By COGwriter
The Feast of Trumpets begins the evening of the first of day of the seventh month of the biblical calendar (a month that almost always begins in September on the Roman calendar--for Holy Day dates check out Holy Day Calendar).
The Feast of Trumpets is on September 23 in 2025, September 23 in 2026, and October 2 in 2027 (its observance begins the evening before the Roman calendar date and runs until sunset on the Roman calendar dates shown).
Does this Holy Day have any applications for Christians? Could it have anything to do with the return of Jesus?
Here is a link to a related sermon: Trumpets and Jesus' Return.
The Hebrew scriptures state:
2 The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts ...
24 In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation (Leviticus 23:2,24, NKJV throughout except as noted).
The seventh month in the biblical calendar begins in either September or October in the Roman calendars that most of the world now uses.
Here is something about the Day of Blowing of Trumpets from the Book of Numbers:
1 'And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. (Numbers 29:1)
The blowing of the trumpets term is teruw'ah (Strong's #8643). The Jewish Bible translates that word as shofar there and a Tanakh version says it is a horn.
The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:
Notice that the Israelites were to mark this particular day as a memorial of the meaning trumpets had for their nation, both physically and symbolically.
God instructed them to use silver trumpets to gather the Tribes for assemblies and to signal when it was time to move during their migration to the promised land. The Israelites were to blow the trumpets when they were preparing to attack or to defend against an attack. Moreover, trumpets were blown during God's festivals and at the beginning of each month. Each use of the trumpets gave added meaning to the festivals as the Israelites understood them (Num. 10:1-10).
Since the Israelites, awestruck and trembling, had already experienced God's tremendous use of a blaring trumpet when God gave them the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:19), they were familiar with the use of trumpets in correlation with momentaus events in their lives!
God continued to associate trumpet blasts with important events after that era as well -- and He does so for us today. (Kackos GM. The Feast of Trumpets and YOUR Future. Good News, August 1982)
There were two types of trumpets in the Old Testament. The silver one, known as a chatsotserah mentioned in Numbers 10:10 to be blown at the beginning of each month, and an animal horn one known as a shofar, which Psalm 81:3 says was to be blown on the new moon that marked a solemn feast day. Because of that, I tend to blow both in sermons I do related to the Feast of Trumpets.
Notice something else in the Old Testament about trumpets being blown:
2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ (Ezekiel 33:2-6)
Notice a group that was commissioned by God to blow trumpets:
8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your generations. (Numbers 10:8)
God's priests in the Old Testament were the sons of Aaron. Today, Jesus Christ is our spiritual High Priest (Hebrews 6:20 "where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek").
Notice that God has commanded His "watchmen" -- His ministers -- to warn people of their sins:
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. (Ezekiel 33:7-9)
Are they to lift up their voices like trumpets?
1 “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)
Is there a work doing this now? Yes! (See also, for example, Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word watch also Go, Set a Watchman.)
We in the Continuing Church of God are working to perform as that modern-day watchman today (watch also Go, Set a Watchman). We boldly tell of sins of society and how world events are aligning with properly understood prophecy--which we also explain (see the free online booklet Where is the True Christian Church Today? and/or the article The Laodicean Church Era).Was there to be a Work in these last days that would be preaching a special message to the world? What is that message?
14 And 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. (Matthew 24:14)
Is that happening today? Yes. (See also The Final Phase of the Work and Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word.)
his message is for the entire world, and concerns events before and including the return of Jesus Christ, who will soon return to rule this earth with God's government (see also the free online booklet: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God).
But what about trumpets in the New Testament?
The book of Revelation outlines God's future use of trumpets--but they do not get blown until after a certain seal in that book are opened.
The Book of Revelation tells us that there is a scroll that has seven seals:
1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?' (Revelation 5:1-2)
The first four seals involve the ride of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (see Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse). Those coincide with four of the aspects of the beginning of sorrows that Jesus prophesied (cf. Matthew 24:4-8).
Jesus said that after the sorrows began there would be persecution (Matthew 24:9), betrayal (Matthew 24:10) and major deception (Matthew 24:11). Then after the gospel was sufficiently proclaimed (Matthew 24:14), there would be the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel (Matthew 24:15), and then fleeing (Matthew 24:16-20). The persecution followed by fleeing is consistent with Revelation 12:13-16.
