Rapture- Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)

Yeshua’s death, burial, and resurrection, as well as the Holy Spirit’s appearance at Pentecost, revolve around the four Hebraic Spring festivals and holy days. Thus, Yeshua’s coming is expected to revolve around the three Hebraic Fall festivals and holy days.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, about the “mystery” of the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51), not long after the middle of the first century; whereas, John recorded his great revelation near the end of the first century. Thus, those to whom Paul wrote could not have been expected to know about the seven Trumpet Judgments (described by John) and would not have associated Paul’s “last trumpet” with John’s “seventh trumpet.”

So what is the last trump of G-d?  Let’s examine Exodus 19 :  

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes,

11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Now let’s look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (King James Version): 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The Trumpet of God only appears twice in the Bible. The first one is in Exodus 19 at Mt. Sinai and the last one is in 1 Thes. 4. Both are accompanied by the audible voice of God and both create a Kingdom. At Mt. Sinai the Israelites were redeemed from slavery, at the Rapture we’re redeemed from sin. They were consecrated, we’re perfected. They washed their clothes, we’re given clean clothes. God came to the Mt. top, Jesus comes to the air. At Mt. Sinai Moses and Aaron went up, at the rapture we go up. At Mt. Sinai Israel was wed to God. At the Rapture the Church is wed to Jesus. At Mt. Sinai God dwelt with Israel and at the rapture the Church dwells with Jesus.

There are some differences. Only Moses and Aaron could ascend the mountain. Anyone else going up passed from life to death. At the rapture we all go up and everyone passes from death to life. God promised to dwell with Israel if they obeyed. We will dwell with Jesus because He obeyed. They changed themselves temporarily, He changes us permanently. Theirs was an event accompanied by great fear, ours is an event anticipated with great joy. After all Mt. Sinai was the presentation of God’s Law, and the Rapture is the manifestation of His grace.

In traditional Judaism, Rosh Hashanah (lit.”the head of the year”) is celebrated as Jewish New Years Day. The holiday is observed on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishri (i.e., the seventh “new moon”of the year), which usually falls in September or October, and marks the beginning of a ten-day period of prayer, self-examination and repentance (aseret yemei teshuvah), which culminates on the fast day of Yom Kippur. These ten days are referred to as Yamim Norai’m (יָמִים נוֹרָאִים), the “Days of Awe,” or the High Holy Days. Rosh Hashanah also commemorates the creation of the universe (בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם) by God.

The ancient Jewish or Biblical calendar was primarily a lunar calendar, very different from today’s Jewish calendar. The current calendar is set by a mathematical computation that has been in use for approximately 1700 years. This calendar was initiated by Hillel II due to a breakdown in the previous system. Up to this time the beginning of each month (Rosh Chodesh, literally Head of the Month) was set by a visual sighting by two witnesses before a Rabbinical court. These witnesses had to be of upstanding character, meeting qualifications very similar to those listed in the third chapter of First Timothy concerning zekenim, elders. They presented themselves before the Sanhedrin of which the Nasi or president then declared the New Month as having begun. The importance of the sighting of the New Moon was considered to be so imperative to the religious life of Israel that these witnesses were allowed to travel on horseback great distances even on the Sabbath.

The coming of the New Moon was absolutely essential to the structure of the religious life, for G-d had commanded the observance of certain days as Moedim, Appointed Times. These were specific times to meet with G-d.  Therefore, the setting of each festival depended upon the decree that came forth from the Sanhedrin at the beginning of the month. Thus, each festival listed in Leviticus 23 could not be set before the arrival of the month that it was to be held in. An example of this is Pesach, Passover, which is to be observed on the 14th day of Aviv (Nisan). It would be impossible to state in the previous month, Adar, on which day of the week Pesach would fall until the Sanhedrin declared which day began the month of Aviv. Likewise, once Aviv arrived, having been instituted by the Sanhedrin from the visual sighting, it would then be known by all on which day of the week that each festival within that month would fall. Of course, this scenario would have to be repeated for each month of the year.

