The world sees the events taking place in Israel now without realizing their gravity.
The Bible described the Last of the Last Days by war between Israel, Iran, and other nations enumerated in Ezekiel 38.
The prophet Ezekiel was given a view of events that would take place during the days we now live. A final battle that will take place, either just before Jesus returns for His church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), or immediately after.
Almost 2,600 years ago, God told Ezekiel the timing for events that are now taking place in the world. When Ezekiel wrote, Israel and the Jews had lost their nation as they fell away from the Lord and began to worship and serve other gods. The Jews lost their nation and were dispersed throughout the world
At the end of Ezekiel’s prophecies, beginning in chapter 36, God promises Israel that in the Last Days, He would bring them back into their own land again—just before Messiah comes again to the earth—to establish His kingdom on earth for one thousand years.
- In 1948, in just a single day, Israel became a nation again. According to Ezekiel 36, God would draw the Jews back into their own land again.[1]
- In Ezekiel 37, God promises Israel that it will become a fruitful land. Today Israel is one of the world’s top producers of fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
- In Ezekiel 38 God reveals that just before the final seventieth week of Daniel chapter 9:27 prophecy, nations to the distant north: Russia, Iran, Libya, and others, will come against Israel to take their natural resources.
When this war begins, the world should take notice because the final events that were determined for our present world will be set into motion:
- A war that will require a Peace Treaty (Daniel 9:27).
- An alliance of nations who come against Israel and the Jews (Ezekiel 38).
- A World Ruler who will make a treaty of peace for seven years Daniel 9:27).
- The removal of Jesus’ church from the earth at an event called the “Harpazo,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Seen in Revelation chapters 4-5.
- The identity of the Ruler who made peace is made known to the world (2 thessalonians 2).
- The beginning of the seven year Tribulation (Revelation 6:1-2)
- The 21 Judgments of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:3-18).
I Recently Published A New Book, Specifically Describing These Events: “Days of Wrath: The Final Sign”
We Are At This Point Right Now.
This battle is extremely important as it is the precursor to the removal of Jesus’ church from the earth—just before the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. According to 2 Thessalonians 2, the antichrist, the beast, the world ruler who will come at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation, cannot make his entrance until Jesus’ church is removed from the earth. Paul called the church, “that which hinders, that is taken out of the way.” The Holy Spirit working through the Church, has restrained the beast from making his entrance.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 begins with the context of what Paul had described before: The timing of Jesus coming for His church, and the beginning of the Tribulation. “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” This is what Paul has described previously in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, the Harpazo or Rapture, of Jesus’ church.
Having clarified why Paul is writing these words: to clarify the events that will take place after Jesus’ church is removed from the earth, Paul moves on to the events that will commence just before the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation:
2 Thessalonians 2:2-4: “We ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
- The day of Christ, is the day when Jesus will return to earth with His church, as described in Revelation chapter 19.
- That day will not happen unless a “falling away” happens first. The Greek word, “apostasia.” As the time of the seven-year Tribulation approaches, people who formerly claimed that they were a Christian, a follower of Jesus, will fall away from Him. We have seen this mass exodus take place in the past 10 years. All of the pretend believers in Jesus have departed from Him, in preparation for the removal of Jesus’ church and the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation.
- When the apostasy takes place, this is a signal to the world that the Tribulation is very near.
- The removal of Jesus’ church, as described by 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, will permit the antichrist to make his entrance.
- The Rapture: Jesus, Coming For His Church
- Jesus Is Coming To Establish A Kingdom
- See The Essays On Israel In The Last Days
Then Paul tells us that it was Jesus’ church and the Holy Spirit working through us, that has prevented the antichrist from showing himself to the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8: “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
What Are The Events That Will Take Place Before The Church Is Removed?
For nearly 50 years in studying the prophetic events of the Last Days, I have always been puzzled by the prophecy of Daniel 9:27, that the antichrist will make his entrance into the world by the initiation of a peace plan, or covenant, for seven years. How could a peace plan be initiated by the antichrist while Israel was living in relative peace in their land?
Of course, the answer is, that he could not. For the antichrist to have the opportunity to institute a peace plan that will cause the Jews to receive him as their Messiah, there must be an urgent need. This present war with Hamas, and Hezbollah, instituted by Iran, is the reason the antichrist will come now to broker a peace plan.
If you ask the orthodox Jews in Israel today, how they will recognize their Messiah when He comes, they will tell you that He will do two things:
- Make peace for the Jews and the surrounding nations.
- Allow the Jews to rebuild their third Temple on the Temple Mount.
These are the precise things that Daniel 9 and Revelation 11, say the antichrist will do for the Jews when he comes to Israel. The peace that the antichrist will make for Israel and the Jews—requires the exact type of war that we now see in Israel—with Russia, China, and Iran, coming against Israel to obliterate the Jews. The antichrist will likely come on the scene just after God destroys the armies of Russia, China, Iran, and those listed in Ezekiel 38, to make peace between the Jews and all the nations who sought her destruction.
Daniel 9:27: “Then he (the antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with many (nations) for one week (7 years), but in the middle of the week he (antichrist) shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate (the image to be worshipped in the Holy Place), even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
The Jews will accept the antichrist as their Messiah, until the mid-point of the seven-year Tribulation, when a statue of this beast will be erected in the Holy Place of the new Temple. A command will be issued that all the world must worship the beast, the antichrist.
Jesus said to the Jews who were living in Jerusalem during the time He was there, that when they see the “Abomination of Desolation,” (command to worship the image of the beast) spoken of by Daniel the prophet, they should flee Jerusalem for the mountains, immediately.
Matthew 24:15-18: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.”
Before Antichrist Is Revealed, Jesus Will Come For His Church
Does The Bible Teach a Rapture Before the Tribulation?
Jesus Predicted The Seven Year Tribulation:
Matthew 24:21-22: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved.”
Paul Said That Everyone Who Trusts In Jesus—They Are Fully Ready For Heaven
Colossians 2:9-10: “For in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Jesus’ Church Does Not Need To Be Purified By The Tribulation To Be Ready For Heaven
1 Corinthians 6:11: “…washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, by the Spirit of our God.
Jesus Promised His Church That They Would Not Go Through The Tribulation
Revelation 3:10: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
The Tribulation is, “The Wrath of the Lamb. Jesus Has Not Appointed His Church To Experience His Wrath In The Tribulation
Revelation 6:16-17: “…hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can survive?”
