From: Batya Wootten
Subject: Yom Teruah and the Twin Trumpets
Yom Teruah and the Twin Trumpets
by Batya Wootten
"Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make
them; you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having
the camps set out. When both are blown, all the congregation shall
gather themselves to you at the doorway of the tent of meeting. "If
only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of
Israel, shall assemble before you. When you blow an alarm, the
camps...shall set out.... When convening the assembly, however, you
shall blow without sounding an alarm. The priestly sons of Aaron
shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute
throughout your generations. When you go to war in your land against
the adversary who attacks you, you shall sound an alarm with the
trumpets, that you may be remembered before Yahveh your God" (Num
Yom Teruah, the "Day of Blowing," is sometimes called The Feast of
Trumpets. And, at least in part, it is a feast that we, Messiah's
Body, are called to fulfill! But, if so, then to be part of that
fulfillment, will be like living in Bible times! Born on Sukkot
(Tabernacles), our Messiah became our Passover Lamb, was raised as the
First of First Fruits, poured out His Spirit on His people at Shavuot
(Pentecost), and, it is believed by many that He will return to rule
and reign, as the Judge of the whole earth, on Yom Kippur, the day of
Atonement (At One with God, if you will). Then, He will forevermore
Tabernacle here on Earth with His people, Israel. (See the Heralds,
The Tabernacles Celebration, and Yahveh's Calendar @ www.mim.net) But
this leaves out Yom Teruah. What is its purpose? How is it fulfilled?
Our Father is reuniting the two sticks of "Ephraim and Judah," making
"both the houses of Israel" "one stick in His Hand" (Isa 8:14; Ezek
37:15-28). (See "The Hope of Messianic Israel" www.mim.net).
According to Jewish tradition, this day is called Rosh Hashanah,
because, after Judah was taken captive to Babylon-like the Babylonians
among whom they were forced to dwell-Judah began to call this day the
Head of the Year (see Babylon And Rosh Hashanah @ www.mim.net).
However, our Father told us, "This month [Abib, which corresponds to
March-April] shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the
first month of the year to you" (Exodus 12:2). Many say Rosh Hashanah
is but a "civil" year celebration. However, at this time, the rabbis
begin anew their yearly cycle of Torah readings- which surely
indicates a "spiritual" calendar. Realizing that "both houses" have
"stumbled" and thus erred, as Ephraim seeks to return to his roots, he
would do well to be careful to embrace only "Biblical" roots. Let him
not trade in "Roman mistakes" for "Babylonian blunders." Ephraim needs
to see that the Father wants him-the formerly "wild" olive branch-to
provoke Judah-to make them want what they have-that being a living
relationship with the Messiah of Israel (Jer 11:10,16; 2:18,21; Rom
11). This is even more true when Ephraim and Judah are reunited!
Their collective testimony has even more power! However, Ephraim must
realize that he will not provoke Judah by becoming "more Jewish than
the Jew." Instead, Ephraim needs to catch a vision. He needs to see
that he yet has a great role to play, by better understanding Torah,
and in latter-day celebrations of the "feasts of Israel."
The Father's plan of salvation for "all Israel" is to have Ephraim
provoke Judah to "envy." But instead, in many cases, Ephraim is
"jealous" of Judah (Rom 11:11; Isa 11:13). But in this last day, this
order will be reversed. Ephraim's jealousy of Judah "will depart"
when Ephraim learns of his own Israelite roots (Jer 31:18,19). How the
Father plans to make Judah want to emulate Ephraim is revealed in the
parable of the prodigal: As stated in the Herald, From Orphans To
Heirs, the way the "returning prodigal" (Ephraim) made the older son
(Judah) jealous, was by "celebrating and rejoicing." "Making merry"
made jealous. Legalism and religion will not provoke Judah.
Celebration will. This is why so many non-Jews are feeling an
unexplainable urge to "celebrate the Feasts of Israel." (See the Feast
Heralds @ www.mim.net) So how might we celebrate this Day of Blowing?
If you can't afford to make a major investment in two silver trumpets,
you might go to a "Christmas" store and buy two of their long brass
colored "trumpets," spray paint them silver, and have "Judah and
Ephraim" sound them when you gather together. Then, based on Numbers
10:1-10, issue the clarion call: "Let the twin voices of Ephraim and
Judah be heard in this place!"
