Jewish Feasts - Pattern of Seven - Part 3

In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered (or will soon cover), and maybe you've missed.  Please review my blogs to read more...

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In Part 2 we looked at the four spring feasts of Leviticus 23.  These are God's appointed times and they paint a picture for us to recognize the timing of His events.  

The spring feasts specifically point to the first advent of Jesus.

Below, we'll take a look at the three fall feasts and how they point the second advent of Jesus.

These feasts, proclaimed by the Prophets of old, the teachings of Jesus, and the Apostles will be fulfilled as described in the Revelation:

Rev 15:3-4  And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and True are Your ways, King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?  For You alone are Holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your Righteous acts have been revealed."
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[5]  The Feast of Trumpets - Yom Teruah; Rosh HaShanah

See Numbers 29:1-6

The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated on Tishri 1 (our September/October), which is the seventh month of the Jewish calendar.  Tishri is often referred to as the Sabbath of Months.

Rosh HaSshanah means "head of the year".

The Biblical name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom Teruah, which in Hebrew means "the day of the awakening blast".

Although it is declared as Tishri 1 it is actually an uncertain day as it is based on the witness of a visible new moon.  The visible sliver of a new moon begins the first day of a lunar month.

Having said that, notice what happens... 

Mat 25:13  Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. 

The precise day and hour which begins this feast is unknown until the new moon is first sighted.  

This sighting required the collaboration of separate sightings by designated observers to the head of the Sanhedrin (called the Nasi).  He would be the one to declare the start of the Feast of Trumpets.

This would cause the trumpets to begin to blow, which would begin the celebration.

Since the beginning was uncertain, because of the timing of the new moon, this feast is also referred to as the Hidden Day.  The Talmudic name of Yom HaKeseh, which means, "the day of concealment".

It is the "day of concealment" because it is when we will be concealed from God's wrath:

Psa 27:5  For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Isa 26:19-20  Your dead will live; their corpses will rise.  You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Come, My people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. 

Prophetically, Jesus alluded to the uncertainty of this feast day and that the Father alone would declare the day of Jesus coming.

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

From Edward Chumney, of Hebraic Heritage Ministries International:

Because Rosh HaShanah [Feast of Trumpets] was understood to be the hidden day, this statement by Yeshua [Jesus] is actually an idiom for Rosh HaShanah.  Thus it should be given as proof that He was speaking of Rosh HaShanah because Rosh HaShanah is the only day in the whole year that was referred to as the hidden day or the days that no man knew.

Because of this uncertainty of the correct day (new moon), this feast is celebrated over the course of two days... Tishri 1 and 2.  It is the only feast that is celebrated over the course of two days and signals the beginning of a new year... 

More from Edward Chumney:

The problem of Rosh HaShanah is heightened by the fact that it falls on Rosh Chodesh, the new moon itself.  Therefore, even in Jerusalem ... it would have been difficult to let everyone know in time that the New Year had begun.  To solve this problem, a two-day Rosh HaShanah was practiced even in Israel.  Creating a two-day Rosh HaShanah was also intended to strengthen observance of each day; in the rabinnic view, the two days are regarded as a yom arikhta, one long day.

The ram's horn [shofar] was blown at the Feast of Trumpets to awaken the people from slumber to prepare them to meet with God on the High Holy Day.

The shofar is blown 100 times to ensure that it is blown often enough, and with the proper sounds, to satisfy God's requirements and to alert the Jewish people to the significance of the upcoming Day of Atonement.  This Day of Atonement occurs 10 days later and is our next feast: Yom Kippur.

The last trumpet was the longest and loudest of the trumpet blasts.  It speaks of redemption, deliverance, and God's intervention to subdue the enemies of Israel.

1 Cor 15:51-52  Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

The month prior to Tishri is Elul.

Each morning of the 30 days of Elul the shofar was blown to warn the people to repent and return to God.  These 30 days, plus the 10 days leading to Yom Kippur makes for a total of 40 days.

These 40 days parallel the amount of probation time given to Ninevah (Jonah 3:4), and the forty years of Israel's probation period in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.

Further evidence supporting the harpazo with the shofar is found in ancient Jewish tradition which holds that the resurrection of the dead will occur on the Feast of Trumpets.  Jewish gravestones are often engraved with a shofar reflecting this long-held tradition.

Paul knew full well of this tradition, and repeated it again in his letter to the Thessalonians:

1 Th 4:16-17  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

[5a]  The Days of Awe

Beginning with the Feast of Trumpets and ending with The Day of Atonement (our next feast) are 10 days set aside as High Holy Days.  These 10 days are known as The Days of Awe.

These are 10 days set aside for intense Spiritual preparation and repentance.  Based on Jewish tradition, these 10 days are viewed as God's Judgment Day, sometimes referred to as Israel's Dark Days and the begin immediately following the last trumpet.

Joe 2:1-2  Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My Holy Mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness.  As the dawn is spread over the mountains, so there is a great and mighty people; there has never been anything like it, nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations.

Amo 5:18-20  Alas, you who are longing for the Day of the LORD, for what purpose will the Day of the LORD be to you?  It will be darkness and not light; as when a man flees from a lion and a bear meets him, or goes home, leans his hand against the wall and a snake bites him.  Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, even gloom with no brightness in it? 

The Prophets of old certainly understood that these Days of Awe were to be a time of God's wrath, but also a time when His wrath brings Israel back to Himself.