And then the Great Tribulation:
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)
The opening of the fifth seal is the start of the Great Tribulation:
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. (Revelation 6:9-11)
The Bible shows that the saints that are not protected during the great tribulation (cf. Revelation 12:14-16), will be persecuted for 3 1/2 years (Revelation 12:14,17):
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. (Revelation 13:4-7)
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)
This 42 months of persecution includes time associated with the fifth and sixth seal. Here is information on the sixth seal which begins after the approximately 2 1/2 year tribulation:
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17)
Notice that Jesus taught that after the tribulation, there would be signs in heaven:
29 "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. (Matthew 24:29)
That is consistent with those we see after the opening of the sixth seal.
What happens is that the opening of the sixth seal ushers in the time of the Day of the Lord. Here are some mentions of this in the Hebrew scriptures:
8 For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance,
The year of recompense for the cause of Zion. (Isaiah 34:8)12 For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up —
And it shall be brought low —
13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
And upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14 Upon all the high mountains,
And upon all the hills that are lifted up;
15 Upon every high tower,
And upon every fortified wall;
16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish,
And upon all the beautiful sloops.
17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low;
The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish.19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks,
And into the caves of the earth,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.20 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver
And his idols of gold,
Which they made, each for himself to worship,
To the moles and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks,
And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isaiah 2:12-21)
We see the term one year associated with the Day of the Lord.
One year, plus 2 1/2 = three years, 42 months, a time (the Day of the Lord), times and half a time (the great tribulation).
A group of 144,000 are also sealed after the the sixth seal is opened (Revelation 7:1-8).
The next seal is the last and seventh one, which is tied in with the trumpet blasts.
As far as the specific trumpets of Revelation go, here is information on the first trumpet (italics shown below are not in the Bible, but were added by commentators/editors of the NKJV):
8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:1-7)
In Revelation 8, we see that there is a gap of time between the opening of the seventh seal and the blowing of the first trumpet.
Notice that this sounding of the first trump says nothing about the return of Jesus or the gathering together of His saints by the angels.
Instead, it shows environmental damage.
Consider also the following from Jesus:
22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)
20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. (Mark 13:20)
Presuming that the first of the seven trumpets begins on the Feast of Trumpets, this would mean that the last one would seem to be less than a year later. For this reason, while we in the Continuing Church of God teach that Jesus returns at the last trumpet, we do not specifically teach that will be on the Feast of Trumpets.
Now, this calls for some speculation. IF humans were created on or near the Feast of Trumpets (which is the position that many Jews hold), we know that somehow the time will be shortened. Presuming the first trumpet is blown on the Feast of Trumpets and the seventh trumpet is blown prior to the following Feast of Trumpets, then the DAYS WILL HAVE BEEN SHORTENED--which Jesus said would be necessary for humanity to survive.
Anyway, this message about God's end-time use of trumpets begins with the opening, in heaven, of Revelation's seventh seal. Notice that seven angels are given seven trumpets to blow. The blowing of these trumpets represents God's intervention in world affairs just after the world has endured Satan's wrath and the heavenly signs. Seven angels will sound seven trumpets, representing seven consecutive colossal world events. These are to be physical punishments from God as warnings to the nations not to go further into national and personal sins.
Here are prophecies on the second through sixth trumpets (italics shown below are not in the Bible, but were added by commentators/editors of the NKJV):
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. 13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"
Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
9:1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed — by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm. (Revelation 8:8-13, 9:1-19)
So, a lot of trumpets are blown in the Book of Revelation, and a lot were to be blown on the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24)--hopefully many can see the connection.
Notice what happens when the first four trumpets are blown:
These terrible plagues are released on the earth by a righteous God, who, essentially will be forced to shake carnal, rebellious humanity to its senses!
We come now to the final three trumpet plagues or "woes" (Revelation 8:13).
When the fifth trumpet is blown, the bottomless pit is opened (Revelation 9:1-11). What emerges is a demonic power that will be in league with the beast (cf. Revelation 16:13). And with the sixth trumpet, angels that are to kill a third of humankind are released.
And yet, as unbelievable as it may seem, despite the trumpet plagues, humankind still will not repent:
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)
The third "woe" -- God's final trumpet plague -- is yet to occur.
