical ministry, the apostles asked Him about the end of the present era. Notice Matthew 24:3: “Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'”

Earlier, Daniel had prophesied about the establishment of the Kingdom of God and how the saints, or God’s people, would inherit that kingdom (Daniel 2:44; 7:18). Like the disciples, however, Daniel did not understand when the Kingdom would come.

Nonetheless, Jesus began to explain the events that would lead up to His return. Jesus explained a prophecy that had been “closed up and sealed” since Daniel’s day (Daniel 12:9). In Matthew 24 Jesus Christ described to His disciples religious deception, wars, famines, disease, earthquakes and other calamities (verses 4-13). He characterized the time of His return as an era of hatred and lawlessness. In this setting Jesus said, “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (verse 14).

More details in the book of Revelation

Later Jesus Christ revealed many more details about this pivotal time. The book of Revelation is described as “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1). Here Christ repeated through the apostle John the same events He had described to His disciples decades earlier. Now, however, Jesus used the symbolism of a series of seals He would open one by one (Revelation 6).

After this, at the beginning of God’s wrath against the disobedient nations, Jesus prophesied seven plagues to be poured out upon a sinning world, with a trumpet blast announcing each (Revelation 8-9). Finally God will send two “witnesses,” or “prophets,” to proclaim His truth to a rebellious world (Revelation 11). Tragically, this godless society will reject these two people of God and kill them (verses 7-10).
These dramatic events set the stage for the seventh angel’s trumpet sounding and Jesus Christ’s return to assume ruler ship over the governments of the earth (Revelation 11:15).

Of this same scenario, Matthew 24 says that “immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (verses 29-31).

Unprecedented events at Christ’s return

Incredibly, when Jesus Christ returns to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the nations of the earth will gather to fight against Him (Zechariah 14:1-4). Revelation 19:19 describes this impending battle: “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him [Jesus Christ] who sat on the horse and against His army.”
Why would anyone want to fight the Messiah? The armies will try to destroy Christ because Satan has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The devil’s influence will inspire the nations to fight against Christ when He returns. (The next chapter reveals how God will deal with Satan’s deception.)

The Feast of Trumpets also signals a resurrection of the dead. The apostle Paul spoke of this event: “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:21-23).

Paul further explained: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), immediately followed by the people of God who are alive at that time (verse 17).

Revelation 20:5 describes this as the “first resurrection.” This change to immortal life was the hope of early Christians and remains the fervent hope of those who understand God’s plan.
In the book of Romans, Paul describes this resurrection as a glorious deliverance from bondage: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God … because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God … And not only they, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:19, 21, 23).

We see that, even though tragic events lie ahead, the good news is that God will intervene to save humanity and guide mankind into His way of life.
Jesus Christ will return to establish God’s millennial rule, bringing His perfect government to earth. This is the wonderful, inspiring meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. Christ taught us to pray “thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10, KJV).

How urgently we need the answer to that prayer!

Taken from http://www.ucg.org/booklets/HD/pointinhistory.htm
For those of you who are new to this News Letter, it would be good at this time to read: Times Up! No More Excuses! It is about the Jubilee which finishes also on this day. The Jubilee tells us the lead up to the Great and Awesome return of our Savior.

It is just before this time that the events of the world are so terrible that our brother Judah will shout out to our Messiah saying Yah Shua which means Yah (God) Shua (save us).
Yehshua is the Hebrew name of Jesus. Jesus is what the Greeks called Him.

What an incredible time this event will herald in. This is why Judah does not know the meaning of this day, because most of the explanations come from the teachings of Yehshua whom they do not at the moment recognize.

Shalom May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.
Joseph F Dumond
www.sightedmoon.com

 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.