The fifth feast of the Lord is the Blowing of Trumpets. The fifth furnishing of the Tabernacle was the Altar of Incense. The fifth of the days of creation marked the beginning of animal life. The fifth stage of Israel's journey included the constructing of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the organizing of Israel into an army.

A part of the Christian Church has been at Pentecost, so to speak, since the early part of this century. The Pentecostal movement has been expanding since the middle of the century and is now termed Charismatic.

But the Ark is never stationary for long. God now is moving ahead to the Blowing of Trumpets.

The Blowing of Trumpets is the coming of the Lord of Hosts to declare war against His enemy. It is the beginning of the end for Satan and His followers.

We notice an increase in war choruses, the waving of banners, the playing of tambourines in a militant manner. The Holy Spirit is pointing us toward war and judgment, the war and judgment that will attain their climax at Armageddon.

To the individual believer it means that Christ is ready to wage war against the sin in his nature. All worldliness, lust, and self-will must be brought forth, judged, and put to death.

The believer cannot do this alone. Christ will not do it alone. It is the sword of the Lord and of Gideon if there is to be total victory.

The number five is symbolic of entrance into the Kingdom. We find the Altar of Incense, the fifth furnishing of the Tabernacle, at the entrance to the Holy of Holies. After we move past the Lampstand (Pentecost) we are faced with the prospect of death to our self-will, a difficult death indeed! Death to self is more demanding on us than death to sin because it deals with what we are, whereas death to sin has to do with forces alien to us—the sin that has entered our personality, particularly our flesh.

The fifth day of creation produced the beginning of animal life—fish and birds. After we are filled with God's Spirit and move forward in the Lord, Christ begins to be formed in the depths of our personality (the fish). Also we become increasingly aware of life in the heavens (the birds). We are becoming a new humanity, a humanity that is thoroughly of man and thoroughly of God, just like our Lord. It is not enough to have a spiritual life in the heavens. We also must have integrity and strength in the inner part of our personality.

As we follow the Lord the great "whales" of solid character, courage, integrity, judgment, are created in our personality as well as an infinite variety of lesser "fish." We become a new humanity, solid in transformed human character and well acquainted with and a participant in life in the heavenlies.

The fifth stage in the journey of Israel was the construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the forming of Israel into an army. During the last fifty years we have witnessed an unprecedented emphasis on the Body of Christ (the Tabernacle) and a call to war (the forming of the army of the Lord).

We used to sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer." Now it is "Summon Thy Power O God!"

This is just the beginning!

To be continued.