Reason Four for Christians to Observe the Feast of Trumpets

(This essay is part of our book titled “Reasons for Christians to Celebrate the Biblical Feasts”.  It is available from Amazon.com and on our web site at www.moedministries.com. This series of essays is designed to give the Christian an understanding of the Biblical Feasts and how they are connected to Jesus the Messiah.)

The sound of the shofar signals the beginning of the Day of the LORD.

Joel 2:1-2 MKJV 1 Blow a ram's horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble. For the day of the LORD comes, for it is near at hand; 2 a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread on the mountains; a great people and a strong people; there has not been ever the like, nor shall there ever be again, even to the years of many generations.

We learned in the previous blog that the shofar calls God to have mercy. He doesn’t want any to perish but rather that they come to repentance but those who won’t heed the call of the shofar will eventually face judgment.

Ezekiel 18:23 MKJV 23 Do I actually delight in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Jehovah. Is it not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Jesus speaks of that day calling it a day when the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

Matthew 24:29 MKJV 29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

Daniel chapter 7 describes the Day of Judgment. The books will be opened.

Daniel 7:9-10 MKJV 9 I watched until the thrones were thrown up, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, and His wheels like burning fire. 10 A stream of fire went out and came out from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Remember, that this is a 40 day season of repentance, starting with Elul 1, 30 days before the Feast of Trumpets. The final ten days from the Feast of Trumpets to the tenth of Tishrei are called the Days of Awe. And the tenth of Tishrei just happens to be the Day of Atonement. Jewish tradition says that the books of life and death are opened on the Feast of Trumpets to determine one’s fate for the coming year. The sentence is pronounced on the Feast of Trumpets but God in His mercy leaves the books open until the Day of Atonement when they are sealed and judgment for life or death begins. So the Days of Awe are days of intense spiritual introspection.

As believers, we know that our names are written in the Book of Life and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NKJV 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

So, Daniel 7:10 is on the Feast of Trumpets, the books are still open. When the shofar blows we are reminded that God will not delay His judgment forever. He is the righteous judge and He sends His son to render judgment on the earth.

Jeremiah 33:14-15 NKJV 14 'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 15 'In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

When we celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, we look forward to the millennial reign of the Messiah when He will rule and the land will have peace.

שלום ברוך

Shalom and Be Blessed

Dan and Brenda Cathcart

Please visit our web site at www.moedministries.com