Tag: Shofar

Yom Teruah – The Day of Trumpets 

Also called Rosh HaShannah which is literally the Head of the Year.

It is known by many names.

The Biblical Hebrew name for the 4th of our Heavenly Fathers’ 7 Appointed Times/ Moedim/ annual feasts in

Lev. 23:24 is 

Zikaron T’ruah Miqra Kodesh 

and is variously translated 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, there’s a 2nd, and only other, reference to Yom Teruah in the Torah, where the Hebrew name for this day 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

it is Yom Teruah – the day of shouting an alarm.

(The 1st day of the 7th month)

A memorial of trumpet 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. 

Each month True Israel/Yisra’El is commanded to sound their shofars, and the priests are to blow their silver trumpets.

“Blow the trumpet /shofar at the time of the new moon, at the full moon on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Yisra’El, A law of the God of Jacob.” Ps. 81:3-4

“Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the slaughters of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am YHWH your God.” Num. 10:10

The reason for Yom Teruah being a day of shouting and alarm is: “There are only 10 days left” for the wicked to repent of their wickedness and join themselves to True Israel/Yisra’El. Throughout the year the monthly reminder, the warning cry, has been blown; the 7th month is coming and soon it will be too late to repent. So now is the time!

Sunset on Wednesday, 2nd October is the Gregorian calendar date for 2024. 29 Elul on the Hebrew calendar and Rosh Hashanah on 1 & 2  Tishri is Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th October. This is also the Civil New Year in Israel. 5785.

The Appointed Times of our Heavenly Father paint a picture of what we can expect to occur in these last days. However, mistakenly believing that any one of them has reached its’ complete fulfillment and therefore does not have any influence on future events, may be spiritually shortsighted. Our ways and thoughts are not the same as the Creator of the Universe. Who said:

“Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Isa. 28:9-10

Obviously babies cannot understand the message, it is rather for those who are mature in His word.

Our Father’s message for His people is the same beautiful message that the man on the mountain in Isa 52:7 brought, or that of John the Baptist, Jesus/Yeshua and Paul, which was simply: “the kingdom of Heaven is at hand, REPENT and believe the good news; our God reigns!”

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion,“ your Elohim (lawmaker, judge) reigns! ” Isa 52:7

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying,‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ ” Mat 3:1-2

“Now after John was put in prison, Yeshua/Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying; ‘ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Elohim is athand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’ “Mar 1:14-15

True Yisra’El

Understanding the message and the Appointed Times/feasts cannot be done without understanding who True Israel/Yisra’El really is, and who they are not. There is a distinction between the state of Israel/the country, those who follow the laws of a man-made government with its statutes etc. And True Isreal/Yisra’El, those who have repented, left the king and kingdom of their birth and have started to learn and to do our heavenly Father’s statutes, judgments and ordinances and have now come into covenant with Him at Passover/Pesach.

To understand the Appointed Times/feasts of the Lord/YHWH, we must be aware that there is a difference between the 2 types of people who live in His kingdom.

One type is the Ger:

When a person repents and turns from their ways and the ways of the world, to follow Gods ways, they become a Ger. This means that the individual is no longer a citizen in any other kingdom on earth; they and their families have joined themselves to True Israel/Yisra’El becoming citizens of that holy nation, or commonwealth, through repentance and the next step would be a public declaration of that separation by water immersion (that is what was originally understood by baptism). The Ger then keeps all the statues, judgments and ordinances that True Israel/Yisra’El does.

“You shall have the same law for the stranger [Ger] and for one from your own country [Ezrach]; for I am YHWH, your God.” (Lev 24:22)

“One law shall be for the native-born [Ezrach] and for the stranger [Ger] who dwells among you .” Exodus 12:49

The Ger has left the country of their first birth and joined themselves and their families to the holy, but now invisible, nation of True Israel/Yisra’El. When the Pharisees asked Messiah when the kingdom of heaven would come, His reply was,

“The kingdom of heaven/God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of Elohim is within you.” Luke 17:20-21

The kingdom is within us when we repent and join ourselves to True Israel/Yisra’El.

The 2nd is the Ezrach

Each year the Ger has the opportunity to become:

‘as one born in the land’.

Whether or not the individual has ever even seen the land of Israel. This was the case with all those who ate of the Pesach/Passover back in Egypt, they became as ‘one born in the land’ even though the majority of them had never even seen it and never would.

In Exodus 12:48, the instructions for the Passover as concerned the Ger reads:

“And when a stranger /Ger dwells with you and wants to keep the Pesach/Passover to YHWH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall become as a native of the land [an Ezrach]; for no uncircumcised person shall eat it.” Exodus12:48.

Passover/Pesach is the only feast where we as Gerim; which are those who have joined themselves to True Israel/Yisra’El by repentance and baptism; may now actually become ‘as one born in the land.’ This person/the new Ezrach; is True Israel/Yisra’El because they have eaten of the Pesach/Passover lamb and placed the blood on their doors. They are now the ones that are ‘Born from above‘ as Messiah said we all must be. The Ezrach are the people who are born, a second time, into a “spiritual” kingdom, the land of their second birth.

The Appointed Times of the Lord/feasts of YHWH are first on an individual basis for Israel/Yisra’El and then on a corporate basis. The Spring Appointed Times/feasts are for the individual and the Fall/Autumn Appointed Times/ feasts are for the corporate body of True Israel/Yisra’El.

Except for one Sukkot every 7 years, only Israel/Yisra’El seed and the males who dwell with them attend the feasts of the Lord.

“Three times a year all thy males זכורך , za·kur’] shall appear before YHWH, thy God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Deut. 16:16 and Exodus 34:23

The Appointed Times of the Lord/ feasts of YHWH are not for everyone. They are only for True Israel/Yisra’El and those who have joined themselves to Israel/Yisra’El by coming into covenant with our Heavenly Father/YHWH! So we see from the scriptures that the Appointed Times of the Lord/the feasts of YHWH is not simply or exclusively a ‘Jewish’ cultural observation!

What does Scripture tell us about this festival and what commandments are given regarding it?

What are we to do and when are we to do it?

Looking at this moed and discovering what Scripture has to tell us about it, we should consider that the very same Creator God our Heavenly Father, Who granted favor and mercy by sending His Son to atone for our lawlessness, will send that same Son again to defeat His enemies and judge the world.

 In the words of King David: oh, God, please “open our eyes that we might behold wonderful things from your Torah” and see our returning Messiah in this moed. Scripture was given to mankind to speak of Him and we should listen and hear its voice… His voice… especially during His appointed times.

What Scripture Says About Yom Teruah

Yom Teruah [יום תרועה,

Strong’s #3117 + Strong’s #8643] means

“day [of the] shout”.

“Speak unto the Bnei Yisra’El, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Shabbaton, a zikhron teru’ah mikra kodesh. Ye shall do no melekhet avodah therein; but ye shall offer an offering made by eish unto YaHuWaH.” Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23:24-25

Although translated as trumpet, teruah is not an actual trumpet as Westerns know it. Rather, it is a type of sound made with a ram’s horn: a shofar. A shofar is a ram’s horn that is hollowed out and used as a musical instrument. It is ‘played’ by blowing and vibrating pursed lips much like a modern brass instrument like a trumpet or trombone.

The NASB adds the words “of trumpets” in this passage. Teruah is used in Scripture to describe both the sounding of a shofar as well as people shouting; (e.g. the “great shout” mentioned in Joshua 6:5 when the walls of Jericho fell, is the Hebrew word teruah).

“And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the keren hayovel, when ye hear the sound of the shofar, Kol HaAm shall shout with a teruah gedolah; and the Chomat HaIr shall fall down, and HaAm shall go up every ish charging straight in.” Yehoshua/Joshua 6:5

There are a number of reasons to sound the shofar aside from this festival. Two of the most common reasons given in Scripture are: the arrival of a king or the anointing of a king. For example: 2 Samuel 15:10, 1 Kings 1:34, 1 Kings 1:39, 2 Kings 9:13.

All of these mention a shofar being sounded as a person is anointed and proclaimed king. So, too, we can recognize the King who reigns over all Kings, when we hear the shofar being sounded on Yom Teruah.

Finding Messiah in Yom Teruah… as in His return.

After the spring moedim (Pesach, Chag HaMatzot and Shavuot) comes a long, hot, and dry summer in the Land of Yisra’El. But the moedim return in the Fall/Autumn and with them comes relief from the heat with cooler weather.

Like the spring moedim that foretold Messiah’s first coming, Yom Teruah marks the beginning of the fall festivals that foretell His second coming. In this moed we can see Messiah returning with a great trumpet blast and vanquishing His enemies in preparation for Judgment Day and the Day of Atonement.