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10: “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Jesus’ Church Is Not Waiting For The Appearance of the Antichrist, But For Jesus To Come For Us
1 Thessalonians 1:10: Paul said that we, who have placed our trust in Jesus, are to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
In these realities, we can see how important these present events taking place in Israel really are. If this is the precursor to the Battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39, and the introduction of the antichrist, then the Rapture is imminent and can happen at any moment.
In Jewish Eschatology, God and Magog are described as the enemies of the Messiah at the end of the age [3]
Many Scholars describe the nations of “Gog” as Russia, and “the land of Magog” to include China. In several ancient writings, the Gog and Magog are described by the Mongol people (Mongolia) to be their distant ancestors. The descendants of Meshech and Tubal have also been described together throughout history.[4]
The Battle Of Ezekiel 38-39
Ezekiel 38 “Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.
Ezekiel 38 describes an event of the Last Days in which ancient cities are described in current events. The names, “Gog and Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Put, Cush, and Persia, are understood today as lands formerly known in the regions of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. Rosh may be a designation for Russia. The Prince of Rosh could refer to the current ruler, Vladimir Putin. He will rule over Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.
- Rosh: Russia;
- Meshech: Moscow;
- Tubal: Tobolsk.
This defines the nation that is the primary source of the invasion into Israel in the Last Days, as Russia. Persia is the modern nation of Iran, threatening to enter the current war between Israel and Hamas. If we see Russia coming to join in this invading force, then it is certain that the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39, are being fulfilled before our eyes.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023, 8AM: Russia entered the conflict with Israel. As of this morning, Russia is in negotiations with Hamas, further entering into the nations described by Ezekiel 38.
Other nations described as coming with Russia and Iran, are Gomer, and Beth Togarmah, as well as other allies of Russia (Gog): Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia), and Put (Libya).
Ezekiel records the words of God in the Last Days, that to finish the prophecies given to Daniel regarding Israel and the Jews, Russia will have a thought come into the mind of the Russian leader that he will come against Israel in the Later Days, to take their natural resources. What event would cause this thought? Perhaps the current war between Hamas and Israel, with Iran entering in the next week, could cause this idea to form.
The prophecy of Ezekiel 38 states that it will be the Lord who puts “a hook into the jaw” of Russia and these other nations, to draw them into the conflict. The purpose is to facilitate the final week of Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks. This event is the seven-year Tribulation. Before this event takes place, Jesus will come to the outer atmosphere of earth and “catch away,” all of those on earth who died loving Him, and are alive loving and waiting for Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Ezekiel 38:7-13 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all the companies that are gathered about you, and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years, you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thought will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11 You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’— 12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell amid the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’ ” ’
It is important to notice that all of these final events are determined by the Lord. The evil intentions of men are also a factor in the events the Lord has determined. It is always the sovereignty of God, and the evil acts of men, that determine what takes place on earth. God determined what would happen—based on what He knew these nations would do in the Last Days.
v.10: “Thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make a plan…”
Notice that these events, though known to the Lord, are the result of thoughts in the minds of these nations’ leaders north of Israel.
v.11: you will say, ‘I will go…”
Although God will put a hook into the jaw of these nations, His own sovereign acts, these men will say of their own minds, “I will go.”
v. 12: to take plunder…”
The purpose of the invasion by Russia and other nations was to acquire a warm water port and to take the natural resources of Israel.
v. 13: Sheb, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions…
Sheba and Dedan, are the people of Saudi Arabia. The merchants of Tarshish are the nations instituted by Spain. The young lions of Tarshish are likely the United States which was birthed out of Columbus and his expedition to the land that became America.
Saudi Arabia, and the United States object to the invasion. In previous years, many thought that the U.S. would take no military action when Russia came against Israel, but simply object. If this is the beginning of these events described by Ezekiel 38, then the former idea of no involvement is wrong. The United States is currently sending a massive military force to the coast of Israel. These Strike Groups are to stop Iran, Russia, and other nations from becoming involved.
Ezekiel 38:14-17 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? 15 Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. 16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.” 17 Thus says the Lord GOD: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?”
Out of the battle of Ezekiel 38, all of the world will know that the God of the Bible and the Jewish people are the central point of all these events of the Last Days. The prophecy of Daniel’s seventieth week, the seven-year Tribulation, is for Israel and the Jews. During this time God will save, “all Israel,” all those who can and will believe that Jesus is the One True Messiah that God sent.
The Key to All Bible Prophecy: Daniel Chapter 9
The Stunning Supernatural Destruction Of The Invading Russian and Iranian Forces By God
Judgment on Gog
18 “And it will come to pass at the same time when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that My fury will show in My face. 19 For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: Surely in that day, there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 20 so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’ 21 I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’
v. 18: When Russia and Iran come against the nation of Israel, the God of the Bible states that He will intervene and “show My fury.”
v. 19: At the time of this battle, and the intervention by the Lord, a great earthquake will take place in Israel.
v. 22: God will destroy the invading armies of Russia, Iran, and others, by pestilence, bloodshed, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. This is very similar to what Yahweh did to the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:24 “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.”
The Battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39: This event takes place either just before or just after the Rapture and the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. This will happen when Israel is dwelling in safety due to a new seven-year peace plan orchestrated by the antichrist at the beginning of the Tribulation.
“After many days you will be visited. In the latter years, you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.” ~Ezekiel 38:8
For many years, the members of Islamic Jihad, have stated that they are working to bring, “the battle of all battles.” It appears that we may be on the verge of that battle, here in October 2023. We wait to see what ensues as a result of this war between Israel and Iran.
The Battle of Gog and Magog: Occurs at the end of the one-thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth, as satan is released from prison and he goes out to deceive the nations.
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.” ~Revelation 20:7-8
- The Battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 occurs either just before or just after the Rapture, when a seven-year peace plan is signed by Israel and the surrounding nations.
- The Battle of Armageddon takes place seven years later, just after Jesus returns to earth.
