Rod McNair

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Have Men Just Become Obstacles?

Not long ago, I attended the college commencement exercises for my daughter. It was an exciting day for the students who had worked so hard to finish their studies. As I watched, it was gratifying to think about the hard work and determination it took for each of those graduates just to be there. One of the top students in the class gave the valedictorian address. He was a young man, probably in his early 30s, who had distinguished himself as an outstanding student. He told his story and gave a really remarkable speech. He spoke of challenges and obstacles—some very personal—that he had overcome. It was quite touching. He was there with his wife and his young daughter, and I couldn’t help but feel admiration for this man and what he was already making of his life.

Toward the end of his talk, he spoke of the women in his life—his mother, his daughter, his wife—and how important they were to him. But then his speech went down a perplexing path. He addressed the men in the audience and said, “Really the best thing we can do for the women in our lives, is just get out of the way.”

I thought to myself, Wow, what a shocking statement! Out of all the things that we could say to a generation of young men, that’s the best we can expect? At that moment, there were thousands of men in the audience. I thought of them. I asked myself, Is this going to inspire them to dream great dreams, to be builders of society, and to strive to serve and give of themselves to their families? When the best we expect of them is just “Get out of the way”?

I walked away shaking my head. Not because I’m against men learning to honor and respect and admire the women in their lives. No, quite the contrary. Rather, I thought, what a shame for the opportunity missed to show both men and women they can help each other. See, life is made up of relationships, the most important being marriage. And a marriage partnership between a man and a woman takes teamwork and sacrifice on both sides.

What is the best a man can do? How can he be successful in marriage and in life? The answer doesn’t come from the woke agenda of our modern world that believes masculinity is toxic. Rather, the answer lies in understanding a man’s real purpose. And that purpose is revealed in the Bible.

The modern, secular, radical agenda is not giving our young men and boys the true perspective they need.

Three Keys to the Potential of Men

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

Is the highest ideal we can expect from a man, just to “get out of the way” of women? Or were men and women designed to work TOGETHER to succeed? If you’ve been watching this program for any length of time, you know we hold the Bible to be the source of wisdom for life. It was inspired by God, and it gives us advice about how to make our relationships work.

God made men to be men. He made women to be women. He put us in marriages and in families. And not surprisingly, He has instructions for men on what we can do to make our relationships work. So, what’s the best a man can do to achieve his God-given potential? We’ll identify three things in today’s program.

#1: Love and honor your wife

Now, that’s simple, you might say. Everyone does that. If you’re married, you love your wife—otherwise why would you get married? But stop and think for a moment. Maybe we DON’T fully understand what it means to love and honor your wife, since so many marriages end in divorce.

Look at the statistics. In the United States, if you were married in the 1950s, 25 years later you have about a 25% chance of being divorced. If you were married in the 1970s, 25 years later you have almost a 50% chance of being divorced. That’s an American tragedy (“Marriages and Divorces,” OurWorldInData.org, 2020).

But it’s not just in the United States where so many marriages are failing. In England and Wales, a similar trend is occurring. In England and Wales, if you take all the marriages entered into in the year 2000, 17 years later, almost 35% of them had failed. This is not just an American problem, nor is it just in the British Isles.

A Psychology Today article written in 2019 reports, “Globally, in the nearly four decades between 1970 and 2008, the divorce rate has more than doubled…” (“Divorce Rates Around the World: A Love Story,” PsychologyToday.com, February 3, 2019).

The title of the article was “Divorce Rates Around the World: A Love Story.” I wouldn’t call that a love story. I’d call that a painful and heartrending disaster.

So, what is wrong with marriage today? Maybe we don’t know what “love your wife” really means. Now, of course, we can’t lay all the blame for divorces on men—both men and women have a part to play. But in the context of our topic today, shouldn’t we be looking at what men contribute to their side of the marriage, so they can be better at truly loving their wives?

Many have overlooked the fact that the Bible gives practical and direct advice to men about love and marriage, so notice what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:28:

“So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it…” (Ephesians 5:28–29).

