The judgement day is drawing nighThere is great significance to the sound of a trumpet. When an elephant, the greatest land animal on earth, lifts his trunk and shrieks, it is said that he is trumpeting. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl on earth, and their call sounds like a trumpet. In theater and television, the approach of royalty is heralded by a trumpet fanfare. But the greatest allusion to a trumpet comes in the book of the Revelation, where John describes the voice of God:
Where shall I be
When God the work of men shall try
Where shall I be.
When east and west the fire will roll
Where shall I be
How will it be with my poor soul
Where shall I be.
Chorus
Oh, where shall I be
When the first trumpet sounds
Oh, where will I be
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
Oh, where shall I be when it sounds.
When wicked men his wrath shall see
Where shall I be
And to the rocks and mountains flee
Where shall I be.
When hills and mountains wear away
Where shall I be
And all the work of men decay
Where shall I be.
Oh, where shall I be
When the first trumpet sounds
Oh, where shall I be
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
Oh, where shall I be when it sounds.
When the savior reigns from shore to shore
Where shall I be
When God's angry Presence roars
Where shall I be.
Well, I'll be sleeping in my grave
When the first trumpet sounds
I'll be sleeping in my grave
When it sounds so loud
When it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead
I'll be sleeping in my grave when it sounds.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."First, let's look at the phrase "door standing open in heaven." Matthew 3:16 says, "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him." So when heaven is open, we can see God. Ezekiel 1:1 says, "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." So when heaven is open, we can see visions. John chapter one tells about Jesus calling the disciple Nathaniel; he had declared that Nathaniel was an Israelite in whom there was no guile. Nathaniel wondered aloud how Jesus could discern this from just watching him. But in John 1:51, Jesus replies, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." So when heaven is opened, we can see visions of angels, with Jesus acting as the Way, or the access to God. Acts chapter seven describes the stoning of Stephen, and Acts 7:56 says, "Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." So when heaven is opened, we can see Jesus at God's right hand, welcoming home His saints. Acts chapter ten describes Peter's vision telling him to go preach to the Gentiles. Acts 10:11 says, "He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners." So when heaven is open, we can see visions of our shared responsibility with Jesus to grant access to God to all men. And Revelation 19:11 says, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war." So in the last days, heaven will stay open, and Jesus, who is called Faithful and True (his eternal nature) will act as a warrior on a white horse, rescuing his elect, and making war against sinners.
Now, let's look at my favorite part. John said he heard a voice from heaven speaking to him like a trumpet. This simile is repeated in Revelation 1:10: "On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet." Let's follow this melodious thread.
- Exodus 20:18 (when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments) says, "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountains in smoke, they trembled with fear." Why did they tremble? Maybe because they heard a trumpet so loud it shook the earth. Maybe it was because they heard the trumpet, but no one in the camp was sounding the trumpets. Or maybe it was because they heard the trumpet voice saying, "I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me..."
- Exodus 19:16-19 gives a prelude to God giving the Ten Commandments. "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
- Deuteronomy 4:36 reminds the people of that great and terrible day at Mount Sinai: "From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire." Did his words sound like a trumpet to them?
- Isaiah 58:1 says, "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins." When the prophet spoke the words of God, he was encouraged to raise his voice like a trumpet so all could hear.
- Jeremiah 6:17 says, "I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen'." The watchmen stood on the wall to warn the citizens of danger. The sound of the trumpet could be the impending approach of an army. If the watchmen were derelict in their duty, the city could be overtaken and could fall to the enemy. In the same way, God sets watchmen (prophets, preachers, pastor/teachers) to stand on the wall and warn of spiritual danger. But if those men will not listen to the voice of God (that sounds like a trumpet to their ears), then the nation will fall to sin and will be destroyed.
- Ezekiel 33:3 and 4 speak of a watchman who does his job, but who is ignored: "And he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head." The faithful watchman speaks for God, but if his message falls on deaf ears, it is not God's fault, nor the fault of the watchman. Like the story of a pious man whose house was in a flood. "God will save me from this flood," he thought as the rains came down and the floodwaters rose ever higher. A man drifts by on a raft and invites him to join him. "No," says the pious man. "God will save me from this flood." Soon, the Coast Guard sends a speedboat to rescue him. "No," says the pious man. "God will save me from this flood." Finally a helicopter buzzes over his house. "Grab the rope ladder!" The pious man shakes his head. "No, God will save me from this flood." Eventually the pious man drowns in the flood water. He is taken up to heaven and stands before God. "Why didn't you save me from the flood?" he asks. God answers him, "I tried three times, but you wouldn't take my help."
- Hebrews 12:18-24 describes our hope in God: "You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.' The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear.' But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." Wow! What a contrast. We can either come to God as a frightened sinner, seeing the fire and smoke and darkness and gloom, and listen to the voice of God sounding like a loud trumpet that hurts our ears, so much that we beg it to stop as we tremble with fear before our Creator; or we can approach God with confidence, joining the angels in their praises to the Father, joining other righteous believers who have been made perfect in His presence, joining Jesus who has granted us access to God with his blood that cries out (but in a good way, not like the blood of Abel that cried out to God in an accusing way, causing God to curse Cain and put a mark on his head showing he was cursed--no! the blood of Jesus calls to God, marking us as cleansed and forgiven, free from the bondage of sin.) Amen!
Now let's look at the final phrase: Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this. Revelation 11:12 says, "Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, 'Come up here.' And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on." When we are obedient to God, he will bring us to a higher plain, as our enemies watch and wonder. Revelation 1:19 says, "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." I want to pursue this last part in future blog postings; I want to know and understand what will take place later. Revelation 22:6 says "The angel said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits and of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place." Pick me!!
Where shall I be when the trumpet sounds,
When it sounds so loud till it wakes up the dead,
Tell me where I shall be when the trumpet sounds.
Sinner, please don't let this harvest pass.
Oh, in that judgement day the sinner will run.
Where shall I be when the trumpet sounds,
In that great judgement day!
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