Refreshing autumn breezes
bring cool, crisp days and the invigorating promise of
another wonderful Feast of Tabernacles. Families from
around the world are gathering enough belongings for an
eight-day stay in the Golden City of Jerusalem, where
Yahshua the Messiah now reigns. Many are already en
route. Vast crowds are coursing along roadways, singing
praises and anticipating the coming days with
unspeakable joy.
The atmosphere is much like
jubilant Israel leaving Egypt to keep a Feast for Yahweh
(Ex. 5:1).
The "old days" of the 21st
century, when obedient celebrators numbered only in the
few thousands, pale in comparison. Those keeping the
Feasts back before the Kingdom came to earth could never
have fully appreciated this breathtaking drama —
everyone from across the planet obediently going in an
unending stream to Jerusalem!
Finally, after millennia of
ignorance, persistent resistance, tired old excuses,
procrastination and indecision, people everywhere are
traveling to the place where Yahweh commands all people
to be in this seventh Biblical month. They are coming to
keep the great Feast of Tabernacles, the highlight
celebration of the year.
Their happiness is
indescribable! And why shouldn’t they be joyful? At long
last, an entire world is being blessed of Yahweh for
submitting to His laws and commands. After millennia of
human rebellion, suffering and misery, universal
gladness and peace reign under the righteous law of the
King of the universe! Man’s hollow holidays are no more.
Now all worship will be Yahweh’s way.
If you think this is some
fantasy from the imagination of some movie script
writer, you had best think again.
Human Misrule Soon Ending
What you have just read is
as real as tomorrow – and nearly as close. It is a
description of the millennial Kingdom of Yahweh come to
earth. Thousands of years of human chaos and injustice
will have ended. Finally the earth will be cleansed of
the rebellion and sin that began in the Garden of Eden
and continued through 6,000 years of misery and pain.
In the Kingdom ruled by
Yahshua, men will no longer have the opportunity to ruin
their lives and the lives of others through defiance of
the Creator and His laws. Yahweh will at last take full
control, and everyone will obey Him!
In the first year of
Yahshua’s millennial reign, in the seventh month, people
from around the world will fulfill what the prophets of
old foretold. The scene will be the same everywhere –
one dwelling after another will be vacant for eight days
while residents of cities everywhere leave home for the
annual Feasts.
Miraculously for the
travelers, the typical problems and hindrances will
disappear as quickly as they crop up. Priestly guides
will assist them along their way to the great city to
worship the King, Yahweh of Hosts. This kingdom of
righteous priests will be composed of True Worshipers
who were obedient to Yahweh in our day, before Yahshua
returned, and were taken up in the first resurrection
when Yahshua came to earth to gather His elect.
Now in the thousand-year
reign, they assist Yahshua the Messiah in governing the
nations of the earth. They teach how to obey the laws
and statutes of Yahweh, just as they themselves had to
learn back in a time when few cared about seriously
following the Scriptures in their lives. This was a
promise foretold in Revelation 2:26-27: "And he that
overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will
I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them
with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall
they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my
Father."
Isaiah gives us a glimpse
of these resurrected individuals serving as Kingdom
priests: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you
saying, ‘This the way, walk you in it,’ when you turn to
the right hand and when you turn to the left," 30:21.
You can be one of those teachers if you are obedient
now.
Feast Prophecies
Fulfilled
Biblical laws, including
the Feasts, will be enforced everywhere by the greatest
Power in the universe – Yahweh Himself.
Zechariah prophesied, "And
it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of
all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even
go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of
hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zech.
14:16). The prophet Isaiah makes it clear that
immediately after the return of Yahshua, once He subdues
the earth and establishes His Kingdom, that people will
start keeping the Feasts at Jerusalem. Everyone will
either comply or die: "For by fire and by his sword will
Yahweh plead with all flesh: and the slain of Yahweh
shall be many," Isaiah 66:16.
Further down in the passage
we read, "For I know their works and their thoughts: it
shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues;
and they shall come, and see my glory" (v. 18). And
where will they go? Isaiah continues: "And they shall
bring all your brethren for an offering unto Yahweh out
of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in
litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my
holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of
Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the
house of Yahweh" (verse 20).
