The “Feasts”
Series
#3
"FEAST
OF TRUMPETS!"
TEXTS: Lev.
23:23-25; Num. 29:1-6; 10:1-10; Neh. 8:1-12;
1 Thess. 4:16-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-52
INTRO: The “Feast of Trumpets” was New Year's Day in Israel, today called
"Rosh
Hashanah." It was a day
for Israel to look forward and celebrate the future possibilities ... as well as
to rest from the past year of hard work and harvest! The mood was one of celebration.
It was a time for old wounds to
be healed, new hopes were born, the harvest was finished and collected ... the
people enjoyed the rest that came from finished responsibilities; this was the
order of the day and dreaming ahead! It was kicked off by blowing trumpets;
everyone within hearing distance would come to celebrate a new day … and a new
year!
ILLUS: God
is no distant deity but a constant reality, a very present help whenever needs
occur. So? So live like it. And laugh like it! [The apostle] Paul did. While he lived he drained every drop of
joy out of every day that passed. -- Charles
R. Swindoll in Laugh Again. Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no.
13.
PROP.SENT: The Word of God teaches us
that we are to rest in God's grace which is more than sufficient to deal with
our past ... and to celebrate the life in Christ we now have and into eternity,
to dream and be filled with the hopes of tomorrow and the walk of faith! Let the trumpets
blast!
I. REST Num. 29:1 Lev. 23:23-25 Neh. 8:1-12
A. New
Year! Num. 29:1 Lev. 23:23-25
1. The Trumpets called the attention
to all Israelites that a new time had begun!
a. All that were within hearing were
expected to stop everything and come together to celebrate the new
beginning!
b. This would herald a time of
focusing on "newness" and “rest” from the heavy responsibilities
of the fall harvest which were now over!
c. They were expected to not only
forget past failures, but to not continue relying on past successes ... it was
time to look forward!
2. The fruit of their past labors were
gathered in ... “rest” was the order
of the day and dreaming ... but not
sleepiness!
a. The fruit of their past year's
faithfulness was to be joy, humility, gladness etc.
b. This kind of “rest” resulted in lively celebration
rather than sleepiness!
c. It is like Paul's statement in
Philip. 3:12-14 "FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND
... I PRESS ON..." “rest,” with
activity!
ILLUS:
At
Harzburg in the Hartz mountains, we were awakened early in the morning,
according to an ancient custom, by the sound of a trumpet, which made us pray
that when the last trumpet sounds it may awaken us to an endless Sabbath. It would be wonderful if all hearts and
minds heard at the dawn of the Lord's day "the sound of a trumpet," so that
every faculty might be aroused to the highest activity of holy service. Sleepy hearing, praying, and singing are
terrible. Sleepy preaching and
teaching are worse, yet how common they are, and how many need the trumpet at
the ear! -- Charles
Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc,
1990)
B. New
You! Neh. 8:1-12
1. Several interesting events take
place in Ezra's and Nehemiah's day concerning the Feast of Trumpets:
a. Instead of being held at just the
Temple it was celebrated in the square ... a signal that this "NEW" life was to
be carried into the marketplace, not just at the house of
worship!
b. In Solomon's day the presence of
God appeared so powerfully in the Temple that the priests couldn't even be in
the Temple ... the people were brought to a place of worship and praise due to
the spectacular nature of God's glory in the Temple:
BUT HERE...
c. It is the reading of the Word of God that moves the people in the center of
the town square!
(1. The Christian life can certainly
appreciate the moving experiences of a demonstrative service,
but...
(2. The strength of our witness will
fall upon the Word being alive in our lives in the
marketplace!
d. Ezra read the Word of God for about
6 hours and explained the passages ... a long sermon; but notice Neh. 8:3b "they
listened attentively…" (13
men stood on the platform with him ... (Verse
4); while another 13 men walked through the crowd and helped explain the
Word to the people. (See Neh. 8:7) It is interesting to note that during the
6 hour sermon the people were standing!!
