Last Trumpet

Hearing the Trumpets Today: A Unique Perspective Among Jehovah’s People

 

As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we perceive the symbol of the trumpet on a deeper spiritual level. Among the anointed Bride class, there are those who fulfill the prophetic role of blowing the trumpets—not with literal shofars, but by proclaiming urgent and timely truths from Jehovah’s Word.

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In this spiritual sense, The Watchtower functions like a modern-day trumpet tower, through which Jehovah’s people receive clear signals. These messages serve to alert, prepare, and mobilize us in step with Jehovah’s unfolding purpose and perfect timing.

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While this understanding may not be fully appreciated by those outside our faith, to Jehovah’s people, the sound of the trumpet is unmistakable—powerful, motivating, and deeply reassuring.

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For a thoughtful and reflective study on this topic, I highly recommend the article: 🔗 “Responding to Trumpet Calls Today” – The Watchtower, June 2020 Study Edition. It offers rich spiritual insight into how we can identify and respond to Jehovah’s trumpet calls in our time.

July 13th, 2025 – Perception of Trumpets

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As I continue working on various sections of this book, I find myself revisiting the history of our organization. While reading, I recognized that our collective search for precious truths—carefully hidden in the Scriptures—has led to many epoch-making discoveries. These were promptly shared with the brotherhood and spread far and wide. They strongly remind me of the trumpets I’ve been discussing in this chapter.

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I plan to quote a passage from the chapter “Testing and Sifting From Within” in the book Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. As I trace this historical journey, I repeatedly notice the deep excitement that accompanied each discovery. Our brothers—those faithfully serving on the front lines during those pivotal years—were thrilled every time they uncovered a new gem and shared it with grateful ears.

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Since the heavenly hope is also one of my areas of deep interest—and as you may have noticed, my perception includes a unique element—I feel that, in a sense, I discovered it slightly ahead of others (much like Paul, who described himself as “born prematurely”). I constantly challenge myself to remain humble and not to run ahead of those whom Jehovah has authorized to take the lead—those who bear His name and faithfully represent Him.

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At the same time, I recognize a personal responsibility, even a quiet commission, to speak about these insights and share them with my brothers in Christ. If I am mistaken in any way, I welcome correction. My written analysis is open and clearly expressed—ready for review and refinement by others.

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Here below, I will include the quoted text that captured my attention. I have highlighted the specific thoughts that stood out to me, and I’ve allowed myself to add comments in red—so you can clearly distinguish between the original material and my reflections.

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I want you to notice that most of these discoveries are closely connected with earning the prize of the heavenly call.

Now, turn your attention to this remarkable pattern: each time my brothers discovered a clear mark or insight in the Bible that helped them stay focused on that prize, they trumpeted it—through our publications and assemblies. And since I’ve been prayerfully researching the meaning of the Last Trumpet and recognizing the faithful announcements made by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, my attention has been drawn to this repeated pattern: these trumpet-like proclamations are often tied to the hope of heavenly life.

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Here is the text for your review:

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Were Their Expectations Correct?

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At certain times the Bible Students had hopes and expectations that have been ridiculed by critics. Yet, all those hopes and expectations were rooted in a keen desire to see the fulfillment of what these zealous Christians recognized to be the unfailing promises of God.

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From their study of the inspired Scriptures, they knew that Jehovah had promised blessings for all nations of the earth by means of the seed of Abraham. (Gen. 12:1-3; 22:15-18) They saw in God’s Word the promise that the Son of man would rule as heavenly King over all the earth, that a little flock of faithful ones would be taken from the earth to share with him in his Kingdom, and that these would rule as kings for a thousand years. (Dan. 7:13, 14; Luke 12:32; Rev. 5:9, 10; 14:1-5; 20:6). They knew Jesus’ promise that he would return and take with him those for whom he had prepared a place in heaven. (John 14:1-3) They were acquainted with the promise that the Messiah would also select some of his faithful forefathers to be princes in all the earth. (Ps. 45:16) They recognized that the Scriptures foretold the end of the wicked old system of things and realized that this was associated with the war of the great day of God the Almighty at Armageddon. (Matt. 24:3; Rev. 16:14, 16) They were deeply impressed by the scriptures that show that the earth was created to be inhabited forever, that those who lived on it were to have true peace, and that all who would exercise faith in Jesus’ perfect human sacrifice could enjoy an eternity of life in Paradise.—Isa. 2:4; 45:18; Luke 23:42, 43; John 3:16.

