In 1 Corinthians 14:7, 8 the apostle Paul says, “. . . things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” Good question.

This morning I’d like to talk about giving the trumpet a certain sound. When I think about this phrase, it brings vividly to my mind the preparation needed for successful warfare and the clear warnings of the enemy’s approach. As Christians we’re involved in a spiritual warfare, are we not? And just like every battle that has ever been fought there will be winners and there will be losers; those who are victorious and those who suffer defeat, and the stakes in this spiritual battle are higher than any battle that has ever been fought, because the winners receive eternal life, what could be more precious than that? And the loser’s eternal death, or cessation of life and not eternal life in the fires of hell as the majority of Christians today would have us believe.

What a terrible thought to think that a loving God would burn people forever and ever throughout all eternity simply because they spent a few years here on this sin cursed earth and didn’t accept the sacrifice of Christ in their behalf. That false teaching should be repugnant to any thinking person. This isn’t the topic today, but an eternally burning hell has probably turned more people off to religion than any other teaching, and it’s a big fat lie. I don’t know about you, but if I believed in a God like that I would never serve Him, never, because it flies in the face of common sense and fairness and the Scriptures themselves.

Let’s take a quick look at a few verses while we’re on this subject. Genesis 2:7, “The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became (what?) a living soul”, or a living person. And Psalm 146:4 says when one dies, “His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Tell me, were you living before you were conceived? NO! You didn’t exist, and neither will you exist after you are burned up in the fire that comes down from God out of heaven, if that’s your chosen destination. You will be as though you had never been, according to Obadiah verse 16; you will be as though you never existed. And the saddest part of all is that you will miss out on all the pleasures the earth made new has to offer. So, when it comes to this subject we must give the trumpet a certain sound, so people will know the truth, and that’s my two-minute sermon about the fallacies of an eternally burning hell and the state of the dead.

The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, mentions this warfare we were just talking about a moment ago, and he says as Christians each one of us are involved in it and what we must do to be conquerors in the end. So, let’s read what he says there in Ephesians 6:10-12. “Finally, my brethren, be strong (how?) in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

So, if we are going to come out on top in this wrestling match with the devil, we must be, “In the Lord”, we must put on Christ and rely on His power and might. If we are to contend with supernatural forces, we must have access to supernatural help, because physical weapons and physical muscle will avail nothing, and we can be thankful this morning that supernatural help is only a prayer away.

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” When Jesus was upon the earth, this roaring lion was unsuccessful in his attempts to devour the Son of God, and because he hates Christ and we belong to Him, he is now after you and me and he has a ravening appetite. He is after the remnant of the good seed, those who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In other words, he is after those who are “giving the trumpet a certain sound.” Does that make sense? The devil is mainly concerned about those who have the truth for this time and are doing what they can to blow the trumpet and warn people of the coming judgment.

This morning I’d like to consider the trumpet as an instrument for a few minutes. Out of all the different musical instruments in the world, the trumpet has been the one used most often during wartime. The first time the Bible speaks of the trumpet being used in military conquest is when the walls of Jericho fell flat on the ground. Armed men, the best and chosen warriors of the army of Israel went first as they marched around the city, and they  were followed by seven priests with seven trumpets. Notice, the ones who had the trumpets were the religious leaders. They are the ones who have the responsibility to make sure they stay awake and alert and warn the people when the enemy is approaching, but today those leaders, for the most part, are asleep on duty, and so others, many of whom are untrained, have had to take up the slack; those who have been called from the plow rather than those who have been trained in the literary institutions. And because of that, many mistakes have been made by the plowmen, but nonetheless the message is being proclaimed and will accomplish its purpose as the Holy Spirit takes control.

After the seven priests with seven trumpets came four more priests bearing the ark of the covenant, because the message inside the Ark, the commandments of God, was the message the priest were to proclaim, and that has not changed. And yet today that message has been muted for the most part with a salvation in sin message. And then, after the Ark, the rest of the army following at a distance marched along, each tribe under its standard. It presents a beautiful picture of order and unity, doesn’t it? For six days, once a day, this mighty host marched around the city with absolutely no talking! Only the measured tread of many feet and the occasional sound of the trumpet broke the stillness of the early morning. But on the seventh day something different happened. They marched around, not once, but seven times, and after the seventh circuit was completed the marching stopped and all was silent for just a short moment. Then a blast broke forth from the trumpets and a shout from all the people that shook the very earth it says in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 491.

