Introduction
Many people in the Christian community have been caught up in Jerry Jenkins’ and Tim LaHay’s Left Behind series about the Tribulation period after the Rapture. I remind you that, even though they make interesting reading - and I have read all of them - these books are just the opinions of 2 writers about prophecy. I believe they are another way the Spirit is reminding us that Jesus is coming soon. But, we can also look at the signs of the times in the New Testament and see how everything is rapidly falling into place. Like a rewinding movie reel, the closer it gets to the end of the reel the faster it spins. The signs are spinning very fast today. I feel the Spirit urging the Bride to make herself ready and keep her eyes upon the Eastern Sky. I believe Gabriel is lickin’ his lips getting ready to sound that trumpet blast that will accompany Christ’s glorious return to earth.
Let’s look at 2 passages that will start our thinking on the Second Coming. Please follow as I read from Matthew 24:31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. I believe you’ll want to stand in reverence for God’s word.
I call this sermon "Gabriel is Lickin’ His Lips." I’m comparing it to a great oratorio of which God is both the Composer and Conductor and the whole universe responds to his directing. Therefore, I have 3 major points: The Trumpet Prelude, The Trumpet Voice, and The Trumpet Blast connected with the Second Coming of Jesus.
I. The Trumpet Prelude
In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus, "What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" Jesus gave them 7 bugle calls to prepare before the great trumpet sounds. You know what a bugle is, don’t you? It’s a trumpet picked while it’s still green! Let me quickly list those 7 signs of the times which will precede the coming of Christ and remind us how they are being fulfilled today. I’ll just give you the first references for those signs although other verses in Matthew 24 continue to describe them. You follow in Matthew 24.
1. THE MISLEADING SIGN mentioned in verses 4-5 predicts false prophets leading many people astray. For years preachers have warned Baptists not to follow the teachings of Joseph Smith and the Mormons or Judge Rutherford and his Jehovah’s Witnesses. We’ve preached against Mary Baker Eddy’s Christian Science religion and Rev. Sun Young Moon’s Unification Church of Moonies. We’ve warned of other cults including the Bahai’s, the Hari Krishnas, Scientology, Unitarians and Universalists, eastern gurus, and of world religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.
A few years ago, evangelists were quick to point out how Jim Jones fulfilled this prophecy when he led almost 1,000 people to commit suicide in Guyana and how the leader of Heaven’s Gates invited 36 people to follow a comet to another galaxy. But, the explicit fulfillment of this sign today can be seen in the many radical followers of Mohammed believing they will be rewarded for killing Christians and others they call infidels. Now the Hindus have jumped on the band wagon. Those who will starve rather than kill a sacred cow; those who will not swat a mosquito for fear they will slap someone’s grandmother have now published a list of 34 approved ways to torture or kill Christians.
2. THE MILITARY SIGN is introduced in verses 6-7a. We have already had the 2 great wars Jesus predicted when he said, "You shall hear of wars (plural)." But, notice that he said, "You shall hear..." Today, because of satellite communications, we’re hearing of new wars and fightings every day.
Generations have feared World War 3; but, people, we’re already in it! It’s unlike any other war we’ve ever fought. It’s a war with no boundaries and with invisible foes who strike without warning anywhere. Since 9-11, this war is being waged on our own shores as well as around the world. It’s a war that doesn’t play by the rules and respect the red cross of medical help, or the white flag of peace, or the blue helmets of the United Nations. That’s because Satan is the enemy General!
3. THE MORAL SIGN is listed in verses 8-9. This sign is fulfilled in the breakdown of morals, not only in America, but all over the world. We’re sheltered here in the Bible Belt where the last bastions of decency and common sense still struggle to hold on. But, the statistics say we’re losing the battle in America:
Pornography now nets over $40 billion a year selling 400 porno magazines openly.
The 3rd largest grossing industry in the US is illegal drug sales.
15 million alcoholics cause over half of our traffic deaths, and that number increases by 1500 every day.
