[Steve Myers]: The Feast of Trumpets is an interesting Holy Day because it's a day of contrasts. But there is such fantastic joy to be found in this day, because of the things that this day symbolizes. It certainly points to the fact that God loves everyone. Isn't that one of God's attributes? I mean, we know John 3:16, "For God so loved the world." God loves us, and He cares about us, and He can't wait for His son to return.

Now, on the other hand, as a day of contrast, there is a terrible time of tribulation coming, a horrible time. This is an awful day. This is an awful day, an aspect of the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets is that very fact that it does symbolize a terrible time, an awful time. And it sets up this contrast of really a paradox. It almost seems like an inconsistency in that sense. Well, how can this day symbolize an awful day, on one hand, and yet, on the other hand, it represents an awesome day? We have the love of God on one side. And on the other side, we have horrible wrath. So how do we rationalize those two things? Can we reconcile those two aspects of what the Feast of Trumpets is all about? Let's think about that for a moment. Because we know we're here for a number of reasons. First and foremost, God says to be here. So maybe number one is we've been commanded to celebrate Trumpets. Now, where would you find that in Scripture?

[Congregation]: Leviticus 23.

[Steve Myers]: Right, Leviticus 23, you would find that, in fact, that's what's great about Trumpets. If you can remember Leviticus 23, you can remember Trumpets because it's 23 23. 23 23 is where you find God's command about Trumpets. Now we know Leviticus 23 starts with the feasts and starts with the Sabbath and then begins to list them. But importantly, it tells us that these aren't Jewish feasts, Israelite feasts, they're God's feasts. They're God's feast days, and He gives them to us. And so on this seventh month, on this first day of the month, according to God's holy calendar, that's today, the 21st of September 2017, is that day, He says, we're to “have a sabbath-rest, a holy, solemn convocation, with a memorial of blowing of trumpets.” Okay, it doesn't say anything about Tooty Fruities or anything like that, but there's to be a holy convocation, a commanded assembly, so we don't work. But we also give an offering. And it's spelled out pretty clearly there in Leviticus 23.

Now, we recognize trumpets are mentioned throughout Scripture. And one of the interesting things, as you've done studies on them in the past, I'm sure, is all the various symbolism that ties into Trumpets. And if you write down Numbers 10, throughout that very chapter, it gives a number of uses for trumpets. So it helps us to recognize the significance of a physical trumpet during Israel's time and helps us then to make connections to the spiritual significance for us. Because as you read through Numbers 10, it reminds us that when they blew that horn, that shofar, people were to gather to God, gather together to God.

Now, you begin to think about how that ties in spiritually, we can come up with some interesting connections there. And of course, not only were they gathering together before God, when that trumpet sounded, at times, it meant the leadership was to come together, that God's people who were leading His physical nation were to come together at that time. And of course, maybe you can think of other uses of trumpets at that time. Sometimes that shofar blasted away, and it was such an earth-shaking sound, they immediately recognized, it's time for battle. It is time for war. And so they were to gather together to that alarm of trumpets, ready for war, ready for battle. So these different aspects of trumpets being blown and the different ways that they were blown, represented some important aspects to the people of Israel. And for us, by extension, spiritually, it means something for us as well. I don't know if you recognize the fact that trumpets were also blown when sacrifices were given. We heard in the sermonette about being a living sacrifice, they would blow the trumpet over their burnt offerings and over their peace offerings, as well. So your mind may race a little bit and think of some of the various connections between an offering that was given back then a physical offering, and a connection to trumpets being a spiritual offering as well.

There was also a connection that's mentioned throughout Numbers. In fact, I think Isaiah 58 is one that comes to mind with this regard as well, is that the people themselves, there was to be a warning message that was to be trumpeted out. And God told them to lift their voice like a trumpet. Isaiah was told to do that, "Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob, their sins." So that aspect of the Feast of Trumpets becomes significant in the meaning.

