The Fall Feasts Of The Lord

THE FALL FEASTS OF THE LORD

For many years the Church has taught that the celebrations ordered by God Himself were called the Feasts of Israel. This is biblically incorrect and is a stumbling block to many believers.

” If these are the feasts of Israel, what do they have to do with the church? Isn’t it legalism, or worse, turning the church to Judaism by studying and observing the Feasts?”

 This is the opinion of many sincere believers today. This teaching goes all the way back to the 2^nd and 3^rd Centuries when the Church divested itself of anything Jewish due to an incorrect and Satan inspired doctrine that the Jews were “Christ killers”(when, in fact, WE are all Christ killers!). This is a doctrine intended to handicap the Church by removing the Hebrew roots of our faith and ostracize the Jewish believers. This doctrine would eventually be totally perverted and would lead to the misguided anti-Semitic writings of Martin Luther and finally to the Holocaust.

The answer to this problem is to discover;

WHOSE FEASTS ARE THEY?

 Let’s examine Leviticus 23: 1-2;

 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’

Do you see the words “Feasts of Israel” anywhere in this passage?  In fact in verse 4 God reiterates;

         “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times “

Also as we see in verse 44, after giving Moses the specific guidelines for the feasts, God says;

         . ⁴⁴ So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

As noted, traditionally, non-Jewish Bible believers understand the festivals to be exclusively Jewish feasts. However, as we have seen, Leviticus 23:1-2, 4, 44; tells us very clearly that these are festivals of the Lord .

In reality, God in His divine wisdom instructed us that these festivals are for both Jew and non-Jew, and are to be celebrated jointly with each other (Deuteronomy 16:10-11, 14-16). In Deuteronomy 16:11, 14, the word translated in English as stranger is the Hebrew word ger, which means the non-Jew  aligned with the Israelites ( today this would be the Bible-believing Gentile who has joined himself to the Jewish people through faith in the Jewish Messiah. )Romans 11 and Ephesians 2 clearly reveal that we Christians are joint heirs with Israel and have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel) Therefore, the Lord is the Host of the festivals and all Bible believers are His invited guests.

In fact, The Bible provides several powerful reasons for studying and understanding the seven festivals of the Messiah:

1.   The feasts are in the Bible, and all the Bible is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

2.   The feasts are a shadow of things to come that teach us about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1).

3.  The feasts are prophetic types and examples foreshadowing significant events in God's plan of redemption (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 11).

4.  God gave the feasts so we could learn and understand God's plan of redemption for the world and our personal relationship to Him (Romans 15:4). ^4 “For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Tanakh (Old Testament) we might patiently hold on to our hope.”  CJB

5.   The feasts, as part of the Torah, the first five books of the Tanakh, (Torah means "instruction"), are part of the schoolmaster or tutor that leads us to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24).

6.   The feasts will point to the Messiah and God's plan for the world through the Messiah (Psalm 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:7).

7.   Jesus came to fulfill all that was written in the Old Testament (Tanach), which consists of three parts: the Torah, the prophets (Nevi'im), and the writings (Ketuvim - personified by the Psalms) concerning Him (Luke 24:26-27, 44-45; John 5:46-47).

8.   The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Hebrews 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9,23; Exodus 25:8-9,40; 26:30; Numbers 8:4; Ezekiel 43:1-6,10-12).

9.   God gives the natural to explain the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46-47; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13; 2 Corinthians 4:18).

Did the early church recognize the Feasts and observe them, even after becoming primarily Gentile?

 Let’s listen to Paul, who while writing to the believers in Corinth (a predominately-Gentile church), says in 1 Corinthians 5: 7-8;

“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Paul while addressing an issue of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church, reminded the believers that before Passover, you removed the yeast from the home, which symbolized getting rid of sin in the believer’s life. It seems clear from the context that the church celebrated the Feast, and Paul wanted them to clean the congregation of unrepentant sin so they could keep the Festival correctly, with clear consciences and in sincerity.

Paul also used the typology of the Feasts in his great dissertation on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15: 20-23:

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”

Here Paul refers to the Feast of First Fruits, this feast is a type of the Resurrection of the Lord. That Feast followed Passover making a perfect picture of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The very fact that he used these examples certainly suggests that the recipients of the epistle would have understood the references to the Festivals and grasped Paul’s meaning clearly.

The apostle Paul also wrote to the Gentile believers in Colossae and taught that the feasts of the Lord, the new moon, and the Sabbath days were a shadow of things to come to teach us about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17). Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus, which means "salvation") was the substance or fulfillment of the greater plan that God revealed and foreshadowed in these seven important festivals. This also reveals that the Colossians understood a reference to the Festivals of the Lord and needed instruction in the purpose for the Feasts. Believers were not to judge those who felt it important to observe the festivals, nor judge those who felt otherwise. THIS INSTRUCTION IS NEEDED TODAY!
Paul was NOT saying that those who chose not to observe the festivals were right and those who observed them were wrong and needed to be taught not to look down on their brothers who didn’t!
This is the traditional teaching, but the context and Paul’s personal practice does not support this!

It must be noted; Although God gave us the festivals to observe, God never gave the festivals so we would obtain salvation from Him by observing them because salvation only comes by faith. however, as stated above, God did give the festivals for the purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning His plan of redemption and our personal relationship to Him.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD FEAST IN THE BIBLE?

     

 Two important Hebrew words appear in Leviticus chapter 23, and each word is translated as feast in English. In verse 2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word mo'ed.

 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts [mo'ed] of the Lord...."

The word mo'ed  means "an appointment, a fixed time or season, a cycle or year, an assembly, an appointed time, a set time or exact time.²   By understanding the Hebrew meaning of the English word feast, we see that God is telling us that He is ordaining a "set time or exact time or an appointed time" when He has an appointment with humanity to fulfill certain events in the redemption. 

The word also carries the sense of a “dress rehearsal, a foreshadowing” of a future event, as Paul referred to in Colossians 2:16-17.

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Note carefully the foundational idea that the Feasts are “dress rehearsals” or “foreshadows” of future events! This fact is the core of God’s purpose regarding His Feasts!

In LEVITICUS 23: 6 is another Hebrew word translated as feast,

"And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast [chag] of unleavened bread...."

 The Hebrew word chag, which means a "festival,"³  is derived from the Hebrew root word chagag, which means "to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate, dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday."

The Feasts were celebrated in a yearly cycle (circle) of harvests, and we can now see that they point to the cycle of God’s plan of redemption, the role that the Messiah would play in that redemption (the reality is found in Christ, Col 2:17) and the timing and seasons of the drama.

         

                               THE BIBLICAL CALENDAR

      In order to fully understand and appreciate the feasts being appointed times given by God, it is important to understand the biblical calendar that God gave us. There are two primary calendars in the Bible. The first is the civil calendar and is used from Genesis 1:1 to Exodus 12. The first month in the civil calendar is Tishrei. Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year), the first day in the civil calendar, is the beginning of the new year. The second calendar in the Bible is the religious calendar. The religious calendar is from Exodus 12 to Revelation 22. God established the religious calendar in Exodus 12:2,

"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you."

