This lesson explores the figurative meaning of trumpets in the Bible. A trumpeter represents an angel or spirit, while the trumpet itself symbolizes a person used by that spirit. The trumpet sound signifies the word or message being declared.

Trumpets were historically used to gather people and make important announcements. In prophecy, trumpets represent people appointed by God to declare His messages to the nations – often calling people to repentance and gathering on the figurative Mount Zion.

The seven trumpets in Revelation have two roles – the first six announce judgments and declare the events unfolding, while the seventh trumpet has a special purpose. It announces the mystery of God being accomplished (Rev 10:7) and the kingdom of this world becoming the kingdom of God (Rev 11:15).

The one who sounds the seventh trumpet is told to eat the little scroll and prophesy again (Rev 10:8-11), declaring the betrayal that has occurred and the destruction of the betrayers, so people understand it is time to flee to the true Mount Zion for salvation.

The lesson warns against following the “trumpet” or deceptive messages coming from spiritual Babylon when it faces judgment (Rev 18:22). The main focus is on recognizing and heeding the true seventh trumpet that is now sounding.

 

Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

Secrets of Heaven: Figurative Trumpet

What is the trumpet?

There are three parables we’ll be exploring today. First, there’s the trumpeter, or the one who blows the trumpet. Second, there’s the trumpet itself. And third, there’s the sound that the trumpet produces.

1. The trumpeter: An angel in the Spiritual World, a Spirit
2. The trumpet: A person
3. The trumpet sound: The Word that declares

 

The trumpeter, the one who blows the trumpet, represents an angel in the spiritual world, a spirit. They are the ones who blow the trumpet. The trumpet that they blow figuratively represents a person. And the sound that is produced by the trumpet is the Word that declares. 

Today, we will examine the Word that is declared by the trumpet. So, the trumpeter or the one who blows the trumpet symbolizes a spirit, an angel in the spiritual world.

The trumpet that is being blown represents a person. And the trumpet sound represents the Word that declares. This is left open because the figurative trumpets in the Bible declare many things.

Today, we’ll look at examples of what they declare.

Our hope for today is to find the fulfilment of the seventh trumpet prophecy through the Word and gather on the mountain.

Main Reference

Very interesting prophecy that Jesus spoke. Remember our nickname for Matthew 24? 

We call Matthew 24 a mini-revelation. Why? Because all of the events that Jesus teased in Matthew 24 are mentioned again in more detail in the book of Revelation. So, when we understand Revelation, Matthew 24 makes sense. And when we understand Matthew 24, Revelation makes sense. They’re closely tied together. So, think of it like this.

There were many things that Jesus wanted to share with his disciples, but he had limited time with them and couldn’t share everything he needed to before he was crucified.

So, when his disciples asked him, “What will be the sign of your coming?” Jesus gave them a trailer. Then, later on, Jesus returns to Apostle John, who was the last living disciple at that time, and he gives him the rest of it in a vision, and John writes it down. 

So, what does Jesus say here in this prophecy? He says the sun, moon, and stars will go dark and fall. But did you notice that verse 31 then talks about how Jesus and the angels gather the elect after the sun, moon, and stars go dark and fall? 

Okay, let’s think about this logically, everyone. If the sun went dark, would there be any survivors? No. If the moon got anywhere near the planet, would there be any survivors? No. So then, how do these things take place and there are still people left to gather after? 

Is this literal? No. It’s figurative in nature. So, it has a significant meaning, but it’s not literal. We’ll understand more about the sun, moon, and stars in a future lesson. But know that it’s a very big event that sets into motion a chain of events.

So after this event takes place, then Jesus and the angels gather the elect. Jesus plus angels gather the elect. 

Guess what? That should sound familiar because there are many other times Jesus talked about he and his angels doing a work of gathering. Do we remember any other examples of Jesus and his angels gathering? Any other examples in the Gospels?

When the wheat is gathered into the barn.

Is that a different or the same event?

Matthew 13 and Matthew 24, are they the same or different?

Yeah, the same event. Jesus is just telling the same story from a different angle to tell us a little bit more about what will be happening around the exact same event. Oh, interesting. So keep that in mind. So let’s now learn about the trumpet sound that gathers the people.

1. Physical Characteristics of a Trumpet

Physical characteristics of a trumpet:

1. Trumpets are loud! And they’re loud for a reason—

2. To announce a needed action. For example, during wartime, a trumpeter would sound a trumpet to alert the soldiers to prepare for battle. “Go and get your swords. Go and get your shields. Load up your bows and arrows. We’re going into battle.” Or, in a city, trumpets could announce an emergency: “Get to a shelter; a tornado is coming.” They would sound like a trumpet to gather people.

It could also summon people for a neighbourhood meeting, citywide gathering, or town hall. So, a loud trumpet sound announces a needed action for the people to take.

