The Feast of Trumpets & The Day of the Lord

But God began to reveal the annual Holy Days to Israel as they came out of Egypt. Let us notice that in Exodus 12. So here's Israel in captivity in Egypt. It's amazing that they had any vestiges of what true worship was all about. And, of course, here they are in Egypt, a very pagan nation, the leading power of the day in the Mediterranean world, perhaps in the whole world. In Exodus 12.1, "...and the Eternal, spoken to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you, the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year." So God revealed to Israel a calendar. And, of course, we have a lot of discussion on the calendar with regard to, is there a sacred calendar? I believe there is a calendar that God... He certainly revealed which month would be the first month on His sacred calendar. So that's... He began here to reveal the Holy Days. And Passover, of course, is not a Holy Day, but we do hold a Holy Convocation on that day. And it is a feast day. So here, Exodus 12, is taken up with revealing all about Passover. And then in Leviticus 23, we'll turn there, Leviticus 23, we have a summary of all of the Holy Days given in Leviticus 23. And it includes, I would say, all of the festival days and all the Holy Days, including the annual Sabbath, because the annual Sabbath is a feast day. You look at Leviticus 23 and verse 1, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, speaking of the children of Israel, and saying to them, Concerning the feast of the Eternal, which you shall proclaim in to be Holy Convocations, even these are my feast. They're not the feast of Israel, per se. These are my feast. These are the Eternal's feast. These are the feast that the Eternal revealed to Israel. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day, here is the weekly Sabbath, is the Sabbath of rest, and Holy Convocation you shall do no work therein. It is the Sabbath of the Eternal in all your dwellings.

These are the feasts of the Eternal, even Holy Convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons. So here we are today on the feast of trumpets. We are observing the feast of trumpets. So let's read God's initial instructions for observing the feast of trumpets. Look now in Leviticus 23 and verse 23. Leviticus 23, 23, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses, saying, We have three straight verses where we started off with, and the Eternal spoke unto Moses.

Speaking of the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, and this is the seventh month, and the sacred calendar, it is the month of Tishri, In the first day of the month shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, plural, a memorial of blowing trumpets, trumpets, and Holy Convocation.

You shall do no servile work therein, but you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Eternal. The trumpets referred to here is the shofar, or ram's horn. The shofar is distinct from the silver trumpets blown on the other new moons. Of course, trumpets begins with the new moon, the beginning of the month. Silver trumpets were sounded at the daily burnt offerings and at the beginnings of each new moon. You can read about that in Numbers 10. I'm not going to turn there and read it, but it tells them to make two silver trumpets, and they were used for specific purposes.

Jewish tradition holds that Rosh Hashanah celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the world, a day when God takes stock of all of His creation. The Jews have a separate calendar. I think they're somewhere in the year 5786, but according to the genealogies that we can put together, it's more like 6000 and something, but that's a different subject. So on this day, according to Jewish tradition, God takes stock of all of His creation, which of course includes all of humanity.

This word, Rosh Hashanah, translated from the Hebrew, means head of the year. The Jews, in effect, celebrate two New Years, Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, and also the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the month of Nisan, the first month of the sacred year, that we read about in Exodus 12. So Rosh Hashanah means head of the year, Rosh means head, and Hashanah means the years. The Jews believe that God's judgment on this day determines the course of the coming years, so they treat it with really superstition, and it's a very sacred time.

And from Feast of Trumpets through atonement, they examine themselves and go through various rituals. They have come to the point that they observe it actually two days, and the second day was added by rabbis somewhere around 500 B.C. But the shofar specifically was blown on the beginning of this month, the month of Tishri, Rosh Hashanah, head of the year.

So a distinguishing feature of the Feast of Trumpets is a climatic blast, the shofar. This is not the usual series of short blasts, but it is a signaling alarm of bad news. It is a long blast. Now, the news could be good or it could be bad, as we heard in the special music. Oh, death, where is there sting? Oh, grave, where is your victory? Of course, the resurrection is coming, as we shall see. But it's a long blast, signaling victory or good news.

It is this last blast that is referred to as the last trumpet. And we'll read scriptures having to do with the last trump. In Jewish circles, it is called the Day of the Awakening Blast because it awakens the dead. It is so powerful. For centuries, the Jews have linked the Feast of Trumpets with the resurrection from the dead. Now, we have had some in the church, and we still have some, who want to link the resurrection with Pentecost, because Pentecost has to do with the firstfruits.

