Nov | 07 | Of Shouts & Trumpets

Key Word:- WORSHIP

Title:- Of Shouts & Trumpets

Joshua 6:5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. .
 
As a former submarine sonar operator at the end of the Cold War, I spent long periods of time, listening to and identifying the sound of enemy ships and submarines. I still remember the distinctive and identifying sound signature of Soviet K Class warships: 2 shafts, 4 blades and lots of resonance. You see, the Soviet design of these massive battle cruisers led to a specific structural-acoustic resonance, which produced a kind of ‘singing sound’ in the audible frequency range of humans. ‘Blade resonance’ put a loud and distinct shouting voice to these dangerous behemoths of the past and no doubt upon their detection during the Cold War, caused the loading of many a torpedo tube!

On this day in 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State, collapsed into the roaring foam of the Puget Sound beneath. The 2,300 foot long suspension bridge, then the third largest in the world, though built to withstand winds of 120 mph, destroyed itself four months after its completion, in moderate winds of just 42mph. Galloping Gertie, as the bridge had become known, finally fell over the fence! Most engineers now agree that the wind began to resonate with the natural frequency of the structure, causing a steady increase in amplitude, until the bridge finally collapsed.

‘Resonance is the property, which most objects have, of vibrating more strongly when exposed to an external force which is itself vibrating at the object's natural frequency. So what? Well in our text for today, some people have suggested that the combined final shouts and trumpets of the army that silently walked for 7 days around Jericho, was an example of God’s sonic weapon, ‘resonating’ down the mighty walls of Jericho!

I have three simple points today.

First of all friends, find out what it is that makes your heart sing, makes it resonate at it’s natural frequency and then amplifies it some. For example, I know that there are particular activities, people, prayers and programmes, and a whole lot more that energize me and fill me with joy and I need to be around that! In this sense we are each tuned to our own particular frequency and find fun, (yes, that is a Christian word), we find fun in operating and living in that area of excitation. We need enough of this to keep us ‘alive’ in our hearts, but not too much to shatter our personhood in selfishness. Think about it and be wise.

Secondly, it is interesting that the Scriptures present sounds which accompany battle, victory, or celebration and festivity. Each sound supremely distinct and each one absolutely necessary. Undoubtedly these sounds, encased in poetic imagery, carry with them accompanying images of purpose. However, I wonder if they do more than pad out the prose? I mean could there be more? I am not talking about some wacky new age crystal vibration humbug here folks, just acknowledging that shouts and songs, tumbrel and trumpet all have a vital, communicative and resonant effect on us and the places we attack.

So let me ask you today friend, what are you listening to? I mean what kind of song is RESONATING in your heart, warming it, soothing it, exciting it, and preparing it for battle? God has put a resident and resonant frequency on your heart and you had better find it friend and live in it. I suppose I am asking you: just what is your shouting voice? Find it.

Lastly, find out what songs and sounds the enemy has robbed you of . Undoubtedly these are the ones he fears the most, for they will bring his strongholds down.

He who has ears to hear; let him hear.

Listen:- For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 
1 Thess 4:16-18

Pray: - Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love.
Oh, singing Saviour, shouting God, give me songs at midnight and shouts in the noon day sun. Amen.