The Feast of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles
In "God's Clock: The Biblical Mystery of Time," We unraveled the divine timing embedded within the creation story, examining how God's appointed times are reflected in the created order. We saw how the biblical calendar, established on the fourth day of creation with the sun, moon, and stars, serves as a cosmic clock guiding the rhythm of God's sacred appointments.
Next, in "The Apocalyptic Nature of Time," we continued the journey, unraveling the deeper meaning behind the signs and seasons mentioned in Genesis 1:14, which herald the appointed time of the end – the apocalyptic nature of time itself. Through meticulously examining biblical passages and historical context, you were invited to contemplate the divine revelations hidden within the cosmic clock of creation, leading towards a promised conclusion, apocalyptic in nature, inscribed in the heavens and memorialized in God's Spring appointments: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits. From the creation account in Genesis 1 to the appointed times set by God for Israel (Leviticus 23), we navigated through the intricate layers of time's significance.
Then, in "Time and the Calendar Disconnect - Have We Lost Track of Time?" we discussed how the separation of Christian observances from their Hebraic roots has led to a disconnect from God's original calendar. We explored the historical shifts that caused this divergence and emphasized the importance of realigning our understanding and observance with God's appointed times.
So far, we have worked through God's Spring appointments, revealing their historic mooring, meaning in Jesus, and apocalyptic promise, and explored the summer feast of Pentecost. Now, we will conclude this series with a review of the Fall Feasts. We will see that they will ultimately usher in the final apocalyptic promise of the Gospel—the return and reign of Jesus.
In the annual progression of the Feasts, we observe a dramatic pause between the first three feasts and Pentecost. This interlude heightens the significance of the first four Feasts, which collectively commemorate Israel's miraculous redemption from Egyptian bondage by God's unmerited grace. They also foretell of a time when this same redemption would be offered to all the nations of the earth when the Lamb of God will reveal the meaning of the first Passover's lamb.
These sacred appointments redirect Israel's gaze from the false gods of Egypt to the one true God who unequivocally declared Himself as the God of Israel. Redeemed and liberated, they were led to Mount Sinai, where He imparted His divine instruction (Torah). This marks the beginning of a radical transformation—a new way of life no longer governed by Egypt's myriad gods but by the sovereign God who has declared Himself to be Israel's one-and-only deity. This is how it will be in the new land God has prepared for them.
The fourth feast, Pentecost, is closely tied to the first three even though there seems to be a long pause. The seeming pause is occupied with the daily Counting of the Omer (Lev 23:9-21). Previously, I described how this marked the time between leaving Egypt and anticipating the meeting with God at Sinai. We also saw that Jesus and His disciples seem to have spent this time preparing for the Pentecost event of Acts 2: Jesus had instructed them to go to Jerusalem and wait (wait - meaning to actively anticipate) to receive the power to move into the next phase of God's plan of intervention into mankind's sin crisis—to be empowered as witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8) of the advancement of God's apocalyptic plan of redemption.
The Counting of the Omer spanned 50 days. The time between Pentecost and Yom Teruah is much longer: more like 113 days. There is no scriptural direction for counting these days. It's like they continue on, neglecting notice or anticipation until they suddenly appear at the end of the final fall harvest.
The Mystery of the Cycle of Feasts
By way of reminder, the feasts originate not from rabbinic literature or tradition but are declared in the Torah. As such, they are not mere celebrations; they are part of God's revelation and instruction to mankind.
The cycle of feasts reveals one of God's great mysteries—the cycle of biblical feasts reveals the outworking of human history and God's promise-plan of redemption. The sages believe that significant historical events align with these appointed times. For instance, they commemorate the "birthday of the world" and the creation of Adam and Eve during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Similarly, the giving of the law to Moses at Mount Sinai coincides with the feast of Pentecost.
Central to Christ’s redemption of humanity are the first three main feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Jesus' death had to occur during Passover: He is the sacrificial lamb offered for the sins of the world. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised, happened at Pentecost. Ultimately, the Feast of Tabernacles points to Jesus’ second coming, fulfilling God's promise to dwell among His people.
Remember the Hebrew word for "feast" is "moed," meaning "an appointment" or "a fixed time or season." God Himself appointed these feasts, making them precise indicators of His divine timeline. Not all feasts have been completely fulfilled, but they will be, as God's times are established for eternity and do not change. To eyes opened, these sacred appointments intricately weave the fabric of human history with God's redemptive plan, showcasing His faithfulness through the ages.
Let's explore the remaining feasts and see what they might be intended to reveal.
Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah
The long silence following Pentecost is broken by the first fall feast, the Feast of Trumpets, variously known in modern celebrations as Rosh Hashanah and in Hebrew as Yom Teruah, the day of blowing. This feast, observed on the first day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:24), marks the year’s final harvest, following the harvest of olives for oil and grapes for wine.
Each feast serves as a reminder of God’s provision for Israel in the land He gave them. Our present calendar, no longer agriculturally based, often leads us to overlook the importance of the seedtime and harvest cycle. Genesis 2:9 highlights food's central role in creation and the Garden of Eden:
“Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:9, NASB95)
The garden was a source of food for humans who served God, with two kinds of food emphasized by the trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The original sin stemmed from desiring and eating the forbidden food rather than relying on God for all food:
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6, NASB95)
Jesus taught a crucial lesson on choosing spiritual food, drawing from Deuteronomy 8:3 during His temptation: "...man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord" (Matthew 4:4). The cycle of feasts reminds us that our true sustenance comes from God alone, both physically and spiritually.
