Teshuvah & the 10 Days of Awe

an article by Joel Allen

We are in the season known as Teshuvah. This occurs every year in the Hebrew month Elul and usually falls in the summer month of August. Teshuvah is a period of time between Elul 1 and Yom Kippur that is a traditional observance calling God’s people into repentance and returning back to the Father’s heart. Typically this season is called a 40 day journey of repentance and reflection on your life for the past year as you head toward Yom Kippur, which is also known as Yom Hadin or the “day of judgment.” Most scholars agree that the Messiah Yeshua is coming again in the fall season of Holy Days according to the Biblical calendar. So the timing of God’s people returning to Him in prayer, worship, and repentance right before His return I believe is quite remarkable and timely. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of this very meaningful but traditional observance of the Jewish people?

teshuvah-cycleSo I wanted to share with you in this article some treasures that I have come to know about Teshuvah as I have been observing it for a while now and have been blessed, along with my family as a result. Also what I have found is that this season is not always exactly 40 days depending on the calendar but is mostly 39 days but is always referred to as 40 days according to the Rabbis. Sometimes we see this in scripture where a rounding of numbers takes place. For instance when Yeshua sent out the 70 disciples to preach the kingdom it was actually 72 according to many scholars, and some translations still translate it as 72 instead. Okay moving on…

You will notice in the chart I made above that Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) falls within the days of Teshuvah. In fact, it falls on the first day of Tishrei or the seventh Hebrew month. Traditionally, this day is called in Judaism, Rosh Hashanah, which means the head of the year and is one of four New Years celebrated in Judaism. However, according to Leviticus 23 this Feast day is known as Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets or the Feast of Blowing. From Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur is 10 days and marks the final 10 days of Teshuvah. These 10 days are traditionally referred to as the “10 Days of Awe.” These are the most intense days of fasting, praying, and repenting leading up to the climax of return, which is Yom Kippur. This was a time that traditionally though t that YHVH would draw His ear close for the prayers of the repentant.

[Isa 55:6 ESV] 6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

It was on Yom Kippur that the High Priest (Cohen HaGadol) would enter into the Holiest of Holies and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, as an atonement for the nation of Israel. This could only happen one time a year on Yom Kippur. Traditionally it has been taught that on Yom Teruah the Books of Remembrance before YHVH were opened and you were inscribed in the book if your deeds were righteous but you would not be inscribed if you did not repent of your wickedness. These 10 days of Awe were the time of Judgment with the books opened but once Yom Kippur closed at sunset the books were closed for another year. It was during Yom Kippur that men would traditionally tear their outer coats in an outward sign of repentance and mourning and place ashes on their heads. Some would beat their chests violently in a show of repentance and pain. It is the Prophet Joel that saw hypocrisy in what the religious men were doing as they were only doing the outward things to be seen of men while their hearts were still full of wickedness.

[Joe 2:12-13 ESV] 12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

How do we know this is talking about Teshuvah and Yom Kippur? We can see that YHVH is called His people back to Him with weeping and fasting. We can also look at the Hebrew word for “return” used twice in these verses. It is the Hebrew word “shuv” (שׁוּב shuwb) which is Strong’s number H7725 and is the three letter verbal root for Teshuvah.

With Teshuvah the theme is always drawing near to God so that He will draw near to you. It is the step we make first. He doesn’t draw near to us but we draw near to Him first and then He comes running just like the Prodigal Son’s Father when he saw his wayward son return, coming just over the hilltop. The Prodigal Son’s Father never went to the pig pen pleading with his son while he was in his rebellion and sin. However, the moment the son realized his sin he made Teshuvah and the Father ran to him. Listen to the words of James as he talks about this season:

[Jas 4:6-10 ESV] 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Here is where it gets really interesting… Do you know what constellation is in the sky during Teshuvah? No I am not advocating the horoscope or star readings but I do believe that the stars, including the constellations were named by YHVH and He placed them and named them to tell a story…

[Psa 147:4 ESV] 4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.

The constellation clearly seen in the sky during Teshuvah is called Virgo, the Virgin Maiden. Also known in Hebrew as Betullah. Why am I bringing this up you may ask? The Month Elul is named so because of a Hebrew acronym which spells out:

[Sng 6:3 ESV] 3 “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine…” Which in Hebrew is Ani, L’dodi, V’dodi, Li

E- alef- Ani

L- Lamed- L’dodi

U- Vav- V’dodi

L- Lamed- Li

Jeremiah 31:21 … Return, O virgin Israel, return to these your cities.”

