The Sounding of Trumpets

Today's title is, Feast of Trumpet Structure. The Feast of Trumpet Structure. God began to reveal the annual Holy Days to Israel as he came out of Egypt. The Passover and the Unleavened Bread were revealed first, and all the annual feast and weekly Sabbath are revealed in Leviticus 23, so we'll begin in the Bible there in Leviticus 23. And we shall read the first three verses here in Leviticus 23.

Leviticus 23 in verse 1, And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the Feast of the Lord, which you shall proclaim in to be holy convocations. Of course, we've said many times, and we know that these are the feasts of the Lord. It's not a holiday. Even the religious people in Israel call trumpets or the holy days. They call them holidays. But of course, it is a holy day, and we know about the Sabbath. And six days shall you work be done, but in the Sabbath is the Sabbath of the rest, the holy convocation. And of course, on the seventh day of every week, we have the Sabbath day. You shall do no work therein. It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. So today, we're observing the Feast of Trumpets. Though we only had one trumpeteer, to begin with, we are observing the Feast of Trumpets. So let's read God's initial instructions to Israel for keeping the Feast of Trumpets in Leviticus 23 and verse 23. Leviticus 23 verse 23, And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing trumpets. Okay, that word trumpet is not the usual word for trumpets. In Numbers chapter 10, God instructed Moses Israel to make silver trumpets. And silver trumpets were also blown in Israel. But on the beginning of the months, and especially on trumpets, the shofar was blown. It was not the silver trumpet. So, and notice it is plural, that the blowing of trumpets and a holy convocation. So you're at that holy convocation right now. Jewish tradition holds that Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah, and you'll hear this on the news probably today or tonight and tomorrow maybe even, Rosh Hashanah is translated from the Hebrew, and it literally means head of the year. The Israelis, and so do we, we celebrate really two beginnings of the year in one sense. The Israelis celebrate two new years, as it were, Passover, which begins the sacred calendar, and then the Feast of Trumpets, which begins the civil calendar for Israel. Jewish tradition holds that on this day, this day celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the world. So that's Jewish tradition that the world was created on the Feast of Trumpets the day, and it is the day when God takes stock of all his creation, they say, which of course includes all humanity. So once again translated from the Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means head of the year. Jews believe that God's judgment on this day determines the course of the coming year. Of course, you look at Israel today and the situation. One commentator yesterday was saying that Israel is fighting a war on seven fronts, and he listed those fronts. Of course, the main ones, Iran, Yemen, Hezbollah, and Hamas, and there are others as well, serious, trying to join the battle and has joined the battle from time to time. Rosh Hashanah for the Jews celebrated two days. The second day of trumpets was added 500 BC. So the Feast of Trumpets lasts two days in Israel for the, especially those of the Orthodox persuasion. The blast of the shofar, and that's what it is, it is a blast, signaling victory or good news. It is the last blast that is referred to as the last Trump.

Now you heard read in the sermonette the offertory from 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, I think it's verse 15 that says that at the last trump, at the last trump, so at the last trump, this trumpet will be blown. In Jewish circles, it is called the day of awakening because the legend is it awakens the dead. And we say that it also awakens the dead. There are several verses in the Old Testament that refer to the resurrection of the dead. Job 1414, Job just before Psalms, Job 1414, and it really should save so much time if we copy out the scriptures instead of trying to turn to them with our shaky, wet, dry hands. Wet, dry hands. In Job 1414, if a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. Of course, that's going to be a mighty change with the awakening of the dead. And we put on spiritual bodies. We are born spiritually into the family of God. In Psalm 17 and verse 15 forward, just a few pages in Psalm 17 and verse 15. As for me, I will behold his face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with his likeness. And of course, 1 John chapter 3 verses 1 and 2 says, we shall see him as he is. Revelation 22 says, and we shall see the face of God. And then in Isaiah 52 and verse 1, basically the song we just heard, the composition was taken from Isaiah. And in Isaiah 52 and verse 1, we also see another reference. And there are many other references. I'm just reading a few here this morning of the resurrection in the Old Testament where a reference is made to it. And the role that the shofar played in it.

