Chag sameach Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat Shalom, and a very blessed Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets/Shouting) all as we continue on our 30th day of Teshuvah (Repentance). We are here gathered in obedience to the mitzvah (commandment):

"Yahweh said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with teruah. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to Yahweh by fire''" (Lev.23:23-25, NIV; also Num.29:1-6).

Most of our English Bibles render the Hebrew teruah as "blowing of trumpets" (NKJV) or "trumpet blasts" (NIV) which is certainly one possible translation but it can also refer to a large gathering of people 'making a loud noise' and 'shouting' in unison (Num.10:5-6) either in alarm at, for example, the approach of an enemy, or in joyful celebration of a victory against an enemy. Accordingly this fifth annual festival of Yom Teruah is known either as the 'Day of Trumpets' or the 'Day of Shouting', though it could equally be both.

This festival is so little known and celebrated by modern Jews that it has mutated beyond all recognition into a false Talmudic festival called Rosh haShanah, being wrongly celebrated as New Year's Day, which it is not, for the Israelite New Year is observed at Aviv 1, the first month of the year. This Talmudic perversion [1] is the result of Babylonian influence from the time of the Exile of Judah, the month even being named Tammuz by them, the Babylonian god of grain whose annual death and resurrection brought fertility to the world. Rosh haShanah is, in fact, the renamed Akitu, the Babylonian new year festival, which was celebrated twice a year, just as modern Judaism does.

Additionally, Jews and Messianics alike announce their Rosh haShanah with shofars or ram's horns, as also do many Messiianics who properly call it Yom Teruah, whereas it is properly announced by the blowing of twin-silver trumpets as it is also Rosh Chodesh or New Moon Festival, since the observance of Yom Teruah is commanded on the first day of the seventh month. This symbolism is important, more so as this is also High Sabbath [2].

As is often the case, once one compromise with paganism is made, others soon follow on its heels, which is why the festivals and the application of Torah has had to be restored again. And since Messianic Jews copy wholesale these false Talmudic or Rabbinical traditions, this is a reason we do not refer to ourselves as 'Messianic Jews' and why we do not adhere to 'Messianic Judaism', commonly abbreviated as 'Messianism'. The whole kabbalistic tradition, along with a whole host of pseudepigraphical works such as the Book of Jasher and Book of Enoch, stem from this time too, with Babylonian deities being recycled as genuine malakim (angels) and demons. Sad to say, many Messianics and 'Nazarene Jews' have been swept away by these false documents, some groups even having the audacity to unilaterally canonise them as holy writ with a pretended authority they do not possess.

Yom Teruah has nothing to do with any new year(s) - that honour falls, as I said, to Aviv 1. Neither does the Sabbatical Year (which occurs once every seven years) begin at Yom Teruah, as Jews claim, but also begins at Aviv 1 [3]. The only annual cycle that begins in the seventh month (actually, in the middle of the seventh month) is the agricultural grain cycle because in Israel grains are planted in the autumn (fall) and harvest in the spring. The ground cannot be broken by ploughing until the first light rains which sufficiently moisten the ground to allow for the parched earth to be broken by woodedn and iron ploughs. Because this seasonal rain can vary, the agricultural cycle may not begin until as late as the eighth month.

The fact remains that almost nothing is said about Yom Teruah (Trumpets, Shouting) in the Tanakh (Old Testament). About all we know is that the people assembeld to make a very loud noise. But why? Some groups are so unsure that they drop the festival altogether and in one case label Yom haKippurim (Day of Atonements) as the fifth annual festival, Sukkot (Tabernacles, Booths) as the sixth and Shemini Atseret (Last Great Day) as the seventh whereas most Jews and Messianics combine the latter two as the seventh [4]. So why do we observe Yom Teruah? What does it point to messianically?

Yom Teruah is both a joyful and a terrifying divine moed or appointment with Yahweh - it is joyful for the saved but a terror for those who are not, because it is announcing the imminent Judgment. It marks the Second Coming of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) and not the mythical 'third coming' of those who subscribe to the false 'rapture' doctrine which is the 'second coming' for those who believe they are going to be whisked away into safety before Messiah returns. This event is marked by great triumphal shouting as recorded in the Book of Revelation:

"After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: 'Hallelu-Yah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our Elohim (God), for true and just are His judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.' And again they shouted: 'Hallelu-Yah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.' The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped Elohim (God), who was seated on the throne. And they cried: 'Amen, Hallelujah!' Then a voice came from the throne, saying: 'Praise our Elohim (God), all you His servants, you who fear Him, both small and great!'" (Rev.19:1-5, NIV).

