A Yemenite Jew blows a shofar
Tonight begins the Feast of Trumpets according to the calculated Jewish calendar. It is called “Rosh Hashanah” by Jews, but that merely means “New Year” (literally “head of the year”). Still, there is some recognition of its importance, as it kicks off the “Days of Awe” observed by many Jews.
The term “Feast of Trumpets” or sometimes “Day of Trumpets” refers to the biblical command related to this day.
24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.
However, far from this being only an OT celebration, it has a deep spiritual meaning as well. We are told Christ will return at “the last trump” and that the saints will be raised from the dead at His return.
However, one thing that is perhaps sometimes overlooked is that when you look at the year of Jubilee in Leviticus 23, “liberty” is proclaimed on the Day of Atonement, not on the Feast of Trumpets!
10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.
13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
Notice that the slaves are set free, including indentured servants, and the land is to rest. Not only that, but the land is to return to its rightful owners on the Jubilee. Spiritually speaking, who are the slaves and what land are we talking about? This is symbolic of the world here.
The Feast of Trumpets, however, centers upon Christ returning to first reward the saints. While all holy days concentrate upon what Christ is doing for humanity in the Father’s plan of salvation, the entities He interacts with are different depending upon the phase of the plan. The first phase of the plan is what He did for the individual Christian, and all people will go through this process in their due time. However, the second phase of the plan will involve the entire world, but first He returns and gathers the saints.
Why?
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
~ Rev 20:4
The saints will be assisting Christ in the Millennial Kingdom!
Notice the gap in time between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. It may be short, but it exists nonetheless. What will take place during that time? Apparently, that will be when the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will take place! A glorious event, indeed!
I could go on, but you’ll probably hear so much more at services tomorrow. I will write more about the Day of Atonement and the signficance of the Jubilee soon enough.
May you all have a spiritually filled holy day!
Have a wonderfully blessed Holy Feast friend
John writes:
“Notice the gap in time between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.”
It may be argued that the ‘gap’ is bigger and extends to the First Day of Tabernacles – the holy day that mostly likely pictures the Millennium?
The gap then, suggested by the type-antitype telescopic prophecy of Christ and the Antichrist of Daniel 9:24-27, would be 3.5 years.
In the first half of the seventieth week Christ raised up the Church and commissioned it; in the second half of the seventieth week Christ raises up the Kingdom and commissions it.
As mentioned before in the typology of Joshua, son of Nun, and Joshua, son of God, there is:
Jos 10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
Jos 10:18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him…
Jos 10:22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
Jos 10:23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem [type of Satan?], the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon [types of the demon kings of Daniel 10:20?]
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…
Jos 10:26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
Jos 10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
John writes:
“The saints will be assisting Christ in the Millennial Kingdom!”
Da 10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I [that is, Jesus Christ?] come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.
Da 10:21 But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
Yes, it will be good when the Saints take on the rulership now exercised by the Demons – righteous rule replacing unrighteous rule.
John from Australia wrote: “It may be argued that the ‘gap’ is bigger and extends to the First Day of Tabernacles – the holy day that mostly likely pictures the Millennium?
“The gap then, suggested by the type-antitype telescopic prophecy of Christ and the Antichrist of Daniel 9:24-27, would be 3.5 years.”
I would be careful about being too rigid with that timeline for a few reasons:
1. Many people come up with various timelines saying “there must be time for this” or “there must be time for that”. One of the messages I listened to today made a good point that to a spirit being, time is not going to look the same. God invented time, in fact, and He Himself is not bound by it. He could easily move through time as we move from place to place, or, IMO, even move in and out of it. While I state that we will be busily engaged in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb during any gap that might occur, there is no reason it couldn’t occur in a totally different dimension.
2. Holy days are by their nature repetitive and multi-faceted. There are thousands of years of separation between the physical Passover and the actual Passover, for example. This makes pinning down any timing difficult at best.
