Work Shop The Feasts of the Lord

The seven feasts of the Lord are an illustration that can be used to describe the program of salvation. Passover tells us of the blood of the Lamb that protects us when the destroyer executes the Divine judgment. Unleavened bread shows that God wants us to repent of our sinful ways and to be baptized in water as a sign we are leaving the spirit of the world and are ready to walk in newness of life. First fruits speaks of the born-again experience in which a first fruits of our personality, our inward nature, comes alive and is brought up to the right hand of God.

Pentecost symbolizes the outpouring of the Spirit of God on us. This is as far as we have come in the Church Age. The last three feasts will be fulfilled spiritually during the period from now until the Lord returns.

The Blowing of Trumpets announces the coming of the Lord of Hosts to declare war on Satan, beginning with Satan’s influence in the Church. The Day of Atonement foretells the time when Jesus Christ deals with the worldliness, lust, and self-will in His people. We think the Day of Atonement has begun and will extend throughout the thousand-year Kingdom Age. The Feast of Tabernacles shows us that God’s ultimate intention is to dwell in people, not just with them.

Primary Scriptures

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. (Leviticus 23:2)

Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: (Deuteronomy 16:16 )

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:11,12)

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. (Matthew 13:41)

Essential Points of Emphasis

Because we are leaving Pentecost and entering the last three feasts, we are encountering the spiritual fulfillment of the Blowing of Trumpets. This means there will be increasing emphasis on spiritual warfare as Jesus descends to confront His enemies.

If we cooperate with the Holy Spirit we can pass through the Judgment Seat and be prepared to be changed into glory when the Lord appears.

Suggested References

Deuteronomy 16:16; The Seven Feasts of Israel ; Tabernacles and the Coming of the Lord

Follow up Activities

Answer Review Questions for this topic. 21

List additional Scriptures which support this concept.

Summarize this topic in your own words in one paragraph.

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