Post tribulationists seem to gain ground among those not well founded in scripture when they say things like- ‘Well the 7th trumpet in Revelation would have to be the last trump in 1 Cor.15, because Revelation doesn’t list any more’. And it is assumed I guess that trumpets will be disposed of and no longer used in worship throughout all ages (Psa.150:3, 98:6) or to declare a new moon on the new earth (Psa.81:3, Isa.66:22-3). Oh wait, you don’t mean that- you mean trumpets will be used again and the ‘last trump’ was referencing a series? Ok, so maybe there could be more than one series. They don't see an absolute 'last day' in John7:37 but rather last in a series or even the last feast of tabernacles (Jn.7:2). (Likewise here- Jn.6:39,40,44,54 as days follow this)
If you examine all the passages related to this topic you will see they divide into different events which we covered here. But their argument for a post trib rapture proceeds by placing these 2 passages (1 Cor.15:52, Rev.11:15) into Matthew 24 and lining them up with this verse “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (v31). Obviously 3 references to a trumpet therefore must be the same trumpet blast. So they will smugly tie the ends together into a bow and ask ‘now when does this happen?’ And they will point to Mt.24:28 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” with v29 “then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
I’m sure not all post tribbers are snide at this point, but just the ones I have encountered. Anyway it isn’t an outrageous interpretation and one can see how that would seem a reasonable linking together of the verses. But consider a couple of things first. Look at Revelation 11 again:
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (v15-8)
Now this is interesting in 2 ways- firstly because it does not match Matt.24:28-31 where Christ returns and then he sends his angels with the sound of trumpet. Here the angel sounds the 7th trumpet before the Lord returns (which art, and wast, and art to come). He is still on the throne in v16-7 not seen over Israel. Secondly this is a textual variant. Suddenly a doctrinal passage with a textual variant which is important to interpretation and which effects the timing of the rapture.
I think that the internal evidence supports the KJV here for consider that John uses the ‘past, present and future’ phrase in several other places- 1:4, 8; 4:8; 16:5. Plus I cannot find the phrase used as in ‘past and present’ only.
Another interesting fact is who is blowing the trumpet in Matt.24:31. It is assumed the 7th angel blows this trumpet. But look at Zech.9- “And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.” (v14) “And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.” Perhaps when Christ “shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet” he is blowing the trumpet as he sends his angels. (Isa.27:12-13) One would think the Lord blowing a trumpet would trump an angel blowing one.
But if the Lord blows the trumpet then after the 7th angel sounds after the tribulation when he that “shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb.10:37, “art to come” Rv.11:17), when is the “last trump”? Good question. We see trump mentioned in reference to the rapture in these 2 places- the only time in scripture the word ‘trump’ is used:
“Behold, I shew you a mystery... 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.” 1 Cor.15:51-2
“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:” 1 Thes.4:16
(Wouldn’t it be ironic if God gave us a president named Trump during when the rapture occurs?) Paul tells us this last trump is part of the mystery of the church (1 Cor.15:51)- which is a highly significant truth; see here. The trumpet blown in the end is by the Lord and for Israel's atonement. (Lev.23:24-7, Dan.9:24) When we compare the 1 Cor.15 passage with the other last trump passage in 1 Thess. 4 we see this trump cannot be the same event as the trumpet at the end of the tribulation because there are no signs (1 Thes.5:1-3). Now we really only need a first trump if there is a last trump- there doesn’t have to be more than that, but at least a first. If there is a first and last trump here when the dead are raised and the living are translated to not see death then perhaps the first trump is for the dead and the last trump is for “we which are alive and remain”. It certainly isn’t unheard of to have 2 trumpet blasts for the “calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.”(Num.10:2) “And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” (v3) Or perhaps there was a first trump sounded when Christ died and made atonement (Lev.25:9). It is interesting at least that the church in Philadelphia has Christ "set before thee an open door" and leaves them the promise "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Rev.3:8, 10) And we see John (the beloved disciple connected with Christ's return- Jn.13:23, 21:20-4) caught up to the door opened in heaven before the tribulation of the seals are opened. Rev.4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:and the first voice which i heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and i will shew thee things which must be hereafter. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
Comments