Happy Friday, everyone! On August 27th, 1883, the world experienced an event so powerful that its sound echoed across the globe. At precisely 10:02 a.m., a volcano erupted on the island of Krakatoa in Indonesia. It erupted with a force that literally split and tore the island apart. The eruption itself destroyed the island and caused a tsunami, with waves of over 100 feet high, wiping out entire coastal villages.

It’s estimated that the disaster claimed up to 120,000 lives. That explosion and eruption was heard over 2,000 miles away in Western Australia, and as far as 3,000 miles across the Indian Ocean on the island of Rodriguez. Imagine standing in Boston and hearing a noise that originated in Dublin, Ireland. That’s how far this sound traveled, and at the speed of sound it was heard 2,000 miles away in just a few hours.

In total, the sound was detected in more than fifty places worldwide. This single event broke records for the loudest sound ever heard in recorded history. Even more incredible, the pressure waves from this explosion circled the Earth multiple times. For days after the eruption, the shockwaves could be felt reverberating around the planet about every 34 hours. You know, the Bible tells us of another sound that will one day be heard around the world.

The sound of the trumpet announcing Christ’s return. Just as the eruption of Krakatoa reached the farthest corners of the earth, so too will the sound of God’s call reach every soul, and all will respond. The graves will open up and release the dead, and all will stand before the Lord. As we enter this season of Advent, I pray that this verse stirs in us a sense of urgency and awe as we wait for the day when every ear will hear the voice of the Lord.

First Thessalonians 4:16 reads, “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we enter into this Advent season, we are preparing. We’re preparing for two things: we’re preparing for the remembrance of Your first arrival to this earth, in that stable, in that manger, in Bethlehem, not so long ago.

But we also prepare for Your second coming. We prepare for that time when You will return to the earth and though that day is unknown to us, You have called us to be on watch. To be on notice, to open our eyes, to open our ears, and to wait to see in anticipation of Your return. And so, Lord, when we think about that day and we think about that enormous trumpet sound and the loud command of Your voice, we know that we look forward to that day, because that will be the day when all of our troubles, brokenness, and tears will be wiped away forever.

In the meantime, as we look for that day, help us to share that Good News that there’s nothing to fear on that day for all those who put their faith and trust in You. And may we share our faith this Advent season with others, that they might know that sound and welcome it with the reception of Salvation into their hearts.

We pray this now in Jesus’ name, Amen.