The month that God was referring to was the month of Aviv (Exodus 13:4), which is now called the month of Nisan. Prior to God's establishing the month of Nisan as the first month in the religious calendar, it was the seventh month in the civil calendar. God gave the religious calendar so we could understand that these feasts, which He gave and which are His appointed times and foreshadow (type) important events in the redemption, events that would happen on the very days He ordained on the religious calendar. These important events on the religious calendar occurred (and will occur) on the same days that He gave as festivals in Leviticus 23.

            TYPES AND FULFILLMENTS IN THE FEASTS
 As Example: The first four feasts or festivals, which are Passover ,Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Pentecost primarily teach about the significant events in the first coming of the Messiah. In addition, we will discover that the last three feasts, which are the Feast of Trumpets; also known as Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles give fascinating insight concerning important events that surround the second coming of the Messiah.

1.   We can now see that God gave the festivals to teach about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah;(Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits)

2.   The empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit;(Pentecost):

3.   The resurrection of the dead; the coronation of the Messiah; the wedding of the Messiah;(Rosh HaShanah; Feast of Trumpets)

4.   The Tribulation; the second coming of the Messiah;(Yom Kippur; Day of Atonement)

5.   The millennium ( Sukkot; Feast of Tabernacles);. They were to be His dress rehearsals (Mo’ed) for the great plan of redemption (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 11).

If God fulfilled the types of the Spring Feasts perfectly, to the very day in the life of Jesus does it not seem logical He would do the same with the Fall Feasts?

So, it becomes obvious that a study of the Feasts is important to our understanding of the times in which we live and how God intends to move and has moved in history to fulfill His plan for our salvation.

 We will now see that not only did God ordain the appointed time of His Feasts, He also gave the appointed place.

THE APPOINTED PLACE

      The feasts are not only God's appointed times, but also were to be observed at God's appointed place. God said that He would choose a place and that it would be a set place where His redemptive plan would be accomplished. Passover, the Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles were to be observed at an appointed place (Deuteronomy 16:2, 6, 9-11, 13-16). This place was Jerusalem:

         “He also built altars in the House of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put My Name.”  2 Kings 21:4

From this we can see that Jerusalem was appointed by God to be the place where important events surrounding the redemptive plan of God would be accomplished. Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected in Jerusalem. The empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem. Messiah  will return and set His foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) and Jerusalem will be the center of world attention and controversy before the coming of the Messiah (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:2-4).

We have seen this last prophecy come to pass in our time!

THE ORDER AND SYMMETRY OF THE FEASTS

 Although there are a total of seven feasts (the divine number for perfection or completeness in the Bible), God divided the seven festivals into three major festival seasons.

The feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are in the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is the first month of God's religious calendar in the spring of the year. (The lesson here is our new life begins with Jesus death, burial and resurrection.)

The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), or Pentecost, is observed in the third month, which is the Hebrew month of Sivan.(Three is the number of witness; the coming of the Holy Spirit confirmed (was witness to) or sealed our redemption and empowerment)

 The Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot) are observed in the seventh month of Tishrei,(the month of completion which is in the fall of the year and  prophetically, the autumn of the age of man )(Exodus 23:14-17; 34:22-23: Deuteronomy 16:16-17).

 As mentioned Three is the number of complete and perfect testimony and witness (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Matthew 18:19-20; Luke 24:44-45; 2 Corinthians 13:1;  1 Timothy 5:19; 1 John 5:8).

Hebrew males were commanded to come to Jerusalem three times a year; Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

16 "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (Passover) at the Feast of Weeks,( Pentecost) and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.” Deut 16:16 NKJ

What does that signify? Why would God command this? I believe it is a type and shadow given by God to demonstrate His Messiah’s mission.

·       Jesus came to Jerusalem to die, be buried and rise again during Passover season

·       The Holy Spirit came to Jerusalem to seal, empower and birth the bride of the Messiah during Pentecost

·       Jesus will set foot upon the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to begin His reign on Sukkot (Tabernacles)

The men were not to appear empty handed, i.e. without a sacrifice. The fulfillment of the type was, of course, the blood of Jesus, the perfect Lamb.

Again, we see a complete and perfect testimony of the mission of Jesus and the final realization of the redemption of mankind.

IN SUMMARY

The feasts are a witness as well as a dress rehearsal to God's divine plan and the role of Messiah (PAST AND FUTURE) in fulfilling that plan. This is the message being communicated to Bible believers concerning the three major festival periods in the year.

 With all this as foundation, we will now move on from our overview of the Feasts as a whole and focus on the Fall Feasts specifically

FIRST OF THE FALL FEASTS

 A special season known as Teshuvah, which in Hebrew means "to return or repent," begins on the first day of the month of Elul and continues 40 days, ending with Yom Kippur. Thirty days into Teshuvah, on Tishrei l, comes Rosh HaShanah. This begins a final ten-day period beginning on Rosh HaShanah and ending on Yom Kippur. These are known as the High Holy Days and as the Awesome Days (Yamim Nora'im, the days of awe). The sabbath that falls within this ten-day period is called Shabbat Shuvah, the Sabbath of Return. Five days after Yom Kippur is Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. Teshuvah begins on Elul 1 and concludes on Tishrei 10, Yom Kippur.

Teshuvah (repentance) speaks to all people. Those who believe in the Messiah are called to examine their lives and see where they have departed from God. It is a call to examine the Scriptures and the evidence that the Messiah was who He said He was.
      God has always had a heart to warn people before He proclaims judgment. God warned the people before the flood, and He warned Nineveh before it was ruined. He does not want anyone to receive the wrath of His judgment (Ezekiel 18:21-23,30-32; Zephaniah 2:1-3; 33:1-7; 2 Peter 3:9).
      The whole month of Elul is a 30-day process of preparation through personal examination and repentance for the coming High Holy Days. The shofar is blown after every morning service. Psalm 27, which begins with "The Lord is my light and my salvation," is also recited at the end of the morning and evening liturgy. The message from Elul 1 to Rosh HaShanah is clear: Repent before Rosh HaShanah. Don't wait until after Rosh HaShanah, or you will find yourself in the Days of Awe.

Though in Leviticus there is little instruction in how to observe this feast, (it is simply called the Day of Trumpets and a commanded sacred Sabbath) the Jewish sages prayerfully developed the following traditions and theology of the Feast.

(There are idioms or phrases that help us identify the days in the season of Teshuvah (repentance). Just as unfamiliar foreigners may be confused when they hear Americans call Thanksgiving Day, "Turkey Day" or "Pilgrims' Day," non-Jewish believers in Yeshua can be confused by the different terms for the major feasts of the Lord.)

Rosh HaShanah:  Names, Themes, and Idioms

1.    Teshuvah (repentance)

2.    Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year, Birthday of the World)

3.    Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast [Feast of Trumpets)

4.    Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment)

5.    HaMelech (the Coronation of the Messiah)

6.    Yom HaZikkaron (the Day of Remembrance or memorial)

7.   The time of Jacob's trouble (the birthpangs of the Messiah, Chevlai shel Mashiach)

8.    The opening of the gates

9.    Kiddushin/Nesu'in (the wedding ceremony)

10.The resurrection of the dead (rapture, natza1)

11.The Last Trump (shofar)

12.Yom Hakeseh (the hidden day)

Notice that eight of the twelve themes are linked to joy and celebration and four are linked to sin and judgment.

