THE GREAT MYSTERIES HIDDEN WITHIN
THE SEVEN FEASTS OF GOD
HOW THEY REVEAL THE PROPHECIES OF THE SEVEN MAIN EVENTS OF THE BIBLE
INCLUDING THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
INTRODUCTION TO THE FEASTS
The Seven Feasts have Several Purposes:
· First , they are designed to draw our hearts and minds near to God our Creator.
· Secondly, they are intended to be a time of sweet communion and joy with our Lord.
· Thirdly, they are to illustrate profound spiritual truths (hidden mysteries of God).
· This study is based on:_ John Hagee’s …book “His Glory Revealed” [It is an excellent book, I recommend it highly! John Hagee is a tremendous source of Jewish ceremonies and traditions; And also by God’s Holy Spirit in my life revealing prophecy to me for more than 40-years.
· The outline for this study is based on the Bible and ancient Jewish traditions _ many scripture references will be given.
· John Hagee (JH) is Pastor of the 17,000 member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio Texas.
· He is the president of Global Evangelism Television.
· He has daily TV and Radio broadcasts around the World … [He has written numerous books on Bible Prophecy].
· He is a respected Prophecy Teacher worldwide (I agree with most of his teachings) [I am 70 years old and have studied God’s Word for 45-yrs.]
· John Hagee says that he is asked about signs of the end times continually __ such as:
§ How long do we have before the Rapture? [It could happen at any moment!]
§ Will the church go through the Tribulation? Absolutely -- NO! (Rev.3:10 / Rev.2:25 / Rev.4:1) (I Thes.1:10 / I Thes.5:9,10).
§ Are we about to have a Global economic crash? [Yes _ the world will _ a few years after we are translated off the earth].
§ Who is the coming Antichrist? [He will not be revealed until we (the true Church) are taken to heaven].
§ Why will there be a holy war over Jerusalem? [After we’re gone there will be no restraint on the Jew hating world].
§ Brother Hagee says…. “The answers are contained in this simple Principle: … The God who created the heavens Operates in Sevens” … (the numbers “7” and “70” are found all through scripture).
· God created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh day (Gen.2:1-3 ).
· God gave Israel the seven-day-weekly-cycle (Exodus 16:23, Num.15:32, Deut.5:12)
· God commanded Israel to let the land rest in the 7th year (Lev.25:1-4)(Their breaking of this law brought the Babylon captivity).
· Jacob served Laban seven years for Rachel.
· Seven years without rain in Egypt and all the Holy Land in Joseph’s time.
· Seventy Elders chosen in (Numbers 11:16) (to help Moses judge the people).
· Joshua was instructed to encircle Jericho seven days and to blow the trumpets seven times to bring down the walls (Josh.6:20).
· Seventy years that Israel was in captivity to Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11 / 29:1 / 39:1).
· Seventy weeks of years in Daniel’s prophecy from his time, up thru the Lord’s two advents (Dan.9:24-27).
· Seventy Disciples chosen by the Lord (after the 12 Apostles).
· Seven golden candlesticks [many sevens in Revelation _ starting in 1:7], Seven Churches, Seven Angels, Seven Stars, Seven Spirits, Seven years Tribulation, Seven Seal Judgments, Seven Trumpet Judgments, Seven Vial Judgments (There are numerous other Sevens in Scripture).
THEREFORE IF WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO NEXT _ WE NEED TO LOOK TO THE PAST:
· Eccl.1:9 _ “The thing that has been _ it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.” (Not in God’s eyes_ He has known all things from the beginning).
· God has always been All Knowing, All Powerful, and Omni Present. He has always been “PERFECT in all His ways”. If He were to change in the slightest way in How He works, He would no longer be perfect. [Enoch, Noah, and Lot were all spared from God’s wrath (Gen19:22/ 5:24/ 7:23)] [Therefore we can depend upon God to spare us from wrath (in Rapture)_ as He did with Enoch, Noah, and Lot].
· Amos 3:7 _ “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets”… God worked six days and rested on the seventh day. “Just as God has also commanded us to rest on the Sabbath after six days, we will enter into rest after six thousand years in a one-thousand-year time span known as the Millennium.”(J H) [Six-thousand years is six millennial days _ the seventh millennial day will be the Sabbath Millennium] [“a day is as a thousand years”(I-Pet.3:8)(Psa.90:4)].
“THROUGH THESE SEVEN FEASTS, GOD REVEALS HIS SEVEN-THOUSAND-YEAR PLAN FOR HUMANITY” [J.H.]
· The Feasts are seven portals through which we can glimpse at the plan of God for the ages [JH].
· Each one is like a dress rehearsal giving a portrait of part of God’s plan [JH].
· They are a spiritual blueprint of what lies ahead for Israel, Jerusalem, and the World [JH].
· As we step thru the feasts, we’ll be walking God’s Timeline stretching throughout the Bible [JH].
TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE FEASTS, we need to UNDERSTAND the JEWISH, the GREGORIAN, and THE-CALENDAR-OF-GOD
1. The Jewish calendar doesn’t start at the birth of Christ _ but from Adam (they rejected the Lord) (but will receive Him later _Rom.11:26).
2. God of course counts from Adam and from Christ’s birth also (We have to determine which, by Bible passage content).
3. Is the Jewish calendar correct? ___ (No! _ just barely in the outer ballpark).
4. The Jews use scripture/their-history for God’s time line from Adam [and that’s Ok, if they could have kept it accurately].
5. Their priest’/scribes have tried to keep their calendar down thru history (but through captivity /dispersion /persecution /and all the centuries / no doubt errors have been made) Their calendar indicates the present date to be __ the year ~5772.
6. Our calendar (the Gregorian), is actually closer, but still not accurate [no calendar is _ Mat.24:36_ too many gaps/overlaps in history records].
7. Our calendar was setup by Pope Gregory XIII in AD 1582 [Applying their research they assigned this date ... AD 1582 to their time, they were not exact _ just in the ballpark _ making our time ( our year) today not accurate.] (His team of scholars used the Bible /history records /and the solar year giving us our leap year system to sync the calendar with the seasons).
8. All scripture is given in 360-day-years and 30-day-months … [Does God not know the length of our year? _ Yes! He is all knowing!].
9. I believe the earth’s orbit has shifted slightly _ adding 5.25 days to the Solar Year (only 1.4%). [Earth’s orbital path is 595 million miles].
10. I believe the moon’s orbit also changed_ shifting the moon phase cycle slightly off from 30days [our day is also not exactly 24-hrs].
11. Caused by the earth’s rotation speed changing making our day slightly off from God’s creation [now 23hrs_56min_4.09sec /day].
12. Why did a perfect all intelligent, all powerful, all knowing Creator create things imperfect? [He didn’t!!]
13. At the flood, the fountains of the deep were breaking up (a global seismic event) causing great gravitational fluctuations.
14. I believe this caused the earth to loosen its grip on the sun, distorting its orbit, allowing an outward shift in its orbital distance and in its rotational speed (The earth's gravitational fluctuations affected the moon’s orbit also, causing the change in our month) … see_ (Isa.13:13) "I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place."
15. God is still using the original orbit, that He created for the earth [and moon] in the beginning and their time lines _ 360 days per year [one-degree-per-day] _ and 30 days per month _ In precise circular constant speed orbits _ “perfect orbital designs!”
16. All prophecy is given in 360-day-years [our present solar year is 365.25 days! _ doesn’t sound perfect does it? _ It has changed].
17. Also Our History time line is inaccurate (pieced together from records of many ancient nations, with other calendars of the past).
THE SEASONS OF THE FEASTS
· The Feasts are in two groups: The first four are in the spring __ The last three are in the fall (they align with two harvests).
· Deut. 16:1 / Ex.12:2 God calls the 1st month of the year “Abib” for the Passover (now “Nisan”{our early April}).
· I-Kings 8:2 says the month Ethanim is the 7th month of the year (“Tishri” modern day name) {our Oct.}.
· They also coincide with: The (Former) Spring Rains __ and The (Latter) Fall Rains
· The prophet Hosea through the Holy Spirit of God spoke about the coming of the Messiah __ [“He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth” _ Hosea 6:3].
· This plainly tells us that Christ will come two times (two advents) (in a set number of time periods).
· At the time God gave Moses the Feasts _ they were all prophecy… In fact I believe the main purpose of the Feasts IS PROPHECY!
· The first four Feasts were all fulfilled in Christ’s First Advent in perfect timing / completion /and order (now history).
· The last three Feasts are yet prophecy and will be fulfilled in the period leading up to The Lord’s Second Advent.
· Since the first four were fulfilled in total timing / perfection /order (WE CAN and MUST EXPECT THE LAST THREE TO BE LIKEWISE)!!
THE FEASTS OF GOD ARE HOLY DAYS [more on this subject in a later section]
· Just as the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is a Holy Day so are the Feast days.
· Likewise Holy Days are sometimes called Sabbath Days (Lev.23:6-8, 39).
· When scripture says that it “is a Sabbath Day”, it does not always mean it is Saturday.
· This gives us a problem concerning the day of the week that Christ was crucified.
· Tradition says “on Friday”, because scripture says “tomorrow is the Sabbath” (Luke 23:54).
· But you would not have Him in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights as stated in (Matt._ 12:40).
· Scripture gives us a clue to this when it calls the day …….. “a high Sabbath” (John.19:31) [More on this later].
· Also Dr. Scofield in (Mat.28:1) has a note on the word “Sabbath”… saying its correct translation should be “Sabbaths” [plural].
)
THE FEASTS WERE GIVEN TO MOSES 3500 YEARS AGO _ 1500 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST’S FIRST ADVENT (IT WAS ALL PROPHECY then)
· The first Feast was given to Israel in Egypt prior to Israel’s release from slavery (The Feast of Passover).
· The second Feast was also given at the same time (Feast of Unleavened Bread).
· The third Feast first given in Ex.23:16, and Deut.26:1,2,10 (when they came into the Promised Land) (Feast of Firstfruits).
· The fourth Feast was given early in the third month after their leaving Egypt (Feast of Pentecost).
· The fifth (Feast of Trumpets), the sixth (Feast of Atonement),and the seventh (Feast of Tabernacles) are found along with the first three (all-together-in-order… In Lev.23:4-34).
__________________________________________________________________________________
THE FEASTS OF GOD’S FORMER RAIN (Christ’s First Advent)
Hosea 6:3 "Christ will come as the former and latter rain" [FULFILLED PROPHECY]
THE PASSOVER FEAST (Redemption)
· This is the first of the Feasts __ it was given to Israel in Egypt.
