o Phrase
#3: with a shout, with the voice of an
archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
Let us consider each of these occurrences related to the return of
Christ.
§ The
‘shout’ or loud command. The command
signifies marching orders as Prov. 30:27 speaks of the locusts that march in
order at a shout. But who is
marching? The context has to do with
resurrection so many relate this to the loud voice of Christ by which He called
forth Lazarus. Remember: the dead live
by the voice of the Son of Man (Jn. 5:24-30).
§ The
voice of archangel. Archangels are ruling angels.
The only one we know by name in Scripture is Michael, and since he is
the protector of Israel (Dan. 10:13,21) it is possible he is active at the time
of Messiah’s return. But it may be
another unnamed angel related to the Church.
§ The
trumpet of God. Trumpets sounded when
God came down to meet with the people at Sinai (Ex. 19:16-17) and at times of
deliverance of God’s people (Zeph. 1:16; Zech. 9:14; remember the trumpets at
the fall of Jericho, Josh. 6:5; 7:21f). Again,
this fits well with Jesus’ return when He comes to deliver through the judgment
of the nations and the establishment of His earthly kingdom. Some wonder if this trumpet is the same as
the last of the seven trumpets of judgment in Rev. 8-9; 11:15? That is an intriguing thought as those
trumpets are also related to deliverance.
1 Cor. 15:52 even says we are raptured or changed at the last trumpet.
But we reject this because:
·
No rapture is mentioned in Revelation when the
seventh trumpet sounds.
·
Matt. 24:31 indicates there is a trumpet
associated with the second coming, and that coming does not occur until Rev.
19. In other words the seventh is the
last of the seven but not the final trumpet.
·
Thus it makes sense to us that this is the last
trumpet for the Church, the last call to Christ for her deliverance.
o In
what way did the apostles think the return of Christ would be “sudden” or
soon? Why has He not come?
§ They
were ignorant of the time of Christ’s return (Mk. 13:32; even Jesus did not
know).
§ They
had a reasonable expectation of the Lord’s coming in their own time (1 Cor. 15:51f: we shall all be changed, in the twinkling of an eye).
§ Yet
they neither committed themselves to His soon coming, nor called others to do
so (1 Th. 5:1-2; 2 Th. 2:2; 2 Pt. 3:8-9).
As Lightfoot says in his commentary on the Thessalonian letters (p67): The tone and temper exhibited by the
apostles … is intended as an example to the Church in all ages. She is to be ever watchful to the Advent of her
Lord, and yet ever to pursue the daily avocations of life in calmness and
sobriety. May it be so with us today!
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