A command — A Memorial – a Prophecy
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 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. 25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Thus Israel was given the fourth of the annual holy day assemblies commanded by God in Leviticus 23:23-25.
Blow trumpets and make a sacrifice by fire. No explanation as to what it was for, what it meant, or why they should observe it. It puts one in mind of that old army adage, when the Sergeant says jump, you ask how high on the way up. First, you obey, the whys and wherefores can come later.
A Memorial Event
Upon Israel’s arrival at Sinai, God gave them three days to prepare themselves because they were soon to witness and participate in the most awesome and fearful display of power ever imagined. They were to purify themselves for worship, even to the washing of their clothes; 11 “And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai” (Ex. 19:11).
In the fullness of time, we learn that God was preparing them to become a nation, a chosen people to be an example to the world. God lays the groundwork by a magnificent and terrifying display of His power. 16 “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 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. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. 20 And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up” (Ex. 19:16-20); then follows the bilateral contract between Israel and God that we know as the old covenant.
But trumpets didn’t end there for we are told that God’s holy days are a shadow of things to come (Col.2:16-17 KJV). God’s Old Testament holy day shadows are actually a prophecy and a guide for future events. However, one should be very discerning as to their choice of bibles for verification of this fact. Many of the new easy read versions (such as the NIV) are written with a mindset that all of God’s commandments and holy days ended at the cross, which is blatantly false.
For those who are seeking the truth, we find many references to the Day of Trumpets in the New Testament. Let’s start with Mathew 24:29-31 where we are told that, 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Speaking of the same time period let’s go to that wonderful resurrection chapter in 1 Corinthians 15. 51 “Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1Cor. 15:51-54). Paul is plainly not deceived by Satan’s first lie he told Eve, “ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4) in direct opposition to God’s warning that “…thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Paul knew that man does not have an immortal soul, but that God’s saints receive immortality at the resurrection.
Let’s not forget that well known and often misunderstood chapter in 1Thessalonians four. 13 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep. 16 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: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1Thess. 4:13-18).
Moving forward to Revelation chapter eleven, the two witnesses have just been resurrected and called up to heaven. Beginning in verse 13 we read. “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 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. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 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. 18 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. 19 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 ( Rev 11:13-19).
We also find references to the Day of Trumpets in the Old Testaments as well. Psalms 47:5 tells us, 5“God has ascended with a shout, The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet” (NASU).
In Isaiah 27:12 stated, 12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will beat off (his fruit) from the flood of the River unto the brook of Egypt; and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel (NAS).
The book of Revelation tells us of seven trumpets which signal great calamities that will happen on earth in the last days. The seventh and last trumpet will signal the return of Christ and the resurrection of His elect.
Luke speaks of those days, 20 “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereunto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-22).
Skipping to verse 25, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21: 25-29). Much more could be written but space is limited.
First obedience, then the manifestation and reality of our memorial, finally understanding of future events as they begin to unfold.
The Feast of Trumpets is the day that foreshadows the return of Christ and the resurrection of His people 16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16).
COME LORD JESUS
Amen.
East Africa Church of God 
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