EXCERPT
There are two different types of trumpets mentioned in the Old Testament, predominantly the shofar (a ram's horn) and less frequently, the silver trumpets. God instructed Moses to have two silver trumpets made as part of His instructions regarding the tabernacle (Numbers 10:1-10). The priests, who were the sons of Aaron (whose name means "Light Bringer"), were to use the silver trumpets for calling people together and for alerting them when it was time to break up camp and move on. The trumpets were also to be blown as an alarm of danger and when going to war, and were used in praise and as part of the feasts and ceremonies of the temple.
The shofar was a common every day instrument and was used not only by the priests, but by any man, from shepherds through to watchmen. The shofar was made from a ram's horn - a beast of the earth. The silver trumpets, on the other hand, had to be specially made according to the specific design and instructions from God - from one piece of beaten, hammered silver. They were to be used only on specific occasions and only by the priests, under the control and instruction of the Breath. There were two of them made from the same material, indicating their corporate unity, harmony and koinonia (joint participation and partnership). The two silver trumpets are always translated as plural right through the Old Testament with the exception of only one verse, Hosea 5:8. They were made to work together and sound the same.
Made of Pure Silver
Silver, gold and precious jewels are often used in the Bible to symbolize aspects of God and His nature in His people - so what are the properties of silver? It is light sensitive which is why it is used in photography, and it is the best reflector known to man which is why it is used in mirrors. Pure silver is malleable and ductile and is the best conductor of heat and electricity out of all other metals and it does not corrode. Like gold, it is rare (only five parts in a million) and expensive and must be refined and purified by fire in order to get rid of all impurities before it can be used and formed into an instrument. Silver can endure extreme temperature ranges. Silver ore is first crushed and ground then goes through processes of having water, lime and acid added before getting to the refining fire. In the case of the silver trumpets, they were made from one piece of silver, so they had gone through this difficult process of refining and formation together.
Silver must be kept clean and polished so as not to get tarnished. We can get tarnished, like silver, by the pollution of this world's atmosphere around us - tarnishing is a fact of living in this world. Like trumpets, we also must be kept free of blockages, which may be things about ourselves which hinder or stop God's Spirit in and through us. As we yield to the work of the Spirit of God in our lives, He clears, cleanses and polishes us; restoring and keeping us in optimal condition ready for Him to blow through. The trumpets were merely a means or an instrument for conveying the sound caused by the Breath. The instruments, while necessary, are NOTHING without the Trumpeter! Without the Breath/Spirit, trumpets are silent and can make no noise...
These silver trumpets were not used all that often. To many that might appear to be a waste to have such expensive instruments and yet use them only occasionally. But God is more interested in quality than quantity and in what we are made of than what we do.
"In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honour and some unto dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour. 2 Timothy 2:20. What distinguishes between these vessels? We note at once that only their materials are specified, not their function. Clearly, in keeping with the greatness of the house, it is not relative usefulness but quality of materials that counts. Gold and silver vessels are less practically useful than wooden furniture or earthenware pots, but God is not discussing with us what they will be used for; He is judging their value to Himself. In a day of declension God looks beyond mere usefulness to intrinsic worth, and a few ounces of gold may equal in value a whole hall full of wooden benches! In spiritual terms, two different men may utter almost identical words, but the power lies not merely in what they say but in who they are. Balaam and Isaiah both spoke of the Kingdom of Christ..." (from "A Table in the Wilderness" by Watchman Nee).
Silver represents righteous and true words in the Bible: "The tongues of those who are upright and in right standing with God are as choice silver" (Proverbs 10:20a), "A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11). The standard currency of the day was shekels of silver which were used for trade. In the same way, words are also traded; they are given and received (often with the expectation of something in return), and some words have more value and worth than others - based upon their weight and clarity. God's voice is likened to a trumpet in the Bible (Ex. 19:19; Rev. 1:10; 4:1) and the words spoken from God's mouth are like pure silver: "The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over." (Psalm 12:6). It seems clear that the silver trumpets are symbolic of God's Word and Message going forth in clarity and purity.
When playing a trumpet the sound is made through three things: the breath, the tongue and the lips - ALL of which are also necessary for speaking! God is still using silver trumpets today through whom He blows His Breath/Spirit. Yet the sound which comes forth must be distinct and clear - if the trumpets give an indistinct sound, who will prepare themselves? (1 Cor. 14:8). And if someone tries to trumpet forth a message without having been first made into an instrument which has been refined, hammered, prepared and created by God, they will be like wind that just blows away: "the prophets will become wind, and the word is not IN them" (Jer. 5:13). We need to be first formed into His instruments through the refining and purifying of the fire of God (Mal 3:1-3) and this is something which changes our constitution and who we are forever.
The Sound of the Trumpets
Trumpets have a very clear and pure sound which seems somehow to be clearer and louder than any other musical instrument. However, not everybody likes trumpets because they can offend; they are usually quite a loud and even frightening instrument. The silver trumpets were used to alert the people of danger and battles. They were also sounded to let the Israelites know when it was time to journey on and follow the cloud, and sometimes that occurred during the night so they would have been woken up by the sound of the silver trumpets (Num 9:21). But being woken up by trumpets can be a bit of a shock! Yet how necessary it is for us today to hear and know God's voice as a trumpet blast which wakes us from our spiritual apathy, sleep and even death.
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