But I find nowhere that I can really substantiate that from secular history, Jewish tradition, or from the Bible itself, other than to link the firstfruits. There are several verses in the Old Testament that refer to the resurrection of the dead. In Job 14.14, we'll read four or five of these passages now. In Job 14 and verse 14, this verse we often read at funerals. Job 14 verse 14, If a man die, shall he live again?

All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. You shall call, and I will answer you. You will have a desire to the work of your hands. So Job knew about the resurrection. Apparently, we look now at Psalm 17 and verse 15. Psalm 17 and verse 15, what we're showing here that in the Old Testament times they knew of the resurrection.

There were two principal sects, S-E-C-T-E-S, in Judah during the time of Christ's ministry. You had the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection. You had the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection, even though there are numerous places in the Old Testament that speak of the resurrection of the dead.

This one you might call a little bit more obscure in Psalm 17 and verse 15. As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I await with your likeness. You can read in Revelation 22 and verse 4 where it talks about, and we shall see the face of God, or 1 John chapter 3 where it says, and we will be known as we are known, and we shall see Him as He is. Continuing with this from the Old Testament, let's look at Isaiah 52 and verse 1.

This is such a beautiful scripture here. Isaiah 52 and verse 1, see oftentimes in the Bible death is reckoned with sleep, or synonymously used with sleep. Sometimes the resurrection is referred to as an awakening. As we said, the blast of this trumpet on the day of the trumpets, according to Jewish tradition, awakens the dead. In Isaiah 52, 1, Awake, Awake, put on your strength, O Zion! That is the church of God. I'll just paraphrase Hebrews 12 verses 22-23. You have not come to Mount Sinai, the mountain that can be touched, that could not be touched during the time that the law was being given, but you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the general assembly and church of the firstborn.

So Zion is symbolic of the church in the spiritual sense. Of course, there is a literal physical place called Zion, just southwest of the Temple Mount. Awake, Awake, put on your strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful garments! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem! Often times, Zion and Jerusalem are used synonymously, and sometimes Jerusalem is used for the church, as in Galatians 4, verse 26, I believe, where it says that Jerusalem above the mother of us all.

So we will be born in Zion, that is, symbolizing the church. Of course, our bodies will be scattered all over the face of the earth. Some will be in graves. Some, their ashes have been scattered in different places. Some burned in a house fire or other fires. O Jerusalem, the holy city for henceforth there shall no more come unto you, the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust, arise and sit down, O Jerusalem, loose yourself from the bands of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

Then it goes on to talk about how God will redeem them. Look at verse 7, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good tidings, that publish peace, that bring good tidings of good, that publishes salvation that says unto Zion, Your God reigns. And so, of course, God begins to reign, as we'll read later, during the Feast of Trumpets. Another place is in Daniel 12, where we're talking about Old Testament scriptures that speak of the resurrection, how glorious, how wonderful it is.

I have not seen the earth, not heard, neither has it entered in the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him. We can only try to get a glimpse and description of what it's going to be. Take a Waco's eye and put on your beautiful garments, glorious, radiant spirit, beings in the kingdom of God. In Daniel 12, verse 1, And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince, which stands for the children of your people.

There shall be a time of trouble, the great tribulation, such a... it never was since there was a nation. Matthew 24 almost says the same thing, great tribulation, great trouble. Even to the same time, and at that time, see, on the heels of the great tribulation, and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust, that are dead, that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.

Some to everlasting life, and some to shame, and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, awake, awake, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars, for ever and ever. But ye, O Daniel, shut up the words of the book, even to the time of the end, and that word end there literally means what it says, the end of this present evil age. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. The Old Testament prophets also made it clear that the Feast of Trumpets is also inextricably linked to the day of the Lord.

With regard to end time events. So we'll look at Joel now. Joel, forward a few pages there. Hosea, Joel, and Joel, chapter 2, and verse 1. Blow the trumpet in Zion. That's what we hope to do today, and we hope it's being blown all over the world as various ministers stand up and preach on this day the Feast of Trumpets. And we should be continually blowing by trumpet every day, as in Isaiah where it says, Blow the trumpet, show my people their sins.