· God gave it as a Memorial of __ ”passing over them” __ in judgment.
· They were instructed to sacrifice a lamb __ and apply it’s blood to the door of each of their homes.
· God saved all of Israel’s firstborn __ as the Death Angel passed thru every Egyptian home leaving the first born dead.
· God passed over the homes with the blood _The saving of Israel’s firstborn was an act of redemption __ an act of Salvation.
· It was also salvation from slavery and bondage for Israel.
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PASSOVER FEAST _ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. God declared the month of the first Passover to be (Abib) the first month of the year (Ex.12:1,2) [see the first calendar coming up].
2. The head of every household of Israel was to put up (or pen up) a lamb on the 10th day of Abib (Ex.12:3).
3. Likewise Christ was arrested (put up / imprisoned) on the 10th day of Abib, just as the Passover Lamb.
4. Israel was to keep the unblemished lamb penned up until the 14th day of the month(Ex.12:5,6).
5. Christ was kept up (imprisoned) until the 14th of Abib (as He was enduring six-trials, beatings, and mockery).
6. The 1st trial, the night of Jesus’ arrest, was on the 10th day at the house of Annas, the previous High Priest (Father-in-law of Caiaphas) (John 18:12,13) _ this trial was illegal _ Jewish law would not allow trials at night.
7. The 2nd trial that night was late, close to day break at Caiaphas’ house (the High Priest) (Lk.22:54) (informal trial at house) _ Peter’s denial /rooster crows _ morning and trial continues)(Jn.18:24-27).
8. The 3rd and formal trial with the High Priest, all the Chief Priests, the rest of the priestly sect, all the Elders, and all the Teachers of the Law met 24 hours later, in the Priest’s Council Hall on the Temple Grounds (now several hundred men) (Lk.22:66-71).
Note: ……………………… The Wycliffe Bible Commentary [On Matthew 27:1, 2]
This was the Second Sanhedrin trial [It was actually the third trial]. It was the “formal trial”, with the entire gathering of the High Priest, Chief Priests, Elders, and the Teachers of the Law [several hundred men]. (The first trial was in the Chief Priest’s house with, presumably, a much smaller group of the Sanhedrin.) “When the morning was come the chief priests, and the elders took council against Jesus to put Him to death” (Luke 22:66 says: “At day break the council of the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law met together”) Jewish law forbade night trials and specified that capital cases must have at least two trials, a day apart. (24 hours) This daybreak session was an effort to bring a semblance of legality to the whole sordid procedure.
9. The 4th trial _ the Sanhedrin Council led Christ off to Pilate (Lk.23:1) _ Jews accused Christ of many things (Mk.1-5) _ Pilate found no fault in Him _ Pilate hears that Jesus is a Galilean and sends Him to Herod (Lk.23:6-10).
10. The 5th trial _ Herod questioned Jesus, finding no fault in Him_ Jesus was mocked and sent back again to Pilate (Lk.23:11).
11. The 6th trial_ The next morning Pilate again found no fault in Christ and tried to release Him, but the people would not hear of it (Lk.23:13-18). Pilate then gave him over to the solders for crucifixion. (Lk.23:24).
12. As the Passover Lamb was kept up for 4 days, so was Jesus incarcerated for 4 days, He then carried His cross to Golgotha.
13. Back in Egypt the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel was to sacrifice the Passover lamb in the afternoon (at 3 pm).
14. As the Passover Lamb was killed on the 14th, so did Christ die at the 9th hr.(3 pm) on the 14th of Abib ( Mat.27:45,50).
15. Israel was to sacrifice the Passover Lamb outside the camp /city (Deut.16:5) [all other sacrifices were on the Tabernacle/Temple grounds] (Isa.49:6-7) Israel knew not why!!
16. Christ also like the Passover Lamb was taken outside the city to the place of the scull (Golgotha) (Mount Calvary) to die…
17. We know now that the Sacrifice of the lamb, back in Egypt, had to be like Christ’s Sacrifice, yet to come, … “outside the city” _ to the Jews of Jesus’ day it was an execution outside the city _ not the Sacrifice of the “Passover Lamb of God” _ BUT THEY WERE WRONG!!
18. Each Jewish household in Egypt was to apply the pure innocent blood (of the Passover Lamb) to the door of their home (Ex.12:7).
19. God wants us to let Christ Jesus apply His pure innocent blood to our hearts and spirits as our Passover Lamb _ to receive eternal life.
20. The Jew’s were to roast the lamb with fire, eat it with unleavened bread, and bitter herbs in haste [to be freed] (Ex.12:8,9).
21. Christ took our fires of wrath for us as the Passover Lamb dying in our place, giving up His unleavened life … “to free us from the law of sin and death” (Rom.8:1,2).
22. His dying in our stead is most-wonderful for us, but it was bitter herbs for Him _ we cannot understand the price He must have paid (bearing the sins of all mankind throughout all of time).
23. God told Israel in Egypt: “The blood will be a sign for you _ and when I see the blood _ I will pass over you” (Ex.12:13).
24. The Lord passed thru Egypt _ there was not an Egyptian home where one was not dead (Ex.12:29,30).
25. How could God do this thing? __ God was just returning or giving back to Egypt what they did to His people (Ex.1:13,14,22).
26. The Egyptians were killing all the male Jewish babies as they were born. (Moses’ mother hid him for 3 months. She then sealed a basket so it would float, put him in it, and placed it in the river to save his life _ Pharaoh's daughter saw the baby Moses and took him into her home as her own child.) (Exodus Chapters 1, 2).
27. But “All Israel was saved physically in Egypt from the wrath of God that night because of the blood of the Lamb (Ex.12:23, 27).
28. CHRIST IS THE PASSOVER LAMB, all other sacrifices were just pictures of Christ to come (John 1:29, I-Cor.5:7b).
29. When God brings judgment upon this world _ He will see Jesus’ Precious Blood and pass over all believers with His wrath by translating us from the earth, at the Rapture just before the Tribulation (I-Thes. 1:10, 5:9,10).
30. Why do we use the term believers for Christians? __ “We are saved by Grace through Faith [heart belief], and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, and not by works less anyone should boast.” [Eph.2:8,9] Also … “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”. [Rom.10:17] And Christ said … “He that hears my word and believes on God, who sent me, has eternal life and shall not be condemned, but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
31. “For Christ His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree”(I-Pet.2:24). [He died in our place, personally for you and me].
32. Jesus our Passover Lamb has paid it all there’s nothing left for us to do but repent [turn from sin in our heart], believe in Him and what He did for us on the cross (Acts 10:43-44).
{Calendar #1} MONTH ABIB [EARILY APRIL] … ISRAEL’S ANCIENT 1ST MONTH OF YEAR …. YEAR ~1500 BC
[~3500 years ago] The Jewish day started at 6pm and went thru the next day to 6pm [“The evening and morning were the first day” (Gen.1:5, 8, 13, 19, 31)]. GOD commanded Moses [while they were still enslaved in Egypt] to observe the first 2 Feasts on these dates (Exodus chapter 12) _ God then added the rest of the Feasts with dates, in (Leviticus 23) _ all in the exact order and timing of their prophecies] [Same calendar layout as April 2010 _ this calendar layout was chosen to attain the 18th day to be a Sunday so as to align with the scripture (Mat.28:1), and (Exodus 12: 2, 3, 5, 6)].
SUNDAY
|
MONDAY
|
TUESDAY
|
WEDNESDAY
|
THURSDAY
1ST
|
FRIDAY
2ND
|
SATURDAY
3RD
WEEKLY SABBATH
|
SUNDAY
4TH
|
MONDAY
5TH
|
TUESDAY
6TH
|
WEDNESDAY
7TH
|
THURSDAY
8TH
|
FRIDAY
9TH
|
SATURDAY
10TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
On the 10th you shall pen up a lamb to be on display until the 14th day
(Ex.12:2,3,5,6)
|
SUNDAY
11TH
Your Lamb shall be
A male of the first
Year without Spot
Or Blemish
[ and be on
Display and
Examination for
Four days]
Exodus 12:5, 6
|
MONDAY
12TH
Display and examination of the lamb by the [70 men of the Sanhedrin and all 500 Priests from the 10th to the 14th]
|
TUESDAY
13TH
Display and examination of the lamb continues
_________
“The lamb must be sacrificed on afternoon of the 14th day”
Next day > (Ex.12:6)
|
WEDNESDAY
14TH
PASSOVER
(Lev.23:4-8) God commanded the Passover on the evening of the 14th and the start of Unleavened Bread on 15th
Left {city of} Rameses after 6pm (Ex.12:37)
|
THURSDAY
15TH
UNLEAVENED
BREAD
1st DAY of 7
A HIGH HOLY SABBATH
Lev.23:6,7,36,39 1ST DAY LEAVING EGYPT…“from Rameses to Succoth” __
[1st camp] (Ex.12:37)
|
FRIDAY
16TH
2ND DAY LEAVING EGYPT _ [Israel was in the land of darkness for
3-days and 3- nights] __ “then to Etham”
[2nd camp]
(Ex.13:20)
|
SATURDAY
17TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
3RD DAY LEAVING EGYPT
Israel comes to the Red Sea …“to
Pi-hahiroth by the sea”
[3rd camp]
(Ex.14:1,2)
|
SUNDAY
18TH
This MORNING
ISRAEL
PASSED-THRU
THE RED SEA/ out
of the land of
Egypt
Pharaoh/army
Died (Ex.14:22-28)
Starts [50days]
to Pentecost
(Lev.23:10-16)
|
MONDAY
19TH
..… con’t… It was 3 days and nights for Israel, then raising up out of the depths of the Sea
|
TUESDAY
20TH
|
WEDNESDAY
21ST
The LAST DAY of UNLEAVENED BREAD
The 15th to 21st of Abib (Ex.12:18)
also a
HIGH HOLY SABBATH
|
THURSDAY
22ND
|
FRIDAY
23RD
|
SATURDAY
24TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
The First of Seven Sabbaths (7-weeks): to add up to 49 days plus the day after the
Sabbath to ........... = 50days; to PENTECOST (Lev.23:10-16)
7x7 = 49
|
SUNDAY
25th
|
MONDAY
26th
|
TUESDAY
27th
|
WEDNESDAY
28th
|
THURSDAY
29th
|
FRIDAY
30th
|
|
THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD (Redemption)
· This was the second Feast _ but it is tied intimately with the first Feast ( Passover).
· The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins immediately after the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb.
· The Feast of Unleavened Bread was to celebrate the DAY THE LORD BROUGHT ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT (out of bondage and slavery) (THE EXODUS) _ they had not put leaven in their bread _ so the Passover Lamb was eaten with unleavened bread.