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It was only natural that they should wonder when and how these things would occur. Did the inspired Scriptures provide any clues?

[Sergei's comment: I am in full agreement that the excitement of such discoveries naturally stirs questions like when and how. However, I believe that the idea of escaping earthly suffering by obtaining a heavenly body—while powerful and emotionally appealing—has been shaped by earlier centuries’ perceptions. These views, in some ways, may have created a slight disconnect from Jehovah’s true vision of heavenly life for those who made of dust.

In reality, it’s as if that perception is like an unfinished strand of DNA—something incomplete that prevents the proper development and full understanding of the divine purpose.]

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Using Bible chronology that had first been laid out by Christopher Bowen of England, they thought that 6,000 years of human history had ended in 1873, that thereafter they were in the seventh thousand-year period of human history, and that they had surely approached the dawn of the foretold Millennium. The series of books known as Millennial Dawn (and later called Studies in the Scriptures), which were penned by C. T. Russell, drew attention to the implications of this according to what the Bible Students understood from the Scriptures.

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Something else that was seen as a possible time indicator involved the arrangement that God instituted in ancient Israel for a Jubilee, a year of release, every 50th year. This came after a series of seven 7-year periods, each of which ended with a sabbath year. During the Jubilee year, Hebrew slaves were freed and hereditary land possessions that had been sold were restored. (Lev. 25:8-10) Calculations based on this cycle of years led to the conclusion that perhaps a greater Jubilee for all the earth had begun in the autumn of 1874, that evidently the Lord had returned in that year and was invisibly present, and that “the times of restitution of all things” had arrived.—Acts 3:19-21, KJ.

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Based on the premise that events of the first century might find parallels in related events later, they also concluded that if Jesus’ baptism and anointing in the autumn of 29 C.E. paralleled the beginning of an invisible presence in 1874, then his riding into Jerusalem as King in the spring of 33 C.E. would point to the spring of 1878 as the time when he would assume his power as heavenly King.#(#- That 1878 was a year of significance seemed to be fortified by reference to Jeremiah 16:18 (‘Jacob’s double,’ KJ) along with calculations indicating that 1,845 years had apparently elapsed from Jacob’s death down till 33 C.E., when natural Israel was cast off, and that the double, or duplicate, of this would extend from 33 C.E. down to 1878.).  They also thought they would be given their heavenly reward at that time. When that did not occur, they concluded that since Jesus’ anointed followers were to share with him in the Kingdom, the resurrection to spirit life of those already sleeping in death began then. It was also reasoned that the end of God’s special favor to natural Israel down to 36 C.E. might point to 1881 as the time when the special opportunity to become part of spiritual Israel would close.*(*footnote: Extending the parallels further, it was stated that the desolation of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. (37 years after Jesus was hailed as king by his disciples when he rode into Jerusalem) might point to 1915 (37 years after 1878) for a culmination of anarchistic upheaval that they thought God would permit as a means for bringing existing institutions of the world to their end. This date appeared in reprints of Studies in the Scriptures. (See Volume II, pages 99-101, 171, 221, 232, 246-7; compare reprint of 1914 with earlier printings, such as the 1902 printing of Millennial Dawn.) It seemed to them that this fitted well with what had been published regarding the year 1914 as marking the end of the Gentile Times.)

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In the lecture “Millions Now Living Will Never Die,” delivered by J. F. Rutherford on March 21, 1920, at the Hippodrome in New York City, attention was directed to the year 1925. On what basis was it thought to be significant? In a booklet published in that same year, 1920, it was pointed out that if 70 full Jubilees were calculated from what was understood to be the date when Israel entered the Promised Land (instead of starting after the last typical Jubilee before the Babylonian exile and then counting to the beginning of the Jubilee year at the end of the 50th cycle), this could point to the year 1925. On the basis of what was said there, many hoped that perhaps the remaining ones of the little flock would receive their heavenly reward by 1925. This year also was associated with expectations for resurrection of faithful pre-Christian servants of God with a view to their serving on earth as princely representatives of the heavenly Kingdom. If that really occurred, it would mean that mankind had entered an era in which death would cease to be master, and millions then living could have the hope of never dying off the earth. What a happy prospect! Though mistaken, they eagerly shared it with others.

