December 11, 2017. So Your Called to Minister—Studies from Nehemiah
Psalm 81:1-4 To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud to God our strength; Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. Raise a song and strike the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the lute. Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, A law of the God of Jacob.
Nehemiah doesn’t specifically mention the feast but the seventh month would have been the Feast of trumpets. “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ‘You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’ ” Lev 23:24-25
Num. 29:1-6; 3:24, “a memorial of blowing of trumpets.” This feast of trumpets prepared for the day of atonement on the tenth day; compare Joel 2:15, “blow the trumpet … sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” It was the new year day of the civil year, the first of Tisri (about October), commencing the sabbatical year and year of jubilee. The month being that for sowing, as well as ingathering of the last ripe fruits, its first day was appropriately made commemorative of creation, when “all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7), the birthday of the world.
As the sound of the cornet signalized Jehovah’s descent on Sinai to take Israel into covenant, so the same sound at the close of the day of atonement announced the year which restored Israel to the freedom and blessings of the covenant (Exo. 19:16-49). The trumpets’ sound imaged God’s voice and word (Isa. 58:1; Hos. 8:1; Zeph. 1:16; Rev. 1:10; 4:1). So at Christ’s coming in glory (Mt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16). This feast of trumpets reminds the people of their covenant, and puts God in remembrance of His promises (Isa. 43:26; Num. 10:9). So if we would have great measures of grace we must rouse all our energies and aspirations, and cry mightily with trumpet voice to God.
