Why Should Christians Celebrate the Feast of Trumpets? The Feast of Trumpets: Alarm of War, Announcement of Peace. Update. RIP

Why Should Christians Celebrate the Feast of Trumpets?

Friday evening, Sept. 18th. 2020 started the Feast of Trumpets, so it was a double Sabbath on Saturday, because it was the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

“Prophecies of the end time include trumpet plagues and the return of Jesus Christ at the last trump. What does the Feast of Trumpets mean for Christians today?

Philipp Reiner/Unsplash

Christ's return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet

The fourth festival of God (after Pentecost) is the Feast of Trumpets (or a "memorial of blowing of trumpets," Leviticus 23:24-25), which falls in September or October. This festival is called Rosh Hashanah by the Jews today. Ancient Israel understood that trumpets were used as a way of announcing special, very important messages (Numbers 10:1-10).

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals that before His return to the earth, there will be the blowing of seven trumpets, announcing progressive stages of the downfall and overthrow of this world's kingdoms, ending with the return of Christ to take possession of the earth. Christ's return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet (Revelation 8:2; Revelation 11:15). This day also pictures the time when faithful Christians will be resurrected to eternal life at the time of the seventh trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16) to reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6).

Interestingly, it was around this time of year that Jesus was born—not in the dead of winter (see "Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25"). And the fall feast season represents the time when Jesus Christ will come to the earth again to reign in glory.

The remaining fall feast days describe steps in the establishment of the prophesied Kingdom of God on earth and judgment of humanity after Christ's return. The Feast of Trumpets is followed by the Day of Atonement.   For more information, please read our booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.”

From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-should-christians-celebrate-the-feast-of-trumpets

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The Feast of Trumpets: Alarm of War, Announcement of Peace

“Trumpets are used as signals of important events, and the Bible describes earthshaking end-time events that are pictured by the Feast of Trumpets.

The first three festivals, Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost, reenact events that have already taken place and are ongoing in the lives of Christians. The last four festivals listed in Leviticus 23 preview dramatic future events in God’s plan of salvation. All four festivals occur during the fall harvest season in the Holy Land.

The fall festivals begin with the Feast of Trumpets. Trumpets are used as signals of important events, and the Bible describes earthshaking end-time events that are pictured by this festival.

Trumpet plagues

The book of Revelation lists seven terrible plagues announced by seven trumpets (Revelation 8-11). These plagues will come in the times just ahead of us because of humanity’s sins. Consider the sixth trumpet and its announcement of a 200-million-man army preparing for a battle that will kill a third of humanity (Revelation 9:16-18). In spite of these punishments, human leaders and their subjects will continue to pursue selfish and ungodly goals and sins (Revelation 9:20-21).

Thankfully, the seventh trumpet also heralds good news: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15).

Finally Jesus Christ will intervene in world affairs to stop humanity from self-destruction (Matthew 24:21-22). He will then begin to establish His long-promised utopian Kingdom of God.

The first resurrection to eternal life

At Jesus Christ’s return another incredible event will occur. The apostle Paul announced it this way:  “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Paul also made clear that this would occur when Jesus Christ was returning (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

The Feast of Trumpets focuses on these pivotal events that signal the end of human rule and the establishment of God’s wonderful Kingdom on earth.

Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19 recount the final battle when the evil end-time “beast” and other world leaders try to fight the returning Christ. They will prove no match to our all-powerful Messiah, and the stage will be set for the fifth step in God’s plan, pictured by the Day of Atonement.”           CONTINUE READING   From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/feast-of-trumpets/?

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Update.

Oh!  Whatever next!  My sweet little cat decided she wanted to taste what I was drinking and knocked my water glass over my cell phone.  I didn’t realize what she had done   because the placemat on my bedside table had soaked it up, so I turned on my phone, wondering why it had turned itself off.  Then when it didn’t act right, I started to investigate.  It has to be charged constantly for me to even use it, and so I ordered a battery for it, which hasn’t arrived yet, and another phone. 

