THE TRUMPETS DO TELL!!
As I once more read over Matthew 24 on this Feast of Trumpet
day in 2009, I am reminded of my days as a youngster. I was 9,
10, 11, 12, and had read this chapter over and over during those
4 years. It was pretty simple, as reading with the mind of a child.
The disciples had asked Jesus what would be the sign of His
coming again. Jesus went on to give the signs leading up to it, verse
29. There was going to be "great tribulation" (verse 21), and
after that period the heavens would be shaken, the sun not give
her light, the stars falling. Jesus had not yet returned, so
these signs in the heavens had not yet come. It was simple to
understand. For when this would take place Jesus' sign would
appear in heaven, the nations wail, and they would SEE Jesus
returning in the clouds of the heaven, with great power and
glory. It was simple - this had not yet taken place for Jesus had
not yet returned.
And when He would return He would send forth His angels to
gather all the elect from the four corners of the earth (verse
31) AND THIS WOULD BE with the SOUND of the TRUMPET!!
There it was, there it still is. So simple to understand.
The elect are not in heaven, they are on the earth, a trumpet
sounds, and the angels gather them from one end of heaven to the
other end.
It is the RESURRECTION of the saints. The saints are still
on the earth. They are gathered by the angels at the time when
Jesus returns.
Now, as a child reading 1 Corinthians 15, it all fit like
hand and glove. Paul is talking about the Christian's
resurrection, from near the beginning to the end of the chapter.
He tells us that physical flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom
of God - a CHANGE is needed, for corruption does not inherit in-
corruption (verse 50). We shall not all be sleeping in death, but
we shall all be changed, in the twinkling of the eye, and NOTICE, a
TRUMPET SOUNDS. Paul calls it the last trump. It is the time when
mortals put on immortality, when death is fully conquered and
IMMORTALITY is our victory.
Can anyone doubt Paul is speaking about the same event that
Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24. To the child's mind, there
could be no mistake. One ingredient is added by Paul, this event
is the LAST trumpet, which means there are more to come before
the last one, but the last one was the change from mortal flesh
to immortal, from bearing the image of the earthly to the image
of the heavenly. The two passages were clearly connected.
Nothing here about the saints being in heaven, being already
immortal. They are made immortal AT the coming of Christ, at the
last trump. It should be just as simple as the mind of child would
read it. No need to force any fancy ideas into it, like some secret
rapture where the saints are invisibly snatched of to heaven. No!
The saints made immortal are brought to Jesus by the angels who
go to the four corners of the earth to find those who are counted
worthy to be changed and to meet Christ. Nothing here about the
saints coming from heaven.
Then I found 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. I soon discovered that
it was another passage that added even more weight to the
passages already given.
Paul is talking about those who are asleep (Jesus said
Lazarus was sleeping - but goes on to show He was meaning Lazarus
was dead, and Jesus would resurrect him - John 11:11,12,23,24 -
here also there is talk about a resurrection "in the last days"),
and God will bring them with Him (verses 13-14). He brings them
with Him FOR ... THE CONNECTING WORD, THE EXPLANATION of how God
will bring them with Him. FOR, those who are alive at the coming
of the Lord shall not precede those who are dead (verse 15). It
is the COMING of the Lord, the time is that of the Second coming
of Christ. "FOR ..." another connecting word of explanation how
the Lord will bring the saints. "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. 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 (verses 16,17).
Oh, as a child it was so simple for me to understand. All
THREE passages were commentary on the SAME EVENT! It was THE
COMING OF THE LORD; it was with a TRUMP; it was a RESURRECTION
and/or INSTANT CHANGE for those alive; it was MEETING THE LORD;
it was the sound of a TRUMPET; it was with ANGELS (Mat.24); it
was a GATHERING of the SAINTS to be with Christ; it was the LAST
Trumpet.
There could be no confusion in my mind. To a child of 10 or
11, the three Scriptures ADDED UP to make the SAME one and ONLY
SAME ONE EVENT - the glorious, powerful, NOISY, TRUMPET
EVENT, when all nations would SEE the SIGNS of the COMING of the
Lord, and they would tremble, they would MOURN, they would see
Christ coming IN THE CLOUDS with power and GREAT GLORY, AND THE
ANGELS WOULD GATHER THE ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS (wind is on
this physical earth) - Matthew 24:30-31.