Now, later today, perhaps you'll have some extra time that you could study into all those various ways that trumpets signified some pretty important things. Probably the most important that we recognize today as well, is that trumpets symbolize and picture the pivotal event in history, the pivotal occurrence that's yet to come. And what is it? The return of Christ. Jesus Christ will return to this earth, and the trumpet is going to sound, we heard 1 Thessalonians 4, being mentioned. I will turn over to Psalm 47 and remind us a little bit of what that day will be like, when we think of that day, that Feast of Trumpets. It can refer to that literal time, that literal day when Christ returns, Feast of Trumpets certainly symbolizes that. We see that in Psalm 47.

Notice Psalm 47, as our returning King is heralded as the King of all the nations. And notice how that herald, that sound goes out. Chapter 47 verse 1, it says, "Oh, clap your hands, all you people! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” Well, why should we be triumphant? Why should we be joyful? Why should we shout out to God? Verse 2, he says, "For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King, over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet." Skipping down to verse 5, "God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." Well, that sounds like 1 Thessalonians 4, doesn't it? Going on to verse 8, "God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.” Ends by saying, "He is greatly exalted."

And certainly, well, not only 1 Thessalonians 4, comes to mind, perhaps, Revelation 11 kind of rings in your mind as well, where it says, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ." And so we see this time, and it's represented as a time that there's going to be a battle, there's going to be that sound of a trumpet, a call to war, and yet at the same time, a time to shout in praises, and honor, and appreciation, to our great God. Because Trumpets not only signifies this time of Christ's return.

If you turn to Matthew 24, we're not going to turn there right at the moment, but Matthew 24, the Olivet Prophecy, Christ talked about what would happen before His return. He talked about this day, that the Feast of Trumpets represents a time of remaining wonderful, fantastic joy in His return, and yet, a day of wrath, a day of horrible times to come. Because it pictures the Day of the Lord. And the Day of the Lord concludes with the return of Christ, but it also represents the time leading up to that return. It pictures a time of judgment. It pictures a time of wrath being poured out on this sinful world, the events that lead up to this time that's mentioned in Psalm 47, up to that time, where Christ comes to take over rulership of this world. It's the end time, the end time of human history. It's the time that the book of Revelation outlines as the seven trumpets. And so, no wonder trumpets come to mind when you think of this time, that leads up to that seventh trumpet, that time of Christ's return.

And so the meaning of this day is so significant and in so many different ways. But I'd like to focus on this aspect of this day, being an awful day. And even though we're joyful today, as we think about the amazing blessings of this time, when Christ will return and we'll have that opportunity to see all of those loved ones of ours, who were true Christians, who are awaiting that return and the resurrection. What an amazing time that will be. But the time leading up to that, it's an awful day. It's an awful day, a day like no other. So yes, number one, we're commanded to keep Trumpets. We're commanded to recognize what the spiritual significance of the day is. But secondly, let's notice that this is an awful day. It's an awful day, an awesome day, a day like no other, a day like no other.

To set the tone, turn with me now over to Matthew 24. Matthew 24, we see that Christ Himself said before He would return, what the world will be like, what's going to be happening just before His return. So let's notice what Christ Himself said. Verse 3, Matthew 24, "The disciples asked Christ, ‘What will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?’" They're asking Him to describe this day that Trumpets pictures, this time of the end that would lead up ultimately to the day of His return. Well, here's what Christ says. We'll skip down to verse 21. He says, "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This will be a day like no other a time period, a time of judgment, a time of tribulation, in fact, so awful, that He calls it Great Tribulation. And so significant, He describes in verse 22, "Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." So we're looking at an unprecedented time of trouble.

