God’s Appointed Times

In Leviticus 23 the seven festivals or appointed times were given by God to teach His people the role the Messiah—Jesus would play in redeeming and restoring creation back to God. They help us understand God’s plan of redemption for the world and our personal relationship to Him. (Romans 15: 4) As God commanded, the Jews had been observing these Feasts for 1,400 years before Messiah’s birth. What if God set those dates as days He intends to fulfill specific prophecies in Messiah’s first and second coming? These are the exact events in which all Christians (and some Jews) have placed all of our hope, and upon which we completely base our faith. Leviticus 32:2 tells us, “These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the LORD which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.” Since God had His appointed times, likewise Satan would desire to attack and bring chaos during these times to thwart God’s plan. Therefore, we are to look for Jesus in these Feasts and rest in His salvation. The first three spring festivals, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits, overlap. They perfectly sat the stage and timing for the events of Messiah’s first coming. They presented a portrait of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1: 29) Jesus is the Unleavened Bread of Life; “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the word is My flesh.” (John 6: 51) Jesus is the First Fruits: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (I Cor. 15:20) The fourth and final spring feast, Pentecost, is held 50 days following the morning after Passover which foreshadowed the birth of the Church when the Holy Spirit came down after Jesus’ ascension. When the present Church Age is complete—when the “Fulness of the Gentiles” has been gathered in (Rom. 11: 25) which we call the Rapture, the Fall Feasts will be fulfilled at Christ’s Second Coming. (Matt. 24:11) We are now entering the time of the Fall Feasts of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles that are yet to be fulfilled. The question is: “What is God speaking to us today as we enter these Fall Feasts?” The anniversary of October 7 and the attack on Israel falls within these days! Since we have established that Satan hates God’s appointed times, we must armor up, pray and fix our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith! Satan knows that Jesus will execute His final blow against his kingdom and ambition to be like God! As days intensify, and pressures, challenges, wars and rumors of wars are before us, it is a time for aligning with the Lord and consecrating our lives to Him. To face the challenges ahead, this is a time to focus on personal and national messages hidden within the Fall Appointed Times. Underneath the tumult of this day is a call to believers to get ready for the calling forth of His Bride. This is an invitation to draw closer to Him and to one another to answer that call.

Feast of Trumpets: According to scripture, the Feast of Trumpets was observed on the first day of the Seventh month at the time of the New Moon. It was a wake-up call from God indicated by the sounding of the trumpet or shofar announcing a time of judgment coming. It was a time of completion of the Harvest. The trumpet was a sound of alarm from the watchman to repent. The great theme of this appointed time is repentance and forgiveness. Repentance is not just a momentary confession, but a determination to change course for greater intimacy and obedience to the Lord. The Feast of Trumpets occurred this year from October 2-4. Jonathan Cahn points out that the present designation of that appointed time has been changed to Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish New Year which is in error since the Hebrew calendar begins with Passover. I did some research and traced the change back to the oral laws, the Mishna, put in place by the Pharisees around 200 CE and was never mentioned in the Torah—first five books of the Bible given to Moses. For sure this was an attack by Satan to undermine God’s Word and His Appointed Times.

Ten Days of Awe: The Ten Days of Awe, or the Ten Days of Repentance, are observed during the time between the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah—Oct. 2-4) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement—Oct. 11-12). The Jewish community stresses forgiveness and are eagerness to repent before God and reconcile with whomever they may have offended. However, their view of forgiveness is viewed as temporary—needing annual renewal—and received not only on the basis of God’s grace, but also on their willingness to be obedient to His Law, which is found in the Five Books of Moses. This is the traditional Jewish teaching on the subject.

