It is my heart to share about the Fall Feasts in the next few blogs.  These blogs will not give a full account of every detail concerning each Feast as it would be too much information, but to share the overall understanding of the blueprint and the purpose of these Feasts.

So what is the significance of the Feast of Trumpets?  The literal Hebrew translation is “a memorial of blasts.” In Hebrew, this Feast is called “Yom Teruah.”  Yom means day, but Teruah doesn’t mean trumpets.  It means a shout or blast of war, alarm or joy. So literally translated, this is a Feast that is a “Day of Blasting or Shouting.”

The Feast of Trumpets is the ONLY Feast that is celebrated on Firstfruits; tying it’s meaning with “firsts” and making this day the “grand daddy” of all Firstfruits celebrations. It is believed by biblical historians that Adam was born on this day, along with Jesus as well when He was born of the Virgin Mary.  It has also been known as the “Anniversary of Creation.”

The seventh Hebrew month of Tishri was originally the first month of the Hebrew calendar UNTIL God Himself changed it when speaking to Moses and Aaron in Ex. 12:2.

“This month (Nisan) shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first of the year to you” (Ex. 12:2).  God followed this commandment with His the instructions for Passover.  Afterwards, He declared, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations.  You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance”(Ex. 12:14).

Later on when the children of Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai, God gave instruction for all 7 Feasts after He sealed His Covenant with them and set them apart from all the other nations.  The month of Tishri was now changed to be the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, and according to the Feasts schedule, the first day of the harvest (blessed) season and the month in which all the Fall Feasts were celebrated.

“Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day”(Psalm 81:3).

There is much confusion today as to when the Hebrew calendar starts because the Jews today celebrate the beginning of their civil year in the month of Tishri, even though God changed the first month in Ex. 12.  Today, the Jews celebrate the first day of Tishri as Rosh Hashanah; translated as “the ‘head/first’ of the year.”   Why have they reverted to the old calendar?

To find the answers as to why this is, we can go back to biblical history when the twelve tribes of Israel were split into two kingdoms after King Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 11).  Subsequently, the Israelites were divided into the Southern Kingdom, also known as the House of Judah; and Northern Kingdom, also known as the House of Israel (1 Kings 11). The House of Judah consisted of the two tribes, one being the tribe of Judah where the Jews originated from.

After the Babylonian captivity, the House of Judah picked up the Jewish Civil (King) year again in the first and second century because of the writings that were compiled in what is known as the “Mishnah.” Sometime between the finality of the writing of the Torah by Ezra, and the creation and codification of the Mishnah, the autumn new year gained acceptance, and transformed into a major celebration, and the Nisan new year was left as a marker of the months and festivals in the calendar year.

The Northern Kingdom (House of Israel), made up of the remaining ten tribes, originally kept the Ecclesiastical (Priest) year that God commanded them to follow in Ex. 12 as well.  But when the House of Israel was captured by the Assyrians and scattered all over the nations, they lost their heritage, name, and blueprint of Covenant, including following the Hebrew calendar.  They weren’t even around when the Mishnah was created and it’s writings executed as ” Jewish tradition.”

Technically, both calendars are correct, because both calendars existed (An example today is that January is the New Year, but September is the new school year).  But the ecclesiastic (priestly) calendar God created in Ex. 12 is tied to the pattern, timing, and purpose of Christ redeeming the Covenant promise; which included Him coming FIRST to fulfill the requirements of becoming our High Priest.  This purpose required Christ to come as a servant, and to be the sacrificial lamb, and it had to PRECEDE the time Jesus would fulfill the pattern of becoming our King of kings.

Because the House of Judah had been inherently celebrating their Civil calendar, which is the calendar tied to the awaiting for the KING to come FIRST, they missed Christ’s first appearance.  However, when Christ does come back the second time, He will be coming to take His rightful position as King, and many Jews will recognize Him because they have set their hearts ready for His return.

When Christ comes back, it will indeed be “new beginnings” as the Millennium will begin with the fulfillment of these Fall Feasts, and Christ will reign as King which then falls in line with the heart of the Civil Jewish calendar.  It will take on the fulfillment of it’s intended meaning of being the “Head of the Year” as Christ is our HEAD, and His return will kick off His reign here on the earth as King.

God changed this calendar in Ex. 12 to “set apart” His Covenant promises of how Christ would become our High Priest FIRST, and also prophesied in this blueprint the silent period between the Spring Feasts and Fall Feasts as to the time it will take for His Church (the people in covenant with the Lord), to go through a sanctification process needed in order to reign with Christ as priests in the Millennium.

“You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and and priest priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 4:9,10).

So in it’s simplicity, the purpose of the Feast of Trumpets is to awaken us with the sound of the trumpet.  What are we awaking to?

The trumpet has many significant meanings in the Bible.  

The trumpet was blown to signal war against the adversary (Josh. 6:5; Jer. 51:27; 1 Cor. 14:8)

“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies (Numbers 10:9).

It was also used to announce the king (2 Kings 9:13; 11:14).

“Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon.  And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” (1 Kings 1:39).

The trumpet was the sound to wake up the Church: (Rev. 1:10).

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.”

All of these reasons (and there are many more) of why the trumpet is used are all united together on the Feast of Trumpets.  This “dress rehearsal” shares it’s purpose of becoming the signal (/sign/proclamation/alarm/shout) to awaken us, to announce war against the adversary, to announce the return of the King, and to summon God’s people who are IN covenant with Him.  And when this Feast goes “LIVE,” it will mark the beginning of the Millennium.

I will continue more on the Feast of Trumpets in the next blog.