And during the years immediately before Christ's return, it will be great tribulation. When we put all the passages together, whether it's in Revelation or Daniel 12, we recognize we're looking at three and a half years of Great Tribulation, an awful time, an awful time. And to begin with, this day, like no other can be sub-divided into two parts, into two parts. The first part, you might take notes, as this being 2a, 2a, "A day like no other." But it's a day of Satan's wrath, a day of Satan's wrath. If you'll turn with me over to Revelation 12. We'll see this day described, Satan's wrath, Revelation 12 look at verse 7. This day like no other we see ramps up to that time of the end with Satan's wrath. Revelation 12 describes a war in heaven at that time of the end, verse 7, Revelation 12. It says, "War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon.” Well, we know who the dragon is talking about Satan. "And the dragon and his angels fought." So we have Satan and his demons fighting against God's holy angels. Verse 8, "But they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

You see, this is a time that lies just ahead of us, where Satan will try one final time to overtake God and His angels, but he can't do it. And he will be cast back down to this earth. And as a result, skip down to verse 12, in the middle of verse 12, it says, "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." And so we put this together with Matthew 24, and other passages that we see the beginning of the tribulation ties in as it ramps up with Satan's wrath. And for two and a half years, Satan will pour out his wrath against mankind, Satan exerts that wrath because God gives him a little leeway. God allows this to happen. And so he pours out his wrath upon mankind, and the Great Tribulation begins.

And so it will pale by comparison to a hurricane in Houston, or Florida, or the Virgin Islands, or the wildfires in the Northwest. Those will pale by comparison, when we look at this time of great tribulation, this two and a half years that Satan will pour out his wrath on mankind. But that's just a precursor. Talk about an awful day with a time like no other. That's just the beginning. That's just a portion of this three and a half year tribulation. Two and a half years we have Satan's wrath being poured out. What happens next? This awful day, this time, like no other also includes God's wrath, the wrath of God, the Day of the Lord, the last year of the Great Tribulation, the last year of the Great Tribulation.

Now you might say, "Well, how do we come up with that? How do you know Satan's wrath is two and a half years, God's wrath is one year?" But when we take the principle in Scripture that we find in Isaiah 34, Isaiah 34, notice verse 8, Isaiah 34:8, we find a couple of things coming together here, we find a principle that applies, that's tied directly to this time of wrath. It's not just taking an idea and a principle and enforcing it into this situation. We see it intricately connected here in Isaiah 34:8, we're going to jump in the middle of the thought, but enough of the idea so that we can see this connection here. Isaiah 34:8, it says, "For it is the Day of the Lord's vengeance," of course God's vengeance as He pours out His wrath on a sinful mankind, on men who have refused to follow God, who will not follow God, who choose their own ways, and love sin, love to go opposite of God's way. And so God has to pour out His wrath. And so we see it's the Day of the Lord's vengeance. And how is it described, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

So we have a connection here between this wrath of God, and the timeframe of a year, timeframe of a year, which fits perfectly with Satan's wrath, poured out for two and a half years as those seals are opened in the book of Revelation's to the time of the trumpets, representing God's wrath. If you turn back with me just a little bit to Isaiah 13. So stay in the book of Isaiah, just go back to chapter 13 verse 6, describes a little bit further what this timeframe is going to be like, yes, it's called the day. But that day represents a time period for Satan's wrath, two and a half years, for God's wrath, one year. Isaiah 13:6, it says, "Wail, for the Day of the Lord is at hand!” It will come as destruction. Not from Satan, not from people, not from man. From the Lord, “from the Almighty,” from the Almighty, that destruction that final wrath is from God. It's from God.

We see once again in the book of Isaiah 63:4, let's notice Isaiah 63:4, we'll get toward the end of the book of Isaiah. Now, some will try to relegate this to just applying to Israel or to Judah, but we see, this is not only applying it. That was just a type, Israel and Judah going into captivity was just a type of what ultimately will happen. And so we see what's ultimately going to happen. Isaiah 63:4, it says, "For the day of vengeance is in My heart," that's God speaking. "And the year of My redeemed has come." You see, because God's looking forward to the end of this year, when ultimately, He will redeem His people, He will buy them back out of this horrible world, and ultimately move forward with His plan. And so when we see this principle, that a day for a year, fits with this time of God's wrath, this symbolism of the Feast of Trumpets, this Day of the Lord. We see how this fits together with two and a half years of Satan's wrath, a time like no other, and then even more so, God's wrath, this Day of the Lord occurring.

