Feast of Trumpets and the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ

Well, good morning, everyone! I'm sure we all are awake right now. Thank you, Luke, very much, for sounding the shofar. You know, the silver trumpets were sounded on the face of trumpets as well, and the Jewish tradition says that the shofar, the ramshorn, was sounded on that day as well. So it's very appropriate that we had that illustration. It was good to see all of you, and it was so good before the service to see everyone talking and fellowshipping. It's so good to have Mrs. Martin with us today. We think about you and pray about you every day for your strength and your comfort. I'm so glad you can be with us today on this very special day.

You know, what are we doing here on a Tuesday? Most churches don't meet on Tuesday ever. Here we are. It doesn't seem like Tuesday somehow to me. I don't know what day it seems like, really. But we're here keeping a very important holy day, the Feast of Trumpets. The sermonette referred to Leviticus 23, read those verses there about the Feast of Trumpets.

All of God's holy days are given in that chapter, Leviticus 23. Trumpets this day was actually the first of the Biblical holy days that I ever observed. I had gone out to Ambassador College, didn't even know about the holy days. Learned about them, was challenged by sermons to look into the Bible and see if this is what the Scriptures really teach, which I did, and found the holy days to be right there, and started keeping the annual holy days.

1958. That's, what, about 14 years ago? Not all that many years back, is it? And my first festival I ever observed of God was the Feast of Trumpets this day. And it was a very special. I still remember it. They're in Pasadena, California, at Ambassador College. Brethren, this is a day of joy. It is a day of alarm, it's a day of some very powerful things happening.

But at the bottom line of it all, this is a day of joy. I'd like for us to turn to Leviticus, I mean, not Leviticus 23, but to Nehemiah chapter 8. And I want us to notice here that this day is a day of joy. I'd like for that to be a key note of this, an underlying key note of this sermon.

And that is that this Feast of Trumpets is a day of joy. Even when we look at the horrible things that are to happen during the day of the Lord. We'll refer to those a little bit later on. It's still done in love. God does not ever do anything out of love. Everything that he does is done with love. And he is going to step in with power and might. And he's going to do some pretty powerful things.

He's going to fight. There will be people that are slain, but he does it in love. And he does it to straighten out the world, as we'll see. This day, then, is a day of joy. It's not a very positive day.

You couldn't have anything more positive. You think about this. The first coming of Jesus Christ was announced by the angels as being a time of great joy. Here, Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, was coming to the earth. The first coming was announced with great joy. We can announce the second coming of Jesus Christ with also great joy. Let's read, then, from Nehemiah 8. You will notice in the very latter part of chapter 7 that it is when the seventh month came.

Well, the seventh month has come to us. It is today. The children of Israel were in their cities, and they came to read from the book of the Law of Moses, chapter 8 and verse 1. And notice in the last part of verse 2 that it is on the first day of the seventh month.

Bless today! This is the first day of the seventh month. By the way, there is no other chapter in the Bible that covers more about the actual observance of the Feast of Trumpets than right here. This chapter describes the keeping of the Feast of Trumpets by the Jews who had come back from Babylonian captivity. And they were so happy to hear the words of God expounded to them. In fact, they read verse 3. They read from the Law of God then from morning to midday. Well, we're going to go pretty close to midday here. We'll stop a little bit before. We're going to read from the words of God.

And the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the Law. Well, I think our ears are attentive. I think we caught all the words that were brought out, all the scriptures in the sermonette. And we're listening closely. In verse 5, Ezra opened the book on the side of the people, for he was standing above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. Well, you don't need to stand up.

You can maintain your seat. Ezra blessed the Lord, so they asked God's blessing upon their get-together, the great God. All the people answered, Amen. Well, we said Amen to our prayer. While lifting up their hands, they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

So these people were in a spirit of worship. They had come out of Babylonian captivity. They were so happy to be back in their homeland. Verse 8, they read distinctly from the book in the Law of God, and they gave the sense and helped them to understand the reading. They explained then the Scriptures.

They were reading Nehemiah, the governor, Ezra the priest, the Levites, taught the people who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to the Lord your God. Brethren, that's why we are here on a Tuesday, this Tuesday. It is the first day of the seventh month. It is the Feast of Trumpets. It is a day that's holy, holy to God this day, and it's holy to us.