- The Battle of Gog and Magog happens after the one-thousand-year reign of Jesus. This is according to Revelation chapter 20 (above).
There has been some confusion over the battle of Armageddon and the battle described in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39.
Armageddon and the Battle of Ezekiel 38 are different:
- In Ezekiel 38: Russia invades from the north.
- At Armageddon: the nations come from every direction. ~Revelation 19:17-19, Daniel 11:44
- In Ezekiel 38: Russia invades to take Israel’s wealth.
- At Armageddon: The invasion is to destroy Jesus and His saints. ~Revelation 19:19
- In Ezekiel 38: Gog leads the Russian invasion.
- At Armageddon: The antichrist leads the Battle. ~~Revelation 19:19
Jesus will fulfill this Old Testament Prophecy by His return to the earth with His church at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. He is coming for the second time as King of kings and Lord of lords.
After the Battle of Ezekiel 38, the antichrist made his entrance into the world scene and proposed a peace plan for seven years between Israel and the surrounding nations who came to fight her.
An Excerpt From “The Book of Revelation Verse by Verse Commentary:”
According to the timeline of the last days, the final seven years of this present world will begin with a peace treaty between Israel and the surrounding nations. During the last 42 months or 3 1/2 years, Jerusalem will be trodden underfoot. When John saw the third Temple rebuilt on the existing Temple Mount, he was told not to measure the area outside the Temple because it belonged to the Gentiles.
Revelation 11:1-2
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”
So far, we have learned that the area outside of the third Temple is the Dome of the Rock. During the first 42 months of the Tribulation, the Jews will worship alongside the Arab people, in peace.
Interestingly, all of the final preparations for this third Temple are now underway. There is currently a Yeshiva school to train the young men in the priesthood in Israel. These institutions teach young men how to sacrifice the animals that are required during the sacrifice for sins at the Temple, as commanded by the Hebrew scriptures. The Red Heifer is one of the items required for the purification of all of the articles in the Temple. Only in recent years has there been a Red Heifer found that meets the requirements of the Temple sacrifices according to Numbers 19:2-7.
What The Rapture And Beginning Of The Tribulation Will Mean For People Left On Earth
See Rob’s In-Depth Commentary on the Book of Revelation—describing all of these current events we see in the world today:
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available
The Link Between The Feast Of Trumpets And The Rapture
Certain days of the year play a critical role in the fulfillment of the prophetic word of God. We learn that after 400 years of slavery under the pharaoh, the children of Israel departed Egypt on the 15th day of the first month (April).[1] This is the same day that Jesus lay in the tomb after being crucified on the 14th day of the first month, Passover.
On the 10th day of the first month (April), the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River with Joshua and entered the land God had promised them when they departed Egypt.[2] When we arrive at the New Testament, we see that it was also the 10th day of the first month when Jesus came to Jerusalem to announce to the world that He was the promised Messiah.[3] Jesus waited until this day when on many occasions before, the disciples had urged Him to go to Jerusalem and declare who He was. Jesus told the disciples, “My time has not yet come.” The Lord has ordained certain days in which He would fulfill His prophetic word.
We discover that the day Jesus came into Jerusalem as the Messiah was also the precise day the lamb for Passover was brought for inspection. If the lamb was found to have any defect, he could not be offered to cleanse the people of their sins. Jesus came to Jerusalem as the Messiah on this day. He presented Himself as The Lamb of God and allowed the world to inspect Him. Jesus was without sin, perfect in every regard. Being perfect, He was able to offer His life for the sins of the world just four days later, on Passover, when He was crucified as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
John 1:29: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
As we examine the important Feasts of Israel, we discover that they are the Feasts of the Lord. These days of observation were extremely important for Israel. It is by the fulfillment of each of these seven feasts that we see the purpose and ministry of Jesus as He came to earth the first time, the second time, and the fulfillment of all the prophecies that concern the lives and salvation of every person.
The Messiah Will Fulfill All Seven Feasts Of The Lord
It is interesting that when God gave Israel the seven Feasts to observe, He told them that these were “My feasts.” When we arrive at the New Testament, we find that Jesus claimed these feasts as His own by personally fulfilling each of the first four with great precision.
The Old Testament Prediction:
Leviticus 23:1-2: “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’ ”
New Testament Fulfillment Of Each Feast:
As we go through each of the seven Feasts together, you will be awestruck by how precise Jesus was in His fulfillment of the requirements for these individual feasts.
Passover/Unleavened Bread:
Mark 14:1: “After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Jesus by trickery and put Him to death.”
Firstfruits:
1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
Pentecost:
Acts 2:1: “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”
Four Months Of Harvest (the interval):
John 4:35: “Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”
Trumpets:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (Raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Atonement (afflict your souls):
Matthew 24:21: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Tabernacles:
Revelation 21:3: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’”
The Real Purpose Of The Feasts:
The key to understanding these seven feasts is to define who the LORD is, in the term: “The Feast of the LORD.”
When we examine Psalm 23, we notice that the LORD (all caps) is called “my shepherd.”
Psalms 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd….”
- In the Old Testament, the term “Lord” in Hebrew is Yahweh.[4]
- In the New Testament, the word “Lord” in Greek is Kyrios.[5]
Kyrios is often used as a polite way to address a person such as when we address a man today as “sir.” It can also mean “master” as in one who rules over a servant or slave. Any person who was able to speak Greek, during the time Jesus was here on the earth, understood that the New Testament word “Lord” was the same as the Old Testament word “Yahweh.” The Lord was understood to be the Creator and Sustainer of all life. There are several places in the New Testament where the translation of Lord as Jehovah is used to describe Jesus Christ. The New Testament translators intended that we understand Jesus is the Yahweh of the Old Testament.
Luke 2:11: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord” (Yahweh).
“Today, in the city of Bethlehem, the baby that has been born is the Messiah, who is God Himself.” This is why the shepherds were so amazed at the angel’s statement.
With this in mind, we understand that when the Lord told Moses that these seven feasts were the Feasts of the LORD, the reference was to the coming Messiah. Since these are the Messiah’s feasts, we will investigate whether Jesus fulfilled these special events, and confirm whether or not He is the object of the prophecy of Leviticus 23:1-2.
