Sermon Tone Analysis

THE DAY OF A SHOFAR AND ALARM – ARE YOU READY!

An overview of Yom Teruah/ Feast of Trumpets

Shabbat Shalom family, blessed be יהוה our Elohim, praise His Mighty and Wonderful Name, aměn!

Every single week as we come together on erev Shabbat (Sabbath evening), we in fact are given the wonderful opportunity to rehearse weekly our readiness for His soon coming.

Many of us may feel tired and stressed out and easily decide to skip gathering due to a hectic week at work.

May we realise the need to rehearse our readiness!

Just think for a moment what it was like back in Mitsrayim – Yisra’ĕl were in slavery – slaving away at hard labour each and every day, and when they were told to be ready to leave at the call of the Creator – how many do you think would have said, “no, I am going to skip this one as I have had a really tough week and am too tired!”

If any did this they would have been foolish!

Each week may we be reminded just how important our coming together is – we continually are rehearsing our readiness as a Bride for His soon coming.

Sabbath being the 7th day, we get each week to start the day (in the evening) and being watchful and mindful of Him as we are to be for Yom Teru’ah which is in the 7th month – at a time when no man knows the day or hour as we must be watchful and ready to sight the moon to signify this day!

Every Shabbat must be the highlight of our week that we look forward to and not allow the ‘slavery’ of busy schedules cause us to be asleep to the need to be a Bride who prepares herself, aměn!

I do hope that you are all aware of what we will be doing next week!

As you should all know we are approaching the end of the 6th month and when we see the new moon it will mark the beginning of the 7th month which is a major significant day for us – it is Yom Teru‘ah! תְּרוּעָה ‘Teruah’ H8643 – means ‘a shout or blast of war, alarm or joy’.

It is a day of shouting, as in the raising of a noise as the sound of a shofar, trumpets – hence also known as The Day of Trumpets.

We have so much to look forward to as we diligently rehearse the Feasts of יהוה as commanded to and for tonight I want to briefly share once again a slight overview of what this Yom Teruah is about in a message called, ‘The day of The Shofar and Alarm – Are you Ready!’.

Although many of you may have heard what I am about to share with you, what we are to realise is that we are to continually be reminded just exactly what His Feasts are all about as they clearly reveal His plans and are there for us to watch and keep as a continual remembrance of who He is and better helps us fully understand His Word, in order that we may be a Bride made ready for Her soon coming Husband, aměn!

Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23: 23-25 “And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘In the seventh new moon, on the first day of the new moon, you have a rest, a remembrance of Teru‘ah, a set-apart gathering.

25 ‘You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’ ”

What we see from this clear instruction is that on the 1st of the 7th we are to have a ‘rest’, which in the Hebrew is the term שַׁבָּתוֹן ‘shabbathon’ H7677 meaning a ‘Sabbath-like’ rest or Sabbath observance.

So although it may not fall on a Sabbath, the day is treated like one – you do no work and you have a set-apart gathering.

And on top of that – you have a remembrance of Teru‘ah.

The word for remembrance in Hebrew is זִכָּרוֹן ‘zikkaron’ H2146 meaning ‘memorial, commemoration or remembrance’ and comes from the root word זָכַר ‘zakar’ H2142 which means ‘to remember, or be mindful, or bring to remembrance’.

It is therefore a day for us as a call to remember Teru‘ah.

And it is on this day that we certainly raise a shout and blow the shofar/trumpets.

In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 10:1-10 Mosheh is given instruction to make 2 silver trumpets of beating work that would be used for the calling of the congregation as well as for the breaking of camp, which carries great significance for us prophetically.

If one was blown then the leaders would gather and if both were blown the entire assembly was to gather.

It was to be used in battle against their enemies so that they would be ‘remembered’ by יהוה and be saved and delivered from their enemies; and it was also to be blown on the Appointed Times as instructed, forever!

The 2 silver trumpets symbolise for us refinement and redemption and the silver would also carry a very crisp and clear sound.

