We have already entered into the season of the Fall Feasts of the LORD. These feasts not only incorporate important spiritual principles, but also prophetic promises that will ultimately shake the heavens and the earth in their fulfillment by Jesus, the Messiah.
It is essential that all of God's people, including the Church, walk in understanding concerning the feasts, to which the LORD attaches so much significance. This is what the LORD has proclaimed regarding the next fall feast, the Day of Atonement:
"Also, on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it shall be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month, at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Lev. 23:27-32
This day of atonement, according to the LORD's description above, was to have no distractions from the purpose of the day-fasting and repentance. He makes it very clear that souls hang in the balance. It is not to be taken lightly. The day of atonement was, and is, a prophetic type and shadow of the atonement for all men that was made through the blood of His own Son, Jesus. Even when the LORD saw the animal blood, which was just a faint shadow and type of the Eternal Atonement, He answered from heaven. How much more He answers the blood of His only begotten Son.
These feasts also continue to speak and promise prophetically to us of coming events, and we should understand those events, and how they are to unfold. The LORD wants His people to understand His feasts and His principles. His Word exhorts His people to get this understanding:
These feasts also continue to speak and promise prophetically to us of coming events, and we should understand those events, and how they are to unfold. The LORD wants His people to understand His feasts and His principles. His Word exhorts His people to get this understanding:
"Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth...Wisdom is the principal thing (beginning, first (fruits)); therefore get wisdom: and with all thine getting, get understanding...How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!" Prov. 4:5, 7, and Prov. 16:16
God warns through His prophets that failure to get knowledge and understanding could be fatal:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against Me: therefore, I will change their glory into shame." Hos. 4:6-7
The prophet, Hosea, quoted above, had been instructed by God to marry a prostitute, as a picture of what God's marriage to Israel had become. His own people, even His own priests, had allowed sin to multiply among them. We, the Church, have been called to be priests and kings to our God. We also have been overset by sin.
The Day of Atonement, meant to prophecy the atoning blood of His Son poured out for all time, requires our self-examination and repentance in the face of it. The nine days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are called "The Days of Awe", dedicated to prayer and repentance. The whole month of Elul before the beginning of the fall feasts is a month of repentance and return, teshuvah, to God. According to the Jewish tradition, not only was the individual to examine himself, but also to gather friends to examine him for sins, that he may acknowledge them, and repent of them. The purpose of this repentance is reconciliation with our God, who desires it earnestly, and who is continually reaching out:
"Go and proclaim these words to the north, and say, "Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: For I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you, one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." Jer. 3:12-14
The LORD describes His relationship to Israel, including the backslider, as a marriage. He is ever committed and always watching for our return. His goal is to bring us to His city, the spiritual place called Zion. He provides pastors to give us this knowledge and understanding, so we will know His heart towards us (v. 15). He sent His Son, the greatest Shepherd of all, our atonement, to teach us, and to provide this place for us eternally.
As the LORD describes His marriage relationship to Israel, it can't help but remind us of the Church as the betrothed in our relationship with Christ, becoming the Bride who has made herself ready in righteousness for the coming marriage supper of the Lamb. Yet many Christians do not understand the importance of self-examination and repentance from sin. In lack of understanding, they think that the covering of the grace of God, which Jesus' sacrifice made available for us, requires nothing more from them. This is not true according to scripture:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?.....Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Rom. 6:1-2, 12-14
During these precious feast days, the LORD is calling to us: "Get wisdom, get understanding." The feasts have nothing to do with setting dates, or predicting the end of the world, but, rather, for examining ourselves, and returning back to God. They are about the understanding of the price of the atonement for our sins, and thereby preparing for the coming prophetic events.
For our serious consideration of our relationship with Him, and for our sincere desire to be servants of righteousness rather than servants of sin (Rom. 6:16), the LORD makes this promise:
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not." Mal. 3:16-18
May you be inscribed forever in the Book of Life.
To Give/Contact:
PO Box 155
Christmas, FL. 32709
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To hear Dr. Ken Stevenson's entire message:
https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10210058301595895/
As the LORD describes His marriage relationship to Israel, it can't help but remind us of the Church as the betrothed in our relationship with Christ, becoming the Bride who has made herself ready in righteousness for the coming marriage supper of the Lamb. Yet many Christians do not understand the importance of self-examination and repentance from sin. In lack of understanding, they think that the covering of the grace of God, which Jesus' sacrifice made available for us, requires nothing more from them. This is not true according to scripture:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?.....Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Rom. 6:1-2, 12-14
During these precious feast days, the LORD is calling to us: "Get wisdom, get understanding." The feasts have nothing to do with setting dates, or predicting the end of the world, but, rather, for examining ourselves, and returning back to God. They are about the understanding of the price of the atonement for our sins, and thereby preparing for the coming prophetic events.
For our serious consideration of our relationship with Him, and for our sincere desire to be servants of righteousness rather than servants of sin (Rom. 6:16), the LORD makes this promise:
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not." Mal. 3:16-18
May you be inscribed forever in the Book of Life.
To Give/Contact:
PO Box 155
Christmas, FL. 32709
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To hear Dr. Ken Stevenson's entire message:
https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.e.stevenson/videos/10210058301595895/
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