Another section of scripture that ties in with this as well, is found over in the book of Joel, I'd like to turn over to the beginning of the book of Joel, Joel 1:15. Joel 1:15, is where I kind of came up with the title for the sermon today, that even though this is a day of joy, it also symbolizes an awful time, an awful day. And Joel 1, is that passage that rings so true when it comes to what God has to do, ultimately, to do away with man's system, to show man his sin. And in Joel 1:15, it says, "Alas for the day…" that's New King James, "Alas for the day! For the Day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as destruction from the Almighty.” Sounds like Isaiah, doesn't it? This is coming from God. It's talking about God's wrath. "Alas for the day!” Now if you were to look this up in other translations, the Common English Bible says, "What a terrible day! What a terrible day!” Some translations say, "Woe because of that day! The punishment of that day makes it a terrible day." Living Bible says just that, "What a bad day." New Life says, "What a bad day that will be. Because man won't learn his lesson. Man won't turn to God, they won't do what's right. They thumb their nose at God and continue to do their own ways."

So the New English Bible says, "How awful that day will be. How awful that day will be." And Joel goes on to describe that day. Next chapter talks about how the sun will be turned to darkness, the moon into blood before that great and awesome Day of the Lord. It is awful, and it is awesome. And certainly that reminds us of all those signs that were given in the book of Revelation, those seals that lead up to the trumpets. It's interesting that if you write down Revelation 6, we won't turn there, but verse 16, as those seals are opened, we get to that seventh seal, just before that seventh seal, which turns into those seven trumpets, it talks about the wrath of the Lamb has come. Pointing to the fact that Satan's wrath is done after that sixth seal. And as that seventh seal is opened, those seven trumpets begin. Now we're in the time of God's wrath, the wrath of the Lamb has come, and that launches those seven trumpets, that launches that year of God's wrath. And so if you can imagine that scene, after Satan has already poured out his wrath, and the earth is just reeling from that. Now God takes the scene. And so it becomes an even worse day. It's an awful day for the nations. It's an awful day for the nations. The third aspect of this concept of being an awful day. An awful day. It's an awful day for the nations. First and foremost, it's an awful day for the Gentile nations. It's an awful day for those who have never known God that have still done evil.

A couple of examples of what that day will be like in God's wrath, turn over to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 50. Jeremiah 50:31 describes this awful day for the nations, awful day for the nations. Here's specifically Jeremiah's prophesying, about Babylon, Babylon. Certainly ancient Babylon could apply. But we know that this duality of prophecy points ahead, just ahead of our time, just ahead of this time right now. Because we know the state of the nations of our world, and they're in a mess. They could care less about what the truth is, what God's way is. So Jeremiah 50:31, says, and this is God speaking, “'Behold, I am against you, O most haughty one!’ says the Lord of hosts.” Yeah, the king of Babylon kind of representative of Satan in his ways. Of course, his country, his system, his way has to be totally routed out and done away. God says, "Your day has come, the time that I will punish you. The most proud shall stumble and fall, no one will raise him up; I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all around him."

And so we see those hints that are pointing to those seven trumpets that are going to sound, and Babylon is certainly going to be done away, the Babylon's of this world, the nations of this world. In fact, if you still have your place in Isaiah, if you go back to Isaiah for just a moment, Assyria is not left out either. Isaiah 10:5, here we have not just a physical Assyria being represented here, but the Syria of this world, the nations of this world also represented in Isaiah 10. Yeah, the nations of this world those Gentile nations are like Assyria. And what does God say about them during this time? Isaiah 10:5, tells us, "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation."

