When All Mighty God Goes to Battle

Let's turn over to Leviticus chapter 23 as we begin the message here. Leviticus chapter 23. We often go to that at this time of the year as we begin to think about God's plan of salvation, about the festivals, and begin to picture certain aspects of His plan. And you will recall that this is, of course, God's festivals are throughout Scripture, but this is the only chapter where all seven of the festivals of God are mentioned in Scripture. So let's go to Leviticus chapter 23, and we'll pick it up actually in verse 1. Some very, very interesting and powerful statements here, actually, just in the first couple of verses here.

Verse number 1 says, And the Lord spoke to Moses. So what we're about to hear are God's thoughts, that He's relaying to Moses, and Moses is eventually going to be relaying to God's people as kind of an intermediary as the spokesman for God. But God is the one that these are His thoughts, these are His words, that He's speaking. The Lord spoke to Moses and He said, I want you to speak to the children of Israel, and this is what I want you to say to them.

The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be, holy convocations, these are my feasts. You know, there's a lot here in verse number 2. A lot, God can pack a lot in a short period of phrase, of words. He says, I want you to talk to my people and tell them that these are the feasts of the Lord, that these are my feasts. You know, they're not the feasts of the Jews, as some proclaim.

These are the feasts of God. These are His commanded assemblies. They came from His thoughts. They came from His mind. In fact, He was probably thinking about these things for a very, very long time, and that they are to be shared with His people, regardless of whether it be the Old Covenant or the New Covenant. They're going to be shared with the Israel of God.

Of course, the Church is the Israel of God and the New Covenant. And then, when we look at some of the verbiage here, in this particular verse 2, it says that they are holy convocations. And that word, English word, convocations, if we were to look at the Hebrew, it could also be translated English, not only convocations, but it could be translated assemblies.

That these are holy assemblies of people coming together, to appear, in a sense, before God. And not only holy assemblies or holy convocations, it could also be translated that these are rehearsals. Interesting. Rehearsals. Rehearsals is another English word that could be translated from that. And I think the meaning encompasses all of that. These were being called out to assemble before God. This is a holy convocation, a holy assembly of His people that are to be holy. And we're going to rehearse something. We're going to rehearse something about something that's going to happen in the future.

We're going to learn about God's plan and things that are going to happen in the future. Things that are going to be part of His plan. We're going to rehearse these things. And then it says, these are my feasts. And that Hebrew word, feasts, it can be translated feasts in English, but it could also be translated appointments or appointed times.

These are my appointments or my appointed times. And so God adds a little bit more here. The Hebrew carries a little bit more of the meaning. Maybe then what we understand is we just read it in English because there are different English words that add a little bit more to what the original Hebrew says in all of its encompassing form, which is using the Hebrew word.

And so appointed times, we have an appointment with God. Now the next appointment that we have with God, next rehearsal, the next holy convocation, which is an annual festival, of course, is the Feast of Trumpets. So let's jump to verse number 23 here. And that's where that begins to be addressed, is this festival of trumpets. It says, the Lord spoken to Moses. So again, these are God's words, telling Moses what to say. Verse 24, speak unto the children of Israel and say, in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath.

And on that Sabbath, you shall have a memorial of the blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. Now this is a puzzling verse, actually, to the Jewish people because they seem to have an identity with many of God's festivals, but this one they have a little bit more trouble with. What does this mean? A blowing of trumpets. As we look at blowing of trumpets in the Hebrew, it's one word. In English here, it's a phrase, a blowing of trumpets, or a blowing of trumpets. But in Hebrew, it's one word, and it can be translated as it is, a blowing of trumpets. It could also be translated a clamor in English. Clamor. We were looking at Strong's Exhausted Concordance, so when we look at this Hebrew word teruah, it could be rendered clamor.

Now that's not a word that we use a lot in English. It's clamor. What's clamor? Well, clamor has various meanings. It can mean any loud and continued noise. That would definitely include the sound of a trumpet, or of a shout, of shouting. It could include any loud and continued noise. Clamor can also mean a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people. You may have heard of, you know, maybe at a sports, or there's some tremendous play, and all of a sudden the crowd is just roaring.

It gets people's attention. Anyone outside of the stadium is wondering what's going on. It gets your attention. That can include clamor. That's part of the meaning clamor. Strongs also says and points out, not only the blowing of trumpets could be clamor of trumpets, but also an acclamation of joy. Something that's joyful. There's a sound of joy. There's a roar of joy.

But it could also mean a battle cry. A battle cry, not just a jubilation of joy, but also a battle cry. It can also mean alarm.

Warning. It can be a rejoicing, or alarm, or warning. So there seems to be a lot of different types of meaning that this phrase or this word can include. What does the blowing of a trumpet picture in God's word? What is it pictured, actually? It pictures many of the things we just covered, but let's take a look at some examples. One of the things that a blowing of a trumpet can picture in God's word is to hail a new king, or the crowning of a new king. There's a shout. There's a joy. There's a blast of a trumpet. Let's take a look at an example of that in 2 Kings. 2 Kings chapter 9.

2 Kings chapter 9.

And we'll pick it up here in verse number 1. We'll see that a man by the name of Jehu is going to be anointed the king of Israel. It says, "...and Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Get yourself ready to take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramaph Gilead." Or in 2 Kings chapter 9 and verse number 1. Verse number 2. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu. He's the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimsi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates and take him to an inner room, then take that flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, Thus says the Lord, I have anointed you king over Israel, then open the door and flee, and do not delay." Now let's jump over to verse number 13.