The phone arrived but it is a Smart phone, and it is so smart that I don’t even know how to turn it on.  The instructions are in a tiny little book that I can’t even read with a magnifying glass, so I will have to look for them online and print them out.  But I am going to wait until the battery arrives for my old phone so that I can copy my contacts list into my computer in case any important ones get lost.

On Wednesday the foot doctor gouged the corns out of the bottom of my feet.  The last time a podiatrist that did it to me, he was so quick and dexterous that I didn’t even feel it, but this time she dug and dug and made my foot bleed. But it does feel a lot better, I don’t feel like I have sharp rocks in my shoes anymore. Now at least my several trips to get the laundry done in the club house, or shopping, doesn’t hurt.

As usual on Friday morning, June, Cherry and I went through the study book in preparation for the Sabbath School the next day, and June went with us to church. Everyone participates in that, even those who are joining us on Zoom through the laptop and TV at the church.   We always have a good time at Sabbath School, and we enjoy being there.  We just stayed for the Sabbath School because Cherry can’t sit for very long, and the sermon was going to be on FaceBook anyway.

The Sabbath started out being a happy day until my daughter phoned, thankfully I have a landline too, and said that her sweet 87 year old father-in-law had died. Though it was a relief really, because his quality of life had really declined.  Now she will be alone, still partially handicapped from her accident, during the day.

The Lessons We Didn’t Learn From 9/11. Is America Mentioned in the Bible? Upate.

The Lessons We Didn’t Learn From 9/11

“Today a brand-new World Trade Center stands in the spot where wreckage smoldered 19 years ago. We’ve rebuilt, but what have we learned?

I was 11.

Mr. Dean and Mr. Blackwell had a clunky old CRT television mounted to the wall in the corner of their shared classroom. It was silver, I think, and had a VHS player.

We were in the middle of a lesson when a teacher rushed in and turned on the TV. There was smoke rolling out of a building I’d never seen before. People were panicked. They were saying someone had flown a plane into a building.

It was … surreal. I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it. How could I? I lived in America. America. That sort of thing didn’t happen here. It happened in other countries, or in movies, or … somewhere that wasn’t here.

Memorializing 9/11 while forgetting the lesson

For the United States, 9/11 was the day the world stopped turning—the day we were reminded that, yes, that sort of thing can happen here. That we are vulnerable. That we can bleed.

Four years ago, I visited the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum with my wife and parents. One of the larger exhibits focused on the events and aftermath of 9/11. There, in a circular room, stood a warped and twisted support beam salvaged from the wreckage of one of the towers. Screens set into the wall were playing time-stamped news footage on a continuous loop—the same footage I had watched in my sixth-grade classroom 19 years ago.

There’s a new World Trade Center now. It’s taller, more impressive and more imposing than before. One of the new support beams bears an inscription from President Obama: “We remember, we rebuild, we come back stronger!” But that gnarled beam in the presidential library was a sobering reminder:

It happened.

We can rebuild, but we can’t undo. We can come back stronger, but not invincible. We can remember what happened, but still forget the lesson.

Could something like 9/11 happen again?

For an extremely brief window of time, the collapse of the World Trade Center towers prompted many Americans to reexamine their lives and ask some probing questions. But it didn’t last. After 9/11, Gallup reported that church attendance in the U.S. jumped from 41 percent to 47 percent. Less than two years later, that percentage was down to 38 percent. Last year it hovered around 34 percent, with 79 percent of Americans agreeing that religion is losing its influence on American life.

For an extremely brief window of time, the collapse of the World Trade Center towers prompted many Americans to reexamine their lives and ask some probing questions. But it didn’t last. The effect faded with the shock, and nothing since then has left enough of an impact to replicate it. We’ve had mass shootings, we’ve had political and civil unrest, we’ve faced multiple moral issues contentious enough to divide the nation into staunch, unyielding camps—but through it all, our nation’s churches have only become emptier and emptier.’    Continue Reading at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/15-years-later-looking-back-on-9-11/?

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Is America Mentioned in the Bible?