Blow you the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for it is also at hand. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of dark and thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains, a great people and a strong, there has never been the like.

Neither shall there be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. You look at verse 15, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly. Also now in Zephaniah chapter 1, we see that the prophets link the trumpets with the day of the Lord. Zephaniah is just before Haggai, Haggai is just before Zechariah, and so Zephaniah. In Zephaniah chapter 1, the theme of Zephaniah is the day of the Lord.

In Zephaniah 1.14, the great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and haste greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord, the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of waste-ness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fence cities and against the high towers. God is going to bring the nations into judgment.

The day of the Lord is when the events are under the control of God, though human beings will be carrying on various bad activities, as we shall see later. So let's take a look at the book of Revelation to see how the day of the Lord is introduced. Oftentimes, we very seldom spend much of any time in Revelation 5, but we'll see here briefly that you have the seven seals, and the seventh seal is divided into seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet is divided into seven vials or bowls of wrath.

In Revelation 5, verse 1, there's great distress because no one is county worthy to open the seals of the book that is before them. And I saw an angel, and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and on the backside seal with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof. So here's God sitting on the throne.

He has his book, and it's sealed, and seven seals. And the angel is distressed because there's no one counted worthy to open this book, to open the seals.

And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look therein. And I wept much, remember John is writing this, because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. The root of David has prevailed to open the book and to loosen seven seals thereof. And I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb, as it had been slain. Of course, it is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, having seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. So it goes to the throne. Father takes the book. We need to take in the book the four beasts, the four twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints, the sweet incense. And we'll notice when we read Revelation 8 in just a moment that it is the prayers of the saints. When the prayers of the saints are poured out, then the action really begins. And so the prayers of the saints are not in vain. 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 to God by your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and have made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. And it continues there with praise and facts. Then we look at chapter 6, verse 1.

So the lamb begins to open these seals. And I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts, saying, Come and see. Now, a lot of people talk about the seals with regard to events paralleling Matthew 24 and the various things that take place.

And through the ages, we have had wars, rumors of war. We have had earthquakes. We have had many of the signs that are given in Matthew 24 on a continuing basis. But at the end of the age, there is certainly an acceleration of these things. You could read about the frequency of earthquakes in recent times, about drought, famine, and all the various things that go with it. Disease, and more and more diseases are coming forth that they have never known before, and there is really no cure for them at the present time.

And so there has been a continuation of some of these things, but I believe there is a distinct time of opening of these seals. We're not going to go through each one of them painstakingly. So we continue to read here in verse 2, And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him had a bow, a bow as symbolic of military power and strength, and a crown was given unto him. And he went forth, conquering, and to conquer. So here is one that appears to be one who brings peace, a benevolent one. And of course, you could parallel Daniel 8, where he talks about, This one will come on the scene, and through prosperity shall corrupt the people. And it goes through the opening of each one of these seals. The second seal here was war, and the next one has to do with the black horse. And the famine. And the next one, the pale horse. And we'll read that verse, verse 8, And I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And his name that sat on him was Death, and hell the grave followed with him, And power was given unto him over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, That is one, with hunger, with death, and with the beast of the earth. The population of the earth now is a little over 7 billion. So if you take one-fourth of 7 billion, you're at about a fourth of eight is two, So you're probably around 1.8, 1.9 billion people dead. That's hard to imagine. Then the fifth seal, or the martyr, is under the altar. And then we come to 12, which really introduces the Day of the Lord, And the signs that accompany the Day of the Lord. Now, the Day of the Lord is an expression that is used often in the Old Testament, In which it is a time in which God directly intervenes in the affairs of humankind. God intervened from time to time in the course of the history of Israel, Bringing them out of Egypt, delivering them during the period of the Judges, And from time to time intervening.

But this Day of the Lord is when God intervenes, and he orchestrates, If you want to use that word, he is the Commander-in-Chief of what happens during this period.

