Blow the Trumpet in Zion

Title to today's message for us is, Blow the Trumpet in Zion. Blow the trumpet in Zion. It's actually a command in the Word of God found in the book of Joel, pertaining prophetically to this day. And we know Zion to be a hill in the region of Jerusalem. God's presence dwelled upon the Holy Hill. And Zion today, as well, spiritually portrays the church, or God's presence dwell. So the trumpet, indeed, will be blown in Zion. And the question today, as we begin, is, as spiritual Zion, can we hear the trumpet? Blow the trumpet in Zion. This is the Feast of Trumpets. It's the fourth out of seven holy days in God's plan of salvation for all of mankind. And this day is very much a transition point for the world.

You know, it's what we're focused on and looking forward to. There are some bright elements to this day, primarily the resurrection of the dead at the return of Jesus Christ. Honestly, there is a lot of dark clouds and turmoil, and in some ways, some would define it as confusion. There's difficulties. There's gloominess for a day. God's judgment will indeed come, but it is a turning point that then turns the trajectory of this world from the ways of man, from the influence of Satan's system, to then alignment with the ways of the kingdom of God. And a radical transformation has to take place in order for that to happen. So blow the trumpet in Zion is what I would like for us to consider today. And I want to begin by walking through an overview of prophetic events leading up to trumpets, leading up to the day of the Lord to help us understand why, indeed, it must take place and why it must be, frankly, so intense and dramatic as we see it described in the Scriptures of God's Word. So we'll understand why through the lead-up of that, and then I would like to transition into what trumpets should mean to us personally as we keep these holy days. Because, again, wrapped up into all the holy days is the personal application to our lives today.

And these things are not just historic, they're not just prophetic or future. We live these holy days today, and as those under the kingdom of God's reign today, the trumpet means something, and this day should bring a number of things to mind. The book of Revelation contains an end-time sequence of events that is revealed primarily through seven seals, and the Bible shows they are seven successive seals which are opened by the Lamb Jesus Christ. You recall that John had this vision and saw God's throne, and none was found worthy to open the seals except for the Lamb. And then you find a description then of, as each seal is opened, in the successive events that follow. You can find the opening of each of the seals bracketed in the parameters of Revelation chapter 6 through Revelation chapter 8. And the first five seals of the book of Revelation describe conditions that have existed on earth since the time of Jesus Christ's first coming. As we read those, we'll say, okay, that's maybe not really new. They've been here since the time of Christ, but the fact is, as we come to the end of the age, the intensity will increase dramatically, and literally an exponential explosion of intensity of these events, leading ultimately to the climax of Jesus Christ's return due to God's intervention, due to the day of the Lord and the events that we will also see take place on that day. So the first five seals describe these ongoing conditions, even existing in our day to day. The sixth and the seventh seals, which follow, then show God's response as he intervenes directly into the affairs of this world. Of course, he's always been involved in this world, but for a time he's given man the opportunity to follow his course. And he's allowed Satan to have his way to guide and direct in a certain way. But there's going to be a sea change which comes. The sixth and the seventh seals, then, will open God's direct intervention at the end of the age. Let's start today in Revelation chapter 6, and I want to briefly cover these seals as they lead up to the day of the Lord. Again, the Feast of Trumpets portrays the day of the Lord itself, but if we're going to understand why God must intervene in such a dramatic fashion, it's good to review what it is that brings us to that point. So Revelation chapter 6 and beginning in verse 1, John says, Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with a voice like thunder, Come and see. And I looked and behold a white horse. And he who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him. And he went out conquering, and to conquer. This first seal that is opened is religious deception. Religious deception. It's false religion released upon the earth. You have the white horse, and we recognize it, right? There's another white horse in Revelation. Revelation 19. Behold, the heavens open, and a white horse. Of course, that one is Jesus Christ, the true King of Kings. This is a counterfeit. False religion, false deception, and when Jesus Christ returns, on that white horse, we understand he is the true. But the counterfeit began, actually, long before Jesus Christ. But as we see in terms of counterfeit, even of what would be the Church of God from his day forward, that counterfeit has been there and continued to increase. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 verse 5, that many would come in his name, saying, I am the Christ, and would deceive many.