These are the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) making teruah, that is to say, shouting their praises! This teruah or shouting resumes at the beginning of Sukkot (Tabernacles) where we read:

"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For Yahweh-Elohim Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.' (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones)). Then the malak (angel) said to me, 'Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'' And he added, 'These are the true Devarim Elohim (words of God)'" (Rev.19:6-9, NIV).

Therefore if our conscience is clear then like the psalmist we may:

"Sing to [Yahweh] a new song; play skillfully, and shout for simcha (joy)" (Ps.33:3, NIV).

"My lips will shout for simcha (joy) when I sing praise to You -- I, whom you have redeemed" (Ps.71:23, NIV).

"Shout aloud and sing for simcha (joy), people of Zion, for great is the Qadosh (Holy, Set-Apart) One of Israel among you" (Isa.12:6, NIV).

However, this is for a future day and we are not even in the last prophetic cycle, though the one we are in is coming to an end as events play out in the Middle East and throughout the world. This morning as I awoke Yahweh opened up a vision to me and I saw a large rock, grey and sombre. It was a memorial stone to the dead and on it was inscribed a longish passage from the navi (prophet) Nahum in English, Hebrew, Arabic and one or two other languages which I did not recognise. The gist of the message was that so many had perished, "all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitutions and peoples (families) by her witchcraft" (Nahum 3:4, NIV). Hundreds of thousands have already perished in the current Syrian conflict, millions in the wars in Iraq. Who is the harlot in this cycle of history and in this region? It is the modern Babylon which even now is falling, which is being exposed and is about to be completely exposed, even as it is written:

"'I am against you,' declares Yahweh-Elohim.
'I will lift your skirts over your face.
I will show the nations your nakedness
and the kingdoms your shame.
I will pelt you with filth,
I will treat you with contempt
and make you a spectacle.
All who see you will flee from you and say,
'Nineveh is in ruins-who will mourn for her?' Where can I find anyone to comfort you?''" (Nah 3:5-7, NIV).

You have read the Mishpat Yahweh and you know who the despised nation is, and her allies, which is symbolically 'Nineveh' in this prophecy, but if you are in any doubt, then consider what Nahum further says about it:

"Look at your troops -
they are all women!
The gates of your land
are wide open to your enemies;
fire has consumed their bars (or fugitives)" (Nah.3:13, NIV).

Which nations are run by the doctrine of feminism, and which nations "gates" or borders have been flung open wide so that anyone may enter? The "bars" here translates the Hebrew word beriyach which can also mean "fugitives" - it has the double meaning of protection being burned down as well as those trying to escape being burned down. And though in vain the nation would try to protect itself, it will be hopeless:

"There the fire will devour you;
the sword will cut you down
and, like grasshoppers, consume you" (Nah.3:15, NIV).

There will be no escape, no refuge for the inhabitants. They are fully exposed. And so the prophecy ends with these words:

"O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;
your nobles lie down to rest.
Your people are scattered on the mountains
with no one to gather them.
Nothing can heal your wound;
your injury is fatal.
Everyone who hears the news about you
claps his hands at your fall,
for who has not felt
your endless cruelty?" (Nah.3:18-19, NIV).

This is the judgment not only of America but all her allies too, and the judgment will be made complete in a very short time. I am simply serving notice that this is irreversible, that as far as the nation itself is concerned, it is already too late. It is now a question of "every man ... to his home" (2 Kings 14:12, NIV), it is now up to families to complete their preparations, and for fathers and husbands to ensure the safety of wives and children. And though this has never been a time for idleness or recreation, you would be surprised at just how idle and leisurely most believers still are. It looks peaceful enough in the home countries, through the signs of bubbling calamity are everywhere, and people are still naïvely and with vain confidence still 'hoping for the best' and trusting their corrupt and wicked governments to 'fix' everything for them, when they should be feverishly preparing for the worst, knowing they have done everything they could.

For the faithful, having made their preparations, now is the time of witness and praise. We are to keep our eyes on Yah'shua (Jesus), crucify the flesh, and continue the work of the Kingdom in all patience. May he bless you and your families for the approaching tribulation that you may have shalom (peace) even as the world burns. Amen.

Endnotes

[1] This is freely acknowledged by the Talmudists themselves: "The names of the months came up with them (the Jews) from Babylonia" (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 1:2 56d)
[2] Please see the important articles, New Moon Silver Trumpets: What They Tell Us About the Sabbath and Yom Teruah 2010: The Twin Silver Trumpets Revelation
[3] Aviv is the only month (the first month) in the Hebrew year that is given a name - all the others are simply numbered 1-12, and 13 on leap years
[4] Properly-speaking, Shemini Atseret is an eighth festival

Acknowledgements

[1] Nehemia Gordon, Yom Teruah: How the Day of Shouting Became Rosh Hashanah