And each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps, and they blew the trumpets, and they said, Jehu is king. This was to announce a new king. A trumpet blast is involved. Let's jump to chapter 11, just a couple of pages over. Chapter 11, and we'll read verses 12 through 14.

2 Kings chapter 11, verses 12 through 14. It says, He brought out the king's son, he put the crown on him. So we're crowning someone, and gave him the testimony, and they made him king. And they anointed him, and they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king. Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people and the temple of the Lord. And when she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom, and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. And all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, trees and trees, and so she wasn't in favor of this coronation, this anointing, this blasting of trumpets. She wasn't in favor of it, but it was happening nonetheless. There's another thing that the blowing of trumpets pictures in Scripture. Let's take a look at a second one. We've covered one already, which it's blown to hail a new king, or the crowning of a new king. Let's look at a second one. It's blown as an alarm of war, blown as an alarm of war. Let's notice that from Scripture. Let's go to Jeremiah chapter 4. Jeremiah chapter 4. We're going to see here that the trumpet also has another use.

Jeremiah chapter 4, and after the book of Isaiah, and we'll pick it up here in verse number 19. Jeremiah chapter 4, in verse number 19.

Jeremiah says, Oh my soul, my soul, I am pained in my very heart. So he's pained for a reason. My heart makes a noise in me. I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, oh my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. And so, brother, another use or another thing that is pictured by the trumpet blast in the Scriptures is not only the crowning of a king or the hailing of a new king, but also an alarm. There's an alarm of war, that there's a war that's possibly on the horizon. Let's look at a third one, why the trumpet is blown or what it pictures in God's word.

Well, before we do that, I do want to reference the Scripture here. Let's go to Revelation chapter 17, verse number 4, back to the back of the Bible.

Revelation chapter 17. Again, on this point, it's blown as an alarm of war.

Revelation chapter 17 and verse number 14.

It says, these will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb is referring to Jesus Christ. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, and those who are with Him are called chosen and faithful. So we see when Jesus Christ returns, it's also going to be a time of war.

You know, the Feast of Trumpets is plural. We know that trumpets pictures many different things. We've begun to see here that it's picturing the crowning of a king, and that actually happens on the seventh trump, doesn't it? Revelation chapter 11, verse 15, on the seventh trumpet glass, Jesus Christ, God the Father, say that the kingdoms of this world now become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Let's look at a third thing that's pictured by the blowing of trumpets. It's a warning. It is a warning about impending danger or impending war. It's a warning. Let's notice that in Ezekiel chapter 33. Ezekiel chapter 33. We'll pick it up here in verse number one.

Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 1.

It says again, the Word of the Lord came to me. So Ezekiel is speaking, saying, God's Word came to me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of your people. And this is what I want you to say to them. When I bring the sword upon a land, the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman. When he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but he did not take warning. His blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. And so we see God utilizes a trumpet to be a warning to his people that something needs to change. And God, of course, is a merciful God. He wants all of us to change. He wants everyone. And so he tells us ahead of time of what's coming. And so he gives a warning message in Ezekiel chapter 33, as we've just read, and of course other scriptures as well. Years ago, and I may have told this story, there were a couple of ministers that spoke on the Feast of Trumpets. It's with sermons. One of them gave a message that had the title, Trumpets brings peace. And the other minister, who was yet to speak, was smiling because he was looking down in his notes. And the title of this message was, Trumpets means war. Okay. You know, and these titles seem contradictory. They seem contrary to one another, don't they? But they are really, really very complementary. They're really complementary messages. Why do they complement each other so well?

Because the message that God gives us, all of us, anyone that has the scriptures to look at the lessons of the Feast of Trumpets is, Trumpets means different things to different people, depending upon where they stand with God. You know, for the saints, for the prepared bride of Christ, it's a time of jubilation. It's a time of joy. It's a time that we're picturing of the wedding feast, when all the things that we've hoped for to be able to become at one with Jesus Christ in that marriage and that wedding feast. You know, to have a change from flesh to spirit. You know, it's everything we've hoped for. It means inheriting eternal life, everlasting life as the spirit being in the family of God. And not only that, but to have the divine nature that God has. Can you imagine what that's going to be like? It means all of those things and helping to assist Jesus Christ as he begins to bring the kingdom of God to the earth. But you know, to the enemy of God, it means something very, very different. It means a violent and tragic judgment. And it means the end of all human plans that are against God. You know, through God's Holy Days and His festivals, we begin to understand that in the spring Holy Days, He's really working with individuals, isn't He? He's working with certain people that He's calling out. That's the part of His plan. He's working more with individuals. But you know, when it comes to this festival that's ahead of us now, which hasn't yet been fulfilled, the others have been, in a sense, God's plan. We know where we are in the plan of God. The Passover land, Jesus Christ, has already come. You know, the days of 11 bread, those that are being called, changing of character, putting the leavening out. Pentecost, the receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, you know, that was poured out in the day of Pentecost. It's available. But trumpets has not yet been fulfilled. We know where we are in the plan of God.

