The Last Trumpet

Published on Tuesday, 29 November 2011 23:11 | Written by Vernon Gillispie | | | Hits: 7210

The Last Trumpet?

Many Christians have long believed that there will be a Rapture, a snatching away, of living as well as dead believers in the last days. Even so, there is disagreement among those believers over the timing of this great event. Some believe it will occur before the events of Revelation chapter 4, still others believe that it will occur in the middle of Daniel's Seventieth Week. Another group believes it will be Pre-wrath, just prior to the outpouring of God's wrath as described by the seven bowls in Revelation.

Each view has its merrits but the most important things to realize are that: It will occur, We need to expect it and be ready, We should not be dogmatic in our view - we could all be wrong about the timing just as the Jews were about the coming of Messiah. Having said this I have chosen to present here a discussion of the merrits of the Pre-wrath view - not only because it is my personal choice but because of concern that some who hold views favoring an earlier Rapture might become discouraged if their expectations are not realized.

First, lets's look at why Christian's believe there will be a rapture of believers:

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet . For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Cor 15:51-52; NIV (italics mine).

31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matt 24:31; NIV (italics mine).

10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Rev 3:10; NIV (italics mine).

These scriptures give us very specific signs:

Trumpet sounding prior to the Lord gathering his elect,
Specifically the last trumpet,
A rapture prior to the hour of trial for the whole world.

What does this tell us really? Is this hour of trial the entirety of Daniel's Seventieth Week as some believe - or does the use of the term hour imply or the Time of Jacob's Trouble or an even shorter period? Which trumpet should we consider here?

The trumpet blown at the beginning of some future Day of Atonement in Israel?
One of the trumpets mentioned in scripture? Which one?
Why did Paul use the phrase the last trumpet?
Why say the last if he didn't mean it and if there were no way to tell which trumpet will be the last?
Was he deliberately trying to confuse us? Why would he do that?
Was he inspired by the Lord or wasn't he? If he was the Lord only speaks the truth and says only what He means.

Why does the Lord give us advance warning about anything? Consider the words of Jesus to His disciples:

I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. John 14:29; NIV (italics mine).

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:8; NIV (italics mine).

"All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. John 16:1; NIV (italics mine).

I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. John 16:4; NIV (italics mine).

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33; NIV (italics mine).

If the Lord does consider it important for us to be alerted in advance about events of great significance it is not unreasonable to think that He would alert us regarding His plans to rescue us and redeem His creation.

If the Lord wants us alerted then He would see to it that we could understand His message to us - either now or before it occurs. For this reason it is right and proper for us to attempt to understand His message to us but it is also good for us to be open to truth as it is revealed and avoid becoming so rigid in our own opinions that we cannot recognize when we are in error.

Frankly, I would love to see the Rapture occur earlier rather than later. It would be nice to escape many of the events that are going to take place. However, it is important to realize that we may not, because if we rigidly resist the idea that it could be delayed we could become fearful and/or discouraged in our faith if events start to unfold that we recognize as being events prophesied for Daniel's Seventieth Week.

Seventh Trumpet/Rapture

During the last half of the seven year period two prophets of God come down from Heaven to visit Jerusalem working extraordinary miracles. Then antichrist succeeds in killing them. Now we see them arise from the dead and return to Heaven with all eyes upon them.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. Rev 11:11-14; NKJV (italics mine).

Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed

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!"
And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
"We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth." Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. Rev 11:15-19; NKJV (italics and bold mine).

Notice the sequence of events here:

Jesus takes power to reign as king of kings and Lord of lords.
The time of God's wrath has arrived.
The dead are to be judged.
The Lord's servants are to be rewarded.

If the Rapture occurs at the seventh trumpet judgment, shortly before the Wrath of God is poured out in the bowl judgments, the resurrection of the two prophets would fit perfectly and so would the great earthquake as when the quake rolled the stone away from Jesus tomb, and the command from heaven "Come up here" could apply to more than just the two prophets. It would then follow that the un-redeemed would be judged and the Lord's servants would be rewarded.

Category: Tabernacle

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