You see, no one's going to be left out when God pours out His wrath, He says, "I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." You see, this arrogance that Assyria has displayed, the nations of this world have displayed, those Gentile nations, those nations that have never known God, they are arrogant, and they persist in their own ways. And that God then demands an accounting, God demands a reckoning because of that. And so God will bring that about. And so it will be an awful day for the nations. And we could turn to passage, after passage, after passage that shows that very thing. A kind of a summary passage might be Psalm 33:8, Psalm 33:8, is just a little descriptor of what this awful day will be like for the nations of this world. Psalm 33:8, I mean, with the description that Jesus Christ made, where He said, "There will be no other day like this." And if God doesn't intervene, if Christ doesn't return, we will annihilate ourselves. The end of the world would be here. God's not allowing that to happen.

So as we come to that time, just imagine what's going on on the world scene. No wonder it's recorded for us in this way. In Psalm 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the Lord." And that's not talking about respect, kind of fear. That's not what that's talking about. This is talking about dread. This is talking about literal, fearing shaking in your boots fear, "Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Because we have an awesome God, we have a God that will do His will upon this earth, and things are going to shake, and He will pour out His wrath on this earth. And no one can stand before that." And the Feast of Trumpets signifies that time, that time leading up to the return of Christ when He will intervene and ultimately set this world right.

Of course, Isaiah puts it this way. He doesn't say just, "Well, let the Gentile nations fear because they're in trouble." It don't say that. It doesn't say all the earth fear. Because when we talk about an awful day for the nations, yeah, not only is the Gentile nations a part of that but Israel as well. The nations of Israel will see an awful day, the nations of Israel will see an awful day as well. So it's an awful day for the nations, yeah, part one, the Gentile nations, part two, for Israel as well, and those Israelite nations today, that's us. That's us. That's the British Commonwealth. That's those English-speaking peoples around the world, it will be an awful day because they should know better. They should know better, and yet, have turned their back on God, have said, "God, we don't want anything to do with you."

So when we look at Ezekiel 22, just one example of how this day will be so dreadful for the nations of Israel. These are people that should be God's people. They should be following God. And yet, they've left God. They haven't followed… they won't listen to the warnings. They won't listen to the warnings, and God has given so many warnings leading up to this time, but they won't change. They won't repent. So in Ezekiel 22:13, notice this example. Ezekiel 22:13, I'll read Ezekiel 22, I'll read from the New Living, the New Living… actually, New Life version. Here's what it says there. So follow along verse 13. God says, "I now clap my hands in indignation over your dishonest gain and bloodshed." Verse 14, "How strong and courageous will you be in my day of reckoning?" There's going to be an accounting for God's people, for Israel, for the nations of Israel, there's going to be an accounting that has to take place. "Why haven't you followed? Why haven't you responded? Why haven't you repented? Why haven't you looked to Me? I've given you so many opportunities to change." And certainly that was true with ancient Israel and Judah. They wouldn't have it. So ultimately, what happened to them? Captivity.

And when we look at modern Israel, "How big do you think you are now? How strong are you are?" "Oh, we're the greatest country on earth." Isn't that what we say? That's what we think. And yet God says, "How strong and courageous will you be in that day?" Well, "We're going to make an accounting," God says. He says, "I, the Lord, have spoken, I will do what I've said," verse 15, "I'll scatter you among the nations and purge you of your wickedness. And when you have been dishonored among the nations, you will know that I am the Lord."

You see, the Feast of Trumpets carries this significant symbolism as well. That Israel will experience this reckoning, this awful day, because they would not hear the warning, they wouldn't hear the warning. And so as we consider these earth-shattering events that are symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets, we recognize that Israel isn't excluded. In fact, the prophet Joel says something that's a little worrisome, something that should be worrisome, not just for the Gentile nations, not for those that don’t… not just for the nations of Israel, who've kind of lost their way. But Joel says something about us as well. Turn over to Joel 2:1. Joel 2:1, we have this prophecy that Joel gives, that certainly anciently was a warning for the people that they didn't heed. But as we look forward, it's also a warning as well, twofold warning, for that time period, not just for Judah, though. What about us? Notice Joel 2:1, it says, "Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the Day of the Lord is coming, for it's at hand: the day of darkness and gloominess, the day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.” He says, "Of the like of whom has never seen, nor will there ever be any such after them," Kind of mirroring Christ's words in Matthew 24.