The seventh month, Tishri, has three inter-linked festivals. The first festival occurs on the first day of the seventh month which of course would also be a Rosh Chodesh or New Moon. This festival is generally called Rosh haShanah which means the Head of the Year, and is commonly celebrated as the Jewish New Year. Among most Christians this festival is known as the Feast of Trumpets. This title somewhat misconveys the actual Biblical name of the festival, Yom Teruah, which means the Day of the Awakening Blast. The next festival is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and occurs on the 10th of Tishri. Five days later the Festival of Sukkot begins and is celebrated for 7 days from the 15th of Tishri through the 21st. An additional day is attached to Sukkot but is viewed as being separate from these 7 days. This day is known as Shimini Atzeret, the Eighth Day and occurs on the 22nd of Tishri. Therefore, once the Sanhedrin has set the Rosh Chodesh for Tishri, the rest of the festivals could be calculated. Rosh haShanah stands alone during Tishri, as well as the rest of the year, as being the only festival of which no man knew the day or the hour. It could only be determined by the decree from the court declaring the the New Moon had been spotted.

The Sanhedrin, the highest court of Israel, received its authority as a mandate of G-d:

If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the L-RD thy G-d shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the L-RD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the L-RD thy G-d, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

Deuteronomy 17.8-13

Other than the mathematical computation for the arrival of the New Moon, the new calendar differed from the previous one in another way. The new calendar took into consideration the religious convenience of the worshippers and allowed that certain festivals could not fall upon certain days of the week. For example, Hoshanna Rabbah (the last day of Sukkot) was not permitted to fall on a Saturday or Yom Kippur to fall on a Friday. By this action the courts, by means of the new calendar, were making null and void the Biblical commandment to observe the dates of the festivals at the specific appointed time. Each Moed, appointed time, was of critical importance in its relation to the Messiah, for it is on these dates that the messiah keeps His appointments with man to achieve the restoration of man and the earth. In Yeshua’s first coming, He was slain on Pesach, buried on Unleavened Bread, and He rose from the dead on the Firstfruits of the Barley Harvest. Fifty days later at Shavuot (Pentecost) the eschatological (last days) congregation received the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit) empowering them to be witnesses as the Kingdom of Heaven came down to dwell in men’s hearts. The fall festivals, likewise, are the appointments for Yeshua’s second coming, each teaching on different aspects of His coming, and the Messianic Kingdom here on earth.

When Yeshua spoke of His coming during His Olivet discourse, there is a strong probability that He referred to Rosh haShanah when He spoke of that day that no man knows.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Matthew 24.36

It is impossible to speculate the exact day or year on which the appointed Rosh haShanah will arrive because of the complications of the existing Jewish calendar. In all probability the year that begins the kingdom will begin when the current Jewish calendar’s Rosh haShanah and the Rosh haShanah decreed by the Heavenly court coincide. Oftentimes, it seems the emphasis is placed on which year, or which date on a given year, this will occur. It is obvious through history and scripture that no one can pinpoint the exact time these events will take place. However, G-d never misses His appointments with man, and it is for us to understand the significance of these Appointed Times and Seasons.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the L-rd so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For G-d hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Master Yeshua haMashiach, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 

1 Thessalonians 5.1-11

I believe the day of the rapture will be the feast day of Rosh Hashanah which is in line to be fulfilled next.  The Hebrew word Keseh is derived from the word kacah which means to conceal, cover or hide.  It is to be considered that there is a lot of mystery that surrounds the festival of Rosh HaShanah and part of that mystery is hidden. In the Hebrew there is a sense of concealment that is not stated in the English.

This is why this is so significant.  The shofar is blown everyday during the month preceding Rosh HaShanah calling the people to return to God.  Since the shofar is used to announce new moons and festivals, it is thought that Satan is aware then of the time of these festivals.  Satan however was not aware of the plan of how the final fulfillment of Passover was to take place, it was concealed to him.  It caught him completely unaware. Likewise Satan is not to know about the final fulfillment of Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets or the hidden day). The Jews believe that their practice of blowing the shofar every day of the month of Elul except the day proceeding Rosh HaShanah will conceal the day of the festival.  Satan is to be kept in the dark about the “day of judgment”.   This day is to be hidden from him.