In Isaiah 52 verse 1, awake, awake. And of course, death is lacking and asleep in the Bible. Awake, awake. Put on your strength, O Zion. Put on your beautiful garments. You'll be given a robe of righteousness. You'll be given a robe, a white robe, which is the righteousness of the saints, according to Revelation 19. O Jerusalem, the holy city, for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. So you have to be circumcised, you have to be clean, you have to be right with God in order to come into the city. Then we go to Daniel. Daniel is wedged there between the major prophets and the minor prophets. If you go to Daniel chapter 12, Daniel chapter 12 and verse 1, and at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince, which stands for the children of your people. And last evening I saw a video that talked about, and this was a religious person, he talked about rockets, the rockets were fired, the ballistic, really it's missiles. Ballistic missiles are much stronger than rockets and drones and all of that. The ballistic missiles that were fired into Israel, some say 181, some say a few more, but anyhow, in a lot of cases the narrator here was saying that these fell harmlessly around Israelis and did not strike them. And they talked about the wonderful miracles that God was using, was performing in protecting his people. We know that Israel is eventually going to be restored. So we continue here in Daniel chapter 12.

So Michael will stand up for the children of his people. There should be a time of trouble, which has never was since there was a nation, the great tribulation, even to that same time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone shall be that's found written in the book.

Now the whole world, according to Revelation 13 8, is going to be deceived. Everybody whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, according to Revelation 13 8, will be deceived. If the name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, then you won't be delivered. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some of them to everlasting shame, and some of them to shame and everlasting contempt, and that wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they shall turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. So that gives you an insight into what you're going to be. It says that these that are resurrected will be turning people to righteousness. So that'll be a part of you. You are, will be, a minister. I'm not going to turn to Isaiah 61, but it talks about you being a priest and a minister and a teacher in the kingdom of God.

The Old Testament prophets make it clear that the Feast of Trumpets is also inextricably linked to the Day of the Lord. And now we go to Zephaniah. And Zephaniah is not a book you turn to every day, but Zephaniah is right after some book in the minor prophets. Zephaniah is right after Habakkuk, and it's in chapter 2. We want to read 2, verse 1 and 2. Gather yourselves together, you yes, gather together, O nation, not desire. Now, the church is looked upon as God's holy nation, and the nation is not desired, and everybody that even claims to be a Christian is going to have a difficult time from this day forward, and they're already having a difficult time.

Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as a chap, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you, seek you the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness, it may be you should be hid in the day of the Lord. It may be that you'll be hid in the day of the Lord if you do those things that are mentioned in the first part of this verse, and it says that you're to seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness, humility, and maybe you should be hid in the day of the Lord. Now we look at Zephaniah further in verses 1 through 14. In chapter 1 and verse 14. Zephaniah 1 chapter 3. I'm messing this all up. In Zephaniah chapter 1 and verse 14. Now how I introduced this, you probably don't remember by now, I said Trumpets introduces the day of the Lord. In Zephaniah 1.14. The great day of the Lord is near, it is nearer, and hasty 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 and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fence cities and against all the high towers.

And of course nothing will be able to deliver the wicked at that time. The warning voice is equated with the trumpet, and we'll see that in Joel. Hosea Joel, we go back to Joel, it's right after Hosea. In Joel chapter 2 and verse 1, Joel chapter 2 and verse 1, blow the trumpet and Zion. Zion symbolically is the church. Sand an alarm in my holy mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand. A day of darkness and gloominess, just as Zephaniah said, a day of clouds of thick darkness. As the morning spread darkness upon the mountains, a great people and strong there shall not be ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even the years of many generations. So sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Today, the voice of the trumpet is being sounded in God's holy mountain. It's being sounded in Big Sandy, Texas. Not very many places on the face of the earth, but here's one place that it is being sounded. Now we go to Revelation 1 and verse 10. Revelation chapter 1 and verse 10. In Revelation 1 10, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. When was he in the Spirit on the Lord's day? Well, that, the Greek for that is the same as translated as day of the Lord in 1st Thessalonians 5, and that's what it means. I was in the Spirit on the day of the Lord. The book of Revelation is basically about the day of the Lord. I was in the Spirit on the day of the Lord and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. And so we're to blow the trumpet in Zion. Now we're to warn the world, here's what's coming upon you. And it seems as the day draws nearer, we become more lax and lax as a whole, not you individually necessarily. You have to make that all in your own examination of yourself. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. What you see right in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia and in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thytira, Sardis, Philidep, and Laodicea.