So that is what's ahead of us. And it's a time when God directly intervenes, not just with individuals, but with all humanity. It's a huge transition. So again, the Feast of Trumpets means different things to different people. You know, we often focus, with the message of the Feast of Trumpets, on the first meaning that we covered about the hailing of a king, the coronation of a king, and acclamation, and crowning of a king, Jesus Christ, you know, coming as a king. We focus on that, and that's all right and good. But today, in the time that we've got left, brethren, I want to mainly focus on the second meaning that we covered about the meaning of trumpets. It's included in the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets, and that is, it will be a time of war. It will be a time of war.

We'll touch also, as we go along the way, on the third meaning, too, that it's a warning message. But we're going to mainly focus on the second meaning, and we'll touch on the third one as we go along. I think most of you recall that the Feast of Trumpets is the only holy day that it's a new moon. Remember that? It's a new moon, which means there is no moon that you can see. You know, the Feast of Tabernacles begins on a full moon. You know, at that time, the kingdom of God is fully in place, and the light is shining daytime and nighttime. Full moon, see the full moon, but not on the Feast of Trumpets. You know, it comes, I think, on October 3rd this year, and from sunset, you know, at the end of the day, on October 2nd, until any of the day, on sunset, October 3rd, you will not find the moon in the night sky. It can be a clear sky with no clouds, and you will not find the moon. It's going to be a very, very dark night. And I think that's indicative of the fact that when Jesus, just before Jesus Christ returns, it's going to be a very dark time. A very spiritually dark time before he intervenes in world affairs, and when he begins to intervene in world affairs, it's going to be in a very powerful way. It's going to be some amazing things that are going to be done. Astonishing things. When Jesus Christ comes back, it's going to be initially to do battle. You know, we often don't think of Jesus Christ as a warrior, do we? It's not often the first thing that comes to our mind. You know, we think of him well. He's patient. He's kind. He's merciful. You know, and he is all of those things. He's long suffering. He's all of those things, brethren. But there comes a time that the Bible clearly says in biblical prophecy that when he comes back at the end of the age, it says that God the Father and Jesus Christ are coming back to do battle. The title of the message that's taken me a little while to get here, title of the message today is When Almighty God Goes to Battle. When Almighty God Goes to Battle.

Let's go over to Exodus chapter 19 in verse number 16.

We're going to take a look at some scriptures here today about part of the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. When a powerful God goes to battle. And let's review some awesome display of God's power. Let's go to Exodus chapter 19 and verse number 16. Exodus chapter 19 and verse 16. This is just before the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20. And what we'll see here is that when God begins to reveal himself, the children of Israel, God's people, are in awe and they're amazed and they're afraid when God actually shows up and begins to directly communicate with his voice to his people. We'll take a look here at what happened. And I think God is letting them know this is an important event. Let's take a look at what it says, verse 16 of Exodus 19. And it should come to pass in the third day in the morning that there were thunderings and lightnings. Now, brethren, how common are thunderings and lightnings in the desert?

It's not very common in the desert. So this is really quite amazing in itself alone.

And it says, a thick cloud on the mountain and the sound of the trumpet was very loud. So it kind of talks about the clamor, you know, any loud continuing sound.

And it says this trumpet wasn't just loud, it was very loud. So the people who were in the camp trembled. You know, every once in a while you've probably been a church where they have a sound system. They don't have the buttons adjusted just right. And all of a sudden there's this blaring sound that comes out. And it is so intense that you just have to put your hands over your ears. I mean, it hurts. It's agony. And, brethren, I would suggest that something along those lines are much more exaggerated than that was happening at this time. There was this blast, this shrill sound, this clamor of this trumpet to let them know that something was about to happen. It was so loud it says the people of the camp trembled and they were afraid. Verse number 17, and Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God. So God was there.

You can imagine you're leaving the camp to go to a mountain to meet with God. And they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai, this is the name of the mountain where all this was happening, was completely in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. He was there in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

When all these things happen, you know, you get your attention. If you've ever felt the tremor of an earthquake or been in an earthquake, you stop everything. You know, your total focus is what's going on. Verse 19, and when the blast of the trumpet sounded long, we're talking about this long continuous clamor, it sounded long, but it didn't just sound long as it continued to sound, it got louder and louder. And Moses spoke and God answered him by voice. Now, when God answered in my voice, I would suggest that that was a thunderous answer. We'll see some scriptures here in a moment that it wasn't just the sound of the trumpet, it was the sound of God's voice that they said we can't hear him speak anymore or we won't live.

So this blast of the trumpet and the voice of God was overwhelming. People said this is too much for us, this is too overwhelming for us. And they begged Moses if he could be the one that God talked to or spoke to. Let's go over to Hebrews 12 and verse 18.

And this is actually referring to the same event, but now this is coming a little bit from Paul's perspective rather than from Moses' perspective, although he is quoting Moses in part of this verse or this section of scripture. Hebrews 12 and verse 18.

He says he's actually speaking to God's people, for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched. You're not coming to a physical mountain. He's going to say eventually you're coming to Mount Zion. You're not coming to a physical mountain here that burned with fire, starting to refer to what happened with the children of Israel and Moses, that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. So I would suggest God's word was powerful as well as the sound of the trumpet.

Verse 20. For they could not endure what was commanded. And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it should be stoned or shot with an arrow. Can you imagine that? If a beast went too close to the mountain, all of a sudden there's this arrow coming from God that pierces the beast or stones that are coming.

Verse 21, which isn't shared necessarily in the scriptures we read in Exodus, and so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling. Now, he'd had several conversations with God up to this point in time, but he had not seen anything quite like this apparently. Or if he had, he was afraid and trembled at this time as well as the other times.