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Later on, during the years from 1935 through 1944, a review of the overall framework of Bible chronology revealed that a poor translation of Acts 13:19, 20 in the King James Version,*  along with certain other factors, had thrown off the chronology by over a century#. This later led to the idea—sometimes stated as a possibility, sometimes more firmly—that since the seventh millennium of human history would begin in 1975, events associated with the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign might start to take place then.

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*Compare the rendering in The Emphasised Bible, translated by J. B. Rotherham; see also the footnote on Acts 13:20 in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.

 

Study Note in Staudy Bible 2021: during about 450 years: Paul’s discussion of Israelite history begins with a significant event, namely, when God “chose our forefathers.” (Ac 13:17) Paul apparently had in mind the time when Isaac was actually born as the promised offspring. (Ge 17:19; 21:1-3; 22:17, 18) Isaac’s birth definitely settled the question as to whom God would recognize as this offspring, an issue that had been in doubt because of Sarai’s (Sarah’s) barrenness. (Ge 11:30) From this starting point, Paul recounts God’s acts in behalf of His chosen nation down to the time when He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. The period of “about 450 years,” therefore, apparently spans from Isaac’s birth in 1918 B.C.E. to the year 1467 B.C.E. This period extends 46 years after the start of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, in 1513 B.C.E. This end point is appropriate because the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness and 6 years conquering the land of Canaan.​—Nu 9:1; 13:1, 2, 6; De 2:7; Jos 14:6, 7, 10.)  

 

#See “The Truth Shall Make You Free,” chapter XI; “The Kingdom Is at Hand,” pages 171-5; also The Golden Age, March 27, 1935, pages 391, 412. In the light of these corrected tables of Bible chronology, it could be seen that previous use of the dates 1873 and 1878, as well as related dates derived from these on the basis of parallels with first-century events, were based on misunderstandings.

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Did the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses on these matters prove to be correct? They certainly did not err in believing that God would without fail do what he had promised. But some of their time calculations and the expectations that they associated with these gave rise to serious disappointments.

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Following 1925, meeting attendance dropped dramatically in some congregations in France and Switzerland. Again, in 1975, there was disappointment when expectations regarding the start of the Millennium failed to materialize. As a result, some withdrew from the organization. Others, because they sought to subvert the faith of associates, were disfellowshipped. No doubt, disappointment over the date was a factor, but in some instances the roots went deeper. Some individuals also argued against the need to participate in the house-to-house ministry. Certain ones did not simply choose to go their own way; they became aggressive in opposing the organization with which they had been associated, and they made use of the public press and television to air their views. Nevertheless, the number who defected was relatively small.

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Although these tests resulted in a sifting and some blew away like chaff when wheat is winnowed, others remained firm. Why? Regarding his own experience and that of others in 1925, Jules Feller explained: “Those who had set their confidence in Jehovah remained steadfast and continued their preaching activity.” They recognized that a mistake had been made but that in no respect had God’s Word failed, and therefore there was no reason either to let their own hope grow dim or to slow down in the work of pointing people to God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only hope.

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Some expectations had not been fulfilled, but that did not mean that Bible chronology was of no value. The prophecy recorded by Daniel regarding the appearance of the Messiah 69 weeks of years after “the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem” was fulfilled right on time, in 29 C.E.i (Dan. 9:24-27) The year 1914 was also marked by Bible prophecy.