This scene will be replayed
many times throughout the year as one by one each of the
annual observances of Leviticus 23 will be faithfully
followed by people around the world. "And it shall come
to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one
sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship
before me, says Yahweh."
Those who rebelled against
Yahweh and refused to keep His Feasts will have their
own infamous epitaph: "And they shall go forth, and look
upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed
against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall
their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring
unto all flesh" (Isa. 66:23-24).
All the scoffers, including
those who today strenuously resist the keeping of
so-called "Jewish" Feasts, are going to be either
humbled or eliminated. It is their choice. Millions will
be forced to admit that Yahweh’s people were right when
they kept His appointed days. Many will be ashamed of
themselves for once ridiculing the ways of Yahweh and
dismissing His annual Feasts.
Cast Off the Prophetic
Blinders
Remarkably, a key fact
usually overlooked is that Yahweh’s Feasts prophetically
foreshadow His plan of salvation for mankind! Paul in
Colossians 2:16 explains the prophetic importance of
these times: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or
in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new
moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of
things to come; but the body is of Messiah [or, as it
should read, "but the body of Messiah"].
Along with some of the
other Old Testament commandments, Paul is referring here
to Yahweh’s days of worship, like the Sabbath and
Feasts. Before we delve into the prophetic message, it
is important that we dispel a common misconception. Many
interpret Paul as saying here that we are no longer
obligated to observe these days. In other words, we are
not to be judged on our freedom from these old and
archaic commandments.
Is this the message Paul is
conveying? Not in the least. He says that we are not to
allow those outside the body of Messiah, those not in
the assembly, to judge us on the worship of our Father
in Heaven. Only the Body of Messiah is to judge, Paul
says, because they themselves honor these days. They
have the right and permission to correct others in the
way of their observance.
In verse 17 we also find
Paul confirming that these days are a shadow of things
to come. What does he mean? He’s referring to the
prophetic nature of Yahweh’s Worship. He understood that
these days were more than times of worship; that they
were also of prophetic value. As we will discover, each
of these times prophetically foreshadow a special event
in our Father’s plan of salvation for mankind.
Redemption through Blood
Let us examine each of the
seven annual observances that Yahweh calls "My Feasts,"
Leviticus 23:2.
The first annual observance
that we find in the Word illustrates Yahweh’s
redemption. Leviticus 23:5 reads, "In the fourteenth day
of the first month at even is Yahweh’s Passover."
The word "even" comes from
the Hebrew ereb and means dusk or sundown. In Biblical
times the day began at sunset. We find that the Passover
is to be kept at the beginning of the 14th day of the
first month.
The name of this first
month is "Abib." In the Hebrew language this word
literally means, "young ears of grain" and was the month
that began the barley harvest.
On this night the death
angel went through the land of Egypt and killed the
firstborn within those homes that did not apply the
blood. Even in the Old Testament it was through the
blood that redemption was found. It was on this night
that Israel won their freedom from slavery.
What about the New
Testament? What symbolism do we find there for the
Passover? In 1Corinthians 5:7 the Apostle Paul sheds
light on the meaning of this very special time: "Purge
out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump,
as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is
sacrificed for us:"
Paul is describing here the
Passover and the role that the Messiah played in its
fulfillment. Through his death he fulfilled the
Passover. Today He represents the Passover lamb found in
the Old Testament.
In John 1:29, John the
Baptist stated, "Behold the Lamb of Yahweh, which taketh
away the sin of the world." The main purpose for
Yahshua’s coming to earth was to shed his blood for the
sins of mankind. He also came to set an example for us
to follow, but if not for his sacrifice none of us would
have the opportunity we have now.
Only through our Savior,
Yahshua the Messiah, do we find forgiveness and a
complete washing away of our sins. If not for his death
we would have no atonement and no salvation and would be
alienated from our Father in Heaven. Only through our
Savior’s death are we reconciled to our Father. This was
again the main focus and reason for the Passover – it
was had the shedding of blood for the redemption of His
people.
