“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet. You must do no ordinary work on that day. Instead, you are to present special gifts to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:23-25).
Rosh Hashanah, which means “head of the year,” marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Yet in Scripture it is more than a date on the calendar. The book of Leviticus calls it Yom Hateruah, the Day of Trumpet Blasts. On this day, the piercing cry of the shofar, the ram’s horn, fills synagogues and streets, calling hearts to attention.
The sound of the shofar is more than ritual. Its sharp and haunting notes awaken the soul and stir listeners to repentance and reconciliation. Ancient rabbis taught that when God’s people return to Him and to one another, the enemy is confounded. The ram’s horn recalls the story of Abraham and Isaac, when God provided a ram in place of Abraham’s son. Out of reverence, a cow’s horn is never used, so that the golden calf of Israel’s rebellion will not be remembered before God.
In many traditions, the shofar is blown each morning for a month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, giving worshipers time to search their hearts and lives. Families gather for festive meals that include apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year, pomegranate seeds for fruitfulness, round challah bread to symbolize life’s circle and God’s kingship, and fish or a ram’s head as a sign of being the “head” and not the tail in the year to come.
This feast is also tied to creation itself, celebrating the day God brought Adam and Eve to life and crowned Himself as King. The blowing of the shofar once announced the coronation of Israel’s earthly kings. Today it points forward to the coming of the true King. For Christians, it carries prophetic meaning. Jesus spoke of a great trumpet that will gather His people at His return (Matthew 24:31). Paul described the moment when “the last trumpet is blown” and the dead in Christ are raised (1 Corinthians 15:52). The book of Revelation also speaks of seven trumpets that will sound as God completes His plan for the world.
Rosh Hashanah begins the Ten Days of Awe, a sacred period leading to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. During these days, Jewish people reflect on the past year, repent of sin, and seek reconciliation. One beautiful tradition is Tashlich, the casting away of sins. Standing beside a river or stream, worshipers toss small pieces of bread into the water as a physical reminder of Micah 7:19: “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
For followers of Jesus, the Feast of Trumpets calls us to similar readiness. It reminds us that the King is coming and that today is the day to repent, forgive, and live awake to God’s voice. The trumpet blast is both a warning and an invitation to return, to rejoice, and to prepare for the eternal kingdom that will never be shaken.
What trumpet call is God sounding in your life right now? Is He calling you to repentance, reconciliation, or a deeper walk with Him? Take time to listen, for the King is coming.
Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.
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