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The Feast of Trumpets depicts the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish the Kingdom of God.
The Feast of Trumpets introduces the autumn festivals-representing the culmination of the present age of man and the beginning of an incredible time during which God will play a much more direct part in world events. The previous festivals constitute personal responses to the workings of God in the people He calls and chooses. But the Day of Trumpets heralds the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis. This Holy Day represents a dramatic turning point in world history.
This particular festival also marks the beginning of the third and final feast season (Exodus 23:14; Deuteronomy 16:16), which includes the final four Holy Days of the year.
The return of Jesus Christ!
The Feast of Trumpets depicts nothing less than the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish the Kingdom of God! The book of Revelation reveals a sequence of earth-shaking events heralded by angels sounding a series of seven trumpet blasts. The seventh angel's sounding of the last trumpet signifies that "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ" (Revelation 11:15, NIV). The Bible foretells that at this time Jesus Christ will at last return to the earth. Of all the prophecies in the Bible, this one surely heralds the most exciting news possible for this weary, sin-filled world!
The Feast of Trumpets also marks the future fulfillment of the many Old Testament prophecies that speak of a Messiah coming as a king of the line of David who will sit on the throne of Israel and rule with power and authority over all nations. The concept of a conquering Messiah was on the minds of the apostles immediately after Jesus' resurrection. When He appeared to them in those early days, they asked Him, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6).
Even in His earthly ministry, Jesus had spoken of distinctions between His first and second comings. When Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, questioned Him just before the crucifixion, Jesus stated clearly that He had not come to rule at that time.
"My kingdom is not of this world," Jesus told the governor. "If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." So Pilate asked Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered in the affirmative: "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth" (John 18:36-37).
After Christ's resurrection, the apostles excitedly anticipated the fulfillment of Jesus' promises. They were aware of messianic prophecies such as Isaiah's that describe a time during which "the government will be upon His shoulder" and "of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:6-7).
In answer to the apostles' question as to whether He would soon establish the Kingdom, Jesus told them it was not for them to know the "times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" (Acts 1:7). Instead, Christ told them to focus on spreading the gospel-the good news-throughout the world. Later, in due time, the apostles realized that Christ's second coming was not necessarily imminent. Numerous scriptures describe the saints as eagerly looking forward to His return.
Why the symbolism of trumpets?
The excitement of this Holy Day, picturing these monumental events, is captured in the symbolism of this festival. Ancient Israel celebrated it with "a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts" (Leviticus 23:24, NIV).
Actually, the word "trumpet" does not appear in this verse. The phrase "trumpet blasts" translates a single Hebrew word, teruah, which means a loud, resounding noise-a great shout or blaring, or an awakening blast. This was the sound of a "trumpet," but not the metal, musical kind also used by the Israelites. The God's Word Translation renders this phrase as "a holy assembly announced by the blowing of ram's horns." In that day a hollow animal horn, known as a shofar, was used to communicate important messages.
Such horns, blaring an alarm like a modern air-raid or tornado siren, were used to warn of impending danger, such as imminent war. As the prophet Jeremiah lamented: "O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet [shofar], the alarm of war" (Jeremiah 4:19; compare Amos 3:6).
This ties in with the fact that the events of the Day of the Lord that will usher in Christ's return will be cataclysmic, announced, as already mentioned, with angels blowing trumpets (Revelation 8-9; compare Zephaniah 1:14-16).
With their ability to transmit sound over great distances, trumpets were in ancient times excellent instruments for attracting people's attention. God even used the sound of a shofar to herald His meeting with Israel when He descended on Mount Sinai to speak the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:16). Moreover, the shofar was used in coronation ceremonies (1 Kings 1:34,39), and we've already seen that Christ assumes rule over the earth at the last trumpet.In connection with this Feast Day, Psalm 81:3 exhorts, "Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon . . . on our solemn feast day."
Amplification of the meaning of trumpets
The writers of the New Testament revealed additional understanding of the significance of the blowing of trumpets. Notice Paul's description of the return of Jesus Christ: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Paul also spoke of the day when the firstfruits pictured by Pentecost will be resurrected to immortal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:52 he says this will happen "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Thus the awakening blast of this last trumpet will awaken the dead!
Although the Trumpets festival isn't mentioned by name in the New Testament, we have no valid reason for assuming that this Holy Day should not be observed today. On the contrary, the early Church used the Hebrew Scriptures as the foundation for doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16). Like the Ten Commandments (James 2:10-11), each of God's festivals is intimately and intricately related to the others. By keeping all of them, we can understand God's remarkable plan for humanity as it unfolds. We should not ignore some of His Holy Days while observing others.
Jesus' prophetic teaching
Near the end of Christ's earthly ministry, the apostles asked Him about the end of the present era. Notice Matthew 24:3: "Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'"
Earlier, Daniel had prophesied about the establishment of the Kingdom of God and how the saints, or God's people, would inherit that Kingdom (Daniel 2:44; 7:18). Like the disciples, however, Daniel did not understand when the Kingdom would come.
Jesus, in response to His disciples' questions, laid out for them a series of events that would lead up to His return. He mentioned to them religious deception, wars, famines, disease, earthquakes and other calamities (Matthew 24:4-13). He characterized the time of His return as an era of hatred and lawlessness. In this setting Jesus said, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (verse 14).
More details in the book of Revelation
Later Jesus Christ revealed many more details about this pivotal time. The book of Revelation is described as "the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-things which must shortly take place" (Revelation 1:1). Here Christ repeated through the apostle John the same events He had described to His disciples decades earlier. Now, however, Jesus used the symbolism of a series of seals He would open one by one (Revelation 6).
After this, at the beginning of God's anger against the disobedient nations, seven plagues will be poured out on a sinning world, with a trumpet blast announcing each, as we've seen (Revelation 8-9). Finally God will send two "witnesses," or "prophets," to proclaim His truth to a rebellious world (Revelation 11). Such prophetic witness is compared to a trumpet warning (Isaiah 58:1). Tragically, the godless society of the last days will reject these two servants of God and kill them (verses 7-10).
These dramatic events set the stage for the seventh angel's trumpet sounding and Jesus Christ's return to begin the rule of His government over the entire earth (Revelation 11:15).
Of this same scenario, Matthew 24 says that "immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (verses 29-31).
Unprecedented events at Christ's return
Incredibly, when Jesus Christ returns to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the nations of the earth will gather to fight against Him (Zechariah 14:1-4). Revelation 19:19 describes this impending battle: "And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him [Jesus Christ] who sat on the horse and against His army."
Why would anyone want to fight the Messiah? The armies will try to destroy Christ because Satan has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The devil's influence will inspire the nations to fight against Jesus when He returns.
Also at the time of Christ's return, His faithful followers will be resurrected to immortality. Revelation 20:5 describes this as the "first resurrection," which is also a "better resurrection" (Hebrews 11:35). This change to immortal life was the hope of early Christians and remains the fervent hope of those who understand God's plan.
In the book of Romans, Paul depicts this resurrection as a glorious deliverance from bondage: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God . . . because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God . . . And not only they, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:19,21,23).
We see that, even though tragic events lie ahead, the good news is that God will intervene to save humanity and guide mankind into His abundant way of life.
Jesus Christ will return to raise His followers from death and establish God's perfect rule over the earth. This is the wonderful, inspiring meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. Christ taught us to pray to the Father, "Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10, KJV). How urgently we need the answer to that prayer!
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Keywords: trumpets Jesus Christ, return of Messiah resurrection Revelation
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