We can clearly see that the stars point to a Virgin Maiden during a season that God is calling for His Bride to shuv or return to Him. What’s even more remarkable is that the constellation that precedes Virgo is Leo, or the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!!! It is as if He is pursuing His bride in the sky during this season. And if that wasn’t enough, the next constellation is Libra, or the Scales of Judgment. Remember that the Bride is making Teshuvah and it ends on Yom Kippur, the Day of Judgment! Wow. Isn’t our God amazing to leave us so many witnesses to His sovereign ways and plan? I hope this season you will join us and the Jewish people making Teshuvah. I pray it will never be a show but a time of true repentance as we prepare for the Return of the King!

Shalom-

Feast of Trumpets- Yom Teruah

Yom Teruah- Feast of Trumpets, Day of the Awakening Blast, Feast of the Watchmen

What do the Scriptures say about it?
Lev 23:23 And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh.

When is it?
Lev 23:24 … “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month…”
What are we commanded to do?


1. Keep it Holy as a regular Sabbath, doing no servile work or the things associated with the seventh day Sabbath.
2. Keep it at its time and season on the first day of the seventh month which is determined by the sighting of the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh).
3. 3. Have a holy convocation. This is a calling of the assembly or community of like-minded believers to assemble together and celebrate this memorial of blowing trumpets. If no one is able to convocate then call together your own family or travel to where another group of believers are assembling and keeping this day Holy.

4. Make a memorial of blowing trumpets- The Hebrew word for memorial is “zikrown” which means a reminder or remembrance. The act of blowing trumpets is to be a reminder or a calling to remembrance. What are we to remember? We are instructed to remember the different sounds of the trumpets and shofar so that we will know what to do when the commander of the heavenly host gives his marching instructions. There are two different instruments represented in the Feast of Trumpets: a) the silver trumpets Num.10 b) the shofar or ram’s horn. We can see the two instruments in Psalm 98:6 “With trumpets (silver trumpets) and sound of cornet (Shofar) make a joyful noise before Yahweh, the King.”

Spiritual/Prophetic Significance-

Yom Teruah is significant of many things:
1. The day of the return of our Messiah Yeshua as Messiah Ben David and the resurrection of those in Messiah who are sleeping in the ground and those that remain as the Bride of the Messiah.
2. The call to assemble the elect unto the Day of Redemption / Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement when the elect are judged according to their works and the Atoning blood of the Messiah is applied and the elect are sealed and immortality is put on, life everlasting.
3. The warning blast is sounded and the enemies of Yahweh are scattered in fear because the King (Melek) of Righteousness has come to punish the wicked nations that have forsaken Him, His Torah (Law/instructions) and persecuted His people.
1 Thess. 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Matt 24:30 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Rev. 6:14-16 “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:”
Num. 10:2 “Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. (3) And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (4) And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. (5) When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. (6) When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. (7) But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. (9) And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before Yahweh your Elohim, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. (10) Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months (Rosh Chodesh), ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your Elohim: I am Yahweh your Elohim.”
Matt. 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
Mar. 13:32 “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”
Luke 12:40 “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Now we can see the full prophetic picture as to what is going to happen by keeping the Feast of Trumpets in its proper time and season. Yom Teruah is on the Rosh Chodesh or head of the month, which happens to be the first day of the seventh month according to Leviticus 23:24.  Just like the Israelites in Numbers chapter 10 the dead in Messiah will rise first (the princes/those on the east side) ready to assemble at the door of the Tabernacle (the Messiah) and then those that remain (those on the south side) will assemble in like manner. Then those enemies of the people of Yahweh will hear the sound of the alarm and they will scatter in fear, praying that the rocks will fall on them as the Lamb of God rends the heavens in great judgment.
There will be those that are considered servants that will not be watching and ready for the Master’s return. Who are these servants?
Luke 12:45 “But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens (exact usury and unnecessary burdens on one another), and to eat and drink, and to be drunken (be full of the world and it’s systems);
Luke 12:46 “The lord of that servant (the Messiah) will come in a day when he looketh not for him (they will not be looking for the new moon), and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luke 12:47 “And that servant (those that reject Torah), which knew his lord’s will (were exposed to the truth), and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will (did not keep Torah), shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luke 12:48 “But he that knew not (sins of ignorance in Torah), and did commit things worthy of stripes (those that were not exposed to the truth), shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required (Matt. 5:19): and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
Let us be the servants whom (when the Messiah comes again) will be found watching and ready, faithful and obedient servants of the Master.
Luke 12:42 “And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?”
Luke 12:43 “Blessed is that servant (Torah obedient), whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”
Luke 12:44 “Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.”