So you'd have many come on the scene and say, well, maybe I'm him. I'm the Messiah. Here I am.

Follow me. Or perhaps, other ways, come and say, well, let me tell you about the Christ. Let me tell you about him, and we'd bring a false message about who the true Jesus Christ is, and would deceive many. So you can take six of the seven seals of Revelation and lay them alongside Jesus' own words in Matthew 24, the Olivet prophecy, and you can follow through the progression of fulfillment. Revelation 6, Revelation 8, Matthew 24, even some in the book of Luke, that's on the handout that I have for you in the back, and you can lay those side by side, see the prophecy, see the fulfillment further described in the book of Revelation.

I do want to remind us that these first five seals predate the onset of the day of the Lord, and they lay out for us the justification for God's intervention into human affairs.

Again, why must God intervene so dramatically in the way he does as we see it lined out in Scripture? Isn't he a God of mercy? He is. Isn't he a God of justice? He is. And we will see all of that come into play through his intervention, because in order to bring the liberty and the joy and the blessing of the kingdom that we're going to portray throughout the rest of the holy days, it can't continue down this path. This world must have a change, and God is not running a remodeling project. This is a transition to something new. Verse 3, then, of Revelation chapter 6, when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come and see! And another horse fiery red went out, and it was granted to the one who sat on it, to take peace from the earth, that the people should kill one another, and there was given to him a great sword. And so we have the second seal, which is opened, and it is war, symbolized by the fiery red horse. Parallel in the all-of-it prophecy would be Matthew chapter 24, verse 6 and 7. And, of course, there's always been war. Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars. See that you're not troubled, but do understand what's taking place. And the fact that this is ramping up, then, dramatically until, then, the time of God's intervention. Verse 7, Revelation chapter 6, verse 7, when he opened the fourth seal, excuse me, let's go back, verse 5, let's go to the third seal. If you don't leave anything out here. Revelation 6, verse 5, he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come and see! And so I looked, and behold, the black horse, and he who sat at a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A quart of wheat for a denarius, three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine. So the third seal is famine. And as you examine these, you understand that as one builds on top of the other, you have the consequences rolling out. You have false religion, and you have added to it, then, war. And certainly, religious conflict leads the war so many times. And the result of war is now famine, as well as, you know, crops can't be produced, shipping lanes are interrupted. You know, you see this just in the war in Ukraine, and our day and age today, and how global wheat prices and other things skyrocket.

Just imagine, take that onto a much larger scale, and certainly what could be a very large scale disaster for the world builds one on top of the other, which each of these openings of seals. Matthew 24, verse 7, the parallel to that. Now we come to verse 7, when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of four living creatures, saying, Come and see. So I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and the name of him who sat on it was death. And Hades followed with him, and power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. The fourth seal is pestilence. Matthew chapter 24 and verse 7. And again, it is simply the mounting toll, which comes as a result of the previous seal. It's disease, it's epidemics leading to death, as the consequences of famine, these things that are spread abroad now by the pale horse.

And when you study into the first four seals of Revelation, also called the four horsemen of the apocalypse, what you find is that the full effect of all of these things will result in the death of one-fourth of the earth's population. Clearly that hasn't taken place yet. Clearly that is future.

But again, storm clouds are on the horizon, and the day of trumpets is called a day of darkness, a day of clouds. And it can be hard sometimes to walk through these things, but we need to have understanding and preparation as God's people to make our way through and know that with God there is always the blessing to those that are faithful. There's always the light at the end of the tunnel and the day that will dawn after the darkness of night.

And indeed, it will be his blessing, but we have to understand what brings these things on and why God must intervene in the dramatic fashion he will. These events I've described actually, again, precede the great tribulation, which actually begins before the day of the Lord begins. So this is something that we must watch for and see and understand as they continue to ramp up.

Then you begin to understand that time is drawing near. In a parallel account, Matthew 24 verse 8, Jesus says, these things are the beginning of sorrows. He says they're just the beginning. Certainly so much more that is yet to come. Revelation chapter 6 verse 9. Then he opened the fifth seal and I saw the altar of the under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God for the testimony which they held.