Yahshua’s Resurrection
The Feast that directly
follows the Passover is Unleavened Bread: "And on the
fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of
unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat
unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye
shall offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh seven
days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye
shall do no servile work therein," Leviticus 23:6-8.
This Feast lasts seven-days
and includes holy gatherings on the first and last day.
The phrase "holy convocation" comes from the Hebrew
qodesh miqra and refers to a sacred or called-out
meeting. Based on verse 2, this meeting belongs to the
one who established these days in the beginning, and He
is Yahweh, our Father in heaven.
The Israelites began
traveling out of Egypt on the first day of this Feast.
Scripture says that they left Rameses on the 15th day of
the first month. While they had won their freedom on the
night of the Passover, they physically departed on the
first day of this Feast.
We are commanded to abstain
from leavening or yeast during this time. The Israelites
left Egypt in haste and were unable to leaven their
dough. Accordingly, we are to abstain from leavening.
Leavening often represents
wickedness, malice, false beliefs, hypocrisy, corrupt
politics, and sin. When Israel left Egypt, they left the
sin of Egypt and the world behind.
This appointed observance
also holds agricultural significance. It was during this
Feast that Israel would offer the wave sheaf or
firstfruits of the barley harvest to Yahweh. This wave
sheaf prophetically points to Yahshua the Messiah. In
1Corinthians 15:20-22 Paul explains: "But now is Messiah
risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them
that slept. For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all
die, even so in Messiah shall all be made alive."
Paul states here that the
Messiah represents the first fruits of those
resurrected. Our Savior was the first among mankind to
be resurrected to eternal life. So through his
resurrection the Messiah fulfilled the firstfruits
sacrifice that was offered during this Feast.
Do you see how the Old and
New Testament harmonize? The concept of the Old
Testament as a dead book could not be further from the
Truth. Ask yourself, what Bible did the Messiah and his
Apostles use? To the surprise of many, it wasn’t the New
Testament; Yahshua and his Apostles used the Old
Testament as their source for truth. The New Testament
wasn’t canonized until 325 CE. This means that there was
no official New Testament until 300 years after the
Messiah. It was not even written until after Yahshua was
resurrected.
What else do we learn from
Paul? He says again in verse 22, "For in Adam all die,
even so in Messiah shall all be made alive." Only
through Yahshua the Messiah do we find everlasting life.
There is nothing we can do to earn salvation! This is a
reference to His Second Advent, when He returns to
establish his Father’s Kingdom here on earth. Understand
that all of this was foreshadowed by the firstfruits
that were offered during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
As with the Passover, this Feast also has prophetic
meaning in the New Testament
The Giving of the Law and
Spirit
The next Feast to discover
is the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost: "And ye shall count
unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day
that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven
sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after
the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye
shall offer a new meat offering unto Yahweh…And ye shall
proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy
convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work
therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your
dwellings throughout your generations," Leviticus
23:15-16, 21.
To establish this Feast,
Israel was to count seven complete Sabbaths. This count
began on the morrow of the weekly Sabbath that fell
during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, meaning a Sunday
start of the count. This is where the Jews derive the
name Shavuot, which in the Hebrew language means weeks.
We also see that this day is a holy convocation.
This special appointment is
also tied to agriculture; it represents the time of the
wheat harvest. Because wheat had more value than barley,
in some ways this was a greater harvest than the
previous barley reaping. We also know that on this day
in the Old Testament that they prepared two leavened
loaves that were presented or waved before Yahweh as a
firstfruits offering.
Many speculate as to what
these loaves symbolized. Some maintain that they signify
the Old and New testaments; others believe that they
typify Jew and gentle. It’s also possible that they
correspond to the giving of the Law in the Old Testament
and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the New. How do
we know that the Law was given on this day in the Old
Testament? We don’t have absolute proof, but what we do
know is this: (1) according to Rabbinic belief the Law
was delivered on this day and (2) the Bible does show
that Israel was at Mount Sinai during this time, Exodus
19:1.
