Good Morning.
And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. (Exodus 19:19)
The appearance of the Almighty upon Sinai was announced by the sounding of the shofar. This is very interesting for several reasons. First of all, the shofar is sounded during the Jubilee year to announce freedom and restoration for those who had lost their inheritance and been forced to serve others (Leviticus 25:9-10). Considering that this describes the former status of all of Israel, in part, God was proclaiming their liberty from Egyptian bondage. At Mount Sinai, Israel was called to be God’s people, no longer the slaves of Pharaoh.
The shofar was also used to signal the people to assemble or to be alerted to an important event. Rabbinically it is taught that, with God’s appearance on Mount Sinai and the sounding of the shofar, God was announcing the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. He had delivered Israel from bondage and was calling them into His service to be a light to the nations and to announce His Kingdom in the earth. But let us now consider something that is not clarified for us in Scripture: Who was blowing the shofar?
Tradition says that this particular horn was the left horn of the ram Abraham had sacrificed on Mount Moriah. The belief is that the other horn will be blown at coming of the Messiah. In other words, it is understood that the shofar will be sounded at the time of Redemption. According to Scripture, the LORD will be the One to sound the shofar at that time.
Then the LORD will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet (shofar) and go with whirlwinds from the south. The LORD of hosts will defend them.” (Zechariah 9:14-15)
If the LORD will blow the trumpet at the time of the Redemption, then it stands to reason that the LORD blew the trumpet at Sinai. Here is the point: So then, did God blow the shofar announcing his arrival and Israel’s redemption? God Himself signals the time of redemption and restoration for His people. God Himself announces His arrival when He comes to meet with and gather His people to Him. With the sound of a trumpet He alerts His people that He is in their midst to save, deliver and restore. No wonder that this is the sound that will awaken the dead in Messiah and call us all to be gathered unto Him at His return. In anticipation of that great day, let us prepare ourselves to meet with our King. Let us also continue the work that we have been called to — being the light to the nations — that when He appears, we may stand before blameless.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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