So, think about this, men. Do you take care of yourself? Do you look after your health, your well-being, your needs? Of course you do. We all do. Paul is saying, if you’re married, treat your wife like you would treat yourself. Talk with her. Be aware of her needs. Be patient and thoughtful even when she’s down or upset. That’s what love is. It’s not just a passing feeling or romantic notion. It’s a commitment to care for another human being as you’d care for yourself in good times or bad.

Now, think about it. Would men AND WOMEN be happier if real LOVE was emphasized in our culture? I think the answer is obvious. The Apostle Peter echoed the same instruction to men in 1 Peter 3:7:

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).

The Bible tells men to honor women. Not to demean them. Not to put them down. Not to insult them or abuse them. But to honor them.

Now, some will take issue with Paul for saying women are the weaker vessel. But it’s really not hard to understand. In fact, in the article, “What Science Tells Us About Transgender Women Athletes,” the authors put it succinctly: “Men are, on average, bigger, faster, stronger and have greater endurance than women…” (Quoted from “Experts Cite Data and Research For Why Transgender Participation Should Be Outlawed in Female Sports,” Swimming World Magazine, May 12, 2022).

There are exceptions of course. But by and large, this is true. So why did God create men to be bigger and stronger? To dominate women? To crush them physically or emotionally? No. Rather, it was God’s intention that a man learns to care for, nourish, and protect the woman he’s committed himself to.

There was a time in naval history when the unwritten rule was, if a ship went down, the women and children would get the lifeboats first. This code of conduct was popularized in 1852 at the sinking and evacuation of the Royal Navy ship HMS Birkenhead. It was thereafter called the “Birkenhead drill” because of the ship captain’s insistence that the men give up their lives for the protection of the women and children that were on that ship. The same standard was applied at the sinking of the Titanic. Many men gave up their spot on lifeboats to their wives and children. And they themselves died in the icy waters of the north Atlantic. One has to wonder, have we come to the point in our history where men today would feel no sense of responsibility to protect women in an emergency such as that? Is that who we are?

Men were designed to stand up for and cherish and protect their wives to their last breath.

A Godly Standard for Male Behavior

Husbands and wives are to work as a team, not as competitors. And men need to be inspired and challenged to care for and care about their wives. Loving and honoring wives is vital. But that’s not all there is. In this segment we’ll examine a second challenge for men to be their best.

About 3,000 years ago there lived a very wise king. In fact, his reputation spread far and wide. We have many of his teachings preserved in the Bible. His name was Solomon. And from Solomon we get our second challenge to men:

#2: Fear God and keep His commandments

What does this have to do with a man’s relationship with his wife? Let me explain. This phrase is actually taken straight out of the Bible. Let’s read it together. It’s found in Ecclesiastes 12:13:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

When Solomon summed up the purpose of life, the meaning of life, and why we’re here. This is what he said. Fear God. Keep His Commandments. This is man’s all. Now, we understand “man” here to be “mankind,” or “humanity.” But let’s step back and apply this scripture to the half of humanity that are called men. What if every last man on this earth would be doing this today? How would it change the world? How would it change the world for women?

Well, first of all, if all men feared God, there would be no crime. There would be no domestic abuse. There would be no fear for women walking down a dark, abandoned alley late at night.

Now, what does “fear God” mean? God doesn’t want us to be frightened or terrified of Him. It just means He wants our attention, our focus, and our obedience. He wants us to deeply respect Him and hold Him in awe. Why is that? Because He’s in Heaven and we’re on earth. He made us, He controls everything around us. And He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we need to do that will really make us happy in the long run.

What about the commandments? They simply are the Ten Commandments, as found in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament. You know, the Ten Commandments often get a bad rap today. They’re seen as harsh, demanding dictates from an unloving and uncaring God. But have you ever actually looked at them to see what they say? Many of them actually teach us how to love our neighbor. Let’s look at the command against adultery. This is found in Exodus 20:14:

“You shall not commit adultery.”