Now what was it, do you suppose, that brought down the walls of Jericho? Human effort or divine? Well, it was a combination, wasn’t it? Hebrews 11:30 says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.” Is human effort involved in faith? Absolutely! Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Do you need more faith? Then spend more time getting acquainted with God’s word, and then act upon it, it’s just that simple.

And so here we see a beautiful, but simple representation of the means of our salvation. Humanity must cooperate with Divinity, or there’s no chance for salvation. We’re told in Ministry of Healing, page 180 that, “The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature,’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.”

The Bible makes is very clear that Jesus was born into this world with a fallen human nature just like we have, and we could easily spend an hour reading text after text that would prove that point, but for the sake of time I would like to read just three.

Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted (how?) like as we are, yet without sin.”

If Jesus didn’t have a fallen human nature, this verse would make absolutely no sense. How could Jesus be tempted like me if He didn’t have a nature like me? Impossible! Jesus didn’t come to this earth to show us what God could do, but what fallen man, when he is a partaker of the divine nature, can do. And it was the fallen human nature of Christ that endured the temptations in the wilderness, not His divine nature, but His human nature cooperated with the divine and was victorious, and so may it be with us.

Genesis 5:1, “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” Question: was Adam created with a fallen or unfallen human nature? He was created unfallen, wasn’t he? In the likeness of God, it says. Adam didn’t receive a fallen human nature until he partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now compare what we just read with Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh (that is, fallen flesh), God sending His own Son in (what?) the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh,” in sinful flesh. Whenever the Bible uses the word flesh it’s always referring to fallen sinful flesh, unless it’s talking about animal flesh. So, by comparing these two verses I think everyone would have to admit that there was something different in the way Adam and Jesus came into this world. Wouldn’t you agree? On the human side Adam was made in the likeness of God and Jesus in the likeness of sinful flesh.

When Jesus was born of Mary He had both the fallen human nature and the divine nature, and when we are born again we get the same, and Jesus’ perfect life proved that the combination of those two natures does not commit sin when the divine nature is yielded to. Therefore, if we have sin in our life, what’s the problem? Our fallen human nature is being yielded to rather than the divine, plain and simple. 2 Peter 1:4 says, through faith in the promises of God we become “partakes of the divine nature.” In other words, we must be born of the Spirit like Jesus was and then yield to that Spirit like Jesus did. This is not complicated, but men like to make it complicated, because they want to have their cake and eat it to; they want to be able to live in sin and still get to go to heaven, but it doesn’t work that way.

Matthew 1:18-21, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of (who?) the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

So, if we want to have victory over sin in sinful flesh like Jesus had, the divine seed must penetrate the soul and cause new life to spring forth. Only then can we live the life of Christ; only then can we be tempted in all points and yet be without sin. Sin is the issue in this spiritual warfare we’re all involved in, and unless we give the trumpet a certain sound when dealing with this subject, we will be living and presenting another gospel. That’s how serious it is. Sin has always been the issue. From the time Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven until now, sin has been the problem.

The Great Controversy, page 582 says, “From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has been Satan’s purpose to overthrow the law of God. It was to accomplish this that he entered upon his rebellion against the Creator, and though he was cast out of heaven he has continued the same warfare upon the earth. To deceive men, and thus lead them to transgress God’s law, is the object which he has steadfastly pursued. . . . The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God.” The transgression of which is sin.

Gospel Workers, page 315 says, “The only question asked in the judgment will be, ‘Have they been obedient to My commandments?’” Now that’s a simple question, is it not? Since sin is a violation of God’s Ten Commandments, according to 1 John 3:4, then we could rephrase this statement by saying, “The only question asked in the judgment will be, have they stopped sinning.” The Christian world at large today doesn’t believe that’s possible, and so they have invented other ways to be saved that the Bible does not teach, and if the Bible doesn’t teach it, there’s no salvation in it.

There are so many false teachings, and errors, and traditions of men, and fanaticisms, and extremes, and man-made tests within various religious circles today, that many people don’t know what to believe, and that’s ultimately their own fault, because we have a divine chart in the Bible pointing out every waymark on the heavenly journey, and we don’t have to guess at anything. And so, because people are not studying for themselves, the devil is using many side issues today to distract us from the main issue. “Have they been obedient to my commandments?” Have they stopped sinning? Salvation in sin was Satan’s very first great deception in the Garden of Eden and it will also be his last, as we just read from The Great Controversy.