The Purposes of The Two Trumpets
To celebrate Yom Teruah, Yahveh said to make "two trumpets of silver
hammered work." He also said that "priests" were to blow them to
summon "all the congregation," or, "to have the camps set out." Also,
they were to be sounded "when we go to war in our land," so we will
"be remembered before Yahveh our God," and, by Him, "be saved from our
enemies" (Num 10:1-10). It is the unified sound of these two trumpets
that serves to gather "all" Israel.
The Two Trumpets Depict...
Two trumpets. Two houses. Judah and Ephraim.
Trumpets depict "voices," and historically, there have been only two
people groups in the Earth who have been giving voice to a good
testimony about the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Those two
people groups are, "Christians and Jews." They are the only two major
people groups who both claim that He is "their God." This is not to
imply that everyone who claims to be part of either group is
acceptable to the Father. It is simply to state that, both claim to
believe in Him, and for centuries on end, both have been giving
"testimony" about Him. In the Earth, they have been "two witnesses"
for the God of Israel. And, the Father said of the people of Israel,
"You are My witnesses" (Isa 43:10). And, He divided the twelve tribes
of Israel into two houses (2 Chr 11:4). Further, He declared that all
things must be confirmed by, "two or more" before it can be
"established," confirmed, believed (Num 35:30; Deu 17:6; 19:15; John
8:17; 2 Cor 13:1). The problem is that, in many ways the voices of
these two people groups have not been sounding in "unison." Instead,
they deny one another. The twin trumpets of Teruah forecast two
latter-day voices that speak in perfect harmony. They foretell the
latter-day voices of "two witnesses" who finally serve their
purpose-they confirm the Father's truth in the Earth. And their
unified voices will be used to gather "all" Israel!
Hammered Until We Repent
These trumpets are made of "hammered silver." Silver speaks of
redemption (Gen 20:16; Lev 5:15; 27:3,6; Num 18:16), and it symbolizes
refinement (Psa 12:6; 66:10; Isa 48:10; Eze 22:22; Mal 3:3). And,
Yahveh says of His two witnesses: "Behold, I will refine them....in
order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time.... I
will...refine them as silver...and ...they will call on My name, and I
will answer them; I will say, `They are My people,' and they will say,
`The LORD is my God'....As a purifier of silver, He will purify ...and
refine...that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness"
(Jer 9:7; Dan 11:35; Zech 13:9; Hosea 1:10; Mal 3:3). "Hammered"
trumpets speak of His molding us through affliction. His "hammered
ones" have taken their proverbial trip to the "wilderness." There, as
promised, the Father has dealt with them, "face to face" (Ezek 20:35).
(See the Herald's, The Restoration of All Things by Rimona Frank, and,
The Wilderness Experience @ www.mim.net) This foretells a people who
have seen the face of the Holy One-and it has forever changed them.
They are the purged and fully pardoned company of Jacob: "Through this
Jacob's iniquity will be forgiven; and this will be the full price of
the pardoning of his sin: When he makes all the altar stones like
pulverized chalk stones; when Asherim and incense altars will not
stand" (Isa 27:9).
Through both of the houses of Israel, the Holy One has been trying to
"hammer" out a twofold message. It is, the twin truths of Law and
Grace. And, as His two witnesses, Ephraim and Judah must come to a
place of unity concerning His Holy Word, from Genesis to Revelation.
Only then, will we have served our true purpose as His "two
witnesses." Further, we can rest assured that the Holy One will
continue to "hammer" us until we get it right!
And, some will get it right! (Rom 11:4).
Yom Teruah and You!
