Memorial Day

Let's talk about why we're here. Today is the first of the Fall Holy Days.

So what is this day? Is it? The day of Christ's rise. Rosh Hashanah, Feast of Trumpets. Is it really? The night of the barrier to an Emporia. Yes. Feast of Trumpets. Rosh Hashanah.

Those two titles. Are they in the Bible? I hear a no. I hear a yes. Memorial Day. Hmm. We're going to look at it today. Because as I call it today is Memorial Day. I don't know what you were doing on what the United States called Memorial Day, but you are here on Memorial Day. Because, as was properly said, Rosh Hashanah is nowhere in the Hebrew text. It's in a Talmud. And the Feast of what? Trumpets. Is nowhere there. So I have spoken on this day many years, decades now. Always try to find something different. Very seldom give the same sermon. And after 25 years of giving sermons, it's still a little difficult, but it's a big Bible. So what about Deuteronomy 16? What about these others? Wait a minute. It's not in there. Wait a minute. Numbers 29 and verse 1. Exodus 23. The t-word isn't in there, is it? Hmm. Ah. But here we go. My bad. Let's go to Leviticus 23. Okay. Can we? Will we find it there? Chapter 23 and verse 24. Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath rest, a memorial of the blowing of trumpets.

A holy convocation! You shall do no customary work on it, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. A memorial! Wait a minute. It sounds right. Did God leave us hanging and tell us much about this? Is it kind of like when I grew up and my parents tell me to do something? And I said, Why? And their answer was, Because I told you so. Because I told you to do it, and God tells us to be here. Wait. We just read it on the first day of the seventh month. But He says about a memorial. A memorial of what? Well, a memorial. I looked it up on and one encyclopedia or dictionary said, Something, someone, are an event to remember. A Merriam-Webster dictionary said, Something that keeps remembrance alive. Perhaps I've had funerals. I've done enough funerals, but I've also had people tell me, I don't want a memorial service. Of course, I've had other people go, I want a celebration of life, which is kind of like a memorial service. I would think.

And then another one said, Something that honors an event or person. Got it? What person and what event? Do we know? If somebody says, Well, you're Bible-fumpers. You're Bible-believing people. Can you show me? Well, I think we can, because the blowing is about remembering God. So let's look at the why and the how, because I think that's important. Because I could give you 20 other different sermons, but I want to give you this one.

Because the people in this congregation actually study their Bibles. I haven't always spoke before people who study their Bible. I spoke in front of a lot of people who read their Bibles. So let's look at the event that's a memorial, because a lot of people, they don't know it. And it's all tied to this. Would God leave us hanging? No. That's why He gives us this word. God was introduced to the children of Israel out in that desert. They didn't know Him. They had heard of Him. They didn't know Him. He was about to make an introduction.

He was about to come forward and meet them. And it was going to be an event, unlike I would say any that had ever taken place before that time. Arguably. So let's go. Let's go to that time of Exodus 19. This is... Wait a minute. Wait a minute. This is before the Ten Commandments were given on Mount Sinai in chapter 20. Yes, it was. Yes, it was.

So let's go and look at that. Exodus 19. We're going to start in verse 16. And it says, Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain. And the sound of the trumpet was very loud. Can you get that? The people were to come to the mountain, and he said, don't touch the women, don't do anything. He wanted his people to come before his holy presence as he was going to make himself known at Mount Sinai. So he said, hey, this is big.

And it says, it was very loud. So there were thunderings and lightning, and a thick cloud, and this loud blast. And then it says, So all the people who were there in the camp trembled. And they were to come before him. Say the ground shook, the sky, everything. Verse 17. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Can you imagine the people? They thought they had been they had been captives, prisoners, and slaves for over 150 years in Egypt, and they had heard about all the gods, and they had heard about the 300 to 400 gods and 600 gods that Egypt had, and they saw this, but...

And they saw the miraculous events that took place earlier in Egypt, but now, now they were going to meet. They were going to be in the very presence of the power of the universe of a god. They could only think about in their mind. Verse 18. Now, Malcai and I was completely in smoke. It means that huge mountain. It was just covered with clouds or smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace. And the whole mountain quaked.

Greatly. Their ground had to be shaking. It's just... I mean, think about it. What did it take for that huge mountain, Malcai and I, to literally shake the entire mountain? For that huge mountain, Malcai and I, to literally shake the entire mountain? Nothing human could do that. Beginning to understand the memorial. Beginning to think about the event that we are to remember. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder. Can you imagine it?

