Think back to the last time that you were watching television and the emergency broadcast tone came on to either indicate a bad storm was approaching or when the broadcasters were merely testing the warning tone. Now, consider those Tuesday morning tests of emergency weather sirens. Each of these “tones” or “warnings” provides a distinct noise to alert you and to get your attention in the event of an emergency. Each time these blaring noises come on they are to be taken seriously – for, ignoring them may become perilous to you and your loved one’s health. But, how many of us have become so immune / desensitized to these sounds that we now just ignore them?
Over the past several years our government has warned us to be vigilant in watching for signs of terrorism. The government has also instructed us in methods to secure our homes in the event of a chemical or biological assault. Additionally, we have received warnings to prepare in the case of shortages, albeit it, food and water. Have we heeded these warnings to be “vigilant”, to “watch”, and to “prepare”?
God’s Word declares that one day the Lord himself will return in the clouds with a shout, and with the trumpet of God, at His second coming.
In Acts 1:9-11 we read,
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Matthew 24:30-31 states,
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
Then in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 we read,
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
And 1 Corinthians 15:52 states,
“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.”
The shout of the Lord and the trumpet of God will be very distinct. Those who are not saved – never having trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour – will not “hear” the Lord’s call to “come up to Him”. But let us as servants of the Lord also be warned.
Luke 12:37,40 states,
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
And Mark 13:35-37 states,
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
As a child of God, are you “watching” / “listening” for the Lord’s return? Are you spiritually sleeping and disregarding the warnings found in God’s Word? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Will you “hear” the call to “come up to the Lord“? Are you ready for the LORD’s SHOUT? If you are not ready for the Lord’s return, we invite you to by faith repent of your sins and trust in Jesus Christ to save you – for, only then will you be able to hear the LORD’s SHOUT.
