When the Trumpet Sounds: Part 7

When the Trumpet Sounds: Part 7
Thursday, September 28, 2017 by Dr. Paul D. Norcross

When The Trumpet Sounds

Both 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 reference the sound of a trumpet at the gathering together. Up until now we have focused on the fact of the rapture. Let’s now look at the event which announces the rapture – the call of the trumpet sound.

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52)

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

The Trump of God is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. A careful study reveals five major purposes for the trumpet call in the Bible:

to announce God's presence and/or memorialize God
to call His people to assemble together to meet
to call God’s people to battle
to coronate a king
to warn people of danger

Let’s look at some of the Scriptures which specifically characterize these purposes:

Trumpets Were Blown To Announce The Presence Of God & For A Memorial Remembrance Of God

“And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. (Exodus 19:18-19)

“God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.” (Psalm 47:5-6)

“Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.” (Numbers 10:10)

“And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark. So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy. And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.” (1 Chronicles 15:23-26)

“Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 81:3-4)

The Trump Was Blown To Call The People To Assemble

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.” (Numbers 10:1-8)

“Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.” (Jeremiah 4:5)

To be continued . . .

Part 8 will look at the next three purposes for the trumpet call in the Bible.

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