Preparing for the FEAST OF TRUMPETS: When You 'Do Not Know the Day or the Hour'

IN JUST six days, we will observe the Feast of Trumpets—a biblical festival filled with anticipation, awakening, and prophetic importance. But how do you prepare for a date in which you do not know the day or the hour?

Ancient Israel understood something we often forget: You can actually prepare even when you don't know exactly when something will happen.

The Feast of Trumpets is idiomatically referred to in Hebrew as "no one knows the day and hour." The Feast was connected with the appearance of the new moon.

Imagine an entire nation looking up into the sky. No announcement on television. No text message. There was no modern calendar alert saying, “The Feast begins tomorrow at 6:00 PM.”

Watchmen had to literally look, observe, and wait. They watched closely, they looked for a sign.

That gives us a powerful spiritual lesson. Jesus said:

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." — Matthew 24:36

But He immediately followed that warning with:

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” — Matthew 24:42

Jesus did not give His disciples a date. He gave them a way to prepare their life.

PREPARE FOR THE COMING KING

The trumpet throughout Scripture is associated with big events: announcement, awakening, gathering, resurrection, and divine intervention.

Paul declares:

“For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” — 1 Corinthians 15:52

And:

“The Lord himself shall descend from heaven… with the trump of God.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16

The ultimate focus is therefore not merely because of a set "date" is approaching. But how you are preparing for the coming Kingdom and the return of the King.

Jesus' message was:

“The kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.” — Mark 1:15

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE SHOULD WE BECOME WHILE WE WAIT?

Jesus answered this through His parables.

▪️The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) teach us to keep oil in our lamps. The bridegroom delayed his return, and the greatest test became the waiting. Five of the virgins ran out of oil, unable to borrow.

Parable lessons: Some things in our relationship with God cannot be "borrowed".

You cannot borrow somebody else's faith.

You cannot borrow your pastor's relationship with God.

You cannot borrow your parents' obedience.

You cannot borrow your spouse's spiritual life.

In other words: You won't be able to borrow somebody else's "oil".

▪️The Faithful Servant (Matthew 24:45–51) teaches us to remain faithful while the Master is away. Jesus said the blessed servant is the one whom his master finds “so doing” (Luke 12:43).

So ask yourself real question: “What am I doing while He is away?” This changes everything. Why? Because, you don't prepare for the Kingdom by simply staring at the calendar. You prepare by becoming a faithful and "doing" servant.

▪️The Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1–14) warns against distraction. Some rejected the invitation; others were simply too occupied with ordinary life.

Important lesson: Not rejection—it's distraction. Some people don't hate God. They are simply too busy. Too comfortable. Too occupied. Too entertained. Too prosperous. Too distracted. Too consumed with this present world.

The key points in the parables are the "delay", and the resulting unpreparedness. Expect for delay but always be preparing.

And this may be our greatest danger today: not always outright rejection of God, but aimless busyness leading to distraction.

Too much noise. Too much entertainment.

Too much anxiety. Too much ambition.

Too much social media.

Too many cares of this life.

Jesus warned:

“Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged… with cares of this life.” — Luke 21:34

SO HOW DO WE PREPARE?

Prepare your oil—cultivate your relationship with God (Parable of the Ten Virgins).

Prepare your house—restore relationships and practice love (Parable of Faithful Servant).

Prepare your garment—allow God to transform your character (Parable of Wedding Banquet).

Always prepare your hands—serve God faithfully with whatever He has entrusted to you.

Don't waste these seven days trying to calculate what God has deliberately left unknown.

Don't simply set dates. Set your life in order!

The question is not merely, “When will the trumpet sound?”

The most important question is:

“When the trumpet sounds, will He find me ready?”

The Feast of Trumpets is an awakening call:

Wake up from complacency. Wake up from compromise. Wake up from bitterness.

Wake up from distraction.

Wake up and prepare!

Prophet Amos declared: “Prepare to meet your God!” (Amos 4:12)

The trumpet may announce the coming of the King. But most importantly, let your life already prepared for His arrival! — Rh.