2. Notice the dynamics of this worship
setting: Neh. 8:5-12
a. First there was the blowing of the
trumpets ... to signal the start.
b. They all gathered together in one
place ... the square.
c. Ezra stood on a platform and opened
the Word of God ... upon which the people
stood in reverence for God's Word.
d. Ezra then praised the Lord in
prayer!
e. The people entered into that praise
with lifted hands and shouts of "AMEN,
AMEN!" (Sounds quite
Pentecostal at this point!)
f. Then they bowed down showing
humility and worshiped God!
g. The Word
of God was read and explained so all could
understand!
h. The people were convicted of their
sins because of the Word.
I. Nehemiah stands up and tells
the people to no longer weep or mourn ... it was a "new"
time ... God’s grace covered all, they were to celebrate now, not
weep!
ILLUS: If
there had been no fear of failure, neither would there be any joy in
success. -- Paul
Tournier, Leadership, Vol. 2, no. 1.
j. The people responded to this
grace of God by great joy and sharing portions of food with each other ...
sharing and generosity broke out ...
and a new strength for the New Year was ushered in!
3. It was a time to remind them of the
NEW people they were in a NEW year, even as we are a "NEW people in
a NEW age!"
II. RESPONSIBILITIES Num. 29:2-6;
10-1-10
A. Never
Yawning! Num.
29:2-6
1. This day of rest did not mean
slothfulness ... it was full of responsibilities!
a. So is grace! Though it is God's favor and His rest for
us from trying foolishly to work our sins off it still does not mean laziness, it means liveliness!
b. Though we rest ... we must not
sleep!
c. Resting would give them the
strength to serve, not to sleep!
d. Real biblical resting will not
make a person inactive ... but more active!
2. Numerous sacrifices were required
on this day ... real worship is impossible without real
sacrifices!
a. Because they could rest from their
works they could live out a life of righteousness!
b. Worship enabled them to work, just
as Adam’s first day was the Sabbath, and then he worked for 6 days
following. (Remember, Adam’s first
full day of existence was the 7th day, or the Sabbath … he started
life worshipping, then worked.
3. THE
POINT: Getting saved isn't all God
calls us to ... He also calls us to SERVE!
ILLUS: During
his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with
the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of
Representatives. One day in 1789,
the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives,
glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate
adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgement is either
approaching or it is not. If it is
not, there is no cause for adjournment.
If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be
brought."
Rather than fearing what is to
come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be
lights as we watch and wait. -- Henry
Heintz, Troy, New York. Leadership, Vol. 5, no.
2.
a. Every Christian is called to different
responsibilities and numerous sacrifices.
b. If God's rest
is not followed with responsibilities the Christian grows lazy and
indifferent ... and a spiritual weakness or tiredness slips in ... with a deep
lack of joy!
c. God wants "serving" saints, not “sleepy
ones!”
d. The whole purpose of REST is so
that you can be fresh to serve!
e. Rest in grace ... but don't sit
around yawning!
B. Needful
Yielding! Num.
10:1-10
1. The “Trumpets” would become an important part of
Israel's life ... sounded for different reasons, but always to get their
attention!
a. To gather them
for worship.
b. To gather them
for war!
c. To gather them
for the feasts.
d. To signal the
start or finish to something ... like marking off
time.
2. The sounds were different depending
on what the people were being called for ... it was imperative that they knew the
distinction between the calls so they could properly
respond!
a. Could you imagine the people responding to a
call to worship by showing up prepared for a fight! (*there are
people who do this today ... the call to worship on Sunday is an invitation for
them to fight with someone or carry a grudge!)
b. Imagine the call to war ... and
everyone showing up with a hymnal and their Sunday best, without responding to
the war blast they might come unprepared for battle ... and so lose
everything!