Shoplifting losses net over $30 billion a year which is 400 times the amount stolen in all bank robberies.
Since Roe vs. Wade, America has seen over 40 million abortion murders of our children. We have only recorded 1.2 million deaths in all wars since the Revolutionary War.
Barna surveys report that 66% of all born-again Christians believe there is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. Rather, their decisions are based on what’s best for them. That percentage grows to 75% of all college students today.
George Barna also reports there is no difference in the divorce rate among Christian versus the world. In church or out, we still have over ½ of all marriages ending in divorce.
Never has there been such low morality, not even in the wild days of the Roaring 20’s!
4. THE MARRYING SIGN is introduced in verse 10. As I said, love has grown cold; and our vows under God mean nothing. Jesus predicted here that the last days would be like the time of Noah when people would get on and off the marriage-go-round. But, he also said in Luke 17 that it would be like the days of Lot. Preachers have told us the difference is that, in Lot’s days, marriage is not mentioned. However, now I can announce a similarity we’ve not known before: In Lot’s days, homosexuality was the accepted lifestyle! So, today we have people either living together without marriage or wanting their homosexual unions recognized. No one can deny that this sign is not fulfilled today.
5. THE MISSIONARY SIGN of verses 13-14 says the gospel will be preached all over the world. Charles Stanley announced last year that his In-Touch radio and TV ministry is now beamed by satellite into every country in the world! Southern Baptists alone have over 10,000 missionaries in 110 countries establishing an average of 10 new churches every day. Campus Crusade reports 9,800 new converts a day from viewing the "Jesus" film, which over 1/3 of the world has seen. And, millions have seen Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ."
6. THE MULTIPLYING SIGN of verses 15-22 predict that everything will multiply in the last days. The population will multiply. Evil will multiply and persecution against Christians will increase. The present rejection of Biblical marriage and Christian values fulfills this sign today. Frankly, I think Christians will be persecuted greatly before Christ comes. That’s the way it was in the days of Noah and Lot!
The Bible says earthquakes and world-wide calamities will increase. Did you know there is an earthquake every day somewhere in the world? And, after the Rapture, tribulation judgments will multiply to call the world’s attention to God and the fulfillment of Scripture.
7. THE MESSIANIC SIGN is in verses 29-31. All over the world Christians are rallying and crying, "Maranatha; come, Lord Jesus!" There are more songs and sermons about the Second Coming than ever before. One day soon the sign of the Son of Man will appear.
I don’t think "sign" here means a blazing cross in the sky as the Left Behind authors wrote. Nor do I think the world will be conducting business as usual when Jesus starts his descent! Jesus, himself, is the sign or ensign of our redemption. The angel announcing his first coming to the shepherds said, "This shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the babe...lying in a manger." The Baby was the sign of God’s love, just as Jesus is the sign we look for above all else.
So, you can see there is no sign that has to be fulfilled before Jesus comes. The stage is set today. Because of the trumpet preparation, I believe Gabriel is lickin’ his lips! But, actually there will be 2 trumpet sounds to announce Christ’s coming. The trumpet voice will be heard before the trumpet blast.
II. The Trumpet Voice
1. The Rapture Solo.
According to 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, and Revelation 4, the first trumpet sound Christians will hear will actually be the trumpet voice of Jesus at the Rapture. John plainly says in Revelation 4:1 that it is Jesus whose voice is like a trumpet, who will call the saved to "Come up hither." First Thessalonians 4:16 calls it the "trump of God." Therefore, when the Church is raptured, it will not be an angel, but our blessed Lord, himself, who will take us to his home.
When his trumpet voice sounds, the spirits of those we call dead, who have been with Jesus, will return to enter their bodies and come forth from the dust, the sea, or the fire - wherever their remains are. Jesus knows where every molecule is! They will then be made whole with immortal bodies that will never perish again. Then, we who are saved and alive on earth will suddenly become invisible to the world and be caught up to meet them in the air. Then, the nursery motto will come true: "We shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed!"