In this last day, the Father would like to count on us! He would have
us catch a vision! He wants us to see that, the clear sound of the
two Yom Teruah trumpets signals the beginning of the ten days between
Teruah and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Yom Teruah and the Ten Rich Days
Yom Teruah marks the beginning of a "ten day" period. In Hebrew, ten
is `eser. Like the English number ten, it speaks of, accumulation of
digits (i.e., seven-teen). However, this word comes from the same
root as that of `ashar, which means to accumulate; chiefly, to make
rich. Speaking of a day when Judah is no longer blinded to the
Messiah, the apostle Paul says: "Now if their transgression is riches
for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much
more will their fulfillment be!" (Rom 11:12). The sound of these
unified voices marks the beginning of a time of great
richness-meaning- a richness of our Father's power and presence. Also,
the Father speaks of a day when "a fountain will be opened for the
house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for
impurity." It is a day wherein He removes "the idols from the
land...and...the prophets and the unclean spirit...." However, "`Two
parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in
it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as
silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on
My name, And I will answer them; I will say, `They are My people,' And
they will say, `Yahveh is my God.' Behold, a day is coming for Yahveh
when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you..." (Zech
The phrase, "ten days," is mentioned ten times in Scripture. We see
it in Daniel's request that he and his friends be tested for ten days:
"Test your servants for ten days..." he asked (Dan 1:12-14). Also,
Yeshua said to the church/ekklesia of Smyrna: "Do not fear what you
are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you
into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation
for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown
of life" (Rev 2:10). In addition, Yeshua says to this ekklesia: "And
to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last,
who was dead, and has come to life, says this: `I know your
tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by
those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of
Satan'" (Rev 2:8,9). Those having their riches restored will have to
battle those who claim to be "Jews," but are in truth of Satan himself
(Phil 3:3). Truly, we have to watch out for both Roman and Babylonian
snares, and for those who tout their errant teachings. Traditionally,
Yom Teruah begins a time when Israelites are called to make peace with
their brother (but not at the price of compromise of truth.) Often
called the Ten Days of Awe, they mark a time for self-examination and
repentance, a time for men to make peace with their brethren, and so
to prepare their hearts for Yom Kippur.
Time is short brothers and sisters. And we have an awesome message to
declare. As "priests" of the Most High, we need to encourage all
Israel. We need to call out: It is time for "all the camps to set
out!" We need to cry out, "The cloud is moving! And let us move with
it! We also must sound the alarm for war against all that would
oppress/hinder that which the Father would do in us at this hour. We
must war for our promised Land (Isa 11:13-14)! However, like our
forefathers who were in bond-age in Egypt, so we too will only be
delivered when we have a heart-felt desire for deliverance! (Exo
2:23-25). (See the Herald, When Will Yeshua Return @ mim,net) Again,
these trumpets are made of silver, or keh'sef. This word comes from
kawsaf'; a primal root that can be translated as longing: "My soul
longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD..." (Psalm 84:2).
Those who go into the furnace of affliction, and so are tried as
silver-those who truly long for deliverance from bondage to this world
system -those who yearn for the restoration of Yahveh's Kingdom over
all Israel-they will yet sing a new song. For He has sworn: "I will
gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts-They came from you,
O Zion; the reproach of exile is a burden on them" (Zeph 3:18). Yes,
we will yet sing "the song of Moses"! (Rev 15:3). There are Believers
from both Ephraim and Judah in the reunited house of Messianic Israel.
And this means, Israel is once more sounding the twin trumpets of
Teruah! In the past, each house has had only one voice, one trumpet.
And Scripture reveals that, if only "one" is blown, all you get is
"leaders." So it is that in church and synagogue alike, we have far
too many "leaders" when Messiah called us to be "servants"! (Mark
9:35). These trumpets are to be sounded by "priests." And we who are
being called forth by Yeshua are, "A chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may
declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light" (1 Pet 2:9). These trumpets are to be sounded that
"we may be remembered before the LORD our God," that by Him, we might
be "saved from our enemies." Both exciting and hard times lie just
ahead. Before long, our enemies may well be "those of our own
households" (Matt 10:35). Speaking of the destruction of enemy
Babylon, Father says: "`At that time... the sons of Israel will come,
both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as
they go, and it will be Yahveh their God they will seek. They will
ask for the way to Zion [The City of Truth], turning their faces in
its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to Yahveh
in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. In those days
and at that time... search will be made for the iniquity of Israel,
but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not
be found" (Jer 50:4-5,20). There is coming a sinless Israel that
speaks with a united voice. And, "How blessed are the people who
know the joyful sound!" (Psa 89:15). "Happy is the people who know
the joyful shout..." (Tanakh). "Blessed are the people who know the
festal shout..." (RSV). "Blessed-happy, fortunate [to be envied]-are
those who know the joyful sound [understand and appreciate the
spiritual blessings symbolized by the feasts]" (TAB). The word
translated sound, or shout, is teruah! It speaks of the sound of the
trumpets! And blessed are those who hear its call! So let us hear the
call! Let all Israel now go forth in victory!!