Many Christians refer to them as “the Jewish feasts or holidays.”
Yet, nowhere in the Bible are they referred to as such. Instead, God refers to them as His “Feasts of the LORD.” They were practiced from the time of Moses, through Jesus, through the apostles and early church and, according to prophetic Scripture, will be practiced in the kingdom of God after the return of Jesus – by all nations.
In fact, Zechariah 14:16-19 states:
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
“And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
“And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
“This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.”
So they were observed from the time of Moses through the time of Jesus, through the time of the Apostles and early church and will be practiced again in Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. That raises the question of why believers in Jesus don’t observe them today.
Will you be observing the fall feasts in 2015 – or will you be waiting until Jesus comes back?
They will all take place in September and October. Are you even aware of the dates for Rosh Hashanah, the Yom Kippur and the week-long Feast of Tabernacles? Maybe it’s time to start studying them.
Mark Biltz, the Blood Moons pastor known for his study of the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith, in his four-part WND Films video exposition of the feasts, or, more appropriately called “appointed times,” teaches the prophetic significance of each of them – the four spring observances of Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost or Shavout, and the three fall holy days of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and Tabernacles or Sukkot.
All of the spring feasts were fulfilled prophetically when Jesus came the first time. All of the fall feasts will be fulfilled prophetically when He comes again.
With that background, it begs the question – at the very least – shouldn’t believers in Jesus be knowledgeable about these feasts, which represent “dress rehearsals” or “shadows” of things to come?
Nobody teaches the feasts, or brings them home for today’s followers of Jesus, like Mark Biltz, the author of the bestselling “Blood Moons” book and the inspiration behind the documentary of the same name. By the way, the final blood moon of a series of four beginning Passover 2014 takes place Monday Sept. 28.
With the fall feasts coming up next month, the video collection represents a great opportunity for you, your family or your church Bible study, to take another fresh look at God’s appointed times and the meaning of His calendar.
What do they say about the return of Jesus to the world?
How do they help us recognize the signs of the times?
Do they actually infer the specific date of His return on the Hebrew calendar?
You will learn the startling answers to all these questions and much more by watching Mark Biltz’s “Feasts of the Lord” series.
Would you like other perspectives of the Feasts of the Lord?
The WND Superstore has them.
Pastor Jim Staley of Passion for Truth Ministries offers “God’s Prophetic Calendar,” another four-part teaching series.
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night… But you, brethren, are not in the darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1.
When the Apostle Paul wrote this, he knew all about the prophetic value of the Feast Days of the LORD, Staley explains. He knew that the Hebrew word for “seasons” was “moedim,” which means “appointed times” or, as it is translated in the King James version, “feast days.” He knew that if one did not understand these feasts as they relate to the return of the prophesied Messiah, they would truly be walking in darkness concerning His return. In this series, the author dives deep into each spring feast day, uncovering the hidden truths that connect each feast to the first coming of Yeshua (Jesus). Your walk will deepen and your hunger for the Scriptures will grow as you learn and walk in the Feasts of the LORD.
“Is it a coincidence that He died on Passover, was put in the grave during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, rose during the Feast of First Fruits and the Holy Spirit came down on the Feast of Pentecost?” he asks.
“Would it shock you to learn that the Second Coming of Messiah is connected to the Fall Feast Days?”
Volumes 1 and 2 contain a total of over 12 hours of teaching. You can buy them individually or bundled in the WND Superstore.
For another perspective, check out “God’s Final Jubilee Prophecy Conference,” a six DVD set by evangelist Dan Goodwin, recorded in 2014, and his book published the same year, “God’s Final Jubilee.”
Then there is “God’s Appointed Times” by Barry Kasdan.
He explains the biblical holy days are not just for Jews. Christians, too, can receive the blessing of these glorious days, the greatest object lessons in the Bible. God gave each day to teach his people about Him and His relationship to them. From the Sabbath, which pictures eternity, to the popular holiday, Hanukkah, mentioned by name only in the gospel of John, the special times were set apart to bless the people of God.
In this book, Kasdan, leader of one of the world’s largest messianic Jewish congregations, explains every holy day described in Scripture. He teaches about the major and minor holy days, ever mindful that he is writing to both Jews and Christians. Beginning with the Sabbath, the first holy day revealed in Scripture, he writes about Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, Hanukkah and Purim (the special day given in the time of Queen Esther). Each chapter offers historical background, traditional Jewish observance, relevance to the New Testament, prophetic significance and a practical guide for believers, including recipes, songs and crafts. There are other books on the same subject but this one goes beyond them all. It is written by a messianic Jew, a Jew who trusts Yeshua (Jesus). Who better to explain God’s Appointed Times?
Lastly, while supplies last – and at half-price – is the video teaching series on the Feasts by Michael Rood, “Prophecies of the Fall Feasts of the Lord.”