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1914—Expectations and Reality

 

In 1876, C. T. Russell wrote the first of many articles in which he pointed to the year 1914 as the end of the Gentile Times referred to by Jesus Christ. (Luke 21:24, KJ) In the second volume of Millennial Dawn, published in 1889, Brother Russell set out in a reasoned manner details that would enable readers to see the Scriptural basis for what was said and to check it for themselves. Over a period of nearly four decades leading up to 1914, the Bible Students distributed millions of copies of publications focusing attention on the end of the Gentile Times. A few other religious papers took note of the Bible chronology that pointed to the year 1914, but what group other than the Bible Students gave it ongoing international publicity and lived in a manner that showed that they believed that the Gentile Times would end in that year?

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As 1914 neared, expectations heightened. What would it mean? In The Bible Students Monthly (Volume VI, No. 1, published early in 1914), Brother Russell wrote: “If we have the correct date and chronology, Gentile Times will end this year—1914. What of it? We do not surely know. Our expectation is that the active rule of Messiah will begin about the time of the ending of the lease of power to the Gentiles. Our expectation, true or false, is that there will be wonderful manifestations of Divine judgments against all unrighteousness, and that this will mean the breaking up of many institutions of the present time, if not all.” He emphasized that he did not expect the “end of the world” in 1914 and that the earth abides forever, but that the present order of things, of which Satan is ruler, is to pass away.

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In its issue of October 15, 1913, The Watch Tower had stated: “According to the best chronological reckoning of which we are capable, it is approximately that time—whether it be October, 1914, or later. Without dogmatizing, we are looking for certain events: (1) The termination of the Gentile Times—Gentile supremacy in the world—and (2) For the inauguration of Messiah’s Kingdom in the world.”

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How would this come about? It seemed reasonable to the Bible Students then that it would include the glorification of any still on earth who had been chosen by God to share in the heavenly Kingdom with Christ. But how did they feel when that did not occur in 1914? The Watch Tower of April 15, 1916, stated: “We believe that the dates have proven to be quite right. We believe that Gentile Times have ended.” However, it candidly added: “The Lord did not say that the Church would all be glorified by 1914. We merely inferred it and, evidently, erred.”

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In this they were somewhat like Jesus’ apostles. The apostles knew and thought they believed the prophecies concerning God’s Kingdom. But at various times they had wrong expectations as to how and when these would be fulfilled. This led to disappointment on the part of some.—Luke 19:11; 24:19-24; Acts 1:6.

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When October 1914 passed without the expected change to heavenly life, Brother Russell knew that there would be serious searchings of heart. In The Watch Tower of November 1, 1914, he wrote: “Let us remember that we are in a testing season. The Apostles had a similar one during the interim between our Lord’s death and Pentecost. After our Lord’s resurrection, He appeared to His disciples a few times, and then they did not see Him for many days. Then they became discouraged and said, ‘There is no use waiting’; ‘I go fishing,’ said one. Two others said, ‘We will go with thee.’ They were about to go into the fishing business and leave the work of fishing for men. This was a testing time for the disciples. So also there is one now. If there is any reason that would lead any to let go of the Lord and His Truth and to cease sacrificing for the Lord’s Cause, then it is not merely the love of God in the heart which has prompted interest in the Lord, but something else; probably a hoping that the time was short; the consecration was only for a certain time.”

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That evidently was the case with some. Their thoughts and desires had been fixed primarily on the prospect of being changed to heavenly life. When this did not occur at the anticipated time, they closed their minds to the significance of the amazing things that did take place in 1914. They lost sight of all the precious truths that they had learned from God’s Word, and they began to ridicule the people who had helped them to learn these.

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Humbly, the Bible Students examined the Scriptures again, to let God’s Word readjust their outlook. Their conviction that the Gentile Times had ended in 1914 did not change. Gradually they came to see more clearly how the Messianic Kingdom had begun—that it was established in heaven when Jehovah bestowed authority on Jesus Christ, his Son; also, that this did not have to wait until Jesus’ joint heirs were raised to heavenly life but that they would be glorified with him later. In addition, they came to see that the spreading of the influence of the Kingdom did not require that first the faithful prophets of old be resurrected, but that the King would use loyal Christians now living as his representatives to set before people of all nations the opportunity to live forever as earthly subjects of the Kingdom.

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As this grand picture opened before their eyes, further testing and sifting resulted. But those who truly loved Jehovah and took delight in serving him were very grateful for the privileges of service that opened up to them.—Rev. 3:7, 8.