1 John 3 is so clear on this point that no one needs to make a mistake. Notice verses 5-10. Speaking of Jesus John says, “. . . ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children (and I say brothers and sisters), let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (in your heart and in mine). Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (In other words, as long as we abide in Christ, or as long as we stick with Him, we will not sin, because Jesus doesn’t sin. But the moment we choose not to abide, sin is going to happen) In this (that is, whether or not we sin) the children of God are manifest (or made known), and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” Is human effort necessary in order to abide in Christ? Absolutely! It’s called sanctification, or holiness, and it takes effort on our part to remain connected to Christ once we’ve been justified or forgiven of our sins.

How much clearer can John be? His words are so clear they need no comment. This is why I love John’s writings. They are so simple and straight forward that a person has to purposely twist the Scripture to make them say the opposite of their true intent, and unfortunately there are plenty of people who do it.

Turn also to John 15:1-8. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (farmer or gardener). Every branch in me that beareth not fruit (that is, the fruit of the Spirit) he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (or prunes) it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (We need to remember these seven little words, “for without me ye can do nothing.” I saw a good illustration of this the other day. It showed a picture of two donkeys, one was the donkey Jesus rode on when He came into Jerusalem and he, lamenting to the other said, “Just yesterday I was here carrying Jesus and the people were singing and shouting and throwing down their clothes for me to walk on, and today they don’t even recognize me.” Then the other donkey replied by saying, “That’s how life is, without Jesus you are nothing my friend.” And it’s true. Then Jesus continues) “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

Well, it’s a sure thing that God was responsible for victory the day the walls of Jericho fell down, but it would never have happened without the human cooperating with the divine. This was one time, and it didn’t happen very often, when Israel had unity in their ranks. All the people did exactly what God told them to do. All the religious leaders gave the trumpet a certain sound and things transpired according to God’s plan. And when we have that kind of unity in this great Advent movement, the latter rain will be poured out; the loud cry will go forth; events will follow in their order; and finally Jesus will appear in the clouds of heaven “with power and great glory.” And I want to be a part of that, don’t you?

And so, the trumpet call has been very important from the time the walls of Jericho fell down until even the most recent times. Have you ever heard of anyone who played the violin to help rally the troops? The violin is played by those who want to put people to sleep; the ones giving a peace and safety message; those who are speaking pleasing words to satisfy a world loving, sin practicing congregation. And that’s exactly what God said would happen just before Jesus comes.

Notice what it says in 2 Timothy 4:3, 4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts (that is, the evil desires of their fallen flesh) but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Are these words timely, or what? It’s all very sad, but by and large, the Christianity of today is nothing more than a collection of fables when you think about it.

Sometimes on Sunday Cindy and I will go into town to do some shopping, and on our way, we have to pass several churches, and one in particular, a mega-church, is just jam-packed with cars in the parking lot, and I think to myself, “what a shame”, because it’s a good example of the fulfillment of Timothy’s words about people heaping to themselves teachers that are turning their ears away from the truth to fables.

When Paul uses the words “itching ears”, that means people are supporting preachers that tell them what they’re itching to hear, and that usually has to do with salvation in sin in some form or another. They want to leave church with a warm fuzzy feeling that they’re going to heaven without having to change the way they live. And so, they support ministers who tell them what they want to hear. They have a desire for religion, but only as much as will not disturb the routine of their perverted lives. They have a form of godliness, but deny the power of the gospel to change their lives; to dare to believe that God actually has the power to keep them from falling into sin; to dare to believe that when Jesus told Mary Magdalene to go and sin no more, that’s exactly what He meant. We need to take God at His word and not think there’s some hidden meaning in the plain words of Scripture that means just the opposite.