· It was a week-long festival where they were not to eat any leavened bread.
· Their dwellings were not to have any leaven anywhere in them to be found [even to sweeping the floor].
· The first day and the seventh day of Unleavened Bread were to be Sacred Assemblies (Holy Days) (Sabbath Days).
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST of UNLEAVENED BREAD _ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. “On the 15th day of the month the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins” (Lev. 23:6-8).
2. “Celebrate The Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on THIS VERY DAY THAT I BROUGHT YOUR DIVISIONS OUT OF EGYPT” (Ex.12:17).
3. In the late afternoon of the 14th God redeemed Israel with the Blood of the Passover Lamb. He then set them free that same day, in the evening of the 15th , from the clutches of Egypt, _ unto a new life [Israel’s day started at 6 pm ("The evening and morning, the first day" Genesis 1:5)].
4. This is a beautiful picture of what Christ did for us _ His blood as our Passover Lamb has redeemed us, setting us free from the clutches of “Sin and Death” unto New Eternal Life in Christ our Lord.
5. Israel was to eat Unleavened Bread for seven days (no yeast at all) from the 15th to the 21st (Ex.12:18) [showing the perfect purity of Christ’s Life without sin].
6. For seven days no yeast was to be found in all their dwellings (“On the first day remove the yeast from your houses” (Ex.12:15-a).
7. “For whoever eats anything with yeast in it _ must be cut off from Israel” (Ex.12:15-b) (look at Vs.19).
8. Why was it so important to have no yeast at that time? __ Because yeast was a symbol for sin and evil.
9. Why was yeast used to portray sin? _ yeast permeates the bread dough completely affecting /contaminating every molecule in the whole lump _ just as sin affects our total being (body, soul, and spirit).
10. Also these feasts were a prophecy, a picture, of Jesus’ first advent to come_ the Lamb of God, who was Holy and totally Righteous _ who came to pay for all our sin (He was entirely without leaven _ without sin).
11. Because Christ’s Life and His Blood were Pure and Holy_ He was worthy to pay the price in full for our sin _ that’s why The Lord’s Supper is so important for us to celebrate (It is a picture of His gift of eternal Life to us).
12. The importance of the 1st and 7th days of the Feast being Sabbaths is that it explains how Christ could be in the grave 3 days and 3 nights (Mat.12:40) and have been crucified the day before the Sabbath, yet be resurrected on Sunday [much more detail on this later].
13. See the section “Christ’s Arrest to His Resurrection” [for details on correlation of scriptures and calendar _ see calendar #2.
THE FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS (Resurrection)
· This is the third Feast and is also tied to the 1st , 2nd and 4th Feasts in great intricacy.
· It deals with the early harvest, the first ingathering of the fruit of the earth, and God’s first harvest of mankind.
· It ties the three National Feasts together (Unleavened Bread _ (Firstfruits/ Pentecost) _ Tabernacles), in fact, it ties all seven Feasts together.
· It ties the Payment for our redemption to the early and the end harvests.
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST of FIRSTFRUITS _ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. “When you enter the land _ bring a sheaf of First Grain (Firstfruits [KJV]) to the Priest” (Lev.23:10).
2. “The Priest is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf” (Lev.23:11).
3. “The Priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath _ which is the first day of the week (Sunday).
4. Pharaoh released Israel the night of the 15th [after the Death Angel passed thru_ all Egypt mourned] Israel quickly left Rameses.
5. The Children of Israel Journeyed from the city of Rameses to Succoth [day-1 /encampment] (Ex.12:37) _ then to Etham [day 2] (Ex.13:20) _ then to Pi-hahiroth by the Red Sea [day 3] (Ex.14:1,2).
6. They were 3 days and 3 nights traveling thru the land of darkness (a land that knew not God) to the Red Sea _ a perfect picture of Christ’s entombment (Mat.12:40).
7. The next morning after God had dried the sea bed _ they passed down thru the Red Sea and arose on the other side safe and alive (with new freedom and new life) _ A perfect image of the Lord’s resurrection [Going down into the depths and arising again].
8. Just as Christ received His new eternal body of new life and freedom _ so likewise will we, at the RESURRECTION.
9. While Israel was raised to new life Pharaoh and his army perished in the depths of the Red Sea (Ex.14:22-28).
10. The Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread of course are pictures of Christ’s giving His righteous Blood and Life for all Believers _ and then being raised by God the Father from the dead_ Jesus is Firstfruits for us! [all 3 Feasts undeniably connected].
11. The three National Feasts (Ex.23:14-16) (Deut.16:16) _ are connected to Firstfruits because all the Feasts are dealing with God’s Harvests _ First God is dealing with the very first harvest _ that of Jesus from the dead [First Eternal/Glorified Body for mankind].
12. Then 50 days later, the harvest of the First Church at Pentecost_ every time a believer is added to the Church we are part of the harvest, though the last phase of our harvest [or redemption of our bodies] will not come until the Rapture (Feast of Trumpets).
13. The Feast of Pentecost is an extension of Firstfruits _ the Lord Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of the Harvest of Man ___ when did the counting of Weeks begin? “On Firstfruits” (Lev.23:10,11,15,16) (Num.28:26).
14. God counted them (and us) as being totally Redeemed _ (John.5:24) “We are passed from death unto life”.
15. Our souls and spirits have been redeemed …. But we are still waiting for the redemption of our bodies (at the Feasts of Trumpets) _ But God says our total redemption is as good as done now! _ Believers are all part of God’s Harvest ….. God will make good his promise [nothing in the Universe has the power to prevent it].
16. The moment we receive Christ Jesus as our God our Savior _ we come into (or become part of) the Feast of Firstfruits (John 5:24 _we have eternal life [past tense _ Done]) (I Cor.15:22,23) _ Our resurrection is assured by the Almighty Creator of the Universe
17. Christ is the first/ start of Firstfruits or early harvest _ [The Church will be the first part of the latter harvest] _ followed by the Old Testament Saints /Trib. Saints at the end of the Tribulation _ The harvest or (“resurrection of Daniel’s people”), the Jewish nation, is described in (Dan.12:1,2) _ The resurrection of Tribulation Believers is found in _ _ (Rev.20:4)
18. The Lord’s Resurrection (Firstfruits) is like a legal receipt from the Highest Court in the Universe with your name on it _ and it says _“insert .. Your Name _ Has Eternal Life __ PAID IN FULL”.. by the Holy and Righteous Life and Blood of Christ Jesus The Lord.
19. God the Father accepted Christ’s payment for our sin completely, fully, and without reservation…. (it is “DONE”) [there’s nothing that can be added by us, or anyone else, or anything else _ Jesus finished it in total and complete perfection].
20. And God proved that He accepted it __ by raising Christ from the dead! __ God would have never raised Jesus if He had not accepted His’ sacrifice __ Therefore we can be assured in what Christ has done for us!
21. The Resurrection of Christ is our assurance that we indeed have Eternal Life in Christ __ and that our bodies will also be changed like unto Christ’s body __ (Eternal, Glorified, Impervious to all harm and evil, and endowed with power in Christ Jesus).
22. The Feast of Firstfruits is a beautiful picture of Jesus’ Resurrection on Sunday (He is the Firstfruits from the dead) (I Cor.5:7, 15:22, 23).
23. As our last verse told us _ Christ is God’s Firstfruits and we will follow Him as we are resurrected and glorified at His coming (in His harvest of His Believers from the earth) (I Thes.4:13-18).
SUMMARY OF THE FIRST THREE FEASTS
[PASSOVER/ UNLEAVENED BREAD/ FIRSTFRUITS]
CHRIST’S ARREST TO HIS RESURRECTION
[HIDDEN IN THE FEASTS OF GOD]
1. Mark 14:12 _ states “Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover Lamb” [Passover should have been on the 14th ] (Jesus did not die on this day).
2. But we believe that Christ was indeed crucified on Passover day the 14th and this day (in Mk.14:12) Christ was very much alive, and would institute “The Lord’s Supper” later that night (Luke 22:15,19,20).
3. Christ was not even arrested as yet (but He would be that night), and it would be several days before He would be crucified.
4. Also, in Lev. 23:4-11, God commanded the Passover on the 14th and Unleavened Bread on the 15th of Abib [now Nisan].
5. Jesus should have been arrested on the 10th , as the Passover Lamb was to be penned up on the 10th (Ex.12:3,6).
6. Also, two days later in John 18:28 the Jews would not enter Pilate’s palace and become unclean for Passover.
7. What’s going on? _ Jesus and the disciples had Passover two days earlier.
8. Things weren’t going like God had commanded that they do them! ___ (It’s not God’s fault __ the Jews changed things up).
9. We need to understand that the Jewish people have a great tendency to modify and add to the Laws of God [As we all do].
10. They have added more than six hundred things to the Law, and I’m not sure anyone knows all of their modifications to scripture (we need to be very careful not to do this ourselves).
11. My study leads me to believe that in New Testament times they allowed the Passover Sacrifice at any time during the seven days of Unleavened Bread (John Hagge says the Jews mixed the two feast together _ “making an amalgamation”).
12. I believe they started the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 9th (Mk.14:12), not the 15th of the first month (Lev.23:6)[more later].
13. Let’s now look at our calendar which I’ve drawn to match with the calendar at Christ’s time and do some reverse engineering.
14. What do we know for sure? __ First… The Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Sunday) (Mat.28:1,6).
15. He was in the tomb three days and three nights, bringing us backwards in time to Wednesday at 6pm (Mat.12:40) (John 19:31) He died 3 hours earlier at 3pm (ninth hour) (Lk.23:44) _ and was crucified 6 hours before that, at 9am (third hour)(Mk.15:25) [He was on the cross for 6 hours paying for man’s sin] (the #6 is man’s number) [The Jews day-time clock started at 6am….. making -9am the third hour of the day].
16. His crucifixion on Wednesday had to be on the 14th _because God said the Passover was to be on the 14th (Lev. 23:5).
17. If Jesus was in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights (Mat.12:40) _ that would put the Lord’s resurrection on Sunday the 18th , the day after the weekly-Sabbath [which agrees with all scripture on the first day of the week] (Mk.16:2,6) (Lk.24:1,6).
18. We know from (Lev. 23:10,11) that God commanded the Feast of Firstfruits to be “on the day after the Sabbath”.
19. This makes Christ’s resurrection on Sunday the 18th... "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb... The angel said_ Jesus who was crucified is not here, He is risen from the dead!! (Matt.28:1-7) _ the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits [Christ is Firstfruits from the dead] (I Cor.15:22,23)].