Think about it. So loud that they could not even hear their thing, their hearts beading out of their chests. The mountain shook, their hands were shaking. But now the sound, sound of a trumpet was so long. It got louder and louder. And it says that Moses spoke and God answered him by voice. Answered him by voice. Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain. And Moses went up the first time. That a group of people got to actually see the presence of God.

They not only got to see it, they felt it, they heard it. Imagine some traumatic event that may have happened in your life. You don't forget it. Decades can go by and you don't forget it.

Maybe it's tragedy or maybe it's a joyous occasion. The presence of God is what this day is about. And it wasn't just for them, it's for us. And all the people of God, from that day forward, to the time that this day represents, when Jesus Christ will descend and we will meet Him in the air.

That's why this is a big day. That's why this is a big deal. What's interesting is that... Who made the sound? Who else? Angels! And it had to be quite a few. Or it had to be one who had a big horn, big trumpet, because it was large. And they heard it. And it thundered. Lightning! And then these sounds.

So you think it's not going to happen again?

Bigger. Time. That the world may be shaking in their boots. But we'll know exactly why that's being blown. Let's go! Let's go to the first mention. Numbers 10. If you follow with me. Numbers 10. Verse 1, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Make two silver trumpets for yourself. You shall make them of hammered work. You shall use them for calling the assembly and for directing the movement of the camps. When they blow both of them, all the assembly shall gather together at the foot of the door of the tabernacle meeting. But if they blow only once, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions, shall gather to you. Kind of a gathering call, wouldn't you say? Mind you of what's going to happen when that seventh angel blows. It's a gathering. Gathering of God's people. God's family. Verse 5, When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey. And when you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall begin their journey. They shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys. And when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow but not sound the advance. The sons of Aaron, the priest, shall blow the trumpets. And these shall be to you as an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And when you go to war in the land against the enemy who oppresses you, when you shall sound an alarm with the white trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of the month, you shall blow the trumpets. And over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices your peace offerings, and they shall be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God. Is he your God? Yes, we'll know that sound. The world's not going to know that sound. We're going to know that sound. The dead in the ground will know that sound. They will hear it all the way down and come out. We who are alive, we're going to hear and see an amazing thing that day because the dead in Christ will rise first. Will we see that? Will they be able to see us? But it shall be a memorial for you before your God. We're here today. It's Memorial Day because we're here before our God. And we know that sound. And God wants us to not only know it but to appreciate it, to love it because you know what? It recognizes God. Recognizes God in this country because how great is God? We can't even go there. Our minds cannot even comprehend it. In this country, when the president of the United States come forward, we have a song or they play Hail to the Chief. Right? We know it. But it's amazing because down through the years, you can even go back and watch the old movies from the 1930s and 40s and 50s and 60s as it shows historical things and it shows a king. And when he comes in, there's this, you know, everybody stands and they bow. And it's an entrance like no other. It's recognizing that someone great has come in their presence and this was for kings and this happened here. This is why it's important for us. Because that'll be the greatest day we will ever face in our life. The greatest day when that seventh blast comes. How amazing will that be? So here, this is given in Numbers 10. God told them about making this instrument. Okay? And how they were to use it. And it wasn't something there to just go around blowing and making sounds. But He said, No! It's for a purpose!

But go with me to Numbers 14. Numbers 14. Numbers 14 and verse 41. Not long after this, you had some people decide in the camp, Let's go up and take this land. Because God had said, He'd go before you. But you had to have this instrument with you. And when you sounded it, He would show up His presence. So let's look. Verse, let's go down to 41. Said, Then Moses said, Now, why do you transgress the commandment of the Lord? For this will not succeed, as they decided they wanted to go and take the land. Do not go up lest you be defeated by your enemies. For the Lord is not among you. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword, because you have turned away from the Lord. The Lord will not be with you. But they presume to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. And the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountain came down and attacked them and drove them all the way back to Hormah. They didn't do it. Notice the difference between this and what we all know the story of Joshua and the city of Jericho. What did they blow? Yes, right. They went around. Yes, another day. And then what happened? Didn't they blow? Blue. And the walls, as Bill says, fell flat. They actually found it amazing because they've done a study and the walls of Jericho at that time were built like this. They weren't straight. Because they were like this, so it would be hard to even scale that wall if you were trying to put a siege on it because you just fall backward. And they've kind of found evidence when it collapsed, it collapsed inside.

And the trumpet of God! He's not back there.

