The term “mouth to mouth” is similar to the term “face to face” (Deut 34.10) and it means as a man freely converses with his friend. This alludes to the audible voice of God, and it is an idiom for Yom Kippur. Moses ascended Mount Sinai the first time on Sivan 7 and he stayed for 40 days and nights, coming back down on Tammuz 17. He will go back up to Sinai and ascend on Elul 1 and will come down 40 days later on Tishri 10, a Yom Kippur. Yeshua went into the wilderness after his immersion it is believed on Elul 1 and came back down in John 1 on Yom Kippur. Yeshua went back up to heaven (a type of Sinai) and will return back to earth and appear in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur during a Jubilee year (Matt 24.29-31). The “Great Trumpet” or Shofar Ha Gadol will sound.
We have three trumpets in the Judaism that are associated with three festivals. The “First Trump” is the festival of Shavuot, the “Last Trump” is related to Rosh Ha Shannah. These two trumpets relate to the horns of the ram caught in the thicket in Gen 22. The “Great Trumpet” relates to Yom Kippur. The First Trump was blown at Sinai when the Lord betrothed himself to Israel. The Last Trump will be blown at Rosh Ha Shannah and the gathering together of the believers. It signifies the opening of the gates of repentance. Why is it called the “Last Trump?” Because the ram in Gen 22 in the Midrash only had two horns. The Shofar Ha Gadol is one long blast at the last service on Yom Kippur called “Neilah” which means the “Closing of the Gates” of repentance. In a Machzor, the Shema response is said out loud only on Yom Kippur. On all other days it is said in an “undertone.” The reason is “the Messiah has come.” The Great Shofar was only blown on a Yom Kippur in a Yovel year (50th) during the biblical period. However, by the first century the Yovel was not observed, so they blew the Great Shofar every Yom Kippur because they weren’t sure when the Yovel was anymore. Yeshua said at his coming they would blow the Shofar Ha Gadol. You will see the term “Great Trumpet” in Isa 27.13, but let’s look at some of the previous verses in Isa 26 leading up to Isa 27.13.
Isa 26 begins a “chiastic” structure to Isa 27.13. Much of the Bible is written in a chiastic structure, which looks like this “a,b,c,b,a” with “c” being the theme. The Book of Isaiah is a basic chiastic structure. The prophets don’t always have things in chronological order and the Book of Revelation is in a chiastic structure and not in chronological order. Remember, the middle of the structure is the theme. The Torah itself is chiastic, with Leviticus being the theme because it teaches the concept of “Kedusha.”
In Isa 26.1 we learn right away that it is the “day of the Lord” or when Messiah comes in the Atid Lavo. The we see the term “open the gates” which identifies this as a Rosh Ha Shannah, the first day of the “day of the Lord.” Isa 26.16-18 begins to tell us about the Birth Pains and then verses 19-21 speaks about the gathering together of the believers and the resurrection on Rosh Ha Shannah and how the Lord is about to come out of his place through the Birth Pains. Isa 27.13 speaks of the “Great Trumpet” which is Yom Kippur. These two chapters are talking about the Messianic Redemption. The “Great Trumpet” is at the end of the Birth Pains, Messiah returns and then the exiles are regathered. All of this is part of the Basar, or Gospel. Festival terminology is all through Isa 26 and 27. Knowing the festival terms will let you know “where you are at” even if the passages aren’t chronological.
If someone was reading a book on the United States 2000 years from now and it talked about how they “took a tree and decorated it, sat down on the Fourth of July, ate a turkey or looked for colored eggs” it would not mean anything. They did not understand the holiday idioms in the United States. They will come away with a different picture than what was intended. That is what happens to us when we read a 2000 year old passage in the Bible and don’t understand the Hebrew festival idioms.