20. If He was indeed imprisoned for 4 days before the crucifixion, as the Passover Lamb was, that would take us back to the 10th day of the month for His arrest.
21. From Mark 14:12, we know the day before He was arrested, was the First Day of Unleavened Bread (in Jesus’ day).
22. That brings us back to the 9th day of the first month, of the year, [for the Jews 1st day of UL. Bread] (at Jesus’ time).
23. This means that the 7th day of Unleavened Bread would be on the 15th _ the day after the Lord’s crucifixion (more details later in #29).
24. Christ was then arrested later that night after 6 pm, making His incarceration on the 10th day of the first month.
25. This means He was imprisoned [pinned up] on the 10th day, just as the Passover Lamb was…. in Egypt (by God’s command).
26. Even though the Jewish leaders had manipulated the Feast Days around, God used that very thing to cause Christ’s fulfillment of the Feasts to be on the exact days that He commanded 1500 years earlier in Egypt (This was done right under the noses of the religious leaders without them realizing).
27. But you say what about the scriptures (on the day Christ was crucified) that say? _ “It was the Preparation Day, the day before the Sabbath” (Mk.15:42) (Lk.23:54) __ Doesn’t that mean that He died on Friday?
28. The Apostle John adds an enlightening word to the scripture “Now it was the Preparation Day, and the next day was to be a High Sabbath” (John 19:31) _ it was special because it was the 1st day of Unleavened Bread [first of seven days].
29. The 1st and 7th days of Unleavened Bread were to be Special (High [KJV]) Sabbaths, and were not Saturdays (Lev.23:6-8,36,39) __ In fact the 15th was on Thursday, [Because the Lord was crucified on Wednesday the 14th (Lev.23:5)(Ex.12:5-11) [and the 21st {the second High Sabbath} was on Wednesday].
30. Christ was in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights (Mat.12:40) _ and was raised on Sunday the 18th _ Scripture says: “Christ arose on the first day of the week, after the Sabbaths” (Dr. Scofield says that the word Sabbath in (Mat.28:1) is actually plural in the original manuscripts) _ there were two Sabbaths that week _ the first was Thursday the 15th (the High Sabbath) and Saturday the 17th (the weekly Sabbath). See calendars #1 and #2.
31. How can I possibly know the days of the week and of the month? Let’s look at what we do know. First Christ arose on Sunday. The second thing that we know is that He was Crucified on the 14th (Ex.12:6 /Lev.23:5) [The day God commanded] of the month Abib and entombed at 6pm _ which started the 15th day. The third thing that we know is that He was in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights. If we start at The Lord’s Resurrection on a Sunday and go back in time 3 days and nights we come to a Wednesday (No matter what day of the month that you put the Sunday on __ it makes Jesus’ entombment come on a Wednesday evening at the end of the Jewish day) If that Wednesday comes on the 14th, then all the Feast dates (on God’s 30 day calendar) FALL EXACTLY IN PLACE as God commands in the Old Testament! (Ex.12:1-13 /Lev.23:1-44).
32. Therefore Christ could NOT HAVE DIED ON FRIDAY as tradition has it!! __ Why is that Important? Because if it were Friday it would nullify the prophecy of the Feasts, robbing us of the tremendous blessings and boost of our faith in God’s ability to see and declare the future _ IN EXQUISITE DETAIL". [It’s time we believe God completely].
33. And this is of extreme importance __ seeing that the prophecies, within the three remaining Feasts give us the timing of the Second Coming of Christ _ and they tell us that it is EVEN AT THE DOOR!!!
{Calendar #2}………MONTH ABIB [APRIL] … [YEAR ~AD 33] ISRAEL’S ANCIENT FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR ... [~2OOO YEARS AGO]
CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION
The Jewish day starts at 6pm (evening) and goes thru the next day to 6pm [“The evening and morning were the first day” (Gen.1:5, 8, 13, 19, 31)] GOD commanded Moses [while they were still enslaved in Egypt] to observe the first 2 Feasts on these dates (Exodus chapter_12) _ God then added the rest of the Feasts with dates in (Leviticus chapter_23), all in the exact order and timing of their prophecies]. [Same calendar layout as April 2010 _ this calendar layout was chosen to attain the 18th day to be a Sunday so as to align with the scripture (Mat.28:1); and (Exodus 12: 2, 3, 5, 6)].
SUNDAY
|
MONDAY
|
TUESDAY
|
WEDNESDAY
|
THURSDAY
1ST
|
FRIDAY
2ND
|
SATURDAY
3RD
WEEKLY SABBATH
|
SUNDAY
4TH
|
MONDAY
5TH
|
TUESDAY
6TH
|
WEDNESDAY
7TH
|
THURSDAY
8TH
|
FRIDAY
9TH
Jesus and the Disciples have Passover Feast
Christ Jesus our Lord changes it into “the Lord’s Supper” (Mk.14:12) (Mk.14:22-25
|
SATURDAY
10TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
JESUS Arrested locked-up as the Passover Lamb _ His 1st trail was at Annas’ house [father-in-law of High Priest] (Jn.18:12,13)
|
SUNDAY
11TH
First Day of Week
THE 2ND TRIAL was
Early this morning
[ the 11th ],
Before sun rise at
Caiaphas the High
Priest’s house
Peter denies Christ
The rooster crows
(John 18:24-27
|
MONDAY
12TH
THE 3rd TRIAL was this morning [the 12th ] in the Priest’s Council Hall _ Temple Grounds
~600 men (Lk.22:66-71)
|
TUESDAY
13TH
THE 4th TRIAL Pilate no fault in Christ, sent Him to Herod TRIAL-5 Herod sent Him back to Pilate (Lk.23 :11) Pilate tries to release Jesus early the next morning …..
|
WEDNESDAY
14TH
PASSOVER
TRIAL-6 …. but crowd refused (Lk23:13-18)
CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION at 9am _ he died at 3pm*_ He was
Entombed @6pm This started the High Sabbath
|
THURSDAY
15TH
UNLEAVENED
BREAD
_ HE GAVE HIS HOLY LIFE _ He is the bread of life _
[this day was
A HIGH SABBATH ] (John 19:31) HIS 1ST DAY IN THE TOMB by 6pm 24hrs later
|
FRIDAY
16TH
CHRIST DID NOT DIE ON FRIDAY as tradition has it
[3 days / 3 nights (see Mat.12:40)]
HIS SECOND DAY IN THE TOMB BY 6pm
|
SATURDAY
17TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
HIS THIRD DAY IN THE TOMB by 6pm, this 17th day
He arose
sometime after…… 6pm _ went to paradise set O.T. Saints free to heaven
|
SUNDAY
18TH
First Day of Week
FIRSTFRUITS
From the dead
CHRIST’s
RESURRECTION
He was seen
alive earily this
morning (Mat.28:1)
-------------------------
Start of 50day
count
to PENTECOST …
|
MONDAY
19TH
|
TUESDAY
20TH
|
WEDNESDAY
21ST
LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD _ A HIGH HOLY SABBATH DAY … This week of days following the Crucifixion/ Resurrection was
Most Holy_ The Creator …..
|
THURSDAY
22ND
….Our Savior__ Our God __ Was… REVEALED ALIVE FROM THE DEAD _ to 500 people and from that time to now most all the world has heard!!
|
FRIDAY
23RD
|
SATURDAY
24TH
WEEKLY SABBATH
The First of Seven Weeks of Sabbaths to add up to 49 days plus the day after to
= 50days to PENTECOST (Lev.23:10-16)
|
SUNDAY
25th
|
MONDAY
26th
|
TUESDAY
27th
|
WEDNESDAY
28th
|
THURSDAY
29th
|
FRIDAY
30th
|
|
· This was the fourth Feast and connected to the first three __ but separated by 50 days.
· The word “Pentecost” means “fifty” __ the Jews sometimes call it The Feast of Weeks / Counting [Seven Sabbaths].
· It does not deal with the separating from the flock (the incarceration), or the inspection (the trials), or the sacrifice (the crucifixion) of the unblemished Passover Lamb.
· It does deal however __ with the Feast’s connection to the crossing of the Red Sea (The Resurrection).
· It deals as well ___ with both Israel and the Church.
· It deals also __ with the journey from the leaving of Egypt to the wilderness mountain of Sinai.
· And lastly _ God’s people meeting physically face to face with their RIGHTEOUS, ALMIGHTY, HOLY CREATOR.
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST OF PENTECOST __ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. The first three Feasts occur in the first month (all in one week) _ but Pentecost is > 7 weeks Later (Lev.23:15,16).
2. The Children of Israel Journeyed from the city of Rameses to Succoth [day-1 /encampment] (Ex.12:37) _ then to Etham [day 2] (Ex.13:20) _ then to Pi-hahiroth by the sea [day 3] (Ex.14:1,2).
3. They were 3 days and 3 nights traveling thru the land of darkness (a land that knew not God) to the Red Sea _ a perfect picture of Christ’s entombment (Mat.12:40).
4. The next morning [God had dried the sea bed] they passed down thru the sea, arose on the other side safe, dry, and alive (with new freedom and new life) _ Just as Christ received His eternal body of new life and freedom _ while Pharaoh and his army perished (Ex.14:22-28).
5. On the 15th day of the 2nd month _ “after leaving the land of Egypt” _ they came to the Wilderness of Sin (Ex.16:1).
6. At first I thought God was saying from the 15th (leaving the city of Rameses) of the 1st month, to the 15th of the second month _ which would be 30 days _ and 15 days to the 1st day of the 3rd month = 45 days.
7. Take the 45 days add the 3 days (at the end for sanctification) = 48 days _ that would leave 1 day going up the mountain and 1 day coming back down _ making the 50 day total (It sounded good and added up _ but the Lord would not let me leave it there).
8. I went back thru it again (OT/NT/cal.)(Ex. chps. 16,19/Acts chps. 1,2) _ the Lord convinced me counting began on the 18th __ “He showed Himself alive_ being seen of them forty days” (Acts 1:3) [God didn’t count till resurrection day] [Also Christ is the Firstfruits from the dead (I Cor.15:22,23)] _ (lev.23:10.15) tells us to count from the day of Firstfruits (from resurrection /1st day of week).
9. Therefore they left the land of Egypt on the 18th of the first month, after passing thru the Red Sea _ from the start of the 18th (counted) of the first month to the 15th of 2nd month is 2 days less than a month _ that’s 28 days on God’s calendar (Ex.16:1).
10. Looking in (Ex.24:9-18), (more detail on a later climb up Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments) _ I believe it took Moses 2 days to go up and 2 days to come down (he went up in 2 stages) (gives better idea of size of the 8ooo ft. mountain).
