​​Welcome  to    Joy By Surprise

1. Introduction

Every one is familiar with the musical instrument called the trumpet. Made of a variety of materials, ranging from animals horns, copper, brass, silver-plated brass, steel and even pure silver, the trumpet is used in virtually every country on earth. Because the trumpet is audible at great distances, it is used in war and worship, especially outdoor worship. Every army has its trumpeters or buglers to draw the attention of the troops, to sound the alarm, or to convey a general's commands to his army.

But why do we observe a DAY OF TRUMPETS?

• What has a trumpet to do with a Feast of the Creator, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. What does the trumpet symbolize?
• What is this Day of Trumpets a memorial of - anyway?

Why are we here today when the majority of mankind is busy going about itsday to day business, oblivious of this sacred Sabbath? This morning I hope to answer these questions. Let me begin by reading a passage about two silver trumpets YaHuWaH commanded Moshe to make.

Notice the trumpets use:

• One trumpet was used to assemble the elders of Israel.
• Two trumpets used to assemble the whole congregation.
• Alarm blasts were sounded to begin journeys.
• The trumpets were sounded in times of war.
• At the Feasts, the Sabbath and the New Moons.
• ...The priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
• That they may be to you for a memorial before your Elohim.

These are detailed instructions which contain vital information, the significance of which we need to understand. 'What and why' you may well ask, 'do we need to know?' Are all these Old Testament details important to us approaching the 21^st century?

2. Heavenly Originals

The answer is: they are important, very important. We need to understand because every article, every instrument, every animal, every spiritual procedure used in the service of YaHuWaH, the Almighty Elohim of Abraham, was designed for a specific purpose. Moshe received instructions from Elohim in the mountain of Sinai. 'Make everything,' Elohim said to Moshe:

YaHuWaH 's ceremonial commands foretell specific acts in the Plan of Salvation: each put there to point out an eternal concept or moral principle the Almighty wants to bring to man's attention. The silver trumpets mentioned in Numbers 10 are no exception. They both point to the heavenly originals, the Trumpets of YaHuWaH, which are blown by the Almighty and His Son. We first see the use of heavenly trumpets in the giving of the ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

Sound, many of us know, can shatter glass, split rocks and cause buildings to explode into dust. In this instance the whole mountain range of Sinai shook and the nation of Israel trembled. Later we will consider those original heavenly trumpets and their use

3. The Day of Trumpets, Yom Teruah

YaHuWaH 's Feasts, as we have taught for many, many years, are shadows and memorials of His mightiest acts in the Program of Salvation. When they are celebrated before the event they 'foreshadow things to come.' When they are celebrated after the event they are memorials, and will continue to be memorials for all time!

The appointed Day of Trumpets, occurring as it does on the first day of the seventh month Tishri has still to be fulfilled. To my knowledge, nothing of great spiritual significance, which could be taken as a fulfillment of this Feast, has ever occurred on this day. It still awaits fulfillment! Bear in mind that all YaHuWaH 's Feasts are shadows of things to come.

• The Passover prefigures the time when the death angel will Pass Over all who are covered with the blood of the Passover Lamb, YAHUSHUA the Messiah. Luke 22: 15: And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of Elohim. No doubt, the Passover Lamb (YAHUSHUA) has already been slain. But the Passover itself (the event of being spared when the angel of death passes over us) is still future.
• The Feast of Firstfruits prefigures the first (in sequence) and first (in quality) fruits of the harvest. The Apostles were the first. Speaking of the 144000 (the best) Scripture says: Revelation 14:4: These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto Elohim and to the Lamb.
• The Day of Trumpets prefigures an event which has still to occur! When that event occurs, then the Day of Trumpets will be celebrated throughout eternity as a memorial. Right now (2012) it is still a shadow of that event still 'to come.' Here is& YaHuWaH 's command concerning this Feast.
  Numbers 29:1: And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.
  Leviticus 23:24: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

What is the event that is still to come? What is this feast a memorial of? I do not profess to know all the facts concerning this feast, any more than the disciples knew what was going to happen on the day of Pentecost: but I'm certain the verses I have just read are directly linked with mighty events soon to occur. When they occur, heavenly trumpets - the originals - will herald them. We will hear the trumpets like air raid sirens sounding throughout the Earth. We'll need to wait and see what will actually happen then. I'm certain it will be marvelous.

