Keeping the LORD's Feasts*

The feasts of our discussion today are not identified in scripture as "Jewish" feasts, or as church feasts. They are repeatedly called the LORD's feasts. The LORD called them "My feasts" (Lev. 23:2). The prophet Zechariah wrote that in what we understand to be the Millennial Reign of Messiah (Jesus) from Jerusalem, it will be required of all the nations on earth to come to Jerusalem yearly for the Feast of Tabernacles. If a nation refuses to come, there will be no rain given upon that nation (Zech. 14:16-21). Jesus already fulfilled, in their type, the spring feasts of the LORD, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Weeks (Pentacost). We also believe, therefore, that He will fulfill the fall feasts of the LORD in their type. The three fall feasts of the LORD are Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, also called the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. All of the feasts are described in Leviticus 23, which we will see. The times of the feasts are appointed specifically by God, and God gave the means by which time is appointed in Gen. 1:14: "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years." The Hebrew word used for "seasons" in this verse is moed, which means "congregation, feast, season, appointed meeting, appointed time, assembly, appointed place". The Hebrew root word for "seasons" in this verse is yaad, which means "appoint, assign, especially of acquiring or designating as wife, to espouse". This should be especially important to believers in Christ who understand that we are called "The Bride of Christ", and we are called to prepare and participate in the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8). Unfortunately, some have taken this verse from Genesis and created a counterfeit of the truth called horoscopes. The month of Elul, leading up to the beginning of the fall feasts, is dedicated to repentance, reconciliation with those whom we have offended, and the care of the needy. The shofar (trumpet) is sounded on each day of that month of preparation. Leviticus described the fall feasts of the LORD, which will begin in just a few days from now, this way: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, 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. 23:23-25). On Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets, the shofars are sounded. It is the only feast that begins on the new moon, the first day of the month. No man knows the exact day or hour when the new moon will appear, so there are those who are appointed to watch for it. Paul wrote to the Church regarding the importance of the trumpet blast: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep...For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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..." (1 Thess. 4:13-18). As Jesus described the day of His coming, He said that no man knows the day or the hour (Mt. 24:36). The same applies, as noted above, to beginning of the Feast of Trumpets. Paul continued in Ch. 5 of 1 Thessalonians that this day is not to overtake us, the children of light, although that day of His coming, "like a thief in the night", will be a surprise to others. There is to be a difference between the children of light and those in darkness in this regard. Again Paul referred to the sounding of "the last trump: "...for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory...The sting of death is sin...But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. 15:51-58). It was with the sound of a trumpet that John was also told "Come up hither...", and was brought up alive into heaven to receive the revelation of the Lord (Rev. 4:1-2). The Feast of Trumpets reminds us and prophesies to us of the moment, called The Rapture, when we will meet the Lord in the air. We are to be diligent and prepared for this event that will come suddenly. The second of the LORD's fall feasts is Yom Kippur, 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 for you before the LORD your God. And whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people...it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings...ye shall afflict your souls...in the ninth day...at even, from even unto even, ye shall celebrate your sabbath." (Lev. 23:27-32). The Day of Atonement is a day of repentance in the face of the atonement for sin provided by God for His people, even as we know this Atonement was fulfilled not by the blood of animals, but the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah. Those who refuse to participate in the Atonement, as stated in the Leviticus verses, will die. We know that the wages or consequences of sin is death unless we partake of the Atonement. The third fall feast of the LORD is the Feast of Tabernacles: "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD." (Lev. 23:34). The desciption of this feast includes a sabbath rest for the first and eighth days of this feast. No servile work is to be done on those days. On each day of the feast, an offering by fire is to be made unto the LORD. A booth made of tree branches is built for use by the family during the seven days of Tabernacles. Being in the booth, or sukkah, not only meant to bring to remembrance the booths the Israelites dwelt in while in the wilderness, but it is also compared to the shutting in of a bride and groom, particularly the Messiah, Jesus, and His Bride. Isaiah also wrote of a period of shutting in: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." (Isa. 26:19-21). In these verses, being shut in the chamber or tabernacle provides covering during God's judgment. All of the feasts of the LORD work in our lives as they depict the sacrifice of Jesus, and His prophetic plans for His Body, His Bride: "...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. 5:25-26). *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 8/29/21 message to the church. To contact, for prayer requests, to support the ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. Look for us also on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.