The blessings of the moedim return with Yom Teruah which is the Feast of Trumpets, the first of the fall moedim.

Prophecy speaks of the Great Trumpet that will herald the return of the Messiah King following the long, hot, and dry centuries since His appearing.

We noted above that the Greek word used in the Septuagint for teruah was salpiggon (“trumpets”, singular salpigx). This word is used in the writings of the apostles eleven times including these prophetic passages:

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:30-31

“And then will appear the Ot Ben Adam (the Sign of the Son of Man) in Shamayim. All the tribes of kol haaretz (all the earth) will see the Ben HaAdam Mashiach and his Bias, his Coming, on the ananim of Shamayim (clouds of glory of Heaven) with gevurah (power) and great kavod (glory). Mashiach will send his malachim with a loud blast of the Shofar, and the malachim will gather together Mashiach’s Bechirim from the four winds, from one end of Shamayim to the other.” Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:30-31

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 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 will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

“Hinei! I speak a sod (mystery) to you: we will not all sleep the sleep of the Mesim, but we will all be changed. In a rega (moment), in the wink of an eye, at the last shofar blast. For the shofar will sound, the Mesim (dead ones) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For it is necessary for this perishable nature to put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature to put on the immortal.” Kehilah in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

For the Master Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of Elohim, and the dead in Messiah will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air, and so we shall always be with the Master. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

“For Yahusha Himself, at the signal, at the bat kol /voice, of the Sar HaMalachim (the Archangel), and at the shofar blast of YaHuWaH, shall come down from Shamayim, and the Mesim in Mashiach shall stand up alive in the Techiyas HaMesim first. Then [next in sequence], we who are alive and who have been left behind simultaneously with them shall be snatched up in the ananim (clouds) to meet Yahusha in the air. And so always with Yahusha we shall be.” Kehilah in Thessalonika I 4:16-17

The day or the hour?

Yom Teruah is the only moed that falls on the first day of the month. All of the other moedim fall on a day that is well into the month: the fourteenth, the tenth, fifty days after Passover, etc.

It seems that Messiah Himself pointed to Yom Teruah as the day of His return using this well-known condition?

“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:31-36

“Mashiach will send his malachim with a loud blast of the Shofar, and the malachim will gather together Mashiach’s Bechirim from the four winds, from one end of Shamayim to the other. And from the etz teenah (fig tree), learn its parabolic lesson: when its branch has become tender already and sprouts leaves, you know that Kayitz (Summer) is near; thus also you, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the very doors. Omein, I say to you, that this dor (generation) will by no means pass away until all these things come about. Shamayim vHaAretz will pass away, but my Dvar will by no means pass away. But concerning that day and hour, no one has daas, not the malachim of Shamayim, but only HaAv (the Father) of me.” Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:31-36

Messiah uses a parable of a fig tree to indicate that there will be signals/signs of the season of His return. Then He uses an expression that points to Yom Teruah, the day of the shofar blast that announces the arrival of the King! We should be aware of the time and the seasons and stay alert and spiritually ready for Him. He tells us:

“Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. Luqas/Luke 12:35-38

A verse in Revelation says we cannot know the time of the Messiahs’ return. These are the words of the Master, Himself:

So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. Rev 3:3.

Here Messiah is speaking to the believers in Sardis whom He declares to be “dead” Rev 3:1. It is these dead believers who, if they do not “wake up”, will be surprised at His coming.

Messiah uses common phrasing that points to the only well-known day of which “no man knows the day or the hour” to liken to His return, that being Yom Teruah.

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. 

Below are briefly the historical roots of our faith, the present relevance for believers and prophetic end-time implications.

looking at the following:

Yom Teruah or the day of blowing/shouting,

the shofar blasts prophetically,

the summer months between the spring feast of Shavuot/Weeks /Pentecost

and the fall feast of Yom Teruah

are a spiritual picture of what is often called the ‘Church Age,’ which is the period of time from the Feast of Pentecost/Shavuot in Acts 2 until the return of Jesus/Yeshua the Messiah at the end of the age and lasting for approximately 2000 years. For many, especially those living in a hotter climate, summer is a time of weariness and fatigue due to the excessive heat. In the same way, many believers have fallen asleep or are growing spiritually weary while waiting for the return of the Messiah. Jesus/Yeshua discusses this issue in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25, who all grew weary and fell asleep awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom /Jesus/Yeshua. 

This all changes on the 1st day of the 7th month of the biblical Hebrew calendar, when away in the distance the sound of a shofar blast suddenly pierces the atmosphere and wakes up those who have fallen asleep. Not only does this blast on the shofar signal the beginning of the 7th month when the new crescent moon is sighted, (the day and hour that no man knows); but it seems that it announces the return of the Bridegroom (Messiah) coming for His bride (the redeemed saints). As in the parable, the cry went forth that the bridegroom was coming and all woke up 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 Jesus/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 it marks the beginning of Yom Teruah. This is the first day of the fall/autumn moed/festival/harvest season and is the time when the call goes out for the spiritually sleepy to wake up, and to hear the voice of the Lord, to be invigorated by the breath or voice of the shofar, which is symbolic of His prophetic Word going forth across the earth in the last days. 

The ram’s horn shofar is bent into a curved shape and it represents the repentant, humble hearts, of both the one blowing and those hearing. This is the season for the righteous to get right with the Father and bend our hearts in humility before Him and shake ourselves out of spiritual lukewarmness and instead to wake up to spiritual action and preparation. The fall/autumn Appointed Times/Moedim, point to last days events that will occur at some point in time in the very near future. It’s a time to be refreshed by the breath of God, His Ruach HaKodesh, and to be aware of a time of new beginnings. Let’s allow Him to breathe on us, to revive us and empower us as we enter into this prophetic season, and as every day we prepare ourselves so that when the moment comes for each of us, we are ready to meet our Savior, Lord, King and Redeemer, Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, in the air.

Yom Teruah also begins a season that prophetically speaks of war and battle, in ancient times in Israel, the shofar was a weapon of warfare, and in the last days it will be used again as such. It was used to call Israel to battle, to defeat her enemies with Gods’ help. The shofar was also used to proclaim victory after the battle was won and to worship our Heavenly Father who had given them the victory.  Israel’s fight against her enemies still continues on even in these end times and no more obvious than right now.  The enemies of the redeemed Israelites, us, are mostly spiritual, being the world, the flesh and the devil. 

James 3:15; Ephesians 2:2–3.

Through faith in Jesus/Yeshua the Messiah who defeated death, hell and the grave, we can have victory over death, 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 rise up from our spiritual slumber, our Heavenly Father is telling His people to be the over-comers He has called us to be, so that we 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 the Lord God’s wrath being poured out upon the nations. Joel 3:11-13. This begins the wrath of God pictured by Yom Kippur /the Day of Atonement, which occurs 10 days after Yom Teruah; before which time the dead saints will have been resurrected and given their spiritual, glorified bodies. 

During the month of Elul, our focus has been on repentance/teshuvah, restoration and preparation for the coming of the Messiah. In order to repent one must understand that Scripture defines sins as the violation of our Heavenly Father’s Torah, or instructions or teachings in righteousness 1 John 3:4.

The letter Sin or chet in Hebrew, loosely  means:

a failure in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Our goal should be to continually move closer to Him, but chet is behavior that causes us to move away from Him.

If our Heavenly Father requires His people to turn away from sin and turn to righteousness, which is called repentance, then what is  involved in repentance?

Repentance or teshuvah in Hebrew, means: to return.

In the biblical context, it means:

to return to Elohim”and to behavior He requires of us, in other words, return to obedience to his commandments.

While we deeply regret having moved away from the Father, we must not despair, for He has provided the WAY for us to return to Him promising us that when we repent, He forgives without delay.

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, however, according to scripture, one who is alert can certainly know the season and year. Sadly, human tendency is to grow weary in waiting, and begin to slack off in one’s obedience to the Lord’s righteous commands. When the new moon is sighted and the shofar sounds, this is the signal for those who are slumbering to wake up, for hope to arise in our hearts. This is time for renewal and spiritual revival to occur and action to be taken to put off sin and to draw closer spiritually to our Heavenly Father.

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 stand point, 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 the Lord God.

Yom Teruah prophetically involves all these concepts, it’s a day when God’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; because a time of war and terror are brought on by the judgments and 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.

Take to heart the full ramifications of its’ spiritual and prophetic implications. If we consider ourselves to be part of the bride of Yeshua, then we will want to let the message of Yom Teruah sink deeply into our hearts and adjust our lives accordingly.