3. Christ fulfilled the Passover, the wave sheaf offering and the Holy Spirit was sent to the Church in the same physical year. We cannot with 100% certainty say that Christ’s return, the putting away of Satan and the beginning of the Millennium won’t be the same.
4. We also cannot say with 100% certainty that Christ’s return, the putting away of Satan and the beginning of the Millennium must occur the same physical year. While time might not be a large obstacle to a spirit being, it is to a physical person, and there must be time for Ezekiel 38 to be fulfilled. Notice it is in the “latter years”, but it is also a time that Israel appears to dwell in safety. But, it isn’t until 39:25 that “Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name”…. This is a hint, at least, that the nations will still remain rebellious, but it will be this final defeat that will signal the return of the physical descendants of Israel to the Holy Land.
5. I saved the more obvious point for last, namely that there are two gaps between Trumpets and the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles: 9 days from Trumpets to Atonement, and 5 days from Atonement to the first day of the FOT. So, no matter what theory you are working off of, it must account for this. For example, there is no reason that these “days” couldn’t be physical years, just as the “Day of the LORD” is probably one physical year in the last 3-1/2 years leading up to Christ’s return. If that is true, then IMO the events of Ezekiel 38-39 would be after Satan was put away, and it would be a simultaneous warning both on the physical plane and on the spiritual plane.
But, I’m sure you realize that prophecy is never 100% clear until after the fact. Even then, there are disputes, especially those brought up by skeptics, about prophecies already partially fulfilled. However, I’m sure you also realize that prophecy gets clearer around two main events: The first and second coming of Christ. Around those events, it is like a bell curve where vagueness partially dissolves at the peaks, but the further in time you move from either crest, the more vague are the pronouncements.
John writes:
“If that is true, then IMO the events of Ezekiel 38-39 would be after Satan was put away”.
I would suggest that the Joshua, son of Nun, and Joshua, son of God typology supports this position.
(I have posted this in two parts as it is too long – and if you don’t like the first part then you don’t have to read the second part).
Da 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
I would suggest that from Christ’s return to the anointing of the “most holy” will be close to 3.5 year, that is, the last half of Christ’s prophetic week.
The Conquest of Jericho and the Central Campaign by Joshua, son of Nun, and Israel pictures the Conquest of Jerusalem and the ‘central campaign of Joshua, son of God, and Israel. The latter is seen in these verses in Isaiah:
Isa 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
For the former, from “Britain and America in History and the Future – The Typological-Prophetic Connection,” p.32:
Jos 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Jos 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded;
Rev 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven … seven angels having the seven last plagues;
The six days of marching, once around Jericho, picture the sounding of the trumpets by the first six angels of the seventh seal in the book of Revelation.
The seventh day of marching, seven times around Jericho, picture the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15). After the resumption of the chronological story line of Revelation, that is, after the retro-perspective prophecy of Revelation 12-14, it is revealed that the seventh trumpet comprises seven angels and their plagues (Revelation 15-16).
After the seventh time around Jericho, on the seventh day, the battle for Jericho began. After the seventh of seven plagues is poured out “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14), the battle for Jerusalem begins.
Battle of Jericho (OT)
Jos 6:20a …and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat,
Jos 6:20bso that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Battle of Jerusalem (NT)
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
Zec 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
[The Battles were in parallel chart form in the brochure].
“Jericho … was the key to the conquest of the whole land, the possession of which would open the way to the whole, as it were, into their hands…
“Through this arrangement, that the walls of Jericho were not to fall till after they had been marched round for seven days, and not till after this had been repeated seven times on the seventh day, and then amidst the blast of the jubilee trumpets and the war-cry of the soldiers of the people of God, the destruction of this town, the key to Canaan, was intended by God to become a type of the final destruction at the last day of the power of this world, which exalted itself against the kingdom of God. In this way He not only showed to His congregation that it would not be all at once, but only after long-continued conflict, and at the end of the world, that the worldly power by which it was opposed would be overthrown, but also proved to the enemies of His kingdom, that however long their power may sustain itself in opposition to the kingdom of God, it would at last be destroyed in a moment” (C.F. Keil, The Book of Joshua, KD, Vol.2, pp.50-52).
