, ,fer. 2.-TM ~,ym1,ol. tcTo them were given aeven trumpets." Many io11m11nenta of music are mentioned in the Bible, but the trumpet is the one- thal lltaDds onl prominent amidst them alL There are stringed instmments, of which the chief,,ia the harp; and there ani those whose sound is produced by striking the 11ttvtched skin. of which they are ,made, as the cymbals; but none are named so ~uently as the trumpet. In Numb. :x. 1-10 there are given express commands for thelT construction.and throughout the Bible, from the giving of the Law at Sinai down to $be sounding of the last trnmp, and this vision of the se,ven tmmpets, we continually meet with them. We are,. therelore, _justified in attaching significance to them and regarding them as symbolizing truths God would have us learn. For he commanded Mh their making and their use. They playPd a prominent part in connection with the divinely ordained worship both of the tabernacle and the ,temple, and the whole ll.Mli JJf Istael echoed at divinely appointed seasons with· their spirit-stirring. notes. A- t1-nce at a concordance will show bow constantly and on what occasions they were ~ · . What, therefore, may we learn from them?- '!'hey teach- ·l. Go» BAS. A Jlll:SBAGB l'OR us. Bad they been a merely man-devised instrument, ~e cpuld not have said this ; but when we find that they were adopted by God in bis servi~, we. cimnot err in regarding their clear, loud notes as telling of bis message and will ,,And,· in fact, they were used to indicate to Israel the advent of seasons of womhh>-tbe new year, the new moon, the jubilee, and other occasions when God com• mauded hla people to render special service. · And these special messages remind us of 864'• p t message to, mankind, which he baa given to us in bis Word. He has not left u1 unthougbt of, uncared for, uninformed. It was not likely that he would. H• ball made known to ns hla will., · II. Tm: IIANll!J:R or THAT ·:m:BBAGB. Such trntbs as these are suggested by this trumpet-symboL L Hw,_ wgentl The trumpet-blast was startling, arousing; its C)}ear, loud note penetrated the dullest ear. and reached those afar off, and forced all to }¥ten. And such message of urgency God's Word brings to us. · "Awake thou that alee.pest, and arise from the dead I"-so ,it speaks to us. " How sriall w,· escape if we neglect," etc.? It is no mere matter of indifference, but life and death bang upon it. And: 2. HOtJJ WfJf'like 1 The trumpet-note was emphatkally the music of war• .feremiah (xlii. 14) represents as a blessed condition not then attainable, and a land all u~ike •his. own, "where we shall hear no sound of trumpet." And in this vision of the llffl!n trumpet■ war is thdr most prominent meaning. And thus we are reminded of our Lord'.a words," I came not to send pence on earth,.but a sword." God's Word isa 1-ttle suJDmons, a call to "fight the good fight of faith." It is what we do not like, but which we lJlUst accept, woul,i we share those rewards which are given "to him that overoometh." 3. Huiq terribl.el 'l'he hosts of Midian fled in dismay when the W..St of Gideon's trumpet burst on their startled ears. Terror seized on them and xaade them an easy prey. And· in this chapter it is the terribleness of the judgments of God upon his enemies which the seven trumpets tell of. And God's Word is terrible to those who know him not. The Bible ia a dreadful book to ilia impcuiten, man J!Jf. VJU, l.-13.] THE REVELATION -01!' ST. JOIIN TIIE ·D'IVUtJil. 149
when aw-1-!llloo,c as one day be will be, to his real condition before Go& It is like trui prophet's seroll to him, writoon within and without, of sorrow, lamentation, and woe. :To ·the. froward it. shows .itself froward. But : 4:. How animating to .the· hearts or the _people of.God I The trumpet, like the loud cheering of troops as they dash forward in . the fight, heartens them; and the. tr11mpet-aound was designed to do this. And God'e W orcJ is fwl. of heart-cheering truth to all them that trust in .him. And : 5. HdfD '.joyful, was the sound when it proclaimed, as .so often the trumpet did, the advsnt of some glad festival, some"acceptable year of the Lord," the jubilee especially! And in the Feast of Tabernacles the general hilarity was heighooned by the frequent sounding of , the silver truxnpets by the prieets. "Blessed are ·the people .that hear the joyful sotµJd "-this is said of God's message· of grace, and such joyful sound is .iie charao- ,teristic note of the gospel. And: 6. HOUlffl'elliatib.leis tbe.trumpewoundl The lofty .wassive walls of Jericho fell down flat before the trumpet-blast. The dead, so insen.- sible to an else, shall hear that call; "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead tmall be mised." "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice. and shall oome forth." .And so to-dAy where God's Word comes in power, dead hearts are roused and sleepere awake. 0 _blessed power of God's Word. that it will.. it. must, have obedience rendered :to iU "He speaks, and it is done; he-commands, and it stands fast." Bnt if.resisted now-as too often it is-,,the obedience that will have to be rendered at the last will ~ to· the word, " Depart, ye cursed I " But now it bids us" come." Let us hear that.-S. C.