But holy because God has made it holy. Notice as they go on in verse 9, Do not mourn nor weep, for all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Well, you know, we're not weeping, but we are rejoicing at the words of God that we will read today. They wept when they heard these words, which they had not heard for a long, long time, or if ever. In verse 10, he said to them, Go your way. And as they came on to word lunchtime, this must be when they said this, Go your way. Eat the fat. Drink the sweet. Send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared.

For this day is holy to our God. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And let that be a key note as we go through the sermon, the joy of God. He is going to step in. He's going to straighten things out.

You know, we're all very concerned about what is happening in the world. We're very concerned about what is happening to our nation, our beloved nation. The leadership is just quickly leading us down the path to destruction. It is so sad to see what is happening. We're losing stature in our own country, but we're also losing stature in the world at large.

We no longer have the respect. And it's sad what is happening, but God is going to straighten it out, and this day shows when and how He is going to do it. The joy of the Lord is our strength, too. In verse 11, the Levites quieted all the people, saying, Be still, for the day is holy. Do not be grieved. And all the people, then they heard these words of encouragement.

All the people went their way to eat and drink and send portions, and rejoiced greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them. I hope we can rejoice greatly, too, as we hear the words of God expounded this day.

So what a wonderful day this is. This day is holy. This day is a day of joy. Let us rejoice as we keep this Feast of Trumpets. But what does it mean? Well, we know the Holy Days means significant steps in God's plan. I have here the United Church of God's booklet, God's Holy Day Plan, Promise of Hope for All Mankind. Let me read from the chapter on the Feast of Trumpets. Feast of Trumpets, turning point in mankind's history. There needs to be a turning point, and there's going to be. And the Feast of Trumpets signals that turning point.

The Feast, this chapter begins by saying, The Feast of Trumpets introduces the autumn festivals, representing the culmination of the present age of man and the beginning of an incredible time during which God will play a much more direct part in world events. Indeed, this festival, a Holy Day signals the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis. Worldwide, the great God begins to step in. Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Eastern Oriental nations, all nations everywhere. The Feast of Trumpets represents a dramatic turning point in world history. The Feast of Trumpets depicts nothing less than the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish the kingdom of God.

Of all the prophecies in the Bible, this one surely heralds the most exciting news possible for this weary, sin-filled world. The Feast of Trumpets also marks the future fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies, we're going to read some of them, which speak of a Messiah coming as a king of the line of David who will sit on the throne of Israel and rule with power and authority over all nations. So, it would be a good study this afternoon. You have time. The sunset is not until almost eight o'clock. You have time to even read this whole chapter and think about it and rejoice in this day and what it means.

The Feast of Trumpets then pictures a turning point in mankind's history. God changes his basically a hands-off policy. He kind of stays away, lets man work things out, and then only gets involved as he chooses to do so to guide things in that direction he wants things to go. But basically, pretty much a hands-off policy. But he steps in with a hands-on policy, pictured by the Feast of Trumpets. In fact, God is going to let mankind go to the very brink of destruction.

Jesus brought that out in the Olivet prophecy. Mankind will come to the very brink of destroying himself, and then the great God will step in to rescue and save humanity. That's the joy of this day. God is not going to let mankind destroy all human life and everything on this beautiful planet. He's going to step in.

So that's what we're going to be talking about in the sermon, The Feast of Trumpets and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That's the title I've given this, Feast of Trumpets and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Let's read some of the Old Testament and some of the New Testament Scriptures. There are so many of them. Let's begin back in the book of Isaiah, and it shows how the great God is going to step in powerfully.

It's the most wonderful thing he could do to step in and begin to turn things around. I look forward to things being turned around, don't you? I'd love for this earth to not have the crime and the evils, all the violence, warfare. I hate what has happened over in Afghanistan, to think about that. Even murder is going on now. Decapitations, you hear about that, and your heart just goes out. You'd like to do something.

Well, God is going to do something, but at just the right time, He will step in. Let's read from Isaiah 2 in verse 10. Enter into the rock and hide in the dust, for the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. All those who think they're so great and so mighty, they're going to be humbled. The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord, and that's what the Feast of Trumpet pictures, the day of the Lord and the coming of Jesus Christ.

The day of the Lord shall be upon everything that is proud and lofty. Upon everything lifted up, it shall be brought low. Skip on down to verse 20. In that day, a man will cast away his idols of silver and idols of gold. Verse 21, go into the clefts of the rocks, the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily.