Passover was the first feast God instructed Israel to keep every year, on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Jewish calendar (April). The following day, they were to observe the feast of Unleavened Bread. Then three days later, the feast of First Fruits. Fifty days after this, they were to observe the feast of Pentecost. We learn later that Jesus fulfilled these first four Feasts and then stopped.
There are seven feasts that Israel was to observe, from the Book of Leviticus Chapter 23. Each one of these feasts has a counterpart in the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in the New Testament.
The Seven Feasts Of Israel
In the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, the Lord commanded Israel to observe seven feasts or festival days.
- Passover
- Unleavened bread
- First Fruits
- Pentecost
- Trumpets
- Atonement
- Tabernacles
When Jesus came into the world for the first time, He perfectly fulfilled the first four of these Feasts on the precise day they should be fulfilled and with the exact requirements that each of these feasts called for.
Matthew said, on seventeen occasions, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying. Matthew believed Jesus was fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophecies that were written for the Messiah.
Matthew 21:4: “All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying.”
Jesus understood that He was purposely fulfilling these seven feasts. The question is: Why? What do these feasts of the Lord have to do with Jesus’ appearance on earth and His return at the end of the age?
Jesus fulfilled Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost perfectly. Why did He stop at Pentecost and not also fulfill Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles?
Remember that Jesus not only fulfilled the first four feasts on the exact day the feast was called for, but He also fulfilled all of the details each feast required. Because of this, I believe that when Jesus returns for His church at the Rapture, He will do so during the next feast after Pentecost—the Feast of Trumpets. It is my opinion that the feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah will be fulfilled by the coming of Jesus for His church.
Some people object to this idea because they say that Jesus told the disciples that “no man knows the day or the hour of His return.”
The interesting thing about the Feast of Trumpets is that it lasts for two days and contains 48 hours within the Feast. For this reason, it is impossible to know the exact day or the precise hour that Jesus will come for His church.
Jesus scolded the Pharisees for not recognizing the time of His visitation as Messiah, telling these men that they should have recognized the times and seasons of His coming. In the third chapter, you will learn why Jesus said this. God gave the prophet Daniel the precise day that the Messiah would arrive at Jerusalem. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the day predicted by Daniel’s prophecy and announced that He was the Messiah.
It is important to understand that the Jewish day begins at 6:00 p.m. and continues until 6:00 p.m. the following day. When the Bible states that Passover begins on a particular day, this means that the feast will begin at 6:00 p.m. and continue for seven days, ending at 6:00 p.m. on the seventh day.
We often speak of the next major prophetic event we are watching for as “the Rapture of the church.”
According to the Hebrew scriptures, the prophecy that will signal the Lord’s return is near is from the prophet Ezekiel, chapters 36 and 37.
Ezekiel 36:24 24: “For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.”
After 70 A.D., the Jews of Israel were deported to the nations of the world. For the past 2,000 years, they have remained in exile from their own country, in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy. Before the Rapture and the Tribulation can take place, Israel must be back in their land once again. According to Ezekiel Chapters 36 and 37, in the last days, the Jews will return to their land, in preparation for the seven-year Tribulation. During these final seven years, the nation of Israel will come to a knowledge of their true Messiah.
The prophecy of Israel’s return to their land was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, when Israel became a nation for the first time in two millennia. From that time forward, there were no other prophetic events required before Jesus could return at the Rapture to remove His church from the earth.
The fulfillment of the first four of these feasts is closely linked to the return of Jesus for His church. Jesus fulfilled the first four at His first coming to earth; He will fulfill the last three at His return.
The seven feasts God commanded Israel to observe are found in the Book of Leviticus.
Leviticus 23
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. 1. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover. And 2. on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.’ ” And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, 3. then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. …it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”
4.“And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits of the LORD.”
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 5. ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’ ” And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Also 6. the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people.”
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 7. ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day, there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day, you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. These are the feasts of the LORD.”
Exodus Chapter 12 defines the specific details of the Prophecy of the Passover Lamb.
The Lamb Will Be Examined From The 10th to The 14th Day
Exodus 12:3: “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: “On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.”
Jesus announced His arrival as the Messiah on the tenth of Nisan.
Matthew 21:8-11: “And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The Lamb Will Be Sacrificed On The Fourteenth Day Of The Month
Exodus 12:6: “Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.”
Jesus Was Crucified On The Fourteenth Day of Nisan (April):
Matthew 26:2: “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
You Must Take Your Lamb
Exodus 12:4: “And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need, you shall make your count for the lamb.”
Jesus Is The Lamb Who Takes Away All Our Sins:
John 1:29: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
The Lamb Must Be Without Blemish (defect)
Exodus 12:5: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.”
Paul wrote That Jesus Is Without Sin:
Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Peter Testified That Jesus Is Without Sin:
1 Peter 1:18-19: “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Jesus Claimed To Be Without Sin:
John 8:46: “Which of you convicts Me of sin?”
The Lamb Is Killed At Twilight
Exodus 12:6: “Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.”
Jesus Was Killed At Twilight (3-6 pm):
Matthew 27:46: “And about the ninth hour (3 pm) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
The Blood Of The Lamb Must Be On Your House
Exodus 12:7: “And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.”
You Must Personally Receive Jesus As Your Savior (in your house):
Romans 10:9: “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
You Must Eat The Flesh Of The Lamb
Exodus 12:8: “Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread, and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.”
Jesus Said That We Must Eat His Flesh If We Will Be Saved:
John 6:53: “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”
In the prophecy of the Passover Lamb, there is a requirement to take action personally. Each person must partake of the Lamb themselves. When we get to the New Testament, we find that in the fulfillment of Jesus as the Passover Lamb who removes our sin, we must personally partake of Him freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, but with heartfelt forethought.
Just as the food we eat becomes a part of us, we must take Jesus into our lives so that He becomes a part of everything we are and all we say and do.
The Blood Shall Be For A Sign
Exodus 12:13: “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
Jesus’ Blood Is A Sign Upon Our Life That Removes All Judgment:
1 John 1:7: “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Not One Of The Passover Lamb’s Bones Shall Be Broken
Exodus 12:46: “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.”
