The seven festivals

God has set up seven festivals and these festivals contain more information of spiritual and prophetic value than any other subject of scripture. These festivals are; Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Feast of Weeks, Feasts of Trumpets, in Jesus Christ. Leviticus 23 gives us the seven holy solemn feasts and each feasts represents a prophetic sign concerning the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. These signs apply, consequently, also to the church, the Body of Christ.

The entire plan of God for humanity is, in an extraordinary manner, revealed by the nature and the exact dates of the seven feasts of the Lord. The entire destiny of the human race unfolds between the first and last feast.

The feast and their dates: 1. The Passover Feast, the 14 day of the month of Nisan. The first full moon of the spring. 2. The Feasts of the Unleavened Bread, 15 to 22 of the month of Nisan. 3. The Feasts of Firstfruits, the first day of the week following the Sabbath of the Passover in the month of Nisan. It could be the 16, if the 15 was the Sabbath day. Otherwise it would have to wait until the first day of the week following the first Sabbath day of Passover. 4. The Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost), the sixth day of the month of Sivan. 5. The Feasts of trumpets (Rosh Hashannah), the first day of the month of Tishrei. This year it starts on the eve of Sept. 18. 6. The day of Atonement, the 10 day of the month of Tishrei. 7. The Feast of Tabernacles, the 15 day of the month of Tishrei.

Jesus' death was on Passover. Unleavened Bread (this bread was marked with stripes and pierced), this represents death and the burial of Jesus Christ. Jesus was also the firstfruits, Jesus was the "first" of the resurrection and of those who will rise. On the Feasts of the Weeks, the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.

Being the time of grace.

The Autumn Feasts, September/October.

The last month of the summer is the month of Elul. The shofar (ram's horn) is sounded once every day to prepare the people for the next three Autumn feasts.

Finally, on the first day of the month of Tishrei, which marks the beginning of the Feasts of Trumpets, the shofar blasts 100 times, to assemble the faithful and call them to the temple. In Corinthians 15:51-53, Paul speaks of the trumpet of God, which will waken the dead. According to Jewish tradition, this day will be the Day of Judgment, when the Creator judges all the inhabitants of the earth. This day was also considered as the first day of creation. There is a 10 day period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. The tradition holds that, during this 10 day period, divine judgment is rendered to determine whether a person will continue to live or die in the coming year. It is believed that God reviews the Books of Judgment on Yom Kippur. The 10 days are believed to be the last chance to repent before God's judgment is finalized. Feasts of Trumpets is a call unto repentance. On this day the gates of the Temple were all opened signifying to return unto the Lord, it also signifies resurrection from the dead.

So the Feast of the trumpets will be the warning to the world that in another 10 days the time of Jacobs troubles will begin on the day of Atonement. On this day, Day of Atonement the great shofar is blown and the Temple gates are closed. The entrance into salvation is now closed for all eternity.

Now the Feasts of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16-17).

We see that the cycle of the seven feasts of the Lord given to the Jewish people has a great prophetic significance for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the whole world.

The time is very short! We need to be ready and watch constantly, no matter what moment the Lord may return! Let's live and act constantly as if the return of the Lord is coming in the next days or weeks, knowing that it may come later! This way we will never be surprised, even if we must wait longer for His return.

2 Peter 3:3-4 "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, where is this coming He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. (read the rest of 2 Peter 3).

Abraham is a type of the faithful church and Lot is a type of the Unfaithful Church.

The living church will be know when the Lord will come, even if she knows neither the day nor the hour! She won't be surprised because she is always watching.

This year 2009 Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) will fall on the eve of September 18.

Pastor Marie Terry

Coaldale