Are You Prepared for the Feast of Trumpets?

The title today, Are You Prepared for the Feast of Trumpets? The lyrics of the old song goes, Enjoy yourself as later than you think. The events that will unfold on the day that trumpets is fulfilled, that time in which Jesus Christ comes at the sound of the seventh trumpet and the dead in Christ will be raised and those who are alive will be caught up in the air to meet him in the air and so shall they ever be with the Lord, as it says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. So it's time to prepare ourselves. It's later than we might think, whether Christ comes in our lifetime or whether he comes much later than that, we need to be ready. Are you ready for the fulfillment of this day? Or will it come upon you as a thief in the night? Let's note the warning in Revelation 16 and verse 15. This seems almost out of context in that the seven trumpet plagues are being poured out. The sixth one is poured out. And then in Revelation 16 and verse 15, this warning is given. And several times in the scripture we have a similar warning in Revelation 16 and verse 15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Of course, the garment is the white robe of righteousness and through the blood of Jesus Christ that forgives us of all unrighteousness after we repent, we can put on the white robes of righteousness. Also in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, 1 Thessalonians, Paul here writing to them, they thought perhaps that Jesus Christ was going to come in their lifetime. When Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians, then he corrected some things in 2 Thessalonians, showing them the time was not yet. But he writes here in 1 Thessalonians 5, 1, But at the times and at the seasons, brethren, you have no need that are right unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as surveil upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Can we all say that? Is that true? Are we prepared for that day? You are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.

The Feast of Trumpets is the fourth of the seven holy days that are outlined in the book of Leviticus chapter 23. Let's go there. A lot of people talk about, you hear, all the feast days have been done away with. No, the feast days have not been done away with, as we shall read here, that the feast days are the feast days of the Eternal. We could also read the last few verses there in Zechariah 14, where it shows clearly that in the millennium that people will be coming up to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

And that's not the only place that it shows that either. So in Leviticus 23 verse 4, these are the feasts of the Eternal. They're not Jewish feasts. They are feasts that God gave first to the Jews under the terms of the old covenant and then proselytes that came in. But then under the new covenant we too are to keep the feast. Jesus Christ kept the feast. The Apostle Paul kept the feast.

We are going to keep the feast in the millennium. These are the feasts of the Eternal, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons. Now we are in that season of the Fall Festival season. Now verse 23. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speaking of the children of Israel, saying in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath? The Feast of Trumpets falls on a new moon. You'll see that new moon next Friday evening, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, trumpets, a holy convocation.

You shall do no servile work therein, but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Eternal. So we see very clearly that the feast days are instituted by the Eternal and there to be kept forever, though I didn't turn to the last three or four verses there. Zachariah, maybe we should do that just to make certain there. If you look at Zachariah chapter 14, the last chapter of Zachariah, Zachariah 14, the last three or four verses of Isaiah, it also talks about keeping the the feast and the Sabbath from in the millennium.

In Zachariah chapter 14, verse 16, it shall come to pass that everyone that is left of all the nations which come against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the king, the eternal of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be the who so will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the king, the lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. So it is very clear from Scripture that the holy days the Sabbath has not been done away with.

There are three holy days on either side of this holy day with first day of unleavened bread, and then the last holy day of unleavened bread, and then the feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent to the New Covenant Church. And now the great pivotal feast of trumpets is upon us, so it is in the middle, the feast of trumpets is in the middle of the holy days, and it is indeed a pivotal point in human history.

It is a time in which the firstfruits will come forth from their graves, and those who are alive shall be caught up in the air and help God and Christ bring light and truth to all the world. The feast of trumpets is a time when the world is in a very dark hour. Let's go to Revelation chapter 11. Revelation 11, we see the first couple of verses that Jerusalem is divided and given over to the nations, and they'll tread it down for 1260 days, and then God gives power to his two witnesses, and they prophesy for 1260 days, and then after their prophecy is completed, they are killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit.