Assuming that the Law was
given on the Feast of weeks, something else of
significance occurred in the New Testament. Acts 2:1-4
tells us that the Holy Spirit was poured out on this
day. It reads, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place. And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The Apostles were
obediently observing the day of Pentecost or as we find
in the Old Testament, the Feast of Weeks. A key question
is, why were they still observing an Old Testament Feast
Day, especially after the Messiah’s death? Aren’t we
told that the Feasts are no longer necessary, that they
are old and archaic and of no value in the New
Testament?
On the contrary. These days
that Yahweh our Father in heaven commanded in the Old
Testament are of as much value today as they were then.
The disciples were there to worship Yahweh in one accord
on His Feast Day according to His command.
We see here Yahweh poured
out His Holy Spirit upon those gathered. Those who were
present received the gift of tongues. "Tongues" comes
from the Greek glossa and means "a known language." This
word refers to an actual, known language.
We now learn that the Feast
of Weeks or Pentecost foreshowed the outpouring of
Yahweh’s Holy Spirit. Why would our Father select an Old
Testament Feast during which to provide this heavenly
gift? The fact that He poured out His Spirit on this day
shows unequivocally that these times still have meaning
and purpose in the New Testament.
Yahshua’s Glorious Return
The next Feast we find in
the word is the Feast of Trumpets: "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, an holy convocation. Ye
shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an
offering made by fire unto Yahweh," Leviticus 23:24-25.
Notice that this Feast
falls on the first day of the seventh month. Why is this
important? The Biblical month begins with the crescent
moon, which while not a Sabbath or high day, is a time
of fellowship and worship. Now the seventh month is also
a special time since it holds four of the seven Holy
Days. So not only does this Feast coincide with the new
moon, but also ushers in one of the most important
months of the Biblical year.
How was this day observed
in the Old Testament? First, it was a day of blowing of
trumpets. Second, it was a holy convocation. And third,
it was a day on which Israel was to abstain from work.
In the New Testament this
observance foreshadows one of greatest end-time events;
the Second Coming of Yahshua the Messiah and the first
resurrection. Paul in 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 offers
prophetic insight into this event:
"For this we say unto you
by the word of Yahweh, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Master shall not prevent
them which are asleep. For the Master himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in
Messiah shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Master. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words."
Our Savior will first
descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of an
archangel and with the trumpet of Elohim. The trumpet is
symbolic of this Feast. So most likely Yahshua’s second
advent will take place on the Feast of Trumpets.
As Yahshua descends, the
dead in Messiah will rise to meet him in the clouds.
After that those who are yet alive will be changed to
spirit essence and will meet the Messiah in the air and
forever be with Him. Imagine this day happening in our
lifetime! Imagine being changed from flesh to spirit?
Can you fathom being with our Savior forever? This is
the promise that this day foreshadows.
Paul explains this
transformation in more detail: "Behold, I shew you a
mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality," 1Corinthians 15:51-53.
Paul mentions a trumpet
here in connection with Yahshua’s coming and the
resurrection of the saints. In fact, he refers to the
last trumpet, likely symbolizing this Feast.
At this time the believer
will be changed instantaneously. They will go from
corruptible flesh to incorruptible spirit essence; from
mortal to immortal. As we find in the Greek, the chosen
will receive unending existence in a state of
deathlessness.
This promise of Yahshua’s
coming and of the resurrection is a prophetic
foreshadowing of this Feast and one reason that this
time is so important to understand and observe.
Atonement and Removal of
Sin
The Day of Atonement
follows Trumpets. This day is special for many reasons;
notwithstanding the fact that Israel found forgiveness
from their sins on this day.
Leviticus 16:29-30 states:
"And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in
the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye
shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether
it be one of your own country, or a stranger that
sojourns among you: For on that day shall the priest
make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may
be clean from all your sins before Yahweh."
The Day of Atonement, or as
it is called in Hebrew, Yom Kippur, is observed on the
10th day of the 7th month. Israel was explicitly
commanded to afflict their souls by fasting on this day.
A scriptural fast is to abstain from both food and drink
to show complete honor and devotion to the One we
worship.
