Earlier we saw that the trumpet sound from heaven signals the end of the Church age, the age of grace. It also signals the beginning of a new age, a new era. What does that tell us about the voice of the archangel?
God is Consistent
Contrary to popular opinion, our God does not work in mysterious ways. In fact, He has been very consistent throughout the ages.
Consistent in continually reaching out to those that have turned their back on Him. Consistent in His faithfulness. Consistent in His loving forgiveness towards us – imperfect beings that, in spite of ourselves, still try to walk perfectly. Consistent in being well pleased with our efforts! And consistent in giving us far more than we could ever expect of Him.
His consistent, faithful manner left distinct patterns in the Scriptures. Although He is also a God of Big Surprises, these patterns of past events are reasonable predictors of what will happen in the future.
The Former Ages
Looking at past ages, we see the Law era began with more than just the sound of a trumpet.
Exodus 19:16
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
Then God gave all the people the ten commandments.
The current age similarly began with unearthly sounds and a unique vision.
Acts 2:2-4
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Galilean apostles certainly got their attention, speaking the wonderful works of God to them in their own language. Then Peter stood up and told everyone that as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice, each one of them could be born again and receive God’s gift of holy spirit.
We do not know exactly what the voice of the archangel will say. We do have the loud sound of a trumpet, the appearing of the dead in glory, our immediate transformation to our new bodies, and our shout of victory glorifying God. Those astounded souls still in their natural bodies will be primed for a message. The audience is key.
Who Will Teach and Minister?
When the trumpet sounded at the beginning of the Law era, God gave Israel the Ten Commandments. Moses was there to teach and lead God?s people in the transition to the Law. Other ministers assisted Moses ? including Aaron, Jethro, Joshua, Caleb, and the seventy elders.
Near the beginning of Jesus? ministry to Israel he taught his brilliant sermon on the mount. His teaching left no doubt in the minds of those seeking. Within a few minutes they realized that he was the promised Messiah. In that sermon Jesus laid out the entrance requirements to the kingdom of heaven and what his followers should aspire to do.[i]
At the beginning of the Church age, on the day of Pentecost, Peter’s teaching brought those present to the point of decision. More than five thousand men, from all over the known world, followed Peter?s instructions and were born again. Peter and the other eleven apostles worked together to learn and teach what that new era was all about.
In the Coming Age
This next era will be unique, as once the trumpet call ends and we believers are gathered together with Christ, no genuine ministers will be left to lead. There will be no Moses, no Peter addressing their questions, no apostles leading them forward.
The only remaining people on the earth will be those that rejected Christ! When Jesus Christ was present on earth, as well as during the Church age, only those who accepted his lordship received God?s great blessings. Will they all be abandoned now?
Will there be no hope? Will God cease to reach out to those who are lost? Or will the voice of the archangel show them the way?
That would be very consistent with His forgiveness towards hard-hearted Israel in the Old Testament, and even towards us today!
The trumpet sound, our appearing in glory and shout of victory, these will grab their attention. Then all will hear the voice of the archangel. The crux of his message will be to those remaining on the earth. He will deliver the message they so need to hear. Their way forward will rest in the law and commandments for this new era.
Will This Be the Archangel’s Message?
Peter, in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, pulled no punches when challenging his Jewish brethren.
Acts 2:22-24, 36
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Peter laid it on the line. If they refused to recognize who Jesus Christ really was, that he was the promised messiah, they could never repent. Repentance is the first step to receiving God?s solution to man’s defiant state, His only Son.
What about this new age? Will repentance still be necessary? Then they also will need to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through the terrible times that follow, thousands of those that once rejected the Lord Jesus will accept him and cleave to him.[iii] This message by the archangel, accompanied by our glorious appearance, will be just as essential for those remaining on the earth as the ten commandments were to Israel.
On the day of Pentecost about three thousand people acted on Peter?s inspired message and accepted Jesus as their Lord.[ii] The audience hearing the voice of the archangel, though less receptive perhaps, will be much larger.
At some point in the archangel’s delivery, the Lord will descend with a shout. He will not yet come to earth. We will go to join him in the clouds.
The archangel will finish his message, and the trumpet will cease. Those that believed him will begin to move forward on their new convictions.
Our narrative continues with our being caught up together unto him.
[i] For more on this see
[ii] Acts 2:41
[iii] Revelation 7:9-17