By Sarah Whitney
This evening I stood outside and blew a long blast on my shofar. My father-in-law peaked out of his door and called to me with an amused look on his face, wondering what his silly daughter-in-law was up to now.
"Happy Feast of Trumpets!" I hollered.
"What?!" he answered.
I just smiled and waved. He waved back and went back inside with a confused smile on his face. I guess he is used to my strange antics. Maybe I will explain it to him tomorrow- again!
Trumpets~ Every month, on the first day of the month, the ancient Israelites blew a trumpet to mark the beginning of a new moon or month.
But, this month, the 7th month on the Hebrew calendar, the trumpet blast means more than just a new month. Everything from Passover on was leading up to this month.
Agriculturally, the fall harvest is winding down. Most crops have been harvested. The last grapes and apples are being juiced. The nights are starting to feel chilly and the leaves on the trees in my yard are starting to turn colors.
Historically, in Leviticus chapter 23, we are told to celebrate the beginning of this month with a trumpet sound as a memorial. But, it isn't super clear what exactly we are to be remembering. Some say it is the anniversary of Creation. Nehemiah 8 tells us we should be joyful and "eat the fat and drink the sweet" and send food to those who haven't prepared anything.
All of that sounds great, but none of that is what I was picturing as I blew on my shofar today.
Exodus 19:16-19 talks about a trumpet blowing from heaven. Moses, and the children of Israel, had left Egypt just a couple months prior to this. It was still springtime. The ten commandments are given in the next chapter, but something amazing happens first. -before the giving of the law! The mountain begins to quake and smoke is everywhere and there is a very loud trumpet sound and fire and... GOD! HE actually spoke and everyone heard it! And then, Moses, old 80-year-old Moses, ANSWERED! All the other people were shaking in their sandals and backing away and maybe even running to their tents in fear. But, Moses walked right up that shaking, smoking, on fire mountain. Right towards the voice and the trumpet sound and DEATH!!! Well, no. Actually, he didn't die! How, even?
I would have been scared. I would have been scared of the earthquake and thunder and loud noise. And, if I was in Nehemiah's day, I would have been sad. The people were sad because they had just learned that God's judgment was about to fall on their nation because they had rejected Him for so many generations. But, Nehemiah told them to be joyful because this was a Holy Day and: "the joy of the Lord is our strength". Joy? How could they be joyful and why should they be? But, they listened. They had their day of mourning later, but the beginning of the 7th month is the sweetest day of the year, so they rejoiced in God.
I was having a hard time today. Disappointments, bad news, crazy things going on in our nation and the world. -feeling like Judgement Day is right around the corner. But, I dipped my sour apples in sweet honey and blew on my shofar as hard as I could. I went outside and watched the darkness fall with a couple of friends on a group chat. As it got darker I caught the faintest glimpse of a tiny sliver of a moon beginning to slip behind the hill. I shrieked with joy. I felt kind of silly being so excited to catch a glimpse of it before it disappeared for the night. Grandpa would have been confused at what I was doing, again. But, someday he will understand.
You see, today is about so much more than Creation, or loud noises, or even milk and honey. I guess you probably know trumpets are talked about in the new testament also. In I Corinthians 15:51-58 and I Thessalonians 4:13-18 Paul explains to us that we don't need to be discouraged or depressed when faced with death. We can have hope knowing that there will be another trumpet sounding from heaven. This "last trump" will be so loud that the dead will rise! And, yes, it will mean judgment is coming on the world. But, we shouldn't be sad. God isn't mad at His children. He is moving heaven and earth to be near us! He is changing us so that we can walk, even fly, right up to Him.
Shall we read more about this trumpet? Revelation tells us about 7 trumpets. When the 7th trumpet sounds there are voices and thunders and an earthquake and hail. But, we don't need to be afraid of any of it. Because that loud sound will be the sound of our Creator taking back the Earth He made. It will be our Savior defending His people!
The beauty of this moment that is coming cannot be appreciated with our carnal minds. All we know is what we can experience with our 5 senses. This is why, during this practice round, we get to use all 5!
We taste the creamy goodness of dairy products, juice, fruit, and sweet golden honey.
We see the beautiful fall colors starting. -the purple grapes and the rosy apples.
We feel the smooth shofar, the refreshing breeze.
We smell the smells of harvest and the musky smell of the shofar.
We hear the blast of the trumpet here on earth and we listen to the quiet of heaven. waiting... hoping to hear the sound, the voice, that will announce an end to our suffering. And, the beginning of something so beautiful and joyful, that we can't even imagine. Something that will blow our 5 senses away! Something so sweet, honey will seem bitter. So loud, the shofar will seem like a whisper. A harvest, not of grapes, or apples, but people who have chosen LIFE, JOY, and HOPE!!
It will be the happiest day of all time!
So, tonight, as I blew my shofar I closed my eyes and imagined being in the clouds with my LORD and I felt joy bubbling in my soul. So much is going on that I don't understand. But, one thing I do know. I am my beloved's and He is mine.
Are you looking forward to the best day ever too?
If not, He is only a prayer away. You know what to do! ;)
