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"Speak
to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord’s
appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy
convocations - My appointed times are these:" Leviticus
23:2
The annual Holy Day Festivals picture God’s plan of
salvation. The Feasts of the Lord are commanded to be
observed in three distinct seasons -the spring, the
summer, and the fall. They take place during three
harvests - the barley in the spring, the wheat in the
early summer and the vine and produce in the fall. Each
of these harvests represent a harvest of souls to be
saved.
In order, the observances are, Passover and the Seven
Days of Unleavened Bread in the spring during the Barley
harvest - Feast of Weeks (Pentecost in N.T.) in the
early summer during the Wheat harvest - and
Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles and
Last Great Day in the fall during the Vine and Produce
harvest.
The Barley represents those who are called by God to be
the first-fruits. They are the bride of Christ, holy and
unblemished. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread the
Levite Priests would gather a sheaf of barley to wave it
before of the Lord. If the sheaf was accepted then the
rest of the harvest could be gathered.
The sheaf represents Jesus who actually appeared before
the Father after His resurrection at the very moment the
priests were offering the wave sheaf. When Jesus
appeared to Mary early Sunday morning He told her to
stop clinging to Him because He had not yet ascended to
the Father to be accepted.
The rest of the barley represents Christ’s Body, the
Church. Christ is the true Passover Lamb who makes the
saints unleavened (sinless) therefore we celebrate the
Feast of Unleavened Bread with this understanding.
The Wheat Harvest which occurs about seven weeks after
Unleavened Bread points to the future salvation of
Israel. The Holy Spirit was poured out upon Israelites
on the Day of Pentecost at the preaching of Peter. Three
thousand Jews believed that day but the vast majority
have been veiled to the gospel until the fulfillment of
this Feast which will take place after the return of
Jesus. The Lord will gather all the tribes of Israel
from where they have been scattered and place them in
their land. He will write His Laws in their minds and in
their hearts.
The Feast of Trumpets occurs at the seventh trumpet
blast of the year and points to the return of Christ in
glory. Ten days later is Atonement when Satan will be
imprisoned and people will become At-One-Ment with God.
Five days later begins the Feast of Tabernacles
picturing God’s righteous Kingdom being established upon
the earth. And the Last Great Day of the Feast
represents the second resurrection when those who never
had a chance to know God will be raised and given that
opportunity. (Rev.20) Those who choose to obey God and
receive salvation through Christ will be saved. This is
the last harvest of souls. Praise the Lord, for all of
His ways are righteous.
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