God set appointed times on His calendar from the beginning of creation. He penned these in as sure as His finger traced the Law on tablets of stone. They are important scheduled “meetings” for God and humanity – the divine redemptive encounters!

Genesis 1:14 declares “And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years”.

In our day, we have the benefit of the completed Word of God to study His plan of redemption. It has not always been so. If you are familiar with the concept of dispensations, you are aware that God’s dealings with humanity can be broadly separated into “ages”. It’s not a perfect model, but it greatly helps us grasp how God progressively has revealed Himself to people. One of the ways in which God prophetically revealed His “big picture” plan is through the Feasts of the Lord. Approximately 4000 years ago, God commanded His people to gather in sacred assembly for very specific celebrations – His Feasts.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. (Leviticus 23:1-2)

I want you to particularly note that these are appointed feasts of the Lord, and as such, they transcend Israel. While they were initially given to Israel for observation, they are just as applicable to the church today. “The Church?” you ask. Many have grown up believing that the “Jewish Feasts” have nothing to do with the New Testament church. A few have grown up trying to “take back the feasts” and celebrate them, while rediscovering Christianity’s “Hebrew Roots”. Some have never heard of the Feasts at all. There are, however, a growing number who are interested in what the Feasts of the Lord have to say prophetically. You see, a number of them are unfulfilled – but their consummation is almost upon us!

A picture is worth a thousand words, so they say, and that is perhaps why God commanded a yearly remembrance of each of His holy convocations. The Hebrew word for “sacred assembly” (or “holy convocation”) is miqra, which carries the meaning of a “dress rehearsal”. Every time these festivals are celebrated, it is a visual and spiritual aid to remind humanity of the prophetic plan of God.

Prior to each feast’s fulfillment, it points forwards to Christ. During each feast’s fulfillment, it points directly at Christ. Subsequent to each feast’s fulfillment, it points backwards to Christ. This is why some of these feasts will also be celebrated in the Millennial Kingdom.

Dr. Richard Booker, in his book “Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts”, gives a great explanation for these visual and tactile reminders:

“In the Bible, God often used visual aids as object lessons to teach us spiritual truths that He wanted us to understand. God gave these pictures in the Hebrew Bible in the form of the various religious laws and rituals that the Jews were to observe. As the Jews practiced these laws and rituals, they would learn spiritual truths concerning their relationship with God through their physical senses. But just as child’s blocks are not the real alphabet, neither were these physical pictures complete in themselves. They were important, but they were only pictures. After centuries of looking at the pictures, the time came when the Jews were to enter into the spiritual reality of these visual aids. The transition from the physical to the spiritual was provided for them through Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the world. While the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) provide the pictures, the New Testament provided the person. This picture-to-person connection is what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 5:17-18 when He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Because the common western understanding of fulfill means “done away with”, Christians have believed that Jesus meant the pictures pointing to Him were no longer needed. This is not what Jesus meant. To Jewish rabbis in the time of Jesus, the word that is translated into English as fulfilled meant the true or correct interpretation of Scripture, while the word destroy meant to give a false or incorrect interpretation. Jesus was telling them that He did not come to do away with or destroy (lead them astray by false teachings) the Hebrew Scriptures. Instead, He was the human embodiment of their true meaning and spiritual reality.” (Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts: Dr. Richard Booker; p14-16)

I hope you are starting to see that God has given us many object lessons to focus on what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do for us!

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)

Feasts of the Lord – An Overview

Before I attempt to give an overview of the Lord’s Feasts, I want to humbly state that I am no expert in this area of study. I believe they provide critical pieces in the end times prophecy puzzle, but I feel like I still only have a surface grasp of the depths these Feasts have to offer to the Christ-follower. So much of God’s nature and character is displayed through them that I regret I am not able to do them more justice. There are better resources out there if you want to learn how to celebrate these, or if you want to know more of the history behind them. One free resource I have found particularly helpful in this regard is the website “Hebrew 4 Christians“. I would direct you there as a starting point for more in-depth study! In the meantime, I will do the best I can to communicate what I have learned so far regarding these special holy-days. In particular, I will be unpacking the feast of Pentecost over the coming weeks. But first, an overview!

God ordained one weekly and seven yearly appointed times on His prophetic calendar. Some of these appointed times have been fulfilled; others await fulfillment.

These seven appointed times are collectively called the “mo’edim” and are detailed in Exodus 12-13, Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29 and Deuteronomy 16. Together, they represent the entire redemptive plan of God from Christ’s death through His millennial rule.