For more on Rosh Hashanah and the Fall moedim links are on Homepage under the section titled:

7 FESTIVALS/APPOINTED TIMES/FEASTS

Shalom and shanah tova mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

Sounding The Trumpet?

Trumpets and horns/shofars are mentioned many times in Scripture. The trumpet/shofar was used to call the Hebrew nation to assembly and was most commonly used as a warning of, and summons to, war; and throughout the Bible during Appointed Times of the Lord, in processions, musical performances, and acts of devotion. 

Judg. 3:27; 1 Cor. 14:8. 

Only the Priests were allowed to sound these silver trumpet shofars.

The trumpets most people think of are those in the Book of Revelation, seven trumpets are sounded, one at a time, to cue apocalyptic events seen by John in his vision Revelation 1:1,9. The seven trumpets are sounded by seven angels and the events that follow are described in detail from Revelation Chapts. 8 -11.

Readers may be familiar with the term the last Trump/trumpet which is part of the description in the Paul’s 1st letter to the assembly in Corinth. It is actually a reference to the 100th trumpet blast sounded during the Feast of Trumpets. The 100th Trump is the final or the last trump; and this is one of those references in which Hebrew idioms must be understood as it represents a specific moment at the very end of the proceedings.

The Trumpet Shofar blasts have names:

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.

For more in depth on this subject links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet-2/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-trump-shofar-notes-and-numbers-the-sound-of-a-mystery/

In the 100 trumpet blasts during the Appointed Time/feast of trumpets, the first of the three categories above 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.

Mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and Matthew 24:31 “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.”

This scripture below in Matthew 6:1-4  includes the words

sounding a trumpet

and it is Jesus/Yeshua warning His disciples about their attitude to giving and it hearkens back to instructions about giving in Deuteronomy 15:7-11.

7 if there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.  8 Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.…9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.… 10 Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.… 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.…

Below versions of Matthew 6:2

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. KJV.

New American Standard Bible
“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 

do not sound a trumpet before thee is an idiom meaning:

when giving alms don’t announce it with trumpets.

We have an idiom which is similar when we say:

‘sounding your own trumpet’

its’ meaning: a person is boasting of their own deeds.

This figure of speech/idiom, describes a vain/prideful person as being “their own trumpeter,” or making a “flourish of trumpets” about their own acts, probably common in every country where trumpets have been used. What is meant in scripture is that, whether it is in the offering receptacles of the synagogue, or the alms given to beggars in the streets; there was such a show of generous giving designed to cause men to stare and admire.

To better understand Messiah Jesus, it is beneficial to try to understand the social and cultural background of His Life and times.

Using the Hebrew language is the best way we can get an authentic concept for the culture that has so influenced our lives today. 

WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY DEFINES “IDIOMS” AS:
A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements

A. A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon: legal idiom.
B. A style or manner of expression peculiar to a given people.

We look and no doubt when we read this phrase

we naturally think…

Sounding the Shofar

is referring to

sounding the trumpets/blowing the shofar.

Sounding the trumpet as found in Matthew 6:1-4, is a warning by the Messiah to His Disciples, not to sound the trumpet when giving Alms.

During the first century, Alms was a synonym for a charitable gift that was required to be given to the poor.

The word alms

in the Aramaic language is the word

zedhqatha

which means:

a right, or righteous act, the proper thing to do.

Jesus/Yeshua was obviously not against giving to the poor as He had already agreed with the need for these Alms to be given as commanded in the Torah, God’s teaching and instruction in Deuteronomy 15:10; and that there was a reward for all who offered gifts to the poor. The Ancient Hebrews believed that there were 3 evidences of the purity of a man’s heart that would be seen, if the man or woman had repented of sin and was faithfully following the Lord.

These 3 qualities were: Prayer, Charity and Repentance.

Collection boxes are still in Jewish Communities today, and are called tzedakah boxes or righteousness boxes.
Every person is expected to do mitvahs = good deeds.
Tzedakah box,

also known by its Yiddish word, pushke, is a:

receptacle for collecting money that is designated for charity.

The Hebrew word tzedakah comes from the root tzedek,

meaning: justice.

Giving money and resources to those in need

is understood to be an act of justice.

Many families decorate boxes or cans, and make a habit of putting money in them before Shabbat. When they are full the money is taken out and given to a person or organization in need.

Tzedakah (צְדָקָה) often translated as charity, is a mainstay in Israel of Jewish life. The sages teach that the world was built upon kindness. Tzedakah goes one step beyond.

The name “ Tzedek Box” comes from the Hebrew root צ.ד.ק. meaning “righteousness.” 

Tzedakah is a way of looking at the world and understanding the human role in creating a more perfect world—and by doing so, imitating qualities of the Divine. 

tzedakah (charity and righteousness),

chesed (kindness), and

mishpat (justice).

The “right hand” is the higher spiritual element in us that leads to acts of true charity; 

the “left” is the baser, self-seeking nature.

As far as 

Let not thy left hand know…..

This phrase was probably proverbial, and points to and in a way, overemphasizes, extreme secrecy. It’s possible that there may be some reference to the practice of using the right hand as was usual in offering gifts at the altar and was thought to exclude the mingling of motives.

Many people were forced into begging because of unjust rulers who placed heavy taxes and tributes on them, reducing some people to a level of poverty. They were then forced to beg to survive, yet these were hardworking people, the ones who found it extremely embarrassing to beg for a handout. That is maybe why Jesus/Yeshua used this old Aramaic expression when He said do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, in other words do not let anyone know that you are giving alms so as not to embarrass the person who is receiving the support. Jewish sages teach that to humiliate a person in public is as bad as committing murder, so was Jesus/Yeshua only enforcing this understanding of a zedhqatha or alms, the doing of a righteous act?

To understand Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, as a proverbial expression for doing a thing secretly is also to do it as secretly as it is done consistently, first with the fact that an individual is choosing to do it at all; and secondly, doing it in the most effectual manner for the need and never speaking of it afterward, unless there be good reasons for making it known.

That thine alms may be in secret. May be known to none but God, whose glory thou must have in view in all thy works, whether of piety, justice, or charity, and whose will it must be thy intention to obey in all things. And thy Father, which seeth in secret. Who knows every circumstance of mews most retired and private actions; himself shall reward thee openly.  

Tamara qarna are the exact words used in the Aramaic Bible for sound the trumpet.

However the rabbinic textual experts, render this as do not pass the trumpet. Qarna means the horn of an animal, which would fit the description of a shofar. In the first century synagogues the poor box or the alms box was in the shape of a shofar and in many cases was a real shofar. It would be in a quiet area of the synagogue where people could discretely drop in coins for the poor and was western equivalent to the poor box in a church. 

It was not the act of giving in public that Messiah had a problem with, but the fact that the men in the synagogue had started passing around the shofar and taking note of who gave what and how much. Sometimes the religious men in the synagogue would even take the shofar out into the streets and call upon people to drop some coins in the trumpet; and this may be what Messiah was addressing, not blowing a trumpet but passing a trumpet or offering plate?

More than likely it was the attempt by some religious people to bring attention to how much they gave that He was addressing.

The words probably refer to the clang of the coins as they fell into the metal trumpet-shaped alms-boxes in the synagogue. This clanging sound came as sweet music to the ears of the proud giver; and it seems the pharisees never missed an opportunity to show off their self righteousness and would drop large handfuls of coins into these wooden containers which would make a very loud sound as the coins raced through the narrow funnel!

In the tzedakah boxes,

this was known as 

“sounding the trumpets”

in an attempt to draw peoples attention to

the givers act of “righteousness”. 

Giving is about our neighbor not ourselves, so He cautioned the disciples and apostles to not sound the trumpets when giving, as they were required to do!

In the time of the 2nd Temple, in the Outer Court known as the Women’s Court; and under the colonnades is where 13 wooden collection boxes for alms for the widows, the poor, and the orphans were. They were narrow at the mouth and very large and wide at the bottom, with trumpet-shaped bronze funnels to guide the coins into the box.

This area was the actual Temple Treasury, a storehouse; in Hebrew אוצר ‘otsar.

A related term, the korbanas, is found in the New Testament Matthew 27:6 where the money of Judas Iscariot couldn’t be received into the temple “treasury”, or κορβανᾶς korbanas, because it was “blood money”. 

Josephus explains this term korbanas as the temple treasury – 

ton hieron thesauron, kaleitai de korbanas 

(War of the Jews 2.9.4; #175).

The glazophylakion or “treasury,”

a repository of treasure, especially of public treasure, a treasury.