3. Trumpets were also used generally to gather people to a specific location.

God uses physical things to explain spiritual concepts, as stated in Romans 1:20 and Hosea 12:10. Now, let’s understand and see some examples of how trumpets were used in biblical history.

God used a trumpet sound to announce the gathering of His people to meet before Him. Earlier in the chapter, God had explained what He wanted for His people. If we look at Exodus 19:5-6, it will give us a clue as to whom God wanted these people to be and why He used the trumpet to gather them.

Verses 5 and 6 state, “Now if you obey me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words God spoke to Moses. He was telling Moses to convey to the people who and how He wanted them to be. God wanted them to be His treasured possession, His holy nation, His kingdom of priests. Why? He didn’t want them to merely keep the law to themselves.

God desired them to master the law and then turn around and help others do the same. 

Because His goal was not just for one group of people to be saved, but for everyone to be saved, as He had lost them all when Adam sinned. 

However, first, He needed a holy people through whom He could work. But these people struggled immensely to remain holy. So, God had to choose a new people, but that’s a different story.

To announce this great covenant, God used a trumpet call to gather them so that they could hear and accept it. 

Let’s revisit another significant instance where trumpets were used in the Old Testament. Of course, they were used at other times, but this is a famous one that we all know.

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At the walls of Jericho, they utilized the sound of trumpets. They blew the trumpets seven times for seven days to bring down the walls. We discussed this briefly a few lessons ago, about how logically this doesn’t make much sense, right? To walk around the wall and blow a trumpet, and it will collapse that wall. 

However, God’s logic transcends our understanding. God’s logic is far above ours. So the trumpets were intentionally used, seven of them, not an accident. 

Seven trumpets were employed to bring down the walls of Jericho. It’s fascinating how God utilized trumpets in the past.

Now, let’s explore how God employs trumpets in prophecy for our time. Let’s delve into some prophecies.

2. Spiritual (True) Meaning of Trumpet

ONE – Let’s break down what’s happening here. We have the prophet Isaiah, who was instructed by God, “Shout it aloud. Do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Isaiah was commanded, “Shout it aloud.” So, Isaiah became God’s trumpet, declaring a specific message. And what sound was he declaring? 

Remember, a trumpet sound represents a declaration. What two things needed to be declared to the people? Declare to my people their rebellion and the house of Jacob their sins.

The two things that needed to be declared were the people’s sin and rebellion. 

However, we know that Old Testament prophecies often point to the time of the first coming of the Messiah. 

So, who was the one who needed to become like a trumpet, declaring this message? We’ll explore that in a moment. But first, let us consider another passage that figuratively compares a person to a trumpet.

TWO – Let’s see the advice of how Paul tells people they should speak.

If a trumpet does not sound a clear call, how will people know they need to gather and get ready for battle? This is what Paul said: Speak intelligible words, meaning speak clearly in a way people can understand. Otherwise, you’re speaking to the wind, and your voice and sound have no effect.

The reason is that you need to practice how to speak clearly. My job is to ensure my words are clear and understandable so that you can grasp the word God is trying to deliver to you. Consider this: Proverbs 27 says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” As someone given the responsibility to teach, it is my duty to ensure I am sharp so that I can effectively sharpen you, enabling you to sharpen someone else effectively.

If I am dull, instead of sharpening you, I would make you dull too. A dull object cannot make something else sharp. Both of us need to be sharp. I need to speak clearly to surgically cut out things that don’t make much sense and replace them with things that do.

I need to be one who speaks clearly. It would be interesting to see the kind of training Paul had people do at that time. That would be fascinating to observe. Okay, so a trumpet represents a person. Now let’s look at where a trumpet is blown and why it must be blown from that location.

Think about it logically. If you wanted a sound to travel the farthest possible distance, where would you originate that sound? Can we all signal where we would do so? If you wanted the sound to travel the farthest, you would put it on a high place, exactly. As high as you can get it. It’s not an accident that things work that way because who invented physics? Of course, God did. So let’s go to Isaiah 18:3.

THREE – Where is the trumpet blown?

The trumpet must have its origin on top of a mountain so that its sound can travel the furthest possible distance. For many to hear it, it sounded on top of a mountain. But which mountain?

In these books of prophecy, what is being said? The trumpet sound must be blown from the mountain, specifically Mount Zion, according to Joel 2. Why? Because the people need to be gathered together. It mentions various people from different locations who need to come. This person needs to come, that person needs to come. They all need to gather in one location.

The time for us to be separate must come to an end. We must all gather in the same place. As we see many examples of this exact same image play out throughout the prophecies of the first coming and the second coming, we should start thinking, “Oh, this is starting to align. Things are starting to make sense and click.”

Right? A gathering of a great many peoples is foretold.