So this sounding of the voice of the trumpet is in keeping with Ezekiel 33, and we'll start in verse 5 in Ezekiel 33. Ezekiel right after Isaiah, right after Jeremiah, I mean, Ezekiel after Jeremiah in chapter 33. And it is the watchman chapter of the Bible. In Ezekiel 33, and we'll read verse 5 to begin with, Ezekiel 33 verse 5, he heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him, but he that takes warning shall deliver his life essence.

But if the watchman see the sword coming and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So we have a dual responsibility. Those in the ministry, those in the congregation, everybody has the responsibility to blow the trumpet, warn the world. And that is one of the things that we really lax on, and I'm lax on it, you're lax on it, and that is blowing the trumpet and warning the world as to what is coming. Of course, we don't want to be called any holy joe. That would be disastrous to be called a holy joe, but the Bible says, be you holy for I am holy. There are a lot of other things we don't want to be called, so you have to be careful, of course, especially in today's world, because eventually there's already an attack launched against the Bible. They're contending that it's filled with hate speech, and they're going to try to put you away for using the Bible, and using the Word of God, which is the Bible. Isaiah 58, verse 1, Isaiah cries out. We probably quoted this Scripture a zillion times in the Church of God from the days of the founding of this phase of the Church to the present time. Cry loud, spare not, Isaiah 58. Cry loud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet.

The trumpet has a piercing sound. It's unmistakable. Now, no one that I know of, of course, probably some who don't like to hear a brass trumpet or a silver trumpet. Of course, the shofar is quite a different sound, and it's not that pleasant. And show my people their transgression in the house of Jacob their sins. So let's now go to the book of Revelation to see how the day of the Lord is introduced. We saw in Zephaniah, we saw in Joel that is introduced by trumpets. In Revelation, we will start with the seven seals. Of course, seven seals, seven trumpets, and the seven bowls of wrath. Now, no one has really, to my satisfaction, been able to determine the lapse or maybe it's not a lapse, maybe the union between the seals and the trumpets. Because of some of the which we're not going to go into today, it might be something you would wish to study. The relationship between the seals and the trumpets and how they might overlap. So you have the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls of wrath, which is the seventh trumpet.

End time events will begin with the opening of the seals. Now, we have said in our literature and our preaching through the years that the, in a sense, Matthew 24 parallels Revelation chapter 6, because basically everything that happens in the seals, nearly everything, not everything, is contained in Revelation, I mean in Matthew 24. It's parallel to Revelation chapter 6.

In Revelation chapter 6, and I saw, this is verse 1, 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, and I saw, what did he see? Come and see, and I saw a white horse.

I would challenge you to show me any place in the Bible where a white horse is used in the negative sense, but there is eventually a negativity to this white horse because the one riding this white horse has an ulterior motive. Well, some say it's the pope, and some say it's something else. Let's read more. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. In other words, he was on a white horse, and then he was made some bigger office, apparently, and he went forth to try to conquer the whole world.

And when I had opened, and when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, come and see, come and see.

I heard the second beast say, come and see, and there went out another horse that was red, and powers given to him that sat there on to take peace from the earth. You see, there is a pseudo-peace coming with this white horse, but he is making way for the red horse, and the red horse is going to take peace from the earth. Well, you say we've never had really peace on the earth, but there's a time coming in which we'll exceed all other times with regard to the activity in the wrath of God that is going to be poured out.

