“It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.” Revelation 1:10
The voice of the Lord sounded like a trumpet blast. We are going to deal with sounds of trumpets in our study of Revelation. Let’s look for at the meaning of the trumpet. The trumpet is a symbol of considerable consequence in the Old and New Testaments. In general, it can signify an alarm of war, a call to assemble, or a command to march (see Numbers 10:1-10).
The trumpet was used to call the Hebrew nation to assembly. It was most commonly used as a warning of and summons to war (Judges 3:27; 1 Cor 14:8). This association was so strong that in Jeremiah 4:21 the ram’s horn is used as a symbol for war itself: “How long must I see the battle flag and hear the sound or rams’ horns?” Sometimes trumpets announced danger (Amos 3:6). It was an alarming noise that would have gotten the attention of every Israelite. The trumpet was a sound that means that it is important and we should pay attention. Where I live we have tornado sirens that warn us of a storm coming it means that we should take cover. The trumpets of the Bible are the same.
When the people of Israel entered the Promised Land, their first obstacle was the mighty walled city of Jericho. God told them to take the city by marching around it while blowing rams’ horns. On the seventh day, as the rams’ horns echoed from the massive walls, the walls collapsed, and the city was taken (Josh 6:1-21). The mere sound of the horn was a symbol of God’s power. He was the true King of Israel, more powerful than any earthly king, so his trumpet’s call is able to conquer obstacles and remove kings.