“I just got off the phone with a friend from Portland, Oregon. He was describing to me the extent of the wildfires that are raging out of control in that state. You may have seen the pictures of reddish orange skies from the many fires, smoke and ash. Last night I heard one commentator call the scenes “apocalyptic.” That’s biblical language!

On top of the riots and political unrest in the country we still battle such natural disasters. It raises the question, “What is God saying to the nation?” Bible prophecy shows God does send waves of warning upon a nation before judgment falls upon it. Is that what we are seeing from God? Are we seeing warnings of a coming time of judgment?

Many students of the Bible have asked, “Is America mentioned in the Bible?” The answer is no, not directly by name. But when you look at the warnings to turn and obey God or face a time of trial and judgment, you realize the message of the Bible applies to all nations, but especially to America because it has been blessed by God. America has been blessed with the physical promises God made to Abraham. America has been great because God made America great.

This adds deeper meaning to all history for all people. It gives not only understanding but hope. It draws you deeper to the Word of Truth that God gave, "That God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life." God has not only fulfilled the spiritual promise through Christ but also the physical part of the promises as well. The two are part of the true gospel of God. We may say that we are a nation trusting in God but the reality is that we are far from a nation truly under God living by God's teachings.

What should you do? 

You should do what Scripture says to do. You should save yourselves from this crooked generation (Acts 2:40). It may be too late for America but it's not too late for you. You can do something. You can turn to God. Pray to him, ask Him questions, thank Him for the blessings in your life and tell him about the things that worry you.

There's a passage from the 18th chapter of the book of Ezekiel where the prophet records the words of God to the nation of Israel. It has bearing upon our time and our people today. In verse 26 it says, "When the righteous man turns from their righteous behavior and starts doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. And if the wicked people turn from their wickedness," God says, "Obey the law and do what is just and right, they will save their lives… Oh people of Israel, repent. Turn from your sins. Don't let them destroy you. Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, oh, people of Israel? I don't want you to die," says the Sovereign Lord, "turn back and live." 

This is what God wants! And it is a decision that you and I can make.

A recent Beyond Today program asks the question, “Has God Given Up on America?” (YouTube:  https://youtu.be/oUrg8PhCakg )    I think you will find this program compelling in light of what we are currently experiencing in our land. I hope you will take a moment to watch it.”    From:  https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?e=72c729d811&u=1d04480cefc2e7c4492fe4a04&id=788a418aa4

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Update.

Like most folks, I remember 9/11 very well.   My Johnnie was in his last days, but sick as he was, he was appalled.  What we were watching that morning was unbelievable.   It wasn’t long after that, that he didn’t really know what was going on around him, he died of cancer, eight weeks later.  But we will never forget…..

Another trip to the doctor here in Navasota to get a referral to see a podiatrist to get corns removed from the bottom of my feet.  I don’t know why I get them, but I have to get really thick foam insoles from Dollar Tree so that it doesn’t me hurt to walk.  I need to walk more, I have put on about 4 pounds.

My central AC did it’s thing again, or rather it didn’t, because it quit working. I had turned it off so that cold air wouldn’t blow on my newly washed hair, but then it wouldn’t turn back on again. I tried and tried to make it turn on but had to call the office.  At least we have a maintenance man again, and he checked the thermostat.  But with a lot of moving the switch back and forth, he got it going again, and has ordered a new thermostat.  Next time I wash my hair I will just move the temperature, not turn the system off.

A new neighbor moved in across the walkway to my apartment.  Boy, when I moved in I was teased for having so much stuff, but she beat me.  She introduced herself and we started talking, so it was soon discovered that we are both Sabbath keepers.  She said she wanted to go to Sherry’s on Friday morning and join our Sabbath school study in preparation for the study with the congregation the following day.  Neither Sherry nor I had a spare current study book, so I texted the ladies from the church who were handing out veggies and fruits at an apartment complex not far from ours, they do that every other Wednesday, to see if any of them had one in their vehicle.  No, no one had one, so I helped them distribute the food, and then followed them back to the church to get the study book. 

