Let's turn in the Bible to 1 Corinthians 14:8

"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" - 1 Corinthians 14:8

Imagine thousands of years ago, being in a large army of soldiers. You can see the glittering spears, swords, shields, body armour and the trumpeter. In those days, the trumpet would make a certain sound to signify that the soldiers should advance, and another sound for the soldiers to retreat. No doubt the trumpeter would have stayed close by the commander of the army and been instructed as to when and what to sound.

Amid the din and noise of battle, above the thundering of chariots and the shouting of soldiers you hear a strangled trumpet blast that just doesn't sound clear. You stop and wonder, was that a call to charge or to retreat? Suddenly you notice the rest of your comrades stumbling around in confusion, some start to charge, and others to retreat. The enemy makes the most of this moment and strikes a deadly blow.

Now, what has the trumpet in battle thousands of years ago, got to do with us today?

Listen to this solemn message from our commander, Jesus Christ.

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain." Joel 2:1

What is mount Zion, or God's "Holy Mountain"?

"O God, why hast thou cast [us] off for ever? [why] doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Remember thy congregation, [which] thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, [which] thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt." - Psalms 74:1-2

So from this verse we see that the Bible says "thy congregation", which God has "purchased of old" or has "redeemed", is "mount zion, wherein thou hast dwelt".

So mount Zion, or God's Holy Mountain symbolically refers to God's people, where He dwells. In Isaiah 57:15 God says "I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit..".

So let us again read Joel 2:1.

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain." Joel 2:1

The message here is to sound an alarm among God's people. Not an unclear sound, but a 'certain sound' that will rouse to forward action! But what does it mean to blow the trumpet? How do we do this?

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." - Isaiah 58:1

What solemn cry! When we walk downtown and see people rushing to and fro in the business of life. I wonder if we realise that many, many of these precious souls are marching blindly onward to death. And what about the people that profess to be followers of Christ? The verse we just read says "show my people" and "the house of Jacob" their sins. Yes, even among professed Christians there are so much disunity, confusion, uncertain sounds wreaking havoc.

When we consider, the awful truth.. the realities of eternal life or death.. that Christ gave all to redeem mankind and that so many even Christians are still living in sin, shouldn't it bring grief to our hearts, shouldn't we be roused to a sense of urgency to blow the trumpet with a certain sound? Shouldn't it inspire us to lift up our voice and in love, lead people to cast their sins at the feet of Christ and to go and "sin no more" (John 5:14)?

Let's quickly look at this last Bible text:

Ezekiel
33:2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
33:3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

Do you get the picture? In other words, set a watchmen on the city and let him be responsible to warn the people. Now read the following text.

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me." - Ezekiel 33:7

Now who is the watchman? Who will warn the people? It is those that "shalt hear the word at my mouth". In other words, if a volcano has erupted at the top of a mountain and lava is coming descending upon a city below, and if we were the only one that knew about it, we would be shouting a warning in that city ASAP!

If we know that Christ is soon to come, and that only the "pure in heart" shall see God, and that "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself". If we can see these things and remain silent, then we are not being faithful watchman.

Rather, let us pray earnestly, ask God to give us a love for people, and then with this love be a faithful watchman, warn people against sin and prepare a people to meet God.

And so let us close with this encouraging quote:

"Watchmen on the walls of Zion are to be vigilant, and sleep not day or night. But if they have not received the message from the lips of Christ, their trumpets will give an uncertain sound. Brethren and sisters, God calls upon you, both ministers and laypersons, listen to His voice, as speaking to you through His Word. Let His truth be received into your heart, that you may be spiritualized by His living, sanctifying power. Then let the distinct message for this time be sent from watchman to watchman on the walls of Zion." - Ellen G. White, Manuscript 152, 1897.