Seventhly, that when we hear the terrifying sound, we may, through dread, humble ourselves before the Supreme Being, for it is the nature of these martial instruments to produce a sensation of terror, as the prophet Amos observes, "Shall a trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not to be terrified?"
Eighthly, to remind us of the great and terrible Day of Judgment, on which the trumpet is to be sounded, as we find in Zeph., "The great day of the Lord is near, and hasteneth much, a day of the trumpet and of shouting."
Ninthly, to remind us to pray for the time when the outcasts of Israel are to be gathered together, as promised in Isaiah, "And it shall come to pass in that day, the great trumpet shall be sounded, and those shall come who were perishing in the land of Assyria."
Tenthly, to remind us of the resurrection of the dead, and our firm belief therein. "Yea, all ye that inhabit the world, and that dwell on the earth, when the standard is lifted upon the mountain, behold, and when the trumpet is sounded, hear!" says the prophet Isaiah.
Therefore should we set our hearts to these seasons, and fulfill the precept that the Bible commands us, as it is written:—
"And the Lord commanded us to do all the statutes ... that it might be well with us at all times."
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
The hearts of all who fear God should tremble with the reflection that all the deeds of the creature are known to the Creator, and will be by Him accounted to them for good or evil. God is ready at all times to acknowledge true penitence; and of repentance there are seven degrees:
First, the righteous man, who repents his misconduct as soon as he becomes aware of his sin. This is the best and most complete.