So, on Friday morning my new neighbor, June, and I walked down to Sherry’s and we went over this week’s study together.  On the Sabbath, I tried to get the Zoom thing going on my computer for the Sabbath School, but it didn’t do right, so the three of us went over to the church in my van and participated there.  The church is only 1.2 miles away.  June said that she enjoyed it and it was very interesting. There was a laptop hooked up to a TV so we could all see the others on Zoom.  Things are loosening up here, and there were more folks at church today.

Why Can’t We Get Along? Communitarian Justice. Update.

Why Can’t We Get Along?

“Our world seems more divided than ever before. We’re seeing family division, violence and hatred. Why can’t we all just get along?

Why is everyone seemingly at each other’s throats right now? With so many outlets of expression (texting, Facebook, Twitter and so on), many are constantly letting everybody else know what they think and what others should think. When somebody disagrees with somebody, or everybody disagrees with somebody, or everybody disagrees with everybody (which seems to be what we have now)—watch out!

This can cause serious rifts in families and friendships, erupt into violence and public attacks, and destroy reputations and careers. Basically it results in all-around misery for everyone.

Why is this happening?

Let’s look at three reasons: pride, partiality and hypocrisy.

Pride

Pride, an unrealistic and elevated view of ourselves and our opinions, can affect how we think on such a deep level that we often don’t even know it’s there.

Consider the following examples of pride, and how it is causing so many arguments and misery between people.

• Pride of intelligence and knowledge: feeling like one knows more than someone else about an issue (which may or may not be true) and adopting a condescending attitude toward the other.
• Pride of appearance: having a sense of greater worth based on how one looks.
• Pride of race: thinking that skin color makes one inherently superior to someone of a different color.
• Pride of station: believing that one’s career, education, financial status, social status and so forth make one better than someone else. 
• Pride of spirituality: considering that one’s self-perceived righteousness is superior to that of others. 
• Pride of experience: believing that one’s experiences are more valid for making one’s perspectives closer to objective truth than someone else’s.

There are many more examples, leading to many more catastrophic interactions between human beings. The Bible tells us that pride disconnects us from God, but humility draws us closer to Him (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Likewise, pride also divides us from each other, but humility will bring us closer together.

Partiality

We all have preferences, making us all partial to different flavors, music, interests, entertainment and even personality traits. However, when we become partial in our dealings with other human beings, that’s when sharp division sets in.

Take, for instance, some of these examples of partiality:

• Partiality in justice: “I have more money to defend myself in court and more connections to get myself out of jams.”
• When we become partial in our dealings with other human beings, that’s when sharp division sets in.Partiality in outrage: “This horrible thing is okay because it’s being done by people I agree with, but I can’t stand it when this other horrible thing is done by people I disagree with.”
• Partiality in values: “This really important thing is not so important to me, but this other really important thing is.”
• Partiality in history: “We don’t need to know the messy parts of our history, just what enables us to feel good about ourselves.”
• Partiality in opportunities: “Wealthy people deserve more opportunities than poor people.”
• Partiality in facts: “I like these facts, but these other ones that clearly contradict them should be ignored.”

One of the truly great things about God is that He shows no partiality (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). He judges perfectly and without partiality (Deuteronomy 1:17) and views people without partiality (James 2:1-13). When partiality is present, there will always be conflict and fighting over fairness and the truth.

Hypocrisy

Jesus Christ, in Matthew 23, gives several scathing rebukes of hypocrisy to the religious leaders of His time, and for all time. Using some of these specific examples, we can see how hypocrisy is alive and well—and making us argue with each other all the time.

Consider just a few of the many ways we see hypocrisy in our world today:

Business dealings:

• Defending greed and selfish ambition inherent in driving the economy, but decrying those abusing welfare.
• Defending illegal behavior and lack of personal responsibility as people having no choice, but denouncing mistreatment of the poor by the wealthy.

Moral issues:

• Defending the biblical principles against sinful behavior, but secretly practicing the same sins.
• Defending poor moral behavior in someone we agree with, but condemning the poor moral behavior in someone we disagree with.

Hypocrisy makes us angry and distrustful of each other because it never feels as if we are getting straight talk or being respected.

