If you have not read The Introduction To God's Holy Days And Feasts may I suggest you read it before continuing. It will help explain how this study is written.
The Old Testament Feasts prefigure an event in the New Testament. This is called a “type”. The “antitype” is the completion of that earlier Old Testament “type”, and is found in the New Testament. The type and anti-type describe a relationship connecting both parts of the Bible, Old and New Testament. The type serves as a physical "rough draft" given to the Israelites of what would be coming in the future but they had no idea what it was. The antitype is the reality of what was foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The type is what we see fulfilled in the New Testament, both in Jesus day and in the near future.
The Feast of Trumpets, was known as Rosh Hashanah. It was a special Annual Sabbath of physical rest and holy assembly.
“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. You shall do no customary work on it and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord” (Lev 23:24)
The holyday was marked by the blowing of trumpets, typically ram's horns, as a memorial and a reminder to Israel of God's covenant with them.
“On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets.” (Num 29:1)
The Feast of Trumpets was a festive but sobering time, reminding Israel of their need for God. It marked the start of the time of repentance for Israelites before the Day of Atonement a little over a week later.
The Feast of Trumpets is all about the loud blast of the 7th trumpet In Revelation 11, when Jesus returns as King of Kings to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. The Feast of Trumpets we celebrate today is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus’s return. The blowing of trumpets is connected to the "last trumpet" in Revelation, which will signal Christ's second coming.
Just like other Festivals the people in the Old Testament did what they were told and blew the trumpets, never fully understanding why they were doing it. We have the advantage of seeing other Scriptures that show us that what they were told to do was a foreshadowing, a type of the great trumpet blast at Jesus' return. How do we know this? Isaiah tells us when what He prophesied twice, is connected with what will happen at the last great trumpet blast mentioned in Revelation 11:15-18.
For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion’s cause. (Is 63:4)
For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion. (Is 34:8)
The sounding of the seventh and final trumpet in Revelation announces the establishment of Christ's reign on earth and the destruction of His enemies.
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
“The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18)
The final trumpet in Revelation is a proclamation of God's Kingdom, that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God and of our Christ. The Feast of Trumpets is a prophetic symbol for Christians who observe it, that points to the fulfillment of God's plan of redemption in Christ's return. As we will see shortly, the culmination of God’s plan will be the resurrection of the dead, their final judgment, an opportunity for salvation, and the establishment of the Kingdom of God forever.
The Day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur by the Jews, is the most solemn Holy Day of all. The Israelites observed this Holyday by fasting from sunset to sunset, 24 hours. The Israelites were commanded to "afflict their souls". This phrase referred to physical fasting from all food and drink.
“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord”. (Lev 23:27)
The Day of Atonement was a national time of atonement for the sins of all Israelites. It was the most holy Sabbath of the year, when all Israelites did absolutely no work, which was easier to do since they were not preparing and cooking food during this Festival.
"And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest."(Lev 23:30-33)
This was also the one and only time of the year when the High Priest could actually enter the holiest part of the temple.
"and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat." (Lev 16:2)
"Aaron will present his own bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family, making them right with the Lord. Then he must take the two male goats and present them to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle. He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord. The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. When it is sent away to Azazel in the wilderness, the people will be purified and made right with the Lord, (Lev 16:6-10) NLT
The biblical concept of the scapegoat was not about unfairly blaming an innocent party, as the modern usage implies. The "scapegoat" or "Azazel goat," was used in a symbolic ritual to carry away the sins of the Israelites to Azazel, a Wilderness-dwelling demon. In the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish apocalyptic religious text, traditionally ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, Azazel is described as a rebellious angel who taught humans forbidden knowledge and was punished by being bound in the desert. The Book of Enoch also attributes all sin to Azazel." And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin"While not being an actual book of the Bible it’s interesting that God had the Israelites send the scapegoat to carry away the sins of Israel into the desert "to Azazel in the wilderness". which fits perfectly with The Book Of Enoch teaching.
"As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land." .(Lev 16:22) NLT
The New Testament changes the focus and meaning of The Day of Atonement to the foreshadowing of Christ's sacrificial and redemptive work in man. Jesus is the ultimate High Priest who offers His own blood for our sins. Through Jesus shed blood we now have direct access to God's presence, no longer needing a human high priest as an intermediary.
The Day of Atonement is also about looking forward to Satan being imprisoned for 1,000 years and no longer able to tempt and deceive people on the earth during the Millennium. In the Old Testament sin was symbolically placed on the Azazel goat mentioned in Leviticus 16. When Jesus died for us, our sins were placed on Him, providing us with eternal redemption. He now “carries” our sins away from us. The 24 hour fast by Christians today is meant for us showing humility before God, and our heartfelt repentance for our sins. In the New Testament in Revelation 20 we see the fulfillment of the Type, the foreshadowing of Leviticus 16:6-10.
