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Feast of Trumpets
September 19, 2020

Even though today is the weekly Sabbath, it is also an annual Sabbath, a Holy Day. Observing the Biblical Holy Days and the weekly Sabbath on Saturday is what sets believers like us apart from most others, and I have never believed there is a need to apologize for my faith or attack the faith of others. Many who do not observe the Holy Days or the Weekly Sabbath believe these were done away through the death of Jesus. Those of us who observe would not come to the same conclusion as these others. The purpose of today’s sermon is not to defend why we observe the weekly Sabbath and annual Holy Days, but to review the meaning of the day. If you are interested in understanding more about why we observe the weekly Sabbath and annual Holy Days, you can reach out to me via email on the link on the bttom of this page.

The Feast of Trumpets was first commanded in Leviticus and was for a memorial of blowing of trumpets. Trumpets were used to sound an alarm or to call the children of Israel to battle and we will see that the Feast of Trumpets is prophetic of the end of time.

Leviticus 23:23-25
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Seven trumpets were described by John in the Book of Revelation and within this book of symbolism these trumpets are so devastating on an unrepentant planet earth that the seven trumpets are preceded by a period of silence identified as about a half hour, a very long time. Typically, we can expect to experience a moment of silence or at most a minute of silence, but these seven trumpets come with about a half hour of silence. A very somber time for planet earth and the plan of salvation for God, while it is a time for us to memorialize our future victory over death, it is not a time for us to be looking forward to the destruction of the evil we see on earth with a sense of blood lust against people, but rather to look forward to the destruction of the evil we see on earth so that the Kingdom of God may be established, recognizing that our enemy is not the people of the earth, but Satan the devil and his demons. The seven angels prepared to sound, and fire, perhaps caused by a thunderstorm, destroyed a third of the trees and all of the grass. When the second angel sounded a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea killing a third of the sea life and destroying a third of the ships. We don’t know what this great mountain is. It could be a flaming asteroid slamming into the ocean. It could also be an exploding volcano. Because most ships travel in three oceans, the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian, it could be that this trumpet focuses on one of these oceans. This second trumpet could also be something else. When the third trumpet sounds it is described as a great star falling from heaven burning like a lamp. This could be a flaming asteroid that falls on waters and because the minerals on this asteroid are toxic to people, people who drink the polluted water die. Stars falling from heaven can also be symbolic of fallen angels. We simply don’t know exactly how these prophecies are intended to play out. What we do know from these verses is when we see a third of people dying from polluted waters it may indicate we are in the time of the third trumpet. When the fourth trumpet sounds the sun is darkened by day and the moon by night as well as the stars, again by the fraction one-third. We are not told physically what will cause this to happen. We don’t know if it would be an eclipse covering just a third of the sun and moon. Because a third of the stars will be blackened, this could indicate some other type of event. It is only after the first trumpets sound that three woes to coincide with the final three trumpets are pronounced on mankind by the angels.

Revelation 8:1-13
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire 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. 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. 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 made bitter. 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. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

When the fifth trumpet is heard, most likely Satan, symbolically described as a star, falls from heaven with the key of the bottomless pit. In his vision, John saw what he described as smoke arising from this pit that darkened the sun and the air. John also described locusts coming out of the earth that had the torment of a scorpion, that would only attack people who do not have God’s protection. These locusts made the thunderous noise of horses running into battle. John further described these locusts as prepared for battle having the faces of men, and that this event goes on for five months. Did John see a mutant locust. Did he see something like an armed combat drone or helicopter? Or did he see something else? We don’t know. Moving forward if we come to a time where we see a battle that aligns with this description, it would definitely be a good time to pray for God’s guidance and protection in our lives and the lives of our family.

When the sixth trumpet sounds, it signals what is described as a world war involving two hundred million soldiers. Right now world armies total sixty-five million, so the warfare described in the next few verses significantly escalates the number of soldiers. We can’t tell from the verses if the two hundred million person army is the army of one nation or all nations combined, the size of the army indicates a possible world war. This war kills one-third of the people of the earth.

Revelation 9:1-21
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 striketh 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. 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 was 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. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. 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. 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. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

At least three and one-half years or more later, the seventh trumpet sounds. Between the time of the sixth and seventh trumpet as the Book of Revelation is written, the two witnesses are described as causing torment and grief to people on earth. If there is a world war that kills one-third of humanity, that event could give rise to the beast and the false prophet, whose message is favored by the remaining unrepentant people of earth. When the seventh trumpet does sound, it signals the end of man’s and Satan’s rule on earth and the establishment of the Kingdom of God with Jesus Christ ruling eternally.

Revelation 11:15-19
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. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

When people think of the horrific events described in the seven trumpets, sometimes people focus on the events in an effort to escape these future events rather than focusing on what we need to be doing now to be in the Kingdom of God. By focusing on the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, our needs will be met. Shortly before His death, Jesus gave three areas of focus for his followers, spiritual development, deliberately and purposefully planning for spiritual growth, and caring for the needs of others.

Jesus describes what is needed to be part of the Kingdom of God and first uses a parable of the ten virgins, with five foolish, or unprepared, virgins, and five prepared, or wise virgins. The oil in the lamp is symbolic of the Holy Spirt within us. We must guard, protect, and seek to spiritually grow through the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit that is within us, when times are good, when times are bad, lest we find our light going dim at the time of the end.

We must deliberately and purposefully plan for our spiritual growth to be part of the Kingdom of God. At baptism, God will give us a small portion of the Holy Spirit. What we do with the Holy Spirit that is given to us is up to us. If we do not grow the Holy Spirit we are like the servant who buried his talent and hid it. Instead we must spiritually grow and develop.

When Jesus returns we are told people will be separated into two groups before they are given eternal life, those who help other people and those who only provide help to look good before God and Jesus. We are told in order to be part of the Kingdom of God, we must help other people understanding in so doing it is like we are willing to help Jesus.

Matthew 25:1-46
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Those who are saved are those who listen to Jesus and are learning to fulfill the law by perfectly obeying God and perfectly showing love toward fellow man. The Feast of Trumpets is a memorial of the blowing of the trumpets even though the trumpets we memorialize look forward to the return of Jesus Christ. We know the road will not be easy and Satan will present many obstacles to tempt us to leave the straight and narrow path to the Kingdom of God. In all of this we cannot turn to the left or the right, we must remain focused on the Kingdom of God seeking the righteousness of God, knowing God will protect us according to His will in our life, and as we spiritually grow, and as we learn to fulfill the law by perfectly obeying God and showing love toward fellow man, we know in confidence that Jesus will return to earth and that we will be gathered together from around this world as God’s elect to help establish the Kingdom of God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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