So in verse 12, And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, he who is the Lamb, When the Lamb had opened the sixth seal, lo, there was a great earthquake, The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, And the moon became as blood. Now, a lot of the people who are hawking the Gospel and the Bible, Trying to get people to buy their CDs and tapes and all that, They talk about various astronomical events that are occurring in the heavens. I mean, there was a great occurrence, according to the NASA and the people that are behind this, This week, in which they were able to land, And I don't know exactly what they called it, an instrument of some sort, On a comet that was orbiting out in space. And they said, oh, if we get these molecules, And if these molecules can receive air and water, It might be clues, it may offer us clues to how life formed on the earth. Now verse 13, the stars of heaven fell under the earth. All of the stars are much larger than the earth, so stars must be symbolic. We notice in Revelation, we're not turning there, that the stars that are mentioned there, In Revelation 1, symbolize the angels, the messengers, the churches. And the stars of heaven fell under the earth, Even as a fig tree cast her untimely figs when she was shaken of a mighty wind. The demonic powers are going to be shaken. And of course, the devil is going to have a free hand for a while. But even during the time of the day of the Lord, the devil is going to be active, But he can't do any more than what God allows him to do. Verse 14, and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And of course, some of this has to be symbolic as well. The heavens departing as a scroll, all the mountains and islands moving out of their places. You can imagine in the literal sense what kind of geologic activity this would affect the weather, This kind of event taking place.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, And the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains, And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us, From the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Now this involves the day of the Lord, involves the wrath of God, and the wrath of the Lamb. And sometimes people just limited to the wrath of the Lamb, Hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, that's God the Father, And from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come, And who shall be able to stand? So the sixth seal is introduced by the heavenly signs, And then there is the inset chapter here, of chapter 7 of the ceiling of the 144,000, And then the narrative resumes in chapter 8, And the seventh seal begins, is opened, And the seven angels with the seven trumpets appear. So we turn to Revelation 8 verse 1, And when he had opened the seventh seal, when he the Lamb had opened the seventh seal. So here we see that the seventh seal is abided into the seven trumpets.

Revelation 8, 1, And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

And I saw the seven angels who had stood before God, and them were given seven trumpets.

And another angel came, stood at the altar, having a golden censure, And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the altar which were before the throne. Like was mentioned in chapter 5, the prayers of the saints. And they are poured out, and it wafts up the nostrils of God as a sweet incense. 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 censure and filled it with fire on the altar and cast it into the earth. And there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound, and the first angel sounded. These first four trumpet plagues are basically poured out on the environment. Then we go to Revelation 9, in the first verse, and you see the fifth trumpet plague is described there in the first several verses of chapter 9. And then the next trumpet plague is poured out.

Verse 14, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And then there's this great army. Verse 16, the army of the horsemen were 200,000 thousand, and I heard the number of them, and it goes on to describe them. And there is great warfare. You look at verse 18. By these three were a third part of men killed by the fire, by the smoke, and by the brimstone which issued out of their mouths. So great destruction is called the first and second woe. Now the second woe is not complete here in chapter 9. There's a lot more to the second woe. Now one of the interesting parts about this, you look at verses 20 and 21.

The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk, neither repented they of their murders, nor their sorceries, nor their fornication, nor their evil deeds. So it seems after the day of the Lord begins that very few people repent. Now we come to chapter 10. Chapter 10 is a very interesting chapter, part of it. I don't think anybody understands, though of course some claim they do. I know we understand parts of it. But part of it seems to not have been revealed at this time. Revelation 10.1, see now this is still within the framework of the sixth trumpet. We'll read in a moment where the sixth trumpet ends. And I never really focused on it the way I did last night, but anyhow. In chapter 10, verse 1, And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was his word, the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. Now some have speculated that this is Jesus Christ himself. See, the word angel in the Greek is angelos, it can refer to a spirit being or to a human being. In the Old Testament, there are places in which the one who became Jesus Christ is referred to as the angel of God's presence. I'm not saying, I'm just saying that some have speculated this. As far as I know, it is an angel and not Christ himself. But I'm just saying some have speculated that it might be because the description is very similar to Revelation 1 with him walking among the seven golden candlesticks. In verse 2, The seven thunders uttered their voices. Now these seven thunders, who knows what they are, who knows what they said, because as we read, and when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write, and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. So John heard it, but he didn't write it down.

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea, and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things therein are, and the earth, and the things therein are, and the sea, and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer. There should be time no longer.

When it says time no longer, this present evil age is about to end. See, now, the first part of this is an inset chapter, and exactly it falls somewhere within apparently the sixth trumpet plague. And we get to verse 7, But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he has declared to the servants the prophets. What is the mystery of God? What is the greatest mystery? Remember, Mr. Armstrong wrote a book titled, Mystery of the Ages. So what is the greatest mystery?