These are faithful individuals. These are the saints of God. Verse 10, and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on the earth, on those who dwell on the earth, says a white robe was given to each of them. Verse 11, and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed.

Again, how long, Lord, is the cry? And I would say for the church that is alive in existence and seeing those things with their eyes, I'm sure again that will be the cry of all God's people. How long? And the answer is a little while, just a little longer. The fifth seal is religious persecution and tribulation on the people of God. In the parallel is Matthew chapter 24 verse 9 through 13. In Luke 21 verse 12 through 19. Again, Jesus Christ's Olivet prophecy. This has existed since the time of Jesus. Again, it will increase dramatically as the end of the age draws near. It will be fueled by that world- dominating system, the beast system, the false prophet, driven by the influence of Satan the devil, backing up his ultimate final attempt to thwart the plan of God.

And so the intensity and the scrutiny will actually come upon covenant people of God, both physical Israel and the descendants of physical Israel. The time of Jacob's trouble would pertain to those nations descended from Israel as now the focus of the powers of the earth turn upon the covenant people of God, and also upon the church as well. So religious persecution and tribulation. We generally call this time the Great Tribulation. It includes the time of Jacob's trouble, and it is a period of three and a half years where great persecution, again, is unleashed towards the physical and spiritual descendants of Israel.

But we also know there's promises as well of protection and safety for some of those that God would wrap his care around. Carrying on in verse 12, Revelation 6 and verse 12, I looked when he opened the sixth seal, and behold there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. The sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

I mean, just, I'm reading quickly. She stopped and meditated even on what each of those events were, as dramatic upon the face of the earth. Even just consider every mountain and island moved out of its place, just the labor pains upon this earth. Verse 15, and the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, every free man, hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand? You know, who is able to stand? The sixth seal is heavenly signs, and they do announce that God's judgment is about to begin. Matthew 24, verse 7, and Luke 21, and verse 11. You know, up to this point, Satan's wrath has been ongoing.

As the prince of the power of the air, he's been stirring up man in opposition to God and to the people of God. He's the one who deceives the nations, but the sixth seal introduces a major transition where God is preparing to confront the adversary and his forces head on, and he gives these heavenly signs, and he moves the earth so that people would be on notice. God is on his throne, God is aware, and he is preparing to intervene. Again, this seal is still not the actual day of the Lord. It takes place in the time of what we would call the Great Tribulation, but I want to quote for you Joel chapter 2, verse 30 and 31. Joel 2, 30 and 31, it says, and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke, the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

So God is issuing a warning. God is showing forth his power, and he's saying, I am in control, and you know, essentially it is a call to the world to change. This is, this is essentially an opportunity to turn to God, but as we know the system is so embedded, very few will heed. Revelation chapter seven is an inset chapter counting for the 144,000. That's not my focus of today's message. I want to go to Revelation chapter eight for the seventh seal. Revelation chapter eight and verse one, it says, now when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour, and I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne, and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand. Verse five, it says, and the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, threw it to the earth, and there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. Here we have an opening of the seventh and final seal, which does usher in the day of the Lord, the day of God Almighty, the day of God the Father's judgment upon the earth. It is the day of the Lord, a period of time which appears to overlap the final year of the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation.

That has been our understanding in the church and is our teaching. The Great Tribulation is three and a half years, the day of the Lord being one year period. Again, there's other scriptures you could go to for that support, but overlap then the final year of the three and a half years of Great Tribulation. The seventh seal includes seven plagues announced by seven angels with trumpets, and each trumpet is blown one by one, introducing a different element of God's wrath upon the earth.

