Day 68: Sound the Trumpet

Today’s Scripture: Numbers 10:1-10

Central Thought: Call out people to the kingdom of God using the gospel trumpet

I never cared for trumpets until I heard my son, who is a professional trumpeter, perform so beautifully in an orchestra. Historians claim that the ancient Egyptians used trumpets made of pure, solid silver to give a shrill, distinct sound. It is thought that this idea was borrowed by the Egyptians from the Hebrews who used a ram’s horn, called a Shophar, to give a special awakening type sound.

Numbers 10 records God’s instructions to Moses to make two trumpets to be used to summon the congregation and break camp. The Israelites who were scattered around the camp could be alerted by a trumpet blast to assemble for a meeting. Let us blow the shophar of the gospel that others may know of their need for meeting Jesus Christ as their savior. May we have unashamed courage from the Holy Spirit to invite our friends, families, and neighbors to be born again because ‘unless one is born-again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

The second use of the trumpet was to alert the assembly that it was time to travel from one camp to another. Those who are born again are assured of the transfer from this temporary home on the earth to an eternal home in heaven. In 1 Corinthians 15:52, Paul describes this transfer: ‘the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” Although God uses people to sound the shophar to call all the world to salvation, the trumpet blast that will call the camp to heaven will not be carried out by mankind.

Devotional Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gospel trumpet. Please help me to use it to call out those who are lost so they may hear the trumpet blast that will call God’s children to their eternal home in heaven.

Today’s Bible Reading: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32