One of these was A. H. Macmillan. He later wrote: “Although our expectations about being taken to heaven were not fulfilled in 1914, that year did see the end of the Gentile Times . . . We were not particularly disturbed that not everything took place as we had expected, because we were so busy with the Photo-Drama work and with the problems created by the war.” He kept busy in Jehovah’s service and was thrilled to see the number of Kingdom proclaimers increase to well over a million during his lifetime.

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Looking back over his experiences during 66 years with the organization, he said: “I have seen many severe trials come upon the organization and testings of the faith of those in it. With the help of God’s spirit it survived and continued to flourish.” Regarding adjustments of understanding along the way, he added: “The fundamental truths we learned from the Scriptures remained the same. So I learned that we should admit our mistakes and continue searching God’s Word for more enlightenment. No matter what adjustments we would have to make from time to time in our views, that would not change the gracious provision of the ransom and God’s promise of eternal life.”

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During his lifetime, Brother Macmillan saw that, among the issues that resulted in tests of faith, willingness to witness and appreciation of theocratic organization were two that laid bare what was really in the hearts of individuals. How so?"

End of quote

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[Sergei's comment: I truly appreciate the beautiful spirit and tone of those faithful brothers who, after drawing certain conclusions and building expectations, remained open-minded when those expectations went unfulfilled. Brother McMillan’s expression—“continue searching God’s Word for more enlightenment. No matter what adjustments we would have to make from time to time in our views”—nicely captures that spirit of humble readiness: the willingness to keep searching and to adjust as Jehovah sheds more light.

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We can see how the expectation of the glorification of Christ’s followers has been closely connected with their desire to attain the heavenly hope.]

 

Simply put—those were not the Last Trumpet.

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The Last Trumpet will be different. Its result will be the resurrection of those who died in union with Christ—whether before or during His presence. After the commanding call and the sounding of the Last Trumpet, those faithful ones will rise. And those who survive until that day will be changed—not only in form, but also in their perception of the heavenly hope. That transformation will be both spiritual and perceptual, marking a decisive fulfillment unlike any trumpet that came before.

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Let’s take a moment to review again how the apostle Paul used the expression “the last trumpet” in connection with the resurrection. First of all, the context of his message was to comfort those who were mourning the loss of faithful ones who had died in union with Christ. How would you comfort people in that situation? Keep in mind that many of those early believers were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus—resurrected not in flesh, but in spirit. So naturally, they would wonder: what should we expect regarding our own faithful friends and family members who, like the Lord, completed their course and fell asleep in death? If I were in their place, I would expect a resurrection similar to Jesus’. Wouldn’t you? But as time went on, there was no such resurrection recorded. And if something of that magnitude had happened, wouldn’t it be found in the Bible? Yet we all know—nothing like that took place. That’s likely why Paul addressed this very question—one that must have been quietly hanging in the air. He wrote: “Moreover, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping in death, so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope. For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again, so too God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in death through Jesus. For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. So keep comforting one another with these words.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

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This leads us to a very important conclusion: there has been no visible resurrection in spirit following physical death. If we hold the same expectation of a heavenly resurrection as Christ experienced, then we must either witness evidence of such a resurrection occurring to our loved ones who have passed away—or, in the absence of such proof, be comforted by the same words of the apostle Paul. According to Paul, it is after the Last Trumpet that we can begin to witness the resurrection—perhaps of people we knew personally, or even individuals from centuries past. True comfort comes when we see them—alive, whether in spiritual or physical bodies—fully functional and recognizable in some form. I do not believe this has happened yet. If it had, there should be sufficient evidence. As someone who personally knows thousands of my brothers and, by extension, is familiar with millions more, I can say with confidence that we, as Jehovah’s Witnesses, have no verifiable proof of such a resurrection—neither in spiritual form nor in physical form. I am confident that if any of my brothers were to become eyewitnesses of such an event, they would not hesitate to share it with millions of fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses. We have a well-established and trustworthy channel for communicating such matters within our global brotherhood. An event of this magnitude—comparable to the resurrection appearances of Jesus to his faithful disciples in the first century—would not remain private or unnoticed.