That's Revelation 11 in verse 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, they being the two witnesses, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them. Then you look at verse 14. The second woe is passed. The two witnesses lie there in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. The nations rejoice over the peoples of the world, probably viewing this on television live and in color, and social media will really be at work. Oh, aren't we happy now? These two that have tormented us are now dead, and then suddenly life comes into them. They're caught up into the heavens. Verse 14, the second woe is passed.

You see, we still have the third woe to come in the seventh trumpet, and behold the third woe comes quickly, and the seventh angel sounded, the seventh angel sounded, the seventh trump of the trumpets, of the trumpet plagues. There were great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of our Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. What a wonderful time that is going to be when God and Christ began to reign.

Verse 16, the 24 elders fell on their faces, worshiped God. They were saying, verse 17, we give thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which was, who is to come, because you have taken to yourself great power and have reigned.

And notice what will be the reaction of the nations. See, the reactions of people today who hate the Word of God, who hate that which is right, is to be angry, to be mad, to go forth, to destroy. And those who would do the right thing are made the the prey of the day.

And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come. That is the wrath of God and Christ, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that you should give reward unto your servants, the prophets to the eight saints, and to them that fear your name, small and great, and you should destroy them which destroy the earth.

So on one side of the Feast of Trumpets is gloom and doom. What we're seeing now is nothing to what is going to be coming upon the earth. But at the same time, as we read from verse 15, is a time in which the firstfruits will come forth from the grave, and those who are alive and remain will be caught up in the air to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall they ever be with the Lord. The Holy Days have at least three essential elements. The physical events, and they were fulfilled as a type way back, and maybe I'll go through each one briefly. Of course, the Passover was instituted in Exodus chapter 12, which freed Israel from Egypt and the slavery thereof, but we read in 1 Corinthians 5 verse 8 that Christ is now our Passover. And so the literal fulfillment in the plan of God has been fulfilled with regard to Passover. Jesus Christ is our Passover, and to partake of the Passover, we are to examine ourselves and repent. So that is the doctrine of parallel. Then you have the last day of the Feast of Unleavened, and you have the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the first Holy Day, in which Israel left Egypt. It says very clearly in Numbers 33 verse 3 that Israel left Egypt on the first day, on the 15th day of the month they left Egypt. And so we leave Egypt when we repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for remission of sins that are passed. And so we leave spiritual Egypt. We leave this world and what it has to offer behind. And then on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Israel crossed the Red Sea, making the demarcation. It was their baptism, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verses 1 through 4. It was their baptism, which they made their final demarcation from Egypt, from sin and death. And the host of Satan and the demons, Satan and Pharaoh's army, were swallowed up. Of course, Satan and the demons were not killed, but Pharaoh's army was. And so we have now been able to make our final demarcation. We are now living the resurrected life. We have been baptized and raised to newness of life. And now we come to Pentecost, in which on that day God gave His Holy Spirit to the New Covenant Church. And once again, to receive the Spirit of God, you have to be called, exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ, and repent. Of course, repent and exercise in faith in the sacrifice of Christ, and beginning to obey, go hand and glove. And then we come to the Feast of Trumpets.

We're now living the resurrected life, coming up out of the baptismal waters, crucifying the old man. But there is yet a fulfillment that God has on this day, and we just read it. It's Revelation 11, 15. We'll read it again. Revelation 11, verse 15. And the seventh angel sounded, there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. He shall reign forever and ever. So we're looking forward to that day, the day that we're going to observe next Sabbath, symbolizes that day. So with regard to literal fulfillment, we're in that period of time between Pentecost and trumpets, as far as fulfillment in the sense of Jesus Christ, God, and Jesus Christ intervening. Christ is our Passover, and we are delivered from Egypt, and we have received the Holy Spirit. With regard to the literal fulfillment, and that time between Pentecost and trumpets, during this time it is a time of tribulation, travail, trouble, persecution, and judgment is now on the church, the Israel of God. We are being judged now, so we won't be judged with the world. The world is obsessed and fearful of physical terrorism.

