The Coming of the Lord

 

Numbers 29 goes over the offerings to be given at the fall festivals, the appointed times that come each fall. These are the foreshadowing of Jesus’ return.

Just as Jesus died not only on Passover but at the hour of the evening sacrifice, and He was raised up to life on the Feast of the First Fruits, and how the Holy Spirit fell on the Feast of Weeks, we can be sure the fall feasts will be fulfilled just as precisely. God won’t be late.

Just like the spring feasts happened close together, the fall festivals do too. They all happen in the same month of the Jewish calendar.

The first is the Feast of Trumpets. This is the sounding of trumpets. Jesus will be announced as king, just as they blew the trumpets in the Old Testament to announce the new king while everyone shouted!

This feast begins when the priests spot the new moon. It’s the feast of “no one knows the hour or the day.” There is no set time for the trumpet to blow except at the time when the priest spots the new moon. If it’s a cloudy sky, he doesn’t see the new moon yet. At the last trump we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.

The next is the Day of Atonement. This is the day when the books are opened and fates are sealed. Make sure your name is in the Lamb’s book of life!

I think when the trumpets blow and the sky is rolled back like a scroll and the whole Earth sees Jesus’ return, there will be Jews who have been awaiting the Messiah, but hadn’t met Jesus, who will recognize Him as the One they’ve been waiting for. They will worship Him and confess their sin and confess Jesus as Lord. Their hearts of stone will be replaced with hearts of flesh. I believe that on the Day of Atonement, God will seal this remnant to be protected from the coming wrath.

Then comes the Feast of Booths. It’s a remembering of how God led His people and provided for them in the wilderness and a foreshadowing of how He will live among His people again. This is a week of joyful feasting. This feast I think will be fulfilled by the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We will be with Him. We will be one. For ever and ever. Amen!

While today we aren’t required to make the offerings of bulls and lambs and oil and grain, we again offer up ourselves. We offer up our hope in His return. We offer up our faith that His Word is true. We offer up our trust in Him to come for us and to take us safely home to Him.