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Yes, our publications identify a certain point in time after which a spiritual resurrection is believed to have begun. I can agree with the reasoning presented there—such as the spiritual resurrection of living ones who continue in their physical bodies. A vivid example of the spiritual resurrection of God’s people—since the beginning of Christ’s presence in 1914—is presented in Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored at Last!, chapter 10, titled “You Will Come to Life.” This chapter explains how Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) symbolically described Jehovah’s people coming out of a spiritually lifeless state. Especially after the trials surrounding 1914 and the testing period that followed, Jehovah began restoring his people in 1919—bone joined to bone, flesh came upon them, and spirit entered them. It wasn’t a physical resurrection, but a clear awakening, an organizational and spiritual revival that marked their return to active, clean worship. This powerful transformation serves as a prophetic assurance of Jehovah’s purpose to bring his people back to life and unity under His care. (See Pure Worship, chapter 10: “You Will Come to Life.”) 

 

Also worth reviewing are two helpful sources that deepen the understanding of spiritual restoration and the journey toward holiness in our time:
– The Watchtower, Study Edition, October 2023, article titled “Keep Traveling on ‘the Way of Holiness’” (link)
– David H. Splane’s talk, “The Way of Holiness,” presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting (video link)

These resources show how the path of spiritual transformation continues in our time, in harmony with the prophetic vision from Isaiah 35, and they support the understanding that God’s people today are undergoing a form of spiritual resurrection in connection with Christ’s presence.

 

However, this does not change the basic reality—the ones who died in union with Christ are still asleep in death. Paul’s words of comfort are clearly tied to the sounding of the Last Trumpet. That trumpet marks the moment when the resurrection becomes observable—not merely accepted by faith, but witnessed as a confirmed reality. It is indeed comforting to know this will happen in the future. But as of now, it simply has not taken place—unless we are speaking exclusively about a spiritual resurrection of living bodies, a concept that would require careful distinction and deeper study. I tried to go through such an alternative analysis by purposely putting aside our traditional perception, and here is what I walked across: I especially appreciate seeing how our early brothers remained focused on attaining the fulfillment of the heavenly hope—on heavenly life in heavenly bodies. At the same time, we also recognize their moments of disappointment, particularly concerning the unfulfilled expectation of a change “in the twinkling of an eye,” as anticipated in 1878, 1914, and again in 1925. I'm not sure if 1975 generated the same expectations, but over the last 50 years, I don’t see dates emphasized anymore. However, the idea that the anointed who finished their earthly course join the heavenly life is still an accepted understanding among Jehovah's people. As for me, born in 1969 and raised outside of those early expectations, the idea that no one has yet returned from heaven remains more realistic—besides the only person who actually went through such a transformation: resurrection in spirit.

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Nevertheless, their unwavering conviction about the end of the Gentile Times and the reality of Christ’s presence stands as a powerful testimony to enduring faith. These are not vague hopes—they are great truths and undeniable realities: Christ’s rulership in the midst of his enemies! I am personally very thankful that our brothers never gave up faith in Christ’s invisible presence—a reality that both I and millions of my brothers around the world continue to perceive with the same eyes of faith today.​

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Still, one question remains for all of us: When will we see, hear, and embrace our loved ones again—especially those who died in union with Christ? When we keep in mind Jehovah’s ultimate purpose—to bring humankind back into close association with Himself—the question of the resurrection naturally arises.

 

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“How are the dead to be raised?”

 

To begin addressing that question, I’d like to reflect on how Jesus himself spoke about the resurrection in several of his own statements:

 

“You are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God; for in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are as angels in heaven. Regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, who said: ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’? He is the God, not of the dead, but of the living.”— Matthew 22:29–32

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​“Martha then said to Jesus: ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you.’
Jesus said to her: ‘Your brother will rise.’
Martha said to him: ‘I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.’
Jesus said to her: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; and everyone who is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?’”
— John 11:21–26

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“Jesus said to them: ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not get hungry at all, and whoever exercises faith in me will never get thirsty at all. But as I said to you, you have even seen me and yet do not believe. All those whom the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never drive away the one who comes to me; for I have come down from heaven to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose none out of all those whom he has given me, but that I should resurrect them on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day.’”— John 6:35–40

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​“No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him, and I will resurrect him on the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, except the one who is from God; this one has seen the Father. Most truly I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting life.”— John 6:44–47

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​“So Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not as when your forefathers ate and yet died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.’”— John 6:53–58

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Yes, simply put:

According to Jesus, those who were drawn to him by the Father, responded with faith, partook of his life-giving bread, and remained in union with him—though they died, they are not truly dead in God's eyes. They are alive in His memory and will be resurrected on the last day.

