Monday, October 3, 2016

NEW YEAR 5777 & TRUMPETS

I have written severally about the FEAST OF TRUMPETS (CHAG ROSH HASHANAH in the Hebrew) in:
- THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS | https://madukovich.wordpress.com/2015/09/06/the-feast-of-trumpets/, and
- ROSH HASHANAH AND IT'S CONNOTATIONS | https://madukovich.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/rosh-hashanah-and-what-it-connotes/, also in
- THE  APOCALYPTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS | http://madukovich.blogspot.com.ng/search/label/Feast%20of%20Trumpet?m=0, and would like to veer off a little into a related subject that many take for granted, but I feel is worthy of consideration to fully understand the import of this feast, as we celebrate the beginning of the Jewish Year 5777, today the 3rd of October, the celebration of which commenced yesterday evening, to end this evening.


We learned in social studies how back in the day communication worked amongst the ancients without as much as uttering a sound. A neighboring village could tell that the other is under attack when they see plumes of smoke, when people heard the sound of the gong or wooden hollow contraption called the "Ekwe" in Igboland (in southeastern Nigeria) they simply walked to the village square understanding that they are been summoned for an important meeting. To bridge the communication gap between the people and their leaders when Israelites were in the wilderness, on their way from Egypt to THE PROMISED LAND, especially in times of emergency, YAHWEH asked Moses to make "... two trumpets of silver,.... for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps" (Numbers 10:2).

SILVER TRUMPETS MUCH LIKE YAHWEH INSTRUCTED MOSES TO MAKE.

Blowing the trumpets in a certain way, meant the people "....will assemble themselves to (Moses) at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation" (vs.3).
If only one trumpet is blown, only '... the princes, which are heads of thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves into (Moses)' (vs.4).
"The camps that lie on the east part goes forward", when an alarm is blown and if it's blown a second time the southern camp "... shall take their journey"  (vs 5&6). If you continue down the verses, you'll find that trumpets are to be blown during wars, such that the trumpet blown by levites was at some point used as the only weapon of war in bringing down the walls of Jerico, "... in the day of (y)our gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginning of your months," and indeed over just about anything that you may consider an event.

A JEWISH CHILD BLOWS THE SHOFAR

In essence, the trumpet plays an important role in the life of a Jew, as not just a means of communication amongst fellow Jews, but even between YAHWEH and his people, as you'd find in my other treatises before this where I went as far as mentioning the trumpets that will herald the end of days as vividly elucidated in the visions of John in the Book of Revelations. You may find commemorations of the blowing of the SHOFAR (Ram's horn), the metal trumpets, even the plastic Vuvuzela (popular in South Africa) today, in celebrating the feast and the New Year, but beyond all this is the message that's behind the celebration.

A SOUTH AFRICAN BLOWING THE VUVUZELA 

The feast reminds us to be conscious of our time. To understand our path and role in YAHWEH's great design, that predates us and will eclipse us. Like I was telling a friend recently, that though truly the hour nor the day, no one knows, but for the children of YAHWEH, just like Yahshua predicted, they will not be like the hypocrites who "... can discern the face of the sky" (Matthew 16:3) but can't discern the signs of the times. The discerning mind will understand for instance that though "... ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet" (Matthew 24:6), and will be unperturbed by the din of wars regardless of the destructive nature of the arsenals on display to be deployed. Knowing that only when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (1 Thessalonians 5:3), but will regardless not be complacent knowing that everyone's end is at death, and thereafter  judgment. It's why Yahshua didn't ask his disciples just to pray, but to WATCH AND PRAY, to have  understanding about events around them, so as to know exactly the direction in which to channel their prayer.


The trumpets are sounding today, more frequently than in our past, to herald epoch making events that will shape our future and many will fail to hear it, nay heed the message they bear, but only those with ears attuned to hear them will pick the messages emanating from them, to know when to "assemble or when to move", like how only TVs connected to decoders can receive coded signals from cable TV stations. It is why, when the last trump shall sound, only a section of the dead will rise at the sound of the trump announcing Yahshua's second coming, to eternal bliss (1 Thessalonians 4:16) while the rest will stay behind. It is the ears that have been tuned to hear this trump that while alive will change and the ".... corruptible must put on  incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:53). See how deep a simple trumpet goes to determine our existence, and understand why celebrating a feast devoted to its importance in our life is imperative if we must live holy and acceptable lives to YAHWEH our Creator and Rewarder. Have a fun-filled Rosh Hashanah!


'kovich


PICTURE CREDIT:
- http://www.biblestudyoutlines.org
- http://www.myinstants.com
- http://www.timesofisrael.com

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