So this day pictures that time. But again, it's the most wonderful thing that a loving God could do. I remember when I was about probably about 12 years of age or so, my two older brothers who are three and four years older than me. So that means they were probably about 15 and 16, about mid-teens. I looked over some distance away, and there were my brothers fighting. They were having it out. I mean, the fur was flying. And my father, who is about the slowest man, I never saw him get in a hurry about anything.

He was very mild-tempered. He never got angry. But I saw him see those two brothers of mine fighting, and he actually ran. He ran over to my two brothers, and he dived in between them, and he put an end to that fight very quickly. He sees his voice. He put an end to that fight. That's exactly what the great God is going to do. He's going to come charging back. Jesus Christ is going to come storming back. He's going to put an end to things like what are happening in Afghanistan and other evils all over the earth. It's going to be a wonderful thing.

This is a day of joy. I look forward to that, the great God stepping in powerfully. He's going to, as it says, shake the earth mightily. Let's read some more verses, Old Testament verses. Let's go to Isaiah 40. Beautiful verses here in Isaiah 40. By the way, if you want some scriptures that prepare you for the Feast of Tabernacles, study and read Isaiah 40 through 66.

Isaiah 40 through 66 has so many verses about the Millennium, the wonderful world tomorrow when Christ and the Saints will be reigning. Wonderful verses to read even during the Feast of Tabernacles. Isaiah 40 and verse 1. Comfort, yes, comfort my people. I'll tell you what, we need comfort. This world needs comfort. It says, your God, speak comfort to Jerusalem. Cry to her that her warfare is ended. And in verse 5, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. This day shows that time coming, arriving.

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all flesh shall see it together. All flesh, all nations are going to see it. And in verse 10, the Lord God shall come. This day pictures it with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his work is before him. Christ will have his work cut out for him, but he's up to the task. He'll know just how to bring all the nations into line. He can just send them no rain.

That goes a long way. He can start letting them get hungry, let it soften them up. He has other ways that he can bring the nations into line. Let's go to Isaiah 66, but the great God is going to step in. Jesus Christ is going to come storming back. That's something to rejoice about. In Isaiah 66 and verse 15, behold, the Lord will come with fire. He's going to come back then with weapons that fight and that are effective against human beings.

He will come with fire, and with this chariot like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword the Lord will judge all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. And since there's going to be even the destruction of human life. Now, I would think that these are deceived people that will be slain, and they will be brought back to life in the Second Resurrection to understand and have an opportunity to repent. After all, they are deceived by Satan, and so they will just be slain and brought back to life at the end of a thousand years, and given the opportunity to repent.

Jesus Christ comes back to straighten out the world. That is good news, don't you think? I can't think of any better news than that. This world needs to be straightened out. Let's go to Jeremiah 25. Jeremiah. We find so many verses in the Old Testament Scriptures about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. We don't even have time to read them all. Let's go to Jeremiah 30. No, 25 is fine.

Let's read a few Scriptures from there first. Jeremiah 25 in verse 30. Jeremiah 25 in verse 30. Therefore, prophesy against them all these words, and say to them, The Lord will roar from on high. It's okay to be angry and sin not. The Bible even knows a verse about that. Be angry and sin not.

The great God is going to be angry and sin not. And when Jesus Christ comes back with anger, that's what the world needs. The Lord will roar from on high and utter his voice from his holy habitation. He will roar mightily against his fold. He will give a shout as those who tread the grapes against all the inhabitants of the earth.

A noise will come to the ends of the earth, for the Lord has a controversy with the nations. You know, I have a controversy too, don't you? Well, God has one. A controversy with the nations. He will plead his case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword. So Jesus Christ will come back with great power and might. And it's just what the world needs to begin to be straightened out. Verse 33, at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth.

So Jesus Christ is going to fight and he's going to defeat those nations that are gathered against Jerusalem. Let's see, we need to... Well, let's read just a few verses from Jeremiah 30 because, Brother, wouldn't you like to see the United States, the greatest nation on the earth even yet today? Wonderful freedoms and liberties that we enjoy here that no other nation has? Wealth that has been given to us by the birthright promises? People are striving to get into this nation.

They're not trying to get into Russia. Why not? Or China? They're trying to get into the United States. Because this is where the birthright blessings are. This is where the freedoms are, the liberties. So, wouldn't you... But look at all that is happening to us. We're losing the moral advantage that we have had by sins that are being committed by our country. And it's very sad to see that direction that our nation is going.