You see there, and I want to go back now to chapter five, which is right there before you, and talk for a moment about the one worthy to open the seals. 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's worthy to open the book and to loose the seals. And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereupon. And I wept much 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. Now, Jesus Christ has two names here. The lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God. The root of David, which prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And behold, low in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb. As it had been slain, seven horns, seven eyes. And this is an interesting we can't delve off into that today. Seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Just a clue might be that the church was commissioned to go forth into all the earth and to preach the gospel to every creature. So the lion and the lamb are counted worthy to open the seals. Now, hold your place there. We'll go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. We have referenced 1 Thessalonians 5 in conjunction with the Day of the Lord already today. But in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, chapter 5, But of the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that are right unto you. For yourselves know perfectly well that the Day of the Lord, which is translated to Revelation 1.10 as the Lord's Day. And that's what a lot of Protestants use to try to prove that Sunday has replaced the Sabbath day. For yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety. So some kind of pseudo-peace is coming. They couldn't be saying that if it weren't. Then sudden destruction comes upon them as surveil upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Now let's pause for just a moment and talk about reading the Bible. In reading the Bible, every last word is very important. You have to look at every verse, every last word, and you cannot assume, well I've always heard, I've always learned, what does this say? What does the Bible say? What does the Holy Scripture say? Line upon line, here little, there little. And you have to put it together as we have heard so often. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. So we go back now to Revelation chapter 6. We see now the white horse we've talked about. The red horse takes peace from the earth.

The black horse symbolizes pestilence and famine. The pale horse represents death. And it's amazing about the pale horse, how many people are killed with regard to the pale horse. Verse 8, and I looked and behold a pale horse, and his name that set on him was death. And the grave, not hell fire, followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and with the beast of the earth. One fourth of the earth's population perishes in the fourth seal. That's what it says right there. Now the fifth seal represents the martyrdom of believers.

And I look at the fifth seal, verse 9, and when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar. There were two altars. One was for sacrifice, one was for incense. Of course, it talks about in Revelation 8 where the incense of the prayers of the saints who wept up before the nostrils of God, before the trumpet plagues were poured out. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls, the life essence, of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto them, every one of them, and it was said unto them that they should rest for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren should be killed as they were should be finished. So people go through the great tribulation, as you heard in the sermonette, that the innumerable multitude comes out of great tribulation. And so, but you read in Revelation chapter 1.14 that there's 144,000 and it clearly says in verse 4 that these are the verse roots. So 1.44 must represent the completed church. That's the best. I mean, the church has tried to explain 144,000 many times and they still haven't explained 144,000. So the fifth seal represents the martyrdom of believers. Then the sixth seal represents the introduction of the day of the Lord. Verse 12. And behold, when he had opened the sixth seal, although there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth, of hair and the moon became as blood. Now, I read that verse in the rest of that chapter in the last sermon, so you I'm sure you remember that. And so, we will move on from there.

Now we see in Revelation chapter 8, in Revelation chapter 8, the seventh seal is opened and before the seventh seal is opened, 144,000 are sealed. 12,000 for each of the tribes of Judah, of Israel, not Judah. Judah is one of the tribes. So now we go to Zephaniah once again, someplace in the minor prophet Zephaniah.

It's after Habakkuk, I believe. So we go to Zephaniah chapter 3.

Verse 11, in that day, in that day is a prophetic utterance. It means that a prophetic utterance is going to follow that phrase in that day. And that day, of course, is the day of the Lord and restoration. In the day you shall not be ashamed for all your doings, wherein you have transgressed against me, for I will take away out of the midst of you them that rejoice in your pride, that rejoice in your pride, and you shall no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

Of course, the Jews view themselves as better than everybody else, in the sense that they, when everything fails, they fall back on the Bible and say, well, God gave us that. Indeed, he did. But that doesn't make them per se better. It says in the book of Romans that under them were committed the oracles of God. So they have had a special place in God's eyes and God's plan, but they're no better than any one of you because everyone has the same opportunity to be in the family of God. Now continuing here in verse 14. Sing, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away your judgment. She has cast out your enemy, the king of Israel. Even the eternal is in your midst of you, and you shall not see evil anymore. For in that day another prophetic utterance that shall be said to Jerusalem, fear not, and to Zion, let not your hands be slack.