But when God uses the trumpet, one of the purposes is to get the attention of his power and greatness. Let's go over to Jeremiah chapter 4.

Jeremiah, the prophet of God, let's go over there right after the book of Isaiah.

Jeremiah chapter 4.

God is pleading with his people that he's called and chosen, they're starting to slide away. He's asking them to repent. He's asking them to return to him, as we see here in verse 1 of Jeremiah chapter 4. If you will return, O Israel says, the Lord, return to me.

Put away some of these abominations out of my sight. And we're going to take a look at what Jeremiah says here about the trumpet here in this chapter, because in a sense, Jeremiah talks about a precursor to the fulfillment of this coming feast of trumpets.

Again, it's a holy day, it's a celebration, but Jeremiah talks about when he hears the sound of the trumpet, this is what he thinks of.

He's basically saying, here's what I understand about the trumpet, that it frightens and terrifies me. So let's jump to verse number 4. He's telling them to repent. In verse 1, we get to verse 4. He says, Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the four skins of your hearts, you men of Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn, so that no one can quench it because of the evil of your doings. So it's kind of a warning here a little bit here, too. Again, God is asking them to turn to repent so they don't have to experience this. Verse number 5, declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say, Blow the trumpet in the land. Cry out. Gather together and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into fortified cities. You know, what was the sound of the trumpet telling them at this time? It was telling them there's a punishment coming, but destruction was coming. So the trumpet is associated also with war and battle and with destruction and with military operations. He is the Lord of hosts, and the word hosts can be translated military armies. He is a supreme commander over all hosts. He's got, he's the commander in chief. He's got powerful angelic beings. So we see some of these things here, that the trumpet is associated with some things like war, like battle, like military operations, and these are part of the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets, which isn't always a pleasant thing to consider. So the coming Feast of Trumpets is a festival to celebrate, no doubt. It's a holy day, it's a festival, but it's also important for us to be reminded that there's another part of the meaning of this day, and it's frightening. Let's jump to verse number 19 here in Jeremiah chapter 4. Let's jump to verse number 19. Oh, my soul, my soul, I am pained in my very heart. My heart makes a noise in me. Now, I don't know what he's experiencing here, but can you imagine if you're saying the same words that he is, that my heart is making a noise in me. This is going down the very depths of, I'm thinking he's, this is fear that we're talking about here. My heart is making a noise in me. I cannot hold my peace because you have heard, oh, my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Now, again, the sound of the trumpet for the saints is an exciting time. It's a time of jubilation and joy, but the sound of the trumpet for the rest of the world is frightening and overwhelming. Verse number 20. Verse number 20. Destruction upon destruction. How can you say it anymore that this is going to be really serious stuff? Destruction upon destruction, where the whole land is plundered. Suddenly, my tents are plundered. Sounds like it's going to happen quickly. And my curtains in a moment. How long will I see the standard or the battle, as some translations say, and hear the sound of the trumpet? Jump to verse 23. I beheld the earth, and it was indeed without form and void, and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and indeed they're trembling, they're shaking. And all the hills are moving back and forth. I beheld, verse 25, and there was no man, they're probably all trying to hide from what's going on. And all the birds of the heavens had fled. I beheld, verse 26, indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness. Destruction upon destruction, and all of its cities were broken down. Why? Because it says at the end of verse 26, at the presence of the Lord and of his fierce anger. Brother, when he comes, not only to do battle, he's going to be angry. He's going to be angry at all of the evil, at all of the wickedness. He finally comes to the point where he says, I can't tolerate this a moment longer.

And then it's going to be a very, very terrifying time, an overwhelming time for many people. Let's go over to Zephaniah. We don't often turn to that book, but I think there's some things here that are very helpful. Zephaniah, I think it's about the fourth book for the back of the Old Testament.

You find Malachi and go back another three books, I think you'll come to Zephaniah. Let's go there.

The prophet of God, how to reveal something here to him. Zephaniah, chapter 2, verse 2. Zephaniah, chapter 2 and verse 2.

Zephaniah, chapter 3, verse 3. God inspires through Zephaniah to say, before the decree is issued. So this is a warning. Before the decree is issued, before that day passes, like Chaph, before the Lord's fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you, he talks about fierce anger, the Lord's anger, before it comes upon you, verse 3. Here's the warning. Seek me. Seek the Lord, is what he's saying, all you meek of the earth. Anyone that's out there, but seek me, you that are meek of the earth, who have upheld my justice, God says, seek my righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden then in the day of the Lord's anger. He keeps talking about it's a day of God's anger. Not only a day of battle, but a day of anger. So it's a warning. Let's jump to chapter 3. One chapter over, and let's read verse 8 here, Zephaniah chapter 3 and verse 8. Therefore, wait for me, says the Lord, until the day I rise up for my plunder. My determination is to gather the nations. God says I'm going to bring them all together. I'm going to gather the nations to my assembly of kingdoms. That's an interesting way of putting it, isn't it? I'm going to gather the nations to my assembly of kingdoms. And why is he doing this gathering? To pour out my indignation. To pour out all my fierce anger.

All of the earth is going to be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. Wow. Wow. So one of the key characteristics, brethren, of this day, the coming feast of trumpets that's coming, is that God is going to take the battle to those who oppose him. It's a frightening thing to think about. God is going to take the battle to those who oppose him, and he will deal directly with them. Why? Why is he doing this? Brethren, it's actually to reach them, believe it or not. It's actually to help them to repent, ultimately, in the end. The end reason is to try to help them.

