The Feast of Trumpets

God has sanctified—set apart as holy time—seven Holy Days for us to reflect and learn about His Plan. Each one is rich with meaning that He wants us to be reminded of annually.

One of these special days is the Feast of Trumpets. It is a memorial of miraculous events God has performed in the past, as well as momentous events soon to come in the future.

Let’s learn more about what this day pictures and all we can learn about God’s Plan.

(1) Where do we find the command to keep the Feast of Trumpets? Leviticus 23:24-25. Is this day also considered an annual Sabbath, a rest from regular work? Verses 24-25. Are we commanded to assemble together on this day before God? Verse 24.

As is the case with all of God’s Holy Days, the Feast of Trumpets is an annual Sabbath. God requires us to rest from our normal responsibilities, as it says in verse 25 that we should “do no servile work.” This day is also called a holy convocation, which means an assembly or gathering together.

It opens the fall Holy Day season, beginning on the first day of the seventh month of God’s sacred calendar. The number seven in God’s Plan depicts perfection and completion, and this seventh month contains four fall festivals that picture the completion of God’s Plan.

(2) What do the scriptures specifically call this Holy Day? Leviticus 23:24. Is this Holy Day mentioned elsewhere in the Bible? Psalm 81:1-4.

God’s Word calls this day a “memorial of blowing of trumpets.” It is from this phrase that the Feast of Trumpets draws its name. The blowing of trumpets has great meaning and has been associated with many significant events, especially for the time in which we live—the end of 6,000 years of man’s attempts to rule himself.

(3) What significance did trumpets have to the Israelites? What trumpets were blown on God’s Holy Days? Numbers 10:1-3, 10. Which trumpets were blown to sound an alarm before war? Verse 9; Jeremiah 4:19-21.

Trumpets were used often in the nation of Israel. The sound of a trumpet could call for an assembly of the congregation, direct the movement of the camps, announce the beginning of months or appointed feasts, or mobilize the army. Silver trumpets were generally used for these reasons, as they produced unique notes identifying the action to be taken.

The Jewish Talmud states that a ram’s horn (shofar) was historically used on this Feast day. In contrast with the musical sound of silver trumpets, a shofar produced piercing blasts that symbolized an alarm of impending attack.

(4) What are a few major historical events associated with the blowing of trumpets? Exodus 19:16, 19; Joshua 6:4-20; Judges 7.

At the time God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel, an exceedingly long and loud trumpet announced that He descended upon Mount Sinai so that the Israelites knew they stood before the presence of God.

During the time of Joshua and Gideon, rather than Israel thinking that they won their battles against Jericho or the Midianites with the power of their own hands, God had them perform specific actions so that it was clear He delivered them. Both times God used the trumpet blasts to bring victory to the Israelites.

(5) Whom did God commission to blow these trumpets? Numbers 10:8.

God instructed that only the sons of Aaron, the Levitical priesthood, had the authority to blow these trumpets. Today, since Jesus Christ is our High Priest (Heb. 6:20), God’s ministry is not required to literally blow trumpets.

(6) Whose responsibility is it to blow the warning trumpet? Has God commanded His “watchman” to warn people of their sins? Ezekiel 33:7-9. Is the watchman to lift up his voice like a trumpet? Isaiah 58:1. Will many receive God’s warning as a “lovely song”? Ezekiel 33:32.

Many will hear the warning, as well as the promise of God’s coming Kingdom. But to most, it will only be an interesting “thought” or “point of view.”

Even though mankind refuses to listen to God’s warning, prophesied events will continue to unfold. First, God will show signs in heaven (Rev. 6:12-13), yet the world will not repent (vs. 15-17). As a result, God will begin the Day of the Lord.

(7) How many trumpets will be used to introduce the plagues and the Day of the Lord? Revelation 8:1-2, 6.

(8) What do the first four trumpets mean for the Earth? Revelation 8:7-12.

Each trumpet plague will alter part of man’s physical environment. First, plant life will be affected—the primary food source. Second will be the seas—another source of food. Third will be water—without which life cannot exist. And fourth will be light. While each plague affects one-third of humanity, God will still leave space for mankind to repent and change its ways before He pours out His full wrath.

(9) What do the next two trumpets bring on the Earth? Revelation 9.

These two trumpets are the first and second woes mentioned in Revelation 8:13. The plagues striking mankind in the first two woes cause one-third of the world’s population to be killed. Despite this mass death, Revelation 9:20-21 show many who remain alive will still not repent.

(10) What is announced at the sound of the seventh trumpet (seven being the number of completion)? Revelation 11:15. What other important event occurs at the sounding of the last trumpet? I Corinthians 15:52; I Thessalonians 4:16-17.

At the sound of the seventh trumpet, the Kingdom of God comes and will reign for the rest of eternity. The Father also arrives with all the resurrected saints and the saints are all changed into glorified spirit beings as a part of God’s Family.

The Feast of Trumpets is both a solemn day and a time of rejoicing. It memorializes historical events of God’s presence and deliverance, as well as climactic changes just ahead. These include God’s punishment on a rebellious mankind and the most important moment in the history of the universe—the establishment of God’s government on Earth by Jesus Christ.