And you can read the rest of the chapter of which talks about God bringing back the people from the different areas of the earth. Now in Revelation chapter 8, and when he had opened the seventh seal, when he had opened the seventh seal, the seven trumpets, the last one divided into seven bowls of rest. There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour, and I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer. And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints. See the golden altar, there were two altars outside of the holy of holies. It were the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.

And the smoke of the incense came up with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And so it seems that the prayers of the saints play a role in unleashing the first four trumpets. And the first four trumpets are poured out on the environment.

Now chapter 10, no, I'm sorry, chapter 9, chapter 9 contains the fourth. I'm sorry, chapter 9 contains the fifth and sixth trumpet, which are also called the fifth and sixth trumpets, which are also called the first and second woe.

Now notice chapter 9 verse 4. In chapter 9 verse 4, And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing. Now this is the first woe. The first four trumpets hit the environment, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Everybody else is to be heard, except those that have the seal of God in their foreheads. Now we read from Zephaniah chapter 1, you may be hid in the day of the Lord, we read from Zephaniah chapter 3 about God regathering everybody back to... So there has to be flesh saved alive from Israel for them to become the model nation in the world tomorrow. So chapter 9 takes up with the first and second woe, which are the fifth and sixth trumpet plagues. Now we come to chapter 10. And chapter 10 oftentimes overlooked as a very important chapter. We look at verse 7. And in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound... So when does the mystery completed? When the seventh angel begins to sound. It says in Revelation in our first Corinthians 15, at the last trump. 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 is declared to his servants the prophets. What is the mystery of God? Well, we go to Colossians chapter 1, and we'll see the mystery of God begins with Christ in you, the hope of glory. And then it culminates when flesh is made spirit at the spiritual birth into the kingdom of God. So in Colossians chapter 1, we see this mystery.

We start in verse... We're breaking in on the thought for 25. Wherefore, I am a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given unto me for you to fulfill the word even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to the saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of his glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. And then at the resurrection, you are changed. Not only is Christ in you, you are resurrected, and you are now an... you are a younger brother of Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter 8 and verse 17, it says that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So there is no question in my mind that when the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. And that, of course, is a resurrection, and we're celebrating that today.

So the great mystery is how flesh can become spirit through a spiritual birth. The mystery begins with Christ in you, which we have mentioned.

At this time, we're a spouse to Christ.

The Bible speaks of two resurrections, one to physical life. There are a few of those recorded in the Bible, but there's only one only one resurrection recorded in the Bible so far of one who lived in the flesh that has been resurrected to spiritual life, and that is Jesus Christ. And so resurrection is equated with birth. That is such an important concept. Resurrection is equated with birth. In the book of Acts, there are three inspired sermons. Chapter 2, Peter's inspired sermon, chapter 7, Stephen's inspired sermon, and chapter 13, Paul's inspired sermon. So we go to Revelation, not Revelation, to Acts chapter 13. In Acts chapter 13 and verse 29. And amazingly, Paul is quoting here from Psalm 1. No, Psalm 2, I believe. I better go back there. Somebody else. We make mistakes every time we speak. We misspeak. And you're supposed to catch it, and you're supposed to come to me and say, you said blah, blah, blah. But in my Bible, it says blah, blah, blah. But nobody ever comes. In Psalm chapter 2, once again, this is a place where resurrection is mentioned because Paul quotes it in conjunction with the resurrection.

