{"id":16344,"date":"2020-02-12T08:29:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T16:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/?p=16344"},"modified":"2020-02-15T10:28:38","modified_gmt":"2020-02-15T18:28:38","slug":"whats-so-significant-about-the-shofar-and-its-sound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoshanarabbah.org\/blog\/2020\/02\/12\/whats-so-significant-about-the-shofar-and-its-sound\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s so significant about the shofar and its sound?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Exodus 19:16,19 Voice of the trumpet [shofar]. <\/em><\/strong>In Jewish thought, the Scriptures speak of three great shofar blasts that have historical and prophetic significance: the first, last and great or final shofar blasts. These are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Trump<\/strong> (or shofar blast) occurred on Shavuot <\/em>at the giving of the Torah (Matan Torah<\/em>) at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:16, 19). This shofar blast was of heavenly origin and is the first time the Bible records the sound of the shofar being heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Last Trump<\/strong> (or shofar blast) occurs on Yom Teruah<\/em> (the Day of Trumpets\/Shofar Blasts, commonly called Rosh Hoshana<\/em>) is the day of the awakening blast calling the saints to prepare their spiritual garments in preparation for the coming Messiah or Bridegroom. This shofar blast corresponds to the last trumpet blast of Revelation\u202f11:15 after which the resurrection of the righteous occurs (1 Cor 15:51\u201353).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Great Trumpet or Final Trumpet<\/strong> (or shofar blast called the Shofar HaGadol<\/em>) is blown on Yom Kippur<\/em> (Day of Atonement) signifying the Elohim\u2019s day of judgment and the return of Messiah Yeshua as the King and Judge of the earth. At this time, it seems likely that he will destroy Babylon the Great with its new world order religious, political and economic system (Rev 19:1\u201321 cp. Rev 18) just before the establishment of his millennial kingdom (Rev 20:1\u201310). Historically on the Day of Atonement, the jubilee trumpet sounded in Israel on the fiftieth year. At this time, the captives were set free, debts were forgiven and all land was returned to its original owners. Matthew says that Yeshua the Messiah will return with a great sound of a shofar (trumpet, Matt 24:30\u201331; 1 Thess 4:16). Perhaps this is a reference to the shofar ha-gadol<\/em> when Yeshua returns to earth, will set the spiritual captives free from enslavement to the enslaving economic, religious and political tentacles of end time Babylon the Great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s So Mystical About the Sound of the Shofar?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shofar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ram\u2019s horn shofar<\/em> is a uniquely biblical instrument. Although the enemies of Elohim\u2019s truth have misappropriated, counterfeited or perverted much of what is found in the Bible, so far as this author knows, the shofar is one thing that Satan, the adversary of all that is good, and his followers have left alone. It\u2019s like the proverbial \u201chot potato\u201d that\u2019s too hot to touch. Why is this? What is it about the shofar that causes Elohim\u2019s enemies to leave well it alone? Let\u2019s explore the mystical qualities of this biblical instrument of divine origination that has the ability to stir the human heart at its deepest level, to pierce the heavens, to bring man back to Elohim and vice versa, and to send spiritual shock waves through the devil\u2019s camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Word Shofar<\/em> Defined<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Hebrew word shofar<\/em> (pl. shafarot<\/em>) occurs 72 times in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and is usually translated into English as trumpet <\/em>and simply means \u201cram\u2019s horn.\u201d What could possibly be so special about a ram\u2019s horn? The answer possibly lies in root word from which shofar<\/em> derives \u2014 shapar<\/em> meaning \u201cto be pleasing.\u201d Derivatives of this word include sheper, <\/em>which is translated as beauty <\/em>in Genesis 49:21, and shipra<\/em> meaning \u201cfairness or clearness (of sky)\u201d (Job 26:13). The root shapar<\/em> is found only once in the Scriptures in Psalm 16:6 where David, filled with praise to Elohim, describes the blessings from above that have fallen on him as most beautiful <\/em>or pleasant<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we explore the spiritual significance of the shofar as revealed in the Scriptures in this brief study, hopefully, the beauty and significance of the shofar will become apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Origination of the Shofar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though a shofar can be made from the horn of any kosher animal (except that of a cow, since, according to Jewish tradition, it reminds us of the golden calf incident), the ram\u2019s horn shofar is the most desirable type of shofar since it reminds us of the akeidah<\/em> and symbolizes the type of lives YHVH\u2019s people are to live. The curve of the horn pictures the bent or humble spiritual demeanor of the heart one must have before YHVH, the Creator and the Holy One of Israel\u2014a heart of contrition and repentance (Heb. teshuvah<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first place a rams horn is mentioned in the Bible is at the akeidah<\/em>. It was there that Abraham, in humble submission to YHVH, was willing to trust YHVH with the life of his only son and sacrifice to YHVH that which was most precious to him. We must be willing to do the same, even as YHVH sacrificed his Son for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the akeidah <\/em>or binding of Isaac where YHVH provided Abraham a substitutionary sacrifice for his son in the form of a ram caught by its horns in a thicket (Gen 22:13). This is a prophetic picture of Elohim who willingly gave Yeshua, his Son, the Lamb of Elohim slain from the foundation of the world as a substitutionary payment for men\u2019s sins (John 3:16). In fact, the first mention of the word love <\/em>(Heb. ahavah<\/em>) is found in this same account (Gen 22:3) where YHVH instructs Abraham to offer up Isaac his only son who he loves. It is impossible to miss the prophetic allusion here to the well-known John 3:16 passage, which states that Elohim so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, Yeshua, to die for the sins of the world . Therefore, for the redeemed believer, the sound of the shofar represents Yeshua\u2019s victory over sin and death and, in turn, our victory over the same through Yeshua our Lord and Savior who died in our place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only this, but the ram\u2019s horns being caught in the thicket (Gen 22:13) is prophetic of Yeshua the Lamb of Elohim wearing the crown of thorns while hanging on the cross. In fact, it is even possible to see in the two horns of the ram the two comings of Yeshua. A horn in the Scriptures is a Hebraic symbol of strength or power. At the same time, the stronger right hand represents power and judgment, while the weaker left hand represents mercy and grace. Therefore, it\u2019s possible to see in the left horn of the ram the first coming of Yeshua who came to die as the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. Conversely, the right horn prophetically pictures Yeshua\u2019s second coming as the King who will judge the earth and will establish his eternal kingdom in power. Perhaps this is one reason that the enemies of Yeshua have not<\/em> stolen the idea of the shofar and appropriated it for their own perverse purposes. It reminds them of things they\u2019d rather forget \u2014 especially their eternal fate at the hands of the King of kings and  Righteous Judge of the universe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word shofar<\/em> first occurs in Exodus 19:16 and refers to the heavenly shofar that sounded when YHVH gave the Torah to Israel at Mount Sinai. This is the first time the Scriptures record the shofar being sounded, and the fact that this sound was of divine origination is evidenced by the fact that the shofar sound increased, not decreased, in volume the longer it sounded, which humanly is an impossibility (Exod 19:16\u201319).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Was the ShofarSounded in Biblical Times?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shofar in biblical times was sounded for nearly every significant occasion in the life of the ancient Israelites. It was to them what the telephone, email, radio and text messaging is to us today. It was their main source of instant communications. The shofar was blown for the following reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n