THE FIRST AND THE LAST TRUMPET

1 Corinthians 15:52

… At the last trumpet.

Paul, Yeshua’s emissary speaks to us about the ‘last blow of the shofar’ (1 Corinthians 15:52).  If there is a last blow there must also be a first. Through the passage of time, the last blow of the shofar is an echo of the first shofar blown at Horeb.

The first shofar is blown to herald the grand entrance of the King in the lives of men. The King entered the created dimension and His feet touched the mountain (Exodus 19:11). Later, He whom they saw as Hashem and who did not lay His hand on them also enjoyed a meal with the elders of Israel sitting at His feet (Exodus 24:9-11; Exodus 33:20). In the same manner, the last shofar will herald the arrival of Hashem's King whose feet will touch the mountain. He will also recline for a meal with His true followers, with those who cared not to lose their lives for Him (Zechariah 14:4; Revelations 19:7-9).

At the Exodus, while Egypt drowned and licked its wounds from the results of a series of plagues, our fathers were placed under the legislation of God’s eternal Instruction.  By these, they were to be a light to the rest nations of the world. At the last shofar, while the worlds also licks its wounds from the plagues of God’s judgments, through Instruction flowing from Jerusalem, those of the nations who remain will also be placed under the legislation of the Light of Torah, the constitution of the Word to Come (Micah 4:2).

When a man blows the shofar, he starts out strong then grows weaker as he runs out breath. It is not so with the God whose breath (in Hebrew: ruach meaning: spirit or /breath) is infinite. The mighty El-Shaddai doesn’t run out of breath as the text in Exodus tells us, As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder …(Exodus 19:19).

Looking at our sad world today, it can easily be concluded that all of its problems are the result of breaking the fundamental instruction taught at Mt Horeb. One of the sages of Israel defined that just by keeping the last of Horeb’s Ten Statements we keep all the rest of them. Indeed if we (10) do not covet the things that we do not have or even need, (1) we worship our One God and (2) are not tempted the dainties offered us by idol-worshipping; (3) we do not need to lie so we do not need to take His Name in vain by swearing falsely (Matthew 5:33-37); (4) we do not find it binding to take a day off from lucrative activities to spend it with Hashem and those created in His image such as family and friends, and (5) we have no qualms about morally and financially supporting our aged parents. The absence of covetousness also negates the need for (6) murder, (7) adultery), (8) stealing, and (9) lying. 

Thus is the legislation of the Messianic Era now and in the World to Come.

May it come soon Adon Yeshua, even in our days!

P. Gabriel Lumbroso

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