The Feast of Trumpets

23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.” 26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.”

Focus on 3 aspects of the passage:

What is the Feast of Trumpets?

What is the Prophetic Significance?

What is the Spiritual Significance?

1. A Look at the Feast of Trumpets

Solemn Assembly

Beginning of the Fall Festival Season (Month of September)

In the Post-Exilic Period, it became associated with the Civil New Year or Rosh Hoshannah

If you search the Bible, you will not find many significant events that took place on the Feast of Trumpets. We only really find two places that the feast is mentioned: here and Numbers 29

The Feast served as an announcement of the Festival Season and particularly to announce the arrival in two weeks of the Feast of Booths

To understand the festival we have to look at the significance of trumpets in the Bible and consider some extra-biblical information from Jewish customs. We have to be cautious with anything outside of the Bible, however.

Look with me at Numbers 10:1-10

Numbers 10:1–10 ESV

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Three uses of trumpets are given here in Numbers 10

Call to Mobilize or Assemble (Num. 10:3)

Call to Celebrate (Num. 10:10)

Call to Warn (Num. 10:6, 9)

Extra-biblical Information:

100 blasts on the Shofar (ram’s horn)

Last blast is known as Tekkia Gedolah (Great Blast). This was the Last Trumpet and was the Longest.

2. Prophetic Significance of the Feast of Trumpets

The interpretation will be based on your understanding of the timing of eschatological events

It is possible that Paul was referring to the Feast of Trumpets and the Last Trumpet (the Tekkia Gedolah) when he was talking about the last trumpet in 1 Cor. 15:50-52

1 Corinthians 15:50–52 ESV

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Now, remember that God has already accomplished several significant events in the history of our salvation on these feast days

Jesus is the Passover Lamb and got rid of the leaven of sin

Jesus is the firstfruits of those who have risen from the dead

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost and the first gathering of the nations began. This also began the Church Age that we are in now.

There are three feasts left and they seem to line up with what is going to happen in the future.

God may or may not come on the Feast of Trumpets for the Church, but it is possible that the next event is the rapture of the Church. It is also possible, though not necessary, that this happens some September when the feast occurs.

HOLD ON!!!! Let me eleborate before you think I’m setting a date!

The Feast of Trumpets could refer to two events. I could refer to the gathering of the church in heaven and the celebration that happens there with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

It could also refer to the gathering of Israel to prepare for the next events that are going to happen on earth, which is the Great Tribulation

Your view of the timing of the rapture will influence your understanding of this.

Let’s say the rapture happens first. The church is gathered and this begins the “grafting in of Israel” again that is mentioned in Romans 11. I believe that God is working among the Gentiles right now in the Church Age and will shift His focus back to Israel during the Tribulation.

They begin to realize Jesus is the Messiah and become the great missionary force that goes out in Revelation 7.

The trumpet serves as the call of the rapture and as a call of Israel back to God. It is possible that I’m way off, but either way, there is definitely a new work that is beginning, just like the Feast of Trumpets signified a new beginning.

It’s also interesting that the Feast of Trumpets is held in the 7th month and is a Sabbath month. It is a month that the people were called away from their work to a season of worship

3. Spiritual Significance of the Feast of Trumpets

What is the spiritual significance?

Even if you do not hold to the same time table of events as I do with the Rapture, we can still see an important spiritual significance in the Feast of Trumpets

It is reminder to gather together as God’s people and assemble.

It is a call to worship and celebrate the Lord.

It is a reminder of the difficulties that are coming on the earth

Conclusion:

Are you ready for Jesus? Are you celebrating Him in worship? Let’s assemble, worship, and praise His name until He returns to call us home.

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