The nation is so focused on physical safety and financial security that they have forgotten where the real battles are being fought. Where are the real battles being fought? As we shall see, the real war is spiritual, and it's won through spiritual weapons, not through physical weapons, but physical weapons. Satan is now firing terrorist attacks against the members of the body of Christ day and night, and against anyone who would stand for that which is right, the true values that are revealed in the word of God. He indeed walks around as a roaring line, seeking whom he may devour. At a time when the world is being stressed to the breaking point by a pandemic, by lawlessness, anger, and hate, we need to gird up the spiritual loins of our warfare as never before. Don't let lockdowns, don't let anything, lull you into a false sense of security or cause you to become lukewarm. The change in society and personal structure. There has been a change in society. There's been a change in the personal structure of most people, provides Satan with a perfect opportunity to cause us to drift away and draw us away from the good fight of faith. Drifting away is at times imperceptible. You may not even realize that you are drifting away. There may be vague feelings that things are not quite right, but we may not discern that the battle is to control your mind and spirit. That's what Satan wants to do. That's what this world wants to do. Control your mind and spirit for you to become basically an automaton, a robot guided by them. Perhaps the saddest state of mind that a person can fall into is that of, what does it matter? What does it matter? I can't do anything about the direction the world is taking, but that is where you're wrong, I'm wrong, or anybody else who might take that position. Yes, it does matter what you do. It does matter. I'm going to show you from Scripture. The prayers of saints are poured out before God and Christ, and they play a role. That is, the prayers of the saints play a role in the opening of the seven seals and the unleashing of the trumpet plagues. We go now to Revelation 5, and Revelation 5 and verse 6. The first part of Revelation 5 is, who is worthy to open the seals? They couldn't find anybody. And finally, the Lamb of Judah comes forth, none other than Christ. He's worthy, the Lamb of God, to open the seals. We pick it up in verse 6, Revelation 5-6. And I beheld, and lo in the midst of the throne of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elder stood a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth unto all the earth.

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that set upon the throne, that is, God the Father, took it out of the right hand of God the Father. And when he had taken the book, the four and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having ever one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. Your prayers, golden odors, incense before the nostrils of God, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sung a new song saying, You are worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof, where you were slain and have redeemed us of God by your blood out of every kindred, tongue, and people and nation. And you have made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign in heaven. No, that's not what it says. And we shall reign on the earth. That's the Word of God. It's not made up. And we shall reign on the earth. So we see that here the vials of odors are in the golden vials here, the prayers of the saints. And then notice in chapter 8, when the trumpet plagues, before the trumpet plagues are poured out, what happens? Go to chapter 8.

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. We've read about that seventh trumpet already. 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, and fired the altar, and cast it in the earth. There were voices, thunderings, lightnings, earthquake, and the seven angels, which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound. Yes, the prayers of the saints are being captured. Will some of my prayers, will some of your prayers be poured out as sweet incense in the nostrils of God?

Will they be captured there?

Will they be poured out before the set of the trumpet plagues are poured out? Guess what you do in secret will eventually be relevant and rewarded. God says in James 5, let's turn there, that one of the reasons he intervenes is because of the cry of the workers for release, for relief. Of course, that's one of the things that some of the so-called protesters, demonstrators, are doing now is saying that we are protesting the oppression.

But God is going to intervene with regard to the oppression that has truly taken place over the centuries. I've said it many times. You know, my daddy was a working man and maybe a third grade education.

He and my mother share cropping, scrimping and saving within 10 years, had bought their 20 acres and a mule, and it was paid for. And he was finally able to go to work in the factory in town, and I was left to plow the fields. And the dust, his job was sanding doors. And of course, when you sand, you get all that dust flying up, and you wear masks and you do whatever you can. He had one of the most wonderful eyesight you'd ever hoped to have on anybody. And so much of that faded as time went on. Finally, the union came in and they had a wage that they could sort of live by.