And the seventh trumpet includes seven bowls of wrath, seven final plagues, which indeed will be poured out. That trumpet also includes the timing of Jesus Christ's triumphant return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And the last trumpet announces the resurrection of the saints at the return of Jesus Christ. And so that's a very quick overview of events leading up to the day of the Lord and including the order of God's intervention. And we need to understand that all along the way God is desirous for man to turn, man to have a relationship with him. But this system is set on a course, and it is guided by a power that will not relent and turn to God. And God does not take joy in these things, but it is a matter of confronting the evil, stopping it in its tracks, wiping clean a system that does not follow God even in its best state. It is still a tree of knowledge of good and evil. It must be replaced by the kingdom of God. There will be birth pangs in that process. There will be turmoil. There will be challenge. And sometimes it's hard for us to talk about or think about, but understand as the people of God we have to know what is happening and why as these things take place so that we can hold out the hope for the future that God would give all of us as the blessing to the faithful of his. So rather than reading through the chapters covering the seven trumpets, all their subsequent events, I want to simply pull out various events of the trumpet sound, something occurs, but I want to try to direct it more towards our understanding of how we should respond to the trumpet today. Again, the title of the sermon, Blow the Trumpet in Zion. It is a literal command that is issued and will go out, but it is being blown in the church as well. And as spiritual Zion, we have to hear it. We have to respond.

We have to understand what it is that God would have us learn from the blowing of the trumpets.

We must be living the meaning and the fulfillment of these spiritual principles in our lives today.

So we're going to look at four points for the remainder of the message that essentially draw parallels between the blowing of the trumpet and our response to God as his people today.

Point number one, first spiritual parallel to trumpets, and there's many more we could come up with. The first is the call to repentance. When each trumpet sounds on this day, they are in part a call to mankind to repent. Do we hear the trumpet? Let the trumpet sound in Zion. Does the church hear the message? Joel chapter 2, let's go there next, Joel chapter 2. We want to focus on this concept of the trumpet issuing a plea for repentance. Joel chapter 2 and verse 1, this is where we get our title. Joel chapter 2 and verse 1 is a prophetic book pointing to the day of the Lord. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is at hand. Verse 2, the day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains, a people come great and strong, the like of whom has never been, nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. We need to understand Joel is prophesying about the day of the Lord following what was a great natural disaster in the nation of Judah. A locust plague God allowed to come into that nation devastated everything. If you've ever have seen documentaries on locust plagues or read about locust plagues, growing up I read the Little House and the Prairie books, we read them to our children, and it appears even Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about a devastating locust plague that actually did take place in the history of this nation, and describing that, you know, it was like a cloud that darkened the sky, it blotted out the sun, and they came in, they devoured everything. There's nothing green left in their wake.

So Judah went through this tremendous trial, and the message to Judah is turn to God and repent, but against that backdrop is the prophecy and the message of the day of the Lord. So as we read, you're going to see, imagine this locust plague moving through, but the imagery is the judgment then that will come on an earth that God seeks repentance. Verse 4 says, their appearance is like the appearance of horses and like swift steeds, so they run. We're talking about events of the day of the Lord now, in God's judgment, against this backdrop. With the noise like chariots, over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. Verse 6, before them the people writhe in pain, all faces are drained of color.

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like men of war. Everyone marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. Actually, you think of there's tremendous order, even in the natural world, the animals and even these swarms and plagues that come in of locusts, there is a, they literally march in formation and in ranks. Verse 8, do not push one another, everyone marches in his own column, though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They run to and fro in the city. They run on the walls. They climb into the houses and enter at the windows like a thief. The earthquakes before them, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives voice before his army, for his camp is very great, for strong is the one who executes his word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible.

Who can endure it? Suppose that's a rhetorical question. Who can endure it? But the answer is, nobody dare try apart from God, apart from his protection, apart from a relationship with him, apart from his mercy. Who can endure? Who can escape? Who can be standing when what is all said and done? Repentance is the call that is going to go out here. In light of God's judgment, God is seeking a heart that would turn to him. Verse 12, now therefore says the Lord, here's what God looks for in all of this, turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and he relents from doing harm. This is a message to Judah, but it is a message to the world, and it's a message to the church. If indeed we hear the trumpet sound in Zion, what does God desire at this age? Verse 14, who knows if he will turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering, and a drink offering for the Lord our God. So again, verse 1 says, blow the trumpet in Zion. Verse 15 says, blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm. It indicates something very important. It's not just figurative. It is literal, and there is no there's a noise, and there's an alarm that indicates a call to repentance.