Not One Of Jesus’ Bones Was Broken:
John 19:31-35: “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”
Although the Roman soldiers break the legs of both criminals who were crucified next to Jesus—when they examine Jesus, they find that He has already expired, negating the need to break His legs. Think for a moment and consider what an amazing event this was. How carefully God had to plan and arrange the events of Jesus’ crucifixion so that He would fully pay for the sins of the world on the cross, but die before the soldiers arrived to break His legs. Imagine what it would have meant if Jesus had continued to live just a short time longer, and the soldiers had also broken His legs. Jesus would have failed to fulfill the prophecies that describe the Messiah as the Passover Lamb with not one bone broken. A simple failure in just this one prediction would have meant that Jesus could not fulfill all the prophecies of the Messiah, and He could not be our Savior. What great precision and control the Lord has orchestrated to ensure that Jesus would fulfill these many Old Testament prophecies.
The Feast Of Passover
The lamb for the Passover sacrifice is examined on the 10th day of the month of Nisan, the first month in the Hebrew calendar, our month of April (Exodus 12:3). This was the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey—Palm Sunday, April 6, 32 A.D.—to be examined before He would die four days later, on the precise day that Passover Lamb would be sacrificed.
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on April 6, 32 A.D. was the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of a command given, followed by 173,880 days, when the Messiah would come to Israel. On March 14, 445 B.C., Artaxerxes gave his decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. The day Jesus rode into Jerusalem was the fulfillment of this prophecy from Daniel Chapter 9. Daniel’s prophecy will be covered in great detail in chapter 3.
According To The Book Of Exodus:
- The lamb must be examined for defects on the tenth day (Exodus 12:3).
- The Passover lamb must be a male (Exodus 12:5).
- He must be spotless or perfect (Exodus 12:5). Jesus is perfect, without sin: For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
- He must have been killed at twilight on the fourteenth day (Exodus 12:6). This was early evening, the time when Jesus was crucified: And About the ninth hour (3 p.m.) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” (Matthew 27:46).
- The whole assembly of the congregation shall kill it (Exodus 12:6). The Jews who were gathered before Pilate declared that Jesus’ blood would be upon them: Let His Blood be upon us and our children (Matthew 27:25).
- The blood shall be for a sign (Exodus 12:13). “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
- Not one of His bones shall be broken (Exodus 12:43, 46).
Comparing the text of Exodus, describing the Passover Lamb with the New Testament narrative of Jesus’ fulfillment of Passover:
- Exodus 12:13: When I see the blood, I will pass over you.
- Romans 3:25: …by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.
- Exodus 12:13: The plague shall not be on you to destroy you.
- Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Exodus 12:14: This day shall be to you a memorial.
- Luke 22:19: …And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
The Feast Of Unleavened Bread
This feast begins immediately after Passover (Exodus 12:6).
- Unleavened bread is bread without yeast.
- Yeast is a picture of sin.
- Yeast, even in small amounts, will permeate the whole lump of dough.
- Bread without leaven or yeast will not rise.
- Jesus is The Bread of Life.
- Jesus is without sin/leaven.
- After Jesus was crucified, He lay in the tomb un-raised.
1 Peter 1:18-19: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Jesus fulfilled the feast of Unleavened Bread by remaining without sin and not raising from the dead on this day.
The Feast Of Firstfruits
- Firstfruits began exactly 3 days after Passover (Exodus 12:10).
- Jesus died on Passover and then was raised to life 3 days later, on the feast of Firstfruits.
- Paul said that when Jesus died and rose, He became the Firstfruits of those who have died believing in Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s.”
In Other Words:
- When Jesus died, He forever defeated death.
- When Jesus rose from the dead, He would never die again.
- When anyone dies, who has trusted in Jesus for their salvation, will also be raised to life, never to die again.
Jesus was the Firstfruits (the first to rise from the dead) of all those who will also never die again. We, in our order—when Jesus returns for His church—will also rise, never to die again. This means that Jesus also perfectly fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits on the exact day it should be observed.
After Jesus had risen from the dead, He was very specific in telling the disciples that they should wait for the promise of the Father, in Jerusalem. Precisely 50 days after He was resurrected, the disciples were in the upper room, on the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to inhabit every believer.
The Feast Of Pentecost
- 50 days after Passover (Exodus 12:15)
- Jesus fulfills Pentecost by sending the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).
- The Church was born on Pentecost (Acts 2).
Examining the narrative of the New Testament, we notice that fifty days after Passover, Jesus birthed His church on the specific day the feast of Pentecost should be observed.
Acts 1:4-5: “And being assembled together with them, Jesus commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 2:1-4: “When the Day of Pentecost (Pent=50) had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood before the gathered crowd from many nations. He declared to those who were before him that Joel’s prophecy, that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the last days, was being fulfilled at that very moment.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…” ~Acts 2:14-21
The Harvest
From Pentecost until the feast of Trumpets, there is a four-month interval called the harvest (Leviticus 23:22). This is the period when Israel would harvest all the crops that have been grown during the summer months. Jesus referred to this harvest in His statement to the disciples regarding the gathering of believers into the Lord’s church, which Jesus called His harvest.
Matthew 9:37-38: “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
The harvest—between Pentecost and Trumpets—is certainly the same Harvest period Jesus is speaking of here in Matthew Chapter 9. This is the time when the Lord will bring into His Church all those who will be saved. You are saved when you believe that Jesus died for you, and confess with your mouth that He is your Lord and Savior. This “Harvest” is the period of prophetic history we are living in today. We are waiting for the Trumpet to sound and the voice of the Lord to call us to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
When the Harvest is complete, and all those who will come into Jesus’ church are complete, the Feast of Trumpets will occur. At that time Jesus will return for His church, fulfilling the fifth feast of the Lord.
The Feast Of Trumpets
At the end of the summer harvest, when it is time for all of God’s people to be gathered together into one place, they begin this gathering by the blowing of the Shofar (ram’s horn), a Trumpet blast.
…For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God…
The text of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 gives us a vivid description of what will happen at the moment Jesus returns to earth from heaven, to retrieve His church.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 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. 17. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (Raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
In these 6 verses of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul confirms:
- Verse 13: He does not want us to misunderstand the doctrine of the Rapture; this is why he is expounding on the details of what will take place.