Maybe hard to understand, but that's the way God works. Brethren, let's go to the New Testament for a moment. Matthew 22. Matthew 22. When Christ returns, he's going to be totally dominant in the battlefield. Do we suppose that he would not be? Do we suppose that Jesus Christ is totally dominant in the battlefield? Let's take a look at Matthew 22, and let's pick it up in verse number 44. Matthew 22, verse number 44. It says, The Lord said to my Lord, so God the Father is speaking to Jesus Christ, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

You know, brethren, that's a word picture. It's like God sitting in a chair or recliner and putting up his feet on the earth. It's a picture, a word picture, to show that God has complete dominance of the earth. As creator, he has that power. Let's notice Matthew chapter 24, in verse number 29. Matthew chapter 24, verse 29. It says, Immediately after the tribulation of these days, the sun is going to be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. It's going to be a dark time, isn't it, brethren? The sun isn't going to be of its light. The moon isn't going to give its light. Very much like we talked about, the piece of trumpets comes on a new moon. There's no moon. There's no, well, there's a moon out there, but you can't see any light. There's no moonlight at all. And at this time, the moon will not give its light. It says, The stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens are going to be shaken. There's going to be some big things that are happening here. God begins to overwhelm the world. Verse number 30. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all of the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see this power that's coming. And God unleashes His might. On the earth, it's not going to be a pleasant time, and it's not going to be business as usual. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory. You know, when you can control the sun, when you can control the moon, when you can shake the stars, when the earth is your footstool, you have battlefield dominion, don't you? You do. Verse number 31. God will dominate the battlefield He will send His angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds and from one end of heaven to the other. So, brethren, for the saints, it's going to be a wonderful sound of the trumpet, isn't it? Everything we've hoped for. Finally, God is going to intervene as He promised, and He's going to give those other promises to us. They're going to be rescued, in a sense. That rescue that finally comes, but for the rest of the world, it's going to be a much different situation. It's going to be frightening. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 13.

Isaiah chapter 13.

Another prophecy from one of God's prophets here about this time.

Notice the effect this is going to have on most of the inhabitants of the earth. Isaiah chapter 13.

We'll pick it up here in verse number six.

It says, whale. Whale is a word that we don't use much, but if you ever heard anyone whale, you know that from the depths of their being that there's something that's wrong. They're whaling here, probably for trembling because they're afraid, and they're trembling. Whale, for the day of the Lord is at hand, and it will come as a destruction from the Almighty. There's nobody more powerful than God. He is God Almighty. And this day of the Lord is at hand. It's going to come as a destruction from that Almighty God. Not something pleasant to think about, but it's what God says is coming. Verse number seven. It's how the inhabitants, many inhabitants will react. Therefore, their hands will be limp. Can you imagine this now? You realize there's a power coming that you have never seen before, never experienced before. An Almighty God coming. All hands will be limp. Every man's heart will melt. God introduces this power and battlefield dominance. He'll do it on a scale that the world has never seen before and may not ever see again. Verse number eight. And they will be afraid.

Pains and sorrows will take hold of them. They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth. They will be amazed at one another. Their faces will be like flames. There's a New Living Translation says, their faces aflame with fear. Verse nine. Behold, the day of the Lord comes cruel with both wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate, and He is going to destroy its sinners from it. Just like He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. There's a time when God will do something similar again. He will destroy its sinners from it.

You know, these scriptures probably do like me. They probably are doing like you. They leave you in a macement. Wow! Waffle! What's going on here? I think this huge destruction could come from the Creator.

But brethren, it's to help people ultimately to repent, to change. Verse number ten. For the stars of heaven, Isaiah 1310, the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened. Very much what we read earlier. And it's going forth, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. It's going to be a dark time in more ways than one.

Verse 11. I'm going to punish the world for its evil. I'm not going to completely destroy people, brethren. We know we can raise them again in the second resurrection and deal with them. But he's going to punish the world for its evil. He's going to punish the wicked for their iniquity. God says, I'm going to halt the arrogance of the proud. It's increased to the point where it's got to stop, because humility and contrite heart is where God's trying to take His creation. I'm going to halt the arrogance of the proud. I'm going to halt the arrogance of the proud. I'm going to lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I'm going to make a man rare. Verse 12. More rare than fine gold. More rare than the golden wedge of opher. And God says in verse 13, I'm going to shake not only the earth, I'm going to shake the heavens. The earth will move out of her place. Wow, what does that mean? Now, we've been in this orbit. We've been in this way of spinning, as well as spinning around the sun. The earth itself spins. The earth is going to be moved out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of His first anger. That's an aspect about the Feast of Trumpets we don't often think about. And it's frightening. You know, in the same way He raised Himself up, God did to bring the Ten Commandments. And that was a good interaction. That was a gift of these Ten Commandments. People trembled and were afraid. Can you imagine when God steps in and mightily shakes not only a mountain, shakes the whole earth and the heavens. And He comes to battle.

Isaiah chapter 2, or in Isaiah 13, let's go back to Isaiah chapter 2 verse 19.

