YEA Lesson Library
Blow the Trumpet
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches why we celebrate the Feast of Trumpets and emphasizes the need to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ.
Scriptures
Leviticus 23:23-25
Leviticus 23:24
Numbers 29:1
Joshua 6:5, 20
1 Corinthians 15:50-52
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Revelation 8:6
Revelation 11:15
Words to Know
RESURRECTION - when dead people wake up and come out of their graves
DEATH - a very deep sleep
CHRISTIAN - a person who has accepted Jesus as their Savior and lives according to His teachings
The Lesson
Every school has fire drills. Teachers want to be sure that when you hear the alarm, you know what to do to be safe. So teachers and students practice. When the alarm sounds, you line up quickly and walk quietly outside to a safe place. Then you wait for your teacher to tell you what to do next.
The Feast of Trumpets is kind of like that for Christians. The Israelites knew to listen closely to the trumpet blast. They could tell by the sound of the trumpet what they should do. On the Feast of Trumpets, God said they must blow the trumpet. This trumpet blast told them that this was the first Feast they would celebrate in the fall. Everyone is to celebrate it.
There is another time when a trumpet will be blown. It is when Jesus will return to this earth. Just like the fire drill, we need to practice so we will be ready when Jesus returns. Oh, we don’t practice what we’re going to do when Jesus returns. We don’t know exactly what we will do. What we do need to practice is being the kinds of boys or girls that Jesus is looking for when He comes back to this earth.
Did you know that the best thing that can ever happen is for Jesus Christ to come back to this earth? A lot of people will still be living when He returns. Christians who have already died will be brought back to life when Christ returns. Death is like a very deep sleep. Many Christians have been in a very deep sleep for a long time. When the trumpet sounds they will wake up. Do you know a Christian who has died? Has your grandmother or grandfather or maybe a neighbor died? It will be such a wonderful time to see them again when Christ returns. This is called the first resurrection.
But something else will happen when Christ returns. There are so many bad things in our world. So many people are sick and poor. Some children’s dads don’t live with them any more. Bad people steal and kill. This can make us really sad and afraid. When Jesus returns to earth, He will stop all of these bad things from happening. Children will not be afraid to go outside, even at night. When Jesus returns to earth, He will make the world a safe and happy place. Do you want to see Jesus real soon?
There are certain things you do when you have a fire drill at school. You must quietly leave the school. There are certain things we must do to be ready for Jesus to come back. Jesus is looking for boys and girls who will follow His way. Do you want to be in the group of people who belong to Jesus? If you do, you need to practice now and follow what He says to do in the Bible. God, the Father, gave us the Feast of Trumpets to remind us that we need to be ready! When Jesus returns you will hear a loud shout and the trumpet will sound.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving us the Feast of Trumpets. We need to be reminded to get ready to see Jesus when He returns to this earth. Help me each day to do what you want me to do. I want to be ready when Jesus comes. In His name we pray. Amen
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Leviticus 23:23-25
Monday - Joshua 6:5, 20
Tuesday - Numbers 29:1
Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 15:50-52
Thursday - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Friday - Revelation 8:6
Saturday - Revelation 11:15
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. State that the Feast of Trumpets is on the first day of the seventh month.
2. Recite that God commands us to celebrate it.
3. Tell that when Jesus returns there will be a shout and a trumpet will be blown.
4. Repeat its significance as a reminder to us of Christ’s return.
Topics & Themes
Feast of Trumpets
God’s Kingdom
Jesus, Return of
Resurrection
Trumpet
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students and teacher’s books, calendar, pencils, bean plants, construction paper, crayons, scissors, yardstick, glue, songbook, CD/cassette tape and music player, attendance and memory verse charts, stars
Preparation
God uses symbols to teach us about Himself. Therefore, it is quite possible that the Holy Days can mean more than one thing. That is, we believe that the Feast of Trumpets looks forward to the return of Christ. But that does not necessarily mean that it couldn’t hold another meaning as well. When presenting this to the children, emphasize the idea that we believe it symbolizes the return of Christ, but don’t limit it to only that event. We are constantly learning about God and the richness of His nature. All of us want to remain open to learn more of Him.
How to Teach This Lesson
Make this Holy Day a very positive thing and as special and real as possible for the children. It is not just a future event, even though that occasion is the hope of our salvation.
Fire drills - Encourage the children to talk about fire drills, how important they are, and the specific things they must do. This could easily flow into a discussion of what things we, as Christians should be doing to get ready for the return of Christ.
Trumpet sounds - Discuss the different sounds a trumpet can make. Ask if they have ever heard taps played. Explain that taps is played on military bases when it’s time to go to bed. There are other sounds for them to get up or go eat or go to battle. Soldiers know the different sounds and what to do when they hear the trumpet. The Bible tells us that Jesus will come back to earth when the seventh trumpet sounds. Discuss how a trumpet was blown on the first day of the first seven months and the Feast of Trumpets is the first day of the seventh month.
Return of Christ - Children should not be apprehensive about the return of Christ. They should be taught to view it positively as the solution to crime, broken homes, fear, poverty, evil depriving our children of a fun life. Lead them in a discussion of how much better things will be when our friend Jesus is back on earth. Children should anticipate Christ’s return to earth and learn to pray “Thy kingdom come.”
