The Teaching Ministry of
Rev. Marjorie Kummrow
Bible Studies
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The Remez Series
Part 2
The Sound of the Shofar
(This series of The Remez has 5 Lessons) Previous Lesson 1
In our previous lesson we explored the meaning of “remez” and how it is used in scripture. It is a hint or deep allegoric meaning behind the literal sense of the word or idea. For the next few lessons, I want to focus on some scriptures in 1 Thessalonians that contain the use of “remez”. I have chosen this group of scriptures because of the perilous times that we live in. Based on the revelation of scripture, it is my opinion that we are living in the imminent time of our Lord’s second coming. We are going to be looking at the following scriptures through Hebrew eyes. I will be quoting this lesson from the Jewish New Testament that was translated by David Stern, now living in Israel, and from the New King James.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar: those who died united with Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. So encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4 But you have no need to have anything written to you, brothers, about the times and dates when this will happen; because you yourselves well know that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is so peaceful and secure.” Then destruction will suddenly come upon them, the way labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there is no way they will escape.
The words highlighted in bold red are the hints with a deeper meaning. We will be looking at all of these words, but for today’s study we are going to take a look at the word shofar A shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet. There are two types of trumpets used in the bible. They are the silver trumpet and the shofar or ram’s horn. The ram’s horn has always held a prominent role in the history of God’s people. I will list scriptures at the end of this study for my readers to study on their own concerning the blast of the shofar.
Although you will find many uses for the blast of the shofar, there are three primary blasts that are associated with very specific days in the year. These days are the Jewish festivals, also known as God’s appointed times or the biblical holidays. Our English translators use trump, trumpet and trumpets instead of shofar. The First Trump blown is associated with Shavuot (Pentecost) The second or The Last Trump, blown is associated Rosh HaShanah, (The Jewish New Year). The third or The Great Trump is blown and is associated with Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. This Great Trump is known in Hebrew as “Shofar HaGadol”.
From the New King James, we can find these references in Isaiah 27:13 So it will be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown….and in Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of the trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
From the Jewish New Testament, Matthew 24:31 He will send out His angels with a great shofar, and they shall gather together His chosen people from the four winds…
Now let’s think like a Hebrew. If we are right about the idea of how remez, is used, that is, hinting at something deeper, we can then paraphrase the above scriptures to suggest this…Is. 27:13 So it will be in that day, on Yon Kippur the trumpet will be blown…and from Matthew 24:31 He will send out His angels with a great sound from the shofar on Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement, and they shall gather together His chosen people from the four winds. Yeshua was teaching in this entire chapter in Matthew about what to expect concerning His return.
Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the spring festivals by becoming our sacrificial lamb on Pesach (Passover), the believer’s bread on The Feast of Unleavened Bread, the first fruits among many, on The Festival of First Fruits, (Resurrection day). This festival was the day of his resurrection, three days after Passover. Then on the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, better known to us as Pentecost, He poured out his Holy Spirit, upon the believers in the upper room.
If we know that Yeshua fulfilled the spring Festivals with his first coming, on the exact day, is it not reasonable to expect Him to fulfill the fall festivals with His second coming? Just as the scriptures gave the men of old; clues, hints, (remez) and insight into the day of his first coming, likewise the scriptures also reveal the season of His second coming.
Yeshua went on to say in Matthew, “But when that day and hour will come, no one knows, not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father. We are not told or will we know the exact hour or the exact year, however we are to be aware of the season. Just a quick side note here: We look at season as spring, summer, winter, and fall. The Hebrews thought of season as an appointed time. In other words, it would be the appointed festivals or feasts. It would be a more specific time than our western thought of the four seasons, or season of time in one’s life.
We have just entered into another year on the Biblical calendar. We enter the beginning of the biblical year in the season of the fall feasts, celebrating Rosh HaShanah, (The Jewish New Year).Then ten days later comes Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement and then Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, followed by Simchat Torah, Rejoicing in the Torah (Word) To understand the Jewish festivals is of the utmost importance in understanding the scriptures that point to the second coming of our Messiah.
For instance, when a Hebrew mind heard any reference to the great shofar, he would immediately associate the term with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We, if we have no understanding of what the great trumpet or shofar is referring to, will not recognize the deeper, hidden meaning. There are numerous hints that contain a deeper meaning based on the Hebraic way of communicating that will point to Yom Kippur. It is one of the many fall festivals that we look to Yeshua to fulfill. We will look at more of these hints in the future. One must never take one scripture and make a doctrine out of it. The scriptures interrupt and confirm themselves over and over again. Then when several scriptures point to the same thing, we can then be in a watchful state for its fulfillment.
To continue with The Remez Series click on Lesson 3-The Jewish Idiom, "The Day"
Following are the scriptures on the shofar for your own study:
Exodus 19:19, Joshua 6:20, Zechariah 9:14,16, Isaiah 27:13, Judges 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:1, Ezekiel 33:3-6, Leviticus 25:9, Psalm 47:5, Genesis 22:13, Numbers 10:10, Psalm 81:1-3, Isaiah 58:1, Joel 2:1 Revelation 4:1, Revelation 8-9, 1Kings 1:34,39
Please pass this Jewish roots study on to those that you believe would be interested in studying the word through Hebrew eyes.
Be Blessed,
Rev. Marjorie
marjorie@sweetmanna.org
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