2. The Rapture Duet.
First Corinthians 15 in the King James correctly records the rapture duet, because the Greek can be translated either "grave" or "death": Those who are alive will sing, "O, death, where is thy sting?" and those who were dead will echo back, "O, grave, where is thy victory?" These are the Moses and Elijah crowds. Moses was dead and buried by the angels, but Elijah was taken up alive. Both Moses and Elijah were seen at the Transfiguration and will return to witness to the Law and the Prophets’ testimony that Jesus fulfilled all they require.
This is when, I believe, the Judgment Seat of Christ will assign our rewards and jobs for eternity. Then, the Bible promises, "So shall we ever be with the Lord." I don’t understand all the prophecies about the Millennium. Scholars wonder if we’ll be on the earth or in the satellite Holy City, but wherever Jesus is - that’s where I’ll be, and that’s good enough for me! While the Tribulation of God’s wrath is poured out on a sinful world, we’ll be celebrating the Marriage Feast of the Lamb!
III. The Trumpet Blast
1. The Crescendo.
The trumpet voice will be the first sound we hear at the Rapture of the Church. But, at the end of our 7 year Marriage Feast, we’ll hear the trumpet blast of the angel, Gabriel. Matthew 24:31 says the angels will gather his elect from the four corners of the earth. That’s talking about those people who have been saved mostly by the witness of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists preaching the gospel. They’ll escape the wrath of the AntiChrist and experience their Rapture at that time. The saints in Heaven will also be rounded up. We’ll mount our white horses to form a grand processional with the armies of Heaven.
2. The Finale.
We all like a big finale, but look at God’s finale: The clouds will burst asunder; the heavens will roll up as a scroll; the stars will fall from the sky; the moon will turn to blood, and the sun will hide it’s face. The earth will be quaking, rocking, and burning. Evil men will cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them as Jesus comes in clouds of glory. My, how we ought to love cloudy weather! Every time it clouds up, it should remind us to look for Jesus!!
Revelation 10 and 11 describe the victory cry of Gabriel as he stands with one foot on the land and one foot on the sea claiming the earth for Jesus. Then, he will lick his lips and blow that great trumpet blast that will announce the return of the King to take his rightful throne.
Conclusion
Don’t let the 2 trumpet sounds confuse you. Remember, the Bible describes a fast coming in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as the lightning flashes from the east to the west. This is the Rapture, when the Trumpet Voice of Jesus will call his beloved home. You don’t want to be left behind! But, the Bible also describes a slow coming. A great procession will wind it’s way down from Heaven and, as the earth turns, every eye shall see him and the wicked will wail because they’re not ready to meet him. Oh, they’d all get saved then, if they could; but their decision will be locked in for eternity. This is what we call the Second Coming, the Glorious Appearance of Jesus.
The Battle of Armageddon will follow as Satan’s hoards challenge the coming Christ. But, we won’t have to fight - Jesus has always fought our battles for us! I’m glad because I’m basically a coward when it comes to fighting! Jesus will say the word and the sword proceeding from his mouth will annihilate his enemies. Their spirits will be sent to Hell while the earth will be renewed in Paradise as we reign with our Lord for our 1,000 year honeymoon. After that, the dead will be brought back from Hell and consigned to an eternal Lake of Fire at the Great White Throne Judgment of Jesus. And, that final punishment is so awful we couldn’t stand to have a description of it - so, we’re only told in Revelation 14:11, "The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever - literally, "unto the eternities of eternity." The saved will enter that blessed, holy city we call the New Jerusalem on a new earth and heaven where we’ll see our Heavenly Father face to face and serve our blessed Jesus for eternity without end.
So, my friends, I must preach this message over and over again as I see the signs unfolding. You should, also! You need to be sure of your commitment to Jesus as Lord and you need to warn your family and friends that they don’t have much time. I believe Gabriel is lickin’ his lips, and Jesus is coming soon. Let me ask you, "Will you be in that number, when the saints go marching in?"
