The Feast of Trumpets represents the culmination of the age of man and the beginning of a time when God will play a more direct role in world events. Scripture tells us an earth-shaking trumpet call will announce this most important event in human history. It commemorates the return of Jesus Christ bringing this present evil age to an end.
Many people have a limited perspective of Jesus Christ. They think only of His first coming as the suffering Savior and Lamb of God, but when Jesus Christ returns the second time, it will be to establish His rule and true peace on earth, fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies that speak of the Messiah coming to rule with power and authority over all nations.
It is also when faithful Christians will be resurrected to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:52) to reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). The Apostle Paul describes this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ [the saints who have died] will rise first. Then we [saints] who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Both the Old Testament and the New Testament frequently use the word “saints” to refer to the faithful followers of God. In the New Testament, they are also called the “elect,” those selected or chosen (as in Matthew 24:31).
The end-time sequence of events leading up to Christ’s return is described in the book of Revelation as Christ breaking open seven seals (Revelation 5). The sequence of the seals is the same sequence of crises Jesus described in His prophecy about His return recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. (See our free study guide The Book Of Revelation Unveiled for more information). He mentioned religious deception, wars, famines, disease, earthquakes and other calamities (Matthew 24:4-13), characterizing the time of His return as an era of hatred and lawlessness, but also concluding by stating that: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations….” (Matthew 24:14).
Those who observe the Feast of Trumpets look forward to the time when this most important event for humanity will take place: “…the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). This Holy Day reminds us of the global catastrophes and wars yet to come while, at the same time, celebrating the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings and the resurrection of the saints, which paves the way for peace on earth at last, as Jesus sets up His Kingdom.
This year the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Trumpets begins at sundown on Monday, September 22 and ends at sundown on Tuesday, September 23. Church services marking this important holy day will be held in United Church of God congregations around Australia.
