Feasts of the Lord

A s with the Law, the Tabernacle (Temple), the Priesthood, the Sacrificial Offerings, the Feasts of the Lord have been changed!

They are still the same Feasts of the Old Testament, but in an advanced form. They have progressed from Shadow to Image, from Picture to Reality. They each have an application to the Christian Church!

Passover is fulfilled in the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Mt. Calvary; Pentecost at the Outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost; and in this day, Tabernacles is scheduled for fulfillment.

The great Alfred Edersheim records in relation to Tabernacles, "Whether or not our suggestions be adopted as to the typical meaning of the two great ceremonies of the 'pouring out of the water' and the Temple illumination, the fact remains, that the Feast of Tabernacles is the ONE ONLY type in the Old Testament which has not yet been fulfilled." And again, " ..... in the writings of the apostles, but more especially in the Book of Revelation, whose imagery is so often taken from them; and we still look for the accomplishment of the one yet unfulled type - the Feast of Tabernacles, as the grand harvest-festival of the Church."

Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:

The Hebrew word for feast means to fix by appointment, to meet at a stated time, to summon to trial, to engage for marriage.

Leviticus 23:4 These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

The three feasts of the Lord are Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. As the three primal colours, (red, blue and yellow), divide into seven (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet), so also do the feasts of the Lord: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles.

Seven is the number of completeness or perfection. It is also the number of the end time.

It is important to understand that each feast (appointment) is to be proclaimed in its season. It is equally important to understand that today is not the season of Passover: neither is it the season of Pentecost. It is the season of Tabernacles! Now is the time for heralding this truth. And yet where is this sound being heard, where is this teaching beAing proclaimed? If this is the season of Tabernacles, why are its distinctive notes not being trumpeted with resolute clarity?

2 Peter 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Present truth is Tabernacles. God requires not only that His children hear and embrace the teaching, but that they be established in it. (Passover is not present truth. Pentecost is not present truth.)

1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet shall give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

The greatest battle in the history of the Christian Church lies immediately before it. The current message (present truth) must be taught, or the required preparation will not be effected.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

T imes and Seasons

The root Hebrew word which means appointment, means a fixed time or season.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; and a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, ane to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to loose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Acts 1:6,7 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

Psalm 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

Amplified Version: Blessed - happy, fortunate, to be envied - are the people who know the joyful sound [who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolised by the feasts]; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favour of your countenance.

The translators of this version of the Bible interpret the joyful sound as people who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolised by the feasts.

It is possible to understand something without appreciating it. It is also possible to appreciate something without understanding it. The joyful sound is to those who both understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings. These blessings are symbolised by the feasts!

The symbolism of the feasts of the Lord is threefold in its application.

Firstly, there is an historical application. The feasts of the Lord were literal festivals observed in the corporate life of the Old Testament church.

Secondly, they are prophetic in their symbolism of both the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.

Thirdly, the feasts of the Lord are experiential in the life of every Christian believer.

T ypes and Symbols

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

What things happened to whom?

All these things! Everything that happened to the Old Testament people of God. Everything!

Every dealing of God with His people is an ensample.

What an exhortation to understand what and in what manner God dealt with Israel. What an admonishment to read and understand the Old Testament.

An ensample is a die, stamp, sear, shape, style, resemblance, sample, type, mould, example, figure, pattern, print.

This is the major method that God uses to speak to His people.

God's dealings with His Old Testament people become a majestic parable of the New Testament church. The nation of Israel becomes a gigantic object lesson for the church.

Much of Jesus' teaching was in the form of parables.

Parables illustrate teaching. They put windows in a message. They paint word pictures that the student can both see and relate to.

Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.

Many, many lessons are to be learned from the Old Testament. Give the Word of God the place of honour it deserves. Do not speak lightly of it. Do not ridicule it. Don't say, "That's Old Testament; it is not necessary." Say what God says about it. Say, "This is the greatest parable in the Word of God."

Conversely, the church is the Israel of God.

Galatians 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Basically, the Old Testament is natural and the New Testament is spiritual.

1 Corinthians 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

As with light (seven colours), so with the Word of God. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second.

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Jesus warned to beware that the light within be turned to darkness. This can only be made possible by not going on in God; by not wholly following the Lord.

The Feasts of the Lord clearly reveal that the "new Christian doesn't get everything the moment he/she is saved." They clearly reveal that the "baptism of the Holy Spirit is not incorporated in the believer's original salvation experience."

They clearly reveal that the "only possible method of putting away sin in one's life lies in the fact that when Jesus died, the believer died with Him!"

God declares that the purpose of recording His dealings with His Old Testament people is for our admonition. They are written for us: they are written for the New Testament church.

Reading the Old Testament is far more that reading a history lesson! God's attitudes and methods of dealing with His Old Testament are paralleled in the New Testament.

For example, His attitude and treatment of sin today remains exactly the same as in Old Testament times.

Though many are tempted to try and even exhaust the Almighty's patience and mercy, (and God is full of patience and mercy), every disobedience received its just recompsense of reward. As it was then, so is it now.

The record is primarily for the people upon whom the ends of the world are come - this generation!

A re You Keeping Your Appointment With God?

A synonym for feast is appointment.

Suppose an appointment is made between you and the queen of England. Preparations would be made at great length regarding appropriate attire, manicure and protocol.

Nothing would hinder you from keeping your appointment. Everything in your power would strain in your endeavour to meet the queen. The question of punctuality would never enter your mind.

And yet, when the King of Heaven schedules an appointment, many turn a deaf ear, many ignore it and many make light of it.

How true this is with invitations that are sent for the King's marriage of His Son!

Matthew 22:2-8  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son. And he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

What an insult to the God of Heaven! What an insult to the King of Kings! No thinking human being would even contemplate such behaviour. Ignoring God

Attention is drawn to the question. Notice its particular tense. "Are you keeping your appointment with God?" This is present tense. Keeping former appointments is of no consequence.

The question is not, "Have you kept." It is "Are you keeping."

You mave have given your life to God and had your sins washed in the precious blood of His Son. You may be baptised in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. This is not the issue. This is not the question.

God's desire is that the believer be established in present truth. Present truth is Tabernacles. Present truth has to do with the marriage of the King's Son.

Without exception, the invitations were made light of; they were ignored.

Sadly, this is the attitude of many today.

The wedding will be furnised with guests. But those who made light of the invitation will not be granted admission. Their opportunity squandered, they have only to face rejection.

Matthew 25:10-13 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marraige: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

To ignore the invitation is to do so at your own peril. To answer the question in the negative is to embrace destruction.

The question can not be ignored. No amount of rhetoric will evade the issue.

Are you keeping your appointment with God? Will you say yes to the marriage of the King's Son?