What’s adultery? That’s an old word that means having sexual relations with someone who is not your wife. Now, how out of fashion is that? And yet, imagine all of the broken marriages torn apart because of infidelity. Certainly, infidelity can be the cause of actions of either the husband or the wife. But let’s focus on the men right now. What if men, from little on, were taught to be faithful to their wives, till death? That sex is a precious gift that only belongs in a lifelong, committed marriage relationship.

Do we see how keeping this and other of the Ten Commandments would make the world a safer and more secure world for women? Women don’t need men to get out of the way. Women need men to fear God and keep His commandments. That would make a radical and monumental change for the better.

But we can take this one step further. Because Jesus explained in Matthew 5:27 that there is physical adultery, and then there is adultery of the heart;

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27–28).

Pornography is a curse in our Western nations. It’s not just a curse for men—women get hooked, too. In fact, according to a 2016 working paper by researchers for the University of Oklahoma,

“Men who started watching pornography partway through a 2-year period doubled their chances of divorce. For women, that number tripled” (“Divorce rates double when people start watching porn,” Science.org, August 26, 2016).

At a 2002 meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, attorneys gathered were surveyed about the effects of porn on divorce. What were the results of the survey?

“‘An obsessive interest in Internet pornography’ was a significant factor in 56 percent of their divorce cases the prior year” (Opinion: “National Review: Getting Serious On Pornography,” NPR.org, March 31, 2010).

So, stop and think this through. What if men were taught, from a young age, that it’s not only wrong to commit fornication and adultery, but it’s wrong to even harbor lustful thoughts toward a woman? What if our culture would support parents’ efforts to protect their children from inappropriate images in the media, in movies, and on the Internet? What a different world this would be.

If you are a man and watching this now, think about your life. Think about your relationships. If you have a porn problem, get help. Get past it. Overcome it. Porn is sin. And sin destroys trust. Sin tears apart marriages. Yes, God can forgive, and He WILL forgive, if we repent. But we first must admit we’ve sinned and must have a DEEP desire to overcome it with God’s help.

Jesus Christ—The Ultimate Male Role Model

A few years ago, a well-known men’s skin-care products company set off a firestorm by a commercial they ran. The commercial not-so-subtly suggested that we should accept the progressive media view that men in general are toxic bullies and need to improve. The slogan of the commercial was, “The Best Men Can Be.”

We’ve already seen that God intended for men to care for their wives, to cherish them and protect them. So, yes, men should not be bullies. But the commercial didn’t tell the whole story. It didn’t finish the narrative of what men should attain to.

How can a man be “the best that he can be?” Let’s talk about that now.

#3: Become like Jesus Christ

Almost 2,000 years ago, there was a man who walked this earth, whose name was Jesus Christ. Many in our secular, humanistic culture of today don’t want to hear about Him, but He was the ultimate man. He was the standard. In fact, He was God in the flesh. He had been at the throne of the Father for all eternity past, and He emptied Himself of His divine privileges.* We read of that in Philippians 2:6. Referring to Jesus Christ, Paul writes,

“… who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8, English Standard Version).

He had been at the throne of God, with the Father. He gave that up for us. To become flesh and blood. To walk with us. He humbled Himself.

But He wasn’t a weakling. There is a common misconception of Jesus Christ as being a sort of effeminate individual who was soft and weak. Perhaps it’s because many pictures portray Him that way. But think about it. He was a carpenter. He was a builder. And back then there were no power tools. His hands were strong and used to work.

Again, it doesn’t mean He was weak because He cared for the interests of others. In fact, here’s an example of the type of man He was, in Matthew 21:12,

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves” (Matthew 21:12).

Jesus Christ wasn’t a bully. But He also wasn’t afraid of taking strong action when it was required. The Temple was the house of God, and when He found crooks there taking advantage of and cheating the people, He stopped them, and threw them out. Notice what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, in Ephesians 4:13,

“Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

If you’re a man who cares about your family and your wife, commit to becoming like Christ. If you want to make a difference in your world and build something worthwhile, become like Christ. If you want to set a strong and solid example for others to follow, become like Christ.

He’s the standard. He is the measure. He set the pace. And that’s what this world needs more of. And that’s what women need. Men like Christ.

