Numbers 10:1-10--The Silver Trumpets

Numbers 10:1-10
English Standard Version

The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 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. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 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. 10 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.”

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The last item that the LORD has Moses make before the people head out has nothing to do directly with the Tabernacle, but has to do with what we'd call Signals and Communications.  The LORD commanded Moses to make two silver trumpets (not like the trumpets made of ram's horns used for other signals like the beginning of Yom Kippur or when the walls of Jericho  will fall down).  These trumpets would have a unique tone that wouldn't be mistaken for anything else.

The trumpets were made to give various signals such as:

• To break camp and get ready to move out
• To sound an "alarm" signal because they were under attack--first the tribes on the East side would march out to battle then if there was a second alarm, the tribes on the South side would march out as reinforcements)
• To gather the whole congregation at the entrance of the Tabernacle when the LORD wanted to speak to them (both trumpets issuing a long blast in unison)
• To call for a meeting with the leaders of the 12 Tribes (a single long trumpet blast)

Aaron and the priests were responsible for the trumpets and using them to signal the people for meetings and when to sound the alarm and when to break camp.  They were always to blow these trumpets before going to war as a reminder to them that they were calling out to the LORD for help and for Him to win the battle for them. 

The trumpets were also blown on the days of gladness and thanksgiving (the Holy Feast Days) and at the beginning of each new month.  They were blown over the sacrifices and burnt offerings and peace offerings as a reminder to all the people that the LORD, He is God, and they are His.  So then, these trumpets would communicate a message to the people of Israel, but would also be heard by their enemies.

There are many instances in the Old Testament where Israel uses these trumpets to rally troops for battle, to remind the people that LORD is fighting for them, to call the people to a solemn assembly where the LORD wishes to speak to them, to call out to the LORD in times of thanksgiving, but there are also times where God condemns the people for not responding to the trumpet blasts when they are all supposed to gather together--they refuse to assemble to listen to Him or to fight alongside their brothers because they don't see themselves as needing to be involved, or they forget to be thankful for the gifts of food, continued life, and atonement that they are to celebrate.  However, we also see God use trumpets like these to signal His people.

We see in Zechariah 9 that on the Day of the LORD, the LORD will sound the trumpet.  He will go forth in battle to fight for His people (see verses 14-17).  We're told in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 that there will be a single trumpet blast used to gather all those who are in Christ--both the living and the dead.  Even God will use a single trumpet blast to call all the congregation together to meet at the entrance of His Heavenly Temple when it is time for Him to gather all of His people home, and to announce the time of celebration of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, but to also announce the beginning of the war that He is going to carry out against those that have chosen to be His enemies and the enemies of His people.