These are sobering things to think about, and it's a warning message for us. As God's called out chosen first verse, it's a warning that we need to be aware of what's going to happen. We don't want to partake in what's going to happen. Isaiah chapter 2 verse 19, how terrifying it's going to be. They're going to go into the holes of rocks and into the caves of the earth from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. When He arises, goes to battle, shakes the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they have made, each for himself to worship. They're going to throw all those things away. They'll throw them to the moles and to the bats. They're going to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the crags of the rugged rocks from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty when He arises to shake the earth mightily. I can't even imagine. Can you imagine what's going to be happening here?

It's going to be a frightening time for them, a terrifying time, a powerful display. What's it going to be like when the sun goes dark? The stars fall from the sky. You see the whole structure that human beings have created for nearly 6,000 years begin to crumble. Anything that you knew, everything's going to change. It's going to be unraveling, falling apart right before their eyes. Let's go to Joel chapter 3. Joel chapter 3. There are a couple of books after Daniel, Hosea, and Joel.

We're reading from many of God's prophets. The prophets tell us about things to come before they come. There's a reason for prophecy not just to tell us what's going to happen, so that people can change their lives, knowing what's going to the reality of what is going to happen, so that people have a chance to change their lives. Let's notice Joel chapter 3, picking it up here in verse number 9.

Proclaim this among the nations. So this is just to more than just the children of Israel. This is a prophecy that's going to the nations. Proclaim this among the nations. Prepare for war. Wake up the mighty men. God says through some way He's going to inspire or to get people to say, let's fight, let's war. Wake up the mighty men. Let all the men have drawn near. Let them come up. You know, God makes and unmakes nations. He has the ability to influence things for His purposes. And so, in some way, He encourages them in this last days here. He allows this spirit to stir up nations, to want to fight, and to come and assemble together. Verse number 10. Beat your plowshares into swords. Just the opposite of, you know, another scripture that says they're going to beat their swords into plowshares. This one says, come on up. Beat your plowshares into swords. We're talking about war, aren't we? Beat your plowshares into swords and beat your pruning hooks into spirits. Let the weak say, I'm strong. Assemble and come, all of you nations, and gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord. You know, God allows them to think that they can even fight and overcome Him. God says, let's read verse 12, let the nations be awakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. We're talking about a specific place here now that we're going to begin to see that these nations begin to gather. They come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. For there, God says, I'm going to sit and I'm going to judge all of the surrounding nations. God brings them to one spot and then He delivers the most overwhelming display of power that the world has ever seen.

Verse 13, put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. It's time. The harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the wine press is full. The vats are overflowing. Because their wickedness is great, it's time. It's too much. I'm not going to allow this another moment. I'm going to destroy those who are destroying the earth, which is part of my creation. You know, we read earlier that God is going to punish sinners. We often talk, and rightly so, that God is a God of love. He's a God of mercy. He's a God of long suffering. He's a forgiver. Christ Himself died for our sins. All of this is true. God is also a God of justice. He's a God of justice, and this day reminds us that there will be justice. That those who deserve punishment are going to receive it.

God says vengeance is mine. He says that, and we'll just refer to that for time, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 30. But God says vengeance is mine. I will repay. God knows when it's proper to do vengeance and when it's not. I will repay. He has complete and total right to pass out vengeance, and He has the wisdom to know when it's time to do so. Let's keep reading here in Joel chapter 3, verse 14. Multitudes, multitudes, emphasizing there's a great number of people here that are here. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. So all of these different prophecies that we're reading from, all these different authors are saying very much the same thing. Verse number 16, and the Lord will roar from Zion. And I can't imagine the sound of His voice when He comes. He's going to roar. Sounds like a lion almost, doesn't it? You know, when a lion roars in the jungle, people pay attention. The Lord will roar from Zion and utter His voice. The voice of God. Shouting, I suppose, the trumpet. And notice from Jerusalem, from a specific location, we know where God is going to be. We know the valley of Jehoshaphat is right there near that city. It's going to be in the Middle East. It's going to be in the nation of Israel. It's going to be right around this area. God's going to utter His voice from Jerusalem, the future capital of the universe, where He's going to move His throne someday. The heavens and the earth are going to shake. But notice, brethren, that the Lord is going to be a shelter for His people. It's going to be the strength of the Israel of God, the children of Israel. He's going to be the strength of His people. Let's go to Revelation chapter 16. Revelation chapter 16.

When the Almighty goes to battle, it's going to be angry. It's going to punish sinners. Wants everyone to know that sin does have its due. Let's pick it up in verse 1 of Revelation chapter 16.

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God, Go pour those bowls of anger, or wrath of God, on the earth. How does God do this? Notice verse 2.

Let's go back to Revelation chapter 13 in verse number 3.

It says, And I saw one of his heads, as is had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world marveled and followed the beast. The beast is going to be worshipped nearly by all the world. The vast majority of people are going to be sucked into this. All the world marveled and followed the beast. Verse 4, So they worshipped the dragon. Satan has always wanted to be worshipped, hasn't he? They worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast.

And they said, who's able, who's like the beast, and who's able to make war with him? Well, I'll tell you there is someone that's able to make war with the beast. This is what we're talking about here. The vast majority of the people marvel and follow the beast, as it says in verse number 3.

Back to Revelation 16, verse number 2.

So the first wind, I guess we read that, he poured out his bull upon the earth, and a fallen host of sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped his image. It's going to be a lot of people. Verse 3, and then the second angel poured out his bull on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man.

