Daily Thoughts from Numbers: Sounding the Trumpet (10:1-10)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. 

  The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God.”  (Numbers 10:1-10 ESV)

Sometimes in our fellowships the whole group needs to be addressed.  The message does not need to be mediated through representatives but spoken directly to all that all may be clear and accountable.  There are other times when only the leaders of the whole group need to be addressed.  But as with any social group, communication is paramount.

Yahweh prescribed a method of blowing trumpets for the vast numbers of Israel.  The signals were clearly determined so that no one would be confused.  And the communication, when war was imminent, was meant to stir the hearts of the people with confidence that God was going before them and victory was assured.

If we are to be honest, communication from leaders is often neglected because we leaders do not see the populace as having anything meaningful to contribute to our decisions.  This is pure cowardice at times as well as arrogance.  People need the clear trumpet blasts.  They need to know the score and be inspired by it.  God wants informed people.  And God speaks to all that all may be encouraged and all may be accountable.

Israel was preparing for war, the conquering of Canaan.  The trumpet might signal an alarm.  As a church we are in need of the alarm.  We are too complacent in our prosperity and too ignorant of the warfare going on around us.  We tend to think we are on a cruise liner rather than a battleship.  The stakes are high and we are playing shuffleboard.

Dio Chrysostom, Greek orator, writer, philosopher and historian of the Roman Empire in the 1st century, of the good king (Loeb vol I:1:27) – “Assuredly he is well aware that they who are best prepared for war have it most in their power to live in peace.”