I’ve never seen so much speculation about the end times as we’re seeing today. Each year these speculations become more and more preposterous. Did you hear this one? Doomsday prophets suggest that the apostle Paul was referring to Pres Donald Trump as the “last trump” (1 Cor 15:52).
This feeds right into the doomsday scenarios pictured by many internet prognosticators. Yet, meanwhile, what they may be missing out is that God is using President Trump to expose deep corruption which will lay the groundwork for great revival in the land.
Historian David Montaigne, who has written several books on the end times blogged in 2016, “I am not suggesting that Donald Trump absolutely *IS* the last trump – but since the LAST TRUMP is one of the most clear and final signs in end times prophecy, can we overlook the possibility that a presidential candidate named Trump is being used as a sign by God?” (1)
Even liberal provocateur and filmmaker Michael Moore proudly prophesied that Donald Trump will be the “the last president of the United States.” (2)
Moore’s statement alone should be enough to reject the notion that the Donald is the “last trump.”
But what exactly is the true understanding of the “last trump”? When does it happen? What was Paul referring to when he spoke about the “last trump”?
Escape the Coming Antichrist – When the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Fails (and it will!) by Lou Comunale
I was spurred on to explain this after a reader of my book wrote me, “I just read your book. Very eye opening. I’ve wondered why so many pastors seem to ignore 2 Thess 2:3-4. What are your thoughts about ‘the last trump’ in 1 Cor 15:52?”
Let’s see what I Corinthians 15:52 says: “Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
A companion scripture concurs: “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 Thessalonians 4:16).
Both scriptures are talking about the very same instant when, what many call, the “rapture” takes place.
Since many well-meaning Christians are at variance with one another about the timing of the rapture, it is no great stretch to see that many will also misunderstand the “last trump” as well – so much as even suggesting that the scripture applies to Donald Trump!
[For a full overview of the rapture controversy, I submit for your review my book, “Escape the Coming Antichrist – When the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Fails (and it will!).”]
Before we unpack this scripture, let’s first understand a primary rule of hermeneutics, which is the study of God’s word.
We know that all scripture is inspired of God (2 Tim 3:16) and that the word of God cannot be broken (John 10:35) – meaning that there cannot be contradictions in His word. Therefore, any doctrine we preach must pass this simple test – does every scripture dealing with the topic align itself into a cohesive whole? There should be no contradictions in any scripture presented.
Now, armed with that concept, there are those who claim that the “last trump” is the last, seventh trumpet blast on the Day of the Lord that culminates in the destruction and decimation on the wicked of the world.
But if that is true, then there’s a contradiction here. Christians, who will be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, have unfortunately already endured six previous trumpet blasts of destruction and wrath, the latter of which the word of God promised that Christians would not face.
Christians are not appointed unto wrath, says 1 Thessalonians 5:9. Jesus will deliver Christians from the wrath to come, says 1 Timothy 1:10.
We know that the wrath of God is reserved for the children of disobedience (Eph 5:6, Col 3:6). And we know that the Seventh Seal unleashes the last seven trumpet angels, during the period of time known as the Day of the Lord, which is the day of His wrath.
Let’s recap for the benefit of those who have not read my book. Revelation’s Seven Seals are fulfilled during Daniel’s Last Seven Year period. The prophesied “end times” are only a period of Seven Years.
THE SEVEN SEALS EXPLAINED!
The First Four Seals comprise the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Antichrist, wars, famine, death, which occurs during the first three and a half years, which Christ calls the beginning of sorrows (Matt 24:8).
The Fifth Seal is the Great Tribulation, which begins the second half of three and a half years.
The Sixth Seal is the Signs of the Sun, Moon & Stars.
The entire Seventh Seal is the Day of the Lord, but it’s broken up into three sections. The Seventh Seal opens up the Last Seven Trumpet Angels, which are released on the earth. The Seventh Trumpet Angel ushers in the Last Seven Plagues (or vials). This entire period, which actually lasts months, is the Day of the Lord, also known as the Day of His wrath!
As we read in Revelation, immediately after the Sixth Seal, the wicked in the world are horrified in that they see the sign of the Son of Man (Matt 24:29-31) and know that their doom is inevitable: For the great day of his wrath (the Day of the Lord) is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Rev 6:17).
Therefore, Paul’s “last trump(et)” cannot be referring to this period of time because, again, Christians would be suffering in the wrath of God, from the previous six Trumpet blasts.
Paul knows better than that. He, himself, has said that Christians would not experience the wrath of God (1 Th 5:9, 1 Tim 1:10).
So how do we reconcile these scriptures and how do we understand what the “last trump” is?