So, Moses talked with God “mouth to mouth” or “face to face” (Num 12.6; Deut 34.10). This is an idiom for Yom Kippur. Moses is a type of Yeshua in the First Redemption. Yeshua says he is coming on a Yom Kippur. Micah 4.6 through 5.4 gives an overview from when the kingdom came at Yeshua’s birth to his coming on Yom Kippur. Micah 5.4 says that he will “arise and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.” This is done on Yom Kippur when the name of God is pronounced more than any other day of the year in the Temple (eight times).
The Birth Pains of the Messiah (Chevlai Shell Mashiach) are discussed in Micah 4.10 and Micah 5.3. The coming of the Messiah in both comings had “Birth Pains of the Messiah.” Isa 66.7-9 says:
“Before she (Israel) travailed (in 70 AD) she brought forth. Before her pain came (in 66-73 AD-the first Jewish revolt) she gave birth to a boy (Yeshua-Rev 12.5). Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things. Can a land be born in one day (1948)? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?”
“As soon as Zion travailed” is referring to the second Birth Pains at the end of the Olam Ha Zeh. Micah 5.3 says, “God will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has born a child. Then the remainder of his brethren will return to the sons of Israel.” This is when they come from all over the world.
Rev 14 is written in a chiastic structure about the Birth Pains (and the Book of Revelation) and verse 20 deals with at the end of the Birth Pains. Rev 14.1-5 deals with the 144,000 being saved right at the beginning of the Birth Pains or “as soon as Zion travailed.”
The verse continues, “she brought forth her sons” and this refers to Rev 14.4 because the 144,000 will be Jewish men who understand the Torah. God will save them in a moment, much like he did with Paul. Elisha “saw” Elijah leave and got a double anointing.
Isa 18.3 is quoted on Rosh Ha Shannah where it says, “As soon as the standard (Messiah) is raised on the mountains (the nations) you will see it, and as soon as the trumpet is blown, you will hear it.” This verse alludes to the resurrection (Saadiah Gaon, 1000 AD). The verse begins with “All you inhabitants of the world (the living) and dwellers in the earth (dead).” When Messiah comes, they will see it and hear the shofar, and this will include the 144,000.
The 144,000 preach in Israel for 1260 days, or the first three and a half years of the Birth Pains. Then the false messiah will come on Nisan 10. The 144,000 will then leave Israel and go out to the nations for the last three and a half years (Micah 5.7-9). This is what the talmidim did. They preached with Yeshua for three and a half years and then they were sent out to the world (Matt 28.19-20).
The 144,000 will be like Paul. Some Orthodox Rabbi’s think Paul was a halakic genius of the first century. They study how he treated and related to the non-Jews and the Torah. They think he was greater than Hillel and Gamaliel. They don’t say that because they are believers in Yeshua, but because they understand the Torah and halakah, and how Paul related to the non-Jews. The 144,000 will be like that. They will understand Torah, halakah and how it relates to the non-Jews, with a Jewish understanding. Isa 66.9 continues: “Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord (the answer is “no”). “Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God (again the answer is “no”).
Now, let’s go back to Micah 5.3 again. Israel is in labor with the Messiah. Then the remainder of his brethren, beginning with the 144,000, will return back to the Lord. Micah 5.4 says that Messiah returns on Yom Kippur to shepherd his flock “in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.” This alludes to a Yom Kippur ceremony when the “name” is pronounced out loud eight times, more than any other day of the year. This brings us to the reason why the Shema is said in an undertone everyday, except Yom Kippur. The hand is placed over the eyes and it is said very low. Why? Because the kingdom hasn’t come yet, but on Yom Kippur, it is not said in an undertone or with the hands over the eyes because the Messiah has come, and in a Yom Kippur Machzor (Prayer Book) this section is written out with bold letters.
In Part 13, we will pick up here and talk about the various names of God, but which one is used in the Temple and which of these names have a “kedusha” on them. This will give us insight into what name Yeshua will use to shepherd his flock (Micah 5.3) and how this relates to Yom Kippur.
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