I love Rosh Hashanah. It’s the beginning of the new year, the celebration of new beginnings. It’s the start of the Ten Days of Awe, a time of introspection, repentance and forgiveness. And it’s a celebration of the kingship of our Messiah Yeshua!
Biblically, Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets. The only details that HaShem gives us for how we celebrate this day are that it is a holy convocation – a day to assemble together, a sabbath – a day to rest, and that we are to hear the shofar/trumpet blown. (Leviticus 23:23-25)
HaShem has always placed high significance in the shofar blast. It was the sound that came from Mount Sinai at the giving of the Torah, and has been used in battle as well as worship throughout Israel’s history.
But why did HaShem establish an entire holiday for the purpose of listening to the shofar blast? I believe the answer is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Not only has the shofar blast been important in times past, but it will be important in the time to come!
Be blessed this new year and always – Shana Tova!
~Judy
*For more information about the shofar, check out this link:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Elul/Shofar/shofar.html
