Shofars in Christian Contexts

[DeanZF]

<QUOTE author="sknoerr,Aug 22 2007, 06:57 PM">

I would like some input as to shofars in a personal setting...

Well, what a good question. The general application of the shofar IS in the corporate setting, at least so far as what I can see in the Word. That being said, the corporate is obviously made up of the individuals and it is the reception and response of the individual that allows the shofar to be powerful in the corporate. Does that make any sense?
<QUOTE author="sknoerr">

I have always loved the sound of the shofar - it moves my spirit - it feels like "deep calling to deep" to me.  For some reason, when I hear it, it almost always lifts my spirits.

Does there need to be any other reason or justification for its use in a personal setting? I've heard of people who have used the shofar in various ministry settings, blowing it over people during times of deliverance, times of prophecy, times of release. Those would be intensely personal, although not specifically mentioned in the Word. The Lord commands the blowing of the shofar, we know that much. We also are given examples of when it was blown and the reasons for which it was blown, but those are only examples and not the whole catalog, IMO.


<QUOTE author="sknoerr">

There have been times that God has used me as a human shofar - and the only reason for that that I can come up with in my mind is that there were no people available with literal shofars to blow for the Lord.

I'd guess that you are correct. I talked a little about the t'ruah or alarm sound being very similar to one of the war cries of both Native Americans and Middle East tribes--that high pitched yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi sort of sound. Human shofar, for sure!


<QUOTE author="sknoerr">

I have wanted to learn to blow one for a long time.  I do not necessarily want to blow it in a corporate setting - just more for in my home - more for me - though that may sound selfish.

No one judging here. For me, I'm more interested in obedience. If you've a desire to blow it, even in a private setting, is that selfish? Not necessarily. God works in mysterious ways. If He can heal you, cure you, free you, guide you, instruct you, or in any other way positively affect your life, who could condemn that?


<QUOTE author="sknoerr">

Usually when I want to blow it is when I am feeling oppressed or heavily weighted down - I feel like blowing the shofar helps to break down walls -like the walls of Jericho - sets captives free - like how I may feel under certain circumstances - and that it can do warfare in the heavenlies in ways that perhaps nothing else can.  Though I cannot necessarily point to Scripture to back up what I sense.

Oppression would certainly feel like warfare to me, and that is a primary use for the shofar, as an instrument of war. Not just the ralleying of troops for the purpose of warfare, but just as with Jericho, something powerful happened when the "long blast" was sounded. Did the blast cause the walls to fall? Oh, heck no! But something happened in the hearts of the people both inside and outside those walls. God did something for the Hebrew nation that still resonates through history. Can we explain that either? Nope. Not our job!



Remember that Scripture itself notes that the various things shared are not a complete record, but only samples of God's power, given as examples of the sorts of things that we should expect when we obey His directives. And if you're feeling an urgency to learn how to blow, learn the few basics that we still have from a semi-historic standpoint and put them to use. Most of the language of the shofar is long lost. There are only the four "words" that have survived. Each of those has some grounding in Scripture. It's almost like Paul's admonition to the Corinthians about praying in the spirit and with the understanding. There are four words given. If those are the only words and we only have a limited understanding, we use those four words, right? Kind of like a child only knowing mama, dada, up, and NO! To those the kid adds the occasional crying spate, foot stomping, sweet smile, etc.



We have a friend in common who, when she got her shofar, could only make one sound. It was long, low, kind of blatty sounding, but somehow when she blew that tubby, less than perfect, almost a nonsense syllable instead "one of the four words", it was almost as though she were "playing in the spirit" instead of the understanding, and there was great power there.



Short version? If you've got a tug on your heart, play away. You also have the advantage of having heard it played well, so you should be able to emulate that quickly enough. Clear sound is your aim from a technical point, but obedience to that tug on your heart is the real deal. If your discernment is telling you why, you can add the "words" that you know to express that, playing with some level of understanding.



Does that help any?