Leviticus 23:23-25

d. THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS 23:23-25
TEXT 23:23-25

23

And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

24

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.

25

Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:23-25

546.

What was the purpose of the feast of the trumpets?

547.

Refer to the calendar and notice what day is to succeed this day. Is there any connection?

548.

The ceasing of work sets this day aside as a sabbath, and yet it is not a sabbath. Discuss the difference.

PARAPHRASE 23:23-25

The Festival of Trumpets: Mid-September is a solemn time for all the people to meet together for worship; it is a time of remembrance, and is to be announced by loud blowing of trumpets. Don-'t do any work on the day of the celebration, but offer a sacrifice by fire to the Lord.

COMMENT 23:23-25

We cannot imagine a more beautifully descriptive comment than that of C. D. Ginsburg. We share it with our readers:
Literally, remembrance blowing, for which see Numbers 29:1, the only place in the Old Testament where this festival is named as the day of blessing, i.e., the trumpets. As the first of Ethanium, as the month is called in the Bible (1 Kings 8:2), or Tishri, as the Jews call it, in which this festival occurs, is the commencement of the civil new year, this festival was called the Festival of New Year ever since the time of the second Temple, and has been regarded as preparatory to the great day of Atonement, which is ten days later. The blowing of trumpets, therefore, which was the distinguishing feature of this festival, was designed to summon the Israelites to enter upon the work of sanctification, which will be accounted to them as a merit in the sight of God, and for which they are promised to be especially remembered before the Lord (Numbers 10:9-10). Hence its name, Remembrance blowingthe blowing of trumpets, which will make them to be remembered before the Lord. The synagogue, however, takes the name more in the sense of reminding God of the merits of the patriarchs and his covenant with them, and for this reason has appointed Genesis 21:1-34; Genesis 22:1-24, recording the birth and sacrifice of Isaac, as the lesson for this festival. As the festival is also the new moon, a threefold sacrifice was offered on it, viz. (1) the ordinary daily sacrifice which was offered first; (2) the appointed new moon sacrifice (Numbers 28:11-15); and (3) the sacrifice for this festival, which consisted of a young bullock, a ram, and seven lambs of the first year, with the usual meat offerings, and a kid for a sin offering (Numbers 29:1-6). With the exception, therefore, of there being one bullock instead of two, this sacrifice was simply a repetition of the monthly offering by which it was preceded in the service. During the offering of the drink offering and the burnt offering the Levites engaged in vocal and instrumental music, singing the eighty-first and other psalms, whilst the priests at stated intervals broke forth with awful blasts of the trumpets. After the offering up of the sacrifices, the service was concluded by the priests, who pronounced the benediction (Numbers 6:23-27), which the people received in a prostrate position before the Lord. Having prostrated themselves a second time in the court, the congregation resorted to the adjoining synagogue, where the appointed lessons from the Law and the Prophets were read, consisting of Genesis 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6; 1 Samuel 1:1-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Genesis 22:1-24; Jeremiah 31:2-20. Psalms were recited and the festival prayers were offered, beseeching the Lord to pardon the sins of the past year, and to grant the people a happy new year. This concluded the morning service, after which the families resorted to their respective homes, partook of the social and joyous repast, and in the evening went again into the Temple to witness the offering of the evening sacrifices, and to see the candlestick lighted with which the festival concluded, all wishing each other, May you be written down for a happy new year; may the Creator decree for you a happy new year. To which was responded, And you likewise. With the exception of the sacrifices, the Jews keep this festival to the present day. The trumpet which they use on this occasion consists of the curved horn of a ram, in remembrance of the ram which Abraham sacrificed instead of Isaac. This event, as we have seen, is also commemorated in the lesson of the day.

FACT QUESTIONS 23:23-25

550.

This day celebrates the beginning of a new year, but it is the beginning of a civil new year. Explain.

551.

It is also preparatory. For what?

552.

The Lord is to remember as well as the people. What is He to remember?

553.

List the three-fold sacrifices for this day.

554.

What happened during the drink offering and the burnt offering?

555.

The people received the following benediction; Numbers 6:23-27in what posture? Why?

556.

After the Temple service what happened?

557.

What lessons were read from the Old Testament?

558.

What happened at home? At the evening services?

559.

It would seem we are indebted to the Jewish race for our celebration of the new year. Discuss.