The Day of Atonement: The Day of Atonement was Israel’s cleansing from sin and occurs ten days after the Feast of Trumpets and is also known as Yom Kippur. (Lev. 16: 1-34) Its typical meaning was fulfilled in Christ. “God set forth Jesus as atonement through faith in His blood.” (Rom. 8: 21-22) He is our Great High Priest who instead of offering a “Sin-Offering” for Himself, offered Himself as a “Sin-Offering” for us. (Heb. 9: 11-13) There will be a National Day of Atonement for Israel after they have been gathered back and shall repent and turn to God. (Zech. 12: 10-14)

The Feast of Tabernacles: This was the last of the Seven Set Feasts. It was a “Harvest Home” celebration to be observed at the end of the harvest and was to continue seven days. (Oct. 16-23, 2024) The people during the Feast were to dwell in booths made of the branches of palm trees and willows from the brook, which would remind them of the palm trees of Elim, and the willows of Babylon. The Feast of Tabernacles points forward to Israel’s Millennial age or 1000 years, in relation to the other six thousand years of the world’s workday history. Like the Lord’s Supper is to us a memorial pointing back to the Cross and forward to His coming, so the Feast of Tabernacles will be a memorial to Israel pointing back to Egypt and forward to the Millennial Kingdom covenanted to David. David’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords for 1000 years, associating with Himself in that reign His saints of all ages. Both Jews and Gentiles will celebrate this Feast in the Messianic Kingdom. (Rev. 11: 15)

Now that we have an overall summary of God’s appointed times, let us seek to draw near to God that He will draw near to us during these High Holy Days on God’s calendar. (James 4:8) Let us consider this guide as our go-to:

Personal Repentance: Pray for alignment with God and unity of the Spirit. Paul exhorts the Corinthians and speaks to issues we all face: “For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. (2 Cor. 12: 20-21) We must be honest with ourselves about our need for repentance and confess them to the Lord. Turn whole-heartedly to the Lord as our comforter, guide, and protector. Acknowledge God and worship Him. Read Romans 6: 1-19, 8:11, 28-29 and I John 1:9. Renew Your Mind Daily: Paul gives us this command in Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Hebrews 4: 12 says: “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power (making it active, operative, energizing, and effective); it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and (the immortal) spirit, and of joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature), exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live and be sustained by bread alone but by every word and expression of God.” (Mt. 4:4) Forgive As We Are Forgiven: Jesus in His model prayer said: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Jesus was stressing the importance and necessity of forgiveness to others so that we can receive forgiveness from God. We are to pray for our adversaries and for those who hurt us. Jesus said: “There, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt. 18: 19-20) Jesus commands us to bless someone who has hurt us. “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5: 43-45) Pursue And Maintain Joy and Peace: Jesus predicted that we would experience trials, accusations and temptations. Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 24: 9-12 and warns us of the times today: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Paul commands us to pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. (Rom. 14: 19) We are to be encouragers in this upside-down world! Hebrews 10: 24-25 instructs us to: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Pray: Pray for those in authority and for the strengthening of believers in leadership. (I Tim. 2: 12) Pray for truth to be revealed and recognized in days when deception is ramping from every corner and the eyes of the blind opened. (Jn. 3: 31-32, 1 Jn. 5:20) Pray for unity of the brethren and watchman to strengthen hearts fully committed to Him and be the relentless watchmen of Isa. 62: 6-7) Pray for the Harvest of souls—the door to the Harvest is upon us. God desires none to perish in the heat of wars in the Middle East and elsewhere. Interestingly, many of the scriptures that speak of Israel’s salvation are linked to the Gentiles as well. Read John 3: 14-17. Pray for salvation of Jews and Gentiles even in the darkest of times. Simeon blessed the baby Jesus in Luke 2: 29-30 and spoke of “Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and to the glory of Your people Israel.” We are instructed to pray for peace in Jerusalem because true peace will come only when the Prince of Peace comes! Paul affirms God’s desires for the Church and Israel: “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” It is time for Christians and Jews to look to Heaven with anticipation for the return of Jesus—Yeshua—the Messiah, according to God’s appointed times!