Biblical History of the Shofar

shofar
The shofar, or ram's horn, has always held a prominent role in the history of God's people in the Bible, from a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of Issac and God's provision of a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22:13) to the sounding when God judges the earth (Revelation 8-9).

The Torah was given to Israel with the sound of the shofar (Exodus 19:19);  Israel conquered in the Battle of Jerico with the blast of the shofar (Joshua 6:20); it was blown to signal the assembly of the Israelites during war (Judges 3:27; Samuel 20:1);  the shofar was used during the coronation of kings (1 Kings  1:34, 39);  it was blown to announce the beginning of festivals (Numbers 10:10);  and it was blown to celebrate the new moon on Rosh Chodesh (Psalm 81:1-3).
In the future, Israel will be advised of the advent of the Messiah with the sound of the shofar (Zechariah 9:14,16);  the shofar will be blown at the time of the in-gathering of the exiles of Israel to their place (Isaiah 27:13);  it will be sounded at the gathering of the believers and the resurrection of the dead ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16);  and seven shofarim will be sounded when God judges the earth during the tribulation (Revelation 8-9). 
The shofar is a reminder that God is sovereign (Psalm 47:5);  the blowing of the shofar is a signal for the call to repentance (Isaiah 58:1).  When we hear the shofar, we should accept upon ourselves that which our fathers accepted when they said at Sinai, "We will do and we will hear,"  also translated as "We will do everything the LORD has said." (Exodus 19:8).
Zephaniah prophesied that near is the great day of the Lord, near and very soon is the day of shofar and shouting (1).  Isaiah prophesied, "And it shall come to pass on that day, that a great shofar shall be blown, and they shall come who were lost in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem," (27:13).
Apparent from God's Word, the shofar is an old instrument, has been used throughout history, and will be used on the great day of the Lord and beyond.
In the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, the shofar plays a very important part.  The entire group of the children of Israel need to be aware of the sound of the shofar, to recognize it when they hear it, not just to hear a noise but possibly the voice of God and the literal words.