We often match sounds to particular moments – birthdays parties have party songs and candlelit dinners have more romantic playlists. If the church is stepping into a new season (see previous blog) then should there be a new corresponding sound? I believe so.

This new season will have a fair amount of contention. A spring season in the natural causes our gardens to reveal lots of wonderful new life – but the hoped for green shoots will no doubt be matched and even threatened by weeds contending for territorial advantage. The flowers and the weeds both grow as the climate changes but the winner depends on the gardener. 

I’m relieved God is the gardener of this new season. I’m sensing a similar contention in the spirit realm as the enemy seeks to crush the arrival of Gods plans. When Moses was born, the Pharoah issued a decree to murder all the young Hebrew boys. When Jesus was born, Herod issued a similar decree. If we are stepping into a new season in God then I’m sure the enemy will not be watching from the stands – he will try to crush it. We need to guard our hearts and lives, be discerning and amplify the sound of the season.

Many sounds have come out of churches over the years. Sounds of rejoicing, sounds of repentance, sounds of identity and sounds of intimacy to name but a few – but I believe the sound of this new season is a sound of the throne room. Sounds and songs that magnify the King of Kings, resound with His majesty, His greatness, His power, His works and His ways. Songs that take our eyes off us and place them on Him. Songs filled with awe and wonder at the sheer vastness of who He is – the sort of songs we are likely to release when we stand around His heavenly throne – captivated and consumed by the Holy One seated on His eternal throne. I believe these songs and sounds are important in the contention of the season.

I was reading Joshua 6:8-11 this week and reminded that on each of the days the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho, the priests blew the trumpets ahead of the army for the duration of the march. 

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹ The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰ But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” ¹¹ So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

The armies were silent but the trumpets sounded. Trumpets in the bible signify an alarm of war or a call to gather. They sounded throughout the OT – in Exodus 19,20 we read that the trumpet sounded and the people trembled as God manifest His presence in smoke and fire on Mount Sinai. In Numbers 29 we read that the blowing of the trumpets marks numerous sacrifices and a call to both repent and be reminded of the covenantal nature of God. The Feast of Trumpets marked a period of not carrying out ordinary work but a time of presenting offerings to the Lord. The NT references trumpets in a few key places such as the gathering of Gods people on the return of Jesus – and in Revelations we read of them being blown by angels (Rev 8-9). Sounds are important to God.

In the UK today, the arrival of the king at a state function will often be heralded by the sound of trumpets. There is a sound rising in the church as we herald the arrival of the King of kings among us.

Joshua instructed the priests to sound the trumpets ahead of the presence of God and the people followed silently in obedience. The battle wasn’t going to be won on the strength of the army but by the power of God’s presence. The trumpets weren’t announcing the strength of the army but they were announcing the strength of their God. If the contention of this season is to be won, then our sound must announce the Lord and not us. If we make sounds about us, if we draw attention to us, if we rest in our strength then I don’t believe we will see the miracle of what could be ahead of us. Our sound must be about our King – it must announce Him.

Let the trumpets blast. Let us magnify our majestic King. Let us lift our eyes to see Him – and let the nations tremble in His presence. Not because of a rising church but because there is One who is seated on an eternal throne. Let our songs be directed to the King to whom His people look, and in whom His people trust. The One out-working His sovereign purposes in these days. A King who is commanding the seasons. 

May our sound be in tune with His season.