Tonight begins the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)!
What does that mean? In Judaism the whole month of Elul(This month ends tonight) is a 30-day process of preparation through personal examination and repentance for the coming High Holy Days. The shofar is blown after every morning service. Psalm 27, which begins with “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” is also recited at the end of the morning and evening liturgy. The message from Elul 1 to Rosh HaShanah is clear: Repent before Rosh HaShanah. Don’t wait until after Rosh HaShanah, or you will find yourself in the Days of Awe.
What are the days of Awe? Well prophetically these are the 10 days after Christ returns with the blowing of the Shofar and wars with those standing against Israel. This ends on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). These are considered days that represent your last chance to repent for the wrongs you’ve done and to forgive those who’ve wronged you.
There are idioms or phrases that help us identify the days in the season of Teshuvah (repentance). Just as unfamiliar foreigners may be confused when they hear Americans call Thanksgiving Day, “Turkey Day” or “Pilgrims’ Day,” non-Jewish believers in Yeshua can be confused by the different terms for the major feasts of the Lord.
Rosh HaShanah: Names, Themes, and Idioms:
- Teshuvah (repentance)
- Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year, Birthday of the World)
- Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast [Feast of Trumpets)
- Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment)
- HaMelech (the Coronation of the Messiah)
- Yom HaZikkaron (the Day of Remembrance or memorial)
- The time of Jacob’s (Ya’akov) trouble (the birthpangs of the Messiah,
Chevlai shel Mashiach) - The opening of the gates
- Kiddushin/Nesu’in (the wedding ceremony)
- The resurrection of the dead (rapture, natza1)
- The last trump (shofar)
- Yom Hakeseh (the hidden day)
Number 11 perhaps aligns itself with 1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.