Strongs # 10049

glazophylakion – gad-zof-oo-lak’-ee-on

גלזופילאקיון

The Temple was surrounded by a court called the

Temple Court or azarah in Hebrew.

The inner area of the Temple contained 3 courts. As noted the Eastern most court was the Court of the Women and it contained the Temple treasury where people donated their money Mark 12:41 – 44. Three gates lead into this court; one on the north, one on the south and a third on the east. This third gate on the east side is almost certainly the Beautiful gate that was mentioned in Acts 3.

The Nicanor Gate which was much larger and ornate. It led from the Court of the Women west into the Court of Israel which was elevated by 15 steps. Women were not allowed to go any further than this.

Hieron is the word used to designate the Court of Women, it was closed to Gentiles but open to Jewish women. Jewish men could congregate in that area as well, but the men could also move on to the Court of Israel, into which the women had no access. As well as being the area in the Temple where the women could pray, Luke 2:37, the Court of Women was the one place in the Temple where all Israelites could gather. Because of this, it naturally became the place where Messiah spoke when He taught in the temple, John 8:20; 18:20. It was there that His enemies found Him sitting and teaching one morning, when they came dragging a woman who had been taken in adultery during the preceding night (8:2).

The illustrations above show the colonnade around the court and within it, against the wall were placed the 13 chests.

Maimonides wrote: “There were always thirteen collection boxes available to the public in the Holy Temple. Each box was in the shape of a ‘horn’, the first was for the collection of the half-shekel donations of the current year. The second was for the collection of the previous year’s half-shekel donations…” The collection boxes were in the shape of a ‘horn’, narrow on top, to prevent thieves from reaching inside and taking money.

11 of these chests were carefully marked and were for the voluntary offerings of money and there were 2 at the Shushan gate for the half shekel tax. Nine of the 13 were for the receipt of what was legally required by worshipers, the other 4 were strictly for voluntary gifts.

Historical documents show that Trumpets 1 and 2 were set aside for the annual half shekel temple tribute. It was into Trumpet 3 that the women who had to bring turtle doves for a burnt and a sin offering, dropped the equivalent in money. This was removed daily and a corresponding number of turtle doves were offered. This saved the work of so many separate sacrifices and also shielded the modesty of those who did not want their offering to be known publicly. In Luke 2:22, 24 it may have been into this trumpet that Mary put the value of her offering. Trumpet 4 also received the value of the offerings of young pigeons or doves.

Trumpet 5 was for contributions towards wood used in the temple. Trumpet 6 was for the incense.

Trumpet 7 was for contributions towards the golden vessels for the ministry.

Trumpets 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 were for what was left over from trespass offerings, offerings of birds, the offering of the Nazarite, of the cleansed leper, and voluntary offerings.

It’s possible this is where John 7 & 8:20, records that Messiah was teaching on the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot. Because each one was specifically marked for its’ purpose, it also shows that this is how Jesus/Yeshua could distinguish between the contributions of the rich from that of the poor widow in Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1.

Messiah was observing the people and what they were bringing. He had an advantage over other would be observers, in that He knew the hearts of each of those in this gathering.

Jesus/Yeshua made the comparison between the gifts that the rich people gave with the two mites. The two small coins donated by the widow might not have made much noise when she deposited them; (Greek: lepta, singular: lepton). These coins (lepta) were so small that they had no designated equal in the imperial monetary system of the day and it is significant that she gave both of them, holding back nothing for herself.

This woman was giving, all her life (holon ton bion in Mark 12:44). Messiah knew that, if a woman was reduced even to ten coins, the loss of a single one of them, was a huge concern. Luke 15:8–10.

Giving her all for God, this widow became a symbol, or type, of Messiah Himself, who will lay down his life (bios) His ALL, to further and fulfill His Fathers’ Kingdom plan and purpose.

How did He know that this widow had cast in two little coins? The sound these coins made against the metal would have indicated how much people were offering.

‘And he sat down opposite the Treasury and watched how the crowd dropped money into the Treasury, and many who were rich dropped in large amounts.’

He sat down opposite 

He wanted to watch men as they gave, so that from it, He could teach a lesson to His disciples. No doubt some of the richer walked up flamboyantly dropping large sums of money in and were no better than the Rabbis who had been described previously. They were not giving to God with the right attitude but were buying publicity and respect, then there were others, humbly and truly expressing their gratitude to God. Mark 12 41.

It is not given exactly where Messiah was sitting while He made His observations, unless He was sitting on the steps. Neither are we told into which of the receptacles she dropped her life savings, her small yet profound gift. One wonders if she put her coins into the treasury for a sin offering rather than for the voluntary offering? There was a precise amount given for the different sin offerings, such as the price of the turtle dove or pigeon, but this amount probably didn’t even meet the requirements, but it was all she had. Was she desperate for forgiveness for some sin at that time? Could she have been a victim of manipulation on the part of the scribes? Maybe she in danger of losing her home to the scribes, as Jesus had alluded to earlier?

Messiah doesn’t speak to the woman or draw anyone’s attention to her actions, except to His disciples. Was she trying to go unnoticed? If she was, Jesus let her remain anonymous; however He used her heart to teach His disciples a lesson. Showing them that the size of the gift means nothing compared to the heart and motive behind it.

The people coming before and after this woman were bringing the required amounts plus their offering, over and above requirements.

We don’t know if His comments on the rich givers were referring to all that day’s contributors, or just to some of them. The account doesn’t tell the reader of their heart condition. However we do know that they could easily afford what they gave and it didn’t cause them any hardship.

The widow had nothing else to live on, because she gave everything she had. It does raise some questions, first being, why did she do that? We aren’t told if she was fulfilling a promise or was she giving in faith, expecting God to care for her because she could no longer care for herself? How much would that penny have bought in food for her?

There was also a special treasury chamber and on certain occasions the contents of the 13 chests were placed, as well as what was called a chamber of the silent, which was where individuals secretly gave money for the education of children from poor families.

The top left picture depicts the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur. The top right picture depicts the kohanim carrying the vessel of water filled in the Shiloach spring, into the Holy Temple’s inner courtyard. The 2nd down left picture depicts the nightly Simchat Beit Hashoeva festivity during Sukkot.

The Nikanor Gate, the eastern gate of the Court, served as both entrance and exit from the Women’s Court to the Court of Israel. It was named after the man who donated the brass doors of the gate, which he brought from Alexandria, Egypt.

As previously noted, the name, Court of the Women was not because it was exclusively for the women but because they were not allowed to go any further except for sacrificial purposes. It was probably the commonplace for worship. The musical instruments used by the Levites were kept in two rooms under the court of the Israelites and the access was from the Court of the Women. There were 15 steps which lead through the gate of Nicanor into the court of Israel. It was on these steps the Levites sang the 15 Psalms of degrees or Psalms of Ascent (psalms 120 to 134), on the Feast of Tabernacles and this is where they got their name. Here was where all that was ordered to be done before the Lord took place; it was here that the cleansed leper and the women coming for purification presented themselves to the priests.

These steps were shaped as a semicircle.

Each step was half a cubit in height.

These steps led up from the Women’s Court to the Court

(which was higher by 7.5 cubits). 

As we think about the widow, her gift has another level if by looking at her heart instead of focusing on the coins. Some individuals who only give a small portion, could represent people trying to withhold a portion of their heart from the Father?

It would be like saying to our Heavenly Father, that He can have this section of our heart, but we’ll take care of the rest on our own, whereas the widow placed her whole heart in the Fathers’ hands.

Was her heart saying? I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have, please take it and do with it as You see best. I trust You with all that I have. Please take all of me.

This is the heart condition our Heavenly Father is searching for and desires above all else – a heart that is wholly His. He doesn’t want us closing the doors of our lives against Him, where we hide the dirty washing. He wants to be able to see and have complete access to every hidden corner, because only then can we truly be His.

Maybe the following words apply to us today…

Father in Jesus Name, I truly believe I have given You access to all the rooms in my heart and life, but I admit that sometimes I try to hurry and push You out, or I only let You in after I think I have cleaned things up. There are times that things sneak in and I try to quietly shut the door thinking You won’t see it. But You always see it and yet in your loving patience You sometimes allow me to wait a little while before asking me to deal with it. Even though You speak to me gently, it often takes a louder voice and brighter light before I deal with it completely. Thank You that You don’t give up on me, or on helping me clean up my life, again. I know you gave Your all for me and I want to be fully Yours, holding nothing back….