All throughout the day of the Lord, God desires mankind to turn from their evil ways and turn to him. Who knows if the world would repent? Who knows that he would relent and leave a blessing in his place? That is God's desire. The message I gave about a month ago on the long suffering of God, God is long suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It's for the purpose of salvation that he desires a change. But God still knows this world won't respond, certainly not the majority. Some few might. Some may hear the warning. Some may hear the trumpet and heed, but the majority will not. But God extends continually the opportunity. The seven trumpet blasts serve as a warning to mankind to wake up now and to repent. Turn to God. Turn to his way, because the time of his judgment has come. Notice Revelation chapter 9. Revelation chapter 9. Let's, again, throughout all of this, notice God's desire for hearts turning to him. Revelation chapter 9 and verse 20. Okay, this is set very much between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet. And we didn't have time to go through all of this, but it appears to be following right on the heels of our great war in which one-third of mankind is killed. Okay, this is after the one-fourth that had died and the many in between through the various plagues that have taken place. Now one-fourth, or excuse me, one-third of mankind has just been killed in an all-out war. And notice what it says in light of these events. Revelation 9 verse 20 says, but the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons and idols of gold and silver, stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. There will be hardness of heart among mankind that will be entrenched, and they will not relent. They will not turn. But understand, Satan the devil is, I wouldn't say behind the scenes, he is openly working, and he is openly at this time in opposition to God and the way of God, and he has hardened the hearts of mankind. But that doesn't stop God from issuing the call, issuing the trumpet and the plea for repentance. Perhaps a few would hear the trumpet for us. Do we hear the trumpet in Zion? Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 32, God says, I take no pleasure in the death of one who dies. God says, I don't desire this. I don't have joy in this. This isn't what is in my heart and desire to do in terms of something that brings me any kind of satisfaction. I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies. Therefore, turn and live. That is the plea, and that is the plea to mankind with trumpet one, trumpet two, trumpet three, trumpet four, trumpet five, trumpet six, trumpet seven. Turn and live. That was God's plea in Revelation 9 and verse 20. Brethren, can we hear the trumpet? On this day of trumpets, can we hear the trumpet in Zion?

Can we hear the plea of God? Is our life in order according to what it is He desires? Are we responding? Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1.

Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1. Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, before the decree is issued or the day passes like chaff, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you.

It's saying the day of the Lord will come. It will come, but there's a window. There's a time of opportunity. There is a degree of peace for a time to turn to Him, to use this time well.

Verse 3 says, Seek the Lord, all unique of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.

Again, the Bible shows through prophecy that there will be a protection of an element, at least of the people of God at the end of the age. And it may be in this right relationship, in this humility, in the seeking of righteousness, it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. Certainly God knows whose are His.

And certainly He will put a hedge of protection about each and every one of His faithful saints from His wrath, from His judgment, if we are right with Him. Now, we do see scriptures as well that show there will those who will go through great tribulation, many even who would die in that time. Okay, that is Satan's wrath. That is man's wrath. And God, for whatever reason, would allow some to be martyrs in that way. But they are faithful to the end. But understand God's wrath, God's judgment. Be right with Him in His sight. And it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. But I'm timed to go through all the scriptures, but set a mark on those, it says, who essentially are mine, and they are preserved from judgment of God upon the earth.

So seeking that right relationship is essential. And again, trumpets is a call to repentance, is a call to reconciliation with God, with each sounding of the trumpet. Second spiritual parallel to this day I would like to consider is the call unto judgment. We've been touching on this all along as well. The call unto judgment. The Apostle John refers to the day of the Lord as a day of judgment. And when each of the seven trumpets blast, they also proclaim God's judgment over the whole earth. They proclaim His unwillingness to put up with the wickedness of men any longer.

His unwillingness to see the result of Satan's system, the result of what man does to man. Again, understand the full potential of these seals have built one on top of another. So God says, it is time to intervene, lest those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved.

And so indeed they will be cut short. But God's wrath and judgment is poured out with the sounding of each trumpet, culminating with the greatest level of judgment at the seventh trumpet.

Let's go back again to the book of Joel. It's time, chapter three.

Joel chapter three and verse one. And I understand, brethren, these are heavy things.

And these are hard things to talk about. And honestly, I was sitting there yesterday, considering giving more of a message focused on the hope of the resurrection, because that's where my mind was. But to be honest with you, I didn't think I could get through it at this point. But we all look forward to that and rejoice. And we will touch on that some. But why would God do this?