Joy and Celebration

1.  Head of the Year, Birthday of the World

2.  Day of the Awakening Blast [Feast of Trumpets

3.  Coronation of the Messiah

4.  Day of Remembrance or memorial

5.  The opening of the gates

6.  the wedding ceremony

7.  The resurrection of the dead (rapture

8.  the hidden day

Sin and Judgment

1.  repentance

2.  the Day of Judgment

3.    The time of Jacob's trouble (the birthpangs of the Messiah, Chevlai shel Mashiach)

4.   The Last Trump

Rosh HaShanah: The Head of the Year
(Birthday of the World)

Rosh HaShanah marks the Jewish New Year (Tishrei 1) and is a part of the season of repentance. Rosh in Hebrew means "chief or head" and shanah means "year." Rosh HaShanah is the head of the year on the civil calendar, and is also known as the birthday of the world because the tradition of the Jewish sages, stated that the world was created on this day (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 11a).
Jewish tradition believes that Adam was created on this day (Mishnah, San Hedrin 38b). How did they decide that this was the day of the year the world was created? Because the first words of the Book of Genesis (Bereishit), "in the beginning," when inverted, read, Aleph b'Tishrei, or "on the first of Tishrei." Therefore, Rosh HaShanah is known as the birthday of the world, for tradition tells us that the world was created then.
Note: There are four new years in the Jewish calendar. Nisan 1 is the New Year's day of kings (the date for determining how many years a king has ruled) and for months (Nisan is the first month). Elul 1 is the new year for the tithing of animals. Shevat 15 is the new year for the trees, and:
Tishrei 1 is the new year of years. It also marks the anniversary of the creation of the world. Keep this in mind as we examine the rapture of the church and the beginning of the Tribulation.

Time of Observance

      Rosh HaShanah is observed for two days. It comes on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (usually in September or October), which is the first month of the biblical civil calendar. Remember, the month of Tishrei is the seventh month in the biblical religious calendar. This may seem strange that Rosh HaShanah, the New Year, is on the first and second day of Tishrei, the seventh month on the biblical religious calendar.  Remember,the reason that Rosh HaShanah is the seventh month in the biblical religious calendar is that God made the month of Nisan the first month of the year in remembrance of Israel's divine liberation from Egypt (Exodus 12:2; 13:4). However, as noted, according to tradition, the world was created on Tishrei, or more exactly, Adam and Eve were created on the first day of Tishrei and it is from Tishrei that the annual cycle began. Hence, Rosh HaShanah is celebrated as the new year of years at this time. 
Also, as the beginning of the seventh month it witnesses to the beginning of the completion of God’s plan for the ages.

Why Is Rosh HaShanah Two Days Long?

      Unlike other festivals that are celebrated in the Diaspora (the dispersion, referring to Jews who live outside of the Holy Land of Israel) Rosh HaShanah is celebrated for two days because of uncertainty about observing the festivals on the correct calendar day.(Remember this fact)

Rosh HaShanah is the only holiday celebrated for two days in Israel. As with all other festivals, the uncertainty was involved in a calendar that depended on when the new moon was promulgated, designating the beginning of each new month by the rabbinical court in Jerusalem in ancient times. The problem of Rosh HaShanah is heightened by the fact that it falls on Rosh Chodesh, the new moon itself, so there could be some confusion and delay due to clouds or a lack of witnesses in confirming the exact day and time of the moon rise. Therefore, even in Jerusalem it would have been difficult to let everyone know in time that the New Year had already begun. To solve this problem and decrease the chance for error, a two-day Rosh HaShanah was practiced in Israel( a tradition practiced to this day). Creating a two-day Rosh HaShanah was also intended to strengthen observance of each day; in the rabbinic view, the two days are regarded as a yoma arikhta, one long day. (Could this be a type of the beginning of the Day of the Lord, one long day in prophetic thought?) We shall see if this can be demonstrated by the Feasts.

Yom Teruah: The Day of the Awakening Blast

In Psalm 98:6 it is written, "With trumpets and the sound of the horn, shout joyfully before the King, the Lord" (NAS). The blessing we receive from God when we understand the meaning of Rosh HaShanah and the blowing of the trumpet (shofar) is found in Psalm 89:15, as it is written, "How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound [blast of the shofar]..." (NAS).

(We believers wait eagerly for the “last trump” of the rapture!)

      Rosh HaShanah is referred to in the Torah as Yom Teruah, the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar (or the Day of the Awakening Blast).

On Yom Teruah, the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, it is imperative for every person to hear (shema) the shofar. The mitzvah (or biblical commandment), of the shofar is to hear (shema) the shofar being blown, not actually blow it yourself, hence the blessing, "to hear the sound of the shofar."

Teruah means "an awakening blast." A theme associated with Rosh HaShanah is the theme "to awake." Teruah is also translated as "shout." The Book of Isaiah, chapter 12, puts the shouting in the context of the thousand-year reign of Messiah. The Messianic era and shout is mentioned in Isaiah  42:13; 44:23; Jeremiah 31:7; and Zephaniah 3:14. The first coming of Yeshua is associated with a shout in Zechariah 9:9.

The ultimate shout is the rapture (natzal) in First Thessalonians 4:16-17.

^“ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

 Whether it is by the blast of a shofar or the force of a supernatural shout, God's goal is to awaken us! For this reason it is written, "... Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14 NAS).

The Book of Ephesians has many references to Rosh HaShanah and the High Holy Days. For example, in Ephesians 4:30, being sealed unto the day of redemption refers to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. God gave this festival to teach us that we will be judged on Rosh HaShanah and will be sealed (protected) unto the closing of the gates on Yom Kippur.

The shofar is the physical instrument that God will use to awaken the sleeping (the righteous dead) and call those waiting and watching for him.

In the days of old, the shofar was used on very solemn occasions. We first find the shofar mentioned in connection with the revelation on Mount Sinai, when the voice of the shofar was exceedingly strong and all the people who were in the camp trembled (Exodus 19:16b). The shofar was also sounded on the Jubilee Year, heralding freedom from slavery (Leviticus 25:9-10).

      Spiritually this refers to freedom from the slavery of sin, the desires of this world, and serving the devil (Romans 6:12-13; James 4:4).

When a king begins to reign, he is heralded with trumpets. That is why Psalm 47 precedes the blowing of the shofar; it is a call to the nations: "..... Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth..." (Psalm 47:6-7 NAS).

      In Jewish tradition, many reasons have been offered for the sounding of the shofar: The ram's horn is identified with the ram that became the substitute sacrifice for Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19. As mentioned, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai was accompanied by the sounding of the shofar (Exodus 19:19) and the proclamation of the Jubilee was heralded by the blast of the shofar (Leviticus 25:9-11); and the commencement of the Messianic age is to be announced by the sound of the great shofar (Isaiah 27:13).

      When the rabbis saw the phrase, "Awake, O Israel," they would identify those verses with concepts that concerned Rosh HaShanah. The blowing of the shofar took place at the temple on Rosh HaShanah (Nehemiah 8:1-3).

There are two types of trumpets used in the Bible:

·        The silver trumpet, and

·        The shofar, or ram's horn.