11. On the first day of the third month they came to the Wilderness of Sin _ from the 15th of the 2nd month to the 1st of the 3rd month = 15 days _ 28 days (from #9) plus 15 days = 43 days after leaving the land of Egypt (Ex.19:1,2).
12. Moses went up mount Sinai and God told him _ “see what I did to the Egyptians and how I bare you out on eagles wings _ if you keep my covenant you will be a special and Holy people to me”[paraphrased](Ex.19:3-6).
13. Then God told him “have the people to sanctify themselves (spiritually cleanse themselves) and wash their clothes and be ready to meet Me on the 3rd day” [paraphrased] (Ex.10,11).
14. Moses came back down the mountain and told the people what God had said (Ex.19:7) _ they agreed.
15. Now let’s take the 43 days (from #11 above), add the 3 days of sanctifying _ it comes to 46 days _ then add 2 days up the mountain and 2 days down, giving 50 days total _ Then Israel meets God as He comes down from Sinai (And we have Pentecost!).
16. The reason Christ stayed on earth for 40 days after His resurrection is that He would need that time to show Himself to believers __ AS INFALLIBLE PROOF OF HIS RESURRECTION __ and to give them greater INSIGHT INTO HIS KINGDOM TO COME (Acts 1:3).
17. Then Ten more days were needed to choose Matthias (to replace Judas)(Acts 1:26) _ and for BELIEVERS TO PREPARE (sanctify) THEMSELVES FOR MEETING GOD physically face to face (Acts 1:14) _ and for RECEIVING OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT _ Who has indwelt the church since Pentecost (Acts 2:1-6) _ making a total of 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection ___ “PENTECOST”!!
18. In (Lev.23:16, 17) The Lord says on the 50th day (Pentecost) they were to wave two wave-loaves baked with leaven before the Lord [paraphrased] _ Why two loaves? __ Why with leaven now? The two loaves represent the Church and the Old Testament Saints (two bodies of believers) _ both imperfect _ both contaminated with sin (leaven) _ (and both waiting for the redemption of our bodies __ when we will finally be made perfect and totally without sin) (I John 3:2) (I Cor.15:51-53).
19. The greatest thing that I have learned from our study, thus far … is: ___ that the Advents of Christ were not designed to align with the Feasts _ but the Feasts of old were designed 3500 years ago, to ALIGN TO CHRIST’S ADVENTs … to come!
SUMMARY OF THE FEAST OF PENTECOST [the 4th feast]
[Prior to Pentecost, God’s Holy Spirit came upon men to empower them for a specific task, then He left them.]
1. This Feast prophesied God would come to live with, and to live in … man forever. “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13: 5).
2. This takes place when we invite Christ [God’s Son] into our lives as our Savior and God. (Romans 10: 13, 14)(John 3: 16/ 5: 24)(Acts 10:38-44).
3. It took place for the first time on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection, __………and in every believer since!
4. This day (Acts 2:1-4), when God’s Holy Spirit came in like the “sound of a mighty rushing wind” entering the 120 believers to live in them, was the fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost. The Lord promised us that “He will never leave us or forsake us” (Heb.13:5).
5. God, since that day, has indwelt every believer … to wash us of our sins with Jesus’ sinless blood and give us Eternal Life, and to: seal us [so that nothing can snatch us from Him]; watch-over us, protect us, guide us, bless us, and to urge us to be bright and shinning lights [for Christ] to the world [To draw them to Jesus so that they might have eternal life also]. (I-Pet.1:18,19 /2:24).
6. This is a spiritual dwelling with man, that looks forward to the …. Spiritual and Physical Dwelling of God with man, in the Kingdom of God on earth. (Rev.19:11-16 /20:4-6).
7. This will be fulfilled at the last feast [the 7th feast, yet to come] … THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES, which brings in the KINGDOM OF GOD.
8. So then we can see how the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles are so enter-twined.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
THE FEASTS OF THE LATTER RAIN (Christ’s Second Advent)
THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS
[PROPHECY YET TO BE FULFILLED]
· This is the fifth Feast and occurs in the end of the year during the latter harvest _ and deals with God’s end harvest of man.
· The Feast of Trumpets now called Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew for “head of the year”) ... it is on the 1st day of the Jewish civil year.
· Religious leaders have a different calendar that starts on the month Abib making “Tishri” (late Sept) the 7th month, and aligns with scripture (it still has to be adjusted for seasonal drift [all calendars do_ because of our imperfect orbits]).
· This festival is also known as “the day of Judgment” when God will judge all the Jewish Nation (each and every individual).
· It is a time of self-examination /repentance for the Jew _ The Trumpet is to wake them and call them to stand before God!
· It is also time to start counting the “10 Days of Awe” (because of coming judgment) that leads to the Feast of Atonement.
· The long period between the Spring Feasts and Fall Feasts is a picture of this dispensation of Grace in which we now live.
· Of all the Feasts this is the only time span in prophecy that cannot be exactly determined _ (the time between Christ’s First Advent and His Return).
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS __ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. In Leviticus 23:23-25: The Lord told Moses to have Israel make the 1st day of the 7th month, a Sabbath.
2. God also told Moses to have a sacred assembly _ of blowing of Trumpets.
3. And to “do no regular work (a Sabbath) _ but present an offering made to the Lord by fire.
4. Jewish tradition calls it “the day of Judgment”_ Prophecy agrees _ Israel's Judgment will come after the Rapture of the Church _ They will have to endure the first half of the Tribulation (Rev.12:6,14 _ The woman is Israel_ look at the 5 preceding verses 1-5).
5. By mid-TRIB Israel will have gone thru the 7-Seal and 7-Trumpet Judgments which will include Global:
a. False Peace /deception_ Economic Collapse_ Famines_ War_ Death_ Martyrdom (Rev. chapters 6,7,8,9,11)(Rev.6:12-14).
b. Earthquakes _ Every Mountain/ Island moved [Global], Darkness of Sun/Moon [Volcanic Eruptions][Ash in the Air].
c. Great Meteorite Storms _ Atmosphere rolled up like a scroll [the air return impact will be much greater than any thunder we have ever heard].
§ Areas of Impacting groups of meteorites upon the earth could be many square miles in size [Impact destruction could be totally catastrophic].
§ Return rushing air from that great distance could blow down trees /buildings (and automobiles’ blown like popcorn in the wind).
d. Mighty/Incomprehensible Thunder Storms _ Hail/ Fire/ Blood/ fall to the earth [a third of earth’s Vegetation Burned up].
e. Stars Falling to Earth (mountain sized Asteroids/Comets) _ One impacts the ocean (A third of the seas turns to Blood)…. [by minerals? (A third of the sea creatures die) by poisonous chemicals?] (a third of the Ships destroyed) [by Tsunamis].
f. A Star Falls again burning like a lamp [it explodes in the atmosphere][and poisons a third of the world’s water sources].
g. “The Sun is Smitten __ only giving light for a third of the day”_ possibly from: [tremendous amounts of volcanic ash in the air], or [great quantities of meteor/ asteroid debris in orbit around the earth], but [our sun is having record breaking coronal-mass ejections [sun storms] that are increasing in intensity, which could possibly cause it to start to pulsate!!
h. Another Star falls _ it’s speed and density cause it to penetrate so deep into the earth that it opens the Bottomless Pit [Releasing Smoke like a Great Furnace (or volcano) and Locusts, from the fractured earth, with an excruciating sting] (“men will be tormented by their sting for five months _ they will desire to die, but cannot”)_ [I presume attempted suicide will not work]
i. The four Angels that were bound in the Euphrates River are released _ They entice the 200 million man Army to go out and kill a third of the world’s peoples [The Angels are apparently four of the fallen angels from Satan’s rebellion].
j. Israel will have to endure all this before repenting of their rejection of Christ! [“This is truly the time of Jacob’s trouble”] The sounding Trumpet [a few years before the Trib.] and the instantaneous disappearance of hundreds-of-millions of Christians from earth will awaken the 144,000 Jewish men from their study of our New Testament ... trying to refute it:
§ I believe they are studying even now, and that God is working on their hearts. [“The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any double edged sword” (Heb.4:12)]. I also believe that our vanishing will be the clenching event for them.
§ I believe they will understand from our N.T. Bible that the Rapture has just occurred …… and this brings them to Christ.
§ They will be on fire for the Lord Jesus and began preaching His gospel around the world!!! [leading “a great multitude, that no man can number_ to Christ”] (Rev.7:9,14).
6. The rest of the Jews will continue to be in confusion and despair until the mid-point of the TRIB where God will open their eyes!
7. Jewish tradition starts counting from Trumpets to Atonement for what is called the ... ...“10 Days of Awe” [Days of Judgment for Israel].
a. This is a picture of their going through 10 time periods between Trumpets and Atonement ___ [10 years of Awe ... instead of 10 days].
b. When the Trumpet sounds and the “Rapture occurs”_ a 10 year count between the two feasts will begin (Lev.23:24,27).
c. Since we know that the Feast of Atonement comes at the mid-point of the TRIB _ then let’s count backwards 3.5 years [half of the 7 year TRIB] from the 10 years between the Feasts, to get 6.5 years from Trumpets to the start of the TRIBULATION.
d. This 6.5 year time period before the TRIB will appear to be peaceful _ The Antichrist will restore a sense of stability to the world after the chaos of the Rapture of the Church. [The chaos will cause collisions, crashes, or break-downs of every kind of vehicle, equipment, and machinery around the world _ like thousands of: airliners, ships, trains, subway cars, bulldozers, cranes, graders, forklifts, power grids, power generators (conventional/Nuclear), elevators, assembly lines, and millions of trucks and cars, ect.] There are hundreds of millions of Christians in the world today, [World population is 7000 million!] when they are instantly removed from their work stations and vehicles, all that equip will be running unmanned. The resulting devastation when all that machinery crashes will likely take years to repair [Like airliners plowing into cities, and airports! Ships crashing into other ships, bridges, and docks! Trains/ subway cars colliding with other trains, and stations! Electrical power shutting down and generating plants possibly exploding! And all of the unmanned vehicles crashing, all over the world!].
e. The Antichrist with his great speaking abilities will step onto the world scene with solutions to the chaos, with words to calm the world, with plans to organize the rebuilding, with words of world peace and cooperation to stop the wars and conflicts of the world _ even getting the Arab Nations and Israel to lay down their arms and stop fighting!
f. He will appear to be a Great Man of Peace and intelligence. He will be the “World’s Greatest Hero Ever”_ they will want him to be Ruler of the Whole World! …. and ……… HE WILL ACCEPT!