Now, when we read that really fast, we might skip over the significance because He's not just warning this world. He's not just warning the nations of Israel, modern Israel today. Who's Zion? Who is Zion? "Blow the trumpet in Zion." Well, Zion would represent Jerusalem, the capital, in Judah as well. What about spiritual Zion? Who is spiritual Zion? We are, God's Church is Zion. And so Joel is saying, "You better be listening to the trumpet, Church, God's Church, God's people, you claim to be His people, do you hear that trumpet, blow the trumpet in the Church in Zion," spiritually speaking, blow that, sound an alarm. Are you listening? That's what God's saying, "Are you listening? Because the world's not getting it? And the peoples that should know Me, they're not getting it. God's Church, My Church, are you getting it? Are you hearing the alarm? Because if you are, what are you doing? What are you doing?" You see, and that's the key there. That's the key. Are we hearing that alarm? Yeah, we've had some amazing things happening just in the last few weeks, isn't it? How things are just piling up more. And you can't help but think what Christ said when He talks about wars and rumors of wars when He talks about earthquakes in different places. And we had a few of those.

When He talks about crazy things happening with the weather. You know, He forecast the fact things would get worse, and worse, and more and more of them. And we're just beginning to see some of these things. Are we hearing the alarm? Or are we just saying, "Well, that's just the way it is. There's hurricanes every fall, it's no big deal?" Or is the alarm bells going off in our mind? Not just to say, "Well, I know Christ is going to return." But the idea here, Joel 2, you better hear the sound. And you better do something about it. You better do something about it. Romans 14 says, "We all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ." And Joel is telling us that time is coming. It's coming. Here we are. Remember last year, we're a year later. We're you're closer now, that time is coming. Are we more prepared for that time than we were a year ago? Because Joel says, "Sound that trumpet." Is the trumpet going off in our mind?

So that when 1 Corinthians 3 takes place, you can just write that down, 1 Corinthians 3:13 it talks about, "Each one's work will be clear for the Day will declare it," the day will declare it. So the trumpet sounding should be a reminder for us to make sure when that day declares it, and Jesus Christ returns, that we're ready for that return, spiritually prepared for that time. Because it's certainly a reminder that God has given us His love. He's given us His love. He's called us to His way of truth. He's shown us His plan, His purpose. And there's not a disconnect between love and wrath. There's not a disconnect. Because when we see the big picture, we recognize that there is no love without wrath. Is that true? Or maybe say it a different way. True love is shown through wrath.

And here's that contrast. The contrast with Trumpets, because it's about the love of God coming to save this world. And God will intervene and won't let us destroy ourselves. And yet, Satan is going to be allowed to pour out his wrath. God's going to pour out His wrath. When you think about why? Why do these things happen? Because He's angry about sin. God hates evil. He hates injustice. He hates blasphemy. He wants the best for us. And yet, we turn away from Him. We turn away. But He tells us to abhor what is evil. Not just recognize it. That's what Romans 12:9 says, "Abhor what is evil. Hate it. Don't put up with it. Loath it the way that God does." Do we really detest evil? So that we don't want to go near it, we won't have any part of it. That's what He's talking about here.

