Lighthouse Church of All Nations Mission Department 708-385-6020 Contact Pastor Donna Bailey for information.

1. The
Shofar
Image: Dan Bar Dov
Lighthouse Church of All Nations
Israel Mission Trip: 2012 1

2. What is a Shofar?
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that
there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon
the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud;
so that all the people that was in the camp trembled”
(Exod 19:16 KJV).
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3. What is a Shofar?
The Shofar is the voice of God.
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4. What do you know?
1. Write one thing you know about
the shofar.
2. Write one thing you’d like to learn
about the shofar tonight.
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5. Basic Info
The Shofar is a ritual instrument of the
ancient and modern Hebrews.
The word, shofar, means to cut through or
incise. 5
http://www.judaica-guide.com/shofar/

6. When was it used?
Shofar represented the voice of God, calling to
His people – Ancient
Temple Days: Announcements holidays, significant days
and years, as well as call to assembly, war and breaking up
camp
Shofar represented the wailing of a penitent
heart, calling to God for mercy -- Modern
Post-Temple: Used in connection with the new year, new
moon, Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
Shofar represents announcement of Christ’s 2nd
coming , calling to break up camp— Future
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7. History
• The first time the Shofar is mentioned is in Exod19:16-19
when the Israelites had gathered at Mt. Sinai.
• Originated in the ancient Jerusalem temple as one of the
instruments that accompanied services
• Instruments were banned from Jewish prayer with the
temple destruction in AD70, except for the Shofar.
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8. Why is it significant?
What do these verses and information
regarding purpose tell you about the
Shofar’s significance?
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9. Reasons for blowing
the Shofar from the
Importance
Maimonides:
. Marks the occasion
of enthroning the
Lord as king of the
universe
. Reminds the Jews of
the binding of Isaac
and the way
Abraham withstood
the trial
. Reminds the Jews of
“We shall do, and we
shall hear” 9
Image: Andrew Schwartz

10. OT Purpose
Call to Sacred Sound the Break Up
Assembly Alarm to Battle Camp
Num 10:3, Joel 2:15 Ezek 33:3-6; Isa 18:3; 1
Kings 1:34; Judges 7:22
Call to Repent Remembered by Begin their
(Exod 19:16) the Lord (Num 10:9) journeys (Num 10:6)
Accept God as Saved by the
King (PS 98:6) Lord (Num 10:9)
Worship Shout/Walls fall
(Num 10:10) down (Josh 6:5)
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11. NT Purpose
Prophecy Old Testament New Testament Fulfillment
Announce Blow the Trumpet Lord Himself Descend With the
2nd coming “And the LORD shall be seen Shofar of God
of the over them, and his arrow shall "For the Lord Himself will descend
Messiah! go forth as the lightning: and from heaven with a shout, with the
the LORD God shall blow the voice of an archangel and with the
trumpet, and shall go with shofar of God” (I Thess 4:16).
whirlwinds of the south” (Zech
9:14 KJV)
End Times Announcement: Break Up Camp
Dead shall “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Shofars; for the
rise--Break Shofars will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable,
Up Camp and we shall be changed" (1 Cor 15:52).
“And the dead in Christ will 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. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I
Thess 4:17-18).
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12. How is it constructed?
“The Shofar of Rosh Hashanah, whose purpose it is to
rouse the Divine in the listener, may not be constructed of
an artificial instrument.
The Shofar is the bent horn of a ram. The ram reminds
one of Abraham's willing sacrifice of that which was most
precious to him. The curve in the horn mirrors the
contrition of the one who repents” (Jewish virtual Library)
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13. Construction
Made of a ram’s horn Not cow or deer
Unlawful to
add more
notches
The Law required that all
ram's horns were tuned
to the same sound.
Notches as the end Impedance match to the air
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Image: http://www.piney.com/Shofar.html

14. What of the sounds?
Shofar represented the voice of God,
calling to His people.
Shofar represents the wailing of a
penitent heart, calling to God for mercy.
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15. Sounded
Temple Times
• New Year
• Years of Jubilee
• Fast Days
Traditional Times (Post Temple)
• Last month of Hebrew calendar
• First ten days of the Hebrew year (Between
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur -- 100
blasts on each day of Rosh Hashanah.
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16. Blasts
• Tekiah -- one long blast with a clear tone
• Shevarim -- three shorter blasts
• Teruah -- series of quick blasts (nine or
more)
• Tekiah Gadolah-- single unbroken blast,
held as long as possible
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17. Blasts
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18. Rosh Hoshanah
Mishnah decrees that a Jew must hear nine
Shofar blows on Rosh Hashanah.
Order of the blows is: Tekiah, Teruah, Tekiah,
repeated three times
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19. Prayer
. Tekiah: The Jews pray with the Shofar on
Rosh Hashanah. The Tekiah blast signifies
their direct approach to God.
. Teruah: Jews realize they are God’s
creatures -- impotent, broken, and shattered.
. Tekiah: Once they make intimate encounter
during the Teruah, they exit and praise God
with another steady blast. (Correspond to
the12 prayers of the Amidah
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20. References
Ex-Church of Christ Pages. (n.d.) Shofar image. Retrieved on September 24, 2012, from
http://www.shofarot.com/index.php/the-shofar/secondtemple/
God’s Outreach Ministries, Inc. (n.d.) Hast not the blast of the Shofar heard?. Retrieved on
September 24, 2012, from http://www.godsoutreachministryint.org/Shofars.htm
Hebraic Studies. (n.d.) The Shofar or ram’s horn. Retrieved on September 24, 2012, from
http://www.anchor-church-surfside.org/Hebraic%20Studies/ACS%20Shofar.htm
Judaica Guide. (2012). Shofar. Retrieved on September 24, 2012, from http://www.judaica-
guide.com/shofar/
My Jewish Learning. (n.d.). The Shofar as prayer. Retrieved September 24, 2012, from
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Rosh_Hashanah/In_the_Com
munity/Shofar/Traditional_Teachings.shtml
Shofarat Israel. (2009). About the manner of blowing the Shofar. Retrieved on September 24,
2012, from http://www.shofarot.com/index.php/the-shofar/secondtemple/
Yasheva.org.il. Laws about blowing the Shofar. Retrieved on September 24, 2012, from
http://e.yeshiva.org.il/midrash/shiur.asp?id=6251. 20