8. The Apostle Paul (in I-Cor.15:51-53) speaks of the Rapture at the last Trumpet _ This has caused much confusion in Christian circles:
a. The only series of trumpets in the new testament is the Seven Trumpet Judgments in (Revelation 8:7-11:19).
b. They then surmise that the Church will have to go thru part of, or all of, the Tribulation. ……. THEY ... ARE ... WRONG!!
c. They do not know the OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES __ therein is the reason _ for their misconception.
d. Without the Old Testament Prophets the New Testament prophecies cannot be fully understood (Num.10:10 Trumpets).
e. The trumpet soundings prior to the “Last Trumpet” are those at the start of each month (months Abib to Tishri) a total of 6 months/ 6 trumpets before the 1st day of the 7th month at the Feast of Trumpets (The 7TH (LAST) TRUMPET then sounds).
f. This is the Start of the 7th month (or 7th time period /millennium) which relates to the Start of the 7th millennium_ (WHEN the PROPHECY of TRUMPETS will be FULFILLED) [I believe a trumpet sounded at the start of the past 6 millenniums] (Num.10:10 trumpets) (I-Thes.4:13-18).
§ God decreed the 7th day Holy (Ex.16:23 “day”) _ the 7th week Holy (Lev.23:15 “week [Pentecost]”) _ the 7th month Holy (Lev.23:24,27,34 “month” [Trumpets]) _ the 7th year Holy (Lev.25:1-4 “year”[land Sabbath]) _ the 7th week of years Holy [50 years] (Lev.25:8-10 “weeks of years”[Jubilee] /Dan.9:24-27 [Christ’s 1st advent]) _ “It is therefore very logical that the 7th Millennium would be HOLY AS WELL”: ____ (THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS FULFILLED)
§ The 7th Millennium would be: ……“the 7th Millennial Day” __ “the Sabbath Millennium” _ “The Day of The Lord” __ “The Millennial Reign of Christ” __ and “THE COMING OF THE LORD!!!”
§ If the 7th millennium is indeed the Sabbath Millennium (The Day of The Lord) _ and the Feast of Trumpets comes on the 1st day of the 7th month _ then the Trumpet of God will blow at the “Very First” of the 7th millennium
§ Our calendar is incorrect _ it is not in sync with God’s calendar and the 7th millennium has not yet begun!
9. Jesus in-talking about His return _ left us with a paradox _ In Mat.24:36 He said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only”. _ Then in Mat.24:33 He said “when you see all these things you…know that it is near, even at the door”. Paul also confirms and explains this in (I Thes.5:2,4) “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night” _ “But YOU BRETHREN, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief” [The world will be taken by total surprise _ But you and I should not be in the dark because scripture speaks much about the signs of the last days just prior to Christ’s return!!! _ [ In Heb.10:25 scripture says: … “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, and so much the more as you see the day approaching”] _ Let us not be ashamed at His return _ Let us watch, pray, and walk with our Lord to keep our lives pure so as not to be ashamed when He comes for us. (Lk.21:36/Mk.13:32-37/Mat.24:42-44,25:13) (I Jn.2:28; 3:2, 3 /Heb.9:28)].
a. The Lord also said “As it was in the days of Noah …. so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man”.
b. God did not tell Noah when the Flood would come _ but Noah worked faithfully on the Ark for 120 years.
c. When Noah and his family had finished building the Ark _ and brought in all the food supplies as God had told them.
d. God then brought all the animals into the Ark _ and had Noah and his family go in also _ then God Closed the Door.
e. Noah still did not know the exact time the Flood would come_ but he knew without a doubt it had to be VERY NEAR!
f. Every direction we look today, we see the Signs that Christ gave us to watch for ___ Therefore the Blowing of The Trumpet of God and Christ’s Return, must be very-very-near-at-hand!!! [Trumpets is the next event on God’s prophetic calendar].
g. Going back to why our calendar is not aligned with God’s calendar:
§ The real problem with our calendar is that it doesn’t align with the Prophet Daniel’s 483 years from the commandment to rebuild and restore Jerusalem [made by king Artaxerxes ~444BC] to Christ’s birth (Dan.9:25).
§ Our calendar/most historians, say it was 444 BC instead of 483 BC __ a difference of 39 years early (our time _ but that's only ballpark).
§ To normalize 483 years to a 365.25-day-yr. (483yrs. x 360days/yr. = 173,880 God’s days) (173,880 / 365.25 = 476 yrs. our days) (476-444 yrs. = 32 yrs.) (making the coming of Christ around AD-2032) [this is just an educated guess]
§ But, we believers are really interested in THE RAPTURE [When Christ comes for us Christians], more than we look for His coming Kingdom [at least at this time]. Let us subtract the Pre-Trib., the Trib., and the post-Trib.-Restoration next.
§ AD 2032 –6.5yrs.PreTrib. – 7.0yrs.Trib. - 1.5yrs.post-Trib. Res. = AD 2017 (THIS IS ONLY “ 7 “ YEARS AWAY- only ballpark) [Remember there are a number of factors that affect the dates _ historians disagree by several years on the 444 BC _ it could be off by plus or minus … 5 to 10 years] (“no one knows the day nor the hour of the Lord’s coming [Mat.24:36] _ These dates are just an educated estimate) [I do not know exactly _ I am just trying to show that it’s very-very-near].
§ This ultimately means that The Lord could come at any moment for us _ We, our families, our relatives, our neighbors, and all those around us need to be ready to meet Christ _ And there is only one way to be ready _ “Jesus said I am the Way [to God], the Truth [of God], and the Life [eternal from God], no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). _ Scripture says that “We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God” _ It also says “There is none righteous, no not one”_ We have all sinned and need Christ to cleanse us and give us eternal life.
h. In Luke 21:10,11 _ CHRIST IS SPEAKING OF THE SIGNS that will appear _ just before His Coming for His Church [His Bride]:
§ “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” _ The Lord was not speaking of just any war. He meant _ very great wars! He meant: ... "Super Wars", wars to be called ... “World-Wars!!” In 1914 for the first time in history a World War began… [WWI involved 28 nations, and 20 years later WWII involved 58 nations _ 60 million people died in them].
§ “There will be great earthquakes in place after place” [Will be Unusual _ growing in number and destruction. The advent of the seismometer in 1870, up thru the 1940’s registered 2.3 quakes per decade exceeding 6.0. In the 1950’s there were “9” exceeding 6.0_ in the 1960’s -“13”/ in the 1970’s -“51”, in the 1980’s-“86”/ in the 1990’s –“376”/ in 2000 to 2010 – the number was “1603” quakes].
§ “There will be great famines in various places” [Millions died in India, Ethiopia, and Africa in Famines in the 1980’s w/a 4-Billion world population ... world pop. is now >7.0 Bil.].
§ “There will be great pestilence in many places” [The disease AIDS is the most hideous plague man has ever seen].
§ “There will be fearful events and sights of terror” [Terrorist Attacks around the world are indeed Sights of Terror] [Remember the towers in New York, as we watched the airliners on TV, plunge into them, and they crumbled to the ground as 3000 people died before our eyes] [Also look at all the other terrorist events around the world and more coming].
§ And Christ said there will be “GREAT SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS” [In 1994 a huge comet bombarded Jupiter (man had never seen an impact of heavenly bodies, they now believe ancient craters are mostly impact sights) _ at the end of the year 2012 a GALACTIC ALIGNMENT is to occur] (Man has also never seen a Galactic Alignment _ will not be another for 26,000 years) (TRULY THESE ARE GREAT SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS and more are to come)… Some scientists believe the alignment of the combined gravitational forces may cause great worldwide earthquakes/ tsunamis/ volcanoes on earth, and great solar storms on the sun. It may eject massive convulsions of harmful particles upon the earth] (Read Rev.8:7-9:6).
i. This should cause us to throw caution to the wind _ not fearing anything and become the witnesses that the Lord wants us to be _ declaring to those around us that “Christ Is Coming Soon”… and “They Need To Get Right With God”.
j. John Hagee states: “From signs of Bible prophecy, such as those detailed in my book, Beginning of the End, we know the end is near. Without a doubt, we are the Terminal Generation.” Grant Jeffrey also makes this same statement: "We are the generation that will see the Return of Christ".
10. For us to fully understand the Feasts __ we need to understand the Jewish Wedding Ceremony:
a. In the ancient ceremony, a servant of the father went in search of a bride for the son. [Abraham sent Eliezer to find a bride for Isaac (Rebekah)(Gen.24:1-67)]. [Believers are sent into the world to search for the rest of the Bride (the Church)].
b. Then a price for the bride, (called a mohar) was determined by the bridegroom’s Father and negotiated with her father. [It could have been Camels, sheep, goats, jewelry, ect. (Or any combination of these)].
c. A scribe would draw up the marriage document (called a ketubah). It would state the bride’s price, the promises of the groom, and the rights of the bride. They were now legally bound to each other.
d. The betrothal was sealed by the groom’s gifts to the bride (jewelry, clothing, perfume), then by their sharing a cup of wine [the cup of the covenant _ The Lord’s Supper (remembering His betrothal) (Mk.14:22-24)]. The bridegroom and bride were then betrothed.
e. But before leaving the bride’s home, the groom would tell her “I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again to bring you unto myself” (John 14:1-3)].
11. The Feast of Pentecost was a picture of the finalization of the Marriage Betrothal:
a. Just as the Bridegroom made his promises to his Bride-to-be in ancient Israel _ Christ made His promises, while here on earth, to His Bride(the church)-to-be, wooing her with the Gospel _ for her hand in marriage.
b. Just as in days of old, when the Bride accepted the Bridegroom’s proposal _ he paid her price _ The Church accepted Christ’s proposal and Jesus paid the bride’s price (with His life and blood) [the Feasts of Passover/Unleavened Bread]
c. God His Father accepted the price and blessed the betrothal [thus raising Him from the dead] [the Feast of Firstfruits].
d. God Sealed the Betrothal by giving the bride/all-we-believers His Holy Spirit _ a picture of the [the Feast of Pentecost].
