God’s Warning Call. (Numbers 10: 1-10)
Throughout the Bible from the book of Numbers all the way to the Book of Revelation God uses an instrument called a trumpet.
So, what is the significance of the fact that God uses a trumpet of all things.
For example, in numbers Chapter 9 he uses a cloud as we saw last time when the cloud moves the people move on when the cloud stops the people stop.
But now, in chapter 10 he all of a sudden till tells them about the use of a trumpet. Of all things I could think I could speak on in the Bible I would never have imagined that I would someday speak on just a trumpet, but this passage of scripture deals exclusively with a trumpet so that is what we will do today.
What makes that even more challenging is what is said about God use of the trumpet in the Old Testament appears to have virtually nothing to do with us as Christians in the New Testament, or does it?
Well, that's the issue I am going to look at today. So, what I'd like to do is propose that we look at the trumpet in chapter 10 and see if we can figure out how this has anything to do with us.
Welcome to TBPDP.
Before we begin today let me quote a couple of authors just by way of introduction to this chapter. One says the cloud in Chapter 9 represents the divine initiative in leadership. But the trumpet in Ch 10 constitutes the response of human leadership as it summons the congregation to gather at the tent and signal the movement of advance of each tribal group.
OK that’s helpful. A bit anyway.
Another bible commentary said God ordered the priest to announce his movement to the people by blowing 2 silver trumpets because the individual Israelites could not all watch the cloud continually. So, the blast from the trumpet would reach the furthest tent in the camp.
Remember there was probably over 2 million of them spread out over a very wide area.
Another commentary said, “In order for the people to know precisely when and how to move it was necessary to devise a system of signals this consisted of the blowing of two specially made silver trumpets whose purpose were both to signal the gathering of the people to announce their continued march onwards.
That will give you some idea of an introduction to what we're about to see however what those authors said about this passage I don’t believe was exhaustive and isn't complete. Because there are a number of reasons God instructed them to use the trumpet.
So as we go through this passage what I want you to do is just keep in mind the various usages of the trumpet and that will help us figure out how this relates to us.
So let’s just go through this passage.
1 The Lord said to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. 3 When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you.
(Number 10: 1-4)
I'm going to pause here because these four verses give us the first use of a trumpet in this passage. Firstly, this is saying that the trumpet was used to call them to assemble, to gather them.
It says in those opening 2 verses for calling the community together, and giving them direction of the movement out of the camp.
Now, let me make a comment or two about those two opening verses. I found it interesting that some of the commentators want to do, at this point, is try to describe what these trumpets look like. The text doesn't give us any indication of what they look like; it just tells us their purpose: to call the congregation together, to assemble the people.
But according to representations on Jewish coins and on the art Frescoes we can see in Rome, these were long tubes flared at the end.
But the point is they were used either to summon the people to the Tabernacle to alert them that it was time to break camp.
The point of the passage is this: that both of them—remember, there are two trumpets—when both of them are blown, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the Tabernacle.
However, it also notes that if you blow only one, then only the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather. So, these verses are clearly indicating that it's for the gathering, either of the entire congregation or just the leaders.
So, as we go through this passage, we're going to see that there are other reasons they blew the trumpet, there were other usages. In this passage, it is simply the blowing of the trumpet to assemble the people together.
One other little observation: the text says if they were blown twice or if they were blown once. One enterprising scholar said they were different calls, but he then went on to say, or perhaps there was a different pitch in the trumpets that would announce the departure from the camp.
OK, let's pick up with verse 5.
5 When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the signal for setting out.8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.
(Numbers 10: 5-8)
Alright this is the second use of a trumpet the 1st is for an assembly of the people. The 2nd is for an advance.
In other words, this says we’ve gathered and now we've gathered we're going to move.
So why the tribes on the east started the journey is beyond me I have no clue but it is very characteristic of everything in this book that God is very organised and so he says I there's going to be an order and the order is the tents on the east side of the Tabernacle they move first.
Then what would you expect to be next the west but look at what verse six says and when the sound the advanced the second time then the South shall begin their journey.
I think it would be safe to assume that the West and the north followed in that order and if that's the case maybe there's a clockwise rotation around the camp as they fell in line and marched. At any rate he says in verse 7 and when the assembly is to be gathered together blow the sound of advance.
In other words I think all that verse means is there's one sound for assembly and there's another sound for the advance and we have no clue as to what that looked or sounded like.
But at any rate he is clearly saying in verse seven that there are two distinct purposes for the blowing of the trumpet one is to assemble the people and the 2nd is to .
But now there is a third use of the trumpet in verse 9.
9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.
(Numbers 10: 9)
All right, this is the third use of the trumpet, and the third use of the trumpet is for going into battle.
Now, there are a couple of things we need to note here. Verse 9 says, "When you go into battle in your own land." Where are they when this is written? Well at this moment they're still camped in Sinai, so he's giving instructions for what's going to happen when they later get in the land of Palestine.
Now, at this point, that wouldn't be too far off. I mean, shortly, they're going to pick up and leave and go to Kadesh Barnea, and it is God's intention that from Kadesh Barnea, which is in the very south end of the land.
However in the Old Testament, we know, they get to Kadesh Barnea and decide they were not going to enter the land. We'll get to that in a bit.
And God said, "Alright, then, this generation who refused to go into the land is going to die in the wilderness." And they wandered for the next 38 years, and that generation died off.
