The Church of God has observed the Biblically enjoined Day of Trumpets, September 12, 2026. Many have observed this special Holy Day for decades and have learned the meaning of this significant festival. The Day of Trumpets is the first Holy Day observed in the Fall, and pictures God’s intervention in man’s governments, and the defeat, by Christ, of the assembled nations, gathered in the valley of Megiddo or Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16)
What is the role of the resurrected Saints of God during this momentous time? The answer may surprise even those who have kept this Festival for many years!
When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will not return alone. The saints who have been raised to immortal life will be with Him. We often speak of their future work as kings, priests and teachers during the Millennium. But what will they be doing as Christ brings the present governments of this world to an end?
Before they help rebuild the world, the saints will participate with Christ in subduing it!
That is a sobering thought. Jude speaks of the Lord coming with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment (Jude 14–15). Psalm 149 pictures the saints taking part in judgment upon the nations and calls it an honor. Obadiah speaks of “saviors,” or deliverers, coming to Mount Zion to judge (Obadiah 21).
These passages raise a question we ought to consider: Why would Christ include the resurrected saints in this work? He does not need military reinforcements. What is God preparing His people to do?
A world gathered against its King
First we must see the circumstances of Christ’s return. He will not descend upon a world ready to welcome Him. Revelation 16:13–14 describes three unclean spirits, like frogs, coming from the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. These demonic spirits perform signs and go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them for battle. The dragon is Satan (Revelation 12:9); the beast represents the final political power; and the false prophet adds religious deception to that power.
Behind the military alliance stands a spiritual deception. The nations will be persuaded to resist the One coming to save them. Revelation 19:19 describes the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies gathered “to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.” (Emphasis ours)
Christ returns as a conquering King because the rulers of this world will fight against His rule. Yet Revelation 19 introduces another group: His army. Who are those accompanying Him, and what part will they have in the change of government that follows?
With Christ—and under His authority
Zechariah 14:3–5 says the Lord will fight against the nations gathered at Jerusalem, stand upon the Mount of Olives, and come with “all the saints.” Jude 14–15 also places the saints with Him as He comes to execute judgment. Neither passage requires us to claim that each saint personally carries out every act of judgment. Both place them with Christ at this decisive moment.
In Revelation 19:11–16, the One called Faithful and True judges and makes war in righteousness. The armies of heaven follow Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Earlier, Revelation 19:8 associates fine linen with the righteous acts of the saints. Read with Jude and Zechariah, this gives strong reason to understand the resurrected saints as participants in the company that follows Christ, though the passage does not rule out angels also being present.
We must keep the authority where Revelation places it. The sword that strikes the nations comes from Christ’s mouth. He rules with a rod of iron. The saints do not wage an independent war or settle personal scores. The victory belongs to Him.
Psalm 149:5–9 takes us further. It speaks of saints “joyful in glory,” with God’s praises in their mouths, taking part in judgment on nations and rulers. Its closing words are remarkable: “To execute on them the written judgment—this honor have all His saints.” The picture had meaning for Israel in its own history, but it also points forward to the glorified people of God sharing in judgment under their King. Notice that it is the written judgment: God determines what is just.
Obadiah provides another striking picture. The prophecy concerns Edom, the descendants of Esau, so we should not erase that setting. Yet Obadiah 15 broadens the horizon to “the day of the LORD upon all the nations.” Deliverance appears on Mount Zion in verse 17, and verse 21 speaks of “saviors” coming there to judge the mountains (governments/offices) of Esau. These are deliverers serving under God, not rivals to Jesus Christ. The verse ends by identifying the owner of the Kingdom: “the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.”
Why share this responsibility?
Christ promised the overcomer authority over the nations (Revelation 2:26–27). Daniel saw judgment made in favor of the saints and the time arriving for them to possess the Kingdom (Daniel 7:22, 26–27). Paul asked the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Their involvement in establishing Christ’s rule fits what God has promised them.
But a promise of authority still leaves the question why.
God is preparing a family to share His work. Christ could defeat the rebellious nations without assistance, just as He could administer every part of the world’s restoration Himself. Instead, He prepares people who have learned to obey Him while living amid the very troubles that must be overcome.
Those resurrected saints will know human weakness. They will have faced temptation, injustice and suffering. That experience will not give them license to judge according to their feelings. It will make their submission to Christ’s judgment all the more important. They will understand both why rebellion must be stopped and why those who survive need patient teaching and mercy.
Their participation also reveals the purpose of the intervention. Habakkuk 3:12–13 portrays God marching through the nations in judgment for the salvation of His people. Judgment is not an end in itself. The oppressive order must be removed so that people can learn a different way. The saints who participate in that transition will then help teach the nations the way of peace pictured in Isaiah 2:2–4.
That is why Psalm 149 calls this responsibility an honor. It is not an invitation to delight in destruction. It is the honor of helping Christ free a world held captive by Satan’s deception and mankind’s failed rule.
Preparation begins now
What, then, is God calling us to become? Are we seeking eternal life only for ourselves, or allowing Him to prepare us for service in His Kingdom?
If we will judge with Christ, we must learn righteous judgment now. If we will exercise authority, we must first submit to His authority. If we will teach peace, we must practice it. And if we will administer justice, we must learn to exercise mercy without surrendering what is right.
The Day of Trumpets announces more than the end of the governments of this age. It points to the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom—and to the responsibilities He will share with His faithful people. Before the saints help rebuild the world, they will accompany Christ as He subdues its rebellion. Then the work of teaching and healing can begin.
“This honor have all His saints” (Psalm 149:9).
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