Before we explain, we must unpack an area of scripture that has caused no amount of confusion for Christians. We need to review again what the wrath of God consists of because many cannot pinpoint the timeframe of the wrath of God, and subsequently they misapply the timing of the rapture as well.
Many pre-tribulation teachers, for instance, believe that the wrath of God is both the Great Tribulation & the Day of the Lord. But scripture teaches no such thing. This is where their pre-trib rapture date setting falls off the wheels.
On the other hand, you may notice that some teachers, who see the wrath of God being poured out on only the last portion of the Day of the Lord (the seven last plagues), go to the opposite extreme, basing their position on this scripture:
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth (Rev 16:1).
Let’s remember that the book of Revelation is written in a consecutive manner. Each chapter follows the previous one in a chronological order (save those ‘inset’ chapters meant to explain a point).
Chart Detailing the Day of the Lord. The Seventh Seal releases the Seven Trumpet Angels, and the seventh of which releases Seven Angels with the Last Seven Plagues (or vials).
Therefore, we know that Revelation 16:1 refers to the last seven plagues (or vials) that are poured out on the earth. The timeframe Rev 16:1 gives us is after the Seventh Seal, after the Seven Trumpets, which brings us precisely to the Seven Last Plagues (or vials).
Many conjecture that the wrath of God only consists of these Last Seven Plagues (or vials), using Rev 16:1 as their basis. However, we’ve already seen that the Apostle John has shown us that the entire Day of the Lord consists of the Lord’s wrath. Immediately after the Sixth Seal (the Signs in the Sun, Moon and Stars), we read the wicked of the earth lamenting their fate coming from the Seventh Seal:
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Rev 6:15-17).
The entire period of the Day of the Lord comprises His wrath. Furthermore, some will still insist that the seven last plagues alone constitute the wrath of God, using this scripture in Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
But other translations make the last phrase clearer.
- for in them the wrath of God is complete (NKJV)
- which would bring God’s wrath to completion (NLT)
- with them the wrath of God is finished (ESV).
All of this to signify that the wrath of God encompasses the entirety of the Day of the Lord, with its culmination during the last seven plagues.
Keeping in mind the need to present doctrine that does not have contradictory scriptures, we submit now the only plausible explanation for the “last trump.”
Let’s look at the scripture again and determine which “trump” this is referring to?
I Corinthians 15:52 states: “Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
If we take a quick look to the reference in Revelation that details what occurs when the Seventh Trumpet Angel sounds (Rev 11:15-19), we do not read of any resurrection of the saints taking place at this time at all; for the resurrection had already occurred in chapter seven (which is in between chapter six, detailing the Great Tribulation, and chapter eight, and onwards, which details the Day of the Lord).
1 Thessalonians 4:16 gives us further clues: “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.”
Four things must take place in unison: Jesus returns from heaven with a shout, an archangel also shouts, the voice of God blasts like a trumpet (!), and the saints in Christ are resurrected.
None of these things occur at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Angel in Revelation 11:15-19. Instead each of the seven angelic trumpet blasts signify a stage in the battle of good over evil, as the Lord takes over the rulership of the world and punishes the wicked for its disobedience.
ALL DOCTRINE MUST NOT CONFLICT WITH ANY SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD OF GOD
We’re now coming to a very important point to fully understand about the “last trump.”
The Apostle Paul asks, If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? (1 Cor 14:8), signifying that there are indeed trumpet blasts designed for war preparation. However, not all trumpet sounds are a call to war!
Numbers 10:1-10 shows us that God instructed Israel on the various ways to communicate to the congregation by blowing silver trumpets. And one of those ways was to call an assembly, either for the elders or for the entirety of the congregation.
And when they shall blow with [the silver trumpets], all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation … when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm (Num 10:3, 7). The alarm meant a call to war, but not all sounds of the trumpet were a call to war.
For instance, some trumpet calls were for a solemn assembly (Joel 2:5).
When we begin to understand that the “last trump” is a call for a solemn assembly, and not a call for war, it all makes sense.
Jesus, in His Olivet Prophecy, shows us that this “last trump” actually is a solemn call of assembly.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
And 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.
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 (Matt 24:29-31).
Therefore, this last trumpet sound is the last of its kind, calling to assembly God’s people together in this realm, bringing them to immortality and glory, just before God takes over the kingdoms of this world.
And Donald Trump cannot be pigeonholed into this scripture no matter how hard they try.
CHECK OUT this video: The Lord in 2016 showed us that He was going to use Donald Trump to bulldoze over the plans of man, after which the Lord would bring a period of refreshing to the land.
- (1) https://www.christianpost.com/news/is-donald-trump-the-last-trump-before-jesus-christs-return-173779/
- (2)https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/trump-the-last-president-of-the-united-states-warns-new-documentary-20180810-p4zwn8.html