On this day Israel also
found atonement or cleansing from their sins.
"Atonement" comes from the Hebrew kaphar and is a
primitive root meaning "to cover." From the New
Testament we find that the sacrificial system in the Old
was only able to cover sin -- it could not wash away or
completely remove sin.
While many believe that
this day foreshadows Yahshua’s death and our atonement,
it possibly foreshadows something entirely different.
The challenge with Yom Kippur symbolizing Yahshua’s
death is that it was on the Passover that Yahshua died
and shed His blood for mankind. In other words, this
prophetic fulfillment occurred with the Passover.
This being the case, reason
dictates that this Feast must foreshadow something other
than Yahshua’s death.
On this observance in the
Old Testament we read that Israel took a scapegoat and
laid upon it all the sins of Israel. What’s intriguing
about this scapegoat is that it wasn’t sacrificed, like
the Messiah in the New Testament. Instead, a fit man was
to take the scapegoat into the wilderness, removing it
from the camp. This scapegoat might foreshadow Satan the
Devil. In the apocalypse of John, or more correctly
Yahshua, we find that Satan will be cast into a
bottomless pit for the duration of the one-thousand year
millennial Kingdom.
"And I saw an angel come
down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit
and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan,
and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon
him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till
the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that
he must be loosed a little season," Revelation 20:1-3.
Just as a fit man took the
scapegoat into the wilderness, here a mighty angel will
cast Satan into a bottomless pit where he will remain
for the duration of the 1000-year millennial Kingdom.
This prophetically seems to correspond to what we find
with the Old Testament scapegoat. This also
chronologically occurs after the return of Yahshua the
Messiah, likely occurring on the Feast of Trumpets.
In essence, the scapegoat
in the Old Testament prophetically foreshadows the
removal of Satan from mankind at Yahshua’s Second
Coming. Once Satan is bound the millennial Kingdom
begins, which is symbolized by the Feast of Tabernacles.
Taste of the Kingdom
We find a description of
this appointed time in Leviticus 23:34-35, 41-43: "Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day
of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles
for seven days unto Yahweh. On the first day shall be an
holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work
therein…And you shall keep it a feast unto Yahweh 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 seven days; all that
are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your
generations may know that I made the children of Israel
to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land
of Egypt: I am Yahweh your Elohim."
This Feast is similar to
the Feast of Unleavened Bread; it too is seven days in
duration. It begins on the 15th day of the 7th month and
includes a holy convocation on the first day. During
this time we are commanded to stay in booths, a word
derived from the Hebrew sukkah meaning a temporary
dwelling. If you are able to physically travel, staying
at home during this feast is not an option.
This special appointment
represents the one-thousand year span in which our
Savior will reign over the earth with those from the
first resurrection. During this time Yahweh’s
commandments will govern this world, meaning all of
mankind. The main purpose of the coming kingdom will be
to restore righteousness to the earth and to prepare it
for the day our Father Yahweh Himself will establish His
throne at the golden city, New Jerusalem.
In the Old Testament we
find a prophecy about this kingdom. "But in the last
days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the
house of Yahweh shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and
people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come,
and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of
Yahweh, and to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his
paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word
of Yahweh from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many
people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and
under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for
the mouth of Yahweh of hosts hath spoken it," Micah
4:1-3.
In Scripture "mountain"
represents a Kingdom or nation. Here Yahweh’s kingdom
will be established or exalted above all other kingdoms
of the world. His commandments will also go out to all
nations. Unlike today, Yahweh’s Word will be the guiding
light and standard of morality. No longer will man
dictate what is moral or not moral, what is proper or
not, what is politically correct or not. Instead
Yahweh’s Word will be that measure. His laws will be the
constitution of the world. Since Yahweh’s laws will
govern everywhere in the future, should we not be
obeying them now? Especially since we know that the
Messiah and His Apostles also observed and kept them in
the New Testament.
We also learn here that men
will no longer engage in war. Instead new uses will be
found for weapons of war. After this, every man will sit
under his own vine and fig tree. Not only will Yahweh’s
laws finally be observed on this earth, but we also find
that mankind will go back to an agricultural life,
similar to the Garden of Eden.