Because Rosh HaShanah was to hidden from Satan, the people of God never mentioned when it was.  Instead when they were speaking about this festival day, they said this:  “Of that day and hour no one knows, only the father”.  Does that sound familiar to you?  Yeshua used this idiom as a figure of speech Himself.  What was He referring to went He said this?  He was speaking about the rapture and the feast day which is Yom Teruah (the blowing of the trumpets or shofars) He was using “remez”, hinting at the hidden day.  I hope you are getting this.  Jesus never meant for us to be unaware like Satan.  In fact in that same discourse He exhorted us to be aware, awake, and watching. 

Let’s look at some scriptures now that relate to “the day of hiding”.  The Lord has promised to hide us.  In the following scripture I want to draw your attention to the phrase “in the time of trouble”.  This is reference to the tribulation or Jacob’s trouble.  His plan is to hide us as we will see from this scripture and the others.

Ps 27: 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”

Ps 31: 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

Ps 64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:”

I love this next scripture because it is an invitation to come into His chambers while the judgment is going on.  How blessed are we?

Is 26:20,21  “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” 

The rabbis teach that Elul is actually an acronym. Each of the Hebrew letters – אלול – alef, lamed, vav, lamed – stands for the beginning letter of each word in the phrase “אני לדודי ודודי לי” – ani ledodi vedodi li – I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. It is a familiar phrase taken from Song of Songs 6:3. Why would this month bear that name, and why from that text? One answer is that as we pass our experiences from the past year through our sieve of self critique, we want that process to occur within a loving, compassionate relationship, and not one that is punitive or scolding. The Song of Songs is a celebration of a loving, lusty relationship between grown-ups. It is characterized by a yearning to see our beloved’s face, and to feel the closeness that is possible as lovers, or, as the rabbis understood it, between God and the Jewish people. Thus, while we are charged during Elul with relentless self-examination, it occurs within a relationship that is thoroughly grounded in compassion and a desire to return to a life that is unencumbered by callous and witless behavior.

In the Jewish tradition, the month of Elul is a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The word “Elul” is similar to the root of the verb “search” in Aramaic. The Talmud writes that the Hebrew word “Elul” can be expanded as an acronym for “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li” – “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (Song of Solomon 6:3). Elul is seen as a time to search one’s heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement, Rosh Hashanah, and Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.

On the week before Rosh Hashanah, at the end of the month of Elul, the atmosphere of repentance is intensified by the addition of selichot (סְלִיחוֹת). Selichot are special prayers for forgiveness recited in the early hours of the morning at the synagogue. The addition of selichot helps prepare us for the coming days of reflection and self-examination.

Rosh Hashanah is also known as Yom Teru’ah (יוֹם תְּרוּעָה), the “Feast of Trumpets” (the name was changed during Talmudic times, see below). Tradition stated that the universe was created by the LORD on Rosh Hashanah (or on Elul 25 so that Rosh Hashanah marks the sixth day of creation, when the LORD created Adam and Eve).

Note that Rosh Hashanah is also called “Yom ha-Zikaron,” the “Day of Remembrance” in (Lev. 23:24) reference to the commandment to remember to blow the shofar (teruah) to coronate God as King of the Universe. The blast of the shofar is meant to jolt us from our sleep. We are to remember who we really are by remembering that the LORD is our King

According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah the destiny of the righteous, the tzaddikim, are written in the Book of Life (סֵפֶר הַחַיִּים), and the destiny of the wicked, the resha’im, are written in the Book of Death (סֶפֶר הַמָּוֵת). However, most people will not be inscribed in either book, but have ten days — until Yom Kippur — to repent before sealing their fate. Hence the term Aseret Yemei Teshuvah (עֲשֶׂרֶת יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה) - the Ten Days of Repentance. On Yom Kippur, then, everyone’s name will be sealed in one of the books.

