Dec 1990 - Q & A

The trump of God (l Thes.4:16)

The last trump (1 Cor. 15:52)

Great sound of a trumpet(Mat. 24:31)

The seventh angel (trumpet) sound(Rev. 11:15)

In the interests of consistency of interpretation, do these scriptures feature one final trumpet sound associated with the coming of Christ?

The subject of trumpets and their sounding is one of great interest in Scripture. It should be noted firstly that the blowing of trumpets in Scripture is often associated with an ingathering of God's people at various points in His dealings with men and nations. This includes the historical and prophetic significance of the feast of trumpets of Israel (Lev. 23:24). Of the four scriptures quoted by the questioner, the first two refer without doubt to the Lord's coming to the air for His Church - a glorious and historic in-gathering indeed of the believers of this dispensation of grace. Matthew 24 specifically tells us that the trumpet sound referred to there follows the Great Tribulation; while that of Revelation 11:15 is associated there with the Lord's return in power and judgement when, "the kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ". Whether the latter two trumpet sounds co-incide exactly it would not be possible to say with finality, but both belong to that, later stage of the Lord's return, after the rapture of the Church. Of course, this suggested scenario depends on the understanding that the Lord's coming to the air for the Church (1 Thes. 4) is separated from His return in power and glory by the events of "Daniel's seventieth week". I do not see any problem of "consistency of interpretation" associated with regarding the trumpets of 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 as referring to a different occasion from those of Matthew 24 and Revelation 11.

unknown | Dec 1990
Question And Answer