The Shofar and Its Purpose
Why Is the Shofar Special?
Dr. Steve D. Coyle
Introduction:
Blowing the shofar was not part of my religious experience growing up. In traditional
denominational churches it was just not something that was done. When you think about it,
even in the non-traditional, non-denominational churches I've attended, I never heard a shofar
blown. It has only been in recent years that I have heard the sound of a shofar in a Christian
church. When I did, the sound moved me and sparked a desire within to search the scriptures
to see what they had to say about this ancient instrument. My search uncovered a rich history
of how the shofar had been used as well as the place of importance it has with God.
I am finding there is a growing interest among Christians to know about the shofar. Some are wanting to have their own shofar and learn the Biblical way to use it. There are churches beginning to include the blowing of the shofar in their times of worship. Intercessors are blowing shofars at the gates of their city. The shofar has moved from being a sound heard only in Jewish synagogues to one heard in all types of Christian gatherings as well as.
Have you ever wondered why the Lord seems to take a special delight in hearing the sound of the shofar? What does the sounding of the shofar mean for us as New Covenant believers? Why, after 3,500 years, are shofars still being blown around the world? These and similar questions are being asked about the shofar as a result of its increased usage in this modern age. It is in the scriptures that we find the answers to all our questions concerning the use of the shofar. This message is about the shofar. What I want to do is share with you several interesting truths that I have discovered in the Bible about the shofar and the purpose God intends for it to have.
The Law of First Mention
When I was in college and seminary, there was a principle of Bible study that I learned and put
into practice. It is called the Law of First Mention. It is a simple, but basic law that we always
need to keep in mind when we begin to "dig" into the scriptures, especially if we are doing a
word study. The Law of First Mention states that when we want a full understanding of a
term, symbol or topic, we are to "swim back up stream" to where it is first mentioned in the
Bible. Now, isn't that simple, but profound? By going to the place in scripture where a term is
first used, it will better aid us in understanding what it means or what its usage is.
I applied this law to the word shofar to see where it was first mentioned in the Bible. My search brought me to Exodus chapter nineteen. In this chapter we find God preparing to enter into a covenant with the nation of Israel. God explains to Moses the procedures to follow. One of the specifics God gives Moses is found in verse thirteen. "...When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain." Before we get too excited, the words "ram's horn" used here is not our word shofar. In the Hebrew it is actually YOBEL which identifies a trumpet made out of a ram's horn. It sure sounds like God is talking about a shofar doesn't it? But remember our Law of First Mention.
God has told the nation of Israel that when they hear the sound of a ram's horn that was the signal to gather at the base of Mt. Sinai. In verse sixteen that memorable occasion occurs. "So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lighting flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud shofar sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled." There is the first mention of the word shofar. Wouldn't you like to have been there to see and hear all that? Notice again that the first mention of the Hebrew word shofar in the Bible is in verse sixteen.
What do we learn from this passage? First, we see that God was the one who used the shofar for the very first time in the Bible. It was His idea to sound the shofar. Second, we learn that a shofar is a ram's horn. It is not a metal trumpet like we are used to seeing. It's made from the horn off the head of a ram sheep. Third, we understand the purpose of the shofar's use. Its sound was a signal to the people telling them that God was now present and it was time to gather at the foot of Mt. Sinai to meet with Him. Fourth, the sound of the shofar was a very loud sound. The shofar was loud enough that everyone heard it and began to move toward the mountain with Moses (vs. 17).
I find it interesting that in using the Law of First Mention, we learn that the first person to use a shofar in the Bible was God Himself. Right from the very beginning, the shofar has God's stamp of approval and serves a meaningful purpose. God could have used any number of ways to get the attention of the people and signal for them to come to Him. However, He chose the shofar, which is nothing more than a simple ram's horn. Though a shofar is a ram's horn, the translators of our Bible have translated this Hebrew word, shofar, as meaning trumpet. So, the word trumpet is used in our Bible instead of shofar.
