Feast of Trumpets begins
The Feast of Trumpets runs from sunset October 2nd until sunset October 3rd in 2016. Here is a link to a sermon titled: The Last Trumpet and the Book of Life.
The New Testament frequently mentions the blowing of trumpets (though it does not clearly appear to distinguish between shofar trumpets and other trumpets in all places)–though shofars are probably the type most likely being referred to when prophetic matters of judgment are involved.
Jesus taught:
…and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:30-31).
This is similar to what Paul taught:
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
So both Jesus and Paul taught that the saints would be gathered when a particular trumpet sound goes forth. And that Jesus will come with a trumpet blast.
Which trumpet?
The last trumpet,
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 52 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Because this is referring to the last trumpet, scripture clearly does not support the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture, like many evangelicals believe in.
Although his writings are not part of the New Testament, Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John and looked forward to the fulfillment of this trumpet as he wrote:
Wherefore, girding up your loins,” “serve the Lord in fear” and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,” and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things” in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved (Polycarp. Letter to the Philippians, chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1 as edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885.)
This last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15 is apparently the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15,
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Whose names are in the Book of Life?
Jesus taught:
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:18-20)
Paul writes:
3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3).
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:22-23).
John recorded:
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels (Revelation 3:5).
Thus it appears that the saints are the ones who are written in the Book of Life. And the saints are those that are resurrected at the last trumpet.
Jewish Beliefs
While the Christian view of the Feast of Trumpets has to do with prophetic judgments and the return of Jesus Christ, Judaism has a variety of views and traditions about it.
According to current Jewish tradition,
After Rosh Hashanah services, as the congregants leave the synagogue they say to each other… “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life“” (The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah. High Holy Days on the Net. http://www.holidays.net/highholydays/rosh.htm verified 9/12/07).
But there are others:
1. During Rosh Hashanah, majority of time is spent in the synagogue, a Jewish or Samaritan house of prayer, as no work is allowed on Rosh Hashanah.
2. One of the major synagogue rituals for Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the “shofar.”…
3. According to legends, Rosh Hashanah was the day when Adam was created out of clay. It was also the birthday of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
4. Unlike other holidays in Jewish faith, Rosh Hashanah does not involve fasting…
On Rosh Hashanah, many Jews follow a custom called “tashlich” (casting off), in which they walk to a river or stream and symbolically cast off their sins committed during the previous year by throwing pieces of bread into the water.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/379347/20120831/rosh-hashanah-2012-jewish-new-year-september.htm
Some of the above are facts, while others are traditions, which may or may not be correct, but I thought might be of interest to some readers.
Perhaps it should be noted that although the Bible is not clear about the date that Adam was created, connecting all-the-dots shows that Jesus was most likely born in the Fall. After the Apostle Paul mentions that “first Adam,” he refers to Jesus as the “last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45 and a few verses later he mentions the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Again, that is not proof that Adam was created on the Feast of Trumpets, but may suggest a possible connection.
Book of Revelation
In the New Testament book of Revelation, there are a series of events that accompany the blowing of trumpets. Notice:
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”9 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. (Revelation 8:6-9:6)
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. (Revelation 9:13-16)
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15-16)
And of course, Jesus is to return with the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Here is what the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God states:
The Feast of Trumpets helps picture the blowing of the seven trumpets in the Book of Revelation announcing events taking place during the ‘Day of the Lord’ (Revelation 8,9,11:15-18; 15:1-8; 16:1-21; 19:1-20). The last trumpet signals the resurrection of the saints, “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52) “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Every seven years, a year of land-rest and debt release begins with this Holy Day (Leviticus 25:1-7; Deuteronomy 15:7-11).
The Feast of Trumpets pictures a whole lot. Do you observe it? Early Christians did.
Here is information about the sermon made for today:
The Bible tells of a Holy Day commonly referred to as the Feast of Trumpets by those in the Continuing Church of God and Rosh Hoshanah by the Jews. Is there a connection between it and the “Book of Life”? Did the Jews know about this? When will Jesus return? Which trumpet are Christians changed at? Did Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and later Christians observe the Feast of Trumpets? Does the Feast of Trumpets signify the end of the ‘church age’? Does Jesus return before or after the great tribulation? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more.
Again, here is a link to the video: The Last Trumpet and the Book of Life.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets? Are they related? Is so how? If not, where not? What does the Feast of Trumpets, which the Jews call Rosh Hashanah, help teach? Related sermon videos include: The Last Trumpet and the Book of Life and The Trumpet Release. The article has links to hear shofar blasts.
Feast of Trumpets: Why Should You Keep It? In Spanish: La Fiesta de Trompetas: ¿Por qué debería usted guardarla? http://www.cdlidd.es/la-fiesta-de-trompetas-por-que-deberia-usted-guardarla/
Offertory for the Feast of Trumpets Should Christians give an offering on the Feast of Trumpets? What does the Bible teach? Should Christians do this? What are the offerings used for? Is giving an offering an act of faith? What is the open door that end time Philadelphian Christians should support? What is some of what the Continuing Church of God doing related to that? How can you give an offering from far away? Mailing, PayPal and other methods are available. Those interested in giving an offering can visit the CCOG ‘Donations’ page, URL http://www.ccog.org/donations/
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
The Feast of Trumpets: Why Should You Keep It? What does the Bible say? What does this festival picture? A related sermon is available: The Trumpet Warnings.
The Trumpet Release This is a sermon focused on the Feast of Trumpets for 2013. What is the Feast of Trumpets? How can this be part of God’s plan of salvation? Why do the Jews refer to it as Rosh Hashanah? What is the seventh year of release? Should it be restored and proclaimed? Did early Christians keep the Feast of Trumpets? Why should any one keep it now? What will happen with the seven trumpets of Revelation? Why do many not understand aspects of it?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
How to Keep God’s Festivals Many have heard of God’s Holy Days and wonder how they are kept in the 21st century. This is an overview article. A related sermon is also available titled: How to Keep God’s Feasts.
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement.” Does it have any relevance for Christians today? What is the Jubilee? Is fasting healthy? Here is a link to a sermon: Day of Atonement: How Jesus fulfilled His part for the Atonement. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: El Día de Expiación –Su significado cristiano.
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach? A related sermon video is Feast of Tabernacles from Israel.
Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016 This is information on the planned Feast of Tabernacles’ sites for the Continuing Church of God in 2016. The Feast in 2016 begins the evening of October 16th.
Is Second Tithe and Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Should you save and use second tithe? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
 |
Tweet |
|