Consequently, many synagogue prayers are invocations to be made worthy to be written in the Book of Life. Sermons about the need for repentance and the themes of God’s judgment are often delivered during this time. The Kingship of God is stressed throughout the services as well.

There are four primary types of shofar blasts:

1. Tekiah (תְּקִיעָה) – A long single blast (the sound of the King’s coronation)
2. Shevarim (שְׁבָרִים) – Three short wail-like blasts (signifying repentance)
3. Teru’ah (תְּרוּעָה) – Nine staccato blasts of alarm (to awaken the soul)

4. Tekiah ha-Gadol (תְּקִיעָה הַגָּדוֹל) – A great long blast (for as long as you can blow!)

    

The general custom is to first blow tekiah, followed by shevarim, followed by teruah, and to close with tekiah hagadol:

In the written Torah, the first day of the seventh month is to be commemorated as Yom Teruah (יוֹם תְּרוּעָה), sometimes translated as the “Feast of Trumpets” (Num. 29:1, Lev. 23:24). The word teruah means “shouting” or “raising a noise,” and therefore this day was to be marked by making a joyful noise unto the LORD (Psalm 81:1-4). Of all the moedim (holidays), Yom Teruah is unique because 1) it’s the only holiday that begins on a New Moon and 2) there is no explicit reason given in the Torah for its observance other than to “rest” and to offer sacrifice (Num. 29:1, Lev. 23:24). After the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, however, the sages of the Mishnah redefined Judaism and associated Yom Teruah with the start of the Jewish civil year. Yom Teruah then became known as “Rosh Hashanah” (the head of the year).

As Messianic believers, we maintain that Judgment Day has come and justice was served through the sacrificial offering of Yeshua for our sins (2 Cor. 5:21). He is the perfect fulfillment of the Akedah of Isaac. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, or Sefer HaChayim (Rev. 13:8). We do not believe that we are made acceptable in God’s sight by means of our own works of righteousness (Titus 3:5-6), but that does not excuse us from being without such works (as fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives). The Scriptures clearly warn that on the Day of Judgment to come, anyone’s name not found written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).

After the summer of harvest (John 4:35), the very first fall festival on the Jewish calendar is Yom Teruah (also called Rosh Hashanah), which is a picture of the “catching away” of kallat Mashiach (the Bride of Christ) for the time of Sheva Berachot (seven “days” of blessing that follows the marriage ceremony). Then will come the Great Tribulation and Yom Adonai – the Day of the LORD (יוֹם יְהוָה). The heavenly shofar blasts heard at Sinai will be reissued from Zion.  First will be the gathering together of those who follow the Mashiach (i.e., those declared tzaddikim because of the merit of Yeshua’s sacrifice), and then God’s war against Satan and the world system will begin, culminating in the long-awaited coronation of the King of King of Kings – Melech Malchei Ha-Melachim (מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים).

Rosh Hashanah (or better, Yom Teruah) is therefore a sacred time that has prophetic significance for the Messianic believer, since it commemorates both the creation of the universe by Adonai as well as the “calling up” of the new creation at the behest of Yeshua, when the sound of the heavenly shofar inaugurates the anticipated End of Days (1 Cor 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). It also prefigures the coming Day of the LORD and Great Tribulation period that marks God’s judgment on an unbelieving world…

With the appearance of the Great King comes great judgment.  Are you ready to meet our King? With  the coming Blood moons (signs) He is coming soon!

Rosh Hashanah 2013 begins in the evening of Wednesday, September 4 and ends in the evening of Friday, September 6.  Could it happen?  Keep your oil lamps full. Be ready!

http://youtu.be/Nj7rw0f4fII  Part 1

http://youtu.be/Nv7s0kgCPO8  Part 2

http://www.watch.pair.com/rosh-hashana.html

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Rosh_Hashannah/rosh_hashannah.html