In James chapter 5, Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten, your gold and silvers canker, the rest of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fired. Yet you have heaped together treasure for the last days.

Some of the rich of the earth now are building underground bunkers and trying to garner to themselves all the gold and so on. And we know when that sixth seal is open and the day of the Lord begins, they'll throw their silver and gold into the streets and they'll cry out for the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the throne.

Behold the hire of the laborers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud, cries and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Saboeth.

Yes, God does hear and he does answer. Not reading all of it, verse 8, Be you also patient, establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge stands before the door. Take my brethren the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction and of patience. God is going to intervene. Yes, he is going to judge. He is going to set things right. To allow yourself to lapse into a state of I don't care and what I do doesn't matter gives place to the devil and also leads to spiritual destruction. Once again, what you think and what you do in secret matters to God.

And I hope that he's capturing some of my prayers and your prayers. While the world is producing and stockpiling weapons as never before, are the members of the body of Christ utilizing the spiritual weapons that are at our disposal? We need to use the spiritual weapons that God has placed before us to win the battle. You would now turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 1.

2 Corinthians 10. One more of our brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant how that our fathers were under the cloud and all pass through the sea.

I'm reading from 1 Corinthians. Sorry about that. I want 2 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians in verse 10.

And verse 1. 2 Corinthians 10. Now I Paul myself, now I Paul myself, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am based among you but being absent and bold toward you, but I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we were walked according to the flesh. Paul says we're not walking according to the flesh, we're walking according to the Spirit. As we shall see, we have spiritual weapons. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they're not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. What are the strongholds? Those vain imaginations, casting down imaginations. Oh, such imaginations the way is too hard. I can't make it. What am I going to do? Why me? And so on. Casting down imaginations, every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Paul admonishes the Corinthians, don't be fooled by this robe of flesh that covers me, and think that I only have physical weapons at my disposal. I have much more. Now, forward to Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter 6, where we admonish by the Apostle Paul and enlighten, first of all, enlighten to know that the real battle is spiritual. It's not one out on the streets rioting, burning buildings, or signing protest documents, or any such thing.

It is one in the spiritual arena.

In Ephesians 6, 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Oh yeah, spiritual warfare is being waged.

We read about that in Daniel 9, Daniel 10, where Gabriel was delayed in coming to Daniel's aid because of the Prince of Persia, one of the big demon, big powerful demons, delayed him. Wherefore, taken unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore. That's where the period should be placed.

Stand therefore.

Now, the description of spiritual weapons. Having your loins girt about with truth. Your word is true, John 17, 17. Jesus Christ says in John 16, 3, the words I speak, they are spirit and they are life.

So you want to be girded with the truth.

And having on the breastplate of righteousness, Psalm 119, 172 says, all your commandments are righteous.

So we want to be obeying the Word of God. Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. That means that you're willing, able, wanting to take the gospel to the world. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation. The helmet of salvation is defined in 1st Thessalonians 5.8 as hope. Hope. That hope, that big picture burning in your mind of the glorious future in the kingdom of God. The helmet of salvation and the word of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Of course, the sermon could be preached on each one of those spiritual weapons. But we are admonished there to put on the whole armor. The church is being tested now. You are being tested, and your tests will continue until the day of resurrection when that seventh angel begins to sound. Each one of us will be tested until the time of the resurrection, or until the time we die. So we must be faithfully doing until then.

Judgment is now on the house of God. Let's look at that 1 Peter 4 17, which is a memory scripture. 1 Peter 4 17.

For the time has come the judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first began at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? Well, much of that is described in what we're about to read.