You are likely most familiar with the three spring feasts – Unleavened Bread, Passover, and Firstfruits. Unleavened Bread is the umbrella feast, and Passover (death and burial of Christ) and Firstfruits (resurrection of Christ) fall within it. The late spring feast is called Pentecost (Feast of Weeks / Shavuot). Interestingly, it stands alone… The fall feasts include the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). The fall feasts do not overlap with each other as the spring feasts do. Interestingly, the 10 days between the feasts of Trumpets and Atonement are known as the “days of awe” – which is also worth studying!

While the observation of these feasts is not commanded in the New Testament, it benefits believers greatly to have an understanding of how Jesus has fulfilled and how He will fulfill these prophetic appointments.

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

Let’s look at these appointed times in a little more detail.

The Sabbath

“Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.” (Lev 23:3)

The Sabbath is a beautiful summary of our relationship with God. On the seventh day of creation, His labors finished, God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve in fellowship. This fellowship is so important that God ordained the seventh day to be a “Sabbath”. This day of solemn rest, kept holy to the Lord, is a covenant reminder to Israel throughout its’ generations (forever). There are few recorded “rules” for Sabbath observation in scripture, other than it is to be a day of rest from regular labors. It seems the Jews added many traditions on to this day, which might have been beneficial in a cultural sense, but were not required by God.

I want to take a moment to discuss Sabbath observation in light of the new covenant we have in Christ. First of all, the Sabbath was, and is, and always will be, “Saturday”. With that said, remember our verse above – let no one pass judgment on you regarding the Sabbath? We are not required to “sabbath-keep”. If we choose to honor the day – we do it for the Lord. If we do not choose to honor the day, but regard each day alike – we do so for the Lord.

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother… The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.” (Romans 14:5-6,12-13,22)

We are free under grace to worship any day, and every day. We are to continually present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice – this is to be our spiritual act of worship (Rom 12:1).

While the Sabbath is obviously is a tangible reminder of creation; more significantly, the Sabbath is a reminder of the importance of relationship with God. We have many opportunities to focus on daily living in this world. God entices us to take a break, distinct from all other days, to focus on our spiritual health. On it, we are invited to cast aside the lures and labors of the world. How fortunate we are to be able to celebrate the shadow and the substance – which still yet points ahead to our eternal rest in Him! Because of Jesus’ finished work of salvation through the cross, we who believe are no longer under the burden of the letter of the Law. What an amazing way to celebrate the Sabbath each week, if we choose to!

Hebrews 4:9-10 states, “So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

For those who are considering the benefits of sabbath-keeping, remember that the Sabbath was made for man, because we have such a tendency to forget God (Mark 2:27). It’s not because He forgets about us. Think of it kind of like a “weekly date night” with your spouse. Alternately, it is like a weekly “Father’s Day”. It is a time that is to be joyously “set apart” for the One you love.

Shadow Fulfillment – The seventh day of creation when God “rested” is the basis for the Sabbath.

Shadow Fulfillment #2 – Jesus’ death and resurrection – the substance is found in Christ.

Fulfillment – Future, when we enter into “eternal rest” with Christ. For most believers, this is at the moment of death. For some believers, this will be at the rapture event. It seems the Sabbath rest will also be fulfilled through the seventh “1000-year Day” – six “1000-year Days” of human government followed by a “1000-year Day” of Christ’s rule (the Millennial Kingdom).

The Yearly Feasts

The yearly Feasts are grouped into 2 seasons – Spring / Late Spring, and Fall (there are no summer or winter feasts). Three times a year, male Israelites were required to come to the Temple in Jerusalem during these feast seasons. We will examine them through Leviticus 23, but I recommend reading all the relevant passages in your personal study.

The Spring Feasts – Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (First Coming)

“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord‘s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. But you shall present a food offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work.”

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:4-14)

The Spring Feasts – Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits – point to the redemption we have through Jesus’ death and resurrection at His first coming. The pilgrimage required of Israelite males for this season is Passover/Unleavened Bread.

Passover – Nisan 14

Shadow Fulfillment – Passover finds its’ shadow fulfillment in the 10th Plague of Egypt, where the Israelites who placed the blood of the lamb on their doorposts were literally passed over by the angel of death.

Fulfillment – Jesus Christ fulfilled the feast of Passover through His death on the cross. Jesus – the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

Unleavened Bread – Nisan 15-21

Shadow Fulfillment – Unleavened bread was shadow fulfilled in the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt, where they fled into the wilderness in such haste they couldn’t rise their bread.

