Yom Teruah

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD.'” (Leviticus 23:23-25, NAS)

Teruah, or Trumpets, carry much significance in the Scripture. Trumpets are used to signify the beginning of a new month or year. They were a call to assemble, a call to arms, a call to stop, and a call to go. At times, such as in the Revelation, they signified a time of judgement. The trumpet sound also signified the coming of the King. In any case, YHVH is teaching us to be ready for His call.

Prophetically, Yom Teruah suggests a time to come when YHVH calls His people back home to the land of Israel, and the signifying of the return of the Messiah as the conquering King.

“In that day the Lord will start His threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel. It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”

We also see in Matthew how the Son of Man will “send out his angels with a great shofar, and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” Matthew 24:31

Perhaps most importantly, we believe the birth of Messiah was a direct fulfillment of Yom Teruah. The angelic host announced his birth  (the coming of a King) to a group of shepherds as they watched their flock by night.

Here at ARIEL, we celebrate Yom Teruah by holding a set apart gathering starting in the evening prior, at sunset. Praise, worship, and a loud sound are commonly heard during this celebration. It is indeed a time for everything which has breath to praise YHVH. And, considering the Torah permits cooking on this particular day, we often celebrate with a pot-luck, buffet-style dinner for all to enjoy. The feast continues until the following day, at sunset.

You can read more about other appointed times of YHVH by clicking here.