So we see that each one of us is being judged. You see that stated more clearly. Look at Romans 14 verse 10. Back a few pages, Romans 14 verse 10. In Romans 14 and verse 10, but why do you judge your brother, or why do you set at nothing your brother? For you shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We're standing before the judgment seat of Christ right now. For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall contest, so that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block on occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus there's nothing unclean of itself, and of course Paul was talking about the meat offered to idols.

We're now standing before the judgment seat of Christ. Judgment is coming on the whole world. We're being judged now. This is our opportunity to live in the flesh under the government of God.

So in Jeremiah 25, let's notice here what is coming on the nations of the world. In Jeremiah 25 and verse 30, verse 31, Therefore prophesy you against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He shall mightily roar upon his habitation. He shall give a shout, and they that tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth. For the Lord has a controversy with the nations. He will plead with all flesh. He will give them that are wicked to the sword, says the Eternal. Thus says the Lord of Hosts, Behold evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coast of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth, even to the other end of the earth. And they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried. They shall be done upon the ground. You see, you don't hear that preached today, but that is what is coming upon the nations and all nations that forget God. You know, there's a verse that all nations that forget God shall be turned into Hades. King James probably says hell, into the grave. They'll be done upon the face, not even buried.

So that's just a glimpse of the judgment that is coming. We can look further with regard to this. Look at Joel chapter 3 and verse 1. Joel had a verse of the minor prophets, Hosea, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Yet Daniel before Hosea, Hosea, then Joel.

And Joel chapter 3 and verse 1. For behold, in those days and in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations, will bring them into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among all nations and parted my land. Yes, all nations. And of course, at the battle of the great day of God Almighty, when Satan the beast and the false prophet gather all nations together, that final great battle, which is called the battle of Armageddon by most people, but it's really the battle of the great day of God Almighty. They are gathered at a place called homageddon.

In Isaiah 30 verse 26, just a glimpse of what is coming, because we said on one side of this day, the Feast of Trumpets, is gloom and doom. On the other side, God and Christ and the saints began to reign. Of course, it will take some time to bring everything together and to bring all things into line with the government of God. In Isaiah 30 in verse 26, Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold. You imagine the sun being seven times hotter than it is now. Sevenfold. Well, if you have a 100 degree day, that would be 700 degrees. Well, even if you have a 50 degree day, 10 times 50 is 500 degrees.

As the light of seven days and the day that the Lord binds up the breach of the people and heals the stroke of their wound, behold, the name of the Lord comes from far, burning with his anger and the burden thereof is heavy. His lips are full of ending nation and his tongue as a devouring fire. And his breath is an awe-overflowing stream shall reach to the midst of the neck to sift the nations with a sieve of vanity. And there she would be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to error. You see, it says if you don't love the truth in 2nd Thessalonians 2 and verse 10, God is going to send you great delusion. So we get a glimpse there of what is coming upon the nations on the other side before the day of trumpets. John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ's first coming. Today, we are the voice crying in the wilderness, preparing for the second coming of Christ. Let's look at Mark chapter 1. Mark chapter 1. Mark really is basically repeating the prophecy given in the first three verses of Malachi chapter 3.

I think it's Malachi 4.

In Mark chapter 1 and verse 1, it says, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as is written in the prophets, behold, I send my messenger, Angelos. This word, Angelos, can be translated for a human messenger or divine. In this case, it's human. It's John the Baptist. Behold, I send my messenger before my face, before your face, which shall prepare the way before you. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare, prepare you the way of the Lord, make his path straight. John did baptize in the wilderness and preached the baptism and repentance for the remission of sins. But see, there is one coming who is going to baptize you. Look at verse 8. I indeed have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Man can baptize you in water, but only God can beget you with his Spirit. We make that clear to those who are baptized in the Church of God. The Church of God plays an important role in the day of the Lord. It is charged with blowing the trumpet. We have talked about the individual and their prayers. Now we're talking about you and the collective. The Church as a body plays an important role in the day of the Lord. It is charged with blowing the trumpet and sounding the alarm that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let's go to Revelation 1.10. Revelation 1 and verse 10.