I think one of the most touching and powerful passages in the Bible is at the end of Christ’s life, when He’s hanging on the stake, and He speaks to John, the disciple He was closest to. Let’s read it together:

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:25–27).

Jesus loved the whole world. Every human being. That’s why He gave His life. That’s why He allowed men to kill Him. So you and I could have a way out of sin. But even as He was hanging there, in his last moments, He did not forget the woman who had bore Him and raised Him. He ensured His mother would be cared for, just before He died—the last act of a dynamic, powerful, caring man.

Don’t give in to the cynical view of today, the idea that the Bible puts down women and tells men to do so. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible holds men accountable for treating women well, and challenges them to do so, with God’s help.

God Made Men to Be Strong Leaders—For the Good of All

If you are a man, think about your life. Think about how you treat others. Think about how you interact with women, especially your wife. Are you living up to the standard of Jesus Christ? If you have young boys, it’s your responsibility to teach them how to be a real man. Not just a macho reflection of a movie hero, but a real man. Like Jesus Christ. To honor and respect women. Not just to “get out of their way.”

What if you’re a woman? What about the men in your life? If you have a husband, respect him. Value him. Appreciate what he does for you. Tell him you are thankful for how he sacrifices for you. And raise your boys to be valiant and faithful men themselves who respect women and value their own masculinity.

We are living in difficult times. But God is looking for men—and women—who can rise to the challenge.

In 2 Chronicles 16:9 we read this:

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Men, it’s not enough just to get out of the way. For the sake of the women in our lives, we must become what God wants us to be.

If you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to order your free copy of our study guide, God’s Plan for Happy Marriage. Just click the link in the description to order, it’s that easy. And remember to like and subscribe to our channel so you can watch more videos on biblical topics.

Thanks for watching. See you next time!

* Editor’s Note: The telecast originally said “emptied Himself of His divinity,” which was a mistake on our part. Rather, Jesus emptied Himself of His divine power and prerogatives when He became flesh, as we have long taught and published and as explained here. We apologize for the error.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Introduction: A Less-Known Holy Day

Trumpets figure prominently in the prophetic language of the Bible. Most people have heard of the seven trumpets of Revelation. These trumpets will signal seven powerful plagues unleashed on the earth during the Day of the Lord. The seventh of these trumpets will signal the beginning of Christ’s reign over the kingdoms of this world. And this trumpet will also announce the resurrection of the saints to glory.

But who has ever heard of the “Feast of Trumpets”? Just what is the “Feast of Trumpets”?

The Feast of Trumpets is one of the seven biblical Feasts that are outlined in Scripture. These are holy days observed annually by a growing number of Christians around the world. These holy days are not just empty rituals, but deeply, meaningful holy days that provide a framework for the plan of salvation. They teach us how God is bringing many sons to glory, as it says in Hebrews 2:10.

If you haven’t heard of the Feast of Trumpets, why not?

Maybe it’s time you did. Because your Bible shows this feast day is a significant day of worship to God. And keeping it can give us a depth of understanding about where we are in prophecy, and where we’re headed.

On today’s program, we’re going to ask the question, “What is the Feast of Trumpets”? We’ll examine how it fits into the overall outline of biblical holy days. And we’ll discover the special significance it has for Christians living in the last days.

Trumpets: A Vital Biblical Symbol

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we bring an understanding of today’s world, through the prophecies of the Bible.

When we speak of trumpets in the Bible, what comes to mind? You might recall that there will be seven trumpets blown during the Day of the Lord, announcing seven powerful plagues. You may also recall that there is a mighty trumpet blown at the resurrection of the saints.

Why do we have these uses of trumpets in prophecy, and what do they mean for us? To answer this question, we must understand that the Bible reveals there are seven biblical holy days. They are annual holy days and occur as regular, annual feasts. One is called “a memorial of blowing of trumpets.” Or, just “the Feast of Trumpets.” But what is it all about?

Perhaps the best way to introduce the Feast of Trumpets is to first take a step back, and outline all of the seven annual feasts. Now, some think the feast days, originally found in the Old Testament, were just for the ancient Israelites, or just for the Jews. But actually, the New Testament church kept the biblical holy days, too. This might be a shock to some. But if you want to see for yourself, be sure to get the study guide we are offering today, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan.

We find the biblical holy days listed in the book of Leviticus. I’ll briefly review them, and explain what they symbolize for Christians.

Let’s turn to Leviticus 23 and we’ll read in verse 1.

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.

Now stop just for a moment, and think about this. Who is “the Lord” speaking? Well, that’s the preincarnate Jesus Christ and He says these are His feasts. These feasts He’s going to be talking about. There not the feasts of the Jews, There not the feasts of the Isrealites, they are the Lord’s feasts. And if we understand that this is the preincarnate Jesus Christ talking should we not take notice and think about what does our Lord want us to learn about His feasts?

Going on:

“Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” [v. 3]

So, this is interesting because what we find here is there is a weekly Sabbath, and there are annual Sabbaths. The seventh day, Saturday, is the weekly Sabbath, and the feasts we are going to be talking about here in a moment are the annual Sabbaths. And they are all feasts of the Lord.

Going on in verse 4…

“These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times….”

So this is interesting. In the introduction to a discussion about the feast days, we’re told these are the feasts of the Lord. Who is the Lord? The preincarnate Jesus Christ. And they’re connected to the seventh day Sabbath, and they are to be proclaimed at their appointed times. Now let’s go through a step by step discussion of what these feast days are.

1. First, comes the Passover. This is found in Leviticus 23:4 and 5.

For Christians, Passover is a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. It signifies the fact that if we have repented of our sins, we can be “passed over” and we can be justified before God through the death of Jesus Christ. We can be freed from the death penalty, which we earned through sin. This is the first and pivotal step in the awesome plan of salvation of Almighty God.

2. The second feast is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, found in Leviticus 23:6–8.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread follows Passover. This feast is a time when Christians remove leaven from their homes and sin from their hearts. It’s a seven-day period where we are admonished to examine ourselves and determine: Are we living up to the sacrifice that Christ made for us? Leavening symbolizes sin, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread symbolizes coming out of sin, through the help of our Savior Jesus Christ.

3. The third feast in the biblical list of holy days is the day of Pentecost. In Leviticus 23:15–21 it is introduced as the “feast of weeks” or the “feast of firstfruits.”

This one you might be more familiar with. You may remember that it was called the Day of Pentecost in the New Testament. That’s just a Greek word for “fiftieth,” as they were to count fifty days in order to calculate the timing of this day. Pentecost was the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the fledgling New Testament church. Pentecost, or the “Feast of Firstfruits” teaches us that God is calling just a small number of people today, as firstfruits. He’s simply not calling the whole world now. Have you ever wondered why there is so much sin in the world? Why is it such a violent and dangerous place to be, and getting worse? If God really was trying to call all of humanity at this time, don’t you think He’d be more successful? No, God is not calling everyone now. And this is explained in the Day of Pentecost, or Feast of Firstfruits.

4. The next feast often occurs in September and is called a “memorial of blowing of trumpets,” in Leviticus 23:23–25. In short, it’s called the Feast of Trumpets.

But what is the Feast of Trumpets for? Well, this feast teaches us that Jesus Christ’s return will be in a time of great warfare and violence. It also symbolizes Him coming as a warrior, as a conquering king, no longer as a suffering Lamb. We’ll come back to this a little later.

5. Following short on the heels of the Feast of Trumpets is another day called The Day of Atonement. This is found in Leviticus 23:26–32.

The Day of Atonement is a very sobering day because it’s a day of fasting and humbling ourselves. It’s a day when we recognize that Satan the Devil has been given temporary rulership over this world. But he will be removed when Jesus comes back to this earth. And for that reason, it’s a day of great hope and promise for all mankind.

6. The next feast is called the Feast of Tabernacles. That’s found in Leviticus 23:33 through 36.

The Feast of Tabernacles signifies the big harvest which will take place during Christ’s 1,000-year reign on earth. It’s also called the “Feast of Ingathering.” And during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, God’s Spirit will be open to everyone and all will know the truth. Everyone in every nation around the globe will be taught to worship Him and learn His ways. The Feast of Tabernacles is a seven-day, joyous celebration that reminds us of this coming age of peace and prosperity.

7. The last feast is called the “eighth day” in Leviticus 23:36. It’s also called “the last day, that great day of the feast” in John 7:37.

This Last Great Day comes immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s a one-day feast that teaches us just how just and fair God really is. The Last Great Day teaches us that there will come a time after the millennium when every human being will have a chance at salvation. Those who have lived and died but never even heard the name of Jesus Christ will have an opportunity and God will not consign them to punishment without really giving them a chance. This feast pictures that day when they’ll be given their chance. And what a wonderful picture of a fair and loving God it is.

What we’ve just reviewed is God’s master plan of salvation. In other words, God has a step-by-step plan by which He will give every man and woman a chance at salvation.

So, what does this have to do with you? And why are we talking about the Feast of Trumpets.

True Christians Kept God’s Feasts

In the last segment, we briefly outlined the seven feasts of God that He reveals in the Bible. These are feast days that the early New Testament Church kept in the first century. But don’t take our word for it; do your own research. Check it out for yourself. You’ll find that first-century Christians never kept Christmas, Easter, or Halloween. What they did keep is Pentecost, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Passover, and others. How do we know? Well, we can look at the record of the Bible itself.

Take a look at Acts 2:1:

“When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1)

Isn’t it interesting that the Holy Spirit was given, initiating the New Testament church, on what most people think of as an Old Testament holy day? This is after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Shouldn’t it give us pause before casting aside these holy days?

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church was written in the 50s AD, well over two decades after the New Testament church was founded. And yet, Paul refers to this church as keeping Feast of Unleavened Bread, another of the biblical holy days. We can read it in 1 Corinthians 5:6:

“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.” (1 Corinthians 5:6–7)

Leaven was compared to sin. Just like leaven spreads throughout a whole loaf of bread in the leavening process, even so, sin spreads and multiplies in us and has a corrosive effect in our lives. During the feast of Unleavened Bread, we are to eliminate any leavened products from our homes and any of our meals. Paul acknowledges the fact that these members of the Church in Corinth were in fact keeping these days, because he said, “you truly are unleavened.”

The next statement should make it even more clear. In 1 Corinthians 5:8 Paul wrote:

“Therefore let us keep the feast…” (1 Corinthians 5:8)

So, we find the church of God keeping this so-called Old Testament holy day well into the New Testament era. As one step further, Paul explains that we should observe the New Testament Passover in honor of our Lord’s death. Notice in verse 7 of 1 Corinthians 5:

“For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

In chapter 11 he gives instruction on how to observe the New Testament Passover:

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ … For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23–24, 26)

Now, why does this matter? Why go through examples of the New Testament writers explaining how the early church kept the biblical holy days? Because as Christians, we are to follow in the footsteps of Christ and the disciples. And certainly, it’s even more important to be diligent to follow the example of Jesus Christ, as we see the day of His return approaching.

As we mentioned in the last segment, the Feast of Trumpets is the fourth feast in the sequence of annual holy days. But to understand the Feast of Trumpets, we have to understand how trumpets were used in ancient times. Thousands of years ago, before the advent of radio or satellite communication, there had to be a way to convey signals to people separated by great distances. Whether an army in formation, or citizens scattered throughout a walled city, their lives depended on having sentries who could blast a trumpet call to everyone, if danger was approaching.

So, what does this mean for us today? What should we learn from the Feast of Trumpets? This Feast focuses on the return of Christ. But not only that, it warns us that Jesus’ return will occur during a time of great calamity and war. That’s what trumpets were used for in ancient times. To announce danger or an approaching army. So, this holy day, to be kept annually, is designed to teach us about how to be ready in a dangerous and violent world leading up to Christ’s return.

If you’re a long-time viewer of Tomorrow’s World, you know that the prophesied Day of the Lord is a one-year period leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. During that one-year period, seven trumpets will be blown by seven powerful angels. These seven trumpets will announce seven plagues poured out on mankind. These seven plagues are outlined in Revelation 8, 9, and 11. The description in these chapters shows that this will be a time of great devastation and distress on earth. This final year, the Day of the Lord, will be the year of God’s wrath on rebellious mankind. At the end of that period, Jesus Christ will intervene to save humanity from itself. We read of the seventh trumpet blowing and a profound announcement taking place. This is in Revelation 11:15,

“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15)

Think about it! What a momentous event that will be. The announcement of our Savior directly taking control of the governments of this world. Can you imagine what a profound shift this will be? In response, Zechariah shows us that the leaders of this world will actually fight against Him. In Zechariah 14:1–2, we read:

“Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem…. [v. 3] Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.” (Zechariah 14:1–4)

Why does Jesus Christ have to take over the kingdoms of this earth when He returns? Have you ever asked yourself that question? The answer is simple. He is NOT the ruler of this world today. Satan the devil is. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says Satan is “the god of this age.” Ephesians 2:2 shows Satan is the “prince of the power of the air.” He rules over this age, with chaos and violence. Is it any wonder why we have so much mayhem and destruction in our world today? It’s because Satan is currently ruling over this earth. But he will be replaced by Jesus Christ, and the Feast of Trumpets teaches us that.

God’s Plan of Salvation—Step by Step

We’re living in very uncertain times. The news is frightening. The trends in society are discouraging. And it’s easy to worry about what’s going to happen next. But we don’t have to wonder or worry, because we’ve been given an outline of the plan.

The holy days reveal the plan of salvation of our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. The biblical holy days outline that plan and they show us where we are in history.

They also show us that when Christ returns, in a time of war, another event will happen. This is something God’s servants have waited for, for thousands of years. That is, the resurrection of the saints. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 explains this:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18)

And it is a comfort, isn’t it? To know our Savior is coming back, and when that trumpet blows, those who have died in the faith, as disciples of Christ, will be awakened and given life, spirit life. And we, too, can be part of that group that enters God’s glorious kingdom in that day. A life without pain, without suffering, without death, forever. That’s hard even to imagine, but that is what will happen when that trumpet blows.

But which trumpet is it? 1 Corinthians 15:51 gets more specific:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52)

Just as Christ will take over the kingdoms of this world at the announcement of the last trumpet, so will the resurrection occur. At the last trumpet. The seventh trumpet of Revelation. The time when saints will enter glory, eternal life with God the Father and Jesus Christ. To live forever and never die. This is what the Feast of Trumpets teaches us—that we can be changed into immortal spirit beings, at the blast of that last, seventh trumpet. What an encouraging and powerful hope we have!

Frankly, we are nearing that time now. We are living in the time leading up to the events symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets. Wouldn’t you want to know more about the Feast of Trumpets if it reveals understanding about the time we’re living in? Wouldn’t you want to keep the Feast of Trumpets if it gives comfort and encouragement in a time of violence and war? This profound observance teaches us about preparing for and being ready for the tumultuous times ahead of us.

Conclusion: The True Gospel

On Tomorrow’s World, we bring you the truth. And truth is so rare, today. We are committed to preaching this message, to accomplish our mission and goal, and that is, of publishing the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God on earth—the same Gospel message Christ preached.

Isaiah 58:1 tells God’s servants:

“Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet.” (Isaiah 58:1)

And that’s what we want to do, with each episode of Tomorrow’s World. Not just perpetuating the world’s traditions and customs, but actually teaching how you can have a relationship with God based on obedience to His laws. Jesus Christ came to die for our sins, and we can have forgiveness through Him. But there is so much more to His message, including the advance warning of how to prepare for the times just ahead.

So, what is the Feast of Trumpets? It’s an annual holy day, among the biblical Holy days of God, which prepares us to be ready for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And what could be more important than that?

Thank you for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our free study guide The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan, go to TWTV.org/Plan or click the link in the description. See you next time.