- Verse 14: Paul’s explanation includes a description of what has happened to all those who have already died believing in Jesus as their Savior: When Jesus returns, He will bring with Him all those who have already died. It is important to notice that the people who have died have been with Jesus in heaven, not in purgatory or soul sleep. The term “those who sleep in Jesus” was a polite way of saying that a loved one had died.
- Verse 15: Those who are alive on the earth at the time Jesus returns will not rise to meet the Lord ahead of those who have died.
- Verse 16: How the Rapture will happen: Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, a likely similarity to the shout given during a traditional Hebrew wedding that signals the coming of the Bridegroom. The shout will be made by one of the archangels such as Michael or Gabriel. The sound of a trumpet or shofar will be heard. The shofar was blown in Israel as a signal for the people to gather together.
First, those who have already died will rise, in their new bodies, from the grave or wherever they have been placed after death. (We know today that a person’s body can completely be reconstructed from just one cell that contains all of the DNA material necessary to build an entirely new body.)
Remember, Jesus said He is bringing with Him every person who has died believing in Him. This confirms the scripture: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Jesus is bringing the spirits of all those who have died believing in Him and have been with Him in heaven since their death. These persons will be joined at the Rapture with their new glorified body, being raised first to meet Jesus in the air.
- Verse 17: Finally, those of us who are alive when Jesus returns will also rise to meet the Lord in the air, while we are still alive. We will be transformed from mortal to immortal, receiving a brand-new eternal body, similar to the body Jesus displayed after His resurrection. (A complete description of this new body is given in 1 Corinthians 15) .
It is important to understand that the living Christians will be transported into the outer atmosphere to meet Jesus. These believers who are alive at the time Jesus returns at the Rapture are a unique group of people who will never taste death. In the same way that Enoch was raptured to meet the Lord while alive.
Both groups of believers will meet Jesus in the air, in the atmosphere above the earth. The Rapture is not the second coming. The second coming of Jesus will not occur until the end of the seven-year Tribulation when Jesus returns with His church. (See Revelation Chapter 19)
The fact that Jesus returns at the end of the seven-year Tribulation with His church is evidence that the Rapture must occur before the Tribulation begins.
Verse 18: The words of these scriptures are given to us, as Jesus’ church, while waiting for the return of our Lord, to bring us comfort. Paul wrote these words of comfort and encouragement so that we would understand that Jesus could come for us at any moment. He will take us to heaven before the time of God’s wrath, which will be poured out during the seven-year Tribulation.
As the Messiah, Jesus will fulfill the feast of Trumpets upon His return for His church. He will fulfill the remaining two feasts after His return.
Jesus Became:
- The Passover Lamb, who is sacrificed on the 14th day of the month, when Passover was observed.
- He lay in the ground, un-raised, to fulfill the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
- He rose three days later to fulfill the Feast of Firstfruits.
- Fifty days later, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to birth the church on the Day of Pentecost.
- Jesus said that He was the Lord of the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38). He defined the harvest as the period from Pentecost until He returned.
The Questions Are:
Was it an accident that Jesus fulfilled each of the first four Feasts on the precise day and in the precise way they should be fulfilled?
If Jesus purposely fulfilled each of the first four feasts, it is also certain that He will return to fulfill the last three.
After this current harvest period that we are living in today, between the 4th and 5th Feasts, Jesus will return for His church in fulfillment of the 5th feast—Trumpets. It is certainly reasonable that this will be in fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
The Feast of Atonement:
The sixth feast, The Feast (also called Day) of Atonement, will be fulfilled during the seven-year Tribulation period.
See Rob’s Verse by Verse Book of Revelation Commentary
“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” ~Matthew 24:21
The seven-year Tribulation is described by the Bible as a time of untold horrors. Nearly two-thirds of the people who live on the earth during this time will perish by twenty-one distinct judgments. During the first three and one-half years, there will come a time of relative peace on earth. After the disappearance of, perhaps, a billion people who claimed to be followers of Jesus, a man will emerge onto the world scene who will possess supernatural and miraculous powers.
He will bring peace to a chaotic world, even facilitating a seven-year peace treaty between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. The third temple will be built on the Temple Mount site at Jerusalem, just north of the Dome of the Rock.
At the midpoint of the seven years, the new world leader will make his true identity known by entering the Holy Place of the temple and proclaiming himself as God.
The Jews will flee Jerusalem as Jesus described in Matthew 24, and go into the wilderness of Jordan where God will supernaturally protect the Jews for the remaining 1,26o days of the Great Tribulation.
When the antichrist enters the temple and declares himself as God, this event is described by Jesus as the Abomination of Desolation. This event will begin the opening of the Seven Seals, followed by the Seven Trumpets, and Seven Bowl Judgements described in the Book of Revelation, chapters 6-18, and the outpouring of Jesus’ wrath upon the kingdom of the antichrist and those who worship him.
These seven years are referred to as the Seventieth Week of Daniel, the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, and The Seven Year Tribulation. In this seven-year event, the sixth Feast of Israel will be fulfilled, the Feast of Atonement. The world will atone for its rejection of Christ as Lord and the acceptance of one who comes in his name, the antichrist, the beast, the son of perdition.
The Feast of Tabernacles:
The seventh feast will be fulfilled by the establishment of Jesus’ kingdom on the earth for one thousand years.
Revelation 21:3: “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”
At the end of the seven years of Tribulation, Jesus will depart heaven, according to Revelation, chapter 18, and return to earth with His church. Those who were Raptured out of the earth at the beginning of the seven years are now returning with Jesus to rule and reign with Him for one thousand years.
The Return Of The Lord
The reality that Jesus purposely sought to fulfill the first four feasts, through His death and resurrection, is a stunning revelation when we consider that the LORD created these feasts, in Leviticus 23:2, designating them as “My feasts” for future fulfillment. Jesus came to earth as the Messiah and displayed His incredible control over time and every event, to ensure that each of the first four feasts were perfectly fulfilled by Him.