In Revelation 1 and verse 10, and oftentimes we point out this mistranslation here where it says the Lord's day should be the day of the Lord because that's what it's talking about is the day of the Lord. And John writes, Revelation 1.10, I was in the Spirit in the day of the Lord. These events unfold the day of the Lord and heard behind me a great voice as a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first of the last. And what you see right in the book, send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, and the seven churches are listed. Now we go to Joel chapter 2. Back to Joel once again. We turn to chapter 3. Now we're turning to Joel chapter 2. Remember Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Hosea, Joel, chapter 2. I was in the Spirit on the day of the Lord, John says, and heard the voice of a trumpet.

And what about the church? Below you the trumpet in Zion, Joel 2, verse 1.

John the Baptist cried, make you the way straight. He prepared the way for Christ's first coming. We're to prepare the way. In fact, on our emblem, we say, preaching the gospel and preparing a people. Below you the trumpet in Zion. And we know from Hebrews 12, verse 22-23, that it says that Zion is the church, or it can symbolize the church. Of course, Zion is a literal geographical place, but it has symbolism as well. Below you the trumpet in Zion, and sound and alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand. John was in the Spirit on the day of the Lord. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness. As the morning spread upon the mountains, the great people are strong. There's not been ever the light, neither shall be any more after it, even the years of many generations. And it begins to describe that which is coming upon them to devour them. Of course, God would rather that we repent, that we turn to Him. Notice verse 12. Therefore also now, even now says the Lord, turn you to me with all your heart, when with fasting, we heard about in the sermonette, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your heart, and not your garments.

Turn into the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repents Himself of evil. In other words, repents means that maybe He will change His mind. Change His mind. You repent. Who knows if He will return and repent and have a blessing behind Him? Even a meat offering, a drink offering unto the Lord your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion.

Sanctify a fast call of solemn assembly. Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation. Assemble the elders. Gather the children and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth out of His chamber and the bride out of His closet. Jesus Christ is the bridegroom. The bride is the church of God.

In the Jewish wedding ceremony, a marriage takes place over a period of time known as the bridal week. The groom comes for her bride like a thief in the night to take her away and to the bridal chamber for the bridal's week at His father's house. And during the bridal week, the groom and bride are together in the bridal chamber. At the end of the week, there is the marriage supper. We are at the time now described in Matthew 24 7 10. Matthew 24 7 10, the Olivet prophecy. In Matthew 24 verse 7.

See, this is the answer to what is the sign of your coming, the end of the age. Nations arise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There should be famine, pestilences, and earthquakes in different places.

All these are the beginnings of sorrows. See, that's where we are. We're at the beginnings of sorrows.

You know, the current pandemic may be the first time since the flood for all of humankind to be afflicted by the same plague at the same time. Think about it.

Because what I read yesterday was that every place on the face of the earth, except Antarctica, has had at least one case of COVID-19.

Most people, even religious people, apparently do not understand how disappointed and angry God is with the wicked workers of iniquity. The word iniquity means lawlessness.

In Genesis 6, verse 5, we see a glimpse here of the pre-flood world. And, of course, God is approaching this point once again with regard to his emotion. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth. This is Genesis 6.5. I've turned there. And that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, and it repented God. We'll see it. It means to be grieved, to be sorry, that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I've created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing the fowls of the air, for it repents me. I'm just sorry I'm grieved that I made them. But, Noah found grace, and now is the Lord.

And so, we have even at this time a trying of the nations as it were, and it's nothing compared to what we read from other places, Jeremiah and Isaiah and Joel.

Most people, as I said, really don't understand how angry God is with the workers of iniquity. Look at Psalm 7.11. This has a point. The point is, if God is angry with the wicked and evil, what should we be?

