WHEN THE TRUMPET BLOWS

by CHARLES ROBEY
(MOODY AL USA)

PROLOGUE

I remember it as if it were yesterday. There were road trips and childhood family vacations. Life was good growing up in those days. My childhood was packed full of happy memories.

Dad would have the tank filled, tires checked, and everything loaded (and I do mean everything crammed on top of that old VW bug) before dawn. And away we would go, in the middle of summer, to Grandma's house, us kids being held hostage in the back seat of that sweat box. The final “all aboard” signal was the blast of the car horn and we kids always knew to be on board and ready for the trip.

If these simple memories bring a smile to your face whenever they're heard or they are told, it means you were fortunate to have such good times. It also means you're kind of old! That was then.

This is now. The characteristics of our modern environment tend to rub off on us, in spite of ourselves. Obviously our lives, through the passing decades, are not what they were when we were younger. And I would be the first to admit that America has surely changed down though these decades, as well.

It’s kind of like the old movie The Wizard of Oz. Do you remember the famous quote, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”? Are we now in that strange Oz of America? Simply put, what has happened to America, our land of the free, home of the brave? Oftentimes, as I tune into the day's news media, as I read the newspaper, as I talk to my neighbors, and even I listen in church, In today’s liberal, socialistic culture, evil is now considered good, and good evil. (Isaiah 5:20)

So I simply pinch myself and move on from the past, through the now, and into the future, into that Biblical time frame that we label as prophecy.

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (II Peter 1:20-21)

“We know the Bible came from God, through the men who wrote it. God superintended these human authors so that using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error God’s Word to man. Without error only applies to the original manuscripts, however, though the manuscripts we possess today have been transmitted with high accuracy. Here we have dual authorship of God’s prophetic Word, the Holy Spirit guiding and guarding the men involved in the actual writings.” (Taken in part from Dr. Charles Ryrie)

So, let us move on, through the now, and into the future. I just love prophecy. I trust you do as well. With that in mind, I entitled this blog, “WHEN THE TRUMPET BLOWS.”

The evening table is set and ready. All family are present and accounted for. With everyone holding hands, the father gives the blessing. As usual, the day’s activities are a part of the meal discussion. The kids, mom and dad, all chime in on the conversation. At its conclusion, after the kids have gained permission to leave the table, mom and dad finish the clean-up, including washing and drying the dishes. That was then.

Fast forward to the Twenty-First century. Mom is working two jobs, just to make ends meet. The kids are out roaming the neighborhood, causing destructive havoc. Dad is nowhere to be found.

Where are you? Why have you not been paying attention? How had you not been looking around and talking it up? Have you been doing your part to help to better this old world's affairs? Oh, I see, you just don’t want to get involved. You’re afraid you might get canceled.

Well then, have you read your newspaper, tuned in the television news, listened to talk radio, surfed the Internet, talked to your next-door neighbor, or even listened in the modern church service lately?

If so, what’s happening to We the People? Where are we hiding out these days? Under that proverbial rock, I assume. I compared all the above news outlets with my study Bible, and I rest my case. We are surely in that time span of history which the Scriptures refer to as the last days, the latter times.

We find ourselves in a time of government evil (Proverbs 2:8), of false teachers inspired by demons, and an explosion of hypocrisy and lies. (I Timothy 4:1-2) It's a time of apostasy, mass corruption, and the breakdown of law and order. (II Timothy 3:1-9, 13) People are no longer content to hear sound teaching, and turn to many different teachers of evil and untruths. (II Timothy 4:3-4) . It's a time when people mock the end time prophecy. (II Peter 3:3-4)

The more, as a dedicated, patriotic Christian, I get involved in today’s world, the more I feel like shouting. (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20) In other words, with respect to today’s chaos, my reaction is, ”Do come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

“You see, a chaotic, out-of-control world doesn’t mean we serve a disruptive, hostile, rowdy God. A world with ruthless rulers doesn’t mean God has lost His rule. The growing screech of chaos can’t hush the inviting whisper of Jesus. Our living Creator, God, still appoints both good and evil, to enact His eternal will. (Daniel 2:19-23)

According to Charles R, Swindoll. “Few things, if any, have more power to set your mind straight and put your heart at ease than the sweet assurance of God’s persistent, decisive control over all things. Yes . . . all things.”

