SHOPHAR - NYOBS 52.31

SHOPHAR

First Word

·         Shophar also spelled Shofar is a musical instrument of sorts of ancient origin used for Jewish religious purposes.

·         The choice of the Ram’s horn for the Shophar is in remembrance of Abraham’s sacrifice of a Ram instead of his son Isaac.

·         There two kinds of Shophars – One made from the CURVED Ram’s horn and the other made from a STRAIGHT Mountain Goats horn; both were used in the Temple.

·         The curvilinear grace of the Ram Shophar lent itself to be engraved and carved upon and ornamented with a silver mouthpiece, however it could not be painted in colors.

Genesis 22:11-13 - Abraham offered a Ram instead of Isaac
¹¹ But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
¹² He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Joshua 6:4 - Trumpets made of Rams’ horns
⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of RAMS’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. (ESV)  

Master of the Blast

·         The expert who blows the Shophar is called the Shophar Sounder; the Ba'al Tekiah. (Master of the Blast) which is an honor.

·         Every male Jew is eligible for this sacred office, providing he is acceptable to the congregation.

·         The one who blows the Shophar should be God-fearing and learned in the Torah and should be the very best man available.

Use

·         Ram’s horns were used as signaling devices in war as well as for heralding special festivals.  They were used as musical instruments and even drinking vessels.

·         They were made to make noise; to give signals, to announce special occasions. - It had limited musical attributes because of its monotone sound as it could not play a melody.  Any changes in pitch was based solely on the facial muscles of the sounder.

·         The shophars were usually blown in the services by the Priest, not the Levites who were considered professional musicians. – On special occasions two Shophar Sounders played long notes and a trumpeter who stood in the middle played short notes. – The trumpet was man made out of metal.

Psalm 98:6 - Shophar used somewhat as a musical instrument
⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! (ESV)

Numbers 10:4-5 – The Shophar – Blown as a signal
⁴ If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you.
⁵ When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. (NIV2011)

Judges 3:27 - The Shophar was a call to arms
²⁷ When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. (ESV)

Judges 7:22 - 300 Shophars frightened the enemy that fled
²² When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah. (ESV)

Joshua 6:4-5 - The Shophar brought down the walls of Jericho
⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of RAMS’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day the priests shall blow the trumpets

⁵ And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” (ESV)

Exodus 19:16– Shophar sounded Mount Sinai signaling the people
¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast (Shophar), so that all the people in the camp trembled. (ESV)

Holy Days

·         The Shophar is sounded on the Holiest days of the Jewish calendar, which includes Passover – Pentecost – Tabernacles/Booths – Hanukkah – Purim.

·          It is sounded every Friday evening at sunset to bring in the new Weekly Sabbath as well as the Monthly New Moon Sabbath. – NYOBS 47.15 HANUKKAH & YOM KIPPUR FESTIVALS AND FEAST

·         The Shophar is sounded on the eve of Yom Kippur to assemble the people together for worship in the Synagogue and also at the very end of Yom Kippur.

·         At sunset on The Day of Atonement, it is ended with a single blast from the Shophar and the worshipers go to their respective homes.

·         It is Sounded in synagogue services at Rosh Hashanah; The Feast of Trumpets and is also sounded every weekday morning in the month of Elul running up to Rosh Hashanah.

·         The Shophar was also sounded to announce the Year of Jubilee  (Every 50 years)

Leviticus 25:9 - Shophar sounded on the Day of Atonement
⁹ Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. (ESV)

Numbers 29:1 – Shophar; Feast of Trumpets; Rosh Hashanah
¹ On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, (ESV)

Leviticus 23:24 – Shophar Monthly New Moon Sabbath
²⁴ Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. (NIV2011)

End Times

·         The Shophar will usher in the Return of the Messiah and the end time wrath of God.

·          There will be SEVEN Shophar trumpets sounded – NYOBS 07.02 – ESCHATOLOGY – LAST THINGS TO HAPPEN ON EARTH

1. LAND - 1/3^rd of the vegetation is burned up in this plague.  This is similar to the plague in the time of Moses.  It is literal and not symbolic. 
2. SEA - 1/3^rd of the marine life in the sea dies and 1/3^rd of the ships are sunk as a burning meteorite hits the sea.  Blood in this passage is symbolic of death.
3. RIVERS - 1/3^rd of the rivers and springs become poisoned - judgment is on nature and men… water is scarce, people die.

4.   HEAVENS – 1/3^rd of the Sun, moon and stars turn dark.

5.   FALLEN STAR - Based on the scriptures, this fallen star is different, it is a Fallen Angel.  Probably Satan himself, who unlocks the abyss, which is the abode of demons and beast which release destruction on the world. Satan’s name is “Lucifer” which means “brightness” or “Morning Star”.

6.   EUPHRATES RIVER is prominent in history.  In the beginning it flowed from the Garden of Eden, later Babylon was situated on it, and soon a 200,000,000 man army will cross it. - God’s angels are not bound, only wicked angels are bound. When these angels are released, they kill 1/3^rd of mankind.

7.   THE LAST TRUMP - As the seventh trumpet sounds and the seven bowls or vials are poured out, the voices IN HEAVEN announce the prophecy of CHRIST’S RETURN to the earth.  

Isaiah 27:13 - Shophar will usher in the Return of the Messiah
¹³ And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. (ESV)

Revelation 8:2 - Shophar sounded at the End Time wrath of God
² Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. (ESV)

Closing Thoughts

·         So there you have it; we have the Shophar beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation; the Beginning and the End.

·         The Messiah returns as the Seventh and Last Shophar sounds; we will all be changed from corruptible to incorruptible and we will have a glorified body and look just like Him. - I’m ready; it’s my prayer that you are. - Life is choice driven. – Choose life. – It’s in the Book.

1 Corinthians 15:52 – The last Shophar blast we will be changed
⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, AT THE LAST TRUMP: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (KJV)

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Meet the Lord in the air
¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (KJV)

1 John 3:2 – We will be like Him
² Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. (NLT)

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

                                                                                                                                     

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

King James Version Bible – KJV

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible - NIV

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Wikipedia -

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The - Tenney