Shavei Tzyon | Return to Zion Congregation
Haifa, Israel
The first of the Biblical Autumn holy days is the “Feast of Shofars.”
“Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with SHOFAR blasts.” (Leviticus 23:24 NIV)
The prophet Joel repeats this appeal in another way:
“Blow the SHOFAR in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand.” (Joel 2:1)
The New Testament adds further understanding to this Torah commandment:
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the SHOFAR-call of God, and the dead in Messiah will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The triumphant sound of the shofar in these verses proclaims the Creator’s authority in Israel and the world.
In daily life, the shofar was an instrument used to call, guide or warn the people. But when it is sounded on the Feast of Shofars it points to the Majesty of God. The very sound of the Shofar awakens the “innards” of a person and tunes us to the wavelength of God’s voice.
Joel says that the Shofar must rouse the believers before the Day of the Lord comes. Yeshua also addressed slumber (in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins). The sound of the Shofar should symbolically wake a person from slumber, jolt him out of routine. The sound of the Shofar should push his heart into a new beat, opening his spirit to God. The Scripture says that God will reveal His purposes to His servants and that we will not be left in ignorance, for the eyes of the Lord is upon His servants.
Much of the shofar blowing in the Bible is done by humans. However, one day these prophetic shofar blasts will be transformed into something greater – the Heavenly Shofar! The first-century congregation had a very specific prophetic interpretation of the shofar heard on high – the Lord’s return, the redemption of those still alive, and the dead rising to His Kingdom.
Blow the Shofar! Raise your voice! Call on the Lord! This is the prophetic meaning of the Lords’ Feast! The Spirit and the Bride say: “Redeemer come!”
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