It is, there's a phrase, it is, the darkest, the darkest hours before the dawn. And I don't know that as a literal application to light on the earth. But it is applied certainly figuratively to some of the deepest, darkest hours are just before the light springs forth, and hope and truth arrive.

And that is what we're looking at here on the Feast of Trumpets. It is the darkest hour just before the dawn. But God will bring the dawn. Joel chapter 3 and verse 1, Behold in those days, and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there. An account of my people, my heritage Israel, whom they've scattered among the nations, they has also divided up my land. Again, as mankind refuses to submit to God in his warning trumpet call after trumpet call after trumpet call, the time comes with the seventh trumpet, he will gather them together, and he will enter into judgment with the nations, and in a very decisive way. Joel 3 verse 9, Proclaim this among the nations, prepare for war. Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Build your plow, beat your plowshares into swords, your pruning hooks into spears. Okay, right? That's the flip side of what we would celebrate during the millennium of peace and prosperity. God is saying, you get ready for a fight, because it is coming. Let the weak say, I am strong. Verse 11, assemble and come, all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. Verse 12, let the nations be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for I will sit to judge, okay, there's our word, judge, all the nations, all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Understand, brethren, God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. But if they will not turn to him, if they will not repent, if they will not yield to God, it is better for them to face God in a resurrection, prepare to meet your maker than it is to allow them to carry on with the plots and rebellion against God, his kingdom, and all that God purposes. They will be judged in that day for their actions. And we see the fulfillment of this in Revelation, then chapter 14. The nations are gathered. The winepress is full. Revelation chapter 14 and verse 17 says, Then another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

Verse 18, And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him, who had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, Gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. In other words, the time has fully come. Gather the nations together. It is time to enter into judgment, final judgment with them. Verse 19, So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city. Blood came out of the winepress up to the horses' bridles for 1,600 furlongs.

That winepress was trampled. The armies, the nations, were gathered together, and they were trampled. And as the descriptor says, the winepress, the blood came out up to the horses' bridles for 184 miles. Certainly a very, very sobering event. A very real event that is yet to come, an event we must be aware of. Revelation chapter 19 shows just who it is that executes this final judgment.

Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11. Now I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse. This is the just and the true one. Okay? This is true religion. This is pure righteousness. There's nothing false or counterfeit or deceptive about this one. I saw heavens open, and behold a white horse. And he who sat on him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he judges and makes war. Again, this is none other than Jesus Christ coming to execute the judgment on behalf of God Almighty. This is the day of the Lord. This is the day of God Almighty. This is the day of God the Father's judgment upon the earth. And Jesus Christ comes in this battle to execute God's judgment clearly and decisively, and to usher in now the reign of the kingdom of God. He is the strong one who executes God's word, as we saw in Joel chapter 2. Verse 12. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written which no one knew except himself.

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. Again, no question who this is. And the Word became flesh and dwelled among us. Right? Then he returned to the glory he had with the Father from before the world was, and he is coming again. And in his name is called the Word of God. Verse 14. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should strike the nations. And he himself, who himself, the one on the horse, the one who is the Word of God, Jesus Christ, will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress and the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Again, as Jesus Christ comes, as the heavens open, and the white horse in the armies of heaven accompanying him, Jesus Christ will execute God's judgment upon these armies of the earth gathered together against the Lord and his anointed. And it will be a decisive victory.

Brethren, God is a God of mercy. And God is a God who loves the people of the earth. Every single human being created in his image, God loves, and it is his desire that they would be reconciled to him and be a part of his family. Of course, man has to make their choice, and we all have a free will.