Fulfillment – Jesus fulfilled the feast of Unleavened Bread through His burial – i.e. the days Jesus spent in the grave. The three days and three nights in the grave also completely fulfilled the Sign of Jonah (read in Jesus’ own words – Matthew 12:38-42; Mark 8:12).

Firstfruits – Day after the Weekly Sabbath following Passover (i.e. Sunday)

Shadow Fulfillment – While Israel *could have* shadow fulfilled this feast within a few days of Passover, it was delayed by their disobedience. Offering of the firstfruits of the land came 40 years later, after their period of wandering was complete.

Fulfillment – Jesus fulfilled Firstfruits through His resurrection from the dead. “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20) Very important to note is that “many saints” rose with Him as part of this firstfruits wave offering. “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:52-53). We know this was a resurrection into eternal bodies, not back to mortality, because there is no recorded death of “many saints” within a 3-4 day period of Jesus’ death. All resurrections back to mortality occurred within a 3-4 day time period in scripture (with Lazarus being the longest).

**Please pay attention to the fact that there is a resurrection from the dead and transformation into eternal bodies as part of this feast. This “harvest” of the dead plays into the fulfillment of each group of feasts.**

The 3 Spring Feasts have clearly been fulfilled directly by Jesus Christ.

The Late Spring Feast – The Holy Spirit

“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 23:15-22)

The late spring feast, called Shavuot or the “Feast of Weeks” in the Old Testament, and Pentecost in the New Testament, stands alone. The Israelite males were required to come to Jerusalem for this appointed time. Curiously, this feast is found in between the triad of (early) spring feasts and the triad of fall feasts. It is almost as if it is a dash, or a parenthesis… One could say, a mystery!  Israelite males were required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for this feast.

Shavuot / Pentecost – 7 Full Weeks from the Day After the Weekly Sabbath Following Passover

(i.e. 7 full weeks from Firstfruits, a Sunday)

Shadow Fulfillment – The Shadow fulfillment of Shavuot/Pentecost was the giving of the Torah (law) at Sinai. It marked the “birth date” of the dispensation of Law, and involved great displays of God’s power through thunderings, lightning, and His reverberating voice.

(Shadow?) Fulfillment – The (shadow?) fulfillment of Pentecost was the giving of the Spirit of the Law to the followers of Christ. Pentecost marks the “birth date” of the dispensation of Grace, and involved great displays of God’s power through fire and a mighty rushing wind. From this point onward, the Holy Spirit dwells within and seals the body of Christ for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

“In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

It is interesting that God waited 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection (10 days after His ascension) to send the Holy Spirit, is it not? I would suggest He was waiting for the appointed time. He is never early; He is never late.

I want you to note how Pentecost/Shavuot seems to introduce new dispensations – first, the Dispensation of Law (Mosaic covenant), then the Dispensation of Grace (Spirit of the Law). The question is – Will it also introduce the interim dispensation of wrath (the Day of the Lord, commonly called the “Tribulation”, which seems to involve both Law and Grace)?

It can’t, you say. This feast has already been fulfilled, you say. Has it though? We noted above that the shadow always points to the substance – Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is certainly God, but He is not the Person of Jesus Christ. The Bible seems to indicate that it was the Father who sent the Holy Spirit – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) And then look what Jesus says next – “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

(Fulfillment – Rapture?) – Could it be that Jesus personally snatching His church will be the true fulfillment of this Feast day? I cannot say I have a prophetic answer for this, but this interpretation is worth considering. We know that it is Christ Himself who will call us home – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

The Fall Feasts – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and Millennial Rule

The Fall Feasts – Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles – point to the future completion of God’s redemptive program at His second coming. Their fulfillment is clearly future. These feasts are sequential; they do not overlap as the triad of early spring feasts do. Thus, we will look at their scripture passages separately.

Yom Teru’ah (Feast of Trumpets) – Tishrei 1

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:23-25)

Shadow Fulfillment – Will there be a shadow fulfillment of the feast of trumpets? Was there one? Some of us in the watching community think that the Revelation 12:1-2 sign of September 23, 2017 might have triggered the midnight cry – “Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!” As Kieland Edmonds writes,

“It circulated the world. It made headlines. Everyone knows about it. The rumours reached the ears of every church, addressed by almost every pastor I know of. The sign became the subject of a documentary for DIRECTV called The Sign. God made sure the alarm was heard by all. Loud and clear. On Yom Teruah, the great shout of warning signified by its emblematic shofars was an official heavenly announcement of the coming rapture. It was like a loud message: “Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!”” (Source)

Whatever you believe about this sign, it resulted in a collective cry that went up from the watchmen around the world – Jesus is coming! Get ready! I am not sure that it would be considered a shadow fulfillment, but I place it here for your consideration.

