Title: Trumpets: Glorious Appearings 

Subject: Exodus 19-20 and Trumpets
Summary: Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the significance of the Day of Trumpets, asserts that it is characterized by shouting or a memorial of blowing of trumpets (teruah), signifying alarm, joy, or excitement. Before the commandment to keep this feast, only one event involving trumpets had occurred to the Israelites, namely the giving of the Covenant on Mount Sinai, when God spoke audibly to Moses and the people, intentionally intimidating them to test their faithfulness, to instill the fear of the Lord in them, and to keep them from sin. Most Israelites soon forgot the magnitude of God's power. When the psalmist Asaph remembered God's power, he was motivated to worship Him properly. This fear enables us to learn to walk in God's ways, acquiring wisdom and understanding, avoiding and hating evil, loving and finding refuge in God, ultimately attaining the reward of eternal life. The fear of the Lord is the basic attitudinal setting for a Christian, called by Jesus "poor in spirit."

Keywords: Alarm Asaph Blowing of trumpets Cacophony Civil year Coming of Messiah Commandments Coronation day Covenant Disobedience Ear splitting sound Earthquake Experience Fear of the Lord Fool Glorious appearance God's communication God's power Holy Convocation Humbling Humility Jewish New Year Joy Knowledge Memorial Nascar race Pentecost Poor in spirit Power of God Quaking Rosh Hashanah Remembering Respect Reverential awe Rosh Teruah Shofar Shouting Solomon Submission to God Teruah Trumpet blasts Voice of God Wisdom Yom Teruah Understanding Wisdom Worship