"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished". (Revelation 20:1-3)
The Day of Atonement serves as a significant reminder of how serious sin really is, how Satan deceives us so easily, and our need for God's forgiveness. It shows the importance of having a right relationship with our Savior and needing Him and His merciful grace to carry away our sins from us forever, so we don’t end up in the Lake of Fire like Satan, and his followers.
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Rev 20:10)
The main purpose of The Feast of Tabernacles was commemorating the 40 years traveling through the desert wilderness by Israel when God rescued them from Egyptian bondage. During this Feast, people were told by God to observe special Sabbath assemblies, make offerings, and live for 7 days in booths, shelters made from palm branches and tree leaves. Here is what the Bible says in the Old Testament about The Feast Of Tabernacles. An annual Sabbath begins the week long Feast Of Tabernacles.
"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying: "The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it……. Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (Lev 23:33-35)
"You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast". (Deuteronomy 16:13-15)
This reminded them that God was their provider who protected Israel during that 40 year journey to the promised land.
Lev 23:40 and Deuteronomy 16:14 emphasizes the joyful nature of the feast. There is literally a command to rejoice before the Lord for a full week. It truly was a "Feast" with everyone celebrating with song and dance, and enjoying hearty dishes that celebrate the abundance of the season, with special meat and drink they would not have all the time. God was reminding the Israelites during this Feast of His present provision, and future promises.
The Feast of Tabernacles is now seen through Jesus death on the cross, and resurrection to eternal life. It is all about its spiritual significance for Christians. The Feast of Tabernacles is about Christians recognizing our temporary life physically on earth, and the promise of eternal life, reigning with Jesus in the Kingdom of God. This Festival symbolizes Jesus’ ultimate victory and the celebration of His reign. It's a foreshadowing of the messianic age or the establishment of God's kingdom when Jesus returns, pointing to the future when God will literally dwell again with us.
Isaiah prophetically describes the Anti-Type, a Feast on God's holy mountain, His Kingdom during the Millennium. A mountain is prophetically symbolic of a great kingdom. This imagery symbolizes the exaltation of God's kingdom above all others.
"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it." (Isaiah 2:2)
"On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoke." Isaiah 25:6-8
This is a divine feast that God prepares in His Kingdom for all who are saved, a lavish banquet with the finest foods and aged wines for ALL peoples. The Feast is not limited to the Jews, but extends to "all peoples". God will destroy the "shroud" that covers all nations, symbolizing the defeat of death itself. The imagery of rich food and fine wine represents the abundance and joy of God's presence, while the destruction of death points to the hope of eternal life.
In the New Testament we see Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, speaking to the Church in Ephesus about The Feast of Tabernacles. Paul was adamant about being at the church in Jerusalem where God had placed His name, and Christians from all over came to attend the Festival. Paul, a Christian, was still keeping the Feast Days over 20 years after they were supposedly "done away with" and "hung on the cross." If anyone knew the truth it was Paul!
"I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem". (Acts 18:21)
Over 2,500 years ago Zechariah prophesied about the New Testament fulfillment of The Feast of Tabernacles, proving again that it wasn’t just for the Jews thousands of years ago, but for all people. It was NOT “done away with” or “hung on the cross” when Jesus came. Jesus Christ will still be participating in it years from now with all people. Zechariah is talking about Jesus as King in His Kingdom here on earth in these verses.
"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up .... they shall have no rain .... This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles". (Zech 14:16-18)
The Bible actually says in this telling prophecy that the Holydays will be observed by all nations, not just the Jews of Israel, during the millennium in the Kingdom of God when Jesus is King over ALL. Clearly these Festivals are not just for the Jews. It’s obvious that millions of people, including ALL “saved by Jesus” Christians in the Kingdom of God, will be keeping all of them, especially the biggest Festival of all, The Feast of Tabernacles, which foreshadows True Christians reigning with Jesus for 1,000 years.
The end of The Feast of Tabernacles occurs 1 week after the first Annual Sabbath, and is immediately followed by another Annual Sabbath called The Last Great Day by the Apostle John.
"On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink". (John 7:37)
The Last Great Day is a separate Feast and the final Holy Day of the year that God ties directly to the week long Feast of Tabernacles.
"Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest." (Lev 23:39)
"For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.” (Lev 23:36)
"On the eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly. You shall do no customary work" (Num 29:35)
The significance of this final Holyday lies in its role as a solemn assembly that concludes the time of The Feast of Tabernacles, emphasizing continued worship and dedication to God beyond the week long Festival. The Last Great Day was viewed as a special Sabbath, intended for a time of reflection after the week long Festival, which God ties together as one big Festival. Its prophetic importance wasn’t known in the Old Testament and was not understood until the New Testament. This special and last Holyday holds a spiritual significance as it symbolizes God's plan for man coming to its completion.
