Feasts of the Lord

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<p align="justify"><span class="dropcap"><strong>A</strong></span> s with the Law, the Tabernacle (Temple), the Priesthood, the Sacrificial Offerings, the Feasts of the Lord have been changed!</p>

<p align="justify">They are still the same Feasts of the Old Testament, but in an advanced form. They have progressed from Shadow to Image, from Picture to Reality. They each have an application to the Christian Church!</p>

<p align="justify">Passover is fulfilled in the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Mt. Calvary; Pentecost at the Outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost; and in this day, Tabernacles is scheduled for fulfillment.</p>

<p align="justify">The great Alfred Edersheim records in relation to Tabernacles, &quot;Whether or not our suggestions be adopted as to the typical meaning of the two great ceremonies of the 'pouring out of the water' and the Temple illumination, the fact remains, that the Feast of Tabernacles is the ONE ONLY type in the Old Testament which has not yet been fulfilled.&quot; And again, &quot; ..... in the writings of the apostles, but more especially in the Book of Revelation, whose imagery is so often taken from them; and we still look for the accomplishment of the one yet unfulled type - the Feast of Tabernacles, as the grand harvest-festival of the Church.&quot;</p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Deuteronomy  16:16</strong> Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy  God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and  in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not  appear before the Lord empty: </p>

<p align="justify">The  Hebrew word for feast means to fix by appointment, to meet at a stated time, to  summon to trial, to engage for marriage. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Leviticus  23:4</strong> These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye  shall proclaim in their seasons. </p>

<p align="justify">The  three feasts of the Lord are Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. As the three  primal colours, (red, blue and yellow), divide into seven (red, orange, yellow,  green, blue, indigo and violet), so also do the feasts of the Lord: Passover,  Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks (Pentecost), Trumpets, Day of Atonement  and Tabernacles. </p>

<p align="justify">Seven  is the number of completeness or perfection. It is also the number of the end  time. </p>

<p align="justify">It  is important to understand that each feast (appointment) is to be proclaimed in  its season. It is equally important to understand that today is not the season  of Passover: neither is it the season of Pentecost. It is the season of  Tabernacles! Now is the time for heralding this truth. And yet where is this  sound being heard, where is this teaching beAing proclaimed? If this is the  season of Tabernacles, why are its distinctive notes not being trumpeted with  resolute clarity? </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>2  Peter 1:12</strong> Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in  remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the  present truth. </p>

<p align="justify">Present  truth is Tabernacles. God requires not only that His children hear and embrace  the teaching, but that they be established in it. (Passover is not present truth. Pentecost is not present truth.)</p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>1  Corinthians 14:8</strong> For if the trumpet shall give an uncertain sound, who  shall prepare himself to the battle? </p>

<p align="justify">The  greatest battle in the history of the Christian Church lies immediately before  it. The current message (present truth) must be taught, or the required  preparation will not be effected. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Romans  10:14</strong> How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and  how shall they believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how shall they  hear without a preacher? </p>

<hr align="JUSTIFY" class="system-pagebreak" title="Times and Seasons" />

<p align="justify">&nbsp;</p>

<p align="justify"><span class="dropcap">T</span><strong class="category"> imes  and Seasons </strong></p>

<p align="justify">The  root Hebrew word which means appointment, means a fixed time or season. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Ecclesiastes  3:1-8</strong> To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under  heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; and a time to plant, and a time  to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time  to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a  time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to  gather stones together; a time to embrace, ane to refrain from embracing; A  time to get, and a time to loose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A  time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A  time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Acts  1:6,7</strong> When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,  Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It  is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the Father hath put in his  own power. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>1  Thessalonians 5:1</strong> But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need  that I write unto you. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Psalm 89:15</strong> Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.</p>

<p align="justify"><strong>Amplified  Version:</strong> Blessed - happy, fortunate, to be envied - are the people who know  the joyful sound [who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings  symbolised by the feasts]; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favour of your  countenance. </p>

<p align="justify">The  translators of this version of the Bible interpret the joyful sound as people  who understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolised by the feasts. </p>

<p align="justify">It  is possible to understand something without appreciating it. It is also  possible to appreciate something without understanding it. The joyful sound is  to those who both understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings. These  blessings are symbolised by the feasts! </p>

<p align="justify">The  symbolism of the feasts of the Lord is threefold in its application. </p>

<p align="justify">Firstly,  there is an historical application. The feasts of the Lord were literal  festivals observed in the corporate life of the Old Testament church. </p>

<p align="justify">Secondly,  they are prophetic in their symbolism of both the Lord Jesus Christ and His  Church. </p>

<p align="justify">Thirdly,  the feasts of the Lord are experiential in the life of every Christian  believer. </p>

<hr align="JUSTIFY" class="system-pagebreak" title="Types and Symbols" />

<p align="justify">&nbsp;</p>

<p align="justify"> <span class="dropcap">T </span><strong>ypes  and Symbols </strong></p>

<p align="justify" class="codeindex"><strong>1  Corinthians 10:11</strong> Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples:  and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are  come. </p>

<p align="justify">What  things happened to whom? </p>

<p align="justify">All  these things! Everything that happened to the Old Testament people of God.  Everything! </p>

<p align="justify">Every  dealing of God with His people is an ensample. </p>

<p align="justify">What  an exhortation to understand what and in what manner God dealt with Israel. What an  admonishment to read and understand the Old Testament. </p>