      On the sabbath, there was within the temple a sign on the wall that said, "To the house of the blowing of the trumpet." Each sabbath two men with silver trumpets and a man with a shofar made three trumpet blasts twice during the day. On Rosh HaShanah, it is different. The shofar is the primary trumpet. On Rosh HaShanah, a shofar delivers the first blast, a silver trumpet the second, and then a shofar the third (the last trump). The silver trumpets and the gathering at the temple are specified in the Book of Numbers chapter 10.

      According to Leviticus 23:24 and Numbers 29:1, Rosh HaShanah is the day of the blowing of the trumpets. According to the Mishnah (Rosh HaShanah 16a; Rosh HaShanah 3:3), the trumpet used for this purpose is the ram's horn, not trumpets made of metal as in Numbers Chapter 10.

THE SHOFAR IN THE BIBLE

1.  The shofar was blown to announce the beginning of festivals (Numbers 10:10). The shofar was blown to celebrate the new moon on Rosh HaShanah (Psalm 81:1-3).

2.  The blowing of the shofar is a signal for the call to repentance (Isaiah] 58:1).

3.  The blowing of the shofar ushers in the day of the Lord (Joel 2:1).

4.  The blowing of the shofar is sounded at the rapture of the believers and the resurrection of the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

5.  John was taken up to Heaven in the Book of Revelation by the sound of the shofar (Revelation 4:1).

6.  Seven shofarim are sounded when God judges the earth during the tribulation (Revelation 8-9).

7.  The shofar was used for the coronation of kings (1 Kings 1:34,3

8.  The shofar was blown to signal the assembly of the Israelites during war (Judges 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:1).

9.  The shofar will be blown at the time of the ingathering of the exiles of Israel to their place (Isaiah 27:13).

10.            The shofar was blown at the start of the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25:9).

11.            The ram's horn, the shofar, is a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and God's provision of a ram as a substitute (Genesis 22:13).

12.            Israel will be advised of the advent of the Messiah with the sound of the shofar (Zechariah 9:14,16).

Yom HaDin: The Day of Judgment

 

      Another name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment. It was seen that on this day, God would sit in court and all men would pass before Him to be judged. Three great books will be opened as each man is weighed in the balance and placed into one of three categories (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 6b). It has been taught that the school of Shammai says that there will be three classes on the final Day of Judgment, one of the wholly righteous, one of the wholly wicked, and one of the intermediates.
 The wholly righteous are at once inscribed and sealed for life in the world to come; the wholly wicked are at once inscribed and sealed for perdition (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b-17a).
      The righteous are separated and will be with God. This is known to Bible believers as the rapture, which in Hebrew, is the natzal.
 The wicked will face the wrath of God during the tribulation period (Yamim Nora'im), known in Hebrew as the Chevlai shel Mashiach, and will never repent.
The average person has until Yom Kippur   till his fate is sealed forever. In other words, the average person will have until the end of the seven-year tribulation to repent and turn to God. The average person on Rosh HaShanah is judged by God and is neither written in the book of life or the book of the wicked. His fate is yet to be decided. The average person and the wicked have to go through the "Awesome Days," the tribulation, until they reach Yom Kippur (the end of the tribulation when their fate is sealed forever). Once you are written in the book of the wicked, you can never get out of it (Revelation 17:8). These are people who never, ever, will accept the Messiah.
      There are 12 months in the year and there are 12 tribes in Israel. Every month of the Jewish year has its representative tribe. The month of Tishrei is the month of the tribe of Dan. This is of symbolic significance, for when Dan was born to Bilhah, Rachel's maid, Rachel said, "God hath judged me [dannani], and hath also heard my voice..." (Genesis 30:6). Dan and din (as in Yom HaDin, Day of Judgment) are both derived from the same root, symbolizing that Tishrei is the time of Divine judgment and forgiveness. Similarly, every month of the Jewish calendar has its sign of the Zodiac (in Hebrew, Mazal). The sign of the Zodiac for Tishrei is Scales. This is symbolic of the Day of Judgment.

Messianic Understanding
      A theme and term associated with Rosh HaShanah in Hebrew is HaMelech (the King).
 It was mentioned earlier in this chapter that the shofar blown on Rosh HaShanah is known as the last trump, which the apostle Paul mentioned in First Thessalonians 4:16-17.
On Rosh HaShanah 100 trumpets were blown from the Temple,. The blasts were of varying lengths and tones, with the final being a long, sustained blast on the shofar. This blast was called “The Last Trump”.
Since Paul was very familiar with this, it is easy to see what he meant by the last trump in 1 Corinthians 15; First Thessalonians 4:16-17
 
 At this time, the believers in the Messiah who are righteous (tzaddikim) according to Yom HaDin (the Day of Judgment) will escape the tribulation (Chevlai shel Mashiach) on earth and will be taken to Heaven in the rapture (natzal) along with the righteous who had died before this time. What happens to the believers in the Messiah when they are taken to Heaven at this time?
 One of the events that will take place is the coronation of the Messiah Yeshua as King, which will happen in Heaven (Revelation 5). Yeshua, who had come to earth during His first coming to play the role of the suffering Messiah, Messiah ben Joseph, will be crowned as King over all the earth in preparation for His coming back to earth to reign as King Messiah (Messiah ben David) during the Messianic age, the Millennium, or in Hebrew eschatology, the Athid Lavo (Revelation 19:16; 20:4).
Daniel 7:9-14 speaks of this.
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit...the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
[This is Rosh HaShanah, Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgment. The books are the book of the righteous, the book of the wicked, and the book of remembrance] ...
“I saw... one like the Son of man “
[this is understood to be the Messiah Jesus (Matthew 24:30; 26:64)
“coming with the clouds of heaven”
[the clouds are the believers in the Messiah (Hebrews 12:1; Revelation 1:7)]..
“.And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed “(Daniel 7:9-10,13-14).

John saw this same thing in the Book of Revelation.
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven”
[the gates of Heaven are opened on Rosh HaShanah, according to  the traditional view of Isaiah 26:2 and Psalm 118:19-20]:
“and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet “
[Rosh HaShanah is known as the last trump]
“talking with me”
[Rosh HaShanah is known as Yom Teruah, the Day of the Awakening Blast or loud shout(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)].
“.And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2).
[this is HaMelech, the coronation of the Messiah; the coronation ceremony is described in Revelation 5]
“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits^[a] of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign^[b] on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:6-12

The description given here in Revelation 5 matches the account in Daniel 7:9-14.

The Enthronement Ceremony of a King

There are four parts to the enthronement of a Jewish king.

1.  The giving of the decree. Associated with this is a declaration. This can be seen in Psalm 2:6-7, as it is written, "Yet have I set my king upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree...." Next, a rod/scepter is given, which is an emblem of a king. Scriptures that refer to the scepter include Genesis 49:17; Numbers 24:17; Esther 4:11; 5:2; 8:4; Psalm 45:6; and Hebrews 1:8. Scriptures that refer to a rod are in Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 11:1,4; and Revelation 2:27; 12:5; 19:16. The scepter is an emblem of a king or royal office and a rod refers to the king ruling and reigning righteously in all matters (Isaiah 11:1,4-5). Yeshua is the King Messiah (Isaiah 11:1,4-5; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 1:32-33; John 1:47-49).

