When imagining something we often rely on our sense of sight. It’s easy to see images in our mind, but how often do we imagine sound?
The return of Christ will be more than a stunning sight; it will be accompanied by particular sounds. Jesus says, “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Matt. 24:31).
Paul writes:
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thess. 4:15-17)
And
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Cor. 15:51-53)
The sounds will be explosive, thunderous, and musical: “a loud trumpet call,” and “a loud command.” And the trumpet sound will reach the dead because “the dead in Christ will rise first” and “the dead will be raised imperishable.”
Out of all instruments why will a trumpet sound be heard?
The trumpet was a highly versatile instrument in the ancient world so it appears in the Hebrew Bible more than 90 times. By adjusting the duration, pitch, and intensity, trumpets were able to communicate different things to the community.
A Call to Gather
Numbers 10 is perhaps the most important chapter for understanding how trumpets functioned in ancient Israel. Priests were instructed to blow two silver trumpets for these two purposes: “use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out” (v. 2). Here are a few examples of the trumpet sound calling people to gather in one place.
- Nehemiah told the men who were spread out working on the wall, “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there” (4:20).
- Jeremiah writes: “Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say: ‘Sound the trumpet throughout the land!’ Cry aloud and say: ‘Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities!’ (4:5)
- Joel says: “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly” (2:15).
A Call to Move out or Fight
Second, the sound of the trumpet was a call to move out: “use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out” (Num. 10:2). This setting out included a peaceful move to a new area, but it also included preparation for battle. Numbers 10 continues, “When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets” (v. 9). And prior to a battle the trumpet blast was often accompanied by a loud shout.
- Before Joshua led the people to conquer Jericho he was given these instructions: “Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in” (Josh. 6:4-5).
- Gideon blew a trumpet, summoning the people to follow him in preparation for battle against the Midianites (Judg. 6:34). Then he says: “When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon’” (Judg. 7:18).
- Jeremiah says, “For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry” (4:19).
A Call to Celebrate and Worship
Third, the trumpet was used in worship. Numbers 10 adds: “Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God” (v. 10).
- The Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah is also called the Feast of Trumpets because it is “commemorated with trumpet blasts” (Lev. 23:24).
- When the ark of the covenant was placed in the temple, all the priests who were musicians were playing their instruments, including 120 who were sounding trumpets (2 Chr. 5:12).
- The Psalmist writes: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music . . . with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King” (Ps. 98:4-6).
- And “Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet” (Ps. 150:3).
A Call to Listen
Fourth, a trumpet sound preceded special announcements:
- Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, Israel!” (2 Sam. 20:1)
- Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” (1 K. 1:39)
- They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!” (2 K. 9:13)
These special announcements included serving as an alarm or warning:
- Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand— (Joel 2:1)
- Ezekiel mentions a watchman who warns people of danger by blowing a trumpet (33:4-6).
- Amos writes, “When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble?” (3:6)
A Call from God
Fifth, on a couple of occasions God’s appearance is linked with a trumpet sound. Here’s what happened when God appeared to give the Ten Commandments:
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. (Ex. 19:16-19)
The text doesn’t say that the people saw an actual trumpet, but they heard a trumpet blast, calling them to give attention to God’s visitation. Likewise, Zechariah writes:
Then the Lord will appear over them;
his arrow will flash like lightning.
The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet;
he will march in the storms of the south (Zech. 9:14)
Conclusion
Trumpets had a variety of purposes in the Old Testament:
- Calling people to gather
- Calling people to move out and, at times, prepare for battle
- Calling people to celebrate and worship
- Calling people to listen to a special announcement
And trumpets were connected with God’s appearance.
How does this background relate to the final trumpet? The primary purpose of the final trumpet is to call people to gather, move out, and attend to God’s visitation.
- And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds. (Matt. 24:31)
- with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds. (1 Thess. 4:16-17)
The phrase, “the trumpet call of God” makes me wonder if it should be linked with Zechariah’s statement, “The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet.” Will God himself sound the final trumpet? Obviously, this trumpet cannot be a trumpet exactly like the ones we know. In fact, there’s no indication that the last trumpet will even be visible, but it will certainly be audible.
What will it sound like? We know it will be loud with a sound that reaches the living and the dead, but we don’t know exactly what it will sound like. It’s safe to assume, however, that it will make a distinct and recognizable sound to all who hear it. As Paul says, “if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1 Cor. 14:8). Additionally, this trumpet call will be accompanied by “a loud command” reminding us of Old Testament battle scenes. Intriguingly, John merges the ideas of a loud voice and a trumpet in his description of Jesus’ voice: “I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet” (Rev. 1:10).
Finally, the heavenly trumpet will call the dead and living to much more than a routine gathering.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Cor. 15:51-52)
The transcendent trumpet will call us to gather and be transformed. And this transformation is our ultimate triumph over death, which is “the last enemy.” The sound of the last trumpet, then, is the sound of death being “swallowed up in victory.”
After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.