The Fall Feasts – A Prophetic Picture

The first four Feasts of the Bible, Passover through Shavuot, occur in the spring (Lev. 23). They typify our Salvation in Messiah Yeshua (1 Cor. 5:7). The number seven indicates completion. Hence the Feasts of the seventh month are a prophetic picture of the Lord’s final work of redemption in the three fall Feasts.

Rosh HaShanah: The Feast of Trumpets

Yom Teruah or “The Feast of Trumpets”, is commonly called Rosh HaShanah or “The Jewish New Year” (Lev. 23:23-25). When the Jewish people came out of Babylonian captivity, they adopted the Babylonian civil New Year, in the month Tishri, as their own. Tishri is a Babylonian word meaning “beginning.” It corresponds to September. According to Jewish tradition, the blowing of trumpets is a reminder of the shofars used by Joshua at Jericho and the ram which Abraham sacrificed in place of his son, Isaac. (Shofars are made of ram’s horns).

The Feast of Trumpets points forward to a time when Israel will be gathered back to the land (Isaiah 27:13). Biblically, the Feast signifies the ‘sounding of the shofar or trump of God’ when the Body of Messiah will be gathered with Messiah in the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-52; Thes. 4:16-18). Because none of us knows the exact time of this future blowing of the trumpet, this feast should motivate us to readiness and service.

Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

The next Feast is Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. Traditionally, this is a time for Jewish people to “get right with God” individually. Biblically, it is a day for Israel to be restored to God as a nation when they trust in the Messiah (Lev. 16 and 23: 26-32). This will come about through the tribulation period, or “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7). Anti-Semitism will reach an all-time high as all the nations of the world come against Israel in an attempt to once and for all destroy the Jewish people. This time will prepare Israel for the coming Messiah and His kingdom.

At the end of the Tribulation period, the Jewish people will “look to Me (Messiah), the One they have pierced and mourn for Him as one mourns for a firstborn son” (Zech. 12:10). In that day Israel will receive “cleansing from sin and impurity” (Zech. 13:1); “the stone which the builders rejected shall be the chief cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22); the great confession of Israel will be lamented, “all we like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way, but the Lord has laid on Him (Messiah) the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). In that day, a nation shall be born in a day and thus, “all (remaining) Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26)! Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, reminds us that the gathering of Israel is coming.

Sukkot: The Feast of Booths

Finally comes the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles, or Sukkot, found in Lev. 23:33-43. For the entire week of Sukkot, people build and live in “booths (sukkot).” These purposely frail structures picture our frailty when leaving Egypt and our total dependence on the Lord for provision and protection. Today we are to be “living pictures” of Messiah, our Booth. In Him we have our full provision and protection forever (John 7:37-39, Rom. 8:1).

The Feast is also known as the “Feast of Ingathering” (Ex. 3:16). Today it is celebrated as a final harvest festival and is accompanied with great joy in the provision of God for His people. Zechariah prophesied that one day the nations will be ingathered to Messiah (14:2, 12-15). They will honor the King of kings, the Messiah of Israel, by celebrating the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem each year (16-19).

In the Fall Feast season, we see the seventh month as the time when God completes His redemption plan through:

• The gathering of the Body (Feast of Trumpets)
• The gathering of the nation of Israel (Day of Atonement)
• The gathering of the nations (Feast of Booths).

In light of the prophetic picture of His plan, shouldn’t we share His Word with all who have ears to hear?

Especially to the Jew first (Rom. 1:16-17)?