The first three festivals represent the personal responses to the workings of those whom God has called and chosen. But the Feast of Trumpets heralds the start of God's intervention in the affairs of mankind on a global basis. The Feast of Trumpets typifies the Second Coming of Christ Who will return to earth to establish the kingdom of God. Revelation reveals the sequence of events leading to His return in a series of seven trumpet blasts. The sounding of the last trumpet blast by the seventh angel culminates the establishment of the kingdom of God (Rev 11:15).
The establishment of God's kingdom on earth is the consummation of the blessed hope prophesied by the prophets of the Old Testament (Isaiah 9: 6-7; Daniel 2:44, 7:18,22, 27) and reinforced by His disciples in the New Testament (Acts 1:6). This Feast speaks of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) coming to rule as a King with authority and power. Christ on His first advent had clearly differentiated between His first and second coming (John 18:36-37). The Lord had emphasised the importance of spreading the gospel - the good news of the coming kingdom of God - instead of focusing on when it will happen (Acts 1:6-8).
The Feast of Trumpets also signals a resurrection of the dead. "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 (1 Thess 4:16) - and this is followed immediately by the people of God who are alive at that time (verse 17). Scriptures call this 'the first resurrection' - Rev 20:5, which is also known as 'a better resurrection' - Heb11:35. When Christ returns to establish His millennial kingdom on earth, there will be perfect government, peace, prosperity and an abundant way of life like never before.
While the Passover symbolises the shedding of Christ's blood for the atoning for our past sins, The Day of Atonement typifies the reconciliation of God and all of humanity. The difference between the two is that the Passover is applicable to those whom God has called, The Day of Atonement carries universal application to all of mankind. Moreover, it signals the removal of the main instigator of sin - Satan himself will be incarcerated for a thousand years during the milliennial rule of Christ (Rev 20: 2-3).
The Day of Atonement is looking forward to the time when mankind will no longer be under the deception and influence of Satan and his demons. The sending away of the 'scapegoat' into the wilderness (Leviticus 16: 21-22) is a typology of the removal of the sins of the people and placing it upon the evil spirits to whom it belongs. Since spirit beings cannot be annihilated, Satan and the demons will probably be cast into the outer corner of the universe where there is blackness of darkness forever and devoid of anything good (Jude 12-13) - an existence far worse than death!
The next Holy Day in God's Master Plan for mankind is the Feast of Tabernacles. The Apostle Peter spoke of the times of refreshing and the times of restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21) on the day of Pentecost. But what exactly do these mean? The times of refreshing refers to the banishment of Satan depicted by the Day of Atonement and the times of restoration of all things refers to the return of Christ's reign on earth when He comes symbolises by the Feast of Tabernacles. Together with the sons of God being born again as immortal spirit beings into the Divine Family, they will begin the restoration of planet earth and all the value systems of this world (Satan inspired) being replaced with God's laws and righteousness. That is the good news for the future of the new Jerusalem and new earth will be as paradise.
The prophet Isaiah prophesied not just of Christ's birth and His earthly ministry (Isaiah 9: 6-7), but also His return in power and glory (Isaiah 66:15-16). The Feast of Tabernacles is also a reflection of the rest symbolises by the weekly Sabbath (Hebrews 4:1-11). It celebrates the great harvest to come for all of humanity when they will all know Christ and the ways of God the Father. One of the restoration processes is to reverse the effect of sins, when the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap and the deaf will hear (Isaiah 35:5-6) without the need of medicine and surgery. Even the nature of the animal kingdom will be changed as they live in harmony with each other (Isaiah 11:6-7).
The purpose of the millennial rule of Christ is to bring the multitudes into the kingdom of God with the help of kings and priests who are called during the church age (Rev 5:10). They will be given power over the nations (Rev 2:26). Since it is God's desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4), the Lord Christ explains how this will come to pass. In John 7: 37-38, Christ mentioned on the Last Great Day (the eighth day - Lev 23:39) that all who thirst will receive the power of the Holy Spirit, a symbolism that the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28) - but this has not fully taken place in the church age. Billions of people who have died without their spiritual needs being met will be resurrected (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) to have the opportunity to learn God's truth and be refreshed after Christ's return.