As a kid I was interested in reading the mysterious book of
REVELATION. I could not understand all the symbols, this beast
and that beast. Sure there were many things as a child I could
not understand about the book of Revelation, but I did see and
find passages that were EASY to understand. Chapter 19 and 20 were
pretty easy, it says what it means and means what it says, as do
chapters 21 and 22.
In chapter 19 the marriage of the LAMB to the white clothed
SAINTS had arrived. It was time for God to REIGN (verses 6-8). It
was the King of kings and Lord of lords COMING from heaven where
He now lives, COMING WITH armies FROM HEAVEN; with the word of
His mouth He would SMITE the nations, yes indeed they would
mourn. He was coming to reign. The two greatest evil men of earth
would be cast into the lake of fire, the remaining ones of those
who would try to fight Christ (see chap.17:12-14) would be slain
with the sword (all of the last part of chapter 19). Then Jesus
with the saints who would be in the FIRST RESURRECTION, would
reign with Christ for 1,000 years (chapter 20).
It was all so SIMPLE to understand as a child of 10, 11 and
12 years old. You just had to BELIEVE it!
BUT I DISCOVERED ANOTHER GREAT TRUTH in the book of
Revelation. THERE WERE TRUMPETS BLOWN! Oh, I did not fully
understand the way, the things to take place when each trumpet
was blown. I could understand the simpler things. I knew there
was 7 angels that would sound 7 TRUMPETS (chap.8:6). I SAW THE
7TH TRUMPET SOUNDING in chapter 11:15-19.
Oh it was simple to understand! Can you understand it? Do
you have the mind of a child? Will you just read it and BELIEVE
it? Look at those verses. When the 7th angel trumpet sounds, the
kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and His
Christ, and He shall REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER. He comes with POWER
to reign. The nations were angry, they mourn in anger, as God's
WRATH comes on them. LOOK friends! It is the time of the DEAD,
to REWARD the servants and the prophets and the saints, and those
who fear God, and the time to destroy those who destroy the
earth. Oh there is MIGHTY NOISE and POWERFUL SIGNS in the heavens
as God opens the Temple in heaven.
NO MORE TRUMPETS SOUNDS ARE RECORDED IN REVELATION!! THERE
IS NO NEED, FOR THE 7TH AND LAST TRUMPET BRINGS CHRIST BACK TO
THIS EARTH; BRINGS IN THE RESURRECTION/INSTANT CHANGE AND REWARDS
TO THE DEAD AND LIVING SAINTS; BRINGS THE POWERFUL SIGNS IN THE
HEAVENS; BRINGS THE VISIBLE RETURN OF CHRIST TO FIGHT THE ANGRY,
MOURNING NATIONS; BRINGS THE TIME OF THE DESTRUCTION OF TWO OF
THE MOST EVIL MEN WHO HAVE EVER LIVED; BRINGS THE TIME OF
DESTRUCTION UPON THE NATIONS WHO ARE DESTROYING THE EARTH; BRINGS
IN THE 1,000 YEAR AGE; BRINGS THE SAINTS AND CHRIST TOGETHER TO
REIGN AND RULE.
NO SILLY FUNDAMENTAL FOLLY TEACHING HERE OF A LAST 7 YEAR
TRIBULATION WITH A SECRET RAPTURE. THE BOOK OF REVELATION ONLY
SPEAKS OF 42 MONTHS, 1260 DAYS, A TIME, TIMES, AND HALF A TIME.
AS A CHILD I NEVER EVER THOUGHT OF A TWO-PHASED RETURN OF CHRIST,
ONE "SECRET" AND THE OTHER OPEN. I WAS INTRODUCED TO THAT
TEACHING WHEN I WAS AN ADULT, IN CANADA, AND I LAUGHED OUT LOUD,
THOUGHT IT WAS THE CRAZIEST IDEA I HAD EVER HEARD!
IF YOU HAVE THE MIND OF A CHILD, YOU WILL SEE THE SIMPLICITY
THAT IS IN CHRIST. VERSE WITH VERSE, AND IT ALL MAKES WONDERFUL
HARMONY AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.
PRAISE GOD, ONE DAY THE LAST TRUMPET WILL SOUNDS, THE SAINTS
WILL MEET THEIR LORD IN THE AIR, IN THE CLOUDS, AND WILL, WITH
HIM, COME TO JERUSALEM TO REIGN FOR A THOUSAND YEARS (Zechariah
14 - goes with the passages we have already noted).
....................
Keith Hunt (September Feast of Trumpets 2009)
