Sound the Trumpets 号角的声音
Dexu Xia
Sound the Trumpets
At your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets. Numbers 10:10
“Taps” is a trumpet call played by the US military at the end of the day as well as at funerals. I was amazed when I read the unofficial lyrics and discovered that many of the verses end with the phrase “God is nigh” (God is near). Whether before the dark of each night settles in or while mourning the loss of a loved one, the lyrics offer soldiers the beautiful assurance that God is near.
In the Old Testament, trumpets were also a reminder to the Israelites that God was near. In the middle of celebrating the feasts and festivals that were part of the covenant agreement between God and the nation of Israel, the Jews were to “sound the trumpets” (Numbers 10:10). Blowing a trumpet was a reminder not only of God’s presence but also that He was available when they needed Him most—and He longed to help them.
Today, we still need reminders that God is near. And in our own style of worship, we too can call out to God in prayer and song. Perhaps our prayers can be thought of as trumpets asking God to help us. And the beautiful encouragement is that God always hears those calls (1 Peter 3:12). To each of our pleas, He responds with the assurance of His presence that strengthens and comforts us in the difficulties and sorrows of life.
When have your prayers felt like calls for help? How does the reminder that God listens to our prayers encourage you?
Heavenly Father, thank You that You respond to my call for help and assure me of Your powerful presence and love.
号角的声音
在你们快乐的日子和节期并月朔，……也要吹号。—民数记10章10节
用小号独奏的《安息号》（Taps）是美国军队在一天的结束时，或是在葬礼上吹奏的乐曲。令我感到讶异的是，在这首乐曲的一个非正式版本中，其歌词有几节的结尾都是：“上帝临近！”的确，不论是在每晚黑夜来临前，或为痛失所爱而哀悼之际，这首乐曲的歌词都给士兵们一个美好的确据，那就是“上帝临近”。
在旧约里，吹响号角也是提醒以色列人“上帝临近”的方式。在庆祝节日和节期的时候（那些日子是上帝与以色列民立约的一部分），犹太人就得要“吹号”（民数记10章10节）。吹响号角不只是提醒以色列人上帝的同在，也让他们知道在最需要帮助时，上帝就在左右，而且祂渴望帮助他们。
今天，我们仍需时时提醒自己：“上帝临近！”我们可以用自己的敬拜方式，透过祷告与歌唱呼求上帝。或许，我们的祷告也可被看作是呼求上帝帮助我们的一种号角声。让人得安慰的是，上帝总是垂听我们呼求的声音（彼得前书3章12节）。对于我们的每一个恳求，上帝都会以祂同在的确据来回应，使我们在生活的艰难与忧伤中，能得坚固和安慰。
在什么时候，你的祷告就像是向上帝求救？
得知上帝会垂听我们的祷告，如何让你得激励？
亲爱的天父，谢谢祢，因祢回应我求救的呼声，
并且向我保证祢大能的同在与慈爱。