We love God so much that we hate evil. We detest it. And we just have the greatest aversion to anything that's wrong and sinful and unjust. What do we abhor? We abhor all those things that are contrary to the nature of God. We hate those things that are opposite of God's character. Of course, we're supposed to put on the character of Jesus Christ. And so any transgression, any sin, any missing the mark, any of those things are unacceptable to us because they're unacceptable to God. Now, what if God didn't hate evil? What if God didn't hate evil enough to punish it, to pour out His wrath? Well, in a way, wouldn't it be like he doesn't really care? It's not really that big a deal. You see, if he were to lack wrath against wickedness, that would show a lack of concern, a lack of caring, which is a lack of love, a lack of love.

And so when you consider perfect love, absolute love, that implies purity. That implies goodness, that implies even more than just purity and goodness, it implies absolute holiness, absolute holiness. So God isn't just mad because he's upset with people. God's anger, God's wrath is not based in selfish motives or anything like that. God's wrath is a response to evil. That's what His wrath is, and the evil that people do, because He loves people, but He hates what they do. And so we have good and evil, on the opposite side of love, opposite of the values that God holds most dear. And because His character is love, and because He is always good, consistently good. Well, we never have to worry about God suddenly turning and doing something wrong, or something evil, or lying to us, or anything like that. And so His wrath is literally an expression of His goodness, and His justice, and His love.

So wrath and reckoning and this accounting that mankind has to be held accountable for is an exhibit of God's love and shows Him to be a righteous judge, a righteous Judge, otherwise, He'd be unrighteous. He didn't care if he didn't show this. And so literally an expression of God's love. And God grieves over that. He aches over those sins and the problems…  And it's not just because it offends Him, but he hates what it does to us. He hates what it does to us. It distorts our perspective. It distorts our character. It separates us from Him. God wants all of us to be with Him. He wants all mankind to come to repentance. And so He wants us near and dear to Him. And so when we put those things together, it becomes clear that the love of God and the wrath of God are not in contradiction. They're not. They're not. And so, no wonder because God loves us He blows the horn in Zion, that trumpet sounds in the Church. And so He wants us to change and helps us to change. He grants us repentance. He calls us to repentance.

In fact, there's a passage in Acts 17:30, that is certainly a reminder of this very fact. You know, is it just the fact that God can't wait to get us, can't wait to throw down His lightning bolt? No, He wants us to change. He wants us to change. And He's given that warning call of the trumpet, especially for us who have an understanding that we would change. Acts 17:30, it says, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked." Yeah, when people don't understand they don't get it. But now, He commands all men everywhere to repent, to repent. He sounded that alarm in the Church in Zion so that we would change, draw near to God. Verse 31, "because He's appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. And He's given us assurance of this by raising Him from the dead."

And so what a wonderful God we have. God doesn't want to leave us to our own devices. He keeps reminding us, "Draw close to Me, and I'll draw close to you. I love you, I care about you. I want you to be like My Son." That's what the Father says, He wants us to be there with Him. He wants us to rise in the air when Christ returns, and meet Him and be that escort to bring Him back. That's what He wants for us. And He gives us this amazing reminder. In a way, He's saying, "Have a Trumpets perspective." You know, that's what our mindset should be. That our God is great. And He is awesome. And there's so much good that's on the way. And so even though there's an awful time on the horizon, yeah, we don't want to lose the fact that, wow, there's an amazing time coming, that God is good. And He will bring about good, that's His plan. That's His purpose.

He's going to dispense with the ways of this world and establish His kingdom, right here on earth. And that conclusion of the Day of the Lord reminds us of that. And so to have a Trumpets perspective is what God's telling us, to have that kind of mindset all the time, so that we are being readied. And Christ said that very thing, watch and pray always, watch and pray always, not being so concerned about world events, and knowing every intricate detail about those guys, that's not what he's talking about there. The watching part ties in exactly with what Acts 17 is talking about. Watch by being spiritually prepared, be ready, put on the nature and the character of God. Repent and change as we see how we need to grow, and how we need to be more Christ-like. The trumpet should be a reminder for that. And we can even ask ourselves, "How much am I concentrated on the purpose that God has for me for my life?" You know, is becoming a part of God's family the central purpose of my life, or do I get distracted? Do I get carried off?