But then the second generation went up to the east side of the Jordan River, crossed the Jordan, cut the land in half, and conquered the land.
So, whereas this might sound like it's going to be implemented shortly, this doesn't actually get implemented for nearly 40 years.
Furthermore, he says “If you get into the land and people oppress you," so apparently he's talking about the fact that you're going to enter the land and people are going to attack you. So, somehow, oppressed is probably the basic idea. You're being opposed and oppressed by people in the land. When that happens, He says when you're in the land, and the people press you, sound the trumpets, and you will be remembered, by the Lord and God will save you from your enemies.
Remember, the priests were to do this in verse 8. So, one of the functions of the priest was to call them to war. Interesting. So, the priest can also call all the people to arms.
If you do what I'm telling you to do, you will be remembered before the Lord, and the Lord will save you from your enemies. The word "save" means "delivered"?
Alright, there is a principle embedded here and throughout the scripture and is vitality important, and that if you have got a problem, blow the trumpet, and the Lord is going to remember you.
So, I think the principle here is when you obey the Lord, the Lord remembers you, and He's going to give you deliver/save you.
Now, let's talk about the fourth use of the trumpet. We've already covered three: calling people together, signalling to move forward, and preparing for war.
Alright as another one , so far, we've seen 3 uses of the trumpet. Assembly, advance and War. One more.
10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”
(Numbers 10: 10)
The fourth use of the trumpet was for appointed times, special occasions, the trumpets were sounded to gather the people and invoke the presence of the Lord.
In Israel's history, the trumpets were blown on festival occasions such as Passover, Weeks, Pentecost, Tabernacles, and the New Moon festivals. This wasn't just to announce the festivals but to invite God's presence among His people at those celebrations.
Reflecting on these verses, it's clear to me that at this point in their journey, the Israelites were spiritually strong, having received the law and committed themselves to following it faithfully. However, their obedience here contrasts sharply with their later failures.
Ok that the Old Testament passage but what does the use of trumpets in this passage mean for Christians? Does it have any relevance to us in the New Testament? Should we incorporate trumpets into our church services? While that might sound interesting, let's pause and explore further before making any decisions.
So, what is the relationship of a trumpet to the church. Turn to 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 says.
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
(1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18)
Lo and behold, trumpets have significance for Christians also. Let’s think about this for a second: What was the significance of the trumpet in Numbers chapter 10?
Let me remind you, there were four.
The first was for assembly. So, when we hear the trumpet, we're going to assemble in the air.
In the new Testament the assembly at the call of the trumpet is to meet the Lord in the air. The trumpet is for assembly.
So, the significance, the first significance of the use of the trumpet in Numbers and, for that matter, in Leviticus, is assembly. And that's the significance to a believer. We to are going to assemble, and we're going to assemble in the air to meet the Lord.
First Corinthians chapter 15. Sheds more light on this.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, (which is a figure of speech for the death of person) but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(1 Cor 15: 51-53)
Alright, what is this passage talking about?
Answer: It's discussing the rapture and what it means when it says "in the twinkling of an eye." Nw that a lovely king james poetic translation of a Greek word from which we get the word "atom," and that was thought to be an indivisible amount.
At this time, this word was used as the smallest amount that can't be divided.
It doesn't say "the blink of an eye" or "the wink of an eye," it says "the twinkling of an eye." I think it's just going to happen that fast. Then it says, "This is where it gets interesting, it is at the last trump." What does that mean?
Alright, if you know anything about what the Bible teaches about prophecy, you know that the Bible teaches that there is a tribulation coming. Daniel Chapter 9 says it lasts for seven years.
Matthew 24 says immediately after the tribulation of those days, the Lord's coming. So, very clearly, those two passages put together indicate that there is a seven-year tribulation, and at the end of that, the Lord comes back down to Earth.
Now, apart from that, there's going to be a rapture. And this is where the fun starts. Does the rapture occur before the tribulation, in the middle of the tribulation, or at the end of the tribulation? Well, I don't have time to go into all of that tonight, but years ago, I came to the conclusion about this and I will share it when we get into Daniel and Revelation.
Buit in general we know that in the Book of Revelation, there are three series of judgments: the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, and the bowl judgments.
Now, untangling the Book of Revelation can be quite a challenge. How do you separate these three series of judgments? There are all kinds of ways to configure those three sets of judgments. I think it's fairly evident that all three go all the way to the end, but not everybody agrees with that.
The other thing I'd point out is this: it's just the "last trump" here. What did it say in 1 Corinthians 15:52? Remember, this is the "last trumpet." How is that trumpet identified? It's the "trump of God."
So, what's the trumpet identified as in Revelation 11:15? The trumpet of an Angel, which would indicate these are two different trumpets. Now, there are arguments upon arguments I could spend the next hour going into, but I just think, at face value, the "last trump" at the rapture is the "trump of God" for the church, and the seventh trumpet is the "last trump" in a series in the tribulation, and those are two different things.
The trumpet at the rapture is the "trump of God," and the trumpet in Revelation is the "trumpet of an Angel," and those are two different trumpets.
Now, there are people who believe we need to spend our whole time looking for the anti-Christ, right? But Might I suggest you should be at least be equally spending time not just looking for the Antichrist but listening for a trumpet.
And that's the way we want to live our lives. We want to live, waiting to hear the sound. If my understanding of the scripture is right, at any minute, we could assemble with the Lord in the air and forever be with the Lord. And Christian we are able to say to that, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."