Timing is everything! When major leaders of the world purposefully plan to address other leaders on specific holidays and/or major solar events there is more to it then what meets the eye. In this case Pope Francis (also portrayed as Petrus Romanus by Malachy’s prophecy) will be addressing the United States congress around both the day of Atonement— the most sacred Jewish holiday that revolves around repentance—as well as the during the blood moon tetrad. Here is the breaking report…
Have you ever wondered why seven feasts were given to the Israelite’s in the book of Leviticus? Or why God would give such specific instructions on how to celebrate and commemorate events? Obviously He had a reason, otherwise he wouldn’t have put them in the Bible.
‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” Lev. 23:2
Here God calls the feasts, His feasts, he makes it personal and claims them as his own. Not only that, but he uses the words, “holy convocations,” to describe them. In other words, these are sacred celebrations with purpose and meaning. They were given not only to the Israelite’s in Biblical times, but are for believers today. I believe these feasts not only help us call things to remembrance, but also show us what will be in the future. They perfectly foreshadowed and foreshadow, Christs first and second coming.
In light of this, I thought it best to break down the seven major feasts of Israel as simply as I could. Each is briefly, and I mean briefly, touched on for the sake of room. Please keep in mind I have not listed all of the details that occur, just the high points on each of the following feasts. So here goes….
The first three feasts are: The Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First Fruits. These feasts are lumped into a 7-8 day celebration. They tell of the exile of the Israelite’s from the land of Egypt and can be tied to the first coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
FEAST 1- PASSOVER- (Exodus 12:1-14, Leviticus 23:5)
Passover is celebrated for a period of seven days, starting the fourteenth day of the first month. On the Jewish calendar, this is the month of Nissan and usually around March-April for us. When the Passover is complete, the feast of Unleavened Bread starts on the 15th-21st days of the month of Nissan and continues for seven days. The primary observation of this feast is to commemorate the exodus of the Jews from Egypt after many years of slavery.
Meaning of Passover:
Passover refers to God having ‘passed over’ the Israelite’s. In this event God instructs the Israelite’s to sacrifice a pure and spotless lamb and use it’s blood to mark their doorposts in order to avoid the tenth and final plague given from Moses to Pharaoh, which was the killing of the firstborn sons.
Seeing Christ in Passover:
God gave his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to be our pure and spotless Lamb Sacrifice; he became our Passover Sacrifice. Because of His sacrifice, God is able to ‘pass over’, or overlook our sins, and we can now be forgiven.
“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
(*This festival has so much more to offer than what I have written; if you are interested in learning more information in this area then I would recommend that you attend a Messianic Jewish Seder.)
FEAST 2- FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD – (Leviticus 23:6-8, Deuteronomy 16:3-4, 8)
This Feast lasts seven days and starts right after Passover, on the 15th-21st days of the month of Nissan. It is celebrated in order to remember that the children of Israel left in haste from Egypt and had no time to put leaven in their bread.
How they celebrate:
During this time, unleavened bread is eaten and in some cases all leavened bread is removed from the house. Then on the seventh day, they have a feast to the Lord.
Seeing Christ in the feast:
Leaven, which can also stand for sin, is not eaten during this holiday. This is done to remember that Christ took our sins on the cross and the sin has since been removed.
“Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:8
FEAST 3- FEAST OF FIRST FRUITS – (Leviticus 23:9-14)
This feast begins on the day after the weekly Sabbath in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that would be the first day of the week, Sunday. It is done as an expression of gratitude to God for His provision in the harvest. This festival begins the fifty day countdown to the Festival of Weeks, or Pentecost.
How they celebrate:
In this feast a sheaf of the first fruits of the barley harvest is waved before the Lord and in biblical times, a sacrificial lamb was also given.
Seeing Christ in the feast:
Jesus became our firstfruits sacrifice. We no longer need a sacrificial lamb for redemption. Christ became that sacrifice on the cross at Calvary It is believed that Jesus was resurrected on this day, the day the Feast of Firstfruits was taking place. (Wow!)
“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20
FEAST 4 – FESTIVAL OF WEEKS or PENTECOST (SHAVUOT) – (Leviticus 23:15-21, Deut. 16:9-12)
This festival occurs fifty days after the offering of the feast of first fruits. On this day, they are to offer a new grain offering to the Lord. In connection with the wheat harvest, this celebration also involves the first fruits observations. It is known as a time of great celebration for the Jews. Prophetically, this festival is tied to our current age, (or church age) our present time.
Reason they celebrate:
This festival commemorates the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelite’s at Mount Sinai.