The establishment of God's kingdom on earth is the consummation of the blessed hope prophesied by the prophets of the Old Testament (Isaiah 9: 6-7; Daniel 2:44, 7:18,22, 27) and reinforced by His disciples in the New Testament (Acts 1:6). This Feast speaks of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) coming to rule as a King with authority and power. Christ on His first advent had clearly differentiated between His first and second coming (John 18:36-37). The Lord had emphasised the importance of spreading the gospel - the good news of the coming kingdom of God - instead of focusing on when it will happen (Acts 1:6-8).
The Feast of Trumpets also signals a resurrection of the dead. "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 (1 Thess 4:16) - and this is followed immediately by the people of God who are alive at that time (verse 17). Scriptures call this 'the first resurrection' - Rev 20:5, which is also known as 'a better resurrection' - Heb11:35. When Christ returns to establish His millennial kingdom on earth, there will be perfect government, peace, prosperity and an abundant way of life like never before.
While the Passover symbolises the shedding of Christ's blood for the atoning for our past sins, The Day of Atonement typifies the reconciliation of God and all of humanity. The difference between the two is that the Passover is applicable to those whom God has called, The Day of Atonement carries universal application to all of mankind. Moreover, it signals the removal of the main instigator of sin - Satan himself will be incarcerated for a thousand years during the milliennial rule of Christ (Rev 20: 2-3).
The Day of Atonement is looking forward to the time when mankind will no longer be under the deception and influence of Satan and his demons. The sending away of the 'scapegoat' into the wilderness (Leviticus 16: 21-22) is a typology of the removal of the sins of the people and placing it upon the evil spirits to whom it belongs. Since spirit beings cannot be annihilated, Satan and the demons will probably be cast into the outer corner of the universe where there is blackness of darkness forever and devoid of anything good (Jude 12-13) - an existence far worse than death!
The next Holy Day in God's Master Plan for mankind is the Feast of Tabernacles. The Apostle Peter spoke of the times of refreshing and the times of restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21) on the day of Pentecost. But what exactly do these mean? The times of refreshing refers to the banishment of Satan depicted by the Day of Atonement and the times of restoration of all things refers to the return of Christ's reign on earth when He comes symbolises by the Feast of Tabernacles. Together with the sons of God being born again as immortal spirit beings into the Divine Family, they will begin the restoration of planet earth and all the value systems of this world (Satan inspired) being replaced with God's laws and righteousness. That is the good news for the future of the new Jerusalem and new earth will be as paradise.
The prophet Isaiah prophesied not just of Christ's birth and His earthly ministry (Isaiah 9: 6-7), but also His return in power and glory (Isaiah 66:15-16). The Feast of Tabernacles is also a reflection of the rest symbolises by the weekly Sabbath (Hebrews 4:1-11). It celebrates the great harvest to come for all of humanity when they will all know Christ and the ways of God the Father. One of the restoration processes is to reverse the effect of sins, when the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap and the deaf will hear (Isaiah 35:5-6) without the need of medicine and surgery. Even the nature of the animal kingdom will be changed as they live in harmony with each other (Isaiah 11:6-7).
The purpose of the millennial rule of Christ is to bring the multitudes into the kingdom of God with the help of kings and priests who are called during the church age (Rev 5:10). They will be given power over the nations (Rev 2:26). Since it is God's desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4), the Lord Christ explains how this will come to pass. In John 7: 37-38, Christ mentioned on the Last Great Day (the eighth day - Lev 23:39) that all who thirst will receive the power of the Holy Spirit, a symbolism that the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28) - but this has not fully taken place in the church age. Billions of people who have died without their spiritual needs being met will be resurrected (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) to have the opportunity to learn God's truth and be refreshed after Christ's return.
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