As an overview, let's take a brief moment and look at the three remaining Fall Feasts (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles). To begin, The Feast of Trumpets observed on the first day of the seventh month, (i.e Tishri 1) is extremely important for those who might want to return to God. Well, we know that through the Blood of Christ we are redeemed, but remember the feasts are not to be set aside as fulfilled and thus made void. Christ fulfilled the requirement of the Law. But these pattern of things to come is to be kept forever even through eternity. Best understood, the yet to be fulfilled fall feast days are ordinances set as roadmaps, that guides us, the same way a g.p.s does while preparing us for His seconding coming. Friends, for us today this should be most imperative, we should be on the look out and be watchful every day because both the feasts days and the heavenly signs are often connected.
Now, the first day of every month began with the blowing of trumpets. However, the reason why the blowing of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month is especially important; is because in this seventh month, the Day of Atonement was kept. It was in this month that the High Priest went before the ark of the covenant (Mercy Seat) on His people's behalf. It was the month of second chances. It's just before finalizing or getting the harvest ready for reaping. What a blessing and privilege God afforded us with?
Again, the Day of Atonement always precedes the Feast of Tabernacles by five days. The Day of Atonement (Tishri 10) is the day when the people of God were to search their hearts and consecrate themselves to the Lord in preparation for this solemn day which represented the final judgment. Then they would be ready to celebrate their forgiveness with much joy during the Feast of Tabernacles for one whole week (Tishri 15-22). This would correspond with its September/October dates on the Gregorian calendar. For example Tishri 10, 1844 on the Hebrew Calendar was September 23rd of that year. Tishri 10, 1843 corresponded to October 4th, on Gregorian calendar. Should you be interested to verify this visit: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=1844&month=10&country=34
Knowing the correct feast days is vital because they fore-shadow and fulfill the redemption story. The idea of redemption and restoration in reality is the whole notion and theme throughout the Seven Feasts of the Lord. It is interesting that each of the seven months at the beginning of each month, a trumpet was sounded. But again on the seventh month, however, the seventh trumpet coincided with the seventh feast, which is commonly called The Feast. This Feast is the highlight of all the feasts days because it follows the Day of Atonement that is a day of Judgement. But mostly because once the judgement is past, the forgiven (redeemed) can now celebrate the feasts that points to being saved. God tabernacling with His people is the celebration of the redeemed. Just think, the seventh trumpet in the seventh month during the seventh and final feast day culminates with God with us. How can this not be significant to God's true people? To first be the remnant, the remnant must be ready to be restored, not waiting to be the remnant. It is God who creates the remnant and a remnant of the remnant. But this remnant derives from the restored among the redeemed. Are you with me? So why do we say it doesn't matter if we observe these days? We've resigned to only speak of them as references within the context of bibliography or intellectual sitings. Yet the true Thanksgiving Days should be the Fall Feasts of God. Knowing our thanksgiving holidays are not going to change the world's perspective on Christ, yet for many Christian believers that's as far as we'll go.
But what if, we will never be able to impact the world as Christ intended because we are not living our lives according to the Bible? What if, these fall feast does play a role in our salvation theology, and prophecies? Maybe, no..?
So why were the trumpets sounded then? I'd like to suggest because they are blown in order to get God's people ready, ready to repent, to get them to stop worshipping their idols. Yet, even then, many do not heed these warnings, and many do not repent and return to the ways and things of God, nor uprightness in heart. Today and in the very near future as we close out in earth's final days we will be called to do likewise. Will you chose to be ready? Question for you, when you realize that God is calling you out of Babylon or to repent, do you truly repent or just apologize?To be ready means, to be aware and actively waiting to call and to continue to call, continue to minister to those that are in rebellion, to prophesy before the people and nations for such a time as this. In someways, all people have been familiar with the feasts, just the counterfeit ones. The ones instituted as substitutes. But why substitute what God has instituted in the first place? What would be the motive for man-made traditions to try do away with or over-ride these wonderful Feasts, with mere holidays and festivities that are not biblically sound? Instead they are used to draw the masses to do at will, what thou wilt. Compare, those other holidays and see where they merge, or blend or direct their allegiance. Why is that, do you think?
Okay, never heard of God's Feast days? Or maybe you have but just didn't quite get it. Why not do some research of your own, and read some more credible sources on them (not your pastor's blog or publications that dismisses them), by credible I mean, the Living Word of God - The Bible. Study to show thyself approach.
God is a God that loves to rejoice and celebrate. Paganism would have us believe that anything that is God-related cannot be fun or enjoyable. Paganism would have us paint with a broad bush and think, we are already observing easter and christmas, and the like. It doesn't matter, besides our fall festivals raise money for many church projects. Our christmas program is so cherished and is used to witness to the unchurched, for so many years. How can we possibly change that? Bottom-line, if its not broken why fix it? Guess what church? It's broken. Fix it! Well fixing it might cause more harm than good, you may say. Because your family or your church community might not support your boldness in this. They may even think you're a loose canon and slanderer--- weirdo and yes, legalistic. Surely God wants us to be united not divided in these things! Surely God knows and understands me, my heart! Surely He will save many people that didn't even keep the sabbath let alone these Feasts. Surely, the observation of these Feasts have no way of helping me, my family or the church understand the real struggles of modern day Christianity, nor the mysteries of Babylon and Revelation Prophecies. Surely those Feasts are of the past and have no place in present day truths. Finally, what does knowing all this have to do with last days events anyways, better yet, my personal salvation? I know these questions, because I've asked them myself, and have also been asked them. But what if understanding the role of the Feast days could help to unlock key bible prophecies that will ultimately direct my attention away from apostasy, and towards being spiritually fit and ready to overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of His Testimony?
Case in point, someone asked me recently, are these trumpets another depiction of the last plagues as some scholars have suggested?
Well, we will take a look at that later. But I would like to say that its is very strongly indicated in the Bible that, the plagues happen after probation closes. The trumpets are warnings of destruction before it comes. Can God trust the watchman in you?
But join me next time when we will look at the differences or commonalities between the last plagues and the trumpets of Revelation.
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