The Last Trumpet
After thinking about the first use of the shofar or trumpet by God in the Bible, I recalled what
the Apostle Paul said concerning the last occasion on which God was going to use a trumpet.
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed." (I Cor. 15:52 NASB). There
is coming a day when we will hear a trumpet sound from heaven, and Paul identifies it as being
the last trumpet to sound. To further explain what this day is going to be like Paul says, "For
the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air..." (I
Thess. 4:16,17 NASB).
Notice what takes place when the last trumpet sounds. First, the trumpet sound is an announcement to the world that the Lord Jesus Christ has returned. Second, it initiates the resurrection of the righteous dead whose bodies are changed to a state of being imperishable. Third, the righteous who are alive will also be changed. Fourth, both groups of the righteous will be caught up together to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air.
There is a striking resemblance between the "first trumpet" and the "last trumpet" in what happens when they are blown. When both trumpets are heard, they announce the presence of God. The purpose of each is also the same. Their unmistakable sound serves as a signal to God's people calling them to gather themselves to Him. So, when God sounds His shofar, it is with intent and purpose in mind. Yes, the shofar has come to have a vital role in God's relationship with His people.
Godly Instructions
In between the sounding of the first and last trumpets, the use of the shofar by God's people
becomes of interest to us as well. As we study the scriptures, we soon learn that it is actually
God Who instructs His people to blow the shofar and when to blow it. The first thing God did
was to institute an annual event called the Feast of Trumpets during which the people are to
blow the shofar as a memorial or reminder (Lev. 23:24). He then gives a list of times as to
when trumpets are to be blown. The trumpet was to be blown when the people were to
assemble or to break camp. At the time of war or as an alarm, the trumpet is to be sounded. It
is to be blown on the feast days, the first day of the month and at the offering of sacrifices
(Num. 10:1-10). Space prohibits me from printing the Bible's complete list of when the shofar
can be blown.
With all the trumpet blowing going on, we can safely assume that God enjoys hearing the sound of the trumpet or shofar. In fact, God told Moses, "The priestly sons of Aaron, moreover, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be for you a perpetual statute throughout your generations." (Num. 10:8). God did not intend for the blowing of the shofar to pass away with the wilderness wanderings, but to continue from one generation to the next. What that is saying is that the blowing of the shofar should still be going on in this, our very own generation.
The People Blew Their Shofars
From what we have seen of the use of the shofar, it is obvious that it is not primarily a musical
instrument. Those who have blown a shofar know that it has certain limitations that restrict it
from being able to play a melody. Thus, its primary use has more to do with the making of an
announcement, gaining attention, proclamation or movement into action. It is part music, part
siren and part cry all at the same time.
Once God had given His instructions concerning the use of the shofar, the people began to blow their shofars. As you read through the scriptures and find the various accounts of when the shofar was blown, you discover that the shofar plays a role in some very exciting and miraculous events. For example, when the walls of Jericho fell to the ground, shofars had been blown (Joshua 6:20). When Gideon and his 300 soldiers faced the 135,000 Midianites, it was with the blowing of shofars that God brought a mighty victory (Judges 7:20-22). It was a shofar that was blown at the anointing of Solomon as king of Israel (I Kings 1:34).
When you read the Old Testament, you find words like trumpet, cornet or ram's horn used a total of 117 times. Out of the 117 times, the shofar is mentioned 74 times and ram's horn 6 times. With these 80 references, it means that 2 out of every 3 times a trumpet is referred to in the Old Testament it is speaking of a shofar. It is in these 80 references that you find how the shofar was used in practical ways that related to religious and spiritual matters. Along with the harp, which is referred to 57 times in the Bible, the shofar is the most spoken of instrument in God's Word.
Modern Day Use of the Shofar
What we have learned so far is that the Bible has much to say about the blowing of the shofar.
As we have come to understand, the shofar holds a unique place in God's relationship with His
people. Who would have ever thought a ram's horn would become so important. The Bible
very clearly gives the historical use of the shofar and then shows its prophetic use as it relates
to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But what about this day and age we live in? How are
we as present day believers to make use of the shofar?
