Soon we will be celebrating the Feast of Trumpets, and Jews, along with an ever-increasing number of Christians, will join this biblical feast. There are special services and personal time dedicated to repentance and introspection, but the central event of the day is the sounding of the shofar. This simple trumpet, made from the horn of an animal, creates a sound that connects eternity with eternity. The traditional hundred blasts of the shofar are both captivating and empowering to the listener. This powerful sound, so important that God told Israel to listen to it, has an even greater meaning. And this is often missed by those who continually gather year after year to hear that sound, keeping the commandment.
For most people who gather in synagogue to hear the shofar, the sound signifies the opening of the door of repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These ten days are called the days of trembling. But the sounding of the shofar has an even greater meaning: it reminds us that repentance is not the end of the story for those who love God. Although the shofar reminds us of doors open to repentance, its purpose is not simply to force us to kneel down and repent.
This great significance of the sound of the shofar has been lost to some extent, because for many years the use of the shofar in Judaism was limited to blowing on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (and in some places Rosh Chodesh). However, the shofar was used both to announce the coronation of a king and to lead an army into battle. It was these two meanings that were lost to most people, and the holiday of Rosh Hashanah itself became only a time of repentance and repentance, although this was not its only purpose in ancient times.
On Rosh Hashanah, a prayer called Avinu Malkeinu (“Our Father, Our King”) is recited. But His kingly power is reduced only to His power to forgive His people. But He is more than one who forgives; He is the Redeemer and Deliverer. He is a mighty and strong Lord. The Lord who is mighty in battle. The sound of the shofar not only calls us to repentance. He reminds us of what we are called to repentance for. He is a reminder of what comes after repentance: victory.
To better understand the meaning of the sound of the shofar, remember wonderful westerns – movies where the hero is surrounded by enemies and everything seems hopeless. And then, quietly and far away, the sound of a trumpet was heard. After a moment this sound becomes louder and with it the clatter of many horses’ hooves can be heard. With a loud noise, defeat gives way to hope. Defeat gives way to victory. In essence, the sound of the shofar should affect the listeners. Every year we gather, realizing that by relying on our strengths and capabilities, we can defeat our soul enemy. But then the shofar sounds and we realize that the King is coming with his army to bring final victory over the enemy. Every year when the shofar is sounded on Rosh Hashanah, it reminds our hearts that every year the King on the white horse gets closer and closer and one day we will hear the great shofar and the enemy will be defeated. The point of Rosh Hashanah is not to remind us of our failures, it is a day to remind us that we must wait for His deliverance, having already been delivered ourselves.
Author Eric Tokayer / charismamag.com
Allikas: https://ieshua.org/duhovnaya-tajna-shofara-i-pochemu-tak-mnogo-hristian-upuskayut-eyo.htm
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