A Feast of Shouting!

Yom Teruah – A Day of Shouting?

As we often do, this year we celebrated with a feast of food, friends, fellowship, worship, and, of course, the blowing of shofars. 

This ancient instrument, formed from the discarded or removed horn of a ram or goat, is the favorite worship instrument of many messianic and Hebrew roots believers.  The window rattling blasts resonate off the walls and, in our outside country venue, probably terrified more than a few coyotes and neighbor dogs. 

T’kiah!  Shevarim! Teruah! 

The long blast, the three wailing blasts, the nine staccato blasts all represent the calls both spiritual and physical echoing around the world on Tishrei 1 and 2 of the new year 5781. 

We call Yom Teruah the Feast of Trumpets but it is more honestly called “The Feast of Shouting”.

Teruah תְּרוּעָה is an interesting word.

It is a blast of warning, of war, of getting your attention. But it is also a shout of joy as per a religious impulse and, just a simple shout of joy. It is a clamor of joy or a battle-cry. 

In addition to the command to blow the trumpet, to shout, this feast is a memorial.  It exists to give an opportunity to remember. (Leviticus 23:24 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”)

What are we to remember?

Well, the word “memorial” isn’t just what we understand in modern terms. It is zik-ron זִכָּרוֹן and it also means “reminder”.


Exodus 13 uses this same word when Moses addresses the children of Israel and reminds them of their deliverance from Egypt and the purpose of Passover (Pesach) as a time of remembrance.

In truth all the feasts have an element of both reminder and remembrance in them.

Before the time of Yeshua, the Spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Shavuot) were an annual reminder of His promised arrival as well as a remembrance of the way He had delivered them, provided for them, and made them His own people.

After Yeshua fulfilled those holy days they became a time to remember His redemption and deliverance, the outpouring of His Spirit, and the purpose and directives for His Body in the world.

The Fall Feasts, pointing to the arrival of a King, the White Throne Judgment, and His dwelling with us on earth, are now accomplishing that role. In much the same way as our ancient forefathers once looked toward Yeshua, we now look for His return and all He has promised us as He establishes His kingdom on earth.

If that isn’t a reason to shout for joy?  I don’t think I know what is.

This IS a Feast of SHOUTING and of rejoicing.  A Feast of Trumpets calling us to battle, to worship, to awaken, to remember, and to be reminded of our Great King and Messiah, Yeshua.

HalleluYAH!!