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Now, let's review Paul's reasonings:

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“Nevertheless, someone will say: ‘How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort of body are they coming?’ You unreasonable person! What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies. And as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but just a bare grain, whether of wheat or of some other kind of seed; but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and gives to each of the seeds its own body.

Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one of mankind, there is another flesh of cattle, another flesh of birds, and another of fish. And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly bodies is one sort, and that of the earthly bodies is a different sort. The glory of the sun is one sort, and the glory of the moon is another, and the glory of the stars is another; in fact, one star differs from another star in glory.

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living person.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

However, what is spiritual is not first. What is physical is first, and afterward what is spiritual. The first man is from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust; and like the heavenly one, so too are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we will bear also the image of the heavenly one.

But I tell you this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.

But when this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: ‘Death is swallowed up forever.’ ‘Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?’ The sting producing death is sin, and the power for sin is the Law. But thanks to God, for he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord.”—1 Corinthians 15:35–58

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Simply put, a spiritual body is planted like a seed within the physical body, and it doesn’t come to life unless the physical dies first. But it is God who gives that spiritual seed a new body as it pleases Him—just as each type of seed or flesh has its own unique form and glory. First comes the physical, then the spiritual. Jesus, the last Adam, became a life-giving spirit and serves as the model for this transformation. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom, so a change must happen. Paul explains that this change—this putting on of incorruption and immortality—takes place at the sound of the Last Trumpet. The dead are raised first, and then both the resurrected ones and those who survive until that moment are changed together, in a moment, in the blink of an eye. That’s when death is truly swallowed up forever. Until then, we remain steadfast in our service, knowing our labor is not in vain.

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I believe the key component often missing in our understanding of the change “in the twinkling of an eye” is the sequence that Paul actually presents: first, the resurrection—then the change that affects both the resurrected ones and those who survive until that moment. It is not a resurrection into a spiritual body and a change that occurs without affecting the living. The change will impact both groups—the living and the resurrected. Simply put: the resurrection of the dead occurs first, then comes the change of both—the resurrected ones and those living who survive until Christ’s presence. It is also important to note that this moment is not at the beginning of Christ’s presence, but rather at the moment after the Last Trumpet sounds.

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The second often-overlooked point is Paul's revealing statement: “Not all will die, but we will all be changed.” If we follow Paul’s logic carefully, he is not describing a change from physical body to spiritual body in the traditional sense, but rather indicating that not all physical bodies will die. Instead, some will undergo a transformation—into their heavenly image—without ceasing to exist in their physical form.

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With this in mind, re-read how Paul discusses the resurrection question in 1 Corinthians 15. He addresses a natural concern: “How are the dead to be raised? With what sort of body?” He explains that what is sown—our current body—must die, but what is raised is something new and glorious, yet consistent with God's design. There are earthly and heavenly bodies, each with its own glory. It is sown in corruption, dishonor, and weakness, but raised in incorruption, glory, and power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised a spiritual body—not a contradiction, but a progression.

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Then Paul reveals a sacred secret: “We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet.” The trumpet sounds, the dead are raised incorruptible, and the living are changed. That is when “death is swallowed up forever.”

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We usually apply that verse—“Death is swallowed up forever”—to humankind as a whole. And if we remain consistent with that interpretation, we must conclude that Paul is not speaking about abandoning the physical body in favor of a spiritual one. Rather, he is describing a reconciliation of the physical body with its heavenly image. This is not a passive change—it is work. It requires effort to deaden the sinful tendencies of our inherited flesh. We sacrifice the life we once knew in the sinful body and, in doing so, we press forward toward the hope of eternal life. Once we accept that the sinful body is subject to death, we begin to build a new “tent”—a dwelling in which righteousness can live. This is the path to putting on the “new personality,” the one gifted to us from heaven. No surprises that Paul conclude with: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord."