The trumpets of ‘beaten work’ – that is that they were ‘hammered out’ by the work of a skilled craftsmen and this too is a picture of how יהוה is ‘beating’ us out and moulding us through tests and affliction, as Ya’aqoḇ/James tells us that we are to rejoice when we fall into trials of many kinds – we are to consider – that is to bring to thought and take account – it pure joy, as we remember that we are being proved through endurance in order to be complete and not lack anything (Ya’aqoḇ/James 1:2-4).

The 2 silver trumpets signify for us the 2 houses of Yehuḏah and Ephrayim, who are refined through testing and redeemed by the Blood of יהושע, and are gathered to Him as they heed the Words of the Living Torah:

Zeḵaryah/Zechariah 13:9 “And I shall bring the third into fire, and refine them as silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried.

They shall call on My Name, and I shall answer them.

I shall say, ‘This is My people,’ while they say, ‘יהוה is my Elohim.’”

In the Scriptures we see the sound of the trumpet or shofar or rams horn being used at the command of יהוה and I just want to share some with you that you may begin to see the significance of this unique sounding that יהוה has both commanded us to carry out and to hear!

Shofar in the Scriptures:

• The Torah was given at Mount Sinai at the sound of the shofar, which we will look at shortly (Shemoth/Exodus 19:19)

• Yisra’ĕl conquered the enemy in the battle of Yeriḥo with the sound of the shofar (Yehoshua/Joshua 6:20)

• It sounds the coming of the Messiah (Zeḵaryah/Zechariah 9:14,16)

• It is blown at the time of the ingathering of the exiles (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 27:13)

• It was blown to signal assembly during war (Shophetim/Judges 3:27)

• The watchmen on the wall would sound the alarm, warning the people of attack by blowing the shofar (Yeḥezqĕl/Ezekiel 33:3)

• It is blown at the start of the Jubilee year (Wayyiqra/Leviticus 25:9)

• It is blown to remind us of the sovereignty of יהוה (Tehillim/Psalm 47:5)

• It is blown as a reminder of Aḇraham’s sacrifice of Yitsḥaq and יהוה’s provision of a ram as a substitute

• Blown to announce the appointed times and festivals and celebrate the New Moon (Bemidbar/Numbers 10:10 – Tehillim/Psalm 81:1-3))

• It is blown as a call to repentance (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 58:1)

• It is blown to usher in the Day of יהוה (Yo’ĕl/Joel 2:1)

• It is blown to sound יהושע coming to take His Bride (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

• Used for the coronation of kings (Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 1:34,39)

These are just some of the many accounts we can see where the sound of the Trumpet or shofar is used in Scripture.

But more specifically tonight we are talking about Yom Teru‘ah, the Feast of Trumpets.

Teru‘ah as I have mentioned means ‘blast or shout’ and is also known as the awakening blast!

When יהושע came the first time riding on a donkey – there was a shouting – Blessed is He who comes in the name of יהוה, which the Pharisees tried to stop by commanding Him to silence His disciples to which He told them that is they do not cry out then the rocks would cry out!

When He comes again there will be more than a shout of men – both the heavens and the earth will be shaken at the sound of His coming!

He said Himself that He would not come again until the time comes when we say ‘Blessed is He who is coming in the name of יהוה’.

Well we know for sure that the Name of יהוה is certainly being restored as we are rapidly entering in to that time – the time of His coming!

And this is what Yom Teru‘ah marks for us!

Now on this day – Yom Teru‘ah –we are to remember the Teru‘ah and to better understand why this is significant in a Bride being ready we need to go back to what happened at Mount Sinai – the very point in time when a marriage was announced with the sound of a trumpet.

This was the day of Teru‘ah or better known as the ‘First trumpet’.

Turn with me to Shemoth/Exodus 19:10-19 (Read).

This was certainly a day to be remembered!

They had, as a nation, said the ‘I do’ of a marriage vow unto a bridegroom who had delivered them from slavery.

And then יהוה told Mosheh to tell the people that they had 2 days to ‘get ready’ for on the 3rd day יהוה was to come down before the eyes of all the people, and when the Yoḇel sounds – that is the ‘blast of the horn’ sounds – then the people are to come near to the mountain – only they had to be prepared!

Then on the 3rd day there was thunder and lightning, and I can imagine that it was not just a little crack of thunder and a flash of lightning – this was intense – so much so that there was also a sound of a shofar that was very strong and loud – so much so that all the people trembled, which in the Hebrew literally means to shudder with terror!