Can't get one on Jeff. But think about the story of Jericho. And we know what happened. But you see, it was never about the people. It was never about them blowing those instruments. It was about the people's God. He was about to make his presence known, just like he did on that mountain. And when he did, the walls collapsed. The power, the magnificence of God. Incredible story. In the past. But let's go to the future. Let's go to the future. Revelation 8, verse 1.

Revelation 8, verse 1. So we have the seven seals. And at the seventh seal becomes seven. What? Nope. Right. And then the last are the plagues. There's three sevens. Seven, seven, seven. And at the seventh, let's look at this one. At the seventh seal. When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence. In heaven for about a half an hour. Well, half an hour. Let's say half an hour. Well, most theologians will actually tell you it's a short amount of time. May not be 30 minutes. Might be 29. Might be 31. Or it could be two hours. It shows there's a small amount of time. There's a small amount of time. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden sensor, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, and that he should offer it up with the prayers of all the saints. Hmm. Anything click to you there? It should. Upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. You think our prayers are not important? You think they're not known? These are at the very throne of God. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from an angel's hand. Then the angel took a sensor, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an other thing. The earthquake reminds you of Memorial Day. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared for them to sound.

This is real. This is going to happen. This is the truth. The truth is before you. We are blessed to know the memorial. We are blessed to know why, how. God didn't have to put it in there. But He put memorial. Because it's that big of a deal. For all of us. Let's go with me. Revelation 11. Revelation 11. Revelation 11. I love this because it's the story of the two witnesses. And we know the story. I've given a sermon here. You've read it before. You kind of know those verses as it comes down. And they're actually standing and they're preaching. And then they're actually put to death. And their bodies are laid out there for three and a half days. And people are having a party. And they're exchanging gifts and being merry and everything else because these two evil men they consider are dead. They're done. Let's go to verse 11 though, right after that. Now after the three and a half days, I mean right after the three and a half days, the breath of life came from God, entered them, and they stood on their feet. And great fear fell on all those who saw them. And I can think of only one phrase. All those people. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Verse 12, and they heard a loud voice from heaven, saying to them, Come up here! And they ascended to the heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. The ones who had exchanged gifts. Can you picture those gifts falling from their hands as they saw this come to be? And in the same hour, there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake, 7,000 men were killed, and the rest were afraid, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is passed. Behold, the third woe is coming. Now, that's the story. Let's go to 15. Then, right after that, then the seventh angel sounded. That's seven. See, now you have the seven angels sounded. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. What a beautiful sound. And he shall reign forever and ever. Wow. And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God. They, too, have been waiting for this time. Not thousands of years, millions of years. This is the plan of God. They bought into this whole thing. They worshiped God as saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is, and who was, and who is to come. Because you have taken your great power and you reigned, the nations were angry and your wrath has come. And the time of the dead that they shall be judged, and you shall reward your servants, the prophets and the saints. What David was talking about is going to be judged, and here they are, their seventh trumpet. What happens? The dead in Christ will rise. So he's judged that you are worthy to be taken out of the ground. You're worthy to be changed in a moment and a twinkle of an eye. This is the sound that we should all look forward to. This is why this day is a memorial day. This is our day. Not some day in May, but the first day in the seventh month.

Let's go on down. Your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple, and there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, and an earthquake in great hail. It's happening again. It's going to happen again at our greatest moment. That's what we're reading about. Can you imagine that sound? Let's go there one last verse. 1 Thessalonians 4. I mean, there's almost every funeral because it's so empowering, empowering scripture. 1 Thessalonians 4. Verse 16. I'm talking about Memorial Day here. Memorial Day for us. That's what we're about to read. This is not for the majority of the world. It's for us. By the Almighty God. Verse 16. For the Lord Himself, Jesus Christ, Yahshua, whatever you want to call Him, He descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. 1 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. If He's up there, we're going to be up there. If He's down here, we're going to be down here. And we know what it says about for a thousand years, we will reign with Him on this earth. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. It's a memorial for us to remember our God. And not only to remember our God, and as they did, as we should, but as it's time for us to look forward. A day for us, a day for us to be changed. I won't have back pains anymore. Back won't be sore. I won't get tired. Carol Lynn can't wear me out, working on her house. Or I drug from her house like I was an old man. Because I was still thinking I was 43 instead of 63. My father will be there. Before me, as he comes out of that ground. And I think it's a reward that they get to look down and watch all those, like us humans that may still be alive, being changed and quickened and meet them. What a day. What a day for Dwight Harrison. Humberto Mejica. Bruce Williver. Dalton McElroy, my deceased father-in-law. And all those who have ever lived. That is a memorial day to remember.