Well, the greatest mystery refers to how a human being can be begotten of God's Spirit, and upon resurrection, become a glorious radiant spirit being through a spiritual birth. That is a great mystery. So we're going to focus on the seventh trump as it relates to the resurrection. And once again, the great mystery is how flesh can become spirit through a spiritual birth. Now, as we read the rest of this chapter, it leaves us somewhat in a quandary at the very end. So once again, let's read 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, he begins to sound. Now, the trumpets go on through the day of the Lord, and in one sense, the voice of the trumpet is going to continue through, or you don't go through in eternity, of saying, this is the way, walk you in it. The mystery of God should be finished as he is declared to his servants of prophets. And the voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again and said, Go and take the little book, which is open in the hand of the angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it and eat it up, and it shall make your belly bitter, but it shall be in your mouth sweet as honey. Exactly what that symbolism is, I don't know for sure. As we know, one part of the day of trumpets is quite bitter, judgment upon the nations. Another part is quite sweet, that is, resurrection and victory over death. And I took the little book out of his hand and ate it, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, You must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. And of course, various people have put their name in there, saying that they have fulfilled it or are the ones who are fulfilling it. I have hopefully come to learn that you do not write your name in the Bible.

But somehow. So there are resurrections to physical life recorded in the Bible, which we've read about in the Old Testament. There is only one resurrection recorded in the Bible, and here it's one who has lived in the flesh, was resurrected to spiritual life. And that was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. That resurrection of Jesus from the dead is equated with birth. Look at Acts 13. I hope we shall never forget this, that we have the earnest of the Spirit. We have the down payment on eternal life. But we are not yet born again in the ultimate sense. We are not yet spirit beings.

In Acts 13, there are... it depends on how you count it, of course, and it's somewhat subjective. But there's a great sermon in Acts 2, the Day of Pentecost of Peter. Peter, to some degree, preached another sermon in Acts 3. Then there's the great sermon of Stephen in Acts 7. And here's this great sermon by Paul in Acts 13, and we're going to pick it up about verse 29. Paul does a lot of what Peter had done in his sermon in Acts 2, to recount a lot of the history of Israel. So we're in Acts 13, verse 29. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, that is, the Jews and their crucifying Christ, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead. Who raised Jesus Christ from the dead? God the Father. And by the same spirit that he raised Jesus from the dead, he also raised us from the dead. By the spirit that's in each one of us. That's a paraphrase of Romans 8-11. And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people, and we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers. God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he God has raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second psalm. See, here's the second psalm. I didn't read that earlier about resurrection. You are my son, this day have I begotten you.

Now, in the second psalm, the Hebrew word for begotten is yalad. Y-A-L-A-D, it is the equivalent to ganau in the Greek. And it involves begetting and bringing to birth. The whole process of conception and being born. In this case, it's being born, because Jesus was raised from the dead by God the Father. As it is also written in the second psalm, you are my day, you are my son, this day have I, in Hebrew, yalad, in Greek, ganau, brought you to birth. And as concerning that, he raised him from the dead. Now, no more to return to corruption. He said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. So who sits on the throne of David? Jesus Christ, according to Acts 2.

Now you look at Revelation chapter 1. In Revelation chapter 1, we shall see even more clearly, perhaps, I don't know how it could be any clearer, really, than that, that resurrection is equated with birth. But in Revelation chapter 1, we'll start verse 4.

John to the seven churches, which are in Asia, Grace be unto you, peace from him, which is, which was, which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne.

Now this is speaking of God the Father, the seven spirits which is before his throne. Jesus Christ is sat down now with the Father on the Father's throne. Revelation 3.21. And from Jesus Christ, who is, see, and from, I'll read it again, which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, whose throne the Father's throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first begotten. Now the new king, James Trenton, corrects that and says first born. The Greek word there is prototokos, prototokos. It is first born of the dead.

And the prince of the kings of the earth, and him that loved us and washed us from sins and his own blood. Now look at Romans 1. You see here, very clearly, resurrection is acquainted with birth.

