Meaning of the Feast Cycle
The article below is from my book "TIMELINE". Thought it might be interesting for everyone to read:
A means to understanding the two messianic themes is in the study of the Feasts. It is significant that God divided the Feasts celebrated in the Tabernacle into two groups, Spring and Fall. These two groups related prophetically to the first and second coming of the Messiah. The feasts were given by God to Israel to celebrate God’s divine intervention in the affairs of Israel while pointing to the coming Messiah. Each feast is to be celebrated at a specific appointed time.
Leviticus
23:2
"These are the LORD's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to
proclaim at their appointed times."
Each feast represents a physical fulfillment in history and represents a spiritual prophetic fulfillment in the Messiah. God commanded we keep the feasts because in doing so we are keeping alive the knowledge of the true God. We are also celebrating God’s deliverance of the sons of God. But most importantly, we are kept aware of the reality of the end times and the TIMING of Yahshua Second Coming.
The western church has misunderstood much of the words of prophecy such as “no one knows the day or hour” because of our lack of understanding concerning these feasts.
Colossians
2:16-17
"Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or by with regard
to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day. These
are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found
in the Messiah"
The spring festivals typified things associated with Yahshua' first coming, and the fall festivals illustrate things associated with his second coming. Yahshua promised that he would come again (John 14:1-3), and the Feast Cycle tells the story. My purpose here is not been to go into a lot of detail but to provide an overview of the yearly festivals and to show how they point to Yahshua the Messiah and provide insight into the timing of His Second Coming.
PASSOVER AND FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD (Leviticus 23:4-8)
Historical Meaning: Prior to the Messiah, Israel celebrated the Passover to remember the saving power of the ‘blood of the lamb’ that saved God’s people from the Angel of Death as Moses delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.
The celebration of the Passover included the slaughter of the Passover lamb, which typified the Lamb of God, who would cover the sins of the world and those found in the ‘blood of the lamb’ would be ‘passed over’ from the second death.
Messianic Fulfillment: Yahshua celebrated the Passover dinner known as the ‘Last Supper’ before He offered Himself as the Passover Lamb fulfilling the Feast of Passover.
FIRSTFRUITS (Leviticus 23:9-14)
Historical Meaning: This day was like the American Thanksgiving holiday. It was not observed on a particular date but always on a particular day. Just as Thanksgiving is always observed on the fourth Thursday in the month of November, the presentation of the Firstfruits was always celebrated on the first day of the week, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
According to Leviticus 23:11, the priest is to wave the firstfruits on the day after the Sabbath.
Messianic Fulfillment: Yahshua came as the Anoined One, the Messiah, nearly 2,000 years ago; and with that are associated the festivals the Israelites observed around the spring harvest. When he was crucified, Yahshua died as the passover Lamb; and he was raised as the firstfruits on the day after the Sabbath. Yahshua was literally the ‘first fruit’ of the dead. The first human to ever be raised eternal. Fulfilling the meaning of the Firstfruits.
FEAST OF WEEKS (Leviticus 23:15-22)
"From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off 50 days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD."
Historical Meaning: The Feast of Weeks was to be observed on the day after the seventh Sabbath--the seven full weeks (seven Sabbaths) from the presentation of the firstfruits. Thus, the Feast of Weeks was always on the first day of the week. Further, it was to be observed 50 days from the presentation of firstfruits, which indicates that the firstfruits were always presented on the same day of the week as well--the first.
Messianic Fulfillment: On the 50th day from Yahshua' resurrection, the Holy Spirit came on the apostles on the Day of Pentecost, which was the Feast of Weeks. On that day, 3,000 believed the words of the apostles and received salvation (Acts 2). The Feast of Weeks is also a portrait of the divine timeline. Celebrating the 7th Sabbath representing the 7th Millennium.
FEAST OF TRUMPETS (Leviticus 23:23-25)
Historical Meaning: Observed on the first day of the seventh Jewish Holy month (September on our calendar). The purpose of the Feast of Trumpets is not clearly stated in the Bible, but according to Jewish tradition, it was to warn the people of the impending Day of Atonement, which came nine days later.
Messianic Fulfillment: The first of the autumn festivals described in Leviticus 23 is the Feast of Trumpets. Again, though Leviticus doesn't tell us much about the purpose of this day, Jews understand it to be the warning of the approaching Day of Atonement, by which all sin must be dealt with. I believe the Feast of Trumpets is fulfilled by the seven trumpets of Revelation 8-9, 11. Study indicates that the sounding of the trumpets coincides with the messages of the three angels--Worship the Creator God, Babylon is fallen, and Do not worship Babylon. The Second Coming occurs at the last trumpet of the Feast of Trumpets.
DAY OF ATONEMENT (Leviticus 23:26-32)
Historical Meaning: Observed on the 10th day of the seventh month. This was the day when the people were to be cleansed of sin. All sin was to have been confessed and transferred into the sanctuary by this time, and the high priest ministered on the Day of Atonement to remove the sins from the sanctuary and have them born into the wildreness by the scapegoat (Leviticus 16).
Messianic Fulfillment: The second of the autumn festivals is the Day of Atonement. This day was the only day on which the ministry of the high priest directly included the ark of the covenant. At no other time was the ark to be seen by human eyes. Revelation 11:19 is the first and--if memory serves--only time the ark is specifically mentioned; and I believe that it refers to the time by which all sin must be confessed and repented of. Notice, in the last few verses of Revelation 11, that the ark is revealed very shortly after the seventh trumpet is sounded.
FEAST OF TABERNACLES AND CLOSING ASSEMBLY (Leviticus 23:33-36)
Historical Meaning: The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated the autumn harvest, just as the Feast of Weeks celebrated the spring harvest.
Messianic Fulfillment: The third of the autumn festivals is the Feast of Tabernacles. This was the celebration of the harvest at the end of the year, just as the Feast of Weeks was the celebration of the spring harvest. The difference is that the Feast of Tabernacles was a much bigger celebration (see Leviticus 23). Revelation 14:14-16 describes the harvest; and Revelation 7:9-15 is another reference to those who are harvested from the earth.
The Spring Feasts point to the Messiah’s first coming. Yahshua presented Himself as the Passover Lamb on the Passover Feast. Yahshua was resurrected as the first fruits of the Eternal Kingdom on the day after the Sabbath on the Feast of Firstfruits. Fifty days after His resurrection, Yahshua sent the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Weeks.
The Autumn Feasts point to Messiah’s second coming. Yahshua returns on the Feast of Trumpets, liberates Jerusalem during the Days of Awe, and atones for the sins of man on the Day of Atonement. Then Yahshua celebrates the end time harvest with His bride during a weeklong feast on the Mount of Olives during the Feast of Tabernacles.
At
that time, God’s Feast Cycle will be complete and the Kingdom Age or
Millennial Reign begins.