Hearken to the sound of the Trumpet
Jeremiah 6: 16/17
In the beginning of chapter six, the city of Jerusalem was under no apparent danger; they saw no cloud gathering, everything looked safe and secure; but the prophet tells them they will shortly be invaded by a foreign power from the north, and to be ready.
In verses sixteen and seventeen the voice of the Lord spoke saying, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said we will not walk therein.” Then the Lord spoke saying, “I set watchmen over you saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said we will not hearken.”
The children of Benjamin had been warned to flee Jerusalem because of the evil that appeared in the north, yet the people would not hearken. Are you aware that listening to the sound could mean the difference between good and evil between life and death? There are sounds that bring deliverance and victory, and there are sounds that bring destruction.
God has placed within us the five senses; which gives us the ability to see, taste and to touch to smell and to hear. Think about the everyday sounds that we are challenged by. There are sounds of music, the sound of the church bell ringing, the sound of a piano out of tune, the sound of a fast moving train, and the sound of a police car as it races down the street.
There is the sound of a whistle blowing, the sound of a baby crying, the sound of falling rain, an uncertain sound or the silent sound. The crowing of the rooster at the break of dawn and the list goes on and on. Listening to the sound could be to your advantage.
In the book of 2 Samuel chapter five, we read that David had been anointed king over Israel at the age of thirty years, the Philistines army knew of his reputation as a warrior, and when they heard that he had been anointed king, they came in search of David.
David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against Philistines?” The Lord spoke saying, “Thou shalt not go up; but set up a camp and compass around behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. When you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, make yourself ready and know that the Lord God has gone out before you.”
My friend it is important that we listen for the sound. How many times have we failed to heed the warning signal and have paid the ultimate price?
Do you remember when Elijah, the prophet of God who challenged the prophets of Baal? It’s recorded in the book of First Kings chapter eighteen. Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call on the name of your gods and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answers by fire let him be God.” And all the people answered and said, “It is well.”
Elijah told the prophets of Baal to choose a bullock and dress and put no fire under it, and you call on the name of your gods. They called from morning even until noon, saying O Baal, hear us, but there was no voice that answered them.
Elijah mocked them, and said, cry aloud for your god may be on a journey or perhaps he is asleep and you need to awake Him. They cried aloud, and cut themselves with knives and the blood gushed out upon them.
Elijah said unto the people, come near and he took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. When Elijah began to pray the hearts of the people was turned toward God, and the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the sacrifice.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; saying the Lord He is the God; the Lord He is the God. Then Elijah spoke unto Ahab saying, “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
Elijah heard the sound of a noise of rain. To those who are in need of rain there is no greater sound. Whether it’s the natural rain or a spiritual outpouring, the sound is welcomed. There is a chorus that says, “We need the rain Lord, we need the rain we need the latter rain.” So we will listen for the sounds of your moving.
When Jesus went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people followed Him, and there was a man that sat by the highway side begging. His name was Bartimaeus, and he was blind, yet when he heard, when he heard [the sound of the people] that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out saying, “Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me.”
When Jesus talked to Nicodemus about being born again, He said, “The blows where it wills, and you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell whence it comes or whither it goes; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
In the book of Acts chapter two, beginning with verse one, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing might wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
The sound was as of a rushing mighty wind; it was not a wind, but like one; and the noise it made, was like the rushing noise of a strong and boisterous wind. The spirit of God is sometimes compared to the wind, because of its force and the freeness of His presence; as He works when and where, and on whom he pleases.
John the Revelator was on the Isle called Patmos said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice as a trumpet.” Saying, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.”
John turned to see the voice that spoke to him, and when he turned he saw seven golden candlesticks. In the midst of the seven candlesticks he saw one like unto the Son of man. His head and his hair was white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice was as the sound of many waters. And when I saw him, he said, “I fell at his feet as dead.”
But the Lord said, “Fear not I am the first and the last; I am he that lived, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” I ask you, whose voice are you listening to? What sound is impacting your life? I am convinced that every man marches to the beat or the sound of some rhythm.
One of these days in the not to distance future there will be the sounding of a trumpet, a call for God’s children to come home. Paul said, “We shall all be changed, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Are you listening for the sound of the trumpet? Ready or not He’s coming.