In the kingdom, life will
change drastically. No longer will the world be plagued
by widespread immorality, like abortion; no longer will
we see the atrocities of war; and no longer will man be
free to live a life of sin without immediate
consequences.
Final Judgment
The remaining Feast the
Bible calls the Eighth Day or the Last Great Day, is
described in Leviticus 23:36: "Seven days ye shall offer
an offering made by fire unto Yahweh: on the eighth day
shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall
offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh: it is a
solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work
therein."
This Feast immediately
follows the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Possibly its most significant aspect is marking the end
of Yahweh’s days of worship. This Feast likely
foreshadows the last and final judgment of mankind. As
the Feast of Trumpets symbolizes Yahshua’s Second Coming
and the first resurrection, the Last Great Day
foreshadows the final judgment of man and the redemption
of the faithful.
John on the island of
Patmos provides a prophecy of this final judgment: "And
I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before Elohim; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened, which is the book
of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and the grave delivered up the dead which were
in them: and they were judged every man according to
their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake
of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life was cast into the lake
of fire," Revelation 20:11-15.
This time is known as the
Great White Throne Judgment and the second death and
will be final for the unrepentant. Except for those in
the first resurrection, which Scripture declares will be
exempt (Rev. 20:3), all of mankind will stand before the
great judgment seat?
What will be the standard
by which Yahshua will judge mankind? Verse 12 says that
all will be judged based on their works. Many believe
that because of Yahweh’s grace that we shouldn’t be
concerned about works. Many even view works as bad,
being a form of legalism. Our views and opinions must
conform to Scripture, however. Scripture says that all
mankind will be judged based on their works, and how
they lived here on earth. The standard will be the
Scriptures and how they measured up. Yahweh gave His
Scriptures to live by and will judge on how closely we
followed them.
Scores of the Chagrined
and Brokenhearted
Millions will wish they had
taken the teaching of the Feasts seriously back when
keeping the Biblical observances and obeying the other
laws was a free choice that relatively few took to
heart. Had they done so, their blessings would have been
far greater at their resurrection. They could have been
among the priests ruling in Yahshua’s Kingdom.
Ezekiel’s prophecy about
those who rebelliously serve their own lusts and desires
stood as a Biblical warning for thousands of years:
"Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your
doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves
in your own sight for your iniquities and for your
abominations" (Ezek. 36:31).
And what about those who
perhaps in ignorance do not obey the Feast command in
the Millennial rule of Yahshua? The prophet Zechariah
says: "And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of
all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship
the King, Yahweh of hosts, even upon them shall be no
rain" (Zech. 14:17). Famine! Death! One will either keep
the Feasts of Leviticus 23 or one will suffer awful
plague.
In keeping the Feasts,
which revolve around the harvest seasons, we rejoice in
the abundance of the earth’s produce. Anyone refusing to
do so in the Millennial reign will suffer just the
opposite – starvation resulting from drought. Those who
stubbornly resist will also feel the sting of the rod of
iron administered by those who have been resurrected to
priesthood and who rule under Yahshua, as we have seen.
It’s Your Choice Now
The entire planet will be
in harmony with Yahweh once more, as it started out in
the Garden of Eden. All of nature will return to an
Edenic harmony and consequent beauty as earth’s people’s
submit to their Creator in a way that hasn’t been seen
since Adam and Eve before their rebellion.
It will be His way or no
way. No excuses. No questioning. No compromising. No
promises of "some other time, I’m too busy right now"
when the Feasts roll around. No more "maybe next year
when I’m ready." Yahweh will accept nothing short of
immediate, complete obedience from everyone. One will
either submit or suffer the wrath of the Mighty One of
the universe! This tells us volumes about how important
He views His commanded observances.
What would you do in that
day? Resist...or humbly comply? The important question
is, what are you doing NOW, knowing that Yahweh’s Feasts
are so imperative that they will soon be enforced around
the world? Do you want to be in that Kingdom reign, or
suffer from no rain as you are forced to learn Yahweh’s
ways at that time?
