I have been up for three hours already this morning stuck on one passage of scripture out of Numbers 10. I take it as a personal challenge to find relevance in books like Leviticus and Numbers. Mostly, because people are scared away by the mention of these books and I for one want to change that. Plus, I know that “ALL scripture is profitable for reproof, correction, instruction and training in righteousness” so I will hang on until I grasp it! (Sometimes it is a lot harder than others - case in point: genealogies). Anyway, I am constantly asking “Why?” all the time. Good thing that the Lord never tires of our questions because I am like the woman in the parable of the righteous judge - I can definitely “black the eye” over the number of questions I continually ask! I guess I am just not satisfied with the surface of anything, which definitely acts as a source of frustration on my part and no doubt on the part of the people around me! My parents are still not over it! You can only imagine how difficult it is to not always have answers from the Lord. He sanctifies me year after year in learning to trust even when I can’t connect all the dots. It is at these times I have to lean on His sovereignty and believe in faith that He is faithful!
So, this morning in Numbers 10:1-10 I was reading about the institution of trumpets in the nation of Israel. Seems pretty straightforward at first glance but I was drawn into the four particular events that called for the “blowing of the trumpet.” I was interested to see how and when we hear the trumpet in our own lives. First, why a trumpet of all things? Why not a harp or something more pleasant to the ear? This reminded me that in fourth grade my son had to pick an instrument for band. He was, as any fourth grade boy, drawn to the instrument that would make the most noise and quickly drive his mother to think unwholesome words! In this case that would have been the trumpet! We quickly had a meeting of the minds and he was persuaded in the more useful benefits of the violin. (I will say as a side note, that there simply isn’t a single instrument out there that doesn't sound like nails on a chalkboard that first year!) So, needless to say, the trumpet tends to have a distinct, bright sound that can bring one to attention, or tears, very quickly! The harp kind of gives the impression that maybe you can take your own sweet time getting to the matter but the trumpet can definitely tweak the ears!! On that observation, I assume this is why the trumpet and not the harp or some other more soothing instrument.
The trumpet was used in four situations. First, to summon the people, get their attention or call them to gather together. The second, to set them out to march, in other words, “MOVE!” The third instance, as an alarm in battle to “remind God to secure the victory for them.” Last, during days of gladness, feasts, the first of the month and over certain offerings. Okay, stick with me, don’t lose it before the blessing...How does this relate to us? We don’t readily hear or blow literal trumpets these days. But! God uses scripture, people and circumstances to sound trumpets in our lives. What’s the application? Let’s briefly look at each situation one by one.
The first instance was to summon the people. In Israel the only people who could blow the trumpets were the priests. Today, that can apply to us as believers since the Bible tells us we are a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:5,9). We can “blow our trumpets” to summon people but to what? Well, let me pose this question: “As a believer what is the one thing you would want to summon people to?” The answer is two-fold. We want to summon people to their sin (Is. 58:1) and then summon them to Christ (Is. 27:13). This is our purpose in all that we do as believers so it is appropriate that this is first. God also uses His word to summon us, to warn us, to get our attention. We are to heed the sound of His word.
Second, the trumpet blows to set us on the move! There are times when we need to get on with what the Lord has called us to do (Jer. 6:16-17). We can make many excuses, procrastinate til the cows come home or until the Lord comes back but that doesn’t bring the Lord glory! The Lord can use the trumpet of scripture or the trumpet of circumstance to jolt us into action and call us to attention. When He does, let’s get going!
Third, the trumpet sounds to “remind God to secure our victory.” In truth God doesn’t need a reminder to secure the victory for us but we do! This is more about reminding us that we serve a God who has gone before us and who continues before us! This reminds us to fight mightily against sin and the things that so easily entangle. Can you think of the most recognized story concerning trumpets in the Bible (Joshua 6)? Does seven times ring a bell? Do you think the Israelites felt totally ridiculous marching around the walls of Jericho and blowing horns the first six days? No doubt but I guarantee they didn’t feel stupid standing among the rubble on day seven! God had secured the victory before the first trumpet even blew on day one - it just took until day seven to see the fullness of the plan. Even though our eternal victory is already secured in Christ, often times we lose the daily victory because we don’t wait for it by persevering through the difficult thing. Perseverance is always about enduring patience. Wait for it, thought it tarry, it will come. Maybe not now and maybe not here on earth but it will come, rest assured!
Fourthly, the trumpet blows to signify joy and delight in our service. I like to think of this as our heart attitude before the Lord as we carry out all that He has given us to do in life (Ps. 19:14). Admittedly, there are times when my trumpet is totally out of tune and doesn’t sound like joy or delight! It is then that the Lord reminds me that I need to “tune my heart to sing His grace!”
We are divine trumpet blowers. We sound the call through our lives as we choose joy and call others to the Lord. We are affected by the sound of the trumpet from others as well. The Lord strategically places people in our lives to move us, to remind us of His victory and to summon us to do the right thing. Mostly, He does this through His word. We are commanded to test all things by scripture so that we are not easily led astray by a trumpet that isn’t following the Composer.
I think it is appropriate to end with thoughts toward the final trumpet sound. The one that will summon us, call us to move, make our victory final and give us greatest delight. It says this in 1 Corinthians 15:52, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST trumpet; for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed!” Hallelujah!
Today, let’s examine our lives and the trumpets we are sounding. Let’s be diligent to summon people to Christ, let’s get on with the thing that God has called us to do, namely glorifying Him in everything being reminded that He secures our victory through Jesus Christ which brings us unspeakable joy in the song of our hearts!
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