2.   The ceremony of the taking of the throne (Revelation 5). The king sits on the throne and is anointed as king. The word Christ in English comes from the Greek word Christos and in Hebrew is Mashiach, meaning "the anointed one." Jesus  came as a prophet during His first coming (Deuteronomy 18:15), was resurrected as the priest (John 20:9,17), and is coming back to earth again as King.

3.   The acclamation. During the acclamation, all the people shout, "Long live the king!" (1 Kings 1:28-31). Next, all the people clap (Psalm 47:1-2). Psalm 47 is a coronation psalm. Psalm 47:5 is the shout and trumpet of Rosh HaShanah. Verse 6 is the shouting and praising of the king. Verse 8 is the ceremony of the throne. In verse 9, the believers in the Messiah Jesus  are gathered in His presence.

4.  Each of the subjects coming to visit the king after he has taken the throne. In this, they will acknowledge their allegiance to him and receive their commissioning from him as to what their job will be in the kingdom (Isaiah 66:22-23; Zechariah 14:16-17; Matthew 2:2).

(Please read and study all the Scriptures referenced)

Yom HaZikkaron: The Day of Remembrance

      Rosh HaShanah is known as Yom HaZikkaron, the Day of Remembrance. Leviticus 23:24 calls the day "a memorial" (zikkaron). Remembrance is a major theme in the Bible. We can see by examining the following Scriptures that God remembers us and that we are to remember God in all of our ways.

There are two elements of remembrance:

a) God remembers us (Genesis 8:1; 9:1, 5-16; 19:29; 30:22; Exodus 2:24-25; 3:1; 6:2,5; 32:1-3,7,11,13-14; Leviticus 26:14,31-33,38-45; Numbers 10:1-2,9; Psalm 105:7-8,42-43; 112:6). In fact, God has a book of remembrance (Exodus 32:32-33; Malachi 3:16-18; Revelation 3:5; 20:11-15; 21:1,27).

b) We must remember God (Exodus 13:3; 20:8; Deuteronomy 7:17-19; 8:18; 16:3; Numbers 15:37-41).

      In Daniel 7:9-10 it is written:

“I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened “ Daniel 7:9-10 NAS

      Since the court was seated and the books were opened, it is understood to be Rosh HaShanah. The books are the book of the righteous, the book of the wicked, and the book of remembrance. The third book that will be opened is the book of remembrance (zikkaron). This is why the common greeting during Rosh HaShanah is, "May you be inscribed in the Book of Life."

      Spiritual Application . In Romans 14:10 it is written, "But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God [Christ]" (NAS). In Second Corinthians 5:10 it is written, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (NAS). This is also discussed in First Corinthians 3:9-15. The works of the believers in Messiah will be judged by God, but not their salvation. This is a judgment of the believers in Yeshua only. All people in this judgment are the believers in Yeshua only. All people in this judgment will be saved. This is not a judgment of your salvation, but a judgment of your rewards based upon your works. On this day, Gosd will open the Book of Life and hold a trial (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b). This is known as the Bema judgment.

The Time of Jacob's Trouble:
(The Birthpangs of the Messiah)

      The English phrase, birthpangs of the Messiah, or the Hebrew Chevlai shel Mashiach, is a major theme of the Bible. It is commonly known as the seven-year tribulation period. In Matthew 24, Yeshua describes the signs of the end. "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age [Olam Hazeh]?' "(Matthew 24:3 NAS) Yeshua said that these days are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:8. The Greek word translated as sorrows here is odin. This word means "birthpangs." The birthpangs of the Messiah are also spoken of in Jeremiah 30:4-7,

“Now these are the words which the Lord spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah, "For thus says the Lord, 'I have heard a sound of terror, of dread, and there is no peace. Ask now, and see, if a male can give birth [travail with child?]. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth [odin]? And why have all faces turned pale? Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob's distress [trouble], but he will be saved from it' "(Jeremiah 30:4-7 NAS).

The birthpangs are also mentioned in First Thessalonians 5:1-3:

“Now as to the times and the epochs [seasons], brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs [odin] upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 NAS).

It can also be seen in Revelation 12:1-2;

“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars [this is Israel (Genesis 37:9)]; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor [odin] and in pain to give birth” (Revelation 12:1-2 NAS).

The Scriptures reveal two synonyms:

1.   The birthpangs = the time of Jacob's trouble.

2.   The time of Jacob's trouble = the seven-year tribulation.

This period of time will be Israel's most trying time ever. This period of time is known as the tribulation. Jacob is Israel. There shall be great tribulation in Israel such as never was since there was a nation (Daniel 12:1). It will also be a time when God will ultimately judge sin and all the nations on the earth. Through it, the nation of Israel will be physically saved from total destruction by God, and will, as a nation, accept Yeshua as the Messiah "...But he shall be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:7). In Hosea 5:15 it is written, "I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek My face: in their affliction [the Chevlai shel Mashiach /tribulation] they will seek Me early."

      Israel will face genuine crisis during the time of Jacob's trouble. The prophet Zechariah prophesied that two of every three inhabitants of Israel will perish during this time, with a remnant of only one third of the population being saved (Zechariah 13:8-9). In Isaiah 13:6-8 it is written:

Wail, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man 's heart will melt [see Luke 21:26]. And they will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold of them, they will writhe like a woman in labor; they will look at one another in astonishment, their faces aflame (Isaiah 13:6-8 NAS).

      Isaiah 13:10 corresponds to Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; and Revelation 6:12. Other passages that speak of the birthpangs include Genesis 3:16; 35:16-20; 38:27-28; Isaiah 26:16-21; 54:1; 66:7-9; Jeremiah 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; Micah 4:9-10; and John 16:21-22.

      There are several stages to Israel's birthing the Messiah.

1.   Isaiah 66:7 is a birth before travail. "Before she [Israel] travailed [received the Messiah (Mashiach)], she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child" (Isaiah  66:7). Isaiah 66:7 is a birth before travail. This happened during the first coming of Yeshua, the Messiah. The birthpangs that Israel experienced during Yeshua's first coming came after Yeshua's death was the destruction of the temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people out of Israel by the Romans in 70 C.E. (Common Era).

2.   Isaiah 66:8 is a birth after travail. Isaiah 66:8 says, "...as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." This will happen before Yeshua returns to earth to set foot on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) as Israel experiences the hardest time she has ever experienced since she was a nation (Daniel 12:1) in the period of time known as the birthpangs of the Messiah, the Yamim Nora'im, or the tribulation. The tribulation and the birthpangs of the Messiah are one and the same thing. What we are seeing in these days is the woman (Israel) becoming larger and larger, coming closer and closer to the time when she is about to give birth.

The Opening of the Gates

      The gates of Heaven are opened on Rosh HaShanah so the righteous nation may enter (Isaiah 26:2

Open the gates
    that the righteous nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.

 Psalm 118:19-20

Open for me the gates of the righteous;
    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
    through which the righteous may enter

Because the gates of Heaven are traditionally understood to be open on Rosh HaShanah, this is further evidence from Hebrew thought that the rapture (natzal) of the believers in the Messiah Jesus will take place on Rosh HaShanah.

Rosh Hashanah: The Wedding of the Messiah

      The Bible is a marriage covenant. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament describe how God through the Messiah, the Bridegroom, is in the process of marrying His bride, the believers in Him who will ultimately live and dwell with Him forever.

