The Prophetic Significance of the Feasts of the LORD

Thanks Morguefile.com 

What are the Feasts of the LORD? God gave seven Feasts to the Jews in Leviticus 23. These were Feasts the Jewish people were required to keep, and they continue to observe and celebrate them to this day. 

In some translations of the Bible, such as the newer (2011) New International Version (NIV) as well as the New Living Translation (NLT), they are not called "feasts" but are called "festivals."

It's important to notice these are not the Feasts of the Jews. These are Feasts of the LORD. They belong not just to the Jewish people but to everyone who belongs to the LORD.

The seven Feasts of the LORD have both historical meaning and prophetic meaning.

By "historical" I mean these Feasts point back in time to a certain time in history and the Feast is designed to remind the Jews (and all of us) of what God did for the Jewish people at that time in history.

By "prophetic" I mean these Feasts also point forward in time to something God said He would do in the future. Now, these Feasts were given in the time of Moses, who lived approximate 1500 years before Christ, so some of what was "future" in that time is now past history to us. In other words the prophetic/future meaning for some of these feasts is in our past. And we can clearly see it since we now have the benefit of looking back in hindsight.

The prophetic meaning of the first four of the seven Feasts of the LORD were fulfilled in the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The prophetic meaning of the last three of the seven Feasts of the LORD will be fulfilled in his second coming.

Some people don't believe Jesus is coming again. Their disbelief does not affect that truth that he will indeed come again—and that time is growing near. (Tweet that!) Two reasons we can be so confident he will indeed come again are:

• The fact that he has already fulfilled four of the seven Feasts in his first coming
• The fact that three of the seven Feasts have yet to be fulfilled.

The first three Feasts occur in spring. Then there's a break of fifty days to Pentecost.

Then the last three Feasts occur in fall of the year.

Here are the seven Feasts (or festivals) of the LORD in the order they occur annually along with the historical event or meaning, the prophetic event or meaning (Tweet that!), and the Scripture backup for that event:

1. Passover, which points historically to when the Passover Lamb is slain. Prophetically, Christ was our Passover Lamb, slain for the sins of the world (all who will accept that). 1 Corinthians 5:7
2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, celebrated by eating only bread without leaven. Historically it points to when the children of Israel left slavery in Egypt in haste with no time to let bread rise. In the Bible leaven often symbolizes sin. Prophetically, Jesus Christ, who was without sin, was buried and in the grave for the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 2 Corinthians 5:21
3. The Feast of First Fruits historically commemorates and thanks God for the first of the harvest after the Israelites entered the Promised Land. Prophetically, Jesus Christ is the first of the harvest, the first raised from dead. 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Revelation 1:5
4. Pentecost, historically commemorates the giving of the Law by God to Moses. Prophetically, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the giving of the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost. Acts 2
5. The first in the fall is the Feast of Trumpets, also known as Yom Teruah or Rosh HaShana. The Feast of Trumpets, historically, is associated with the blowing of the shofar (ram's horn trumpet). Prophetically, it is connected to the resurrection of the dead and/or the Rapture. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
6. Historically, on the Day of Atonement, also known as Yom Kippur, the High Priest enters Holy of Holies to atone for the people's sins. Every fiftieth year on this day, the Year of Jubilee is proclaimed. Prophetically, Jesus Christ will come again to get his people whose sins are atoned for. Mark 15:37-38, Hebrews 10:19-21
7. The final Feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths or Sukkot. Historically this celebrates the completion of the harvest. Prophetically, the harvest of souls from the earth is complete and God comes to live or "tabernacle" with us. Revelation 14:15-16

NASA projects there will be a full lunar eclipse on both Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, the first and the last annual Feast of the LORD, in 2014 and then the same repeats in 2015. (Tweet that!)

Do you find this fascinating?

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Thanks to www.Morguefile.com 

Tomorrow we will look at what in nature (apart from God doing something supernatural) can cause the moon to turn red like blood. (Tweet that!)

Special Note:

In anticipation of the first of the four lunar eclipses occurring next week, we're covering some prophecies concerning red moons and other information important to understanding their significance. (Tweet that!) Here is the schedule of these posts. Please invite your friends or your entire church to join us:

• Day 10, April 9: The Moon as a Sign and the Prophesied Blood Red Moons
• Day 9, April 10: How the Jewish Calendar Works
• Day 8, April 11: The Prophetic Significance of the Feasts of the LORD
• Day 7, April 12: What Causes the Moon to Turn Red Like Blood?
• Day 6, April 14: "Tetrad" of Four Lunar Eclipses on Jewish Feast Days in the Past
• Day 5, April 15: The First Lunar Eclipse on Passover 2014 (and why I don't expect anything to happen that day.)