The Last Trumpet

[missmuffet]

Question: "Is the last trumpet of 1 Thessalonians 4 the same as the seventh trumpet of Revelation?"

Answer: Those who hold to a midtribulation rapture teach that the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15 and the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 are identical. Those who teach a pretribulation raptureidentify them as separate events. What difference does it make, and how can we know the truth?

Why does it matter whether or not the trumpets are the same? God has given us His Word as the revelation of His plan of redemption, and that plan covers everything from creation to the new creation. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” There are many things that God has chosen to reveal to us, and it is important for us to understand them so that we can obey Him. We don’t always understand why He does things, but we are called to trust Him for the parts we don’t understand and to study to understand the rest. As we look at the texts about these trumpets, it becomes clear that they are part of a chronology that God has given us of events in the last days. Whether or not we are still living when those events come to pass, they involve us, so we ought to know what God has revealed to us.

The book of Revelation has sometimes been viewed as a book of mystery, yet the title itself implies something brought out of hiding. More specifically, it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). God wants us to know what is going to happen, so we can be prepared, and to help us in calling others to repentance. Beginning in chapter 6, we are given a chronological record of things that will happen in the last days. There is a series of seven seals, then a series of seven trumpets, then a series of seven bowls of wrath. We read in Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.’” In the context, this seems to come around the middle of the tribulation period.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is writing to believers concerning the transition from this life to eternal life. Our mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal, incorruptible bodies, prepared for the eternal kingdom of God. Verse 52 says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Paul addresses the same subject to the Thessalonians, and specifically connects it with the Second Coming of Christ. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).

There is no question that God has revealed these things to us and that He intends for us to be encouraged and instructed by them. The question is whether these trumpets are the same. If they are the same, then the rapture of the church happens in the middle of the tribulation period, and saints need to be prepared to endure those trials. If they are not the same, then we need to know when the last trump will sound, so that we can be prepared for it. In order to find out whether they are the same, we can compare the events they are associated with.

 

 

Events	1 Corinthians 15	1 Thessalonians 4	Revelation 11
Trumpet sound	v. 52	v. 16	v. 15
Dead saints raised	v. 52	v. 16
Living saints changed	v. 52	v. 17
Death overcome by victory	v. 54	v. 14
Jesus descends from Heaven		v. 16	Not until Rev 19:11
Kingdoms of the world taken over by Christ			v. 15
Wrath of God on dead			v. 18
Rewards given to saints			v. 18
Intended result	v. 57-58 – thanks, victory, faithfulness until then	v. 18 – comfort now, presence with Christ then	v. 14,17 – woe on earth, thanks in Heaven

 

It is clear that the first two passages (Corinthians and Thessalonians) fit together, but the third doesn’t appear to have any correlation in either the events described or the intended results. The argument connecting them has to depend on the meaning of the word last in 1 Corinthians 15:52. The Greek word eschatos can mean either “last in point of time” or “last in point of sequence.” This trumpet sounds before the wrath of God descends, yet Revelation 6:17 speaks of the wrath of the Lamb as having come, and the seventh trumpet doesn’t sound until Revelation 11:15. The trumpet of 1 Thessalonians is given in a moment, whereas Revelation 10:7 indicates that the seventh trumpet will be sounded for a number of days. Even though the seventh trumpet is the last one described in Revelation, Matthew 24:31 indicates there is yet another trumpet which will sound “after the tribulation of those days,” when Christ returns to the earth, which parallels with Revelation 19.

If the “last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15 is not the same as the seventh trumpet, then what was Paul referring to? Both 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians were written long before John wrote Revelation, so Paul’s readers would have no knowledge of the seven trumpets of Revelation. Paul intended for them to understand what he was writing about, so we need to look elsewhere for clarification. Paul’s writing was distinctly in reference to the church and the closing of the church age at the rapture. Throughout Scripture, trumpets were used as signals to gather people, to set armies on the move, and as part of the worship of God. The trumpet that summons the church is called “the trump of God,” while those in Revelation are angelic trumpets. Since it is a summoning trumpet, we can look to the Old Testament for further understanding. Numbers 10 gives instruction to Israel about the use of trumpets to call an assembly of the people and to set them in motion. The first trumpet blast (v. 4) called the leaders together, while a continual blowing was an alarm for the people. A series of trumpet blasts was the signal for each group of tribes to begin their journey, and the last blast indicated the movement of the last group in the camp. Similarly, 1 Corinthians 15:23 speaks of different orders, or ranks, in the resurrection: “Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” Further, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 divides Christ’s own into two groups—the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain.