‘But I’m Not Jewish’
Those who misconstrue the
Bible’s clear command to keep the seven annual Feast
days, as well as the weekly Sabbath, counter Yahweh’s
mandate with the rationale, "I’m not a Jew. Those
observances are for Jews."
First, realize that the
Feast days were given to Moses on Mount Sinai to pass on
to Israel (see the Book of Leviticus, along with the
last verse, which reveals that Moses was given all the
law, not just the Ten Commandments on Sinai). Israel was
composed of 12 tribes, only one of which was known as
the Jews, the tribe of Judah. The 11 other tribes were
not Jews, but Hebrews, who were collectively known as
Israel. All 12 tribes stood at the base of Mt. Sinai to
receive Yahweh’s laws and agreed to His covenant, Exodus
19:1, 5-6. Therefore, the requirement was given to more
than the Jews. The entire nation of Israel received the
statutes and judgments and the Jews were just a fraction
of the 12-tribed Israelite nation.
The Scriptures make it
clear that we are to become spiritual Israelites. That
means we do what Israel did and live by the same laws
Israel did. Paul wrote, "Who are Israelites?" Then he
answers his own question, "To whom pertains the
adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the
giving of the law, and the service of Yahweh, and the
promises" (Rom. 9:4).
The original covenant was
made with Israel and no one but Israel. What most fail
to understand is that Yahweh is still working with and
through Israel. Others have a part in the promises only
by special adoption, as Paul reminds us.
Yahshua’s disciples clearly
understood this fact. Just before His ascension they
approached Him and asked, "Master, will you at this time
restore again the Kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6) They
did not comprehend His timetable, but they did
understand that He was working with those known as
Israel. Others who want a part in the salvation promise
must become spiritual Israelites (Rom. 9 and 11) and
abide by the same covenant agreement Yahweh made with
Israel. That agreement included obedience to all of
Yahweh’s laws given at Sinai – including the Ten
Commandments and Feast days.
Yahweh’s Worship,
Yahweh’s Days
Yahshua never changed the
core terms of the covenant agreement with Israel when He
came to earth. He said He did not come to destroy the
law but to fulfill it, Matthew 5:17. Fulfill means to
meet the law’s requirements. What Yahshua did was to
open the way for those outside of Israel to come into
the same promise by taking hold of the same covenant
Yahweh made with Israel – now it’s a RENEWED covenant
commonly known as the "New Testament." The basic terms
of that covenant are still the same: obedience to His
laws (see Hebrews 8, Romans 7:1, Acts 24:14).
Another reason that the
argument, "They’re Jewish Feasts," falls flat is found
in many passages, including Leviticus 23:2: "Speak unto
the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning
the feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be
holy convocations, even these are my feasts." This verse
in the law tells us exactly whose Feasts they really
are: the Feasts of Almighty Yahweh.
Prior to listing each of
the seven annual appointments, Yahweh declared this
important introduction, "These are the feasts of Yahweh,
even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in
their seasons" (Lev. 23:4). If these Feasts are just for
Jews, then in the Millennial Kingdom only Jews will be
required to observe them. But we have seen that in the
Kingdom the whole world will be keeping them at their
appointed times.
After Moses finished
cataloging the Feasts in Leviticus 23, we find this:
"And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the
feasts of Yahweh" (v. 44). Notice that Moses spoke to
all of Israel, not just to the Jews, and he declared to
them the "Feasts of Yahweh," not the "Feasts of the
Jews."
Only later in the New
Testament did they begin to be referred to as Feasts of
the Jews because the Jews were the one Israelite tribe
still faithful in keeping them. The rest of the
Israelites were derelict, being scattered throughout
other nations and taking up heathen holidays, as we find
in James 1:1; 1Peter 1:1, and John 7:35.
To keep the Feasts or not
to keep them — that is the choice set before each of us
today. It is our decision, and the appropriate
consequences will follow our choice. Bear in mind that
when Yahshua returns, ALL will comply or face plague
(Zech.14:16-19). May you make the right choice, pleasing
your Father in heaven and gaining His favor for the
blessings of an eternity.
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