How children can practice for the return of Christ - Remind your class that a fire drill is practicing. They go through this exercise to learn exactly what to do. Get the students to name things they can start doing to be sure they will be ready when Christ returns to this earth.
Review Questions
The students lesson includes a word blank activity. The activity will work well as a review of the things they have learned. Hopefully, the students have finished this activity and they can read the words they have filled in as you read the words that precede it. If not, have them give the words and find and write in the words as you lead them through it. The text for the activity is reproduced below with answers in italics so you will know what goes in each blank.
The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month. It is a day of rest. It must be a special service that is announced with a trumpet blast. We know that Jesus will come down out of heaven with a loud shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. Then Christians who have died will rise first.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Before class, enlarge and make enough copies of the flower on construction paper for each student to have one. Also copy the petal five times on a piece of paper and make enough copies for everyone to have a sheet. Remind the students that on the Feast of Pentecost our plant had produced beans or fruit. God wants us to produce the fruit found in Galatians 5:22-23. Ask an older student to read those two verses from a youth translation. As she reads the verses print the fruits of the Spirit on a newsprint pad – love, joy, peace, patient and kindness. Give each child a sheet of petals. Have them cut out and glue the petals to the flower on the construction paper you give them. Have them write their name in the center of the flower and one of the fruits of the Spirit on each petal. Display the flowers around the church bulletin board.
REACH Activity
1. In your Bible notebook, add to your list of God’s Holy Days (chart or paragraph) begun during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
2. Find the Concentration game (Holy Days, Passover, and Sabbath) you made during the spring holy days. Play it with a younger sibling or friend.
3. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotional Scriptures. Read the Scripture reference to the child. Then start the timer. When the child has found the verse, stop the timer. Read the verse and talk about how it relates to the lesson.
Challenge the child to see how quickly he/she can find each of the verses in the Bible.
4. Find four scriptures which talk about trumpets in the Bible. Share them with your family.
5. Read Numbers 10. What were the different uses for trumpets? Write this in your Bible notebook.
6. Research different trumpet calls used in the military. You probably already know a couple like reveille and “Charge!” But there are others like Taps, Mess, Fatigue, and Assembly. See if you can find the 20 most common calls. Write down their names and when they are used. Share the sounds with your family.
7. Draw the outline of a trumpet. Write your memory verse inside it. Color it yellow (or bronze). Cut it out and put it on your front door. Remember to practice your memory verse three times.
8. Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Then write one verse from these two passages which is very special to you.
9. Make a place mat for each member of your family out of 11 x 17 construction paper. Decorate them with trumpet shapes and “Happy Feast of Trumpets.” Remember, this is a feast day celebration. Make it special.
10. Help your mom (and dad) prepare a special meal for the Feast of Trumpets. Maybe you can help set the table or help make a special dessert.
11. Draw your church family assembling on the Feast of Trumpets. Use your favorite color tools. Finish the project by writing your memory verse as a caption across the bottom. Display your drawing in the church foyer, your classroom, or on your own refrigerator.
12. Sing:
A. From the CEM Hymnal: “Christ is Coming” on pg. 29, “Come Thou, Almighty King” on pg. 3, “Crown Him with Many Crowns on pg. 9, “Joy to the World” on pg. 40, “One Day” on pg. 54, and “O Worship the King” on pg. 19.
B. From The Group Songbook: “How Majestic is Your Name” on pg 71, “King of Kings” on pg. 43 (also has Jewish-style dance instructions), and “We Will Glorify” on pg. 1.
C. From Kids Classics Collection: “He is Lord” on pg. 90.
13. Choose one of the songs about Jesus’ return or Jesus as King. Write down some of the words from the song in your Bible notebook.
14. Look up the word shofar. Write the word and its definition in your Bible notebook. Then draw a picture of a shofar next to the word.
15. Usually someone brings a shofar to church to blow on the Feast of Trumpets. Ask them if they would mind showing you the shofar. Maybe they would even let you try to blow it.
16. Make a crown out of construction paper. Decorate it with “gems.” What does Revelation 4:10-11 say the 24 elders do with their crowns? What do Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:9-11 say that all people will do when Jesus comes back?
17. Look at a calendar. Leviticus 23 says that the Feast of Trumpets is on the first day of the seventh month. That’s God’s calendar. What day is it this year? The next holy day is the Day of Atonement. That’s the 10th day of the seventh month. Count 10 days from the Feast of Trumpets. What day is that this year? After that is the Feast of Tabernacles. It begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. What day is that this year? The Feast of Tabernacles lasts for seven days, with the Last Great Day on the eighth day. Write down in your Bible notebook 1) holy day; 2) the dates for this year; and 3) the dates according to God’s calendar.
18. In your Bible notebook, write down three reasons why you will be very happy that Jesus Christ has returned. Talk about the reasons your family has during a meal today.
19. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus told His disciples how to pray. One part of that is “Thy kingdom come.” Remember to make this part of your daily prayer.
20. Say a prayer to God, thanking Him for the Feast of Trumpets. God’s holy days are always a blessing.
Song
“Alive, Alive” is on page 55 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask for a student to volunteer to lead in prayer. Remind the student to thank God for the Feast of Trumpets and that Jesus will come again to this earth.
Printable Pages