3. It is also noteworthy that God
gave the instructions for blowing the trumpet, but it was the peoples’
responsibility to choose to respond!
a. God
would call them into battle and promise them victory ... but they had to go and
march out to war and fight!
b. God won't make you yield to the
call ... His responsibility is to blow the trumpet ... too many hear God blow a
trumpet for worship and they are willing to respond ... but when He blows the
trumpet to fight they want to sit back and relax!
ILLUS: We
decided to let our three-year-old son record the message for our home answering
machine. The rehearsals went
smoothly: "Mommy and Daddy can't come to the phone right now. If you'll leave your name, phone number,
and a brief message, they'll get back to you as soon as
possible."
Then came the test. I pressed the record button and our son
said sweetly, "Mommy and Daddy can't come to the phone right now. If you'll leave your name, phone number,
and a brief message, they'll get back to you as soon as Jesus
comes." -- John G.
McFayden, Woodbridge, Virginia.
Christian Reader, "Kids of the Kingdom."
4. It is good to
respond to the trumpet to worship ... BUT we need people to respond to
the trumpet of service also!
a. If everyone stayed home when the
trumpet sounded for action ... they would be defeated!
b. Together however, they would be an
invincible force as they served
together in worship and
war!
5. All that was needed was a yielded
heart and body!
III. RESURRECTION 1 Thess. 4:16-18; 1 Cor.
15:51-52
A. Now
Yearning! 1 Thess.
4:16-18
1. We are waiting today for a great
trumpet blast ... how we yearn to hear it!
a. What a sound it will be ... like
the “Feast of Trumpets” it will call all
believers together ... for a time of celebration and
feasting!
b. It too will usher in the “New Year” of the Lord!
c. This will be one trumpet blast that
even the long dead saints of God will hear and respond to ... you won't be able
to keep a good saint down!
d. Instead of just a “New
Year” celebration it will be a "NEW LIFE
CELEBRATION!"
ILLUS: The
immense step from the Babe at Bethlehem to the living, reigning triumphant Lord
Jesus, returning to earth for his own people -- that is the glorious truth
proclaimed throughout Scripture. As
the bells ring out the joys of Christmas, may we also be alert for the final
trumpet that will announce his return, when we shall always be with
him. -- Alan
Redpath in The Life of Victory.
Christianity Today, Vol. 39, no. 14.
2. Let the TRUMPET
BLAST!!!!
B. Near?
YES! 1 Cor.
15:51-52
1. The Feast of Trumpets started with the sound of trumpets
... it meant the entire harvest period had ended ... all the harvest was
in!
a. Until then we must continue to
bring in the harvest ... the big celebration will come but now we need to
work!
b. This is what Jesus said, "LOOK ON THE
FIELDS THEY ARE RIPE TO HARVEST NOW ... PRAY FOR
LABORERS!"
2. The final trumpet blast will be
the final Feast of
Trumpets!
ILLUS: In
the Old Testament, under God's command, trumpets were used to call the princes
and the congregation together, to announce the journeying of the camps, and as
an alarm or notification device. Trumpets were also blown in the days of
Israel's "gladness," "set feasts," and over their sacrifices in the beginning of
their months (Num
10:1-6, Num 10:10).
I believe that it is in this sense
of gladness for the Church of Jesus Christ that this last trumpet will be blown.
Can there be any more joyous event
than this, when the dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible, and living
believers shall be similarly changed? The Lord's trumpet will call all
believers, dead and living, to join Him in possessing a glorious resurrection
body. – Source
Unknown
a. The prophecies in Scripture
indicate that we are nearing that time!
b. The harvest is truly
plentiful.
c. Laborers are DESPERATELY NEEDED
NOW!
d. Party time will come ... when the
trumpet blasts ... what a “New Year,” OR
BETTER A NEW ETERNITY FOR THE SAINTS will be ushered
in!
CONCLUSION:
The Word of God
proclaims God's grace ... His rest for us, and asks us to proclaim this rest to
others. Jesus’ soon return should
encourage us to reach as many as possible while there is yet time ... the final
Feast of Trumpets will soon be here, the
trumpet will blare! ... PRAISE
GOD!