The Trumpet Blast!

The Rapture Theory - Part 6 of 7

So what's with all the trumpet-talk? Doesn't the Bible say that the last trumpet will sound, and we'll all fly away? Indeed it does, but I question our man-made interpretation of these things. If we adhere to common "rapture theology", then our ears are most likely poised toward heaven, eagerly awaiting the sound of a trumpet preceding our flight into the sky: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ 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" (1 Thess 4:16-17; also see 1 Cor 15:51-52). But what about the other trumpets? To have a "last trump", as 1st Corinthians 15:52 signifies, means there must be "trumps" to precede it (Rev 8:2; 13; 9:13-14). Yet most "rapture" proponents teach and believe that at the sound of any trumpet, Christians across the globe will rise and meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds, and be taken to heaven with Him forever, completely bypassing any and all events to occur on the earth. Let it be reiterated once more, I do not at all deny what the Bible says about the coming of the Lord.. Rather, I simply question man's traditional interpretations of these eschatological events. Perhaps we should allow the Bible to interpret itself (1 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 2:15; Prov 15:28)?

First of all, we know that there will be a trumpet blast. The apostle Paul knew this fact, and taught the early church the spiritual truths behind these trumpets. I fear that today we hear very little of Paul's whole intentions. What was a spiritual truth to the early church has been degraded into a mere natural occurrence for carnal men (1 Cor 2:12).

What does a trumpet do?

In Scripture, trumpets serve many purposes. We must take ALL of these purposes into account considering that Paul (the one who wrote about the coming of the Lord and it's relation to trumpets) preached about nothing except what was found in the Law and Prophets. Therefore, Paul's use of this "trumpet theme" was taken from his expertise in the area, and the sum total of what a trumpet came to represent Scripturally.

In Scripture, a trumpet blast:
- Calls the assembly together (Num 10:2-3, 7; Isa 1:13; Joel 1:14; etc)..
- Announces the camp's journeyings (Num 10:2)..
- Announces preparation for war, and the coming "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:1; Num 10:9)
- Announces the feast days (Num 10:10; Ps 81:3).

So what do these all mean in relation to the coming of the Lord and the common rapture theory? Let's find out!

The Calling of the Assembly.... In Scripture, a trumpet (or ram's horn) was commonly used to gather the people together for a set purpose: "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..." (Num 10:2). In the New Testament, Paul and others used this illustration to set forth the gathering and assembling of the saints of God unto Him. The primary rapture argument lies in the time period this gathering is to occur. Is it to be early or late? Pre, mid, or post-tribulation? Men have argued these things for centuries! However, if we look to see the further role of trumpets as used in Scripture, this said timing will not be quite so ambiguous, in my opinion. This is because trumpets serve more than this one assembling role. Therefore, at the sound of the trumpet, the saints of God are not solely to fly off into the sky and assemble, as so many suppose. Rather, they are to perform other duties as well.

The Camp's Journeying... In the Old Testament, a trumpet would sound when it was time for God's people to move on into a new territory, following the cloud and pillar of fire: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them... for the journeying of the camps" (Num 10:1-2). Woe to that Israelite who failed to take heed to this signal! Soon, he would find his water dried up, and palm trees withered (1 Cor 10:4).

Preparation for War and the Day of the Lord... Joel chapter 2 tells us, "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion... for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand" (2:1). Numbers also tells us that trumpets were used to sound an alarm for war (10:9). But we do not hear of such things in our modern churches. I wonder why? To Christians in our day, the only purpose a trumpet seems to serve is that which will signal our flight and escape into the sky! How strange! What about the trumpet call to war? What ever happened to that? Friends, the day of the Lord is not a time for God's people to fly off into the sky. Rather, as we have seen, it is a time when His glory is needed most; it is a time for the sons of God to be presented to the earth! Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, for the day of the Lord is nigh! But instead, we hear of prophets telling us everything is just fine, and God's people are not prepared: "O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD" (Ezek 13:4-5). What was a natural call to war for Old Testament Israel will be of a spiritual nature for New Covenant saints, for our weapons are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). Friends, all hell trembles when it hears of this great army, mighty through God! "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (Song 6:10)!

Announcing the Feasts of Israel... A final use of trumpets in Scripture was to announce the feasts of Israel (Num 10:10). As we have seen in previous articles, Israel had three major feasts during the year (and other minor feasts). These were Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

Passover, the first major feast, was to be a new beginning for Israel. It was when the lamb was slain, the blood was sprinkled on the door-post, and the people took their flight out of Egypt. This is a type of justification, "...Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Cor 5:7). The second major feast, Pentecost, occurred in the third month (of the sacred calender), 50 days after Passover, the time of harvest. This typified when the Lord poured His Spirit upon those waiting in the Upper Room, thus signifying the formation of the church, His body, and their enablement into spiritual gifts and ministries. Of course we know that these two types have been fulfilled: Passover at Calvary, and Pentecost at the Upper Room. But what about the third and final major feast, the Feast of Tabernacles? Has it been fulfilled? No, it has not. Should we just ignore it then? No. Is it to be fulfilled after death, in Heaven? Again, no... not any more than the first two major feasts are. All of these joyous feasts are to be fulfilled right here on earth, in human vessels!

Joel chapter 2 prophetically describes the effect of this final feast, of which Pentecost was but a foretaste! "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call" (Joel 2:1, 21-32). Wow! What glorious promises! All of these things are to happen "in the first month" (vs. 23). The first month on the civil calendar is the seventh month on the sacred (religious) calendar. Friends, the seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles, the feast of ingathering! The Day of the Lord will usher it in! Who would want to escape such a great day?!

And thus we see Paul's full explanation of trumpets, as related to the entirety of Scripture. So many believers will limit God's trumpet to that which signals their rapture away to heaven; And while this is partially true, and applicable in measure, there are many other purposes for a trumpet's blast, as we have just seen. These other significances of trumpets in Scripture must likewise be taken into eschatological consideration, and given equal honor, for God would not ignore it when breathing upon the writing of His Word, and neither would the apostle Paul, who was an expert at the contents of Scripture. Reader, please don't be ignorant of this truth! Don't let men tell you what they think the Bible says.. Rather, search for yourself. God calls this noble (Acts 17:11)!

To Be Continued...