So this, as difficult as it is to read at times, understand this is an act of God's love and God's mercy, because he cannot allow the system Satan has devised, and he cannot allow those who would be driven by that influence to prevail. It does not lead to life. It only leads to death. So in his mercy, God must intervene in this dramatic fashion. Good will triumph over evil by the hand of God the Father and Jesus Christ. So how should this trumpet call impact us today? This trumpet call of judgment. You know, blow the trumpet in Zion. What does it mean to the church? And how does judgment pertain to us today? 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 17. 1 Peter 4 verse 17. Brethren, can you hear the sounding of the trumpet? 1 Peter 4 and verse 17, breaking into the context, Peter says, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God upon the church of God. He says, if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in doing good as to a faithful creator. Peter said, the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. Brethren, can you hear the trumpet sounding in the church today? Can you hear the call of repentance? Can you hear the sound, frankly, of the judgment? And understand, when I say judgment, this is of a different sort, I pray, than what we are reading about at the day of the Lord. If we are of God's people today, truly, we have come into repentance, and we are living under the shadow of God's mercy, and our heart must be turned in repentance. And so, the judgment is unto life. If indeed, we are faithful unto the end. But this is our day of salvation. This is our time of judgment.

Can you hear the trumpet in Zion, in the church, through this day, through these events? And are we responding faithfully, according to God's call? The day of trumpet should be an annual warning call to the church to awaken spiritually, to draw close to God in obedience, to redeem the time He's given us. Use it well, because it is short, and the days are drawing near. Time will come when there is no more time, and the day of the Lord will indeed come, and we cannot wait until then to get our house in order. We've read the scriptures. We read the warnings. You know, before the day comes. Indeed, it is a call to us in the church. The concept of being under judgment now is a fearful thing, but it is also a blessing, because of the promise of being a first fruit in the kingdom of God. It is extended to those who are faithful to the end. So, how will we be judged?

That's the point. We'll be judgment of well-done, good, and faithful servant unto righteousness.

That's what we pray. That's what we hope for. Judgment is not necessarily a bad thing of and by itself. It is a rendering of a judgment according to your relationship with God and how you've responded to Him. The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.

The third spiritual parallel to trumpets is rulership and authority.

Rulership and authority. Those are the kind of words that we don't like to hear so much in our modern day and age, and maybe that has something to do with if it's righteous or not, right?

But rulership and authority is an aspect that is tied specifically to the seventh trumpet.

Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15.

Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15 says, In the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come. We look forward to the day when God comes as well in His time, because you have taken your great power and reigned. At the sound of the seventh trumpet, the proclamation is made that this world is coming under the direct authority and the direct rulership of the kingdom of God. And from that point on, the governance that meant to man are put on notice. This is the last trumpet, and here is your notice. The kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will rule forever and ever. Authority and rulership. You and I, brethren, have been called to live in subjection to this authority today. Have you heard the trumpet? Have you responded to the call? Is your life given over today to the authority of the kingdom of God and Christ? Indeed, that is the alarm that's been sounded. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20. Philippians chapter 3 verse 20. We know this very well. For our citizenship is in heaven, Paul says, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Paul says our citizenship is in heaven, and what that means in the nutshell is that the kingdom of God reigns supreme in our life. When you look first and foremost to the kingdom of God as the highest governing authority in your life, you submit yourself to its laws, its standards, its purposes.

And although we do have citizenship in this world, in this nation, we submit to that only as far as it is not in conflict with the kingdom of God. That is where the authority in our lives resides.

Claus, in chapter 1 verse 13, says, God has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. And so this day of trumpets must be a reminder to us who it is we submit our lives to and which kingdom we represent. Never lose focus, brethren.

Who is the king of your life? Whose government do you submit to? Do you hear the trumpet sounding?

Do you hear the alarm in Zion?

Who do we dedicate our life to, really? And who do we live in submission to with our last breath?

Point number four, final point for us, spiritual parallel to trumpets is the call to assembly.

The call to assembly. Again, the focus here pertains to the last trumpet. And in ancient Israel, trumpets were used for various reasons. They pronounced the new moon with the trumpet.

They pronounced God's holy days with the trumpets. They directed the movements of the camp and the blowing of the trumpets were also used for the assembly of the nation. And just as the trumpet called the people of ancient Israel into assembly, the trumpet of God will call the faithful saints to assembly at the end of the age.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 13 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words. And brethren, these are words of comfort.

We all have skin in the game, don't we? We all have people we love and desire to see in that day.

We could all name names, and we can honor their memory by living faithfully this calling of God.