If one trumpet sounds then church leaders all over the globe will assemble before YaHuWaH ; just as the leaders of the early church assembled on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. If both trumpets sound the entire believing congregation on earth will be summoned. The end-time church will move forward, 'take its journeyings,' at the sound of those heavenly trumpets. Nothing short of a 'signal from Heaven' or a visit by holy angels as in Lot's case, will satisfy me before I move out of civilization.

4. Trumpet Shadows

The trumpet figured extensively in Israel's past. Trumpet-backed dramas are recorded in the Scriptures. Most are dramatized prophecies for our time. They were staged by the Eternal to inform the entire universe of what He is planning to do in the last days.

Let us now look at some of those prophetic dramas, those shadows of coming events and see what we can learn from them.

Holy War

The Fall of Jericho

A similar collapse of earth's cities is foretold in the book of Revelation.

Gideon's Victory

The Ark of the Covenant

2Sam:6:15: So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of YaHuWaH with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

Anointing the King

The Dedication of Solomon's Temple

King Abijah's Victory over Jeroboam

Building the Second Temple

Jubilee Trumpet

Hebrew Yobel = Jubilee, a ram's horn (shophar)

These laws and the experiences bear in mind are 'prophetic dramas, shadows, types, miniature examples ' of great universal realities due to occur in our day. This includes the sacred trumpets on high and the yobel (ram's horn) trumpeters on earth.

The Resurrection

When the Trumpet of YaHuWaH sounds, even the dead will hear it. It will trigger the resurrection. Millions of believers from ages past will rise out of their graves to greet the coming king. I tell you there will be a shout of delight so loud that the earth will shake. It will be the greatest day this old universe has ever witnessed. A day of freedom. A day of victory over death, pain, sickness, sorrow and separation.

This is the reason why I suspect that the Savior may well return on a Day of Trumpets in some future year.

6. We Preachers are Trumpets

But what about the ram's horn trumpet istelf - the shophar. The shophar is a symbol of YaHuWaH 's mouth piece: His prophets, priests and preachers. It is through such human agents that His Set Apart (Holy) Spirit blows. Our task as the Almighty's spokesmen is as follows:

To Identify Sin - Loud and Clear!

To Warn the Church

Christian Apathy

The Watchman's Responsibilities

7. The Day of YaHuWaH

Jer. Chapter 4 ... Read this chapter through. Pause and concentrate on verses 13:

In view of these facts:

In other words, let all on earth, let all the men in the world watch when the signal is raised, (a visible alarm) and take heed when the trumpet is blown! (an audible alarm)

What does all this mean for Us?

We are the Almighty's trumpets, cornets, spiritual instruments YaHuWaH uses to warn others.

The Trumpet Message

Isa.58: Lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgressions.

Where to Blow

Jer.51:27 Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations.

The Seven Trumpets of Revelation

Fifth Trumpet: (Rev.9:1-12) 1st Woe Abaddon's rule of terror begins.

Sixth Trumpet: 2nd Woe (Rev.9:13 to Rev.11:14) During this Woe

• A third of earth's population perish
• The Two Witnesses preach for 1260 days during this woe.
• The church in the wilderness for 3.5 years Jerusalem under International domination for this same period.

Seventh Trumpet: 3rd Woe. Rev 11:15 - on to chapter 19 & Messiahs return

• War in heaven / Church in the wilderness for 1260 days (Rev.12)
• The Beast's Reign of 3.5 years (42 months, 1260 days) begins on earth (Rev.13)
• Worldwide Warning by 144000 prophets of Elohim who were sealed ealier. (Rev.14)
• The Seven Last Plagues: (Rev.chapters 15 & 16)
• The total defeat of Babylon the Great (Rev.chapters 17 & 18)
• The Savior Returns: (Rev.19)

Conclusions

All these important events will be heralded by the sounding of YaHuWaH 's heavenly trumpets. We should not only be aware that these events will happen, but mentally and spiritually prepared before they do happen; and that is now! The questions we should be asking are:

• Am I doing the best I can to be ready when YaHuWaH and His Son YAHUSHUA, the two great Trumpeters, shake the entire universe.
• Am I acquainting myself with the Time Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation which are linked to the Feasts of the Almighty? For example if I heard YaHuWaH 's trumpet on an Appointed Day, would I know what events would follow and for how long they will continue?
• Do I realize that even my warning voice is in its small way a 'yobel' trumpet call which could carry a warning message to people near and far?
• Do I know the Trumpet Message (YaHuWaH 's Sabbath Truth) enough to be able to lift up my voice and proclaim it?

Think about these things and pray, pray and pray again that you be accounted worthy to escape with your life - eternal life!