While people may wonder why most of the world will not repent, the reality is that most Christians will not properly repent to be saved from the coming hour of trial (see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).
Notice also that scripture says nothing about Jesus returning with any of the first six trumpet blasts.
Now see what Jesus said will happen after those sixth seal events of Matthew 24:29:
30 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. 31 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. (Matthew 24:30-31)
Notice that Jesus said He will come with the sound of a great trumpet and that the elect Christians will be gathered in the heavens with Him.
Notice that Jesus returns AFTER the tribulation (Matthew 24:29)--the fifth seal, and after the signs in heaven--the sixth seal, and He returns with the sound of a trumpet, none of which are blasted until after the opening of the seventh seal.
Notice also that is the same time that the elect Christians are gathered together to be with Him.
Jesus clearly does not return after the tribulation is over.
Yet there are those who teach a pre-tribulation "rapture." Certain Protestants believe that the return of Jesus is imminent, and can happen at any time (see Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected?).
They teach that Jesus will come once when no one will see Him except the Christians, and a He will then come second time to reign on the earth--they teach two second comings.
Did Jesus state that He would come again?
Yes.
Notice what Jesus said:
1"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know." (John 14:1-4)
28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. (John 14:28)
So, Jesus clearly taught that He was going to come again.
There is a second coming:
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Yet, pre-tribulation “rapture” proponents essentially teach that the verses that refer to Christ returning cannot be referring to the same return, hence they believe that theirs is the only biblically defensible position.
One of the more prominent pre-tribulation rapturists now is David Jeremiah. Here are some comments from his website:
The Rapture is perhaps the most important piece of prophecy for us to understand ... https://davidjeremiah.blog/what-is-the-rapture/ accessed 05/30/23
There are some who argue the Tribulation period will begin before the Rapture. However, the Bible says that "there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1), which suggests the Church will not experience God's judgment during the Tribulation.
Seven years after the Rapture, Jesus will return to earth in the event known as the Second Coming. (David Jeremiah. What is the Difference Between the Rapture and the Second Coming? https://www.davidjeremiah.org/age-of-signs/what-is-the-difference-between-the-rapture-and-the-second-coming)
But Dr. Jeremiah truncated Romans 8:1, which states:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
Some Christians do have problems walking too much in the flesh.
And as far as being subject to condemnation, if you read the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3 you find that 5 of the 7 churches received some type of condemnation. Thus, David Jeremiah's proof text here is in error--and at the start of the Great Tribulation MOST REAL CHRISTIANS WILL BE LAODICEAN AND SUBJECT TO VARIOUS PERSECUTIONS AND CORRECTION according to Jesus per Revelation 3:14-21.
At his website, David Jeremiah also has the following:
What Does the Bible Really Say About the Rapture?
The Rapture of the Church is the next event on God's prophetic timeline. ...
Eager Waiting
As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Hebrews 9:27–28
Yes, Jesus is to come a second time for salvation--that is when the saints are resurrected.
That David Jeremiah's article also immediately has the following:
Dead Men Walking
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. . . . The dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, 16
Now, let's look at those scriptures from the Apostle Paul in their entirety and context:
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 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. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
The knowledge of the return of Jesus should be a comfort to us.
As far as when that will occur, notice again what Jesus taught:
29 "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. 30 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. 31 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. (Matthew 24:29-31)
Notice that Jesus MUST BE REFERRING TO THE SAME EVENT AS THE APOSTLE PAUL TAUGHT. AND NOTICE THAT JESUS CLEARLY TAUGHT THAT THIS WAS AFTER THE TRIBULATION AND HEAVENLY SIGNS.
Getting back to that David Jeremiah article, it then immediately has the following:
The Mysterious Transformation
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—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.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (Jeremiah D. What Does the Bible Really Say About the Rapture? https://www.davidjeremiah.org/age-of-signs/what-does-the-bible-really-say-about-the-rapture?devdate=2020-06-14&srsltid=AfmBOoqfaUwkVRHhnF-nH0YQL952lmaWdk0pK4HFkUNuc-UkO3lOMYVk accessed 09/08/25)
The Apostle Paul's writing in 1 Corinthians 15:51 clearly show that Jesus comes with the sound of a trump, AT THE LAST TRUMP. According to the Bible, the last trump does not occur in the Bible until Revelation 11:15. Hence, there is no way that Christians are raptured from the earth prior to the start of the tribulation. Jesus, of course, also made it clear He returns after the tribulation in Matthew 24:29-31.