One day soon we will hear that welcome sound of the last trump it will not be the sound of coins dropping, but the sound of the trumpet of our Heavenly Father calling us home. Lets make sure we are as ready as we can be….

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for..

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

Yom Teruah – Rosh HaShannah

Yom Teruah יום תרועה

Also known as Rosh HaShannah

One of the facts concerning this day is that it is considered the New Year in Israel although it is not called that in scripture. The truth is this day comes in the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar year and was given the name Yom Teruah.

It shall be a Yom/Day of sounding for you. Numbers 29:1

For this year, 1 Tishrei, 5783 is September 26, 2022.

Because Israel counts the years from Genesis and not like the western calendar, which begins from Messiah Jesus/Yeshuas birth 2022 years ago; the date is 5783. Some scholars say there is compelling evidence that during/after one of the enforced exiles, the dates lost 200 years in the counting and would make the date 5983 which makes all the more startling number towards the 6000 year marker looking towards the 7th thousand year millennial reign of Messiah… whether this is accurate or not there is no doubt we are closer than we think to His return.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11

 

The biblical/spiritual year starts in the spring with the month of Nisan. Exodus 12:2 the beginning of the new agricultural year. However the sages gave such significance to the first Sabbath/Shabbat of the fall/autumn holy days, that they eventually considered it as the new year and changed the name.

Biblically it is Yom Teruah translates as the 

day of sounding/festival of trumpets/shofars,

hence the day became known as the

Head of the Year which is the direct translation of

Rosh Ha Shannah.

The purpose of this Holy Day is summed up in the word regathering. Since these days call Israel to regather to a pure faith in God. Rosh Hashannah came to represent the day of repentance. It’s the day when the people of Israel make a careful examination of their spiritual condition and make the necessary changes to ensure that the upcoming new year will be pleasing to God.

This day was so important that the whole of the preceding month of Elul takes on a holy significance of its own.

The 40 days prior to Yom Teruah from the 1st day of Elul through the 10th of Tishrei (Yom Kippur),

was to be a time of special spiritual preparation. This was based on the belief that it was the 1st of Elul that Moses ascended Mt Sinai to receive the 2nd set of Tablets of the Law/commandments/Torah and that he came back down on Yom Kippur.

It shall be a Day/yom of sounding for you.

Micah 7:19

In synagogues, the shofar or rams horn is sounded daily to alert the faithful that the time of repentance is near. The theme of Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashannah is regathering for repentance and the focus is serious and for each individual to be authentic before a Holy God and there is always an abiding awareness of hope – because of Gods’ heart of forgiveness/ mercy towards His children.

In a traditional home in Israel, the evening begins with a meal and then a meeting at the local synagogue. Much of the following day is also spent in worship.

The Scripture readings and subject matter of the prayers and music are focused on the recurring theme of repentance/teshuvah, turning to God, our King. Based on Micah 7:19 where the prophet promises You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea… families and groups of people will go in the afternoon to a body of water, (ocean, lake or stream); and join in an ancient service of Tashlich. This word comes from the verse above and to illustrate this beautiful promise people throw breadcrumbs or small stones into the water and rejoice in Gods promise of forgiveness. For Believers in Messiahs sacrificial death and resurrection we are trusting in His blood for our forgiveness and redemption having confessed and repented of our sins.

The most memorable part of this day is the blowing of the shofar, the rams horn which is mentioned in the scriptures. The shofar is sounded in the meetings with 4 different notes:

the tekia blast

the Shevarim – broken notes,

the teruah – alarm

and the tekia gedolah – the great blast.

The word for the second note is teruah

the name for the day Yom Teruah.

These notes provide some us with some spiritual lessons.

The shofar was used in the ancient world to hail/greet a king. So too at Rosh Hashanah all Israel is said to appear before the King of Kings in anticipation of personal judgement.

Also in the Bible the shofar was often:

sounded as an alarm to gather the troops together for battle!

as in Joshua 6 and the blowing of the shofars which were part of Gods’ instruction prior to the city walls collapsing.

For us the shofar is our wake up call – an alarm to call us to our appointed time.

Today it is recognized as the new year in Israel and also called the day of blowing Yom Teruah. The future day of judgement will be announced by blasts on the shofar. Matthew 24:31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, (with a great shofar), and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This prophetic fulfillment was believed by the rabbis to be the holy day of regathering and the Messiah who would be the agent of regathering.

This season is a season of spiritual preparation and for us today, it’s a future fulfillment of His return and regathering of the believers in Jesus/Yeshua Messiah. Paul makes an interesting connection to this day in 1Thess.4:16, For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry/shout with a call from one of the ruling angels and with God’s shofar.

The events on Mt Sinai also recorded the sound of Gods’ shofar.

So it would seem that the signal of the gathering will be the sound of the shofar. In fact the reference here is to a particular note sounded at Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah. In verse 16, the word normally translated shout or cry comes from the Hebrew word teruah; which is better translated as the alarm blast of the shofar. Similar references can be read in 1Cor 15:50 -58 and Rev 4:1.

Another important fulfillment of this day/yom, is the:

regathering of the remnant of the children of Israel at the second coming of Messiah.

In the 7th century B.C. Isaiah wrote verses 12-13 in chapter 27.On that DAY Adonai will beat out the grain between the Euphrates River and the Vadi of Egypt; and you will be gathered, one by one, people of Israel. On that DAY a great SHOFAR will sound. Those lost in the land of Egypt; and they will worship Adoanai on the holy mountain in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim.

It seems clear that this scripture is referring to a coming DAY/Yom, regathering of the believing remnant. Likewise Messiah Jesus/Yeshua when asked about the future of Israel confirmed this as a latter Day promise in His own teaching. Matthew 24:31 He the Son of Man will send out His angels with a great shofar and they will gather together His chosen people from the four winds from one end of the heaven to the other.

The sound of the shofar is a reminder of the blessed hope every messianic believer possesses in Titus 2:13, and that we can enter Messiahs’ presence at any time.

13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

When He comes, He will gather us to Himself and we do not know the exact day that our Lord will come; so we are to be ready like those 5 wise virgins – alert and prepared at a moments notice to answer the call of our Heavenly Bridegroom.

Keep looking up

mishpachah/family & chevarim friends

because…

one YOM /DAY He will come….

For more detail and sounds of the shofar.. click links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-teruahs-cry/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet-2/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/yamim-noraim-days-of-awe-or-high-holy-days/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/blowing-your-own-trumpet/ 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-trump-shofar-notes-and-numbers-the-sound-of-a-mystery/

The legend of Messiahs Missing Shofar

https://www.minimannamoments.com/secrets-of-a-life-filled-with-feasts/

 

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

L’shana tova tikateivu 

(pronounced: shah-NAH toe-VAH tee-kah-TAY-voo)

literally means, “May you be written for a good year.”

L’shana tovah u’metukah 

(pronounced: l’shah-NAH toe-VAH ooh-meh-too-KAH)

means “for a good and sweet year.” 

L’shana tova (pronounced: luh-shah-NAH toe-VAH)

means “To a Good Year.”

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

 

Seasons of The Lord – Moedim – Rhythm of Life Part 2

Moedim – מועדים

Continued from the last post where we looked at an overview of the Spring Moedim – Our heavenly Fathers Appointed Times/ Seasons/Signs.

The fall Moedim or last of the 7 annual appointed times/feasts begin in September in the Hebrew month of Tishrei.

The calendar months are shown in a chart below:

The spring feasts/moedim, clearly reveal the first coming of Jesus our Messiah/Yeshua our Mashiach:

Rosh Chodashim – The Biblical/spiritual New Year [Nisan 1]

Preparing for Passover – Spring – cleaning house

Passover Pesach – Celebration of freedom/deliverance

The Passover Seder – Nisan 15 (evening of the 14th)

Unleavened Bread/Chag HaMatzot – Messiah’s Burial – Nisan 15-22

Sefirat HaOmer – Counting from the Omer – Nisan 16 – Sivan 5; the countdown to Shavu’ot.

Firstfruits – Reishit Katzir- Messiah’s Resurrection; Nisan 17

Pentecost – Shavu’ot – The giving of the Torah at Sinai and the giving of His Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit to the Church – Sivan 6-7

Due to the length of the previous post, Shavuot,

pronounced Sha-voo-ote/ Pentecost,

it is included here first, as the last of the Spring Moedim.

Links for more on each of the Moedim are included throughout the text and for Shavuot at link below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/2-x-3000-a-marriage-made-in-heaven/

Its’ purpose was the Offering of the harvest – First Fruits in the month of Sivan, mid-May to mid-June, seven weeks plus one 50 days after the First Fruits of Unleavened Bread.

