THE FEASTS OF THE LORD

From the West Meadow
By Pastor Wesley Higgins

God in His mercy and love tells us He will do nothing without first revealing it through His prophets (Amos 2:7). One of the things He has done to fulfill that obligation is He has given us an outline of how He is bringing us to salvation. This outline can be found in Leviticus 23.

This chapter lists a series of holy convocations or meetings that God calls His feasts (Leviticus 23:2). These feasts, designed to be celebrated yearly at their appointed times (Leviticus 23:4), are a prophetic look at the salvation acts of Jesus Christ. The first three, the first and last Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost, have already been fulfilled in the first century A.D. by the death and resurrection of Jesus and by the giving of the Holy Spirit. Now we come to the last four feasts, which proclaim prophetic events Christ has not yet fulfilled.

It sometimes comes as a shock to realize that the cross was not the end or final act through which Jesus Christ brings us salvation. It is the beginning act of salvation. The book of Hebrews tells us that “Christ was offered to bear the sins of many...” and “...He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” (Heb. 9:28) This means that when Jesus Christ was here the first time, He took care of our sins by dying in our place; for all who have accepted his first sacrifice, He is returning “a second time” to bring salvation. This “second time”, this return of Christ, is prophesied by the last four feasts listed in Leviticus 23.

The Feast of Trumpets heralds the return of Christ: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). It also proclaims the resurrection of the saints: “...In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (I Corinthians 15:52)

The Day of Atonement, which foreshadows eternal oneness with our Father, reveals that there is no work or accomplishment on our part that will earn us salvation: “...you shall do no manner of work” on this day (Lev. 23:30,31). And since salvation has come to God’s people, Satan can no longer accuse them; he is cast down and put away (Revelation 12:9-10).

The Feast of Tabernacles prophesies a future time when Jesus has become “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” and rules with His saints over a happy , prosperous world (Rev. 19:16; 20:4).

The Eighth Day of the Feast (Lev. 23:36) gives us hope of a future time after the resurrections, after the Judgment–a time when “God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4).

Jesus says, “Surely I am coming quickly...” (Rev 22:20) “...Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

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