Trumpets in the New Testament

1. General use of trumpets.
    

   1. Used for music - Revelation 18:22. (There will be no more trumpet music in "Babylon," after God's judgment.)
      
   2. Used to get attention - Matthew 6:2. (Don't do it, when you are giving to the needy.)
      
   3. Used as a signal - 1 Corinthians 14:8. (It must be clearly understood or the desired results will not occur.)

    

2. The sound of a trumpet that accompanied God's presence on Mt. Sinai (when the Law was given) - Hebrews 12:19. (See the context. Many other terrifying things also occurred.)

    

3. The trumpet-like voice that John heard (most likely Jesus speaking).
    

   1. John is commissioned to write about what he sees - Revelation 1:10.
      
   2. John is told to "come up here," to see what would happen in the future - Revelation 4:1.
    

4. Trumpets related to the dead being raised or to the elect being gathered. (See the NOTE at the end of this outline.)
    

   1. The elect will be gathered - Matthew 24:31. (Angels will be sent, accompanied by a loud trumpet call.)
      
   2. The dead will be raised - 1 Corinthians 15:52. (At the sounding of the last trumpet.)
      
   3. The dead in Christ will rise first - 1 Thessalonians 4:16. (With God's trumpet call; then the saved who are still alive will be caught-up together with them, to be with Jesus.)

    

5. The seven trumpet judgments. (See the NOTE at the end of this outline.)
    

   1. The trumpet judgments introduced - Revelation 8:2, 6.
      
   2. Trumpet #1 - hail and fire, mixed with blood, being hurled down upon the earth - Revelation 8:7.
      
   3. Trumpet #2 - a fiery mountain thrown into the sea - Revelation 8:8.
      
   4. Trumpet #3 - a fiery star falling from the sky - Revelation 8:10.
      
   5. Trumpet #4 - darkness (judgments affecting the sun, moon and stars) - Revelation 8:12.
      
   6. A warning about the last three trumpet judgments - they will be even worse -Revelation 8:13.
      
   7. Trumpet #5 - a fallen "star" who has a key to the abyss - Revelation 9:1.
      
   8. Trumpet #6 - four angels released at the Euphrates river - Revelation 9:13-14. (They were originally bound there.)
      
   9. Special note about Trumpet #7: When the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the "mystery of God" will be fulfilled - Revelation 10:7. (This refers to certain things God announced to the prophets, in the past.)
      
   10. Trumpet #7 - God takes over the world's kingdoms - Revelation 11:15.

    

6. NOTE: The exact relationship between the seven trumpet judgments and the trumpets associated with the dead being raised (or the elect being gathered) is not explicitly shown.
    

   1. The seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15: This trumpet announces major changes in the relationship between God and the world's kingdoms. It does not necessarily indicate the exact time that people will rise from the dead (or that the elect will be gathered). The "last trumpet call," mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52, is not necessarily the seventh trumpet call, mentioned in Revelation. (There may be other trumpet calls, not mentioned in Revelation.)
      
   2. The trumpet call in Matthew 24:31: There is some debate over whether the trumpet call mentioned in Matthew is the same as the one mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16. (Most tend to agree that the verses in 1 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians both refer to the same event.) To a great extent, one's perspective on whether or not the church will be taken out of the world prior to the end will strongly influence one's view on the relationship between these verses. (People who believe that the church will be taken out need to make a distinction between the Matthew passage and the other two verses.)

Dennis Hinks © 2001
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