| Some Feast of Trumpets Meditations |
| by Lee Ann Sanders |
The Feast of Trumpets is one of the Feasts that picture a promise
and hope of eternal life with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It celebrates
the Second Coming of Christ, who will intervene in this world of evil, resurrecting
the firstfruits and establishing the fulness of the Kingdom of God on this
earth. It represents the sounding of the last trump, at which our physical
bodies will be changed to spiritual bodies (I Cor. 15:51-54). At that time,
as Jesus said,
For years, our focus on the Feast of Trumpets has been this future hope.
There is great encouragement in knowing that we will be part of the resurrection,
awakening from sleep in the grave to finally be with our Savior throughout
eternity. But there is also a ``here and now'' part of the symbolism of
this Feast, a resurrection that we have already experienced. Here I would
like to touch on this present aspect of what the Feast of Trumpets represents.
At some time in the past, we have all been ``dead in trespasses and sins''
(Eph. 2:1). Then God, in His great love and mercy, calls out to us with
the trumpet of the gospel. We are then ``quickened [i.e., made alive] with
Christ'' (vv. 4-5; see also Col. 2:13). In baptism our old lives are buried,
and we are raised up to walk in the newness of life in Christ (Rom. 6:3-5;
Col. 2:12). Jesus comes into our hearts through the Holy Spirit and changes
us; we become spritually-minded instead of carnally-minded (Rom. 8:5-10).
We cannot please God or even be His if we stay in the physical mindframe. But if we become spiritually-minded, we have life and peace. Once we submit to Him and follow Him in our lives, we not only enter into His future Kingdom-we have His Kingdom in our lives now because He lives in us through the Holy Spirit (see e.g. Luke 10:9-11). As we come in contact with others, the presence of God's Kingdom is then evident in our lives, producing love, peace, and encouragement. In the future, we will reign with Christ as kings and priests (Rev. 5:10); but already now, we are His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) and a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9).
Having been called, it is important that we desire Jesus' word and continue
to hear His voice. The flock of our Good Shepherd includes those who know
and heed His voice (John 10:3-4, 27). We should not harden our hearts,
as our ``old man'' did and as many of the ancient Israelites did (Heb. 4:7;
12:19: 25-26). We have been changed, and so sin should no longer reign over
us (Rom. 6:11-13). After being raised to a new life, we should not fall
back asleep (I Thes. 5:6-8; Rom. 13:11; I Cor. 15:34; Eph. 5:14).
We who are now spiritual can truly appreciate what Christ has done by calling us and changing us now through His Holy Spirit. Understanding the present significance of the Feast of Trumpets, we can look forward all the more to its future fulfillment at the Last Trump, when we will hear His voice once more and rise from the dead to reign eternally with our Lord.
About the Author: I was born and raised in Eastern Kentucky in
the small rural community of Catlettsburg. I currently live in the foothills
of West Virginia with my husband, six dogs, a rabbit, and lots of houseplants.
Much of my time is spent serving the elderly or those in need in our community.
Besides knitting, crocheting, and enjoying a hobby greenhouse full of angel
wing begonias, I spend most of my free time studying the Bible and writing
articles based on my studies. God's word is a tremendous source of comfort
in my life.
I started attending the Worldwide Church of God in October 1983 and was baptized in April 1985. I now attend a small Sabbath-keeping church in Chapmanville, WV, the First Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am proud of my spiritual heritage from WCG and realize the value of all the things I learned in the past for encouraging spiritual growth in me now. I continually go forward in my walk with Christ, and I know that the Sabbaths are still valid for a New Covenant Christian according to Isaiah 56:3-8.
I hope that my articles will give Sabbatarians a deeper understanding in their walk with our Savior, who gives us the ultimate rest in our lives. May God bless all who continue to follow the Lord with all their hearts and souls! You can contact me at:
| Norine Lee Sanders |
| Route 2, Box 195A |
| Branchland, WV 25506-9751 USA |