The sounding of the trumpet of God is a call to assembly. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, it shows us that this will take place at the last trumpet, the resurrection of the saints. And at that time, the firstfruits will be assembled together alongside the very presence of Jesus Christ.

Their victory over the grave will be complete, and their change will come into the glorified likeness of God and Christ. The Feast of Trumpets must be a reminder to us of the importance of the assembly we've been called to today. This is the Church of God. And it's time for judgment to begin at the Church of God. But you see, the Church of God means assembly. It means called out ones, called out of the world, called together in assembly. That's what church means. If we say, I'm part of the church and I'm just going to hang out here by myself, I really don't need anybody else. I'm sorry, that's not what church means. It means the assembly. It means what it is that God has called us to by His command and by His Spirit. As such, we've been called into the assembly with God and with one another for an important purpose. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 18. Again, we're talking about the assembly. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 18. For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire into blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. It's referencing the children of Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, and they said, Moses, please don't let God talk to us. You talk to God. You tell us.

We don't want to hear Him. We cannot endure hearing. You go here for us. Verse 20. For they could not endure what was commanded, and if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot through with an arrow, and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said. You know, even Moses, I'm exceedingly afraid and trembling. Okay, that's not the mountain you and I have come to.

Verse 22. But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, the assembly. Okay, this is what we've been called to, registered in heaven, to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. We have all four of today's elements mixed up in this one passage, tied into it. It's not mixed up. It's tied in to this passage. Repentance and reconciliation. God is our judge. Submission to His kingdom and the assembly. They all apply to us as the church of God. You have come to Mount Zion, it says.

That is the church that is being referenced. This is where God's presence dwells today. And what did Joel say? He said, blow the trumpet in Zion. Sound the alarm in my holy mountain. And that is not literal only, brethren. That is spiritual. Can we hear the trumpet? Can we hear the warning? Can we hear the plea? Can we hear the mercy? Can we hear the grace and the desire of God for a reconciled relationship and a world of peace where the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea? It will be, but it must be today in our lives as well. Indeed, if we are responding, it will be. You and I have been called out of this world and called into assembly together as the people of God, and the trumpet has been sounded in our midst. And as God's assembly today, we must be a people who, guess what? We assemble. We assemble together as the church of God because it is who and what we are. We are the assembly, not simply for the sake of gathering, but for the purpose of building one another up unto success, unto helping one another across the finish line, helping one another achieve what it is God has called us to, his precious kingdom.

Let's conclude today in Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10, in verse 23, again, the trumpet call to assembly. Hebrews chapter 10, in verse 23, says, let us hold fast our confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And I love those words. I underline those words in my Bible because I need to rely on those words. He who promised is faithful.

We depend on that on this day. Again, we all have skin in the game, and we depend on the faithfulness of the promises of God. We put our life's trust in that. He who promised is faithful.

Verse 24, and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching, day with a capital D. Brethren, the literal fulfillment of this day of trumpets is fast approaching. I hope we can see it. I hope we can understand what it is that's taking place even in our day today. It is a blessing that God has set this day apart. So when you and I can gather, you and I can remember. We can talk about these things. We can read the prophecies. We can encourage each other to be steadfast, and we can be reminded of the significance of the words of God. Trumpets carries a significant meaning for the future of all mankind, but it's also significant for us today, those who live the meaning and purpose of these holy days today. God's plan of salvation does not end with trumpets, fortunately. Fortunately.

It is a step in God's plan of salvation, but it does not end here. We're going to go out from this day. We're going to look forward to the day of atonement. Again, a blessing to the world. We're going to look forward to the Feast of Tabernacles, a blessing to this world in the eighth day, the last great day, of the increase of his government and peace. There will be no end. This is the day of clouds and gloominess in some ways, but this is not the last day. Indeed, the dawn rises in this day. Darla again once mentioned to me that trumpets was so encouraging to her because the darkest hour comes just before the dawn. As we prepare for the holy days which lie yet ahead, let us keep our vision focused on the dawn. Let's keep our sights on the light of what God and Christ have in store, not only for us, but for all those who one day will submit their lives to the rulership of the kingdom of God. Brethren, the trumpet is sounding in Zion. I pray that you and I can hear it clearly today.