Everyone then assembled – you certainly would not dare to not be there – or else! Then the mount was in smoke as יהוה came down in fire causing the mountain to tremble!

At this point the voice of the shofar became even stronger and long and יהוה answered Mosheh and came down and called Mosheh up to the top of the Mountain!

This is the day that we are not to forget!!!!

This was the day that יהוה spoke His commandments.

Now it might seem strange at first to think or consider why יהוה would tell us to remember this on the 1st of the 7th month when this took place on Shavuot!

It is because the 7th Month containing the Feasts of the 7th month proclaims His 7th Millennium where will come for His Bride and His reign will be firmly established here on earth.

By looking back and remembering this incredible, yet very fearsome day when He entered into a Marriage Covenant by giving His Torah at Shavuot, announcing it with the sound of the first trumpet we are enabled to look forward to the day when once again He will be coming with fire and the awakening blast of the trumpet sound at Yom Teru‘ah where He will come for His Bride.

We have been given 2 days to get ready.

This carries great insight for us as יהוה’s Appointed Times have been set from creation week and stands firm forever!

It was in the 4th day that He gave the lights to rule over the day and the night and to ‘separate’ the light from the darkness (Berěshith/Genesis 1:18); and as we know the Light of the world – יהושע Messiah came down in the ‘4th day’ (4th Millennium) to ‘separate’ the light from darkness and call us out of darkness into His marvellous light and through His shed Blood He ‘renewed/restored’ the Marriage Covenant, and that it is only by His Blood that we have access to be brought near and grafted into the Covenants of Promise from which we were once far off, and through His work we now have the Torah written upon our hearts and in essence were given 2 days to ‘get ready’ (that being day 5 and 6) and then on the 3rd day when the trumpet sounds (day 7 – 7th Millennium) He will come with fire and we will be gathered unto Him!

Yom Teru‘ah is a time to remember the day He entered into a Marriage with us and we as His Bride who have said yes, and accepted His Covenant through the Blood of Messiah must now prepare ourselves and be washed.

Dani’ěl/Daniel 7:9 “I was looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated.

His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like clean wool, His throne was flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.”

His garment is as white as snow and so should ours be!

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 1:16-20 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.

Stop doing evil! 17 Learn to do good!

Seek right-ruling, reprove the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says יהוה. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 “If you submit and obey, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of יהוה has spoken.”

Clean garments are a symbol of readiness to stand before יהוה in the Righteousness that he has provided and how we wash ourselves is through His Word – we submit to and walk in His Torah of Righteousness that leads us to Messiah, prepared as a ready Bride, made spotless in Him!

Any attempts that there have been to ‘change’ the 7th day is the crafty ploy of the enemy in trying his best to put many of course in truly understanding יהוה’s Calendar and Appointed Times and so making many people to not be ready!!!

Yom Teru‘ah is a wakeup call to be about getting ready, being dressed in garments of righteousness:

Ḥazon/Revelation 3:2-6 “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before Elohim.

3 Remember, then, how you have received, and heard.

And watch and repent.

If, then, you do not wake up, I shall come upon you as a thief, and you shall not know at all what hour I come upon you. 4 Nevertheless, you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments.

And they shall walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.

5 He who overcomes shall be dressed in white robes, and I shall by no means blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I shall confess his name before My Father and before His messengers.

6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”

Those who are not watching – that is those who are not keeping His Feasts and walking in His Torah will be caught out and it will come upon them as a thief.

Notice that there are only ‘few’ who had not defiled their garments!

This walk in a narrow walk on a narrow path – that few find!

At Mount Sinai, Yisra’ĕl was about to receive the garment – that is the Torah – that would teach them how to be the body and had to display their acceptance of this fact by having their own garments that had been soiled by the desert terrain cleaned.

יהושע gave us a parable about a man who did not wear the proper wedding garments to a wedding feast:

Mattithyahu/ Matthew 22: 11-14 “And when the sovereign came in to view the guests, he saw there a man who had not put on a wedding garment, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment?’

And he was speechless.