“Say to the people of Israel, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation’” (Leviticus 23:24 [RSV]). Every autumn the Jewish community observes a holiday called Rosh Hashanah (meaning "head of the year," because it begins the Jewish civil new year). This is a Biblical festival, known in Scripture as Yom Teruah, the Day of Trumpets, because the Israelites were to blow trumpets on that day. The horn used was called a shofar, or ram's horn, and it was blown to call the faithful to 10 days of repentance culminating in yet another Biblical festival called Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Most Christians find little meaning in these days, but could they hold an important message for you and your future?
In ancient Israel the shofar was blown for various reasons, including a call to war. The Apostle Paul teaches us that we Christians are engaging in spiritual warfare daily, and he calls us to war when he writes in Ephesians 6:11-17 [RSV], 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15. and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; 16. besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The word of God also teaches us that there is coming yet another great and terrible day of the Lord. At that time we will all hear the shofar blowing a final call to war as Jesus Christ returns in triumph to conquer and vanquish victoriously His enemies: 51. Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 54. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55. "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" 56. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 [RSV])
Are you prepared for the final blowing of the shofar on that last day?
In ancient Israel the shofar was blown for various reasons, including a call to war. The Apostle Paul teaches us that we Christians are engaging in spiritual warfare daily, and he calls us to war when he writes in Ephesians 6:11-17 [RSV], 11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15. and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; 16. besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The word of God also teaches us that there is coming yet another great and terrible day of the Lord. At that time we will all hear the shofar blowing a final call to war as Jesus Christ returns in triumph to conquer and vanquish victoriously His enemies: 51. Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 54. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55. "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" 56. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 [RSV])
Are you prepared for the final blowing of the shofar on that last day?
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