Leviticus 23:23-44 AFTER A LONG INTERVAL After the busy labor of harvest had past, and the blessings of the provision of God for His people had been stored away in barns and storehouses, the civil new year began. On the first day of the seventh month the trumpets sounded across the land calling the nation to the Feast of Trumpets, the first of the annual fall festivals. They began with Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) as a call to ten days of self-examination and repentance. On this one day, Feast of Trumpets, there was to be no work done and the sons of Israel were to gather symbolically testifying to the re-gathering of Israel. It was a memorial day; calling them to remember the past glory of the nation and to remind them of the future promises to be fulfilled. The blowing of the trumpets was to stir the people to seek the Lord. No doubt there would be joy and thanksgiving for the Lord for the harvest, and this day introduced a time of cleansing in view of the solemn Day of Atonement ten days later.
The day of grace in which we now live is an interval between the beginning of the Church age which followed the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His coming again. When the Lord descends from heaven with a "shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God," a time of God's dealing with Israel as a nation will again take place. Present day Israel is a political system, not a spiritual revival leading to repentance. But we can learn from the foreshadowing of coming events that the Lord's return is imminent. When the trumpet sounds, the Church will be caught up into the presence of our Lord.
Yom Kippur is considered by many Jews to be the most important day of the year. The Day of Atonement was held after an eight-day interval on the tenth day of the seventh month. This was not a joyous occasion but a solemn day of fasting, affliction of soul, rest from all labor all leading to a real, genuine penitence. The high priest had to have prepared himself and the proper animals gathered to be sacrificed for the priest and his family, and for the people. The two goats were there and the people would anxiously wait to see if the atonement for sin would be accepted by God. The "scape-goat" would be then taken into the wilderness and the other sacrifices could be offered because the blood of atonement had secured peace with God for another year. Fellowship was restored and sin covered on that day.
Israel has yet to go through a solemn time of serious consequences before real fellowship is established with their Messiah. The years of tribulation during "the time of Jacob's trouble" will bring them to the place where they long for assurance that they will survive the wrath of God. In that day Israel will mourn and long for God. God will bring the nation to the place of supplication and a deep desire for God's grace to be shown to them. That is when Israel will finally "look on Him whom they have pierced." So many will have been cut off before repentance for their sin and acceptance of Christ takes place. Finally, they will look beyond Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to the One who is the Atoning Sacrifice. Finally, they will find victory through full surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. They will mourn but God will give "the oil of joy for mourning." The nation will finally rejoice in the Lord Himself and not just have sins atoned for, but will have "a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness." Israel shall be saved.
Perhaps a type of the Judgment Seat of Christ can be made here as it will not be a day of salvation or celebration, but a day of revelation of the motives believers today have in relation to their service for God. It is wise for us to realize that the trumpet sound of the rapture will take us to the time and place where we will give account of the "things done in the body." That coming day is one of the motivating factors linked with the ministry of reconciliation we have during this harvest time.
The Feast of Tabernacles was the last of the seven feasts of Jehovah in the year. It was a week of rejoicing, remembering the forty years of living in tents in the wilderness. It was a time of renewal as they camped out in booths made to live in for a week and enjoy the friendship and fellowship of friends and neighbors. This was a happy time of celebration. The Feast of Ingathering at the end of the harvest would indicate they now had a time of rest. The Feast of Trumpets had called them to ten days of soul-searching leading up to the Day of Atonement with its solemnity as the nation waited anxiously for evidence of atonement for their sins. Now five days later was the Feast of Tabernacles with joy and gladness.
History says there was worship and teaching given when there was the reading of the last of the Torah, and the restart of the reading of the Torah at the beginning of the book. There were daily sacrifices made of each kind of offering. They would share their history and renew acquaintances. There was lighting of menorahs and the symbolic drawing up and pouring out of water as types of God's blessings. For seven days this went on until the last great day. That was the day when Jesus cried loudly, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." We can understand the need of longing souls when we realize this form was repeated year after year, and then the people would return to their homes to repeat the same things over again for another year. The Lord Jesus offered living water which those who believe on Him now can have. He is the True Succoth (booth; shelter) who God has given for us. He is the Great Physician who cleanses us from sin and uncleanness - the Balm of Gilead. For the Jews the day will come when they will share the blessings of the Millennium with their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will sit on the throne of David, and His kingdom of peace will be world wide.
It is not wasted time to look back and be reminded of what God has done. There we are impressed with the work God in His grace has won - For us that we might be accepted in Christ, and by God we are forgiven. No longer just people of earth, but now we have our citizenship in heaven.
So, in our feasts we are reminded of promises the future holds. Each day we become more aware, as foreshadowing events unfold. The sound of the trumpet of God, and a shout will call us to Him. What we have been laboring at will be ended, and promises given will begin.
Israel will have a hard time; payday always follows rejection. That nation will finally call on God, in "trouble" they are called to reflection. Then will their Messiah appear and they will look on Him they had pierced. He will speak peace to their souls, when the call of trumpets reaches their ears.
The solemnity of the Day of Atonement will pass as in their land they will find peace. Brought together from all over the world, God's earthly people will marvel at grace. On David's throne the King of kings will sit, and peace will come to earth. National leaders come to Him, and Israel will experience national rebirth.
Those who compose the Church, who have experienced resurrection and life - Will be with the Lord in His glory, and will share in the kingdom as His wife. There will be much to do in His service to fulfill all the purposes of God. Every knee will be bowed that was stiff, and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord.
Like Israel looked back to some feasts, we look back to what Christ did. From the Passover Feast and onward, we realize that now in Christ we are hid. Looking ahead with joy we anticipate a day when as King, Jesus will reign. And every voice that can speak words, will bring glory and honor to His name.
"Father in heaven, looking ahead I rejoice in the promise of Christ's return and the blessings that follow. Looking back I rejoice in the redemption He has provided for me, and the blessings of being accepted and secure in Him. I praise Thee and worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."