Wouldn't you like to see the United States and Britain straightened out and strong and powerful? We're going to see more than we've ever seen in our life. We're going to see them as model nations in the millennium. And God is going to straighten out our nation. In Jeremiah 30, it brings out in verse 3 that there is a coming captivity that God will bring Israel from. And they will return to the land given to our fathers. It goes on down to say that this time of trouble is like a man with his hands on his loins and a woman in labor.

All faces turn pale, last part of verse 6. Verse 7, that day is great so that none is like it. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. And so it goes on to say that God is going to deliver our people then from a captivity.

God is going to allow a punishment to come. And he says in verse 11, I am with you, says the Lord, to save you. So it's good to know that God is with the United States and Britain, though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you.

Yet I will not make a complete end of you, but I will correct you in justice and will not let you go altogether unpunished. If we think we can go the way we're going and live the way that we just in the old way and get away with it, God says, no, no, I will not let you go altogether unpunished. So there's a coming punishment upon Israel. There's a great tribulation that lies ahead, and God will deliver our people.

But he has a controversy with all the nations as we read, and he's going to straighten them out as well. All nations will be gathered against Jerusalem. Let's go to Zechariah 14. We need to quickly read. We're just going to skip over some of these verses that we could read. In Zechariah 14, it describes Jesus Christ stepping in, intervening in world affairs, beginning to turn things around. Zechariah 14 in verse 1, "'Woe the day of the Lord!' And that's what this day here pictures, the day of the Lord culminating in the coming of Jesus Christ.

The day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided. I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. Verse 3, "'The Lord shall go forth and fight.' And in that day," verse 4, "'His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.'" And it goes on to describe. The saints are with them, the last part of verse 5, "'The Lord my God will come, and all the saints with you.'" We'll get to that part of this day in just a few minutes.

All the saints of God will be there. Those who are living changed to spirit. Those who are dead resurrected. Verse 8, "'In that day it shall be that living waters flow from Jerusalem.' Verse 9, "'The Lord shall be king over all the earth.' In that day it shall be the Lord is one, His name one.'" It all leads to Jesus Christ then establishing God's kingdom and being king over all the earth.

So there are so many verses in the Old Testament that we could read. We just don't really have time to read them all. Many of them are brought out in our booklet and other articles. In the New Testament, already verses have been read from Matthew 24, the Olivet prophecy, leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Mankind will be ready to destroy himself. And then Jesus Christ returns with great power and glory, it says. And then Revelation expands on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I think we're pretty familiar with that. You have a good sketch in your mind of the seven seals. The seven seals begin in chapter 6. Six of them are given there. The four horsemen of the apocalypse. We had a booklet called The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And one person wrote in asking, he didn't understand quite, asking for the four horsemen of the pucker lips. L-I-P-S. Four horsemen of the pucker lips. Well, we have a booklet on Revelation, and it does explain the seals, seven seals. The seventh seal, remember, breaks out into seven trumpets. Seven trumpet plagues. And that is during the day of the Lord when God begins to really step in and turn things around. And it culminates. The seventh trumpet is when Jesus Christ comes. We've read verses already on that in Revelation 11. The seventh trumpet is when Jesus Christ returns, the last trumpet. Finally, Jesus Christ will visibly return to fight the nations that are gathered at Jerusalem. Let's turn to Revelation 19 and read that. The nations will have gathered. They're at Jerusalem. We know that they're gathered at Armageddon. Chapter 16 of Revelation says they're gathered at Armageddon. And then they come on down to Jerusalem, to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, around Jerusalem, where that final battle that we read here in Revelation 19. And this is what really defeats the nations at last in Revelation chapter 19. And in verse 11, I saw the heavens open, and hear the one that is faithful and true, his eyes like, verse 12, his eyes like a flame of fire. I'm going through this quickly because I think we're knowledgeable about this. He talks about he is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. Verse 13, his name is called the Word of God. This is the returning Jesus Christ. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, followed him. Verse 15, out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations. And he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. We've already read about how he's going to strike the nations. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. You know, God is angry when he sees mankind about ready to destroy the earth, and ready to destroy human life. God is angry. He's going to step in. But that's the most wonderful thing he could do. Stop in to cut it short.

