Two passages teach that the Church will be removed at the sound of a trump. One passage calls it the “trump of God.” And the other passage calls it “the last trump.” The two passages are as follows:
First, Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonica, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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 andremain 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:13-18).
Second, Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, “Behold, I show 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Cor. 15:51-53).
FAULTY THEOLOGY
A problem occurs because some of those who believe in the Mid-Tribulation Rapture wrongly teach that the last trump (the trump of God) that removes the Church from the earth at the Rapture is the same as the seventh trumpet blown by the seventh angel in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 11:15-19). Trumpets are mentioned almost 100 times in the Bible. But in those more than 100 verses there are no verses that say the last trump (the trump of God) is the same as the seventh trumpet that will be blown by the seventh angel during the Tribulation Period. Those who say the last trump (the trump of God) is the same as the seventh trumpet that will be blown by the seventh angel during the Tribulation Period just assume that they are the same. It’s their interpretation or probably something that they have heard others say. But it is not a verse of Scripture in the Bible.
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE LAST TRUMP (THE TRUMP OF GOD) AND THE SEVENTH TRUMPET IN REVELATION
1) It is clear that the last trump (the trump of God) is aboutbelievers. More specifically, it is about the removal of believers (the Church) from the earth in the Rapture (I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:51-53). The last trump on the trump of God will sound, the deceased believers will be raised (like Jesus, Lazarus and the Old Testament saints who were dead, buried and raised from the dead), the living believers will be changed (like Enoch and Elijah) and the entire Church will be caught up (or Raptured) into heaven at the same time. But the passage about the seventh trumpet is aboutunbelievers. More specifically, it is about those who are not in the Church (Rev. 11:15-19). When the angel blows the seventh trumpet it will cause anger on earth, lightening, thunder, an earthquake, great hail, and it will lead to the seven last plagues.
2) The last trump (the trump of God) will be an act of grace. It will call the undeserving Church into heaven. But the trumpet blown by the seventh angel during the Tribulation Period will be an act ofwrath. It will signal divine judgment upon those on earth.
3) The last trump (the trump of God) will probably be blown by God (I Thess. 4:16). The seventh trumpet will be blown by the seventh angel (Rev. 11:15).
4) Concerning the events that will take place at the last trump (the trump of God), God tells the Church to “Comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:18). Concerning the sounding of the seventh trumpet by the seventh angel, God said, “the nations will beangry” (Rev. 11:18). They will be angry because the first trumpet will be followed by the destruction of one-third of the plants (Rev. 8:7); the second trumpet will be followed by the destruction of one-third of the sea creatures and ships (Rev. 8:8-9); the third trumpet will be followed by the destruction of one-third of the fresh water (Rev. 8:10-11); the fourth trumpet will be followed by changes in one-third of the sun, moon and stars (Rev. 8:12); the fifth trumpet will be followed by the release of demon possessed locusts (Rev. 9:1-12); the sixth trumpet will be followed by the death of one-third of those on earth (Rev. 9:13-21); and the seventh trumpet will be followed by the seven vial judgments (Rev. 11:15-12:12). This is a far cry from the comforting message of the last trump (the trump of God).
5) When the last trump (the trump of God) sounds Jesus won’t be in heaven. Jesus will descend with a shout and remain in the clouds above the earth to meet the Church (I Thess. 4:16-17). There’s no mention of Jesus descending or shouting or remaining in the clouds when the seventh angel blows the seventh trumpet during the Tribulation Period. Jesus will probably still be on the throne in heaven.
6) The voice of God is not the sound of a trumpet blown by an angel (Rev. 11:15). It is a voice that sounds like a trumpet (Rev. 1:10; 4:10). There is a difference between the sound of a trumpet and a voice that sounds like a trumpet.
IT’S NOT WHEN THE TWO WITNESSES ASCEND
Some believe the ascension of the Two Witnesses is a picture of the Rapture. But the Church will be Raptured at the last trump (the Trump of God). On the other hand, the Two Witnesses will be raised from the dead and they will ascend before the seventh angel blows the seventh trumpet during the Tribulation Period. The Church will be Raptured in the twinkling of an eye. But the Two Witnesses will stand on their feet and the whole world will see them. Apparently, instead of being removed in the twinkling of an eye they will remain on earth after they are raised from the dead long enough for the television cameras to view them.
WHAT SOME THINK
I want to begin by saying this is speculation. It’s not something that I can prove. It’s just a point of information.
Some, not all, believe that an amazing event that took place during the days of Moses in the wilderness may be a picture of what will happen at the last trump (the trump of God). Moses took the Hebrews to meet God near Mt. Sinai. Among other things, he took them there for the purpose of agreeing to keep God’s Commandments.
The Bible says the Hebrews prepared to meet God which reminds some that God wants His Church to prepare to meet God. “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud (Jesus will meet the Church in the clouds) upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet [the voice not the sound] exceeding loud [compare this voice to Rev. 1:10 and 4:1]; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God [a picture of the Church going forth to meet Jesus]; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended [a picture of Jesus descending out of heaven to meet the Church at the Rapture] upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder [the voice of the trumpet sounded several times getting louder and louder], Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up [a picture of the Church going up]. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish” (Ex. 19:16-21).
Notice, that the voice of the trumpet was exceeding loud. It even sounded long and waxed louder and louder. This is important because God told the Jews to make trumpets and blow them on their feast days (Num. 10:2, 10). This would include all seven of the feast days: The Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:1-36). The Church began on the Feast of Pentecost and some believe the Church will be Raptured on the Feast of Pentecost. Others believe the Church will be Raptured on the Feast of Trumpets. Either way, the Jews blow trumpets on their feast days (Numbers 10:10).
Some of those who believe the Rapture will be on the Feast of Trumpets point out that the Jews blow the trumpet one hundred times on the Feast of Trumpets. The one hundredth blast or the last blast of the trumpet on the Feast of Trumpets is the longest and loudest. The Jews call it the tekiah, teruah, shevarim which means the Great Blast. Some connect last trump (the trump of God) with the Great Blast on the Feast of Trumpets.
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck