By Robert R. Brown, D. D.*
B LORY to God in the highest, and. on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). “ For the Lord him self shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice o f the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16). More than nineteen hundred years ago, lowly Palestinian shepherds received an angelic visitor who greeted them with the thrilling message, “ Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings o f great joy, which shall be to all people.” This joyful message was the announcement that a Saviour had been born. Then an angelic host joined the angel herald in the mighty chorus: “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This theme has re-echoed down through the centuries. It has been the inspiration for the most enjoyable season of the year. ?u t there is another equally awe-inspiring event which is yet future. This momentous occurrence will be ushered in with the sound of the trumpet. The cry of all Christian hearts is, “ How long will it be until we shall hear the sound o f the trump of God with its attendant shout and voice of the arch angel?” Its promise and prospect are the hope of' the church and the joy o f every believing heart. Prophecy T HE angels’ chorus was prophecy fulfilled. The ancient prophecy that the Seed of the woman should one day bruise the serpent’s'head; that a virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son; that a Child should be born, upon whose shoulder the government of the world would rest—the promise o f the Deliverer for His people and of the Light to lighten the Gentiles, was now fulfilled. He of whom all the prophets had spoken came at last. The Word had become flesh and dwelt
among men. The Son of God had laid aside His glory that He might make Himself of no reputation and become “ fashioned like as a man.” “ A child is born . . . a son is given” ! The only way by which God’s Son could become a man was by a human birth. What a glorious testimony to the identity of the newly-born Child! He was not a product o f the race; He did not come up out o f the human family, but He came down from God. Wonderful gift o f God’s love! The sound of the trumpet is next in God’s prophetic cal endar. The prophets not only foretold the coming o f a Babe; they spoke of the day of the coming of the King o f kings. The fulfillment o f this great truth is the expectation o f the church, its glorious hope, the only answer to the need o f the world. The sound o f the trumpet will mark the beginning of the fulfillment o f a great line o f prophetic Scriptures. It will be a great hour for the church of God when, in accord ance with First Thessalonians 4:13-18, the saints will be caught up to meet the Bridegroom. The trumpet blast refers to the resurrection o f believers as recorded in First Corinthi ans 15:52: “ The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” The angels announced to the Jewish nation that the Deliverer whose coming the prophets predicted was here, but the trumpet will proclaim to a prepared bride that her Absent Lover has come to fulfill His promise, “ If I go . . . I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” This will be the answer to the High Priestly prayer o f Jesus: “ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am” (John 17:24). The sound of the trum pet will bring nearer the day when Israel, a present world problem, will be brought into her own by the coming o f her Messiah. A t that time the Palestinian problem will be settled in short order.
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