12. The Feast of Trumpets is a picture of the actual Wedding Ceremony:
a. The bridegroom went to build a wedding cottage (chupah) onto his father’s house for his bride and himself. (John 14:1-3).
b. The bride had to make herself ready _ and she had to stay ready _ she didn’t know the day or hour her bridegroom would return (Mt.25:13) _ But as the days drew on, she knew it would not be long now!
c. She kept an oil lamp burning in the window and an extra container of oil on hand, so that her lamp would not go out and her bridegroom could find her quickly when he came. (Mat.25:1-5).
d. The bridegroom’s father then monitored the son’s progress on the wedding cottage each day, directing him.
e. When the father decided that the son had adequately prepared, he told the son to go retrieve his bride. [Mat.24:36].
f. Jesus has been working on our wedding cottage for 2000 years _ IT MUST BE SO CLOSE TO READY BY NOW!
g. As the son was arriving at the bride’s home he gave out a loud shout and a long blast on the shofar (trumpet) _ Christ will come in like manner for us believers _ see …. (I Thes. 4:13-18) (I Cor.15:51-53).
h. When the groom returned to his father’s home with his bride, the father would take their hands, placing her hand in the hand of His son. [At that moment they became husband and wife] [This was called the Presentation.]
i. They would then go into their wedding home where the groom’s friends were waiting to begin the wedding feast [a marvelous picture of The Marriage Supper of the Lamb] (Rev.19:7-9 _ supper) (Rev.21:2,9,10 _ Bride’s Home).
THE FEASTS OF THE LATTER RAIN (Christ’s Second Advent)
THE FEAST OF ATONEMENT
[PROPHECY to be FULFILLED]
· This is the Sixth Feast and occurs also in the 7th month, at end of the year during the latter harvest _ a picture of God’s harvest.
· The Feast of Atonement is now called Yom Kippur and is the most Holy Day of the year for the Jewish people [The only day the priest could go into the Holy of Holies] The 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kipper are called the “High Holy Days”.
· These 10 High Holy Days are the “Ten Days of Awe”_ days of repentance and self-examination leading to their Atonement.
· These 10-time-periods between Trumpets [The Rapture] and Atonement [Israel’s Salvation] are the first 10 years folowing The Feast of Trumpets _ in God’s prophecy of Atonement.
· Seeing that the Atonement of Israel will come at the mid-point of the Trib. _ the 3.5 years prior takes us back to start of The Great Tribulation _ leaving the 6.5 years before the Tribulation for the Antichrist to bring his false world peace _ before the Tribulation starts. [More later]
· Three events occur at the mid-point of the Tribulation which will cause Israel to believe that Jesus is… Christ the Messiah [more later].
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST OF ATONEMENT __ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. In Lev.23:26,27 _ “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, also on the 10th day of this 7th month there shall be a Day of Atonement:
a. It shall be a Holy Convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls; and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord”.
b. God told them the exact day and month to have this Day of Atonement.
c. They were to afflict their souls, judge themselves [repentance] , and offer a sacrifice by fire.
d. The priest was to sanctify, and cleanse himself with a blood offering and prayer.
e. This one day of the year God would allow the priest to come into the Holy of Holies with the sacrificial blood.
f. The Day was to be Holy and set apart unto God _ then He would accept their Atonement for another year.
2. By the end of the 6.5 years between the Rapture and the start of the Trib. Israel will begin to believe that the Antichrist is the Messiah. Then he will barter with the Muslims to let Israel rebuild their Temple. Israel will be overjoyed , and sign the seven year covenant with him (Jn.5:43) [this will Start the TRIB] (Dan.9:27) [But the Antichrist will betray Israel at the mid-point of the Trib. where he attains total world domination](Rev.13:7).
a. Why Does Israel believe that the Antichrist is the Messiah?
§ He brings apparent World Peace and He is in the process of becoming King and Ruler of the World.
§ These are two things that Christ the Messiah will do, but the Lord’s peace and Kingdom will be eternal.
§ The Antichrist’s false peace and kingdom fails before the end of the 7-year Tribulation.
b. Jesus’ Kingdom and Peace will last a thousand years (during time), and then for all eternity (Rev.20:4-6) (Dan.2:44).
3. The prophecy of Atonement has great meaning [God never speaks idle words] _ All His words hold tremendous hidden truth:
a. God told Israel the exact day and month for a fabulous, beautiful, magnificent, reason _ He was aligning the Feast of Atonement to future events to come.
b. This is a wonderful picture of Israel’s True Atonement to come [“The blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin”] (Heb.10:4,10,12,14).
c. This 10 Days of Awe [10 High Holy Days] will bring repentance and salvation for Israel as they see the man whom they thought was the messiah turn into Satan, declare himself to be god, and they then go thru the first half of the Great Tribulation. (John 5:43 _ they will receive another) (II Thes.2:3,4) [See Feast of Trumpets section 5, for Trib. Judgments].
d. God’s Two Witnesses will have preached for 3.5 years to Israel __ that Jesus of Nazareth, of 2000 years ago __Was and Is “Christ the Messiah” _ whom their forefathers rejected and crucified _ and He’s coming back __ He is even at the door!
e. Israel and all the world watch, and rejoice, as the two witnesses are killed by the Antichrist’s solders and lay in the street of Jerusalem for 3.5 days _ All the world will hate the witnesses because they preached of the world’s wickedness and depravity,…. and of the judgment that is coming. All the world can, today, watch this event live on TV... this was not possible until satellite TV was brought into existence a few decades ago.(Rev.11:3,5,7-12).
f. God then breaths a breath of life into His two witnesses raising them from the dead and calls them up to heaven with His mighty voice _ as all the world stares in great terror! [on satellite TV] (Rev.11:11,12).
g. Then suddenly there will be a great earthquake and a tenth of the city of Jerusalem will fall and those of Israel that watch shall praise God _ in fear and trembling _ knowing that God had to have raised the two men from the dead!
h. Israel’s eyes will be opened when they see: The two witnesses raised from the dead and called by God to heaven (Rev.11:3, 7-12); _Then the great earthquake that destroys a tenth of Jerusalem (Rev.11:13); _ Then the Antichrist sets himself up in the Temple showing himself as god! (Mat.24:15)(II Thes.2:4). [These three events occur in one and the same day] Israel will see that the Antichrist is the evil one, and that JESUS IS INDEED GOD’S MESSIAH _“THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” (John 1:29) _ The Prophet Zachariah’s prophecy in (Zach.12:10) will then be fulfilled! … “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn… as one who mourns for his only son” [The nation of Israel did not mourn for Him at the cross_ but the day is coming when they will!!] __ Christ is your Sacrificial Lamb also, He shed His blood and died in your place and mine to give us eternal life _ Jesus said: “He that hears my word and believes on God who sent me….. [Jesus is the only Savior that God has sent, He said… “No one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6)],….. "He that hears my word and believes on Him who sent me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto Life!” (John 5:24)].
4. Israel will then flee to the mountains as fast as they can go, after finding out the Antichrist’s true character:
a As the Antichrist sees them fleeing he then knows that Israel sees thru his charade and sends his army after Israel _but …...God causes the earth to open up its mouth [an earthquake] and swallow the Antichrist’s great flood of pursuing solders _ allowing Israel to escape! (Rev.12:6, 13-16). [God uses the “flood” symbol to represent a great army moving across land like a flood or great wave].
b. God has prepared a safe place for Israel, where He will feed and care for them for the last half of the Tribulation [3.5 years / 1260 days / a time, times, and half a time / 42 months]. (Rev.12:6,14).
c. This tells us that these events indeed occur at the mid-point of the Tribulation!
d. Numerous Bible scholars believe that this place of safety will be the ancient city of Petra, built around 500 BC by the Edomite people, in the mountain wilderness, west of the desert of Sinai, about 120 miles southwest of Jerusalem. It was abandoned many centuries ago, but is still in sound, functional condition, because of the protection from the weather by the high cliffs surrounding it.
e. The city was carved out of the solid rock cliffs hidden at the end of a very narrow, 1000 foot deep, mile long crack in the mountain. The crevice is so narrow that no car or truck can get through, allowing only a foot path into the city. The crack is so narrow and jagged that a long part of the passage is very dark with the sun’s light not able to reach down to the path. It could be defended from a large army by a very small force. But I believe God will cause a permanent sealing of the passage that man cannot undo. Scripture says God will feed them and keep them safe there, for 1260 days (Rev.12:6, 14). I believe God will cause an after-shock-quake _ [from the quake that swallowed up the Antichrist’s army] _to seal the passage completely and permanently by moving the two mountain halves back together.
THE FEASTS OF THE LATTER RAIN (Christ’s Second Advent)
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES [7th and last of the Feasts]
[PROPHECY to be FULFILLED]
· This is the seventh Feast _ and is also in the 7th month (Tishri), 5 days after Atonement, during the latter harvest _ it is a picture of God’s final harvest of man … and is the final Feast of the year for the Jewish people.
· The Feast of Tabernacles is now mostly called: “Sukkot” [or booths] ... for Israel had to live in lean-to-shelters leaving Egypt; _but there are some that call it [Ingathering] … relating it to the year-end harvest; _ others call it [Lights] thinking of how God was actually with them in the pillar of Light at the Red Sea; _ still others call it [Nations] … for Zachariah 14:16 says “all Nations will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles”.
· In the ancient ceremony: it was the most joyous of all the Feasts … because God had brought them Atonement for their sins [five days earlier] and now His Shekinah Glory would dwell with them for another year. The Feast of Atonement only deferred God’s judgment for another year_ it would take the perfect sacrifice of Christ for true Atonement .
· These 5-time-periods from the mid-point of the Tribulation to Tabernacles actually extend past the end of the Tribulation by 18 months. During these 18 months, following the Tribulation, many things will be happening: … Christ will have His angels gather all of the peoples of the earth [survivors of the Trib.] He will then separate and judge them [the sheep from the goats (Mat.25:31-33)]; … Jesus will then begin His restoring of the earth’s crust [after world seismic events], then it’s ecosystems [purifying the water cycle/ purifying the atmosphere/ reinstalling the protective canopy (firmament _ Gen.1) around the earth/ while all believers start the rebuilding of civilization [dwellings] … The Lord will raise to life, and judge all of the old testament Saints, and all of the tribulation Saints … some of these events are eluded too by God in the very last of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan.12:11-13), and also in several places in Isaiah (Isa.11:6-9/40:4/54:10/55:12,13/56:17-25). Christ will also build His Great Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 42:15-20/43:1-7).
· Atonement comes for Israel, as a nation, at the mid-point of the Trib. _ The Trib. then goes 3.5 years after that _ The Lord comes to stop Armageddon _ He Judges the nations _ He then starts renovation of the earth restoring it, and the universe, [after the devastation of the Trib. and the shaking of the heavens] _ He then Builds His Great, enormous, indescribable Temple _ He is then Anointed as “The Most Holy”, “The King of Kings, and The Lord of lords” after the 18 months of restoration (Dan.9:24/ Rev.19:16) _ Then His Kingdom will begin [The Feast of Tabernacles is fulfilled _ Christ will then tabernacle (He will live on earth) with man] for 1000 years of Peace and Holiness _ Then His Kingdom will go on into eternity.