We will look at the trumpet at the time of the first coming and at the time of the second coming. Lastly, we will examine the trumpet for which we should flee.

4. Trumpet at First Coming

Jesus said multiple times, especially in John, “The words I speak are not my own; they are my Father’s words.” For instance, in John 5, he reiterated this point.

Jesus’ role was to speak the words given to him by the Father and announce the presence of the Lord’s voice to everyone around him.

Some of the things Jesus said include, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4). He also said, “Come to me and eat my flesh and drink my blood. Receive the water that I give. Follow me, for I represent the Father. If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”

Jesus taught the people, saying, “Blessed are the meek, blessed are the poor in spirit,” announcing that the kingdom of heaven was near.

How near was the kingdom of heaven? It was as near as Jesus himself. Imagine how many people walked right past Jesus, unaware that they were in the presence of heaven itself. They were that close. Some even touched Jesus.

Remember the story where Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” It’s an amazing account. People were so close to heaven, yet they didn’t fully comprehend it until Jesus declared, “Behold, the angels are ascending and descending upon me.”

As God’s mouthpiece, Jesus spoke the Father’s words to the people, proclaiming that the day of redemption had arrived – the day foretold by the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.

However, not everyone accepted the words Jesus spoke or heeded the trumpet call.

Initially, twelve disciples gathered with Jesus, forming Mount Zion. Jesus was called Zion in Isaiah 60:14, which states, “They will call you Zion, the Holy City, the Holy One of Israel.” When people gathered to listen to Jesus, they were coming to Zion, though they may not have realized it at first.

In this metaphorical picture, God is the trumpeter, and Jesus is the trumpet itself.

An example of Jesus’ words, the trumpet at his first coming, is “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4), spoken when he began his ministry. The trumpet at his second coming will carry a similar message.

5. Trumpet at the Second Coming

The passage contains some additional intriguing details that we shall discuss presently. 

Let us revisit Matthew 24 and examine those details more closely.

In the prophecy, Jesus tells that the sun, moon, and stars will go dark and fall. The sun, moon, and stars are celestial bodies meant to dwell in heaven or the sky, which is their dwelling place. 

However, if they go dark and fall, they are no longer in the place where they should be. They are in the wrong place. Something has happened to the sun, moon, and stars, causing them to go dark and fall. Something that is not good. Something like a betrayal.

As we go through the book of Revelation, we should primarily think about two things: words and people. These two things should always be on your mind. When you see a parable, you should consider whether they represent God’s words or Satan’s words, or God’s people and Satan’s people related to the different parables we’ve been studying. 

We’ve learned that many parables are compared to the word, over a dozen so far. Quite a lot are also compared to people: rocks, animals, soil, trees, wood, rivers, springs, and people. So, you should be thinking about words and people as we progress through Revelation.

That is my teaser for the sun, moon, and stars. We’ll have a whole lesson on this very soon.

 A betrayal takes place, and those who are supposed to be in heaven are cast down. They go dark and fall. The trumpet sound is sounded to announce this betrayal. The trumpet does two things: it announces the betrayal that took place, but it also gathers the elect.

Which is actually the work of salvation. So it says, “Hey, this has taken place. The sun, moon, and stars have gone dark, and they have fallen. But it also gathers the elect.” You should be thinking, who are the elect then? We’ve actually talked about the elect that must be gathered. The 144,000 are primarily the elect. But after them, the great multitude is also gathered on Mount Zion. They are the ones that Jesus and the angels are collecting, whether collecting from the field, for example, or collecting from Babylon, calling them out. All these parables are really talking about the same thing.

Okay, so let’s look at the trumpets that blow in the time of Revelation.

In Revelation 8, we see seven angels gathered. Let’s visualize this together.

Seven angels are summoned. Each of these seven angels is given a trumpet.

Why are the angels grouped as 4, 2, and 1? In Revelation 8, the Fourth Angel blows his trumpet. In Revelation 9, the Second Angel blows his trumpet. But when does the Last Angel, the One, blow? The last one blows in a special chapter, which we’ll get to in a moment.

Now, what do these trumpets that the angels are being given represent? Since we understand the meaning of the parable, we know that these seven trumpets figuratively represent seven people.

Seven people whose job is to sound, to blow the word of the spirits that are using them. And when each person blows, something takes place. So, if you go through Revelation 8 and read, you’ll see that the first angel sounded his trumpet, and then events unfold. The second angel sounded his trumpet, and then events take place. The third angel, the fourth angel, the fifth angel, and the sixth angel each sound their trumpets in succession.

As each one is sounding, a person is announcing. This is taking place in that manner. They are announcing, and people are supposed to hear and take action because significant events are unfolding.

Things are happening when these angels are blowing. 

