The Feast of Trumpets

The Feast of Trumpets is unique. It is, in fact, a celebration of the end of the world.

"Joshua fit the battle of Jericho. And the walls came tumbling down." So say the lyrics of a song about Jericho. The Bible tells a slightly different story. By the power of God the main wall of Jericho fell flat after 7 priests went around Jericho 7 times for 7 days, blowing 7 ram’s horns (shouting on the seventh day) (Joshua chapter 6). For the citizens of Jericho it was the end of their lives. The only survivors were Rahab, the harlot, her father, mother, and brothers. Everyone else in the city was killed. Even the animals were killed. It was the end of their world.

The end of the world pictured by the Feast of Trumpets is a modern day parallel to the battle of Jericho. It is important to note that it is the Feast of Trumpets (plural), not Feast of Trumpet (singular). Most will emphasize the seventh trumpet and certainly the seventh trumpet is the most important. However the Feast of Trumpets is about all seven trumpets - in other words, the end of the world. Just as God used Joshua to bring Jericho to an end, Yoshua (Jesus) will bring an end to the world. He will not return to this planet as a babe in a manger or a dead man on a cross. He will be the conquering King, taking back this planet by force (Revelation 19:11-16).

The Feast of Trumpets is a holy convocation (a calling together and a reading) (Leviticus 23:24). It is a time for Christians to get together and learn about the end of the world. It is also a time to have a feast. It occurs in the first day of the seventh Hebrew month. It is always on a new moon.

"You shall do no servile work therein: but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD" (Leviticus 23:25). It is an annual Sabbath. Heavy work should be avoided. In ancient times a physical offering was made to the Father approaching the fire. What is the offering we make in today's world?

"...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). How can we serve and be a living sacrifice? We can do so by refusing to be conformed to the world and thereby being transformed by the renewing of our minds (verse 2). We are a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), being purified in the fire like gold and silver by the Father, an offering of righteousness (Malachi 3:2-3). The trying of our faith works patience (James 1:3).

In learning about the end of the world we find a sequence of events described in Revelation symbolized by 7 trumpets (starting at Revelation 8:6). The first trumpet plague is hail and fire mingled with blood, destroying a third of the earth.

"And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up" (Revelation 8:6-7).

The second trumpet plague is one third of life in the ocean dying, one third of the ships being destroyed.

"And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures, which were in the sea, and had life, died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed" (Revelation 8:8-9). The third trumpet plague is one third of the water on this planet becoming bitter.

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood and many men died of the waters, because they were bitter" (Revelation 8:10-11).

The fourth trumpet plague is one third of the light from the sun, stars and moon is removed.

"And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise" (Revelation 8:12). The fifth trumpet plague is the first woe.

The fifth trumpet plague is the release of the locusts from the bottomless pit. These locusts have the ability to sting people with a scorpion-like sting that lasts 5 months. People who have the seal of God do not get stung. "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth. And to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth, and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months. And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man. And in those days shall men seek death and shall not find it, and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men" (Revelation 9:1-7).

John was describing these war machines in the best way he knew how. These were modern instruments of war, the likes of which he had never seen before. "And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings were as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months" (Revelation 9:8-10).

The sixth trumpet plague is the second woe.

The sixth trumpet plague is one third of the world’s population being killed by fire and smoke and brimstone.

"And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God, saying to the sixth angel, which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels, which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand and I heard the number of them" (Revelation 9:13-16).

Only the leaders of the east (Revelation 16:12) could put together an army of 200,000,000 soldiers.

"And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt" (Revelation 9:17-19). The seventh trumpet will be the last trumpet. When the seventh angel shall begin to sound the mystery of God will be finished as he has declared to his servants, the prophets (Revelation 10:7).

A part of the mystery is to realize why these plagues have to be visited upon this planet. Why wouldn’t Christ simply come back and say, "I’m in charge now. We will begin the Kingdom now."

The reason it has to be so agonizing is: the people, for the most part, are not repenting of their evil (Revelation 9:20-21). Therefore a purging has to take place in which the planet is cleansed of the evil it has been guilty of. What evil has the planet been guilty of? It has been guilty of: corruption in governments, banking, media, commerce, court system and every fabric of our society, killing of the unborn for convenience, promoting homosexuality, adultery, thievery, murder, and idolatry. Politicians literally get by with murder. Punishment is due. Another part of the mystery of God is why the nations are so stupid as to try to fight Christ. Three frog-like demons go to the leaders (kings) of the world and cause them to think they can successfully do battle against Christ (Revelation 16:13-14). The political leader, the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies will go to fight against Christ (Revelation 19:19-20). All the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem but Christ will be victorious (Zechariah 14:1-4).

Another part of the mystery of God is that we shall not all sleep (die) but we shall be changed at the seventh trump (the last trump) (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). The dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). So, for the people of God, the seventh trumpet will be the ultimate victory. Those who died as faithful Christians will be resurrected into bodies that do not die. They who are on the headquarters team of Christ will be "…called, chosen, and faithful…" (Revelation 17:14).

The Feast of Trumpets is a time to realize the meaning of the end of the world and why it has to be this way.

"And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).

All human leaders (including the final ten kings) of the end time will be put down and replaced by the kingdom set up by God.

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44).

-- wilyelder

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