      God ordained and established marriage and its divine sanctity in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, when He brought Adam and Eve together to become one flesh (Genesis 2:21-24). In doing so, we have a vivid foreshadowing of the Messiah being married to those who would believe upon Him. Let's examine this closer.

      Adam is a type of the Messiah Jesus. Adam was made after the likeness of Jesus. Jesus was made in the likeness of Adam “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come” (Romans 5:14)” And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself,by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). In fact, Jesus is called the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-47).

 In Genesis 2:21, God had a deep sleep fall upon Adam. Sleep is synonymous with death (Daniel 12:2; John 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Ephesians 5:14). The deep sleep that God caused to fall upon Adam is a picture of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Messiah ben Joseph. God brought a deep sleep upon Adam so He could take a rib from the side of his flesh. This required the shedding of blood. This is a picture of Jesus who was pierced in the side of His flesh, shedding His own blood when He hung on the tree (John 19:34).

      From the rib of Adam, God made Eve. Likewise, by the death of Jesus and faith in Him, God established the assembly of believers known in Hebrew as the kehilat.

 The believers in the Messiah, His bride, become wedded to Him by faith. This marriage can be seen in the Old Testament in Jeremiah 23:5-6, as it is written, .... this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6). In Jeremiah 33:15-16, it is written, "...this is the name wherewith she shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 33:16). Therefore, from these passages in Jeremiah, we can see the identification of the groom and the bride as one, showing that a wedding has taken place. Therefore, by accepting, trusting, and believing in the Messiah, the bride of Messiah, His followers, become one with Him.

These people would include both Jew and non-Jews who have lived since Adam and would include Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon as well as the prophets.

      God gave the wedding customs, service, and ceremonies to the Jewish people (Romans: 9:4) to teach us about the Messiah Jesus(Colossians 2:16-17). With this in mind, let us examine the biblical wedding ceremony that God gave to the Jewish people.

The ancient Jewish wedding ceremony God gave to the Jewish people to teach us about the wedding of the Messiah consisted of 13 steps.

1.   The selection of the bride.

      The bride was usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom. The father would send his trusted servant, known as the agent of the father, to search out the bride. An excellent example of this can be seen in Genesis 24. In this chapter, Abraham (a type of God the Father) wishes to secure a bride for Isaac (a type of Messiah) and sends his servant Eliezer (a type of the Holy Spirit) to do this task (Genesis 24:2-4; 15:2).

 It is the role of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin and lead them to God (John 16:7-8).

 Just as the bride was usually chosen by the father of the bridegroom, so the believers in the Messiah are chosen by God (John 15:16).

The bridegroom accepts the choice of the bride and lavished his love upon her and she returned his love. This can be seen in Ephesians 5:25,

, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself of it."

In Genesis 24, Rebekah consented to marry Isaac even before she ever met him. Today, the believers in the Messiah Jesus consent to become the bride of Messiah even though we have never seen Him.

First Peter 1:8 speaks of this,

"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

2.   A bride price was established.

      A price would have to be paid for the bride. The agreed upon price was called a mohar in Hebrew. Jesus, being our bridegroom, paid a very high price for His bride, the body of believers. The price He paid was His life.

“ He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Jesus was, in essence, saying, "Father, You have chosen this bride and I have agreed to the terms, but do you realize the price that is being asked for her?"

Our mohar, our bride price, was His life. First Peter 1:18-19 says,

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

In First Corinthians 6:20 it is written,

 "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

3.   The bride and groom are betrothed to each other.

      This is the first stage of marriage known as kiddushin, or betrothal. It is the first of two steps in the marriage process. Betrothal legally binds the bride and the groom together in a marriage contract, except they do not physically live together. Historically, God betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Jeremiah 2:2; Hosea 2:19-20). Whenever you accept the Messiah into your heart and life, you become betrothed to Him while living on the earth.

4.   A written document is drawn up, known as a ketubah. This betrothal contract is called, in Hebrew, a shitre erusin.

      The ketubah is the marriage contract that states the bride price, the promises of the groom, and the rights of the bride. The word ketubah means "that which is written." The groom promised to work for her, to honor, support, and maintain her in truth, to provide food, clothing, and necessities, and to live together with her as husband and wife.

The ketubah was the unalienable right of the bride. The ketubah must be executed and signed prior to the wedding ceremony. The Bible is the believer's ketubah. All the promises that God provided for the believers in the Messiah are legally ours, as it is written in Second Corinthians 1:20,

 "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen...."

5.   The bride must give her consent.

      At Pentecost, God betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai as stated in Jeremiah 2:2. Israel consented to the marriage proposal from God and said, "I do," as it is written in Exodus 24:3. Likewise, the personal application  to those who desire the Messiah to come into their hearts and lives is to accept His invitation to do so by faith, as it is written in Romans 10:8-10:

 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[d] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

So, even today, to become the bride of Messiah you must still say "I do" to Him.

6.   Gifts were given to the bride and a cup called the cup of the covenant was shared between the bride and the groom.

      The rite of betrothal is completed when the groom gives something of value to the bride and she accepts it. The gift most often given today is the ring. When the groom places the ring on the bride's finger, the rite of betrothal is completed. This completed rite is  known in Hebrew as kiddushin, which means "sanctification."

      The gifts to the bride are symbols of love, commitment, and loyalty. The gift God gives to those who accept the Messiah is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26-27; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave gifts to men (Ephesians 4:7-8).

These gifts included righteousness (Romans 5:17-18), eternal life (Romans 6:23), grace (Romans 5:12,14-15), faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and other spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1,4). These included wisdom, knowledge, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-11), as well as the gifts of helps and administration (1 Corinthians 12:28).

      In addition, at this time the cup of the covenant was shared and sealed between the bride and the groom with the drinking of wine. In doing so, the couple drinks from a common cup. The cup is first given to the groom to sip, and then is given to the bride. This cup, known as the cup of the covenant, is  spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31-33:

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah 31:31-33).

Jesus spoke of the cup of the New Covenant in Luke 22:20.

7.   The bride had a mikvah (water immersion), which is a ritual of cleansing.

      Mikvah is a Hebrew word that means "pool" or "body of water." Mikvah is a ceremonial act of purification by the immersion in water. It indicates a separation from a former way to a new way. In the case of marriage, it indicates leaving an old life for a new life with your spouse (Genesis  2:23-24; Ephesians 5:31). Immersing in the mikvah is considered a sign of spiritual rebirth.

Concerning the marriage to Israel at Mount Sinai, God said in Ezekiel 16:8-9;

"...I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee... and thou becamest Mine. Then washed I thee with water...."

 The washing, or immersion, here refers to that of Israel before the people received the Torah when God betrothed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:14-15).

Jesus spoke to the Pharisee, Nicodemus, that he must be born anew (immersed) to enter into the Kingdom of God (John 3:1-7). The believers in the Messiah are to be immersed in the name of Jesus (Acts 19:4). The Holy Spirit is the immerser of God (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; 11:15-16).