Knowing is half the battle

What pride, partiality and hypocrisy share in common is that they are all spiritual and character issues. Just as we can all be susceptible to these sins subtly creeping into our lives, we can all strive to avoid them. Pride, partiality and hypocrisy are definitely not the only ingredients in the stew of hatred and division that is brewing to a boil right now, but they are huge factors.

It’s as if we’re dealing with a disease that has taken over our minds, so let’s start dousing pride with humility, partiality with fairness, and hypocrisy with genuineness.” From: From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/why-cant-we-get-along/?

For more insight on pride, read “Three Ways Pride May Be Infecting Us All” and “Overcoming Pride.”

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Communitarian Justice

Deuteronomy 16:18 – Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

“Anarchy and vigilantism are expressly prohibited by God’s Law. There must be judges and officers in the gates of every community. No criminal case can proceed legitimately without the involvement of the duly elected or appointed judiciary. How exactly these men or women are to be appointed is not specified, however the command is addressed to the community as a whole. Presumably a king or governor could appoint whomever he wills. If he does not, however, the community must still ensure the post is occupied.

There is at least one situation in which a course of action that appears on the surface to be vigilante is appropriate. This option should only be exercised in the most rare and extreme cases.

If the community refuses to appoint officers or cannot agree on which men to appoint, then individuals who already legitimately possess some other claim to authority must sometimes appoint themselves.

This is essentially the right of the kinsman redeemer extended to the entire community. There is biblical precedence: Pinchas, who was already a priest, appointed himself an officer of the court when he killed Zimri and Cozbi. Judgment had already been passed and executed on the guilty, but their blood had barely cooled when Zimri blatantly committed the very same crimes. A trial was hardly necessary as all the judges were witnesses to the deed. To stop a plague that was sweeping the camp, Pinchas immediately carried out the sentence already given.

Centuries later, Saul was neglecting his responsibilities in enforcing justice in his own lands and defending the border against the Philistines, so David, who had been anointed by Samuel as Saul’s successor, appointed himself judge.

These exceptions are not blanket authorization to engage in vigilantism or mob justice. In each case, the one who acted was acting to save lives and preserve the nation. Our God is a god of order and authority. He commanded that we create a justice system with a hierarchy of courts and that we obey the rulings of our courts. Every crime must be proved by multiple witnesses and a thorough investigation. All of this means that lynching and rioting are anathema to God’s standards of justice.” From: http://www.americantorah.com/2012/08/19/communitarian-justice/

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Update.

By Monday, I wanted to hurry up and get the blood tests done on Evie, my cat,  to find out what is wrong with her.  I called for an appointment at a vet here in Navasota, so I wouldn’t have to make the long drive to Brenham for our appointment two days later.  It was more expensive but I didn’t want to put Evie, or me, through that long drive in the heat of the afternoon.  I always worry, “What if I have a flat”, what would I do on the side of the road with no shade and a cat?  I am just not used to driving miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles!

At the vet, she was very good while getting blood drawn from her arm, and it took 20 minutes for the results.  It isn’t diabetes, it is hyperthyroidism.  The vet said that it was great that I realized that there is something wrong with her so soon after getting her, and he said “Just feed her plenty of good quality wet food, no dry, and keep her happy”.  He didn’t prescribe anything.  So I loaded up on more cans of Wellness at Tractor Supply. 

This is why she was waking her previous people up in the night, she needed food. It doesn’t bother me, I get up at least once a night anyway, so I feed her then.  I have a recipe for making feline raw food, but I don’t have all the supplements that have to be mixed in it yet.  Feeding people food to a cat doesn’t have all they need, nor a dog.

I trapped one more scroungy-looking stray cat and got him to the shelter. He had to be taken away from these senior apartments because he was scratching people.  Thank goodness this one didn’t give us any trouble getting him out of the trap and into their cage, not like the last one.  That one, a female, got loose in the shelter office and it took several people to catch her, poor thing, she was terrified.

My church neighbor and I went over the study for the Sabbath School on Friday, and we both enjoyed studying it again, with a few more from the congregation, at the church the next day.