Nothing lives in blood. You know, the fish will die. And every living creature in the sea died. And the third angel poured out his bull on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

Verse 5, and I heard the angel of the waters saying, so a lot of these things are happening in the sea and in the rivers and in the springs of water. And the angel of the water said, you are righteous, O Lord. You know, the angel is saying, you are righteous, O Lord, the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is to be, because you have judged these things. It's an interesting inset verse. God is righteous because the sin is so great. It has stacked up for so long a time that this is the right thing to do. Verse 6, for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink, for it is their just due. It's the right thing to do. It's a righteous thing to do. Verse 7, I heard another from the author saying, even so, Lord, Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments, for they are spirits of demons. They are performing signs which go out from the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. The final battle, which will establish Jesus Christ as the King of Kings.

Verse 15, behold, I am coming as a thief. This is Jesus now speaking. Blessed is he who watches. So there's a warning.

Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments. We're talking about having white garments which signify righteousness, security. God says, be careful. I'm coming as a thief. Watch and keep your garments. Watch your household. Watch yourself, lest we walk naked and be shamed and have to possibly partake of these things that are happening. Brethren, if anyone's been warned, we've been warned. Haven't we?

We know what's coming. We know what God expects of us individually as part of the spring holy days and what they picture.

You know, as unlikely as this scenario is to the rest of the world, we've been told. Woe to us if we don't watch and keep ourselves clean.

You know, if we don't, it's no one's fault but our own. We can't blame God.

So we've got to be sure that we don't get wrapped up in the ways of this world or our daily routines and lose our balance and focus of the kingdom of God and his righteousness, lest we forget what's coming. Let's go on to verse 16 here of Revelation 16. And they gathered them together in the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.

Let's keep reading here in verse 17. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done. The throne saying, It is done.

But then eventually, it's going to be over.

Enemies of God will be squelched. God himself will step in with decisive power.

Jesus Christ will display ultimate power with this instant destruction of those who rebel against God. Let's go back to the Old Testament now for a moment. Zachariah. Zachariah.

Second to the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet of God.

He's got some things to share here. We're going to notice here in Zachariah chapter 14, verse 3, that Jesus Christ is going to come with overwhelming and decisive force. Zachariah chapter 14 and verse 3.

Verse 1 says, Behold, the day of the Lord is coming. Jump to verse 3. And then the Lord will go forth and fight. God's going to fight, brethren. He's going to fight against those nations as he fights in the day of battle. And when God goes to fight, we know how he fights. We've seen he's got power that's unimaginable. Verse number 4. And in that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. Stand on the earth, on the Mount of Olives. Again, right around Jerusalem, isn't it? It's right there in that area, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley. Half of the mountain shall move towards the north. And the other half shall move towards the south. Powerful things are going on. Verse 5. Then you shall flee through my mountain valley. It's just been created. For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah.

Thus the Lord my God will come. And all the saints will come with you.

Let's jump to verse number 9. It says, this time, brethren, that the Lord shall be king over all the earth. It's at this time. The Lord shall be king over all the earth. And in that day it shall be that the Lord is one. In His name one. There's not going to be several gods. There's only going to be one god. The true god. In that day, He's going to be king over all the earth. And in that day it shall be that the Lord is one. And His name one.

Notice in verse 12 an example of His overwhelming force here.

It shall be the plague in which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet.

Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets.

And their tongue shall dissolve in their mouths. Wow.

God simply vaporizes them.

It's frightening. If you're on the receiving end, there's going to be no effective resistance to Jesus Christ when He goes to war in this battle. Let's go to Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19.

What we anticipate on this day is described right here. How do we know in what way Christ is coming? Well, I think the Scripture tells us right here. Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11 is where we'll pick it up here.

Revelation 19 verse 11. Now I saw heaven opened and behold the white horse. And he who sat on this horse is faithful and true. So this is not a counterfeit Christ. This is the real Messiah. This is the real Savior. He that sits on this white horse is called faithful and true. And in righteousness, He judges and He makes war. I don't think of God as making war. We don't think of Christ as a warrior.

This is exactly what we're talking about, and it's going to be overwhelming, and it's going to be immediate. Verse number 12. His eyes are like a flame of fire. His head, there are many crowns.

He has a name written that no one knew except himself, and he's clothed with a robe that's dipped in blood. And his name is called the Word of God. So we know this is referring to Jesus Christ.

Verse 14. And the armies in heaven, they will be clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and they will follow Him on white horses.

Brethren, what are you and I asked to do? What are you and I... With all this information that God is sharing with us, He's asking us to watch and keep our garments clean.

That we could be clothed in fine linen, as it says in verse 14, and in other places in Scripture. Fine linen, white and clean. Heard one member tell me that fine linen could be so...

What's the word I'm looking for? So... fine. Okay. It's so many threads can be woven into a square inch. It's incredibly immense amount of threads that can be within a square inch that it can actually repel dirt.

Lloyd Nelson told me that. There are so... some millenniums that are so fine and so intricately woven that they repel dirt. Talking about the righteousness of the saints here. Let's go to verse 15 here in Revelation 19. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword. Speaking of Christ's mouth, goes a sharp sword that with it, he should strike the nations. And he himself will rule them with a rod of iron, and he himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

This is a side we don't talk about of God very often. We talk about other things. But with the fierceness of his wrath, he is treading a winepress, pressing them to bits like grapes, squeezing the juice out of a grape.

That's exactly, apparently, what's going to be necessary for them to ultimately repent, to get their attention.

Verse 16, he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

The king has arrived.

The master has returned.