 

Paul calls this “the second man from heaven”—and he is a man! A man who carried the heavenly image within himself. That heavenly image is what we are now encouraged to pursue. It is the image of the life-giving spirit—not for a few chosen ones only, but for the entire human family. Think what Paul wrote to Hebrews 2:14–18: "Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly shared in the same things, so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil, and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

For it is not really angels he is assisting, but he is assisting Abraham’s offspring. Consequently, he had to become like his “brothers” in all respects, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the people. Since he himself has suffered when being put to the test, he is able to come to the aid of those who are being put to the test."

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The 144,000 are not chosen arbitrarily. All are invited. But those who become part of that number are the firstfruits—not the last. I remember a Watchtower article we studied many years ago that explained the three Jewish festivals Jehovah prophetically tied to the process of collecting: the Firstfruits—Jesus on Passover 33 CE; then Firstfruits—on Pentecost (since then, every year from the Memorial celebration, we begin new cycles of collecting firstfruits through anointing); and finally, the harvest—at Atonement Day and the Festival of Booths, representing the Great Crowd that gathers together in the New Jerusalem. I am still struggling to find that article, but since I know we studied it in the congregation, it is only a matter of time before I locate it and insert it here.

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Along with the above, two other scriptures come to mind:

Genesis 8:21,22 – “And Jehovah began to smell a pleasing aroma. So Jehovah said in his heart: ‘Never again will I curse the ground on man’s account, for the inclination of the heart of man is bad from his youth up; and never again will I strike down every living thing as I have done. From now on, the earth will never cease to have seed-sowing and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night.’”

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John 4:35-38 – “Do you not say that there are yet four months before the harvest comes? Look! I say to you: Lift up your eyes and view the fields, that they are white for harvesting. Already the reaper is receiving wages and gathering fruit for everlasting life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. For in this respect the saying is true: One is the sower and another the reaper. I sent you to reap what you did not labor on. Others have labored, and you have entered into the benefit of their labor.”

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Though we as Jehovah's Witnesses keep the same kind of model of harvesting, we are not tied to the periods of Jewish festivals. But surely, every year the Memorial of Jesus Christ sets the refreshing start for our effort to search for those who will respond. The fact that on our Memorials we have almost three times more attendees than active Witnesses every year indicates that the fields are ready for harvest.

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Then he said to his disciples: “Yes, the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” — Matthew 9:37,38. Will you respond to the call?

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Regarding firstfruits—They serve in a glorified capacity, not just because they were chosen, but because they chose to respond to the call. Their intimacy with Jehovah and Jesus is a model of what is possible, not a limitation. That closeness is not meant to be restricted to a few—it is an invitation for all.

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If we truly hope to live forever, we must be clothed with our heavenly image. That image, gifted through Christ, is not just our future—it is our calling, our transformation, and our victory over sin and death. 

 

 

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Light Summary of Last Trumpet

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I really enjoy researching the Last Trumpet, but I have to move forward quickly. At this moment, I want to mark an important connection: the Last Trumpet in Jesus' explanation of his invisible presence.

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“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.” — Matthew 24:29–31

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As we see, this trumpet—which seems to be the one Paul refers to as expressed by Jehovah’s word—is described here:

“For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:15–16

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This is the trumpet that Jesus mentioned in his teaching about his invisible presence and the conclusion of the system of things. What is significant is that this trumpet is going to sound after the Great Tribulation begins (Matthew 24:21).

For us—Jehovah’s Witnesses—this day is still ahead of us: if the Great Tribulation is ahead, then the Last Trumpet is also ahead, and so the resurrection of the dead ones is still ahead. My analysis of the Last Trumpet and Christ’s presence both lead toward that same point in time.

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I think it would be quite beneficial to revisit Christ’s Presence prophecy—and I personally went through a detailed analysis of that prophecy on the page Christ’s Presence.