In Psalm 7 and verse 11, God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Now, look at Psalm 5 and verse 4, back just a page or so. Psalm 5 and verse 4, For you are not a God that has pleasure and wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with you. The foolish shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. This is the Bible.

People don't understand that God gets fed up.

Hopefully, each one of us will be protected from the terrible plagues of the Great Tribulation. But we all have an individual and collective responsibility to be doers and remain faithful to recalling to the very time of the resurrection. Ask yourself, am I discerning the times in which we are living? Is there a sense of spiritual urgency in my life? Do you hate evil and wickedness as God does? Go forward a few pages there to Proverbs chapter 8 and verse 13, which is also a memory scripture. Really, the whole Bible is a memory scripture. But anyhow, Proverbs 8 and verse 13. In Proverbs 8 and verse 13, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride, and arrogance, and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate. So we can ask ourselves, do I fear God? Well, if you really fear God, you hate evil. So are you saying in your heart, my Lord delays his coming, and you begin to smite your fellow servants.

You know, the Church of God is a threat to Satan and the beast achieving their goals because we understand their motives and we expose their goals. We will be hated of all nations for his namesake. Oh, you can hide, you can dodge, you can duck for a while, but you will be discovered. You will be sought out. It's better to be bold and to be brave and to tell the truth from day one. Once again, look at Matthew 24.

Matthew 24. Of course, you know there have been times in the history of humankind you had the great Inquisition that took place in Spain way back long ago. You had, of course, that which took place with the Nazis seeking out the Jews. World War II leading up to it especially.

In Matthew 24 and verse 9, we left off with verse 8 last time. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you. You shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Then shall many be offended, shall betray one another, shall hate one another. Many false prophets shall arise, shall deceive many. And because lawlessness abounds, the love of many shall wax cold. Don't be taken in. Don't let your children be taken in. When the seventh trumpet begins to sound, the workers of iniquity will become even more angry and seek vengeance. We read that from Revelation chapter 11 verse 17. The world's system is now being exposed by the iniquity that is now being displayed. If everyone in the world would just give up lust, there would be a global economic depression because it would disrupt the economy. Because the economy, to a large degree, is based on such things as pornography, sex trafficking, sexy movies, books, films, drugs, and on and on it goes.

There's a whole global economy based on sin and evil. Change even one major sin, and you'd have to change the structure of the entire world's economy. Obeying the Word of God would disrupt the economic system. Now let's look at Revelation 18 verse 4. I mean, just think about what I've just said. What I've just said is potent, laden with many, many facets. Revelation 18.3, All nations are drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth are committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you not receive of her plagues.

When the seventh angel sounds and the saints are resurrected and God begins to reign, as we have read, the nations are going to be very angry. Their anger is increased as the vials of wrath are poured out. They, in turn, make a last-ditch stand to defeat Christ and the saints. Look now at Revelation 16, back a page or so. Revelation 16.

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. The water thereof was dried up that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. See, these three are still in league. They're still allied together to the very end.

And then this warning come as a thief in the night. He gathered them, verse 16, to a place called Armageddon. And, of course, that great battle, the great day of God Almighty is fought. And we know who the victor is. God and Christ and the saints defeat Satan and all of his agents.

On the one side of this day is gloom and doom. On the other side of this day, the saints will celebrate the greatest victory of the ages. And the greatest mystery will be completed on this day. How does flesh become a spirit being in the kingdom of God? Let's now notice 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. 1 Corinthians 15, which we call the resurrection chapter. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 50.

Now I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. We're not going to remain in the grave dead.

But we shall all be changed. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump we read at Revelation 11.15, it clearly says, when the seventh angel begins to sound. At the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. And we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption. We're mortal now, subject to sin and death. We do not have an immortal soul abiding within us, but we can attain unto immortality. This mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? Oh, the grave and death are overcome by the resurrection. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my brethren, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. So Christ is saying to us today, blow the trumpet and zion. Wake up, get prepared, for the day of the Lord is in hand.