“Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?”
The verse above asks a question that should be considered. The question asked is, “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?”
The trumpet was sounded when an enemy was approaching, and the purpose of the trumpet was for the armies to gather to fight against this enemy. Can you imagine the heart of every child who heard the trumpet? Every child knew what the sound of the trumpet meant. You can imagine the heart of every mother sink when she heard the trumpet because her boy was about ready to go to war, and she knew that he may never come home again. You can hear the silent prayer of a wife when the trumpet is blown because she knew her husband was about ready to fight the enemy, and she hoped beyond hope that he would return. The trumpet being blown meant that evil days were about ready to happen. So what is the believer to do when the trumpet blows?
First, don’t listen to the alarmist who predicts total destruction. When the trumpet of disease, financial disaster, or total annihilation is sounded, you must not allow those who blow these false trumpets to disturb your heart. Those who sound these trumpets are sounding them because they get paid for people to hear their trumpets blow.
Second, read God’s Word. When you hear the news media and social media pundits trumpet fear, the best thing to do is to shut them off and turn on God’s Word. You will always find strength and comfort in God’s Word. God’s Word has a way of calming your heart in times of fear. When all the voices around you trumpet fear, God’s Word has a way to cancel the noises of fear and sound the voice of hope and calm.
Third, trust God. Always remember that God will take care of you. God has always cared for you in the past when the alarming trumpet has gone off, and He will continue to care for you in troubled times. My friend, God is not scared of the alarming trumpet. God is still on His throne, and He is in total control of everything that you face in your life. When the alarming trumpet is sounded, trust the God who promises to care for you in times of fear and attack.
Fourth, listen to your preacher. Verse 7 says, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” A preacher who walks with God will encourage you in times of fear. You will find that your pastor will exude faith and give a message of hope that encourages you if you have a man of God who walks with God.
Fifth, don’t miss church. The worst thing you can do when the alarming trumpet is blown is to hunker down in your hiding place in fear instead of making God your hiding place as you go to church. Always remember that the God who commands you to be faithful to church is powerful enough to care for you during the alarm of the trumpet. When you miss church, you miss the encouragement from fellow believers and from God’s message to you from the sermon of hope.
Sixth, do right. Never stop doing right when the trumpet is blown. The more you do right, the more faith God gives to you in times when the trumpet is constantly being blown. Never stop serving God just because the trumpet is blown. God’s power that cares for you in the times of calm is great enough to care for you during the alarming trumpet.