_{From a New Testament Perspective}

Feast of Trumpets

The Feast of Trumpets marked the New Year in Israel's Civil (agricultural) calendar (the 7th month of the year begun by the Lord at Passover - Exodus 12:2).

Read Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6.

A Prophetic Voice

The trumpets are a prophetic voice! They are God speaking to His people through His messengers.

"Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people... " Isaiah 58:1 (Isaiah 18:3).

On the 1st day of the 7th month trumpet blasts sounded from the Temple calling all Israel to gather. It was a call to...

Repent

The distinctive message of the Feast of Trumpets was the call to get hearts and lives right with God - God is calling His people today in the same way.

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" Acts 3:19.

Awake

The Feast of Trumpets was known as "The Day of the Awakening Blast". So the call has come to the Church in these last days to "awake"!

"And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed" Romans 13:11 (1 Corinthians 15:34; Ephesians 5:14).

Three specific calls to Israel to "awake" in Isaiah 51:9-52:12 have strong significance for the Church today.

• "Awake, as in days gone by...." (51:9)
  God desires to restore to the Church the strength and joy of the New Testament Church.
• "Awake, awake! Rise up..." (51:17)
  The Lord wants to restore to the Church her power and victory over the Enemy.
• "Awake, awake ... put on your garments of splendour... " (52:1)
  God desires to restore the Church's beautiful "clothing" - her salvation, righteousness, joy, praise and zeal (Isaiah 61:3, 10; 59:17)

Prepare

In 10 days would be the Day of Atonement - the day of national cleansing, the highlight of Israel's year. The trumpets' call was to prepare. We will see in the next lesson the awesome significance of this to the Church today.

Two Kinds of Trumpets

Two kinds of trumpets were used on the day of the Feast of Trumpets.

The Shofar - The Ram's Horn

This was the primary trumpet used. For Israel this was a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and God's provision of a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22:13).

In the fulfilment of the Feast of Trumpets in the Church, with the call to repentance, comes the reminder of the central factor of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross as a substitute for us.

The Silver Trumpets

Read Numbers 10:1-10. Two silver trumpets were made from one piece of silver. Two speaks of witness (2 Cor. 13:1; Rev. 11:3); silver speaks of atonement (1 Peter 1:18) - the fullness of redemption proclaimed.

Task of the 5-Fold Ministry

The trumpets were to be blown by Aaron and his four sons (v.8; Exodus 28:1) picturing the task of the five-fold ministry in Ephesians 4:11-13:

"It was he (Jesus) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ".

Distinctive messages to be sounded

• Calling of the Assembly (v.2)
  The gathering together of all the tribes as one at the door of the Tabernacle / Temple (Psalm 50:5; John 17).
• Calling of Leaders (v.4)
  The heads of the thousands gathered to Moses (Christ).
  One trumpet to sound for the leaders (Revelation 1:9-20). Two trumpets to sound for the people (Revelation 2-3). God's method is to go to the leaders first (Amos 3:6-7; Ezekiel 34).
• Journeying of the Camps (v.2,5,6)
  Read Numbers 9:15-23. When the cloud moved, the Trumpets must blow an alarm, and the people must move (Joel 2:1).
• Warning of Enemy Attack (v.9)
  "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" 1 Corinthians 14:8 (Ezekiel 33:1-7; Ephesians 6:10-18).
• Celebration of the Feasts (v.9)
  The trumpets blew to announce the beginning of all the festivals (Leviticus 23:4); at the time of the restoration of His Presence with His people (1 Chronicles 15:24-29); and as an expression of worship and praise (Psalm 150:3).
  "God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets" Psalm 47:5.

We Must Take Heed

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches..." Revelation 2:7 (2:11,17,29; 3:6,13,22).

• Take heed what you hear - the material.
  "Consider carefully what you hear..." Mark 4:23-24.
• Take heed how you hear - the attitude of listening.
  "Therefore consider carefully how you listen..." Luke 8:18.

Many Christians are waiting for the last trumpet to sound, but we must hear the others first.

Other Prophetic Pictures

• The 120 Trumpeters in the dedication of Solomon's Temple in the Feast of Tabernacles (2 Chronicles 5). The true dedication of the Church at the end of the age.
• The 7 Priests ... 7 trumpets ... at the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6; Revelation 11:15).
• The opening of the Book in the Feast of Trumpets (Deut. 31:9-13; Ezra 3; Neh. 8; Rev. 4,5; Isaiah 29:11-12).
• The Day of the Lord... the Second Coming (Zephaniah 1:14-18; Matthew 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16).
• The Anointing of the King of Kings (1 Kings 1:32-40; 2 Kings 9:11-13).

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