In Psalm 2, Psalm 2, verse 7, I will declare the decree of the Lord has said unto me, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you. Now, that word begotten in the Hebrew is yalad. It corresponds to the Greek word genao, which means, with the action of the father, it means to beget. With the action of the mother, it means to bring forth. In this case, it has to do with bringing forth. The mother, the church, brings forth. It says in Galatians that the church is the mother of us all. And so we are spirit-born, and Paul quotes this in Acts 13. Perhaps you did not notice that. In Acts 13, in his inspired sermon, I said there the inspired sermon of Peter, inspired sermon of Stephen, chapter 7, inspired sermon of Paul, in chapter 13.

In chapter 13, we look at verse 22.

And afterward they desired a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Sis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up to them David to be king, to whom also he gave testimony. And said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own choosing. I know it says on the heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior Jesus. When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel, and John fulfilled his course, and then came the Church and the Apostles. Verse 27, For they did dwell at Jerusalem and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voice of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath. They have fulfilled them in condemning him.

And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they pilot that they should kill him.

And he was taken down from the tree and laid in a sepulchre. Verse 30, But God raised him from the dead. God raised him from the dead. So, birth is equated with resurrection. Now we go to Romans chapter 1 and verse 3.

Romans chapter 1 and verse 3, Concerning his son Jesus our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness. This is the clincher, how? By the resurrection from the dead.

So, you're reminded that we read from Leviticus 23-24 that this day is the day of blowing of trumpets. The trumpets are blown throughout the day of the Lord, showing that it will take some time for all these events to take place.

In chapter 11 of Revelation, let's go to Revelation chapter 11, this shows us what is coming for Jerusalem and Israel. I don't know how far in the future it is. You know, as I have said, you know, Ms. Armstrong preached a powerful message. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The Kingdom of God message went out. Lots of people came into the Church and a lot of people have left. They thought that they had an insight, and there was some insight in the prophecy, and the Church was all about telling the future. No, the Church was all about becoming a Son of God in the Kingdom of God and the family of God. That's what the Church is about. The Church is about becoming inverted. And so, that one sort of slipped over their head. And so, when all these things didn't occur, they said, oh, I'm going to go my own way. I'll plunge back into the world. And the sows turned to wallowing in the mud, and the dog to his vomit.

So, we see in Revelation chapter 11 what happens.

But you see, a lot of people, they didn't have patience. We're going to have to exercise a lot of patience in the days that lie ahead, because people are saying, well, things are so bad, this can't go on. Things are so bad, it can't go on. Yeah, it can't go on until the appointed time. And I gave a sermon on the appointed time one time. It can go on. There are two scriptures, at least two, that say, in your patience, possess you your souls. You can look it up.

In your patience, possess you your souls. Most of us, I believe, are going to die before a lot of these events take place. I'm pretty sure I am, and probably a lot of others will be dead before many of these things will be fulfilled. But to understand the scripture and what it's really saying is such a wonderful thing, and to know what does lie ahead. And then you have the responsibilities we've already mentioned, serving as a warning person, as a warning messenger.

In Revelation 11, there was given me a read unto Arad, and the angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court, which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not, for it is given unto the nations, and the holy city shall they tread underfoot for forty-two months. So there's three and a half years there, right there, to go, where the nations are going to tread down Jerusalem. And at that time, I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy 8,203 score days, 1260 days, three and a half years. These are the two olive trees and two candlesticks mentioned in Zechariah chapter two. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks descending before the God of the earth. I believe it's, I'm not sure about the chapter that I just quoted. And if a man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and so on. And so they are protected up to a certain point. But then, and when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, that's Revelation 9 verses 1 in 10 and 11, the destroyer ascends out of the bottom pit. So, and when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. So that tells you where Israel is going. Israel is going the way of Sodom and Egypt. One of the great, one of the what they call great, gay, pride days is celebrated in Tel Aviv, and it is disgusting you will want to throw up if you ever see footage from that parade, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Now you look at verse 14. The second woe is passed. So everything up to then are the first six trumpets. The seventh, the seventh trumpet is to come. The second woe is passed, and behold, the third woe comes quickly. The third woe is divided into the seven loaves of wrath. And the seventh angel sounded, and there was great 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.

