Feast of Trumpets — Seventh Trumpet
When the seventh trumpet sounds it will usher in the return of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. This vision of the future seems fantastical. And yet it has been prophesied for millennia. Daniel wrote of this cataclysmic change in world governance when he revealed the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The dream was an allegory of a great statue representing the great world powers in succession, beginning with the Babylonian King as the head of gold. As history has confirmed, the silver kingdom of Medo-Persia, and the bronze kingdom of Greece, were followed by successive resurrections of the great Roman system. And yet, ultimately all of these great civilizations will be destroyed, so that not a trace of them will be found. But what will replace these corrupt oppressive systems of governance?
The Son of Man Returns in the Clouds
Daniel recounted the events of the ‘latter days’ when a great Rock will smash into pieces the final multi-ethnic world system. This rock will destroy and scatter the ashes of that great brittle union of ten kings to the four winds. This ties in directly with the gospel message. The gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is about having our sins cleansed by his sacrifice. But the gospel is also about the Son of Man returning in the clouds with his saints, as King of Kings to establish his Kingdom on earth. It is about the Messiah’s coming to destroy the destroyers and save his people, those who are serving him. This great time of transition will come when Christ returns at the seventh trumpet.
Jesus when standing trial before Caiaphas, the high priest, acknowledged that he was indeed the ‘Son of Man’ the great ‘I AM.’ As a result, the Jewish leadership wanted to murder him to silence him. For they could not countenance the truth. They refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the One who would come in the clouds to establish his Kingdom. Jesus was that ‘Rock’ the one that would eventually come and smash all nations — at the seventh trumpet. He was the stone that these builders had rejected, and he would indeed become the chief cornerstone of a new world-ruling Kingdom. This message that was proclaimed by Daniel and the prophets is reiterated by Matthew, Luke, Paul, and Peter. Jesus, the Messiah, has been a stumbling stone, a snare and a trap, to the leaders of the world who reject him. God counsels us through the prophet Isaiah, “Do not be like these people and do not fear what they fear!”
Preparing for Christ’s Return
For those who love God, Jesus is a sanctuary, a place of refuge, and a sure foundational Rock that cannot be moved. These people will do as Isaiah says and hold fast to God’s testimony and his law. Those who love God will walk with him, growing in faith and expressing God’s love by following his commandments. And yet, this walk will have its share of challenges. Both Paul and Peter encouraged their brethren to walk worthy of their calling, enduring stedfast and patient in their trials. They would contend with deceivers, and even lying wonders, but with the love of the truth as their guide they would persevere under pressure. Knowing that God was working his work through them, they would be able to be truthful witnesses in spite of overwhelming opposition. But on that day, the day when Christ returns, God will be glorified in all those faithful men and women who have been his faithful representatives.
Learn More about God’s Kingdom and the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
https://cogwebcast.com/sermons/video-archives/coming-kingdom-of-god-series/