Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Seven Prophetic Feasts of God

I will begin by listing the seven feasts that are revealed in Leviticus 23: 1. Passover, 2. Unleavened Bread, 3. First Fruits, 4. Pentecost, 5. Trumpets, 6. Atonement, 7. Tabernacles. The first four of these feasts are known as spring feasts because they are celebrated in the spring of the year. The last three of the feasts are called fall feasts because they occur in the fall of the year. Before I tell you why these feasts are prophetic, allow me to share a quick word with you about what the feasts mean in the Hebrew language. There are two Hebrew words found in Leviticus 23:2 that hold the key to understanding the nature and meaning of the feasts. The scripture says, "Speak unto the children of Israel and say, unto them, concerning the feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts." The Hebrew word that tranlates the word "feast" is pronounced in English as "Mo'ed." It means "a set or appointed time." The second Hebrew word "miqra" (mik'raw)is the word for "convocation" or "sacred assembly." It means "a rehersal." Consequently, the seven feasts of God were to be rehersals at set or appointed times. With that understanding, I can now explain to you why the feasts are prophetic.

These feasts, to be kept annually by the chosen nation of Israel, all pointed to the coming of the Messiah. They were, if you will, rehersals at appointed times for the Messiah's coming. The first four of these feasts would be fulfilled at Messiah's frist coming and were redemptive in nature. The last three of the feasts would be fulfilled at Messiah's second coming and have to to with the restoration of all things back to God. They are restorative in nature.

When Yeshua/Jesus came the first time to the earth, He fulfilled the first four of these feasts to the very day, and in some cases to the very hour! He died on PASSOVER (Nissan 14) at three in the afternoon at the exact same time the High Priest killed the Korban Pesach (Passover Lamb) for the nation of Israel; His body was placed in the tomb, without spot or blemish-sinless) thus fulfilling the feast of UNLEAVENED BREAD(bread made without leaven-leaven being a type of sin) that began the next day, Nissan 15(March or April on the Gregorian Calendar); He was raised from the dead on the first day of the week following the Sabbath on the day of the Feast of FIRST FRUITS; after seven full weeks, 50 days latter from the day of First Fruits, He poured out the new law of the Spirit on the Feast of PENTECOST. This day occured on the same day that Moses received the Old Testament law from God on Mt. Sinai. Thus Yeshua/Jesus fulfilled the first four or spring feasts that secured our redemption in His first coming to earth.

The final three feast or fall feasts will also be fulfilled by Yeshua/Jesus to the very day. (I will fully explain to your COMPLETE SATISFACTION the scripture that says "no man can know the day or the hour" in a latter blog). For now, understand that God is a God of consistency. Since Yeshua/Jesus fulfilled the first four feasts to the very day, rest assured that He will fulfill the remaining three feast with the same exact precision. The Feast of TRUMPETS will be the rapture of the Church and second return of Yeshua to the earth. In the Day of ATONEMENT Yeshua will save the remnant of Israel and defeat the antichrist and his armies and will judge the nations; and at the Feast of TABERNACLES Yeshua will reign over the earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for 1,000 years (the millennial reign of the Messiah). You can see how that in each of these three fall feasts Yeshua/Jesus is RESTORING all things fully back to God: the church, Israel and the earth!

I conclude with these thoughts. The seven feasts of God are a revelation of His genius and sovereignty. Prophecy is history written in advance. What that tells us is that God is in control. His prophetic word as revealed in the seven feasts should both comfort our hearts and encourage hope in our hearts. And hopefully, this short article on the seven feast will cause your spirit to be fascinated with God and His Divine Word. Shalom

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

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