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’ ”
Understanding that Jesus used these seven feasts to illustrate His death, resurrection, and return for His church (at the Rapture) is extremely exciting. As we realize that we are now in the Harvest Period—between Pentecost and Trumpets—it is certain that Jesus could return for His church at any moment. Jesus will return to fulfill the fifth feast during the Rapture when He will take us home to be with Him before the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation begin.
NOTES:
[1] The Jewish calendar begins with the first month of April
[2 Joshua 4:19]
[3 ]The Jewish calendar begins with the first month of April
[4] Strong’s Hebrew Concordance # 3068
[5] Strong’s Greek Concordance # 2962
Categories: Evidence: The Last Days, Robert Clifton Robinson
Robert Clifton Robinson 
Unlike the first coming, the second coming does not come with an event date that can be RSVP’d. It is an open ended event without an expiration date. But it will occur. There is at least two obvious reasons for the length of time that has passed; and, probably many more.
One, God told the Israelites that He would punish them seven times for not following His commandments, or, worshiping other (false) Gods. Ezekiel Chapter 4 lays out the punishment for a single time as 430 years (390 for Israel and 40 for Judah). After considering that they had already been in exile for 70 years in Babylon the One True God, a merciful God, removed those years from this punishment. Thus there punishment per time was 360 years. Long story short, 360 times 7 is 2520 years. But that was based on a 360 day calendar. So converting that works out to 2483.8 years. So this was how long the Israelites were going to be punished for their grave sins.
That is a long time. But in short, for this post, that punishment ended on May 14, 1948 when the people of Israel were brought out of the nations and place back into their homeland – Israel. Now, no one can deny that this occurred; but, many will say it was not because of God or His prophecy. But the prophecy is too overwhelming to merely ignore. Consider Isaiah 66:8. Yes that is right. Israel was reborn in a single day. I could site many others but it is unnecessary for you to understand that a long time passed because of God’s punishment upon His People – the Israelites.
Two, God has shown many times that He will hold His wrath giving us a chance to repent and come back to Him. Consider Noah. God held the door, of the ark, open for 7 days after he placed Noah and His family inside. This would have allowed anyone to enter the ark. Consider the 144,000 of Revelation to whom God sent to help those who missed the Rapture find salvation. Consider that when God broke Israel apart because of Solomon’s sin, He spared Judah (the Southern Kingdom) from the same fate that Israel (the Northern Kingdom) received for the sake of David – until the kings of Judah were so disloyal by worshiping false gods that He finally sent them into exile as well. There are many others I could site.
The point here is that God will keep his word; and, because of this, much time has passed between the Pentecost and Trumpets due in part to this punishment levied upon the Jews and God’s willingness to see everyone saved (Ezekiel 18:23). And their are many other reasons as well; but, I site these two.
On a side note, those that question how long it has been; or, if it was going to happen it would have already happened; or, what the heck is waiting He on, or, any other type of question like these, ask these types of questions simply because they do not understand prophecy and how through prophecy God’s provides a guarantee that He will keep His word even when doing so may take a very long time. So in short it is prophecy and our understanding of it that helps us understand that God will keep His word and in doing is He both Faithful and Righteous and because of that it will help us do the same in regards to Him.
Not to change the subject but a desire to come off my side note, I will be short with analogy. The second coming can be liken to a woman’s pregnancy. No one on earth can give you the precise moment that a child will be born at the time conception. No one but God that is. But we humans can see all the changes in the mother as the pregnancy progress, and, through these changes we can surmise when the birth might happen. This is how the second coming works. We see the signs and we begin to surmise. Only a false prophet will give you an exact date for this age to end because it is only know by God even if that false prophet if off by 1 second. And bible foretold their would be false prophets in the end times.
But we know, through the study of God’s word, He reserves things to Himself and we dare not try to attempt to circumvent that because He has not given us that authority, in this case, to guess foolishly at a precise end date. So to help us along He gave us a series of signs that happen either together, or, one after another and this is what Pastor Robinson is conveying. So we talk primarily about the signs that God has had fore written and overlay them with what we are seeing. And at this time, the overlays are lining up. Even with that said God has reserved His right to be the only one that knows with absolute precision concerning Time (when something happened) and Space (where something happened).
So. God told his prophet Daniel that he was going to put an end to sin (Daniel 9:24) and in doing so laid down, through many prophets, a series of signs for us to see. In my humble opinion, these are the signs many are watching for, including myself:
A war that sees a direct attack on Israel from every angle possible, where, Israel does not bow to world opinion to appease their enemies as in conflicts past; but, attacks them and defeats them and does stop until that has happened (in short). Why is this important? This is important because this is God’s doing. He is bringing this war onto the nations to show that He is Lord over this Earth. So if this is that war then this could only mean that the Tribulation is near. But before the Tribulation can begin, Jesus will come for His church in an event called the Rapture. The Rapture will happen in a twinkling of an eye and will then usher in the Tribulation with the unveiling of the antichrist. So, for those that MUST HAVE A DATE, as if I am predicting the stock market or a football game, here comes your date. When a billion, or so, people vanish from the earth and the antichrist has been introduced, add 7 years to that date. This will be end date for this age.
This is all God has shared with us as far as I can tell. Obviously I could pile on the detail; but, I want you to see my bullet points. So now I want to point out the scriptures that have lead me to what I describe in the paragraph above:
God’s war on the nations (Ezekiel 38:39). This will cause the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) and usher in the antichrist (Revelation 6:1). Note that 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 confirms this. The antichrist will cause a peace treaty between the Jews and Arabs (Daniel 9:27). Notice in Daniel 9:27 that the temple had been rebuilt. The is confirmed by Ezekiel 40-48 and Revelation 11:1. That’s right. The Jews will rebuild their temple and start offering sacrifices to God again; and, they do this not because God desires it but because they have been completely fooled into believing the antichrist is their Messiah – remember they rejected Jesus.
So from the end date you have determine above, subtract 3 and half years. The temple would have been completely rebuilt with sacrifices being offered for 6 months (it takes 3 years to build the temple) by this time. Then the antichrist goes into the temple and declares himself God (read the back half of Daniel 9:27). This starts the Great Tribulation – 66% of humanity will die (Zechariah 13:9 confirmed by Revelation 9:15 for a third and 9:18 for another third).