Verse 16, he has on his robe and thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. I saw an angel standing in the sun, crying, with a loud voice, coming gathered together for the supper of the great God, that they may eat flesh of kings. So these nations that are gathered will come on down to Jerusalem. Verse 19, I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together, gathered around Jerusalem, to make war against him who sat on the horse, against Christ. The beast was captured in the false prophet. These two were cast into the lake of fire. Verse 21, the rest were killed with the sword, which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds filled with their flesh.

So this picture is that final battle when the nations are finally defeated. This is that last battle where Jesus Christ establishes control, the slain of the Lord being there, and maybe other areas around the earth as well. Well, we know that right after that, in Chapter 4, we read about Satan being bound, represented by the Day of Atonement. And then we read about the Millennium in Verses 4-6, pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles. So, brethren, this day is a great day of joy. And I've mentioned, you know, remember, joy is an underlying theme of this message, the joy of this day. The great God is going to step in.

I look forward to that. I hate to see all that is going on on the earth today. I know we all do. We are vexed. And we certainly want things to be so different, and that time is coming. This day represents when God will at last step in and rescue mankind from Himself. And that's a great joy, a great joy. But, you know, there's a special joy for us, the people of God. We've already heard some about it, but there's a special joy for the people of God.

Let's read just a few things about that. The people of God, turn to Jude 14. Jude 14. Let's read a couple of verses here. But the saints of God are going to be resurrected and changed. Those who are living will be just changed to immortality. Let's read those verses. And they're going to return and be there with Jesus Christ.

As it brings out in Zechariah 14, the saints are with Christ. As His feet light down upon the Mount of Olives, the same place where His feet left almost 2,000 years ago. He left from the Mount of Olives. He returns to the Mount of Olives. His feet will light down. When His feet light down upon the Mount of Olives, if we overcome, we will be with Him. I tell you, that should give us joy. If it doesn't, I don't know what it would take.

In Jude 14, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, oh, this is way back before the Flood, halfway between Adam and Eve's creation to the Flood. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment. Not to destroy mankind. He's going to execute judgment on everybody. Convict those who are ungodly, that they should change their ways. From all their ungodly deeds, they are committing harsh things they have spoken against Him.

So there's going to be a lot of teaching and persuading and convicting. Jesus Christ is going to convince the people to change their ways then, and to be converted and to be baptized. And we'll be with Him. The Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints. Brethren, that does include us, doesn't it? We are the saints of God, and we have the opportunity to be among these ten thousands of saints.

Let's go to 1 Thessalonians 4. The sermon did refer to this, but it doesn't hurt to go back and capture another point or two from this passage in 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 13. You know, we have had death to strike our congregation.

We're sad. It hurts. Death is an enemy. But we're not to sorrow as others. Let's read about that in verse 13. I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren. 1 Thessalonians 4. 13. I do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. I tell you, we don't. We sorrow. This doesn't say we don't sorrow. We do sorrow. But we don't sorrow with no hope. And it goes on to describe the resurrection verses that were read in the sermonette, the coming of Jesus Christ.

The Lord will descend. Verse 16. The ones who are alive and remain. Verse 17. Will be caught up together with those who are resurrected and always be with the Lord. And that is verse 18. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. And these words are comforting. We're going to see our loved ones again. So, this day has special meaning for us.

Let's turn to 1 Corinthians 15 and read a few of these verses here in the resurrection chapter. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. This I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. No, we can't get into God's kingdom as human beings. Nor does corruption inherit incorruption. I wouldn't mind being in a better substance than flesh. How about you? My flesh has its aches and pains as I get older, more of them. I wouldn't mind at all no longer being flesh and blood, but inheriting incorruption.

How about that? No pain, no death. That's going to come our way. We continue. Verse 51, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep or die, that is, but we shall all be changed. All of us, in a moment, just in the twinkling of an eye, flesh one moment less than a second later, a spirit being, incorruptible.

And when would that be? At the last trumpet, the seventh trump. Trumpet shall sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. Death is going to be swallowed up in victory. Death is certainly a big enemy. It certainly is a big enemy, but it's going to be destroyed. And we look forward, and we will no longer be human beings. You know, think about that this day. What a joy that is. We have more than this human life to put our hope in.

In this human life, there's only hope of just a few fleeting decades, hopefully. Maybe seven or eight, nine decades go by pretty quick. Ten years, and then another ten years, they go by pretty quickly. So that's our only hope in this flesh.