So, if the trumpet is the call for saints to assemble and journey to heaven, what does that mean for us? Jesus said that no one knows when the Day of the Lord will begin (Matthew 24:36), and 1 Thessalonians 5:2 describes it as coming as a thief in the night, without warning. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we are told to be “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, we do not know when the trumpet will sound, so we are to be always ready. While we may not know the day or hour, we have been given enough information to know it can happen at any moment. We are to be ready, putting on the armor of God, because we have been appointed to receive salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:8–9).

http://www.gotquestions.org/last-trumpet.html

Edited October 22, 2015 by bopeep1909

[Ezra]

Why are Christians confused about these things when Scripture is clear?  Because they listen to the teachings of men rather than simply compare Scripture with Scripture as shown above.  There is no correspondence between salvation and wrath, yet we have Christians trying to mesh the two together. The last trump for the saints is the last trumpet which the saints will hear. Period.

[Last Daze]

Why are Christians confused about these things when Scripture is clear?  Because they listen to the teachings of men rather than simply compare Scripture with Scripture as shown above.  There is no correspondence between salvation and wrath, yet we have Christians trying to mesh the two together. The last trump for the saints is the last trumpet which the saints will hear. Period.

No one is equating salvation and wrath.  For you to say that just shows that you don't understand what's being said.

If you wish to contribute in a meaningful way then please specify exactly what trumpet Paul was referencing when he spoke of the "last trumpet" which is "the trumpet of God"?  Or was Paul just making that up, the part about the last trumpet?  If he wasn't making that up, then please show what he was referring to, with scripture, not your opinion.  If you can't, that's fine, just say so.  But please don't confuse everyone with your baseless rhetoric.

[Ezra]

If you wish to contribute in a meaningful way then please specify exactly what trumpet Paul was referencing when he spoke of the "last trumpet" which is "the trumpet of God"?  Or was Paul just making that up, the part about the last trumpet? 

In 1 Cor 15:52 Paul speaks of “the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound” in connection with the Resurrection/Rapture, but in 1 Thess 4:16 he calls it “the trump of God”, and he also mentions “the voice of the archangel” [and that could mean that the Michael the archangel blows this trumpet, but that is only an assumption].  These are the only two verses where the word “trump” is used for trumpet (Gk salpigx) in the entire Bible.  And “trump of God” simply means a trumpet sound authorized by God, as are all of the trumpet sounds in Scripture.

 So why did Paul call it “the last trump”?  Because it is the last trumpet which will be blown to call God’s assembly of the saints together on earth. To understand this we must go back to Number 10:1-7, where silver trumpets [Heb  chatsotserah (khats-o-tser-aw)] were used and NOT the ram’s horn (Heb shofar). Two silver trumpets were to be blown together “for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps” and this gives us the clue as to the Rapture trumpet. 

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee... 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

 If only one trumpet was blown, then only the princes and the heads of the thousands of Israel were being summoned.  But both trumpets blowing simultaneously would be to summon the entire assembly of God’s people. The Church (Gk ekklesia = the assembly of the called out ones) is the assembly of God on earth today, so the last trump ties into the calling of the Church to assemble, and be gathered together to meet the Lord in the air, for their journey to the New Jerusalem.  And everything happens “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”.  Only genuine believers will hear this sound, and only genuine believers will hear when Christ summons them home as He personally descends from Heaven with a shout.

Sounding the alarm is what the seven angels with the seven trumpets of Revelation do when they announce the outpouring of God’s wrath.  But there will also be trumpets associated with the regathering of Israel after the Second Coming of Christ.

[OneLight]

Hi OneLight,

If you have a closer look at the two scriptures you will see that they could not be the same timing. However I was referring to the Lord`s voice as the force that will `sound` & bring the dead in Christ to rise at the gathering of the Body of Christ, whereas the rising of `all those in the graves` to judgment is a totally different event & timing.

Regards, Marilyn.

Thanks for agreeing with what I was pointing out about the two passages, they do not mean the same thing.  Since they do not, why try to make them carry the same meaning? 

 

[Marilyn C]

Hi OneLight,

The meaning I was referring to was the power that Christ has to raise the dead. However, we can see that they are at different times.

1. The dead in Christ, as in 1 Thess. 4.

2. The OT saints. Heb. 11

3. The saints that are beheaded in the tribulation. Rev. 19.

4. All the (other) dead to the great white throne. Rev. 20.

Marilyn.

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2015 by Marilyn C

[OneLight]

Marilyn,

Are you implying that the OT saints are not considered dead in Christ?  In Matthew 27:52, we read where many of the OT saints graves were opened and they rose.

⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, ⁵² and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³ and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

The rest will raise when the rapture happens, for the dead in Christ will raise first, then those who are alive and remain will be caught up.