The Greek word for Pentecost meaning 50. It was symbolized by the basket, which at Shavuot would have held the wheat recently harvested.

Leviticus 23:15. And you shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete; 16. To the next day after the seventh Sabbath shall you count fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to the Lord. 17. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first fruits to the Lord. 18. And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bull, and two rams; they shall be for a burnt offering to the Lord, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire, of sweet savor to the Lord. 19. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lamb of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the Lord with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21. And you shall proclaim on the same day, that it may be a holy gathering to you; you shall do no labor in it; it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22. And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not make clean riddance up to the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning of your harvest; you shall leave them to the poor, and to the stranger; I am the Lord your God.

This commandment to leave the corners and not to glean is the only commandment in Leviticus 23 that deals with something other than these special days. The reason for this command is that this reminds the farmer that the crop is not his, but the Lord’s; it also ties in with the story of Ruth and Boaz.

The Feast of Weeks is not on a specific date, but the start of it is determined by counting the weeks, seven weeks plus one day, which is why it is called Weeks.

As already mentioned, the Greek name is Pentecost, meaning 50, for the 50 days or 7 weeks plus 1 day. Counting the days between them ties the two First Fruits together, just as Yeshua/Jesus ties His resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the baptism of His Holy Spirit at the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost.

Exodus 19:1 tells us that in the 3rd month, the month of Shavuot, the people were at Sinai. This chapter tells how He gave the Torah to His people and for this reason Weeks/Shavuot, also celebrates the giving of Torah. The emphasis on Torah brings to mind the statement.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

This means we must leave ALL our idols behind, which is hard to do in this materialistic, Nicolaiton-like, Humanist, pleasure-filled age. In our fleshly carnal lives, old habits die hard, clearly seen with the children of Israel during their years in the wilderness; and today, in our focus on material things instead of being doers of the things Messiah speaks of in Matthew 25:35.

For I was hungry and you gave Me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, 36. and I was poorly clothed and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.

Because in Exodus 19:8 all the people answering said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do and this was on Shavuot; this day is likened to a wedding, tying His people permanently to Him.

The Fall Feasts reveal:

the Messiah coming for His bride

the kellat Mashiach – Bride of Messiah,

the 2nd coming of our Savior,

the national conversion and atonement of Israel, God’s original-covenant people,

and – especially regarding Sukkot –

the final restoration of the earth in the olam habah/world to come:

Yamim Nora’im – Days of Awe:

Rosh Hashanah–Trumpets – Yom Teru’ah on Tishri 1 –

the Messiah coming for His bride/the kellat Mashiach –

i.e., the church/ecclesia or Bride of Christ.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/apocalypse-of-the-teruahs-cry/

Day of Atonment – Yom Kippur – Tishri 10 – Israel’s national salvation

Tabernacles – Sukkot – Tishri 15-21 – A picture of the millennial kingdom

Hoshana Rabbah – Tishri 21 The seventh day of Sukkot

Shemini Atzeret – Tishri 22 – The 8th day of assembly following Sukkot

Simchat Torah – Tishri 23 – Celebration of the giving of the Torah

More relevant posts found on home page under main heading:

7 FESTIVALS/APPOINTED TIMES/FEASTS

The Hebraic Biblical Spiritual Year begins with Passover/Pesach and the Hebrew/Jewish civil year in Israel begins in the fall. Preparations for these days begin with a 30 day period of repentance/teshuvah during the entire month of Elul.

The Fall appointed times/mo’adiym for Israel are outlined in Leviticus 23:23-44.

Then the next 10 days begin on Tishri 1 with the

Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah,

and end on Tishri 10 with the

Day of Atonement Yom Kippur, 

These first 10 days of the civil new year are called the

Ten Days of Awe – aseret ye’mei teshuvah: עֲשֶׁרֶת יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה.

In Hebrew they are also called:

The High Holy Days –

Aseret Yemei Teshuvah – Ten Days of Repentance.

This takes place during the first 10 days of the month of Tishrei, which is usually between late August to late September.

Days of Awe is the name of these days from

Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur,

these days are for each person to focus on repentance and on choosing to be a better person during the coming year than they were in the year just completed.

In Psalm 119:59 David knew he was not perfect: and we all need to be like him as he said, I considered my ways.

All of us must admit that since the beginning of time there has only been One perfect being Who walked the earth – our Messiah.

The Fall Appointed Times are intended to remind us each year that everything we say or do should be done for eternal reasons reminding ourselves that all our words and actions have eternal consequences and results

The Fall Appointed Times

can help us to understand an eternal truth.

Almost all believers are at least aware to some extent of the

Biblical Fall Holy Days:

Rosh HaShanah/Yom Teruah/Feast of Trumpets,

Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement

and Sukkot /Tabernacles.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/midweek-mannabite-the-sound-of-the-trumpet/

Over the years, more and more churches have begun to add, or in some way recognize these days. 

In Judaism, these Days are referred to in terms of

repentance and asking for forgiveness

and then

having sins covered from one year to the next,

through the substitutionary sacrifice made on Yom Kippur.

As we read and study these days in the full context of Scripture, we learn that the most important part of them is not about the here and now, but about the eternal aspect. These days, as well as all of the other Appointed Times, were provided so that we would have a temporary symbolic reminder in helping us to be more focused on the eternal reality of our existence and future goal. 

These Appointed Times/Moedim, are to continually remind us that we are an eternal spirit/soul living temporarily in a physical body and to be more mindful of the Heavenly, not the Earthly.

Why is this important?

Because if we are living solely for the present, then our hearts are focused on the things of this world which include the snares and traps of the enemy in the form of addictions, fornication, greed, envy, gluttony, adultery and all other sins as we read in:

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desire, but the one who does the will of God abides forever. 

Also in Romans 8:7-8

For the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God—for it cannot. 8 So those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

and Romans 8 doesn’t end there… it goes on to say in verse 9:

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Ruach (Spirit)—if indeed the Ruach Elohim dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to Him.

This dichotomy between the temporal of the Flesh and the Eternal of the Spirit is also revealed in Galatians 5:16-17:

But I say, walk by the Ruach, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Ruach, but the Ruach sets its desire against the flesh—for these are in opposition to one another, so that you cannot do what you want.

We can clearly see that the battle is not about being good or bad, it is about living for either the temporal or the eternal and as it says in Colossians 3:1-2:

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Messiah, keep seeking the things above—where Messiah is, sitting at the right hand of God. Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

The Fall Appointed Times are intended to remind us each year that everything we say or do must be done for eternal reasons because our words and actions have eternal results or consequences.

Sometimes called the Day of Memorial

The Hebrew name is Zichron – Memorial or Remembrance,

More well known as Rosh HaShanah/ ראש השנה /New Year.

This time can be a good opportunity for us to remember all that our Heavenly Father has done for us and for each of us to respond to the ongoing call to teshuvah/repentance,

a time of reflection in preparation for remembering the Day of Atonement that Messiah is indeed our atoning sacrifice.

This time is sometimes referred to as the Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teruah, the Bible does not specifically call this a feast, and neither is a trumpet mentioned in the Hebrew text. The shofar/rams horn, is blown as a call to repentance.

Leviticus 23:23. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24. Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of horns, a holy gathering. 25. You shall do no labor in it; but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.

Tradition has noted this day as being the anniversary of Creation, which is how this day became known as Rosh Hashanah/New Year. Civil Years are dated from this day, while months are counted from Nisan, Passover/Pesach which is also the start of the spiritual new year.. The year 2022 is the Hebrew year of 5782 and moving into 5783.

Tradition also has the Day of Memorial as Judgment Day. Matthew 16: 27. For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will give back to each according to his actions.

The focus of synagogue services are prayer and repentance. There are services the first evening, the next morning, then a late afternoon service which has a custom called Tashlikh, meaning cast, during which sins are symbolically cast into the sea. This is based on Micah 7:19.

He will again have compassion upon us; he will suppress our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

The whole congregation throws bread into the nearest sea, lake, or river. Cast your bread upon the waters.. Ecclesiastes 11:1 and Micah 7:19 says ..You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. The water needs to be flowing to represent the washing away of sin. The waters of Rosh Hashanah symbolize the creation of the world and its new beginning, as with each individual and the casting away of sin. Most important in this event is a call for forgiveness, for each individual to forgive everyone of everything each has against someone. 

True repentance cannot bear fruit until the repentant person forgives every one of every little thing and every big thing. Nothing can be held back.