Seeing it as the present time:
In much the same way that the law was received on Mount Sinai on stone tablets, so we also have received the law through the Holy Spirit now written on the tables of our hearts. Pentecost is the anniversary of the beginning of Christianity under the new covenant (Acts 2). It represents God using His church—those who are converted, revitalized and transformed by His Spirit—to do His work in this current age of Satan’s spiritual dominance over humankind.
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4
*Notice that the day of Pentecost in the verse above, was the same day the Holy Spirit was received by the Christians in the story of Acts above.
*Note: The following three holidays are not related to any historical event, but do foreshadow future events (rapture, second coming, millennial reign)
FEAST 5 – FEAST OF TRUMPETS (ROSH HASHANAH)- (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1-6)
This feast is one of the three fall festival. It marks the beginning of their civil year and is celebrated on the first day of the seventh month. On the Jewish calendar, it’s the month of Tishrei and usually falls around September/October for us. Prophetically, it foreshadows the rapture of the church.
Details of celebration:
During this celebration, one hundred trumpet blasts are sounded with the shofar. This holiday stresses the concept of the return of God. It also celebrates God’s role as judge over mankind’s actions for the past year, and gives them an opportunity to begin the New Year with a clean slate.
Seeing it as the Rapture of the Church:
The rapture is when Christ descends from heaven and with the sound of a trumpet we the church, are ‘caught up’ into the air to meet the Lord.
Something to think about:
The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16b) quotes Rabbi Jochanan’s summary of this period {Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur} in these words:
“Three books are opened for evaluation on Rosh Hashanah- 1- Book of Life of the wicked, 2- Book of Life of the righteous, 3- Book of Life for those in-between.”
Seeing it prophetically:
1- Book of Life of the wicked – the ones who are condemned
2- Book of Life of the righteous – the raptured church
3- Book of Life of those in-between – Tribulation.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
*Note- There are ten days between the Feast of trumpets and the Day of Atonement which are known as “The Ten Days of Awe, a time of repentance.” These days are regarded as man’s last chance, through his actions, to influence God to reconsider his decision. {Tribulation} (Rosh Hashanah 16b).
FEAST 6- THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (YOM KIPPUR)- (Leviticus 16; Leviticus 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11)
The Day of Atonement is celebrated on the tenth day after feast of trumpets, which is in the seventh month and the tenth day in the month of Tishrei.
Details of the holiday:
This holiday is considered one of the most sacred days on the Jewish calendar. It is a day of strict prayer, most of which revolves around the theme of repentance and return, and a time of fasting. It’s considered the climax (or end) of the “Ten Days of Awe.” It is a day of self-denial, a day of cleansing of sin and a time when sin has been paid for.
Seeing it as the ‘Second Coming of Christ’:
This is the most important day. The day that Christ returns with his army to battle the nations and He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives. It marks the end of tribulation, a time when judgment is rendered to those left here on earth. And it marks the beginning of the 1,000 year reign, a time where sin will be cleansed from the earth.
“Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” Zechariah 14:3-4
FEAST 7 – FEAST OF TABERNACLES (SUKKOT< FESTIVAL OF BOOTHS)- (Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-43, Deut. 16:13-17)
This feast is celebrated five days after the Day of Atonement on the 15-21st day of the seventh month of Tishrei and lasts a full seven days. This is the final fall feast and is considered a great time of joy. Prophetically, this feast is tied to the future kingdom of our Lord, the Millennial Reign.
Reason they celebrate:
This festival is celebrated as a reminder that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and made them dwell in booths, so that future generations would know that the Lord is God. During this festival, the Jewish people build a temporary booth outside of their home made with leaves and branches on top. Some even dwell and eat in the booths for the full seven day celebration. This is the only feast in which Gentiles are permitted to join in the fun.
Relating it to the Millennial Reign:
During this time all people will know that the Lord is the one and only true God, and He will rule and reign over His people from Jerusalem. The booths represent another dwelling place, as during the millennial reign there will be a new heaven and a new earth (same earth, just better). This is the only feast in which Gentiles are permitted to join in the fun, and during the millennial reign, there will be both Jews and Gentiles living together on the earth, serving the Lord. This is also a festival that will be celebrated in this future coming kingdom.
“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.” Zechariah 14:16
*Final Note- Please remember there is so much more information on each of these holidays that would literally shock you. But, unfortunately I only have enough space to hit a few top points for each feast. I encourage you to do further research, you will be utterly amazed at what you will find.
If you would like a more in-depth study of this topic, one of the best resources is Perry Stones DVD series, “Prophetic Discoveries Hidden in God’s 7 Appointed Feasts.” It will blow your mind!!
For More Information See:
http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/pope-francis-address-joint-meeting-congress
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