Not sure which verse you are referring to in Hebrew 11 ...

[Marilyn C]

Hi OneLight,

Yes, I do not believe that the OT saints are part of the Body of Christ. They are both different `called out ones` for different purposes under Christ. We can see both groups in the General Assembly -

`...you have come.... to the general assembly & church (called out ones) of the first-born who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the SPIRITS OF JUST MEN, (righteous men & women of Heb. 11) (Heb. 12: 23)

Two distinct `called out ones` with two distinct purposes & inheritances.

Marilyn.

 

[ghtan]

And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.  Zechariah 9:14

Numbers chapter 10, gives instruction of gathering at trumpet blast, and this may possibly be in reference to what Paul’s message was about, but I believe the Feast of Trumpets is the correct day Paul is referring to. Also, the Feast of Trumpets is next in line for Christ to fulfill. 

I see the answer to "what last trump" as being a OT referenced event, and not a NT one.

I agree that Paul had in mind Numbers 10 or its equivalent. Trumpets were used to call the encamped Israelites to assemble and move out. Rapture is like moving out. I don't think we should confuse it with John's trumpet plagues that are trumpets of judgment instead. There is no sense of judgment in the context of 1 Cor 15:52.

Regarding the passage in Zech 9, the word is shofar: a ram's horn. But in Numbers 10, the word is chatsotsĕrah, and this is specifically prescribed to be made out of silver. So, two different types of horns, blown for different reasons.

According to the Hebraic tradition I mentioned in my post of 10/20 @ 1:36 PM, the Last Trumpet is a shofar. Likewise, the horn blown on Rosh Hashanah is a shofar; and some Jews hold the tradition that on a future R.H., the heavenly shofar will be blown to announce the resurrection of the dead.

I think the Greek OT does not distinguish between the Num 10 silver trumpet and the Zech 9 shofar but uses the same word for both. Therefore, word usage alone does not tell us what Paul was referring to. I think what is particularly significant is that there is no clue of the Rapture when the 7th trumpet is blown. Given that John is quite prepared to hint at the rapture elsewhere - e.g. son of man, cloud, harvest, etc. in Rev 14 (even pre-trib has the ascension of John to point to) - why does he not do so under the 7th trumpet? The answer is simple: because the Rapture does not occur at this point. 

[Last Daze]

In 1 Cor 15:52 Paul speaks of “the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound” in connection with the Resurrection/Rapture, but in 1 Thess 4:16 he calls it “the trump of God”, and he also mentions “the voice of the archangel” [and that could mean that the Michael the archangel blows this trumpet, but that is only an assumption].  These are the only two verses where the word “trump” is used for trumpet (Gk salpigx) in the entire Bible.  And “trump of God” simply means a trumpet sound authorized by God, as are all of the trumpet sounds in Scripture.

 So why did Paul call it “the last trump”?  Because it is the last trumpet which will be blown to call God’s assembly of the saints together on earth. To understand this we must go back to Number 10:1-7, where silver trumpets [Heb  chatsotserah (khats-o-tser-aw)] were used and NOT the ram’s horn (Heb shofar). Two silver trumpets were to be blown together “for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps” and this gives us the clue as to the Rapture trumpet. 

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee... 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

 If only one trumpet was blown, then only the princes and the heads of the thousands of Israel were being summoned.  But both trumpets blowing simultaneously would be to summon the entire assembly of God’s people. The Church (Gk ekklesia = the assembly of the called out ones) is the assembly of God on earth today, so the last trump ties into the calling of the Church to assemble, and be gathered together to meet the Lord in the air, for their journey to the New Jerusalem.  And everything happens “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”.  Only genuine believers will hear this sound, and only genuine believers will hear when Christ summons them home as He personally descends from Heaven with a shout.

Sounding the alarm is what the seven angels with the seven trumpets of Revelation do when they announce the outpouring of God’s wrath.  But there will also be trumpets associated with the regathering of Israel after the Second Coming of Christ.

If you look at what Paul said, "the last trump", "the trumpet shall sound", "the trump of God", it seems more like the sounding of a specific trumpet at a specific time, not some generic trumpet sound authorized by God.  And since we know that God can, and does, sound a trumpet, which one is the last one that He sounds?

And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.  Matthew 24:31

Jesus sounds the last trumpet, the trumpet of God.  This happens after the great tribulation.  It corresponds to the first reaping in Revelation 14:14-16 which is the resurrection / rapture.

Paul wasn't talking about some unknown trumpet sounding at some unknown point in time.  The resurrection takes place on the last day.  The last trumpet, the trumpet of God, on the last day.