Am I truly ready? Am I truly preparing myself? It's amazing how many times Christ reminds us of these things. In Matthew 24, Christ says, "This is what's going to happen. If God doesn't step in, Christ doesn't return, the world would be done." And then following that, are several parables that talk about being spiritually ready. And so, Matthew 24, if you look at the timeframe there, Matthew 24, it's only three days before the crucifixion of Christ. Sometimes we forget that. Matthew 24, when He lays out this whole end-time scenario, it's only three days before He's going to die. What's on His mind? Now it's not the world events. Yeah, He tells them, "This is what's going to happen." But the whole rest of the message is that be spiritually prepared, be ready, watch, pray always, get yourself right with God, stay right with God. Have this central focus in your mind at all times.

But He also talks about that in John 16. If you were to turn over there to John 16. We see the powerful message kind of summarized here in John 16. And this emphasis on becoming a part of God's family, being that first and foremost thought in our consciousness. So notice John 16. John 16, once again, here we are right near the end of Christ's life. And of course, if you've got a red letter Bible, you see all these pages in this section of Scripture, all red, they're all red. Yeah, in fact, we oftentimes read some of these sections at the Passover as well, for the amazing reminder that it has here. Now, one of the interesting things here that we see in John 16, he's talking about this Feast of Trumpets perspective. He's talking about this awful day. Because He says in verse 19, He said, "For a little while, you will not see Me; and then again a little while, you will see Me." But this awful day is first, verse 20, "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy."

So we have that contrast of wrath and love, joy because ultimately this world is going to be done away, man's system is going to be gone. This absolute challenge that mankind is given against God, that we have totally been repenting or not repenting, but we've totally been in absolute revolt against God and His way, that's going to come to an end. He says, "It will be turned to joy." And then He compares this section to a woman giving birth, that it's difficult, but in the end, joy.

So verse 22, He says this, "Therefore you now have sorrow; with the difficulties that are going on, and will continue to magnify more, and more, and more, until Christ's return." But He says, "I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. No one will take from you.”

So we see, that's the ultimate conclusion. Even though this is the time that pictures this Day of the Lord, this judgment that's going to be poured out on mankind. It certainly is a reminder that in the end, there will be joy. God has the solution. And through Jesus Christ, we have a Savior. And so we can ready ourselves. In fact, we should make it our goal, trumpet should be a reminder for that, so that we have that as our perspective, that we keep our mindset on growing and becoming more Christ-like. That we meditate on His way, that we concentrate on God's way in our life, we apply it, we do it, we live it, we practice true religion, we look first to the Kingdom of God. We seek first, His Kingdom, not our own personal kingdom, not our own ways, not our own desires, but we seek His way and His will.

And so Trumpets causes us to step back and ask ourselves, "What do I need to do to be better prepared? What do I need to do?" And that answer is going to be different for each one of us. "What do I need to do to be better prepared?" You see, God's thrown this question out to us with His Trumpets perspective. How can I develop a deeper relationship with God? How can I strengthen what God has already given me? How can I become more like Christ? Those are Trumpets kind of questions. Because God wants us to be prepared for His Kingdom. He takes great joy in that, and He loves us and wants the absolute best for us.

And so as we consider this Day of the Lord, as we consider this awful time that lies just ahead. Yes, it's going to be a time like no other. And Satan will pour out his wrath. But God also has an answer. God has an answer and will pour out His wrath, hopefully showing that people should change and turn to Him. And so for us, we should take special note. We should take that warning to heart. That trumpet is blowing in Zion.

So let's have a Trumpets perspective. Because that day is just on the horizon. Let's be sure that we examine ourselves and we determine we will be ready because the awful day is coming. But in the Kingdom of God, it will be not an awful day. We get to the Kingdom, we get to the return of Christ. It will be an awesome day. So let's look forward to that time that Christ returns.