So we see here the trumpets being blown and the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of God and his Christ. But there is a long way to go. We're commanded to be aware of Babylon, to come out of Babylon in chapter 18.

Chapter 19 describes the marriage supper of the Lamb and Jesus returning as Lord of Lords and Kings and Kings. Will you, will I, be riding one of those horses when Jesus Christ comes against?

After Christ returns, there will be a great coronation ceremony. The Jews associate the piece of trumpets with the coronation of the Messiah, but the Messiah has already come. He's given his life for our sins that we might be born sons, spirit-born sons and daughters of God.

Psalm 45 especially describes the royal reign of God and Christ and the saints over all the earth. We'll read a little bit of Psalm 45. You go to Psalm 45.

In Psalm 45, Harken, this is verse 10, Harken, O daughter, and consider and claim you here. Forget also your own people in your father's house. So shall the king greatly desire your beauty, for he is the Lord and worship you him. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift.

Even the rich among the people shall entreat your favor. The king's daughter is all glorious. Within her clothing is of rot gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework. The virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto you. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought.

They shall enter into the king's palace. And so we see right there that probably this is a glance we get of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Now we go to Revelation 19. We read Revelation 19 about the marriage supper of the Lamb. In the marriage supper of the Lamb, in chapter 19 verse 6, and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, the voice of many waters, and the voice of mighty thundering, saying hallelujah, which means praise God, for the Lord God, omnipotent reigneth.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. It is granted unto her that they should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and light, oh, white, for the linen is the righteousness of saints. Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And so the King of Kings goes forth, and they conquer the enemy. They fight the battle of the great day of God Almighty. And great Babylon falls, and the kingdoms of this world finally become the kingdoms of God and Christ.

And the saints are given their inheritance, and they will rule and reign with Christ forever and ever. Yes, this is a day of a great reunion of the saints, those who are resurrected, there are many more to come. There are many more to come. After the resurrection, that's not the end.

Remember, I read the scripture from Daniel which says that you are going to turn after you're resurrected, they shall turn many to righteousness, that this family of God is going to be greatly enlarged. Yes, the trumpet of God is sounding. The word of God is being sounded to all nations. If you hear His voice, harden not your heart, as Israel did in the day of provocation in their day in the wilderness. In the day of the Lord, the trumpet will begin to blast and continue in eternity.

All the world shall hear the trumpet. God is speaking to us now. Now, we have this final scripture in Ezekiel chapter 33. We've been to the first part of Ezekiel. Now we'll go to the last part of Ezekiel, see how it closes in Ezekiel 33, and we'll begin in verse 30. This is, of course, a warning to us of what we need to expect in the days that lie ahead. And as I said, many of us will probably not be on the scene when many of these prophecies are fulfilled.

We know for sure the Great Tribulation has not begun. It begins when the Abomination of Desolation is set up, then shall be Great Tribulation. That's Matthew 24 verse 21. In Ezekiel 33, and we'll start in verse 30. Ezekiel 33 verse 30. And you, Son of Man, the children of your people, you, Son of Man, is a title that Jesus Christ applies to Himself throughout the Gospels, especially. Of course, it could apply to a human being, to the preachers of the day. And you, Son of Man, the children of your people, still are talking against you. And a better translation of that word is about you or before you, still are talking before you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that comes from the Lord.

And they come unto you as the people come, they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them, for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts go after covetousness. And lo, you are unto them as a very lovely song, a one that has a pleasant voice and can play well on a harp or on an instrument, for you hear your words, for they hear your words, but they do them not.

And when this comes to pass, and lo, it will come, then shall they know that a prophet has been among them. So, brother, the trumpet is sounding to all of us now. And the Church of God is doing the best it can do with what it has to do with to sound the trumpet to all the nations. And, of course, we know that the everlasting gospel is going to be preached to all the nations. People will be without excuse, and yet it talks about at the end of the six trumpet playing in which people, so many people, are killed that they refuse to repent. So now is our time, now is our day.