Matthew 6:12, 14, 15. You must right now forgive our sins for us, in the same manner as we have completed forgiving everyone of everything, big and little, against us. 14. For if you would forgive all other people their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15. but if you would not forgive all other people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

The Day of Memorial celebration lasts two days because it is so difficult to precisely determine the day for the new moon, the 1st of Tishrei, other months are less critical than Tishrei 1.

At meal times, round loaves of hallah/challah bread are a symbol of the ongoing cycle of life/chaim. Many dip pieces of bread or apples in honey which speaks of hope for a sweet year about to begin.

The Day of Atonement In Hebrew:

Yom Kippur – יום הכיפורים, Yom HaKipurim

Its’ purpose is for repentance and forgiveness of sins.

Also called Shabbat Shabbattone meaning Sabbath of Sabbaths, indicating the Holiest Day of the Year, and no manner of work is done on this day, Tishrei 10, which is between early September and early October.

The Scriptures referred to are Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. These are called the Sh’ma Yisrael, which means, “Hear, O Israel..”

Leviticus 23:26. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27. Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement; it shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.

  1. And you shall do no work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29. For whatever soul it is who shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30. And whatever soul it is who does any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31. You shall do no kind of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32. It shall be to you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, shall you celebrate your Sabbath.

It is important for Christians to recognize that even though we are made righteous by faith and by the blood of the Lamb, we are not to be presumptuous, because not one of us has been perfected and all need to improve during this coming year. It is this desire to be who our Heavenly Father wants us to be, that compels us to walk in daily repentance, however we are to be especially watchful during this time that His instructions have established a season of repentance.

The last of the 7 is Tabernacles/BOOTHS

The Hebrew name is Sukkot

and another English name often used is Tabernacles

the purpose of this feast/appointed time, is for the

First Fruits of the Fall Harvest

celebrated on Tishrei 15, which is mid-September to mid-October.

Leviticus 23:33. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34. Speak to the people of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord. 35. On the first day shall be a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it. 36. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy gathering to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no labor in it.

The Feast of Booths begins at sundown on Tishrei 15. Most Christians usually call this the Feast of Tabernacles, however the correct term is Feast of Booths because the Hebrew word used is Sukkot, referring to the flimsy shelters that are required, and because it has no relationship to either the tabernacle in the wilderness or to David’s tabernacle.

Booths are made, based on Leviticus 23:42. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are Israelites born shall dwell in booths; 43. That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. 44. And Moses declared to the people of Israel the feasts of the Lord.

These booths are made from palm fronds or leafy branches, and are not supposed to be very stable, meaning they are not good for protection. Men are to live in the booths during the entire time of the feast. Women have the option of living in the house or staying in the booth, although meals are to be eaten in the booth. Meals are shared with friends, neighbors, and especially the poor and the entire feast is celebrated as a family, doing everything together and the children are involved in every part of the celebration.

Nehemiah 8:17,18 And all the congregation of those who were come back out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Yeshua (Joshua) the son of Nun to that day the children of Yisra’el (Israel) had not done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day-by-day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the Torah of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the prescribed form. (Jerusalem Bible, Koren Publishing, Jerusalem).

On the first day the reading is from Zechariah 14:1-17 

It seems from scripture that Jesus/Yeshua celebrated Sukkot.

John 7: 2. And the Feast of Booths of the Jewish people was near.

John 7:10. And as His brothers went up to the feast, then He also went up, not openly, but in secret. Messiah honored every season of His Father and never suggested any changes to them and neither has author of the New Testament suggested changing any of these Biblical seasons.

Sukkot, or Booths, is the third First Fruits of the seasons being the Fall harvest. The first fruits are to be brought in a basket, as described in First Fruits during Unleavened Bread.

As the Feast begins, the trumpets are blown for the first time since the first of the month Elul, the month before Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are announced by the shofar, the call to repentance. The trumpet, however, is a call to rejoice, and a call to war.

Links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sheltering-presence-god/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/sukkot-the-promise-of-a-permanent-dwelling-place/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/endings-are-simply-new-beginnings/

https://www.minimannamoments.com/in-the-end-its-all-about-yeshua-jesus/

In celebrating Sukkot each celebrant carries a collection of branches, called Lulav. The Lulav is taken to the Western Wall in Jerusalem according to the following Scripture: Leviticus 23:40. And you shall take on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

Tradition uses Four Species as very important symbols. The two best known symbols speak of unity, which represents both unity of purpose and unity of the Jewish people:

The citron = the heart;

the palm branch = the spine;

the three myrtle leaves = the eye;

the two willows = the mouth.

The total number of items included are 7.

The palm branch and the three myrtle leaves are held in one hand, the citron and two willows in the other. These are waved to the North, South, East, and West to show that every corner of the earth belongs to God. This is a parallel to the 70 bulls offered which were meant to secure blessings for the 70 nations of the ancient world.

Next there is the etrog, having both taste and a pleasant aroma, this is to symbolize a person who knows Scripture and does good deeds. The lulav, a branch of the date palm whose fruit has a taste but no aroma, symbolizes someone who knows Scripture but does not do good deeds!

The myrtle, having no taste but does have an aroma, symbolizes a person who does not know Scripture but does good deeds. The willow, having neither taste nor aroma, symbolizes the person who neither knows Scripture nor does good deeds!

More detail on the Lulav at link below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-sheltering-presence-of-god-cont/

Anyone not in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim carry these Lulav to their synagogue and wave them while reciting Psalms 113-118. They walk in procession around the inside of the synagogue seven times, reciting prayers for deliverance. The basis for this is from when Joshua marched around Jericho seven times on the seventh day.

And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a canopy. 6. And there shall be a booth for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. Isaiah 4:5,6.

The first day, from sundown to sundown the next day, is a Sabbath, but feast day Sabbaths are partial Sabbaths. The partial Sabbath is noted in

Leviticus 23:6.

And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7. In the first day you shall have a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it. 8. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord seven days; in the seventh day is a holy gathering; you shall do no labor in it.

The second day is the Libation, which refers to:

pouring water from the Pool of Shilokh/Siloam on the altar.

Water from this pool was used with the ashes of the red heifer. 

On the third day, Ecclesiastes is read as a reminder of human frailties, a follow-up of Yom Kippur.

The sixth day is a cry for salvation,

Hoshea na rabah

Save us now! Let us increase!

This is a time for repentance, which is necessary for salvation, and a reminder of Yom Kippur. On this day during the 2nd temple period/Messiahs’ day, there was a procession through the streets of Jerusalem, singing Hoshea na! from Psalm 118:25.

Hoshea na,

written in Greek as Hosanna,

means Save us! Now!!

Some scholars say that this could have been the date of Messiahs’ triumphal entry, however, the date is not what is most significant. The important point is that all those at Messiahs’ triumphal entry knew about this practice and the full meaning behind it.

The 7th day is another partial Sabbath, called Shemini Atseret meaning Conclusion. This is celebrated back in the house. On this day the children pray, thanking God for a good harvest and praying for rain for the coming year for the next good harvest. John 7:37. And on the final Sabbath day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out saying, If anyone would drink he must continually come to Me and he must continually drink. 38. The one who believes in Me, just as the Scripture said, rivers of living water will flow out from his inner being. 39. And He said this about the Spirit, which those who believe in Him were about to take: for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Other Scriptures confirming this are:

Proverbs 18:4. The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom like a flowing brook.,

and Isaiah 58:11. And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Living water is a symbol of Torah – the Word of God.

The 8th day is a post-Biblical holiday called Simchat Torah/Joy of the Torah, which in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim, is combined with Shemini Atseret/Conclusion. Simchat Torah is annually the most joyful day, when the reading of the Torah is completed each year according to Deuteronomy 34:5-12; and the reading for the coming year is started once again.

Genesis 1:1-31. The first verses of Genesis are read immediately following the reading of the last verses of Deuteronomy to provide continuity, so there will not be a time that Torah reading is completed. This too hints at the continuing cycle of life.

The appointed seasons from Leviticus 23 are completed however there is one more Israelite/Jewish holiday, mentioned in John 10:22

This holiday is Hanukkah, and means Dedication. Although normally spelled Hanukkah in english, and sometimes spelled Chanukkah, the correct spelling is Khanukkah.

This is celebrated on 25 Kislev, which is late November to late December.

As there is no reference to Khanukkah in Leviticus, it is not included in the 7 moedim and has been covered in posts links below:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/hanukkahchanukah-believers-today/

The Feast of Booths/Tabernacles completes the annual agricultural cycle and it’s a time to remember all that our Heavenly Father has brought us through, individually and collectively and encourage our brothers and sisters as we walk with Messiah.