The Last Great Day foreshadows the Great White Throne Judgment that occurs AFTER the Thousand-year reign of Jesus on the earth. This is when everyone who never had a chance for salvation over the last 6,000 years will be judged, (“judged” does not mean “condemned”), for all their sins. Then they will be given their first real opportunity to accept Jesus and His sacrifice for their sins.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works." Revelation 20:11–13)
The Greek word translated "books" in Revelation 20 verse 12 is biblia. In English, it’s the word “BIBLE". The books that are opened are actually the books of the Bible! They will be opened to the minds of the billions of people who had not known God and accepted Jesus during their previous life on earth. Now everyone, including the millions of deceived Christians, will be able to see what is actually in the Bible without Satan’s deception leading them to believe false doctrine and lies. God will judge them by showing them what they did wrong based what He really says in the books of the Bible. They will be given a chance to believe the truth, do what God says, repent of all the sins they never knew they were committing, and truly accept Jesus’ sacrifice for those sins. THEN they will receive the gift of salvation and eternal life!
I Timothy 2:3-4; "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth".
The Bible plainly says God desires everyone to be saved. Jesus would not be fair if He has only been calling a relatively few people to salvation during the last 2,000 years! Everyone else would not be saved and going to hell. Billions of people around the world during this time have never even heard of Jesus, never even got a chance to really know about salvation, and they would be lost forever. Millions of Christians have also been deceived and don't actually know the truth of what the Bible, (God), actually says through no fault of their own. Should they all burn in Hell? God doesn’t want ANYONE to perish in Hell. He plainly says so! The Bible says this about Jesus.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance". (II Peter 3:9)
If God desires ALL to come to repentance and be saved you better believe He has made a way for this to happen for the BILLIONS of people over the last 6,000 years who never knew about Jesus and His sacrifice for their sins. They will come back to physical life at this second resurrection.
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not LIVE AGAIN until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4-6)
"The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and "Hades" (which means the "grave") delivered up the dead who were in them." (Revelation 20:13)
Those who were not one of the firstfruits, those special Christians saved by Jesus in their physical life now, will then, after the 1,000 year Millennium, be physically resurrected and "live again". They will be offered their FIRST real chance to believe what God says in the Bible when it is opened to them, and be saved by Jesus, receiving eternal life. This will happen on The Last Great Day, with their name being added to the Book of Life if they chose to walk with God at that time and accept Jesus. You can learn more details about this incredible good news in my study here. Today is Not the Only Time of Salvation
This incredible Holyday shows God's perfect plan in its total fulfillment, by offering salvation and eternal life to very person who ever lived, not just those who were alive when Jesus was here, or in the 2,000 years of Christianity since then. Think about what this means! All our family, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and friends that we believe are eternally lost, burning in Hell because they never knew or accepted Jesus as their Savior WILL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO BE SAVED on at that special time and be with US in the Kingdom of God forever!
With all the New Testament verses that refer to God’s Feast Days and Holy Annual Sabbaths can there be any doubt that Christians were still observing and celebrating them in the early church. By extension shouldn’t we be doing the same thing today?
Paul reiterated instructions about keeping the Passover with wine and unleavened bread. (1 Corinthians 11:17–34)
He commanded the congregation at Corinth, which was largely made of Gentiles, to keep the Days of Unleavened Bread. (1 Corinthians 5:8)
In Acts 2 we see Peter giving a message on the meaning of Pentecost. Many Jews repented, became Christians, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1–39)
We see a reference to The Day of Atonement by Paul. (Acts 27:9).
Finally, we read Paul’s words in Acts 18:21, “I MUST by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem"....
God’s Word is clear: His Feasts were still being kept by True Christians long after Jesus died on the cross for our sins. The Festivals were a major part of the Church calendar, for both Jews and Gentiles, for almost 200 years, before the corruption and deception of Satan began replacing them with Pagan Holidays that God never commanded us to celebrate. He actually commanded us NOT to add to His religious observance days. He warned us through the prophets not to learn the Gentile ways, which would include all wrong forms of worship, (rituals, customs, traditions, etc.)!
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it: you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:30–32).
"Thus says the LORD, ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentile" (Jeremiah 10:2).
Additionally, Jesus said this:
"This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men" (Mark 7:6-8).
As you can see in this study about the Spring and Fall Feasts and Holydays, there is a lot that most of us were never taught by our priests, ministers, and preachers about what special religious times God wants us to observe and how to celebrate them. It’s important for us to know the truth about worship as actually shown in the Bible and live our lives accordingly as true Christians doing what God actually says in the Bible
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Gateway To Jesus Ministries - Bible Study #26.