So, what about the seventh one? This seventh trumpet is really special, a truly important one. So when does it blow? Let’s now look at the seventh trumpet. 

That seventh trumpet is blown by the seventh angel. It’s a very special trumpet.

6. Seventh Trumpet

Firstly, this is something we’ll discuss in more detail later on.

ONE – The first six trumpets represent judgments. Let us examine an instance by reading Revelation 8:8, where we can observe the effects of one of these trumpets being sounded.

Interesting. The second angel sounded his trumpet, and a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. There are three parables here, and now we understand their meaning, don’t we? The fire figuratively represents the word that consumes and judges. A mountain figuratively represents a church. The sea figuratively represents Satan’s world. So, this parable suggests that a church gets judged and becomes one with the world. Whoa, the parable is unlocked. The prophecy is understood.

Now, we need to know which specific church this refers to. That’s the question. Which church is it? But this serves as an example of what the trumpets symbolize when a person announces that such events are taking place. Like that. So, the trumpets primarily represent judgment, betrayal, and destruction.

TWO – The seventh trumpet announces something distinct. Let us first examine what the trumpet represents, and then we’ll explore when it is introduced.

When the seventh trumpet blows, voices in heaven sound, and they celebrate. What do they proclaim? “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. Amen.”

Glory to God! For how long has it been the kingdom of the world? 6,000 years, since the fall of Adam. Since the fall of Adam, when Satan took over. Satan essentially stole the inheritance that God had given to Adam. This is why the tempter, Satan, when he was tempting Jesus, said, “I will give you all these kingdoms if you bow down and worship me.” He claimed, “For it was given to me.” Of course, he’s a liar, right? He stole it. He deceived them and took it.

When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they essentially gave the world’s dominion to Satan. That is why there is so much sin, death, mourning, crying, and pain in the world. And who do you think this hurt the most when this took place? Of course, the Creator, who has been watching His children get abused and destroyed by the enemy for 6,000 years.

So when the events of Revelation take place, God in heaven is finally able to celebrate! Amen, Alleluia! “The kingdom of the world has finally become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ. Let this time come quickly.”

But if we’re hearing the open word now, what does that mean? It’s already taking place.

Let’s look at this a little bit more closely. Revelation 11:15 talks about the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

THREE – But let’s look at two other passages that describe the seventh trumpet in a little bit more detail so we can really come away with a solid understanding.

Very important passage.

When the figurative last trumpet sounds, representing the fulfilment of prophecy, we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. 

This parable of the last trumpet sounding holds a deeper meaning. What does the word “last trumpet” truly represent? How can we open our understanding to the concept of the kingdom of the world becoming the kingdom of God? 

We must not flee from exploring the true meaning behind these words, rather than accepting false interpretations or lies. There is a seed of profound lesson here that should not remain sealed, but be uncovered to give us hope.

FOUR – Let us now explore the seventh trumpet, as mentioned in the Book of Revelation 10. We will focus on verse 7, which states:

When the seventh trumpet is about to sound, the mystery of God will be unveiled. Intriguing. What exactly is this mystery of God that needs to be revealed? Notice how closely Revelation 10:7 relates to another passage we frequently read. Let us revisit Revelation 10:8-11.

What do we see here?

In verse 7, when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, we are introduced to something new.

John is given the revealed, opened scroll that was opened by Jesus and given to him by God. God gave it to the angel, who then gives it to John. And John becomes the seventh trumpet because, as stated in verse 11, he is told:

“You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.” Isn’t that fascinating?

So, what must he announce?

The holy place has been invaded because they have betrayed. They are being invaded by an abomination, a beast with seven heads and ten horns.

Those who are there must flee to the mountains, not just any mountains, but specifically Mount Zion. That is what must take place.

Therefore, he must announce the events of betrayal, the events of destruction, and where to go to be part of salvation.

The time of the second coming. So, the seventh trumpet is the new John who must announce the destruction that is taking place.

This should remind you of Matthew 24:15-16.

The trumpeters represent the spirits of heaven, especially Jesus, who opens the scroll.

The trumpet? The new John sounds the betrayal, destruction, and the fact that salvation has taken place.

7. Satan’s Trumpet

Satan’s trumpet that we must avoid

Revelation 18:22 inquires about the sounds that will never be heard again in Babylon when it faces judgment. Among the many sounds mentioned, the sound of trumpeters and flute players is included.

We understand that Babylon is the dwelling place of demons and evil spirits, and we know that these spirits operate through human beings. When evil spirits work through people, it signifies that falsehoods are being uttered. However, what is God’s intention?

The phrase “the kingdom of the world to become the kingdom of God” implies that lies will vanish. Lies will cease to exist, and only truth will prevail when Babylon is judged. May this judgment come swiftly.

Teaser:

Find The seventh Trumpet is already sounding.

Memorization

Let’s Us Discern