So it really does not matter to me if you believe this now or not. That is not why I am taking the time, in good faith, to write this. It is my hope that (at least) one of you who does not believe will read this and say to yourself something like `sure pal whatever` and come back to it when you are in the tribulation, reread it and find salvation by seeking the Messiah Jesus Christ – the ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE YOU.
The choice is yours. It does not matter to me which way you choose. I have a preference but this is not about me; THIS IS ABOUT YOU!
LikeLike
We are so used to hearing the term the end is near, or, the end times are upon us. Though that is true from my perspective as a student of biblical prophecy, however, that does not say much about how fast this age will end. It will end in a twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52). That is how fast it will end. But what does that really mean? It means the end of one age (Age of the Gentiles) and the beginning of a new one (The Reign of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ). so, one of the main promises of this new age comes from Revelation 21:4 `He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.`. Anyone. Tell me you would not want that. I want that. I want that for every human being that has ever been born; but, God is the only one who can deliver on that promise.
So, for me and from this day forward, I am no longer going to share the thought that the end is near. I am done with that. I am going to start sharing this thought instead. The beginning is near. The beginning of what was promised in Daniel 9:24 `…to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place`. Who would not want that even as a hope based on nothing. Seriously. Who would not want that? We all want that; but, God is the only one that can bring that kind of peace to this Earth. A peace that man and their god Satan have failed to deliver on from promise after promise to age after age. Their failure has filled volumes. I am grateful to my God that grants knowledge and wisdom to those whom seem like little children when compared to those that consider themselves intellectual giants. Consider Matthew 11:25 `I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children`.
I am but a simple man. I have no claim to fame and do not want one. All I want is a savior so that I can enjoy the promises made by the God that I believe in. And this God, through His immense Grace, have provided me one – The Messiah Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son of God. My hope and faith is in Him even though fail Him every day.
So we have the Lord our God behind us every day. And no one should fear a critic no matter how good they sound because they will be brought to shame. Remember Psalm 25. Praise the Lord with that everyday.
So I will say, humbly, to the Lord my God, the One True God, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob LET YOUR KINGDOM COME AND LET YOUR WILL BE DOWN ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
Now. Right here. I will keep my promise.
The BEGINNING IS NEAR.
God Bless to all who read this.
LikeLike
Gre
LikeLike
Seems like your comment did not fully post…
LikeLike
The problem with a prediction that the end times are upon us is that there are too many ways of saving face when you’re wrong. People have been predicting the end for 2000 years. So far, obviously, they’ve been wrong. Do you think that after all these failures, you will be the one visionary who got it right?
Think about Harold Camping’s prediction. After a series of failures, he predicted an exact date for the rapture, 5/21/11. Instead of making vague predictions so that he could save face, he was all in on a specific date in the near future.
This is what you need to do. Make predictions with very clear right/wrong outcomes. Be specific like Camping was. Don’t give yourself easy, face-saving outs.
LikeLike
I don’t know the day or hour of Jesus’ return for His church, but I do recognize the “times and seasons” Jesus described.
Harold Camping made a critical error that should not have happened. Jesus told us that “no man knows the day or the hour,” of His return. Camping thought that he knew more than Jesus, and his error is preserved in the historical record.
Camping set a date, and today he is recorded as a fool.
We should become students of the Prophets and learn what they said about the last days. Study what Jesus said about the time of His return. Study what Paul and the other writers of the New Testament recorded about the time of Jesus’ return and the beginning of the seven year Tribulation.
Then we watch and wait. When we see things taking place that Jesus said would happen just prior to His return, this is the “time and season” when we can expect His return.
The events taking place today all over the world, have never happened in the history of the world. Israel was not a nation for over two thousand years. In 1948 Israel was born as a nation again, in just one day.
The Jews are now back in their own land again. This event was necessary before the Prophecies of Ezekiel 36-39 would be possible. The day Israel became a nation again was a key event that informed us that we are in the Last of the Last days.
Iran, China, Russia and other Muslim nations, increasing in conflict with the Jews, these are critical events that the prophet Ezekiel said would take place in the final days just before Jesus returns for His church.
It is no mistake that we find ourselves in the middle of a conflict that very closely parallels what Ezekiel said would precede the return of the Messiah.
We don’t make predictions like Camping. We watch and wait and see what the Lord is doing in the world. When we see the Prophecies of the Last Days being fulfilled, then we can say with certainty that Jesus’ return is very near.
In the essay I enumerated, I detail why the Feast of Trumpets is the next Feast that Jesus will fulfill. Why? He fulfilled the four Feasts before Trumpets, on the exact day, and in the precise way, these Feast required.
Read the last half of the essay these comments are attached to and the importance of the days we are living, in relationship to the fulfillment of this fifth Feast.
LikeLike
Do the events of the last few days point to the end times or not? Maybe I misunderstood your post. I thought you were saying that, after many false starts, Armageddon is just around the corner. Or is it just as likely 500 years from now as it is today?
If you’re not going to make a prediction that’s impossible to wriggle out of, let me do so: 5 years from now, God’s kingdom on earth will be as unrealized as it was 10 years ago or 100 years ago.
Don’t think that the Bible prohibits knowing about the end. Play the card Camping did: 1 Thess. 5 says that, while most people are of the darkness and will indeed be taken by surprise, “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” That is, people like you who see things will *not* be taken by surprise. So, predict away.
LikeLike
The study of Bible Prophecy is not about predicting events, but reporting what the prophets wrote in the Old Testament, and comparing their prophecies with events taking place today.
“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” ~Luke 12:40
We should live every day as though Jesus is coming today.
If you read the entire essay, this becomes clear.
LikeLike
Huh? Bible prophecy isn’t about predicting events but comparing past predictions with events today? Those sound like the same thing.
You’re right that I didn’t read the entire article.
Matthew compares the Isaiah prophecy (Is. 7:14) with current events (Matt. 1:23). Aren’t you doing the same thing–finding parallels between the Bible and current events?
And if you’re not declaring Bible predictions true based on what you read in the newspaper, then what are you doing? It seems like you want the shock of the Bible paralleling today’s events without taking any blame when the news turns to other matters and Armageddon didn’t happen. Again.
LikeLike