<p align="justify">An  ensample is a die, stamp, sear, shape, style, resemblance, sample, type, mould,  example, figure, pattern, print. </p>

<p align="justify">This  is the major method that God uses to speak to His people. </p>

<p align="justify">God's  dealings with His Old Testament people become a majestic parable of the New  Testament church. The nation of Israel  becomes a gigantic object lesson for the church. </p>

<p align="justify">Much  of Jesus' teaching was in the form of parables. </p>

<p align="justify">Parables  illustrate teaching. They put windows in a message. They paint word pictures  that the student can both see and relate to. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Acts  7:38</strong> This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel  which spake to him in the mount   Sina, and with our  fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us. </p>

<p align="justify">Many,  many lessons are to be learned from the Old Testament. Give the Word of God the  place of honour it deserves. Do not speak lightly of it. Do not ridicule it.  Don't say, &quot;That's Old Testament; it is not necessary.&quot; Say what God  says about it. Say, &quot;This is the greatest parable in the Word of  God.&quot; </p>

<p align="justify">Conversely,  the church is the Israel of God. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Galatians 6:16</strong> And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.</p>

<p align="justify">Basically,  the Old Testament is natural and the New Testament is spiritual. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>1 Corinthians 15:46</strong> Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.</p>

<p align="justify">As  with light (seven colours), so with the Word of God. Light travels at 186,000  miles per second. </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Proverbs  4:18</strong> But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more  and more unto the perfect day. </p>

<p align="justify">Jesus  warned to beware that the light within be turned to darkness. This can only be  made possible by not going on in God; by not wholly following the Lord. </p>

<p align="justify">The  Feasts of the Lord clearly reveal that the &quot;new Christian doesn't get  everything the moment he/she is saved.&quot; They clearly reveal that the  &quot;baptism of the Holy Spirit is not incorporated in the believer's original  salvation experience.&quot; </p>

<p align="justify">They  clearly reveal that the &quot;only possible method of putting away sin in one's  life lies in the fact that when Jesus died, the believer died with Him!&quot; </p>

<p align="justify">God  declares that the purpose of recording His dealings with His Old Testament  people is for our admonition. They are written for us: they are written for the  New Testament church.</p>

<p align="justify">Reading  the Old Testament is far more that reading a history lesson! God's attitudes  and methods of dealing with His Old Testament are paralleled in the New  Testament. </p>

<p align="justify">For  example, His attitude and treatment of sin today remains exactly the same as in  Old Testament times. </p>

<p align="justify">Though  many are tempted to try and even exhaust the Almighty's patience and mercy,  (and God is full of patience and mercy), every disobedience received its just  recompsense of reward. As it was then, so is it now. </p>

<p align="justify">The  record is primarily for the people upon whom the ends of the world are come -  this generation!</p>

<hr align="JUSTIFY" class="system-pagebreak" title="Are You Keeping Your Appointment With God?" />

<p align="justify">&nbsp;</p>

<p align="justify" class="category"> <span class="dropcap">A</span> re You Keeping Your Appointment With God?</p>

<p align="justify">A  synonym for feast is appointment. </p>

<p align="justify">Suppose  an appointment is made between you and the queen of England. Preparations would be made  at great length regarding appropriate attire, manicure and protocol. </p>

<p align="justify">Nothing  would hinder you from keeping your appointment. Everything in your power would  strain in your endeavour to meet the queen. The question of punctuality would  never enter your mind. </p>

<p align="justify">And  yet, when the King of Heaven schedules an appointment, many turn a deaf ear,  many ignore it and many make light of it. </p>

<p align="justify">How  true this is with invitations that are sent for the King's marriage of His Son! </p>

<p align="justify" class="code"><strong>Matthew  22:2-8&nbsp; </strong>The kingdom of heaven is like  unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son. And he sent forth his  servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold,  I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things  are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their  ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his  servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard  thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those  murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding  is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the  highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants  went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found,  both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king  came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding  garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a  wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants,  Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness;  and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few  are chosen. </p>

<p align="justify">What  an insult to the God of Heaven! What an insult to the King of Kings! No  thinking human being would even contemplate such behaviour. Ignoring God </p>

<p align="justify">Attention  is drawn to the question. Notice its particular tense. &quot;Are you keeping  your appointment with God?&quot; This is present tense. Keeping former  appointments is of no consequence. </p>

<p align="justify">The  question is not, &quot;Have you kept.&quot; It is &quot;Are you keeping.&quot; </p>

<p align="justify">You  mave have given your life to God and had your sins washed in the precious blood  of His Son. You may be baptised in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. This  is not the issue. This is not the question. </p>

<p align="justify">God's  desire is that the believer be established in present truth. Present truth is  Tabernacles. Present truth has to do with the marriage of the King's Son. </p>

<p align="justify">Without  exception, the invitations were made light of; they were ignored. </p>

<p align="justify">Sadly,  this is the attitude of many today. </p>

<p align="justify">The  wedding will be furnised with guests. But those who made light of the  invitation will not be granted admission. Their opportunity squandered, they  have only to face rejection.</p>

<p align="justify" class="code">Matthew 25:10-13 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marraige: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. </p>

<p align="justify">To  ignore the invitation is to do so at your own peril. To answer the question in  the negative is to embrace destruction. </p>

<p align="justify">The  question can not be ignored. No amount of rhetoric will evade the issue. </p>

<p align="justify">Are  you keeping your appointment with God? Will you say yes to the marriage of the  King's Son?</p>