Philologos
Bible Prophecy Research
Title: Trumpet Judgments
Submitted by: research-bpr@philologos.org
Date: November 3, 1998
URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/t001.htm
Trumpet Judgments
"The first four shofar (trumpet) judgments affect nature directly and people indirectly...and resemble the plagues of Egypt...while the last three plagues affect people directly.
"The idea that the End-Time plagues will recapitualte those of Egypt can be found in the Midrash Rabbah: "Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as has not been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now' (Exodus 9:18)...However, there will be one like it in the time to come. When? In the days of Gog and Magog, as it is written,... 'A torrential rain, and great hailstones, fire and sulfur' (Eze 38:2,22)." (Exodus Rabbah 12:2)
"Consider the function of the Egyptian plagues. The well-known song, "Dayenu" ([It would have been] Enough for us), from the Passover Haggadah, says that God through the plagues judged both the Egyptians and their gods...He did this by turning against the Egyptians the very things they worshipped. They worshipped the Nile River; it became blood. They worshipped beetles (scarabs); they got lice and locusts. They worshipped frogs and found them in bed. They worshipped the weather and had their crops destroyed by hail."
(Jewish New Testament Commentary, David Stern)
[my comments in brackets]
"...the minister of the synagogue on the sabbath-eve sounded with a trumpet six times upon the roof of an exceeding high house, that thence all might have notice of the coming in of the sabbath [day of the Lord]. The first sound was, that they should cease from their works in the fields;
[The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.--Rev 8:7.]
the second, that they should cease from theirs in the city;
[And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.--Rev 8:8.9]
the third, that they should light the sabbath candle, &c."
[And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.--Rev 8:10,11]
( A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, John Lightfoot)
Resurrection on the Mount
"At the time of the resurrection, the Almighty, blessed be He, shall descend from the upper heavens and shall sit upon his throne in Jerusalem and the Holy One shall call to his ministering angels and say: 'My children! I created you purposely for this hour.'
"The angels shall answer: 'Lord of the universe, we stand here before Thee, to do Thy will!'
"And the Holy One shall command: 'Go ye, and journey to the ends of the world, and raise up the corners of the earth; give pardon to the righteous in lands of the exile, and bring before me in the land of Israel each just man, who devoted every day of his life to the sanctification of My Name...'
"How shall the dead be resurrected in the world to come?--The Holy One shall take in His hand a great trumpet [shofar], 1,000 cubits in its measurements, and He shall blow it:
"At the first blast--the whole world will quake.
"At the second blast--the soil crumble.
"At the third blast--their bones will join together.
"At the fourth blast--their limbs will become warm.
"At the fifth blast--their skin will cover them.
"At the sixth blast--spirit and soul will enter their bodies.
"At the seventh blast--they will stand on their feet, clothed in their
garments."
(Legends of Jerusalem, Zev Vilnay)