trumpets, feast of Summary and Overview

was celebrated at the beginning of the month Tisri, the first month of the civil year. It received its name from the circumstances that the trumpets usually blown at the commencement of each month were on that occasion blown with unusual solemnity (Lev. 23:23-25; Num. 10:10; 29:1-6). It was one of the seven days of holy convocation. The special design of this feast, which is described in these verses, is not known.

#Nu 29:1; Le 23:24| the feast of the new moon, which fell on the first of Tisri. It differed from the ordinary festivals of the new moon in several important particulars. It was one of the seven days of holy convocation. Instead of the mere blowing of the trumpets of the temple at the time of the offering of the sacrifices, it was "a day of blowing of trumpets." In addition to the daily sacrifices and the eleven victims offered on the first of every month, there were offered a young bullock, a ram and seven lambs of the first year, with the accustomed meat offerings, and a kid for a sin offering. #Nu 29:1-6| The regular monthly offering was thus repeated, with the exception of the young bullock. It has been conjectured that #Ps 81:1| ... one of the songs of Asaph, was composed expressly for the Feast of Trumpets. The psalm is used in the service for the day by the modern Jews. Various meanings have been assigned to the Feast of Trumpets; but there seems to be no sufficient reason to call in question the common opinion of Jews and Christians, that if was the festival of the New Year's day of the civil year, the first of Tisri, the month which commenced the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee.

Numbers 29:1-6; Leviticus 23:24, "a memorial of blowing of trumpets." (See CORNET.) Besides the daily sacrifices and the eleven victims of the new moon, the ordinary feast of the first day of the month, there were offered a young bullock, a ram, and seven first year lambs, with meat offerings and a kid for a sin offering, it was one of the seven days of holy convocation, moadim; the other new moons were not, like it, days of sacred rest and convocation, though they were marked by a blowing of trumpets over the burnt offerings. Both kinds of trumpets, the straight trumpet (chatsotsrah) and the cornet (shophar and qeren), were blown in the temple, and it was "a day of blowing of trumpets." Psalm 81:3 (which modern Jews use for the feast of trumpets) does not refer to "the new moon"; translated as Hengstenberg "blow the horn in the month at the full moon" (keseh, KJV less well "at the time appointed"); Psalm 81:5-7; Psalm 81:10 show the Passover is referred to. This feast of trumpets prepared for the day of atonement on the tenth day; compare Joel 2:15, "blow the trumpet ... sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly." It was the new year day of the civil year, the first of Tisri (about October), commencing the sabbatical year and year of Jubilee. The month being that for sowing, as well as ingathering of the last ripe fruits, its first day was appropriately made commemorative of creation grain, pleted, when "all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7), the birthday of the world. See Leviticus 25:9, "cause the sound of the cornet (shophar) to go through" (the land). As the sound of the cornet signalized Jehovah's descent on Sinai to take Israel into covenant, so the same sound at the close of the day of atonement announced the year which restored Israel to the freedom and blessings of the covenant (Exodus 19:16-49). The trumpets' sound imaged God's voice and word (Isaiah 58:1; Hosea 8:1; Zephaniah 1:16; Revelation 1:10; Revelation 4:1). So at Christ's coming in glory (Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). This feast of trumpets reminds the people of their covenant, and puts God in remembrance of His promises (Isaiah 43:26; Numbers 10:9). So if we would have great measures of grace we must rouse all our energies and aspirations, and cry mightily with trumpet voice to God.