Verse 17, and then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly, in the midst of heaven, come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh, kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses, and those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and I saw the kings of the earth and their armies, and they gathered together to make war against him. They're gathering together one place to make war against Jesus Christ, who sat on this white horse, and they're trying to make war against him, who sat on the horse and against his army. Let's jump to verse 21. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Wow! This is hard to imagine. This whole scene is hard to imagine what's going on. But it's a prophecy that will come to pass.

You know, as we read of this destruction and this correction, further know we can miss maybe another side of the power of God, that also this coming feast of trumpets pictures. And that's an awesome power of God as well. This power not only shows that God has the almighty ability to step in against a rebellious world and sends his son Jesus Christ, but it also proclaims something for God's people when Christ returns. And that is the resurrection of the dead, the power of his resurrection. Now, that's an aspect of the Feast of Trumpets too, isn't it? A spectacular display of the power of God to raise people, not only from the dead, but from physical to spirit.

Let's go over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

This could be the most magnificent and spectacular display of power going to be raising people that have been dead back to life.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and we'll pick it up in verse number 14.

God inspired Paul to write these words, the breath by his spirit through Paul onto the written pen to the piece of paper here. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 14. This is an example, one of many in the scriptures, where it talks about sounding the trumpet for joy.

Sounding the trumpet for joy. The sounding of the trumpet for the people of God is not going to be frightening. It's going to be exhilarating. Why? Because those people that have humbly obeyed God, that have been obedient to Him, that announces the reward of the righteous.

The scripture says, God is not unjust to forget your works. Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 10 talks about that. God is not unjust to forget your works, to forget the sacrifices that you have made and are making, and will have to make in the future.

Those that put Him first, He will not forget any of His people. Let's pick it up in verse 14. 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God, referring to the Father, is going to bring with Jesus those who sleep in Him.

Some will say, well, you see, this shows that they're going to be in heaven. Before we jump to that conclusion, though, we've got to read the context here. We've got to read the rest of the section. How does Jesus bring them along? Verse 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord. So this is God's word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord are not going to precede those who have died in the Lord. We who are alive, you know, a lot of people thought at the time, boy, they're dead in the grave, and when Christ comes, I'll see Him first. Not necessarily. Or I'll be raised first. Not necessarily.

We who are alive, verse 15, and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, probably beginning the overall display of the overwhelming power and fear to the disobedience, but also announcing to the righteous the most spectacular thing we could possibly ever imagine is being changed in the twinkling of an eye and being born into the family of God. Verse 16, the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ are going to rise first. For this day, the coming feast of trumpets that we're talking about has two sides, doesn't it? It's got one side for the sinner, and it's got one side for the saints of God. For the sinner, it's got overwhelming power and terror.

And for the saint, brethren, it's got joy and jubilation and the realization of all the promises that God has put out there that are yet to be realized. Verse 17, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. That's how Christ will bring people with Him back to the earth. They rise up out of their graves, or those that are still alive are changed. They meet those that have risen out of their graves in the air, and then they come back to the earth. Jesus' feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, and His saints will be with Him. So this is all going to take place ultimately on the earth after this resurrection takes place, as we read already in Zachariah chapter 14.

The trumpet, in a sense, is also a wake-up call, isn't it? It's almost like an alarm clock to wake us out of sleep. God refers to death as sleep for His saints. Well, He even actually for everyone, the first death, second death is different. But the first death is referred to as sleep. God awakens people in Christ that are dead out of their sleep, whether it be a year or 500 years or a couple of thousand years.

They are awakened.

They will rise, the Spirit beings, to meet the Lord in the air, and then come back down to the earth and begin to rule with Christ on the earth. It's going to be a great time, in a sense. I mean, it's going to be difficult at first. It's not going to be a pleasant experience to be enjoying Christ in this war, but it's ultimately for everyone's benefit.

And all the things that will take place, you know, it'll be a day of rejoicing for the saints because it's a new age, beginning of a new age, replacing an old regime with a new regime, a new government. What a wonderful time that's going to picture.

And this day of punishment and destruction, brethren, quickly leads to a world of peace and prosperity for everyone. So there's two sides to the Feast of Trumpets. There's two sides, brethren, to this particular day.

You know, God, the Father, and Jesus Christ do all of this out of love.

They do all this out of the love to bring about a repentance to the ultimate good, really, for those that are receiving end of some of these things. And it appears to be the only way, the only way to help some of these people to overcome their stubbornness and their choices and their wickedness.

It appears to be the only way to reach some people that have been living contrary to God in His way.

But after this punishment and after this destruction, then Christ will give them loving teachers.

The resurrected saints, hopefully you and I, will be part of that. And these saints will guide those that survive into God's ways, into a different way of life that will produce a different fruit, a better fruit. And then we know later there'll be a second resurrection where all these, the people that have died that have never known the truth, including people that have died at the return of God when He goes to battle, they'll be made alive again, and they'll have an opportunity to learn and be taught in a similar way.

God's intervention, brethren, and going to battle in the long run is going to produce results, good results. But ultimately, many people can be taught. They can come around from where they had been with the nature that they were acquiring and the evil that they were acquiring.

It can be taught, and they can live in peace, not only with their Creator, but with their fellow human being. So, brethren, let's rejoice in the meaning of this coming Feast of Trumpets, when the Almighty God goes to battle to turn the tide of evil and to ultimately bring righteousness and peace to the earth.