Rosh Ha Shanah and the Trumpet Call

There are so many symbols that mark Rosh Ha Shanah: bright, red pomegranates, juicy apples, golden honey, a King’s crown and the shofar – the ram’s horn. The latter two are probably the most biblical symbols, which is why I have chosen to do a quick sketch of the shofar being blown for this blog.

At Rosh Ha Shanah (Head of the Year) or the Feast of Trumpets, you will hear the piercing sound of the shofar all over the land of Israel signifying the proclamation of God as the Universal King. In her article “Crown Him with Many Crowns”, Chrissy Rodgers writes:

“Psalm 47 is read seven times before the blowing of the Shofar and the song ‘The Supreme King’ – a triple acrostic of the alphabet, proclaiming God’s attributes and authority as Eternal King – is sung. Other readings also declare that God will be crowned by the assembly of Israel on earth! The blowing of the shofar is always a reminder of ‘the Akeida’ (the ‘Binding of Isaac’ – Gen. 22) and God’s attribute as the One who resurrects the dead.”

Speaking of the resurrection, I find it quite fascinating that in Psalm 47:5 we read:

“God has ascended with a shout, the Lord, with the sound of the trumpet.”

Where else in the Scriptures do we read that God ascended to heaven?

Consider this one, and who is being described: Proverbs 30:4 says, “Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His son’s name? Surely, you know.”

In the book of Acts chapter 1, Jesus ascended in full view of His disciples until He was hidden by a cloud. As they stood mesmerized by this supernatural event, two men in white clothing (angels) said,

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into the heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10

We see the angels’ prophetic words fulfilled in 1 Thessalonians 4:16:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Messiah shall rise first.”

The concept of the dead rising when Messiah returns, is not just a Christian one. Burial on the Mount of Olives started some 3,000 years ago in the days of the First Temple and continues to this day. Many Jewish people believe that when the Messiah comes to earth, in fulfilment of Zechariah 14:4, the resurrection of the dead will begin on the Mount of Olives.

Are there Scriptures in the Tenach that point to the fact that it is indeed Jesus who returns to the Mount of Olives at the end of days?

I believe there are. Zechariah 12, Psalm 110, Psalm 40:6-8, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 (to name a few) all point to a Messiah who would suffer for the sins of His People but rise again.

So how close are we to the Second Coming of the Messiah and His millennial reign as King over Israel and the whole world?

When we look at the events taking place in the Middle East and how rapidly prophetic Scriptures are being fulfilled, we can see that we are indeed moving into the End Times. (Excellent teachers on this subject are Amir Tsarfati from “Behold Israel” and Pastor JD Farag). Even the Coronavirus (literally crown virus), is not just another virus but a pandemic - one that fits into the birth pangs mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24. It is also a catalyst for the type of global agendas mentioned in the book of Revelation.

As we celebrate Rosh Ha Shanah this September 2020, my prayer is that all reading this blog, will be ready for the blast of God’s heavenly shofar, proclaiming that the King is on His way!