Oh, I know in today’s world, our society has placed mankind into a number of acronyms which are associated individually with features of impersonality. These abbreviations by their very nature and intent go against the very essences of the principles of God.

So, what about the future, what lies ahead in the future? I realize, of course, that there are many past, present, and future known prophecy predictions that have happened, are happening and will happen.

Respecting the time frame of prophecy, let us examine the possibility of the very next event on God’s prophetic calendar is the Rapture, the sudden catching away of all God’s followers, both living and dead, to meet the Lord in the air, and to forever be with Him. (Matthew 24:30-31) (I Corinthians 15:51-53) (I Thessalonians 4:13-18) (Daniel 12:1-3)

There are no known pending prophecies that need to be fulfilled for this Rapture to happen. It will occur suddenly, when we least expect it, without warning, leaving mass chaos like never before on the face of the earth.

It will be when the blast of the last trumpet blows. (I Corinthians 15:51-52) ( I Thessalonians 4: 16-17) This blowing of this trumpet is very clear, and it will come to pass just as the Scripture says that it will. When will this last trumpet blow?

Oh, I know we are not supposed to set dates of our Lord’s coming again, for only the Father Himself knows when Jesus will again appear. (Matthew 24:36) (Mark 13:32) (Acts 1:7) But we are summoned to watch the biblical signs of the end of the age.

Even the Lord's faithful Apostles, being humanly minded, had the same concerns as we now have. (Matthew 24:3) Jesus answered two of the three questions these disciples asked. He did not answer, “When will the things be?” He answered "What will be the signs of Your coming?” (Matthew 24: 29-31 And He speaks of the signs of the end of the age. (Matthew 24: 4-28)

This Rapture will then usher in the final prophetic activity of the world, with many and varied events. There will be a seven-year tribulation period, the thousand-year reign of Christ on this earth, the last battle, and finally the New Heaven and New Earth, with its capital city of Jerusalem forevermore. Amen!

EPILOGUE

Will a future Jewish Feast of trumpets, with the blowing of the last trumpet, be the ushering in of the Rapture, and all the corresponding final events of prophecy? I have my personal opinion, but again, only the Father knows. So, it behooves us to be ready, and to have our lanterns trimmed and ready. (Matthew 25:1-13) ,

A bit of history on the Jewish Feast of trumpets.

With respect to the Jewish culture, this trumpet is not like our modern-day trumpet. It is labeled a shofar. A shofar is a trumpet made from a kosher animal horn with the marrow removed.

According to Scripture, the Feast of Trumpets is the first of three Biblical Old Testament feasts held in the fall each year. The Feast of Trumpets marks the beginning of the civil calendar year for the Jewish people.

The Feast of Trumpets was first established as one of Israel’s God-appointed feasts or festivals in (Leviticus 23:23-25) and (Numbers 29:1-6). The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.”

On The Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish people were to hold a day of solemn rest, the sounding of the trumpet, sacred assembly and bringing sacrifices and offerings unto the LORD.

This Feast of Trumpets heralds 10 days of solemn consideration of sins, prior to the Day of Atonement. This is a time to repent and turn to the LORD in humility and reverence. In addition, the Feast of Trumpets marks the first day of the new civil year. Therefore, it is also a time to remember God’s blessings of the past and look forward to God’s blessings in the coming year.

The phrase Last Trumpet is a Jewish term that actually represents a specific time during the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets actually has 100 Trumpets, but the very last one is specifically identified as the Last Trump.