8.   The bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber.

      At this point, the bridegroom leaves for his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber for his bride. It was understood to be the man's duty to go away to be with his father, build a house, and prepare for the eventual wedding. Before he goes, though, he will make a statement to the bride. "I go to prepare a place for you; if I go, I will return again unto you." This is the same statement Jesus made in John 14:1-3 before He went to His father's house in Heaven:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Fathers' house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3).

9.   The bride was consecrated and set apart for a period of time while the bridegroom was away building the house.

      Before the bridegroom could go and get the bride, the groom's father had to be satisfied that every preparation had been made by the son. Only then could he give permission to the son to go and get the bride. In other words, while the bridegroom was working on the bridal chamber, it was the father who "okayed" the final bridal chamber. The bridegroom did not know when his father would declare the bridal chamber fit and send him to go get his bride. This is exactly what Jesus was referring to in Mark 13:32

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”.

      Meanwhile, the bride was to wait eagerly for the return of the bridegroom. In the mind of the bride, the bridegroom could come at any time, even in the middle of the night or at midnight. Therefore, she had to be ready at all times. Jesus referred to this in Mark 13:32-37 and Matthew 25:1-13. While waiting for her bridegroom to come, the bride had to have thought to herself, "Is he really coming back for me? Is he really going to keep his word?" This was the thought that Peter answered in Second Peter 3:13.

             ^“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new                                                  heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

10.               The bridegroom would return with a shout, "Behold, the bridegroom comes" and the sound of the ram's horn (shofar) would be blown.

      The time of the return of the bridegroom was usually at midnight. When the bridegroom did come, he came with a shout (Matthew 25:6) and with the blowing of a shofar (trumpet) (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 4:1). The marriage between the bride and the groom will take place under the chupah or wedding canopy. Since Heaven is a type of chupah, we can see that when Jesus gives a shout for His bride, accompanied by the blowing of a shofar (trumpet), the marriage between Jesus and His bride will take place in Heaven.

      The marriage ceremony will have a sacred procession. For this reason, the bridegroom will be led to the chupah first. When the bridegroom approaches the chupah, the cantor chants, "Blessed is he who comes." "Blessed is he who comes" is an idiomatic expression meaning "welcome." Jesus said that He would not return for His bride until these words were said (Matthew 23:39). The groom is greeted like a king under the chupah. During this time Jesus, the bridegroom, will be crowned King under the chupah, which is Heaven.

11.               He would abduct his bride, usually in the middle of the night, to go to the bridal chamber where the marriage would be consummated. This is the full marriage, known in Hebrew as nesu'in.

This pictures the rapture of the saints (the bride) who will go with the groom to the Fathers’ house to consummate the marriage.

REMEMBER: one of the names of this Feast is “The Feast of Ingathering!  Exodus 23:16

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.”

The “end of the year” refers to the seventh month (completion) the fall harvest at Rosh HaShanah.

The Festival of Harvest mentioned in verse 16a is Pentecost, the First Fruits Harvest.  See ACTS 2

12.               The bride and groom will go to the wedding chamber, or chadar in Hebrew, where the marriage will be consummated. They will stay in that wedding chamber for seven days, or a week. At the end of the seven days, the bride and groom will come out from the wedding chamber. This can be seen in Joel 2:16.

“Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.”

The word week in Hebrew is shavuah. It means a "seven." It can mean seven days or seven years. An example of the Hebrew word for week (shavuah) meaning seven years can be found in Daniel 9:24, ,

 "Seventy weeks [shavuah, 490 years] are determined upon thy people..."

and in 9:27,

"And he [the false Messiah known as the antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [shavuah, seven years]...."

The week referred to in Daniel 9:27 is known to Bible believers as the tribulation period. The Jewish people understand this time to be the birthpangs of the Messiah known in Hebrew eschatology as the Chevlai shel Mashiach. This is taken from Jeremiah 30:5-7.

          “This is what the Lord says “‘Cries of fear are heard—terror, not        peace. Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale⁷ How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.”

 With this understanding we can see that the believers in the Messiah will be with Him in Heaven for His wedding while the earth will be experiencing the seven-year tribulation period, or the Chevlai shel Mashiach, in Hebrew. This period is also known as the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.

13.               Finally, there would be a marriage supper for all the guests invited by the father of the bride.

 As stated,the bride and the groom would be in the wedding chamber for seven days. When the bride and the groom initially went into the wedding chamber, the friend of the bridegroom stood outside the door. All the assembled guests of the wedding gathered outside, waiting for the friend of the bride-groom to announce the consummation of the marriage, which was relayed to him by the groom. John the Baptist referred to this in John 3:29.

“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”

 At this signal, great rejoicing broke forth. The marriage was consummated on the first night (Genesis 29:23). The bloodstained linen from this night was preserved. It was proof of the bride's virginity (Deuteronomy  22:13-21).

      On the wedding day, the bridegroom is seen as a king and the bride as a queen.

 During the consummation of the marriage, the bridegroom (Jesus) will be crowned King over all the earth and the bride (the believers in Jesus the Messiah) will live with Him and rule with Him forever. The crowning of the King and the marriage is seen in Isaiah 62:3-7.

You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
⁴ No longer will they call you Deserted,
    or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
    and your land Beulah
for the Lord will take delight in you,
    and your land will be married.
⁵ As a young man marries a young woman,
    so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
    so will your God rejoice over you.

 At the end of the week (seven-year tribulation, or birthpangs of the Messiah), the marriage supper will take place. The marriage supper will not take place in Heaven. After the marriage, the bride and Groom will return to earth. The marriage supper will be taking place on earth and only the invited guests of the Father of the Groom (God the Father) will be present at the banquet meal. This can be seen in Revelation 19:7-16

            Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.⁸ Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

 Jesus spoke of the marriage supper and the banquet in Luke 12:35-38

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.

and Matthew 8:11.

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

 The wedding supper is a theme of the festival of Sukkot, During Sukkot, the people were instructed by God to build a temporary shelter. One of the things God instructed the people to do is eat there. When they eat, they are to set a plate for seven different people. Among the seven whom a plate is set for are Abraham Isaac and Jacob. This is what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 8:11.

      The unbelievers in the Messiah will attend a separate banquet where the fowls of the air will eat their flesh. This can be seen in Revelation 19:17-18.

“And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

      The home of the bride was Jerusalem and the bridegroom who came to the bride to dwell with her. It is from Jerusalem that the believers in the Messiah during the Messianic age, or Millennium, will reign with the Messiah. This can be seen in Revelation 21:1-3; Ezekiel 43:1-2,7; Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-5; and Zechariah 2:l0-12.

      In concluding this section on the wedding, whenever anyone hears the message of the gospel, it is a wedding proposal by God to accept Him and be a part of His bride. God desires that we accept His invitation and give Him our response of "I do." In fact, Revelation 22:17 is a proposal by Jesus Himself to accept Him and be a part of His bride. His message in this verse is "Come." Will you say, "I do" to the Messiah's proposal to you?