But we have the hope of something much greater. What's it going to be like to rise up in the air to meet the returning Jesus Christ? What's that going to be like? What kind of joy or thrill? I don't think we can begin to imagine it. To suddenly start rising up in the air. No longer human. No longer flesh and blood. A brand new glorified spirit body. And look around and see thousands and thousands of other brilliant sons of God, all shining like the sun, just like you.

What's that going to be like? Coming from all directions and gathering around that one up ahead with a crown on his head. What will it be like to see Jesus Christ in all his glory and greet him? And be greeted by him? And say, welcome to the family of God. Say, well done, good and faithful servant. I don't think there are any words in the human language that can describe what it will be like. Indescribable joy and excitement.

That's what we celebrate today. That time when that will happen, we will be changed instantly from flesh to spirit. And our victory will be complete and final. And our struggle will be over. We won't struggle anymore. So thus, the joy that is pictured by this day for the elect, the ones chosen, and those who overcome. So what should we be doing?

Well, we have to go on enduring, overcoming, keep our faith strong, keep our eyes on the kingdom of God, spend sufficient time in prayer and study, be watching constantly and continuously ready. Do you feel that in your life you're getting more ready all the time for the coming of Christ? Are you ready for the second coming of Christ? The Scriptures say, you can read this Scripture in Revelation 16, that Jesus Christ comes as a thief. That doesn't mean He's going to be a thief when He comes, but it does mean He's going to come suddenly and unexpectedly.

A thief comes unannounced. Jesus is going to come unannounced. You might say He's going to come suddenly. We do, as a church, we recognize or know that we're living in the time just before He comes. But still, could we be caught by surprise ourselves? By the way, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 also brings out two or three times that He comes as a thief. He comes suddenly and unexpectedly. So the Scriptures admonish us to be ready.

You know, I think about that. I'm striving, but am I ready enough? Am I zealous enough? I know I need to improve. I need to grow. I need to keep my focus clear. So how about you? I'd like to conclude with just a couple of verses in the Old Testament. Zephaniah. Let's go to Zephaniah chapter 2. Little book of Zephaniah.

Just before Haggai, which is just before Zechariah. I hope that'll help you find it. If not, you can listen. Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1. You know, this is an admonition for us. It has some spiritual, let's say, admonition. We should... direction for us. Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1.

Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together, O undesirable nation. Well, to the world we are pretty undesirable. It could be referring to us in that way. Before the decree is issued, before 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, seek the Lord. This is good advice for us. Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness. Be right in God's sight. Right, fully right in our hearts and minds before God.

Seek humility, not exalting of ourselves or lifting ourselves up, knowing that we're just of ourselves, nothing. And notice it says in the last part of verse 3 that it may be, it may be, that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. It may be that God will just be looking out for you as we go through the horrible things at the end of this age. I like these verses, don't you? It shows us that direction we need to go.

Let's go to Daniel for the final scriptures, Daniel chapter 12. Daniel chapter 12, and it's talking about what the Feast of Trumpets represents here. Let's read just a few verses in Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1. At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands, watch over the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. So it's talking about our time that we're living in now. Verse 2 is talking about the return of Christ and the resurrection.

Daniel was told he was not given to understand all these prophecies, but as we go on through this chapter, we see what he was told. And also what we need to be busy doing. In verse 9, go your way, Daniel. The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined. May that be us. I imagine there's yet some more purification that could be done. I know there is with me. I don't know about you. There's more growing and overcoming that I need to do. Many shall be purified and made white and refined. But the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand. But the wise shall understand. And it gives a time element here of something happening from the daily sacrifice taken away, 1290 days.

Verse 12 says, blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1,335 days. So we still kind of struggle to understand all of that. Go your way, Daniel. You shall rest and rise to your inheritance at the end of the days. So, brother, we need to continue waiting, don't we? And we need to continue letting God purify us and make us white and refined.

Today we have read prophecies from the Old Testament and the New Testament about the powerful and dramatic Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is what the Feast of Trumpets represents. It's a day of great joy. God will step in with great power to turn things around and make things right on the earth. At last we will begin to have peace and happiness and joy and no more crime, no more evils like we have in the world today. That is what the Feast of Trumpets pictures, the great God stepping in. It also pictures that time of our change to immortality at the seventh trunk.

So, let's enjoy and delight in this day. And remember, it is a day of rejoicing. It is a day of joy.