The southern campaign and the capture of the King of Jerusalem pictures the campaign and capture of Satan, as presented, in my last post; cp also David campaign against the Jebusites.
From “Britain and America in History and the Future – The Typological-Prophetic Connection,” pp.53-54:
Jabin and Gog – the Annihilations of the Northern Coalitions
Jos 11:10b Hazor* had been the head (ro’sh) of all these kingdoms (NIV).
Eze 38:3b Gog, the chief (ro’sh) prince of Meshech and Tubal
Jos 11:1b he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
Jos 11:2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
Jos 11:3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh
Eze 38:4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords
Eze 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
Eze 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.
Jos 11:4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
Eze 38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
Jos 11:5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
Eze 39:2b and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
* Jabin was the king of Hazor (11:1).
[The Annihilations above were also presented in a parallel chart in brochure].
The typology of Jabin and Gog suggests that Joshua son of Nun’s victory over Jabin at the end of the ‘major’ conquest of Canaan is a type of the conquest of Joshua son of God’s victory over Gog at the end of the ‘major’ conquest of the world.
“This chapter draws the long saga of Israel’s conquest of Canaan to a close. It opens with the last Canaanite coalition massing for war (vv.1-5) and ends on the peaceful note that war no longer ravages the land (v.23b)…
“With considerable skill the writer pictures the battle [of Meron] as the decisive, stunning climax of the entire conquest” (Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Joshua, NIVAC, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), pp.324-25).
“…the destruction of Gog and his gathering of peoples [is] the last attack of the heathen world-power upon the kingdom of God will be judged and overthrown, so that from that time forth the people of God will no more have to fear a foe who can disturb its peace and its blessedness in the everlasting possession of the inheritance given to it by the Lord” (C. F. Keil, Ezekiel, KD, Vol.9, p.342).
“Shiloh became the center of national life… The transfer of the ark from Gilgal to Shiloh was symbolic of the completion of the Conquest because Gilgal was only on the edge of the Promised Land but Shiloh was in the center. Though the Israelites had the land “under their control,” they did not possess it all. They had not subdued all the Canaanites…” (Donald H. Madwig, Joshua, EBC, Vol.3, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), p.339).
Old Covenant Kingdom of God
Jos 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
Jos 18:10 Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD (NIV).
New Covenant Kingdom of God
Eze 40:2b upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.
Eze 43:10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel,
Eze 43:5b and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
Eze 43:7 He said: … This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. (NIV).
[The Covenants was also in parallel chart form in brochure].
“It is also striking that the setting up of the symbol of access to Yahweh is done only when the land had rest from war… They receive their land when they provide a place for Yahweh to speak to them. Such is done in an atmosphere of peace, not of war…” (Trent C. Butler, Joshua, WBC, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009), p.204).
With the setting up and consecration of Ezekiel’s temple, the Millennium is ready to go:
“The empty complex of chaps. 40-42 now comes alive. Supremely Yahweh takes possession of his new home. Earlier threads in the book which have traced the departure of his glory are now drawn together in a positive finale. The traditional phrase “in the presence of Yahweh” may now be meaningfully used again (44:3; 46:3, 9; cf. 41:22). It is Yahweh’s taking up residence in the temple that starts the wheels of worship turning and energizes the temple area into a concourse of bustling activity” (Leslie C. Allen, Ezekiel 20-48, WBC, p.269).
Or as the UCG Bible Reading Program has:
“Returning to the east gate, Ezekiel is now given a glimpse of the awesome and thrilling arrival of Jesus Christ (identified by Ezekiel as the coming of the “glory of the LORD”) to this newly completed temple, a scene that reminded him of the visions he had recorded earlier in his book (verses 1-5; see Ezekiel 1; 10). Ezekiel 10:18-19 had specifically mentioned God leaving the temple, after which it was destroyed. Here we have God returning again” (February 19-20, 2004, p.24).