Previously, we learned that the blowing of the shofar is a perpetual statute throughout our generations. So, when we blow the shofar, we are to understand first and foremost, that we are doing so in obedience to God's Word. It is the Lord Who wants us to blow the shofar. From the instructions God gave in the Book of Numbers chapter ten and in other passages, we can make an application for blowing the shofar under the New Covenant. As believers, we can blow the shofar with confidence knowing we are doing something that pleases God.
There are several appropriate times we can blow the shofar and it serve a meaningful purpose.
This is not an exhaustive list of when you can blow the shofar, but it gives us a good idea of the variety of uses the shofar does have. In the Church today, we have the advantage of being filled with the Holy Spirit which allows us to be led by Him in the blowing of the shofar. As we stay in communion with the Lord and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, the blowing of the shofar will have its full meaning and purpose.
A Lesson From the Shofar
Over a period of time, I began reading the scriptures about the shofar and how it was used in
the Bible. I searched out other sources such as teachings by rabbis that spoke of the
importance of the shofar. To my surprise, I found there was a wealth of information. As a
result of my research, I reached the understanding that the shofar was a valid instrument of
God's choosing. Its overall use was one of facilitating worship, empowering prayer, and
proclaiming victory in spiritual warfare. I sensed the Holy Spirit's leading within me to have a
shofar of my very own.
After shopping for the right shofar, there was something else I came to realize about them. Every shofar is different. They sound different and look different. While I had spent much time in learning about the spiritual significance of the shofar, I was now learning about the natural practical side of shofars.
One thing we must keep in mind is that shofars are made from the horn of an animal. The horn can come from a ram sheep, billy goat, an antelope called a Kudu or any other kosher animal except a bull or cow. Animal horns are made of cartilage (fleshly bone), blood, and keratinous material (like fingernails). I've learned that the method of making shofars today is the same as that which has been used for centuries. The horn is first boiled in water to soften it. Then, the interior is hollowed out by removing the softened fleshly tissue inside. The tip is cut off, a hole is drilled, and a mouth piece is fashioned. Some are left natural and others are polished to remove the rough exterior.
When a shofar is purchased and brought home, it typically has a terrible odor. The odor comes from the residue of the decaying, fleshly tissue remaining inside the horn. The little man at the shofar factory usually leaves the finishing touches to us. So, we must clean it out ourselves in order to get rid of the rotting smell. Once we have done that we can begin to enjoy our new shofar.
I said all that to help us understand the final thought I want to share. The shofar is somewhat symbolic of man. In our lost condition, we live by the desires of the fleshly nature within. After receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, death comes to the fleshly nature and we receive a new divine nature (Gal. 2:20). That exchange is immediate and final. Yet, for some Christians the fleshly nature still presents a struggle within. Evidence of the dying flesh can be detected by the "rotting smell" coming from their life. It has the smell of immortality, sensuality, strife, anger, envy, drunkenness, and things like these (Gal. 5:19-21).
It is through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross that you come to understand that your flesh has been crucified and you are now alive with His eternal life. If you are still struggling with the flesh and its sinful desires, you must first grasp the truth of Christ's finished work on the cross in that death has truly come to your fleshly nature. The Bible says that in Christ you are a new creation, and that the old things of your life have passed away being replaced by new things. Secondly, you must allow Jesus Christ to live His life through you daily. The Christian life is about Jesus Christ. It is having a vital personal relationship with the very One Who died and rose again to give you His eternal life. It was Jesus Who said, "...apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5).Through Jesus Christ our life changes from one of living by the strength of the flesh to living by the power of God.
Does your life smell like "rotting flesh"? If it does, that can change. It is only through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit that your Christian life can become a sweet smelling fragrance. Your life can have the essence of the fruit of the Spirit coming forth (Gal. 5:16,22-25). Repent of the dead works of the flesh and begin to live according to the new nature you have received from your Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that would be a good reason to shout and blow your shofar!
"With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout joyfully before the King, the Lord." (Psalm 98:6)
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