Introduction to the Fall Holy Days of God (No. CB034)

Introduction

As we have reviewed in previous studies, there is only One God and He alone created everything. He and His Law are holy, righteous, goodness, perfect and truth. It is through the knowledge of the One True God that we learn of His laws and His plan for mankind. The ten commandments are God's direction to mankind of how to have a happy and prosperous life. Part of the ten commandments is the Sabbath which also includes God’s Holy Days. God’s annual holy days are listed in Leviticus 23. As a reminder, these are the first day of Unleavened Bread, the last day of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, day of Trumpets, day of Atonement, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and The Last Great Day. In the paper Introduction to the Spring Holy Days (No. CB33), we reviewed the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread through Pentecost. In this paper, we will review Trumpets through the Last Great Day. (For more detailed information on each of the Fall Holy Days, see the following papers: The Day of Trumpets (No. CB139), The Ministry of Reconciliation and Atonement (No. CB140), The Feast of Tabernacles (No. CB141), and The Last Great Day and the Handover to the Father (No. CB142)

Each year God reminds us of His plan for mankind through the holy days. God’s plan is outlined in the annual Holy Days. (See God's Holy Days (No. CB22) and The Sabbath Days of the One True God (No. 133).) The Spring holy days are symbolic of events that have taken place, including the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the giving of the holy spirit to the Church. The Fall holy days are symbolic of events that have yet to occur including the return of Jesus Christ and the first resurrection, the binding of Satan, the Millenium, the second resurrection of all mankind and finally the handover to God the Father and the establishment of God’s administration here on Earth.

From Introduction to the Spring Holy Days (No. CB33), we learned God the Father begins His Calendar in the first month. The first 21 days of the first month are called the 21 days of sanctification, and a lot of important events happen during those 21 days including Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. During that time, we also begin the 50-day count to Pentecost from the Wave Sheaf. The Holy Spirit was given in power and force from 30 CE at 9:00 am Pentecost morning, which is the year of Christ’s crucifixion and ascension to the Father.

We will see a similar pattern of events that take place in the seventh month on the first, tenth and fifteenth days. In the seventh month God brings His plan to completion through the Fall Holy Days. The number seven means perfection so it is fitting that God’s perfect plan symbolically ends during the seventh month.

Trumpets

Just as with the first month, the New Moon of the seventh month is very important. It is not just the New Moon, it is the day of Trumpets. It is both the New Moon and the Day of Trumpets, so it is a very special day.

Lev. 23:24-25 Say to the people of Israel, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no laborious work; and you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. (RSV)

The Day of Trumpets symbolizes Jesus Christ’s return. We see from Rev. 11:15 at the seventh Trumpet Jesus Christ returns to earth.

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." (RSV)

This time Jesus Christ will be here as King and ruler. You may think the world will welcome Christ's return, yet many people do not believe it is Christ and they will actually fight against Christ.

Satan and the fallen host will stop at nothing to try to prevent Christ from instituting God’s Laws on the planet. This results in a large war and sadly many people will die. (Rev. 16:14). This leads into another series of seven and is referred to as the seven vials or bowls of God’s wrath.

As you remember from the lesson of Pharaoh of Egypt, the Pharaoh rejected God and God’s people and things became progressively worse and worse until the Israelites were freed.

Nothing can stop God’s plan from happening!

Atonement

The next holy day listed in Lev 23 is the Day of Atonement.

Lev. 23:27-32 On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present an offering by fire to the LORD. 28 And you shall do no work on this same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on this same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves; on the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your sabbath."

On the day of Atonement, we are commanded by God to afflict ourselves, which is another word that means to fast. We begin our fast at dark on the beginning of the 10th day and go without food or water for 24 hours until dark on the end of the 10th day. Fasting is a way for us to draw closer to God and realize we need our spiritual “food” just as much as our physical food.

Day of Atonement is a holy day, however, it is not a day when we give an offering. In ancient times, there was a temple tax and each individual gave the same amount since we are all equal in the sight of God and not one person is better than the other. We do not pay that temple tax now, because Jesus Christ has paid that price for us.

Atonement means at one with God; it is through Christ’s perfect sacrifice we are reconciled or reunited to God.

The Day of Atonement falls on the tenth day of the seventh month. Just as in the first month on the tenth day the lamb was set aside, we will see in the future Satan will be bound for 1000 years as the day of Atonement prefigures.

In the Old Yestament we see Atonement was the only time the High Priest would go into the Holiest of Holies and there were many special things that had to happen in the correct order for the High Priest to be able to go into the Holy of Holies. In this process we see the High priest making atonement or reconciliation first for himself, then the people.

There was also a process of selecting two like animals and drawing lots for the one to be set free in the wilderness. This prefigures Satan being bound for 1000 years as we see from Rev. 20:1-2.

Revelation 20:1-2 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. (RSV)

During this 1000-year period the world will no longer be influenced by Satan or the fallen host. This will make it so much easier for mankind to be able to follow God’s law under the rule of Jesus Christ who will be King of the entire earth.

Feast of Tabernacles or Booths

The next holy day listed in Lev. 23 is the feast of Tabernacles or Booths.

Lev. 23:34 Say to the people of Israel, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the feast of booths to the LORD. (RSV)

Similar to the Feast of Unleavened Bread that begins on the 15th day of the first month, the Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. This is the third time during the year that we travel outside of our gates to keep the feast and bring an offering. The first two times were Passover/Unleavened Bread and Pentecost.

The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles pictures the 1,000 year Millennium where Christ will rule and God’s Law will be established on this earth again. Even the nature of animals will change as we see from Isa. 11:6.

Isa. 11:6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. (RSV)

This feast pictures a time when mankind can learn of God’s ways without the influence of Satan. Today, during this seven-day period, we learn more and more about God’s ways and reflect on how wonderful it will be once Christ has returned and God’s laws are instituted.

Last Great Day or Great White Throne Judgement

The last holy day listed in Lev. 23 is referred to as the Last Great Day. It falls on the day after the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, and is a separate Holy Day.

Lev. 23:39 RSV - 39 "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.

This final holy day pictures a time when God’s kingdom will be established on earth. After the death of Satan, the fallen host and people that rebelled against God, there will be an amazing resurrection of all the people that never knew God's ways and the fallen host who rebelled against God. All peoples/beings will be raised at 20 years and will be given a 100 years to learn of God's ways. As it is God’s will that no one shall perish, we believe that all mankind and fallen host will repent and become part of God’s family. At that point, there will no longer be sin on the earth. God the Father will relocate His throne from the third heaven to earth. We see there will no longer be a sun or moon since the Lamb and God are lights of the world.

We know God’s plan does not end here yet the Bible is silent about what God’s next big project will be.

Summary

We have seen that the plan of God is revealed in the Holy Days. From Passover and the days of Unleavened bread we are taught to put sin from us and partake of the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. We see that Christ became the perfect acceptable sacrifice through his death and resurrection. He fulfilled the components of the first fruits of wave sheaf and was seated at God’s right hand and appointed above his brethren. The day of the Wave Sheaf starts the 50-day count to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the church of God. We then move into the Fall Holy Days looking forward to the arrival of Jesus Christ back to the earth symbolized by Trumpets, Satan being bound for a 1000 years pictured by the Day of Atonement, followed by the Seven day feast of Tabernacles picturing the Millennium and finally the Last Great Day or Great White Throne Judgement where all men and the fallen host are given a chance to know God. All that choose to obey God’s Laws are made spirit and God the Father relocates His Throne from the third heaven in the north to the earth.

What a wonderful plan that we are commanded to review every year as we keep and celebrate God’s holy days.

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