The Days of Awe are also a pre-requisite to the return of Jesus.  The national repentance of Israel will bring about their remorse, and they will finally repent of their sin and finally receive their Messiah.

Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, You shall not see Me henceforth, until you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

Zec 12:10  "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."

The 10 Days of Awe in the end time will be horrific for national Israel.  God's wrath will bring them to their national repentance on the final Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur.

[6]  The Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur

Again, depending on the timing of the new moon, this feast is celebrated 10 days later (~ Tishri 10/11).  

The Day of Atonement is known as The Day.

It is also the day in which the great trump is blown.

Isa 27:13  It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD in the Holy Mountain at Jerusalem.

It is a most Holy Day - the only day of the year in which the high priest, adorned with his holy garments, enters in to the Temple's Holy of Holies... into God's presence with a blood sacrifice to atone for the people's sin.

When he came out of the Holy of Holies alive, the people rejoiced for they knew their sin had been forgiven for that year and that God would continue to bless them.

Lev 16:30-31  for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD.  It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute.

It is also during this feast that defilement is purged from the shrine and the people.  During this ceremony the scapegoat, azazel is sent into the wilderness and tossed off a cliff.  Azazel is understood to be a picture of Satan being cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10).

At the conclusion of Daniel's 70th Week the Antichrist and false prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20) and Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Rev 20:2).

Prophetically, the Day of Atonement looks forward to the end of Daniel's 70th Week when Satan's forces are met with God's wrath.

Messiah will come on their behalf to deliver them and to restore them nationally under the New Covenant:

Dan 9:24  "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place."

If we're looking for Daniel's 70th Week to end on this day, then it must also begin on this day seven years prior.

Daniel's 70th Week begins with the confirmation of a peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel.  If you've read my other blogs, especially those on Daniel, then you're already familiar with what I'm talking about.

Dan 9:27  "And he [Antichrist] will make a firm covenant with the many for one week [7 years], but in the middle of the week [3.5 years] he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

Beginning of the seven years:

Isa 28:14-18  Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact.

The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, for we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception."

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.  I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level; then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters will overflow the secret place.

Middle of the seven years [3.5 years later]:

Your covenant with death will be canceled, and your pact with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you become its trampling place. 

[7]  The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) - Sukkot

See Leviticus 23:36

Five days after the Day of Atonement (~ Tishri 15-21) the Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated.  This feast continues for seven days after "the ingathering" (Deu 16:13), plus an extra day known as the Great Day, or Shemini Atzeret (literally, assembly of the eighth day).

Sukkot is called the "seaon of our joy".  Sins have been forgiven and the experience of joy when walking with God.  This speaks to the coming Millennial Kingdom.

During this period, observant Jews live in temporary huts (booths - sukkahs) as a reminder of their forefathers wilderness journey during their exodus from Egypt.  Tabernacle refers to "temporary dwelling place".

One of the ceremonies associated with this feast has the high priest pouring water, collected from the Pool of Shiloam, onto the Altar within the Temple.  This is meant to invoke God's blessing on the nation and provide life-giving water.

On the last day of the feast, Jesus fulfilled the hopes of the worshipers of His day by proclaiming Himself as the One to Whom these ceremonies pointed:

Joh 7:37-38  Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"

Another of the ceremonies associated with this feast is the nightly illumination of the Temple representing the Shekinah Glory.  

Prophetically, this represents the coming Messiah as the Light of the World.

On the last day of the feast, Jesus fulfilled the hopes of the worshipers of His day by proclaiming Himself as the One to Whom these ceremonies pointed:

Joh 8:12  Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

The Feast of Tabernacles is recognized as God's great ingathering of the final harvest.  It anticipates a time when Jesus will "tabernacle", or dwell among men... which He will - during His Millennial Reign.

These are the seven feasts of Leviticus 23... they perfectly picture the past milestones of Jesus as well as the upcoming events surrounding His second coming.
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Two Additions

There are two additional holidays added to the Jewish calendar, celebrated during the time of Jesus' first advent.

[1]  The Feast of Dedication - Hanukkah (Kislev 25)

This feast falls 75 days after the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

If you've been reading my blogs, this number (75) should be ringing a bell!

Dan 12:12  "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!

After the Jewish victory over Antiochus Epiphanes in 165 BC, the defiled Temple needed to be purified and re-dedicated.  You can read about these events in the Old Testament Apocrypha of First and Second Maccabees.

The Feast of Dedication, also referred to as the Feast of Lights, celebrates the purification and re-dedication of the Temple.  This is why Hanukkuh is a time celebrated with lighting the candles of the Menorah and lasts for eight days... one candle per day.

Joh 10:22-25 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple in the portico of Solomon.  The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."  Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me." 

Antiochus Epiphanes is a foreshadow of the coming Antichrist who will once again defile the Temple in Jerusalem.  Jesus will do away with Antichrist when He returns, but the Temple will remain defiled until the process of purification and re-dedication has occurred... at Hanukkah, when the New Millennial Temple is dedicated (Ezekial 40-47).

[2]  The Feast of Lots - Purim (Adar 14)

This feast is celebrated one month before Passover of the following year.

The Book of Esther contains the historical events of Purim (Lots).

Haman (Edomite), who we've discussed in other blogs, through lots (Est 9:24) determined to destroy the Jews on Adar 13.  His desire did not go as planned and the Jews were saved (Est 9:18-32).

Purim then celebrates the preservation of the Jews on Adar 14 - the day after their aborted destruction.
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Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors.  Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...

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