The prophetic shadows and types found in the spring feasts of the LORD were fulfilled in Christ's first coming. The fall feasts are a foreshadowing of Christ's return. It is not only important for the Church to know the significance of these feasts, but it is a blessing to see how God has revealed His prophetic plan through them.
The three fall feasts of the LORD are described in Lev. 23-44. These feasts are The Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot. Each feast is memorialized by a special Sabbath. There is to be no work done on these days. The Sabbath is a day in which the completed work of God, is to be remembered and held holy. These feasts as well, point us to His plan, and the completion, or fulfillment of that plan.
The first of the fall feasts is the Feast of Trumpets:
"...In the seventh month (Tishrei), in the first day of the month (a new moon), shall ye have a Sabbath, and a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." Lev. 23:24-25
This feast can only begin when the new moon is seen in the sky in the month of Tishri. Even though the date of the feast is marked on the calendar, because it can be difficult to spot the new moon, no man can know the precise day, nor hour for the beginning of the feast (see also Mt. 24:36, 50). Once the new moon is spotted in the sky, the signal is given, the shout goes up, and the trumpets, or shofars, begin to sound all throughout the land ( Listen here ).
It is a feast of shouting, sounding, and rejoicing:
"Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob...Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day." Ps. 81:1, 3
The above Psalm was written by Asaph, whose name means "to gather, to collect, receive, remove, to gather and take away, to receive into". His Psalms should remind us of the great gathering in of harvest that the LORD has planned. Could that "gathering in", that "taking away" be associated with the Feast of Trumpets? Let's read on.
The Apostle Paul talks about a similar event in 1Thess. 4:1-18, and 5:1-6, 12-18. He begins by speaking that we are to know how to possess our vessel (body) in sanctification and honor. God has not called us unto uncleanness, but to holiness. We are to love and honor God with our behavior, and to act with honor and love towards one another. This is to fulfill the commandments of Christ (Mt. 22:36-40). Paul goes on to say that we should not be ignorant.:
"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (see also Jn. 14:2-3) 1 Thes. 4:16-17
We are to be aware of the times and the seasons so that this day should not overtake us unaware, like a thief, as those who do not know God. He concludes by warning:
"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober...Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks." 1 Thes. 5:6,16-18
A similar warning is given by Christ in a parable about the sudden coming of the Bridegroom in Mt. 25:1-13. Ten virgins had been sleeping when the shout comes, "Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." (v. 6). Some, who are wise, are prepared to go out to the bridegroom immediately, but some who are unwise have been careless and negligent, and therefore, unprepared. By the time these unwise, careless virgins are ready, the bridegroom has already left. But "...they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." (v. 10). The Lord concludes by warning:
"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh." (v. 13).
The above parable about the coming of the Bridegroom warns us to be prepared and ready for that sudden appearing. The Apostle Paul warns above about preparing ourselves in holiness and honor, adding that a shout and a trump will signal our gathering away to be with the Lord. Also, Rev. 19:7 proclaims that "the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready." Being ready is necessary for this event. This occasion is also accompanied by gladness and rejoicing, as the Psalmist declared.
Being ready, or prepared, is also part of the prophetic pattern of the Feast of Trumpets. Before the Feast of Trumpets begins in the month of Tishrei, the preceding month of Elul is considered a month of "teshuvah", or repentance, in order to prepare, and be ready for the coming feast. Not only do the worshippers prepare their souls, but they also spend the month before the feast preparing the garments they will wear for the Feast of Trumpets. According to the traditional observance, the garments of this feast must be clean, white linen, without spot or wrinkle. It should come as no surprise to find that the Bride who has made herself ready is further described:
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." Rev. 19:8
And Paul also uses similar words to describe the Church:
"That He might present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish." Eph. 5:27
The preparation month of Elul will soon be here, and then Tishrei will begin with the Feast of Trumpets. We do not know which year the prophetic shadow of the Feast of Trumpets that we have described above will be fulfilled, but we know the signs of the times tell us that it is near, at any moment. We are called to be among those who are not ignorant, and not in darkness, but aware, awake, prepared, and ready when the shout goes out, and the trumpet sounds, to be gathered in, to go into the marriage supper of the Lamb.
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