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

The Resurrection of the Dead

      We will now return to the subject of the blowing of the shofar
As noted above,  we see that one of the reasons for blowing the shofar is to proclaim the resurrection of the dead.
(The thirteenth principle of the Jewish faith is belief in the resurrection of the dead.)
According to Jewish belief  The resurrection of the dead will take place on Rosh HaShanah (Talmud, Rosh HaShanah l6b).
 In First Corinthians 15:52-53, the apostle Paul  tells us that the resurrection of the dead will be "at the last trump."
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
 Earlier, in First Corinthians 15:14, he wrote that without the Messiah rising from the dead, our faith is in vain.
      Although many go to the Book of Revelation and say that the voice of the seventh angel (Revelation 11:15) is the last trump;
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”

A close examination of the text however reveals that this trumpet is the seventh trumpet, the final call of the angels proceeding the fate of the Two witnesses and the exodus of Israel into the desert to be protected during the final judgements of God. Though judgments were still to come, the kingdom was now the Lords, Satan was cast down and the final events were in progress. Remember, seven is the number of completion.

In the first century, the last trump (shofar) meant a specific day in the year. In Judaism, there are three trumpets that have a name. They are the first trump, the last trump, and the great trump.
 Each one of these trumpets indicates a specific day in the Jewish year.
 The first trump is blown on the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) Exodus 19:19.
“As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.”^[
 It proclaimed that God had betrothed Himself to Israel.
The last trump is synonymous with Rosh HaShanah, according to Theodore Gaster in his book, Festivals of the Jewish Year, in his chapter on Rosh HaShanah. Herman Kieval also states the same thing in his book, The High Holy Days (Volume I, Rosh HaShanah, Chapter 5, Footnote 11), in the chapter on the shofar.
On Rosh HaShanah 100 trumpets were blown from the Temple,. The blasts were of varying lengths and tones, with the final being a long, sustained blast on the shofar. This blast was called “The Last Trump”.  Since Paul was very familiar with this, it is easy to see what he meant by the last trump in 1 Corinthians 15.
 The great trumpet is blown on Yom Kippur, which will herald the final physical return of the Messiah Yeshua back to earth, stepping onto the Mount of Olives. This is seen in Matthew 24:31.
“And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Notice that the elect are gathered from “the four winds” from “one end of heaven to the other” NOT from the four corners of THE EARTH. This is the gathering of the armies of heaven, the clouds that will come with Him on His final return!
      The first and last trump relate to the two horns of the ram, which according to Jewish tradition, was caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah when Abraham was ready to slay Isaac and offer him up as a burnt offering. This ram became the substitute for Isaac even as Jesus became the substitute for us and provided life for us through His death.
      In Pirkei Avot (the sayings of the fathers), Rabbi Eliezer tells us that the left horn (first trump) was blown on Mount Sinai, and its right horn (the last trump) will be blown to herald the coming of the Messiah.
 First Thessalonians 4:13-18 speak of the resurrection of the dead.
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
 First Thessalonians chapter 5 continues with the day of the Lord and the birthpangs of the Messiah. The festivals will, beyond a shadow of a doubt, tell you that the resurrection of the dead precedes the time of Jacob's trouble (also known as the tribulation). As we have seen, First Thessalonians 4:16-17 says that the dead in Messiah will rise first, and that the catching away of the believers will immediately follow.
      The term rapture comes from the Greek word harpazo, which means "to seize, catch away, catch up, pluck, pull, take by force" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Hebrew equivalent is the word natzal. Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 26:2-3
“Open the gates
    that the righteous nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.
³ You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.”
:19-20

“But your dead will live, Lord;
    their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
    wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
    the earth will give birth to her dead.

²⁰ Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath has passed by.”

 These passagesall speak clearly of the resurrection of the dead, the taking of the believers, and the hiding of the believers from the indignation (the tribulation). Daniel 12:1-2:
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. ² Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
 also speaks of the resurrection of the dead, the tribulation, and the salvation of Israel through the tribulation.
 Zephaniah 1:14-18 and 2:2-3 tells about the terrible times during the day of the Lord, the birthpangs of the Messiah, and issues a decree to repent and turn to God before that day to be hid from that time. Psalm 27:5 says the righteous will be hid in the time of trouble.
“For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.”
 This psalm is read every day during the 40-day period of Teshuvah. Second Thessalonians 2:1 says,
 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him."
The phrase, "gathering together" comes from the Greek word episunagoge, which means "an assembly."
 The blowing of the trumpet and the assembling of the people also appear together in First Thessalonians 4:16-17 seen above and First Corinthians 15:51-53:
“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

Yom HaKeseh: The Hidden Day

      In Psalm 27:5 it is written,
 "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock."
      Yet another name for Rosh HaShanah is Yom HaKeseh, "The Day of the Hiding" or "the Hidden Day." The term keseh or keceh is derived from the Hebrew root kacah, which means to "conceal, cover, or hide."
Every day during the month of Elul, a trumpet is blown to warn the people to turn back to God, except for the thirtieth day of Elul, the day preceding Rosh HaShanah. On that day the trumpet is not blown, and is therefore silent. This is because much about Rosh HaShanah is concealed and shrouded in mystery.
The mystical aspect of Rosh HaShanah is indicated in Scripture:
"Sound the shofar on the New Moon, in concealment of the day of our festival" (Psalm 81:3).
Satan, the accuser, is not to be given notice about the arrival of Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Judgment.
      Rosh HaShanah is called Yom HaKeseh, or the Day of the Hiding, because it was hidden from Satan the adversary. The Bible says that Satan comes to rob and to steal (John 10:10, and to confuse (1 Corinthians 14:33). Because it is the Day of Judgment, it is symbolically hidden from Satan. Satan did not know and understand the plan of the cross [tree], First Corinthians 2:7-8). This was hidden from him as well.
 Believers never said when the day of Rosh HaShanah was; they simply said, "Of that day and hour no one knows, only the Father."
      One of the reasons most often given to disclaim that the resurrection of the dead and the catching away of the believers is on Rosh HaShanah is the statement given by Jesus in Matthew 24:36, ,
 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
Because Rosh HaShanah was understood to be the hidden day, this statement by Jesus is actually an idiom for Rosh Hashanah.
Thus it should be given as proof that He was speaking of Rosh HaShanah because Rosh HaShanah is the only day in the whole year that was referred to as the hidden day or the day that no man knew.
      

                                  IN SUMMARY 

·       The Feasts are the Lord’s Feasts, not Israel’s

·       The Feasts are “dress rehearsals” of future events

·       The Feasts are shadows and types meant to teach truths

·       Both Gentiles and Jews are invited to God’s Feasts

·       The Feasts are set in THREE sections, the number of witness

·       The Spring Feasts were fulfilled by Jesus on the exact day

·       The Fall Feasts are yet to be fulfilled, but will be in the same way

·       Rosh HaShannah is the Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Ingathering

·       Rosh HaShanah  portrays several themes:

·       Repentance

·       Birthday of the world, new year of years, beginning of messianic age

·       Coronation of the Messiah

·       Beginning of Jacob’s Troubles, the Tribulation

·       Marriage of the King

Catching away of the Bride, the rapture

·       Wedding of the Messiah

·       Resurrection of the dead

·       The opening of the gates

·       The Last Trumpet

·       The “Hidden Day”

On some future Rosh HaShana, the last trump will sound and the bride will be caught away, the righteous dead will be raised, the purifying of Israel will begin and the kingdom of Satan will be overthrown during the Great Tribulation.
In Heaven, the bride and the groom will be married and the marriage feast will occur.
After seven years the King and His bride will return to the earth to rule for a thousand years.

Even so, Lord Jesus Come!