The trumpet is a little different than the violin, isn’t it? The trumpet is used to give warning and direction to the troops, because the tone is penetrating, and piercing, and can even be startling, and it can be heard from long distance, and the clear ringing sound cannot be mistaken. When God’s servants sound an alarm because of approaching danger, He wants it to be loud and clear; He doesn’t want any mistakes to be made; He doesn’t want there to be any confusion; He wants people to be able to decide and to decide quickly, because a moments hesitation could cost someone their eternal life. We’re told to remember Lot’s wife. Because of Lot’s procrastination she lost her life, didn’t she? And think about this; If Lot would have obeyed instantly, there would be no need for the middle east peace process today, and the world would a better place. And so, disobedience always has its consequences.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the soldier who blows the trumpet is the most important soldier in the army? If the enemy could sneak in one of their own men to replace the bugle boy on the opposing side they could very quickly cause confusion among the troops, couldn’t they? If they could infiltrate the other side, they could easily lead them into a snare, or they might even go to sleep instead of preparing for battle. That’s why God’s watchmen on the walls of Zion must be awake and prepared to give the trumpet a certain sound. In Last Day Events, page 179 we’re warned that “Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.” Friends, this prediction has come to full fruition today and we must be on our guard, because the watchmen are no longer watching. When she says, “many will stand in our pulpits”, the word “many” means not a few. The word many means the majority.

Turn with me to Jeremiah 6:1, “O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.”

Aren’t we told over and over again that the history of the past will be repeated in these last days? The Bible says these things are written for our admonition whom the ends of the world are come? And God’s last day prophet says, “Bear this in mind. History is being repeated. The perils that God’s people encountered in past ages, they will encounter again, intensified.” {13MR 380}

What we just read in Jeremiah is also being repeated today. Let me give you a little background here. After long years of rebellion and apostasy Jeremiah told the Israelites it was time to flee their beloved city, the very center of their religious worship. And not only that, they were to blow the trumpet of alarm in Tekoa. You may not know much about Tekoa, but it was an interesting place. Tekoa was a small city a few miles south of Jerusalem; a place of high elevation in the country where the sound of the trumpet could be heard at great distance. And so God wanted the faithful to hear and flee Jerusalem and go in the direction of the trumpet call. They were not to blow the trumpet in Jerusalem, but in Tekoa. They were to get out and call other people out!

Tekoa produced some very distinguished people. One of King David’s mighty men was from Tekoa. You can read the 23^rd chapter of 2 Samuel to find out what kind of men they were. They accomplished some amazing things, second only to Samson. The prophet Amos was also from Tekoa. He was a common laborer raised up by God to give the trumpet a certain sound. Literally Amos was a man called from the plow to proclaim a message of separation from sin. He’s the one who said, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3) That means if you find yourself in fellowship with those you can’t agree with regarding the pillars of our faith, you better start searching for those you can. Amos also said in the last days there would be a “Famine in the land. Not a famine of bread and water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11, 12) And friends, that time has arrived. It’s getting increasingly more difficult to find a body of believers that are speaking the truth today.

The most interesting thing of all about Tekoa, and something that relates to the situation we find ourselves in today, is a story about the citizens of Tekoa and what they did in the face of rebellion and apostasy. Turn to Nehemiah chapter 3. Nehemiah records the various people who worked to repair certain sections of the broken down walls of Jerusalem and verse 5 says, “And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.” In other words their leading men refused to help rebuild the ancient walls so they could follow the old paths wherein was the good way. When the call came from God to repair the walls of Jerusalem, that is, to reestablish their historic Adventist roots and their God ordained worship and belief system, the common people came up to the help of the Lord while the leaders chose another path. The common citizens; the ordinary people; the laity if you will, refused to follow the example of their rebellious leaders and chose instead to be obedient to the word of the Lord.

And so, in view of the faithful Tekoite laymen, I think it’s quite fitting that Tekoa was chosen as the place from which the trumpet call to flee the unfaithful city, i.e. the church, was given. And not only were they to blow the trumpet in Tekoa, but they were to give warning to flee by sending smoke signals from Bethhaccerem. Bethhaccerem was closer to Jerusalem than Tekoa was, and so for those who were hard of hearing, like many people today, there was a visible sign they could see with their eyes as well as the trumpet call to hear with their ears. God did everything He could to warn the faithful in Jerusalem to leave while there was still opportunity. And why were the people being warned to flee? Because evil was coming out of the north. What was that evil? Babylonian captivity! Even though Babylon was to the east of Jerusalem, they invaded the land from a northern route, otherwise they would have had to go through the desert. And so Jerusalem was about to be taken captive by Babylon, and God’s faithful preachers had to give the trumpet a certain sound, telling people to flee or to be taken in the snare of the enemy. And friends, that same warning has been going out now for at least 30 some years. How much longer will it go? How much longer will this history be repeated? Right after the sentence I read to you a moment ago about the hellish torch of Satan coming from Adventist pulpits it says, “If doubts and unbelief are cherished, the faithful ministers will be removed from the people who think they know so much.” Has this been fulfilled? I’ll let you be the judge. I think this is why Amos said there would be a famine in the land in these last days.