In Romans 1, verse 3, Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. He is the first born of many brethren. We are now a spouse to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11, verses 1 and 2, that we are a spouse to Christ. In the Jewish wedding tradition, the bride entered into her closet and came out at the appointed time.

And the bride groom would come as a thief in the night and take her from her father's house. In Isaiah 26, let's go there. Let's look at that for just a moment about the scriptural basis of, not to say that a lot of what the Jews did was not right. But in Isaiah 26, verse 1, In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open you the gates that the righteous nation, who is the righteous nation? It is the Church of God. You are a holy nation. That's 1 Peter 2, 9. Open you the gates that the righteous nation, which keeps the truth, may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind has stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust you in the eternal forever, for the eternal is everlasting strength. Now, you go down later in this chapter. You should read the whole chapter.

Look at verse 20. Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors about you. Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment until the ending nation is overpassed. Some protected, for behold, the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Now you look quickly at Joel 2. We read verse 15, but we'll read 15 and continue. In Joel, remember Hosea Joel? In Joel 2, Joel concentrates to a large degree on the day of the Lord. Joel 2, verse 15, Blow the trumpet and Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those who suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth of the chamber, and the bride out of her closet. In the Jewish wedding, the groom comes for the bride like a thief in the night, to take her away into the bridal chamber for the bridal week at his father's house. So look at Matthew 25. See this, the words of the prophets are thus in keeping with Matthew, the parable of the ten virgins. Unfortunately, five of the ten do not have oil in their lamps. But the bridegroom does come, apparently at the time when they're not expecting him. In Matthew 25, verse 1, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which shook their lamp and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise, five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the bridegroom tarried. The bridegroom tarried. I read an article recently that talked about how virtually every generation, from the time of the first century to the present, those who really were familiar with the Bible and reading and studying the Bible and anticipating the coming of Christ, that there was expectation. See, when you lose that expectation, when you lose that hope, you become lackadaisical. You go to sleep. You slumber and sleep.

You know, Tim McGraw had this song, I think it was 2004, Live like you're dying. If you only had one day to live, you knew you were going to die tomorrow. How would you live your life? Would it be different?

Five were foolish, took no oil. Verse 4, But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slipped. And at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom comes, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, trimmed their lamps. But see, the five foolish, it was too late for them.

And the bridegroom came, and the door was shut. Now we can ask ourselves, does the resurrection and the Second Coming occur at the precise same time?

Here's what I mean by that. I don't know if any of us have in our minds that you're going to be resurrected on the Feast of Trumpets, caught up in the air, attend the marriage supper of the Lamb, come back with Christ, fight the battle of the great day of God Almighty in a 24-hour period.

Not possible.

Revelation 10.7, which we've read, says, When the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery should be finished. God's Word reveals that the resurrection takes place at the sounding of the seventh trump. Now, we're going to trace now, go back to Matthew 24, page back, the verses that specifically talk about the resurrection and a trump. In Matthew 24, verse 27, For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even under the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For, wheresoever the carcass is, the eagles are gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened? See, very similar to the opening of the sixth seal that we read earlier on. The moon shall not give her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sight of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds, and the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with great sound of a trumpet, a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another. Now, let's go to 1 Corinthians 15, which was basically the heart of the special music. In 1 Corinthians 15, verse 50.

1 Corinthians 15, verse 50.

There were some in Corinth who were saying that there was not a resurrection from the dead, and Paul says if that were the case, then Christ died in vain, and if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain. In 1 Corinthians 15, 50.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery. See, that mystery would be finished. We read Revelation 10, 7. I show you a mystery. See, that mystery is how this flesh, our spirit bears witness with His spirit, that we are the sons of God.

I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. This corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall it put on incorruption, the mortals shall put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass, as saying that his written death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? See, the resurrection triumphs over all of that.

In 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4.

1 Thessalonians 4.13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others, which have no hope. For if you believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him.