Dr. Jeremiah is trying to make it sound like Bible prophecy teaches his rapture doctrine, but it does not. Instead, his teaching, and those of many others on their pre-tribulation rapture, bring the following passages to mind:
6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the Lord!' But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, 'The Lord says,' but I have not spoken." (Ezekiel 13:6-7)
Pre-tribulation rapture teachers are pushing a false and non-biblical hope. Sadly, many millions have believed them. Ezekiel continues with what God says He will do about those prophesy falsehoods:
8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord God. 9 "My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, ..." (Ezekiel 13:8-9)
The pre-tribulation rapture teaching is a falsehood pushing a false hope. A false hope without basis in the Bible, despite some trying to twist words to say the opposite.
More proof on that is in our free article: Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected?
Now, the most important, in a sense, trumpet could be considered to be the last, the seventh one. Here is what Revelation 11 teaches (again, italics not in the Bible, but added by commentators/editors) starting with the second woe:
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. (Revelation 11:7-14)
Notice that a third woe is coming. Revelation 11 continues with:
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth." 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:15-19)
The coming Kingdom of God is some of what Jesus wants His servants to proclaim now and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
While this is good news for Christians, many in the world will not think so. That is part of why this the seventh trumpet is the third woe!
Notice that lightnings are mentioned. This brought to mind something else that Jesus said:
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:27)
Anyway, Jesus returns after the blowing of the seventh and last trumpet.
Jesus Christ will return in power and resplendent glory to seize control of this world (Revelation 19:11-21) and the saints will be resurrected to eternal life to rule with Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Revelation 5:10).
These are those whose name is written in the Book of Life. The Apostle Paul wrote:
3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3).
According to current Jewish tradition:
After Rosh Hashanah services, as the congregants leave the synagogue they say to each other ... "May you be inscribed in the Book of Life"" (The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah. High Holy Days on the Net. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/rosh.htm accessed 9/21/16).
So, on the Feast of Trumpets, Jews tie this in with the Book of Life, which presumably they also tie in with a coming resurrection of God's people.
And that is associated with the final trumpet in the New Testament when Christians rise as the firstfruits, the firstborn of this age.
Notice also:
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23).
John recorded:
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels (Revelation 3:5).
Thus, it is the saints are the ones who are written in the Book of Life. And these saints are those that are resurrected at the last trumpet.
One COG leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, taught:
"AND THE Lord spake . . . saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial [not a shadow] of blowing of trumpets, an HOLY CONVOCATION. Ye shall do no servile work therein . . ." (Leviticus 23:23-25).
Here is pictured to us that next blessed event in God's redemptive plan, when Christ shall COME again, in clouds with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (I Thessalonians 4:14-17). It shall be "at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall [all] be changed" (I Corinthians 15:52).
Unless Christ returns to resurrect the dead, we would never gain eternal life if there is no resurrection "then also those which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (I Corinthians 15:18).
Christ directly intervenes in world affairs at the seventh or the last trump (Revelation 11:15-19). A trumpet is a symbol of war. He comes in a time of worldwide war when the nation are angry! As soon as the work of gathering in the firstfruits (pictured by Pentecost) is completed at the end of this present age, then Christ will begin to set up again the tabernacle of David (Acts 15:16) to set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people (Isaiah 11:11) to search out and to find His lost sheep that the ministers of the churches have failed to search out and save during this period (Ezekiel 34:1-14).
Notice exactly when this takes place! "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they [Israel] shall come which were ready to perish ... and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem" (Isaiah 27:13).
When will Israel be regathered? At the sound of the trump at the Second Coming of Christ. Because the churches have forgotten the Festival of Trumpets, many think that the return of a part of the Jews to the Holy Land and the setting up of a nation called Israel now is the fulfillment of this prophecy!
Christ's direct intervention in world affairs will be the next event in the plan of redemption. (Armstrong HW. Pagan Holidays- or God's Holy Days-Which?).