Fulfillment – The Feast of Trumpets awaits final fulfillment. Some believe it will be fulfilled at the Rapture of the Church (being one of the feasts that “no one knows the day or hour”). Others believe it will be fulfilled at the Second Coming – perhaps when Jesus’ feet touch down on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14); or when Jesus appears mounted on His white horse as warrior-King (Revelation 19). These are all valid possibilities.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – Tishrei 10

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:26-32)

Shadow Fulfillment – Will there be a shadow fulfillment of Yom Kippur? This feast is yet unfulfilled. I am unsure; however, it is possible that the Time of Jacob’s Trouble may start on a Yom Kippur and also end on one. This would be possible if the earth was rocked back onto its’ 360-day-year orbit, as the day counts in Revlation and Daniel seem to suggest. (Earthquake resurrection/rapture? Planet X system? Nuclear event? Pole shift?)

Fulfillment – Jesus Christ will fulfill the Day of Atonement at His second coming, detailed in the seventh bowl judgment. He will wipe out the armies gathered against Him at Armageddon (see Revelation 19), then commence with the separation of sheep and goats, wheat and tares.

Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) – Tishrei 15-22

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the Lord. On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.
“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, besides the Lord‘s Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the Lord.
“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” 

Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord. (Levicitus 23:33-44)

Shadow Fulfillment – I would suggest that Jesus coming to earth and dwelling among us was a shadow fulfillment of this feast. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)  I would also suggest that the Holy Spirit indwelling His true church in this age of grace is also a shadow fulfillment of tabernacles – For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)

Fulfillment – The feast of Tabernacles will be truly fulfilled by the Millennial Kingdom rule of Christ. “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.” (Ezekiel 27:37)

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

“I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:19-25)

Summary of the Feasts of the Lord

The early spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits) were fulfilled in order, all in the same year, through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we consider a harvest model, Jesus and the “many saints” that were resurrected with Him, were the “barley harvest”. Notably, the barley ripeness is what determines whether or not a new year can begin or if a “leap month” (Adar2) needs to be added to the calendar. This comes into play when we calculate the date of the late spring feast – Pentecost.

Pentecost experienced at least a partial fulfillment in the same year the 3 spring feasts were fulfilled. 50 days after Firstfruits, or 40 days after Jesus’ ascension, the Holy Spirit came down upon believers. He has been indwelling and sealing believers ever since, until the day of their redemption – death for most; rapture for some. Will the Holy Spirit leave (rapture) on the same day He came down (Pentecost)? Time will tell. (Note, since the Holy Spirit is God, He is omnipresent. His “coming” and “going” describes the changes in His ministry – it would seem that His ministry during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble will be similar to how it was in the Old Testament.) Pentecost marks the time of the wheat harvest in Israel. When we consider this harvest model, will the “wheat harvest” be represented by the resurrection and rapture of the church?

The fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles) face a future fulfillment. Will they be fulfilled in order, all in the same year, through the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ – following the “type” of the 3 early spring feasts?  In the harvest model, are these the “gleanings” – the tribulation martyrs resurrected per Revelation 20?

The feasts of the Lord, when considered together, give a beautiful visual promise to humanity as if Jesus is saying “I will redeem you! I am the Lord who saves!”

“…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.

 

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Further Resources:

Are you CERTAIN of your Salvation, beyond a shadow of a doubt?  Do you KNOW that no matter when the rapture occurs, you will be counted worthy to escape?  If not, please read What Must I do to Be Saved.

The Feast of Pentecost (GraceThruFaith)

Shavuot – Revelation and the Fruit of the Spirit (Hebrew4Christians)

The Rapture of the Church – Our Blessed Hope

God’s Mosaic – A Whole Scripture Overview of Things To Come

Main Menu – God’s Mosaic Prophecy Model

The Bible is infallible.  I am not.  I am merely challenging traditional models and testing them against Scripture.  I believe that traditional pretribulation teachings provide a solid backbone upon which to lay the musculature of details, some of which I think might need to be adjusted slightly.  I encourage you to consider my thoughts as you also examine the scriptures to see if these things are so!