For this we say unto you, by the word of the Lord, that they which are alive and remain, and the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those that are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Now another thing you have to consider is, the seventh trump also includes the seven vials of wrath and the battle of the great day of God Almighty. So there is... how much time would that take for all of this to take place? If the resurrection occurs when the seventh angel begins to sound, you have quite a period of time in between. Now we look at Revelation 15. In Revelation 15, John is given a vision of those who have overcome the mark of the beast and all of that standing on the sea of glass. Revelation 15 verse 1, I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues. See, there are seven plagues included in the seventh trumpet. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and then that had gotten the victory over the beast, over the image, and over his mark, over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty, you just and true are your ways, you king of saints. Who shall outfear you, O eternal, and glorify your name? For you are alone, holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments are manifest. Now some want to say, well, this is just a vision. They're not really there. Whatever they want to say. But whatever you want to say, you still have the seven vials of wrath to be poured out. Verse 5, And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened, and seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven last plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues and the seven angels were fulfilled. And then chapter 6 gives you a description of those seven last plagues being poured out. And it takes quite a while to do this. You look at verse 12. The six angels poured out His vial upon the great river Euphrates. And the water there was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, that's Satan, the mouth of the beast, the mouth of the false prophet. So they're still in league until the very end, the very time of the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

Verse 14, For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth into the kings of the earth, and the whole world, together them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. They gathered Armageddon. It's not the battle of Armageddon. It's the battle of the great day of God Almighty. The place might be called Armageddon. The Valley of Megiddo is like a funnel that comes down into Jerusalem. Many a battle has been fought on that plain coming down into there. And of course, God is going to supernaturally intervene and defeat them.

The trumpets are blown throughout the day of the Lord, showing that it will take some time for all of these events to be fulfilled. In chapter 11, if we go back there, I'll point out one thing which I would have to study far more to really have much of an opinion on. In chapter 11, the city is divided, the nation is treaded down for three and a half years. Look at chapter 11, verse 2, I will give power to my two witnesses, they will prophesy for 1260 days, 3 and a half years. Then the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pet, verse 7, is going to kill them. Their dead bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem for the first time in the last four years. Then the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pet, verse 7, is going to kill them. Their dead bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. People on earth send gifts one to another. Then after three and a half days, the Spirit of God enters them. You look at verse 12, they heard a great voice from heaven, saying that under them come up here. They ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them. The same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell. In the earthquake were slain of men, seven thousand, and the remnant were affrighted. Who is that remnant? The remnant were affrighted and gave glory to God of heaven. If they give glory to God of heaven, that should give a clue as to who they are. Notice verse 14. The second woe is passed. That is within the second woe. It says the second woe is passed. And behold, the third woe comes quickly, and a part of this third woe is what we read there from chapter 16. And the seventh angel sounded. So here is where the seventh angel sounds and the seventh trumpet. And there were great voices having saying, The kingdoms of this world are become, the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. And once again, when this angel sounds, indicating that it is at the beginning of the sounding of the trumpets, as in Revelation 10.7. And the four and twenty elders, which were set before God on their seats, fell down their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which are, which was, are to come, because you have taken to your great power and have reigned. And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that you should give reward into your service of prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear your name, small and great, and should destroy them, which should destroy the earth. And the temple of God was open in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament, His covenant. There were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail. And of course, you still, as I said, you have still these seven piles of wrath to go.

So here we are on the day of Trumpets 2016. A lot of people thought maybe 1975, some thought 1982, some thought whatever they thought. But here we are today, and we are still hopefully filled with expectation. I hope you are filled with expectation, and I hope we are living the meaning of the Holy Days now.

This day is going to come upon the world as a thief in the night. They did not hear the trumpet of the watchmen, and sadly, as we have read, that half of the ten virgins is going to come upon them unawares. And another sad part of it is all ten of them slumbered and slept, but five of them did have oil in their lamps, and they were able to go out and meet the bridegree. Today and throughout the year and years, hopefully ahead, the voice of the trumpet of God is being sounded in the Church of God, and we had all better hear and heed. The trumpet is being sounded. The day of the Lord is near at hand. So will you hear the voice of the messenger? Don't focus on the messenger. Focus on the message. Even secular sources are sounding. People know that the way that things are going cannot continue. So I hope that we listen to the right trumpet. I hope that we are not dull of hearing. And I hope that we are awake. So I'm saying that the trumpet of God is sounding now loud and clear to him that hath it near. Let him hear. So we can all ask ourselves, am I prepared for the day of the Lord? Am I seeking the Lord while he may be found? God is saying to all of us today, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man open, I will come in and sup with him. And to those who overcome, they are going to sit with Christ on his throne. They are going to rule and reign forever.