The Feast of Trumpets certainly points to the blowing of trumpets and the Bible shows a variety of prophetic events will accompany the blasts of various trumpets.
But the last trumpet, also called the great trumpet in Isaiah 27:13, is also a major warning. Now that particular trumpet is a shofar according to the Hebrew.
It should be be noted that the great trumpet of Isaiah 27:13 corresponds to the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:31 (Greek σάλπιγγος μεγάλης)--both the Old and New Testaments are pointing to the same trumpet blast.
Here are three translations of Matthew 24:31:
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (NJB)
31 He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to another. (EOB)
31 And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET BLAST, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (NASB)
The great trumpet blast the Jesus referred to comes after the tribulation according to Him.
Despite the resurrection of God's people, it will take the seven last plagues, which are part of the result of the seventh trumpet, to complete the job of bringing humankind under the control of God.
These final plagues are described in Revelation 16:
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:
"You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due."
7 And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
Let it be mentioned that most of the trumpet plagues had an ante-type (were proceeded by something similar historically) with the plagues of Egypt (see Reasons, Proofs, and Ramifications of the Ten Plagues of Exodus). Despite the plagues of Egypt, relatively few Egyptians actually repented.
First, painful sores will appear on those still subservient to the beast (Revelation 16:2). The second and third plagues turn the seas, rivers and springs of water into blood (verses 3-7).
The fourth plague turns the normally life-giving sun into a life-destroying power as the sun heats the earth to incredible temperatures. This fourth plague will still not bring mankind to repentance (verses 8-9). The fifth plague plunges the beast's realm into darkness (verses 10-11.)
With these nightmarish plagues completed, humankind will be united to fight Christ at His return. Satan the devil, working through the beast (the end-time military leader) and the false prophet (religious leader) will gather the "kings of the east" to join the armies that remain from the devastated beast power. The gathering location will be Armageddon (verses 12-16), the site of ancient Megiddo, in the valley of Jezreel about 20 miles south of the modern port of Haifa.
The sixth angel sounds and an army from east of the Euphrates River — an army of 200 million men! — emerges, wielding more frightening weapons.
But the combined efforts of these Satan-inspired powers will be to no avail. The seventh and last plague will seal their fate. The mightiest earthquake in history will occur. Dormant volcanoes will erupt. Hailstones weighing 100 pounds (the modern equivalent of a "talent") will fall from the skies:.
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. (Revelation 16:17-21)
Christ's climactic battle with these armies will occur at Jerusalem:
1 Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then the Lord will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:1-4).
Notice something in Isaiah that seems to be related:
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters the army for battle. 5 They come from a far country, From the end of heaven — The Lord and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land.
6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man's heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Isaiah 13:4-10)
The world's armies that will dare to fight against the returning Jesus will be defeated. God's government will be established. Those of us who qualify to be born into the Family of God will start the process of reconstructing the world — the right way, this time — through the remaining human beings.
Will those who turn to God be protected from these trumpet plagues?
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ... 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:7,10)
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:2-3)
Is it for the sake of these "elect" that Christ will intervene in world affairs to cut short the time of great age-end trouble and rescue mankind from nuclear annihilation?
22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)
The "elect" of God include the firstfruits of His great master plan. They are the ones God has called out of this world to be among the firstfruits harvest of the divine Family He is creating.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)
The LAST TRUMPET, the seventh one, is WHEN Jesus returns.
Seven trumpets are shown in the Book of Revelation, Jesus returns with the seventh and last one, and hence we see that the New Testament prophesies fulfilment of the Feast of Trumpets.
Jesus walked on the Earth two thousand years ago. He was eventually killed, resurrected, and ascended into heaven.
Jesus will come again.
Let's check out something that was recorded in the Book of Acts:
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. (Acts 1:1-13 NKJV, throughout unless otherwise indicated)
So we see that Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives and scirpture states He will return to the same place.
The Hebrew scriptures also record that He will return to the Mount of Olives:
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)
The Apostle Paul taught:
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
When is that?
At the LAST TRUMPET (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
It is after the LAST TRUMPET, the seventh one, is blown that Jesus returns.
The Feast of Trumpets point us to that, not the pre-tribulation rapture position, which is a false hope and not scriptural.