Jeremiah 6:16, 17, “Thus saith the LORD, 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. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.”

This was said by a stubborn people who deliberately refused to heed the warning. They knew what was right, and yet they said, “We will not walk therein, we will not harken.” Again, history is being repeated today. I know of many Adventists who know that the church is under Babylonian captivity, but they still remain. They are saying, as did the Jews, “we will not harken, we will not walk therein.” And they will pay dearly for that decision.

Let’s read just a few more texts as we wrap this up. Ezekiel 33:1-7, “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; (now why does the Bible say “he will be taken away in his own iniquity? Shouldn’t it be solely the watchman’s fault? Absolutely not. Why? Because we should never look to the watchman and trust in him without checking out what they say and comparing it with inspired writings We should all be watchman in this respect and not lean upon the arm of flesh. And so, just because we are responsible for ourselves, the watchman is not off the hook, no, their responsibility is the greatest of all and I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes when the Lord comes. Ezekiel goes on.) but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” This was a mandate from God to Ezekiel and it’s our mandate today as well.

Joel 2:1, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand (this is taking about our day friends) . . . Verses 15-17, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?”

Doesn’t sound like we should be having celebration worship services, does it? Instead we need to be pleading with God that He would give us a message to wake the people out of their Laodicean slumber. We are living during the anti-typical day of atonement when we should be afflicting our souls and making sure we are right with God. Have you ever wondered what it means for ministers to weep between the porch and the altar? This temple, here in Joel, is not referring to the portable sanctuary the Israelites moved around in the desert for 40 years, but to the permanent temple structure that was built later. In that temple there was a vestibule or porch the priest entered before going into the holy place. The altar is referring to the altar of sacrifice. This is where the faithful ministers are represented as weeping before the Lord in times of apostasy, only I don’t hear much weeping, do you? At the altar, the sacrifice has been made. The next step is for the priest to carry the blood into the holy and most holy places. And, in order for the atoning blood to do its cleansing work, sin must be confessed and forsaken beforehand, or the people would be cut off forever.

There are only two references in the Bible about weeping between the porch and the altar. This one in Joel, and the other in Ezekiel 8:16. In both instances, Israel had apostatized. What was happening in Ezekiel’s day?

Ezekiel 8:16, “And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.” Here is the final result of apostasy.

Here we have a group of leading men, not weeping between the porch and the altar like they should have been, but worshipping the sun. According to Review and Herald, March 18, 1884, paragraph 8 this is the final act of apostasy within Adventism. Let me read it to you, because the sure word of prophecy says it’s going to happen. “The Lord has a controversy with his professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions (ministers) will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. (Essentially they’ve become Catholics) In churches and in large gatherings in the open air (camp-meetings), ministers (Adventist ministers) will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week.” It’s going to happen, because that is the final step in apostasy. It was the final step with the priests of old, and it’s the final step for Adventist ministers in the end. And we’re told very plainly in the 1888 Material page 1303.1 that Ezekiel’s prophecy will be fulfilled to the very letter and that we should study it. I wish I didn’t have to say it, oh how I wish I didn’t have to say it, but I must give the trumpet a certain sound.

God’s professed seventh-day Sabbath keepers beginning to worshipping on Sunday. But surely they were doing it as an evangelistic effort to reach the heathen, don’t you think? They were having Sunday Church in order to teach Babylonians about the true Sabbath, weren’t they? Do you suppose they had contemporary Christian music to go along with it just to help them feel more at home?

Knowing this is going to happen, why would we want to help finance it beforehand by depositing our tithes and offerings in the offering basket? Why would we want to encourage their course by sitting in the pews drinking in their fables? Why would we knowingly attend a church that’s going to end up worshiping on the first day of the week? These are questions only you can answer, and I hope and pray you will choose correctly; that you will give heed to those who are giving the trumpet a certain sound.  I’ll leave you with this one last thought. Only those who have given heed to the trumpet call of truth will hear and recognize the trumpet call and be changed by it when Jesus Himself sounds it one last time.

1 Corinthians 15:51, 52. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

May God help us to be among that number.

Sermon Notes in pdf Giving the Trumpet a Certain Sound