Romans 12:8. or the one who encourages in encouragement: the one who shares, in sincerity without grudging, the protector or guardian giving aid in diligent eagerness, the one who is merciful in cheerfulness.

This is also a time for family and a time to look for the Messianic reign, to prepare His bride and ready ourselves for the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:5. And a voice came out from heaven saying, You, all His servants, and those who fear Him, the least and the greatest, (Psalm 115:13) must continually sing praises in honor of our God. (Psalm 22:23, 134:1, 135:1) 6. And I heard a sound like a great crowd and like a sound of many waters (Ezekiel 1:24, 43:2) and like a sound of strong thunders saying, Hallelujah, because our God the Lord of Hosts did reign. (Exodus 15:18, Psalm 22:28, 93:1, 99:1, Daniel 7:14, Zechariah 14:9) 

Let us rejoice and be glad and we will give Him the glory, because the marriage festival of the Lamb has come and His wife has prepared herself 8. and it was given to her that she would be clothed in brilliant pure fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Isaiah 61:10)

Then he said to me, You must now write: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true words of God. (Revelation 19:9) 37.

These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy gatherings, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day; :38. Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord. 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days; on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath. 40. And you shall take on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. 41. And you shall keep it a feast to the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42. You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are Israelites born shall dwell in booths; 43. That your generations may know that I made the people of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. 44. And Moses declared to the people of Israel the feasts of the Lord. (Leviticus 23:37-44)

The offerings mentioned for these feasts include animal sacrifices, which no Christian would make. The Jewish people have not offered animal sacrifices since the temple was destroyed in 70 AD because the sacrifices can only be offered in one place – on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Even now, nearly 2,000 years after the destruction of the temple, the temple mount is still in the hands of heathens, since the Mosque of Omar stands directly over the rock where Abraham offered Isaac, which scripturally is the only place in the world that a Israelite/Jewish priest can sacrifice an animal other than the red heifer.

No Christian would ever need to offer an animal as a sacrifice because, even though Leviticus 17:11 says that the blood makes atonement, the blood of the Lamb of God, which is still being poured out for us Matthew 26:28, IS our atonement.

Although it’s not necessary to keep all the traditions, we do need to study the Hebrew Scriptures and familiarize ourselves with the facts on which the Israelite/Hebrew/Jewish traditions are based, and be a doer of everything Scripture requires.

Would it not be respectful to our Heavenly Father that each congregation carefully bring to remembrance appropriate celebrations and phase out the inappropriate pagan elements we have become accustomed to in our own denominational traditions? However, the most important thing is to bring Christians/believers to a better understanding of our Heavenly Father and His commandments and to observe the same seasons that Messiah Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach celebrated.

Each season is significant in meaning for every life committed to serving Him and this is the timetable Messiah, every New Testament author, all the apostles and disciples followed.

This annual schedule is referred to as The Rhythm of Life and if we follow it is very clearly the culmination of a process.

First comes redemption at Passover/Pesach; then the purpose of redemption which was receiving the Torah on Shavuot; and, finally, these lessons are brought into our everyday lives when we find our joy in observing the commandments at Sukkot.

Additionally, Sukkot is the fulfillment of the process of Teshuvah/repentance and Yom Kippur/atonement, when we successfully escape out of the snares of sin.

Matthew 5:17, 18. Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets: I did not come to abolish but to bring spiritual abundance. 18. For truly I say to you: until the sky and the earth would pass away, not one yod or one vav could ever pass away from the Torah, until everything would come to pass. (Luke 16:17)

Maybe if we are to see the power of the 1st century ecclesia/church in our communities and nations today, we need to match that early ecclesia/church in holiness, love, unity, and obedience to what they knew as Scripture. Remember all they had was what we term as the old Testament and sometimes when we say old, we think its no longer important to our lives….and it is still very relevant according to Jesus/Yeshua!

In conclusion here is a brief history of the removal of our Hebrew Heritage and roots. It is very sad concerning the way the ‘Church’ has acted, however it is important every one who calls themselves a Christian should be aware of the historical facts.

The reason Hebrew Heritage/Jewish Roots were lost early in Church history is that many of our often-revered Church Fathers were anti-Semitic, and deliberately changed their celebrations and altered various doctrines specifically to make a complete break from Judaism. Justin Martyr, Polycarp, and Marcion were among those in the 2nd century who began the onslaught against the Hebrew/Jewish people and Judaism itself. In the middle of the 2nd century, Marcion was the first to write that the New Covenant had replaced all previous covenants – and at the time he was known as a heretic. John Chrysostom, known for powerful, sermons in the 4th century, gave a series of 17 extremely anti-Semitic sermons at the time when the pagan celebration of Ishtar, the fertility goddess, was made official to replace Passover/Pesach for the celebration of Messiah Jesus’ death and resurrection. Some had begun this celebration of Ishtar late in the 2nd century. Also, the Roman winter solstice celebration in honor of the god Saturn was established as the celebration of Messiah Jesus’ birth. In the 5th century Augustine brought Greek philosophy into Christian theology, which has continued to influence the Church to this day.

In the 4th century the new celebrations made an official separation from Hebrew/Israelite/Judaism and opened the door to violence against the Jewish people, who because of this often view Christians even today as “the enemy” and in light of history with good reason. It is a sad and shameful fact that over the centuries Christians have exceeded all other groups combined in the killing of Gods chosen people/Jews. These include numerous persecutions and massacres, with brutal attacks on entire Jewish villages, all through Europe right through to the Holocaust.

Research shows that in 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella forced all the Jews to leave Spain. These forced exoduses were common, with Jews moving from one country to another, virtually all over Europe, where every European country expelled them at least one time. Jews were forbidden to own land until they migrated to the colonies in American. The Spanish Inquisition is well known for cruelty to the Jewish people, where forcing conversions were imposed. It’s because of these historical events that the symbols of crosses and references to crusades are among the most evil things imaginable to Jewish people.

To understand the Hebrew Heritage and Jewish roots of western Christianity, we need to look at the Hebrew Scriptures; where among the 1st things the Church did to separate from Judaism was to change the Appointed Times/seasons of the Lord, which should be essential for believers to honor just as Jesus did. Recall the words of the Lord to Joshua in 1:8:

This Book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth; but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written on it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

There are some Days of Teshuvah

remaining and we would do well to examine our ways…

and if we are wandering off that straight and narrow way…

it’s time to  teshuvah –

https://www.minimannamoments.com/returning-to-your-first-love/

Turn back NOW

to our Heavenly Father with

ALL of our hearts and cling to Him with ALL of our strength

and allow Him to change us from the inside; so that in these days of darkness we will be the lights shining ever brighter. We are to be that beacon of hope to those who are hopeless; pointing to the One Who can forgive, redeem, restore, save, heal, deliver, sanctify and cover us in His precious Blood and lead us into everlasting life/chaim. Every year this cycle continues and will remain until He returns and we know…

Below in a nutshell although there seems to be variations on the date … the following according to hebcal.com are this years dates for:

Rosh Hashana 2022 / רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה 5783

begins at sundown on

Sunday, 25 September 2022 and ends at nightfall on 

Tuesday, 27 September 2022. 1-2 Tishrei 5783.

Rosh Hashanah  ראש השנה –

literally head of the year,

is the Jewish Civil New Year. It is the first of the

High Holidays – Yamim Noraim – Days of Awe,

celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Described in the Torah as יום תרועה -Yom Teruah,

a day of sounding the Shofar – Day of blowing.

https://www.minimannamoments.com/at-one-ment-with-the-one-you-love/

Yom Kippur / יוֹם כִּפּוּר /Day of Atonement

for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on

Tuesday, 4 October 2022 and ends at nightfall on 

Wednesday, 5 October 2022.
10 Tishrei 5783

Yom Kippur – יוֹם כִּפּוּר or יום הכיפורים,  Day of Atonement,

is the holiest day of the year in Israel and themes are

atonement and repentance.

Traditionally observed with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known as the High Holy Days or sometimes the Days of Awe.

Sukkot / סוּכּוֹת/ Feast of Booths

Sukkot for Hebrew Year 5783 begins at sundown on 

Sunday, 9 October 2022 and ends at nightfall on 

Sunday, 16 October 2022. 15-21 Tishrei 5783

Sukkot – סוכות or סֻכּוֹת, sukkōt, or sukkos,

Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles 

celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei – late September to late October. It’s one of the 3 Shalosh regalim on which they were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem/Yerushalayim.

 Can we say with the children of Israel/Yisrael…

  • כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע.

“All that God has spoken, will we do and obey.”

Exodus 24:7

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

It’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.