The Apostle Peter taught that Jesus would return but that many would dismiss that promise:
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:1-18)
The Bible is clear that Jesus will return.
While it was commonly believed that the old Worldwide Church of God under the leadership of the late Herbert W. Armstrong taught that Jesus would return on the Feast of Trumpets, that is not what he personally taught. Here is what he wrote in his booklet Pagan Holidays--or God's Holy Days--Which?:
Christ shall COME again, in clouds, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (I Thes. 4:14-17). It shall be "at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall [all] be changed" (I Cor. 15:52). Unless Christ returns to resurrect the dead, we would never gain eternal life--if there is no resurrection "then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished" (I Cor. 15:18).
Christ directly intervenes in world affairs at the seventh or the last trump (Rev. 11:15-19). A trumpet is a symbol of war. He comes in a time of worldwide war--when the nations are angry! As soon as the work of gathering in the firstfruits (pictured by Pentecost) is completed at the end of this present age, then Christ will begin to set up again the tabernacle of David (Acts 15:16) — to set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people (Isa. 11:11) — to search out and to find His lost sheep that the ministers of the churches have failed to search out and save during this period (Ezek. 34:1-14). ...
And perhaps the glorious Second Coming shall occur, in whatever year it may be, on this very day of the Feast of Trumpets- -who knows? While we cannot say for certain, yet cannot we see this possibility? The crucifixion was upon the Passover day -- the very day! The Holy Spirit came, beginning the selecting of the firstfruits of salvation, on the very day of Pentecost. Had not those 120 disciples been observing this annual Sabbath — had they not been assembled there in holy convocation — could they have received that blessing of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit? Repeatedly Jesus warned us to watch, regarding His Second Coming! Could it be possible that, unless we are observing the Feast of Trumpets, as the first-century Church of God was observing Pentecost, that we shall not be ready, or caught up to meet Him? We do not--we cannot, of course say; but we do ask the question. Is it not possible? Let us humbly and willingly yield to walk obediently in all the light. (Armstrong HW. Pagan Holidays--or God's Holy Days--Which? 1976, pp. 33-34)
Although Jesus will come with the last trumpet, Herbert W. Armstrong, was not certain that trumpet would be on the actual Feast of Trumpets. This uncertainty was based upon statements Jesus said about His own return. Now, let me add that I do believe that the first of the seven trumpets to be blown will take place on the Feast of Trumpets--the exact day. But to conclude that the last one also must be, is not certain from scripture.
While certain events of the Holy Days happen on the Holy Days, not all do. For example, while Jesus was the Passover lamb (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8) slain on Passover, Jesus was not again killed on the Day of Atonement, which is something that a ceremony in Leviticus 16:8-9 points to. Thus, it is not unexpected that all seven trumpets would not be blown on the Day of Trumpets.
Did Jesus know that day and hour of His return before He was resurrected?
No.
Nor did His disciples:
32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" (Mark 13:32-37)
Jesus taught that His followers should watch (and He was referring to prophetically related world events, cf. Mark 13:29) as they DID NOT know the day and hour Jesus was returning.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ... 11 therefore comfort each other and edify one another, (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 11)
Notice that Paul said that Christians should not be in darkness. He said that Christians should watch, then they would know, and the truth about the return of Jesus should be comforting.
One of the symbolic ways that we watch is to keep the Feast of Trumpets. Another is to pay attention to world events in the light of biblical prophecies, while supporting the end time watchman and proclamation work.
The Apostle Paul also wrote:
16 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. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
The fact of Jesus' return and our being with Him should be comforting.
Notice something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
One time when Christians will need comforting is during the tribulation. And one of the comforts will be to know that Jesus will return and get us.
Now consider that the Bible tells us that after seven seals are opened, seven trumpets will be sounded.
We know that Jesus does not come until after the seventh and last one, the great trumpet, is sounded.
Jesus will then return.
Despite the plagues that are coming, we should comfort one another with the words of God about His return as we keep the Feast of Trumpets and look forward to the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
Here is a link to a related sermon: Trumpets and Jesus' Return.
Thiel B. Trumpets and the Return of Jesus. http://www.cogwriter.com/trumpet-return-of-jesus-christ.htm COGwriter (c) 2025 0914
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