Trumpets and the Coming Son of God

Men were to sound the trumpet for various reasons.

Among the seven appointed feasts God gave to Israel, the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) stands out as both mysterious and deeply prophetic.

Rooted in the culture of ancient Israel, it was a day of blowing trumpets, gathering the people, and preparing for God’s presence.

In the New Testament, this feast takes on even greater meaning as it points to the return of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Context For The Feast of Trumpets

The Feast of Trumpets is described in Leviticus 23:23–25 and Numbers 29:1–6.

• Timing: It was celebrated on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri), marking the beginning of the new moon.

• Sound of Trumpets: The shofar (ram’s horn) was blown as a memorial, a call to assembly, and a reminder of God’s covenant. The Hebrew word teruah means “shout” or “blast.”

• Sacred Assembly: It was a holy convocation, a day of rest and worship marked by special sacrifices.

Cultural Significance

In the culture of Israel, trumpets carried strong associations:

• Call to Worship – Trumpets announced God’s presence, as at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16–19).

• Call to Battle – Trumpets rallied troops or signaled alarm in times of danger (Numbers 10:9).

• Call to Coronation – Trumpets marked the crowning of a king (1 Kings 1:34).

Thus, the Feast of Trumpets combined these themes into a day of anticipation—Israel was called to listen, remember, and prepare.

Prophetic Meaning in God’s Plan

While the spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost) were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming, the fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles) point toward His second coming.

The Feast of Trumpets carries prophetic significance as a day of announcement and awakening. The trumpet blast symbolized God summoning His people and inaugurating a new era.

The Feast of Trumpets and the Return of Christ

The New Testament writers connect the imagery of trumpets with the return of the Son of God:

• Matthew 24:30–31 – Jesus says He will return with the sound of a great trumpet, gathering His elect.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.”

• 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 – At “the last trumpet,” the dead will be raised imperishable, and believers will be transformed.

The Feast of Trumpets foreshadows this future event: the ultimate sounding of God’s trumpet, announcing the return of the King and the gathering of His people.

Just as the shofar in Israel’s culture was used for worship, warfare, and coronation, so too will Christ’s coming trumpet blast proclaim His victory, summon His people, and reveal Him as King of kings.

Implications for Believers Today

For followers of Jesus, the Feast of Trumpets is more than a historical curiosity—it is a reminder to live in expectation.

Awakening – Just as Israel was called to stop and hear the trumpet, we are called to stay spiritually awake and ready (Romans 13:11).

Anticipation – The trumpet blast points to Christ’s imminent return. Every generation of believers is called to live in readiness for that day.

Allegiance – Trumpets in Israel proclaimed the crowning of kings; the return of Christ will reveal the true King. Our lives now should reflect loyalty to Him.

In the Old Testament, the Feast of Trumpets was a day of sacred assembly marked by the sound of the shofar—a reminder of God’s covenant and a call to prepare. In the New Testament, its prophetic significance points to the return of Jesus Christ, announced by the final trumpet of God.

As the ancient trumpet blasts stirred Israel to gather and prepare, so the coming trumpet will announce the return of the Son of God, the resurrection of the dead, and the coronation of the true King.

The Feast of Trumpets reminds us that history is moving toward a climactic moment: the day when the trumpet sounds and the King returns.