Yom Teruah, Day of Trumpets 101

Have you heard about the Biblical Feasts?  Have you thought about celebrating them, and wonder how to get started?

Today, I want to give the Biblical basics to answer the questions:

What is Day of Trumpets?  How do I celebrate it?

The Biblical feasts can have several different names depending on who you are speaking with.  So, this feast is called Feast of Trumpets, Day of Trumpets, Day of Shouting, Day of Blowing, or Yom Teruah.  (Jews will often call this day Rosh Hashana, Head of the Year.  This is NOT the Biblical name of this Holy Day.)

The reason this day has different titles is because the Hebrew word pronounced  “teruah” means a strong blowing.  Throughout the Bible this word is used to mean make a trumpet sound, blow, and even loud shouting.  Most often it is used to mean make a loud blowing noise.  The Hebrew word pronounced as, “Yom”  means Day.  Therefore, this day is most accurately declared Day of Trumpeting.

Here are the passages of scripture about this Appointed Day:

Leviticus 23:23-25

Numbers 29:1-6

Nehemiah 8:2-6

Joel 2

Each of these passages are a glimpse of what this day is to be like, and what it’s purpose is.  I encourage you to take the time and read each passage in context.

1. This Day is on the first Day of the Seventh Month.

   That me.  Biblical Days start at sundown and go to sundown the next day.  The Seventh month is in the fall, usually September or  October on the Gregorian Calendar.

2. You shall not do your ordinary work on this Holy Day.

   This day is to be a day off from your jobs that you usually do six days a week.  (You can cook, clean, and prepare for the festivities.)

3. Offer Special Sacrifices/Offerings unto God on this day.

   This day we should prepare a feast, and we should offer up our lives as living sacrifices.  We can also collect offerings to be used to honor God and care for His people.

4. Trumpets are to be blown.  

   Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

5. Gather with others to declare this set apart day.

As you read in Nehemiah and Joel, you get the idea that this day is a day of proclaiming the next set apart day that is coming.  Part of the purpose of Yom Teruah is declare that Yom Kippur is only ten days away.  Yom Teruah is a celebration feast, but it is also a reminder that the day of Atonement is coming quickly.  All throughout scripture you will find the blowing of trumpets is associated with the day of judgement and atonement.  The Day of Trumpets declares the coming of our Lord Messiah, King and Judge.  For those who are ready this is an exciting day to look forward to for ourselves.  But for the ones who are not ready for His return, we mourn, and for the price that was paid we prepare our hearts in humility.  Yom Teruah, the Trumpets proclaim that this day is coming.

How can you celebrate this holiday?

Plan ahead.  Make a menu.  Gather with others.  Sing unto Yehovah, and Read Scripture together. Have Fun. Finish the day with a reminder that Yom Kippur is coming.

Our family has hosted a Yom Teruah Eve party.  The eve of Yom Teruah we invite people over to worship and make a loud noise unto Yehovah.  As we sing and read passages from the Bible.   We prepare a fun meal like Walking Tacos.  And we have a campfire and fellowship together.  As the night goes on we begin to discuss the up coming Day of Atonement and the feast of Sukkot.

Yom Teruah is a simple party feast.  There isn’t a lot of scripture with commands for this particular day.  But it is a very special day because it declares the coming of the two other fall appointed times to come.

I hope that you and your family have a very blessed feast.

Shalom

Written by ktmom15

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