· Atonement and Tabernacles [Israel’s Salvation and God then living with them] are intertwined together so greatly __ Israel cannot live with God until Atonement occurs__ and Atonement cannot come until they receive Christ whom they rejected 2000 years ago (see I-Peter 3:8) _ [“A day is as a thousand years with God”] (also see Hosea 6:2) _ “After two days [2-millennial days] He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in His presence”).
GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES __ AND HIS HIDDEN PROPHECIES WITHIN
1. God told Moses _ “The 15th day of this 7th month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord” (Lev.23:33,34).
2. God said _ “On the first day shall be a holy convocation: You shall do no servile (regular) work therein” (Lev.23:35).
3. The Lord said “Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you” (Lev.23:36). “On the first day shall be a Sabbath and on the eight day shall be a Sabbath” (Lev.23:39b).
4. The Eighth Day? Everything up to now has been in “sevens”, why now eight? It is my belief that because it is the last Feast and that it will take us into the millennium, the first/only true and lasting world peace… indicating a great change in the earth. It will become a world of total peace and righteousness!
5. Scripture tells Israel in (Lev.23:42, 43) “You shall dwell in booths seven days; all who are born Israelites shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt”. They had no land or homes for 40 years.
6. God wants them to remember what He did for them in bringing them out of Egyptian Slavery [after 430 years]_ Bringing them thru the Red Sea _ thru the deserts to Mount Sinai _ In giving them the Law _ In bringing them thru the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness _ Then bringing them to the Promised Land which they so longed for __ Thru all of this they lived in booths or quick-setup-shelters like Nomads, continually moving from place to place _ Until He brought them home to the Holy Land.
7. Of course they are still not in a Holy Land of Peace …. Not yet. _They are physically in the land in part _ But the Holy Peace, and the restoration of the rest of the Promised Land… will not come until the Fulfillment of the Feasts of Atonement and Tabernacles.
8. The Feasts will come to pass when Israel receives Christ as their Messiah _ and then the Lord sets up His Kingdom on earth with Israel, to rule the whole world in peace and righteousness. God’s Promise to Abraham will finally come to pass as Israel possesses all the Holy Land, and Israel is at peace with God their Messiah Jesus Christ! (Gen. 13:14-17, 17:8)
9. And then the prophecy of Hosea _ will be _ fulfilled…. [“Come let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; He has injured us but he will bind up our wounds”… “After two days [2-millennial days] He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us _ that we may live in His presence”] (Hosea 6:1, 2). When did God tear and injure Israel? See #“10”_next.
10. When Israel turned their backs on Christ, they moved out from under God’s protection. They have suffered [have been torn/ injured] in greater persecution, in the 2000 years since, than they had ever suffered in the previous 4000 years. Millions of Jews have been persecuted and murdered since that day: [In AD70 the Romans destroyed Jerusalem killing ~5 million Jews / the Jews that survived were then scattered over the world. For nearly 20 centuries countries like… Italy, Spain, Russia, Germany, and a large number of the Arab nations have hideously persecuted and murdered millions more in ….crusades, military invasions, torture chambers, death camps, firing squads, starvation, medical experiments, blazing furnaces, and gas chambers] [Hitler and his Nazis killed more than six-million, unarmed, defenseless, Jews (many were women and children … even babies). Hitler’s rampage of murder was just a little over 70 years ago.] It amazes me how short our memories are!
11. But now that the two-millennial days are coming to an end*… God is bringing His people back to the Holy Land in great numbers. Statistics show that Israel is now the most densely populated land in the world. And this population explosion in the land of Israel has occurred in only the last 62 years [Israel was reborn as a nation in the year 1948]. *You ask … “Did you say that the year 2000 hasn’t come yet?”__ “Yes I did!” Our calendar is not synchronized with God’s calendar. In studying God’s time line and the start of our calendar [at the estimated birth of Christ] it looks like God’s year 2000 could be a couple of decades past our year 2000, [And one-decade is past already] (Dan.9:24-26]. The Gregorian-Calendar [which we use] says that the commandments by the Persian Kings [“to build and restore Jerusalem unto the coming of the Messiah”] was completed in 445 (B.C.)/ years, but Daniel, inspired by God, said it would be 483 years. That makes our calendar early with the affixing of Christ’s Birth, which means we are not yet to the end of God’s second day! The third day has not started yet, but is getting very close!! We also have to consider God’s 360 day year, the 7 years of the Trib., and the time span between the Rapture and the start of the Trib. to get a reasonable interpolation of Christ’s return for believers. And of course history record errors that have likely occurred will play a part. All of that together is why “no one knows the [exact] day or the hour… or even the year… that Christ will return” (Mat.24:36), But we can know the times and the seasons (I-Thes. 5:1-4), all of Christ’s signs are here now (Lk.21:8).
12. God our Creator, Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ will literally live with Israel and the rest of believing mankind here on planet earth _ very soon!!! ….. He will reign for 1000 years, time will end, and eternity will then begin, as His Kingdom continues forever. (Hosea 6:1-3) (Rev.20:6) (Dan.2:44).
Calendar #3
MONTH TISHRI [7th HEBREW MONTH] [our SEPT] GOD’S YEAR AD 2000 [HAS NOT OCCURRED AS YET]
WILL START GOD’S 7TH MILLENNIAL DAY FOR MAN (Hosea 6:1-3/ II-Pet.3:8 [2-millennial-days since Christ]) __ GOD commanded Moses to observe the last 3-feasts on these dates in the exact order and timing of their prophecies to come (Leviticus 23:23-43) …. It will be ~3500yrs since the command… 2000yrs since Christ’s first advent, and … 6000yrs from Adam (ending the sixth-millennial-day). Looking at other prophecies in Daniel and Revelation, we know that these days in Tishri represent years. In (Dan.9:24-27, “the 69-weeks of Daniel” we know from history, were weeks-of-years, also “in the middle of the week” {a week of years_ the Trib. is 7 yrs. long _ two 1260 day segments (Rev.11:2-3; 12:6,14; 13:5)} [Each day on this calendar represents a year] [*The three events with an asterisk, will happen on the same day {in the 10th year}]. From the 1st to the 10th years are the 10 days [10-years] of Awe for Israel [between Trumpets and Atonement].
SUNDAY
1ST {year-1}
THE FEAST OF
TRUMPETS
“On the 1st of the
7th month (year) you shall have a Blowing of Trumpets” (Lev.23: 24) God designed
this Feast to point to
THE RAPTURE
of The Church
“The trumpet shall
Sound and we shall
meet the Lord in the sky”
(I-Thes.4:16)
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MONDAY
2ND {year-2}
Antichrist will build his
Peace Maker Reputation/ Political Power as soon as the church is gone
__________
….he will smooth things over with Israel
and the Arab nations, …..
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TUESDAY
3RD {year-3}
.… and will make temporary peace between them … he will be the Greatest Hero Ever, in the eyes of the world when the fighting stops …..
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WEDNESDAY
4TH {ECT}
Antichrist’s false peace will continue … He will convince the Muslim world to allow Israel to rebuild their Temple and restart the animal sacrifices
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THURSDAY
5th
Antichrist’s false peace will convince all the nations around the world to cease fighting _ Antichrist will be approaching complete world control
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FRIDAY
6th
Israel will start to believe that he might be the Messiah and accept his seven-year peace covenant
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SATURDAY
7th
Israel will make the covenant with Antichrist fulfilling (Dan.9:27)
START OF THE
GREAT
TRIBULATION
the 7-years of Indescribable
World Devastation
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SUNDAY
8th
GOD’S TWO WITNESSES
Will begin their preaching of Christ to Israel at the start of the Trib. for 1260 days up to mid-Trib {the 10th yr.}
Taking them to the
Feast of Atonement
(Rev.11:3-13)
{*} The Two
Witnesses will be killed by .....
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MONDAY
9th
.... Antichrist’s solders at the end of the the 10th year ...then 3.5 days later ... “God will speak to them and raise them up from the dead” before the eyes and ears of the whole world
[Satellite-TV]?
{*} then “God causes a great ....
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TUESDAY
10TH
....and mighty earthquake”
(Rev.11:7-13)
THE FEAST OF
ATONEMENT
@mid-TRIB
God designed this Feast to reveal Timing of Israel’s Atonement The nation will turn to Christ on this day (Zac12:10)
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WEDNESDAY
11TH
{*}“Antichrist will set in the new Temple
and declare himself to be god and demand to
be worshiped
or be killed at the 10th year (Mat.24:15)
The_ 3 events (with an_{*}) will open ....
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THURSDAY
12TH
...Israel’s eyes “they..will believe on Christ and flee to God’s hiding place prepared for them, where He will keep them for 1260 days. [last half of TRIB]
(1-Thes.2:3,4/ Zech.12:10/ Rev.13:14,15/
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FRIDAY
13TH
All nations will gather around Israel to destroy her in the Battle of Armageddon They will desire to finish what Hitler started … to totally eradicate all Jews from the earth ….
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SATURDAY
14TH
…. But Christ will return destroying the armies of those nations. THE END OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION THUS SAVING ISRAEL
_________
The 15th yr. is Tabernacles_ next
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SUNDAY
15TH
THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES
[1st year
into Kingdom]
“On the 15th day of
The 7th month you
Shall have The
Feast
Of Tabernacles”
(Lev.23:34) God
designed this …..
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MONDAY
16TH
[2nd year
Into Kingdom] ..…feast to
Show when He would come
back to Live that is to dwell,
or to “Tabernacle” with man, He will be anointed
KING OF KINGS
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TUESDAY
17TH
[3rd year
into Kingdom]
…establishing God’s Eternal Kingdom on
Earth (Dan.9: 24/Rev.
20:4-6)
THE KINDOM OF GOD ….
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WEDNESDAY
18TH
…that will last thru the rest of time [1000 years]… but will then go into Eternity lasting forever (Dan.2:44/ Lk.1:33/ Rev.20:6)
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THURSDAY
19TH
The Kingdom of God
continues
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FRIDAY
20TH
The Kingdom of God continues
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SATURDA Y
21TH
The Kingdom of God continues
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SUNDAY
22TH
The Kingdom
of God
continues
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MONDAY
23TH
The Kingdom
of God continues
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TUESDAY
24TH
The Kingdom
of God continues
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WEDNESDAY
25TH
The Kingdom
of God continues
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THURSDAY
26TH
The Kingdom
of God continues
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FRIDAY
27TH
The Kingdom
of God continues
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SATURDA Y
28TH
The Kingdom
of God continues for
1000 years
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