The annual cycle of feasts also foretells an end-time harvest, not of food, but of God’s creation. This end-time harvest will demand an accounting of the seed sown in the Garden and by each of us.
In modern celebrations, the Feast of Trumpets is often called Rosh Hashanah, meaning "head of the year," though it is never called this in the Bible. Jewish sages associate this day with the creation of man and the establishment of man and God's authority in the earth. This is reflected in ancient Israel’s practice of enthroning kings on this day, signifying divine appointments and new beginnings.
Trumpets, the plaintive cry of the shofar, signaled the enthronement of a new king. We can see this depicted in Psalm 2 and 1 Kings 1:39, 45-46:
"There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, 'Long live King Solomon!'"
The Feast of Trumpets, with its themes of judgment, repentance, and renewal, fills us with the anticipation of Christ's return. Leviticus 23:24-25 describes the feast:
“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.’” (Leviticus 23:24–25, NASB95)
Rosh Hashanah initiates the Ten Days of Awe, leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The shofar’s blast symbolizes a call to repentance and a reminder of God’s sovereignty.
In the New Testament, the themes of the Feast of Trumpets resonate with the mystery of Christ. The shofar's sound heralds Christ’s second coming and the resurrection of believers, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. These passages connect the feast to the future fulfillment in Christ.
The feast’s themes of judgment and repentance align with Christ’s teachings and His role as the ultimate judge (Acts 17:30-31, Romans 14:10). The anticipation of God’s kingship celebrated during the Feast of Trumpets finds fulfillment in the New Testament’s depiction of Christ’s return to establish His eternal kingdom (Matthew 24:31, Revelation 11:15).
This was the inaugural message preached by Christ as recorded in Matthew:
“From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4:17, NASB95)
Thus, the symbolic connections and thematic parallels between the Feast of Trumpets and the New Testament reveal the mystery of Christ. The trumpet call heralds Christ’s return, the call to repentance underscores His message and role as judge, and the anticipation of God’s kingdom aligns with His reign. These elements highlight the continuity between the Old and New Covenants and the ultimate realization of divine promises in Christ.
The Day of Atonement:
The Fall feasts fall in quick succession, bundled in a very short time period similar to the first three Spring feasts. On the tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:27), just 10 days after Trumpets, falls the Day of Atonement: A time of reconciliation and final determination of fates. Leviticus 23:27-32
This day is a perpetual reminder of the climax of the ultimate apocalyptic expectation. This day completes the days of awe; the ten days between Trumpets and Atonement. It is believed that God makes judgments for the following year on Trumpets. These judgments are not fixed. If these judgments are unfavorable, 10 days are given to repent and return - to be reconciled with God. Otherwise, come the day of atonement, they are fixed. These annual decrees are not necessarily eternal but they shape the coming year. That said, they do serve as a recurring reminder that our choices have consequences, both for now and for eternity—there is coming that one day, fixed in the cosmic clock, that God will inventory His creation to 'see' what he can declare as 'good.' Genesis 1:4
Jesus speaks of the judgment on this day in John's Gospel this way:
““Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28–29, NASB95)
The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is a profound day of humility and repentance for God's chosen people, a time to reconcile their hearts, consciences, and lives with God. As such, it is not observed as a feast, but as a fast. Jewish tradition does not eat, drink water, or do anything for their body's sake. It is a day to humble themselves (Leviticus 23:27-28)
From the time of Moses, on this solemn day, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, making atonement through the blood of animals. Yet, these sacrifices were only a temporary measure, an annual payment for their sins. Hidden in these rituals was the promise of a permanent atonement, a foreshadowing of the One who would come to fully reconcile all of humanity to God (Hebrews 9:12).
In the sacrificial system, we see a glimpse of Jesus. While the bull and one goat served as offerings of thanks, it was the "scapegoat" that carried away the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:10). This scapegoat, burdened with the sins of Israel, was sent into the wilderness, symbolizing the removal of their transgressions.
In a parallel of profound significance, Jesus, condemned by the Jewish leaders, took on the sins of all mankind. He was led out of the city to be crucified, embodying the ultimate scapegoat: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of the world” (1 John 2:2, NLT).
In the Christian mind, this is Judgment Day. Although we typically associate it with the final condemnation of sin, it is also the final declaration of righteousness. This observance's annual cycle gives us a sober reminder that this is a rehearsal for a day yet to come when all will be judged—our creator will discern whether we are to be promoted to reward or condemned to punishment (Matthew 25:46).
Atonement is a made-up word to convey the idea of God reconciling His creation with Himself. This word is a combination of three words: 'at-one-ment'. The reconciliation was achieved through Christ, yet there awaits a final Day of Atonement, where we will all be judged. But for those who have received the sacrifice of Jesus, His blood covers our sins, securing our eternal reconciliation with God. This is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise hidden within the ancient rituals, revealed in the mystery of Christ.
The Feast of Tabernacles [also: Booths or Sukkot] — Leviticus 23:34-43
The seventh and final feast of the annual cycle is the seven-day-long Feast of Tabernacles the most joyous of all the feasts. Celebration of God's goodness and provision always follows the sobriety of the Day of Atonement.
The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision and protection for the people of Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness; for the seven days of the feast, people live in temporary structures as they did in the wilderness. The Lord himself was with the Israelites in the desert, in a tented temple called the Tabernacle, so the feast also celebrates his presence as he tabernacles (dwells) with us.
It's really easy to find Jesus in this feast. Jesus is called Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23, NLT). He put on a temporary tabernacle — a human body — to dwell on this earth and offer himself as a sacrifice.
This feast is the backdrop for several significant moments in Jesus' ministry. First, we find that He and His brothers attend this feast (John 7:2 f). On the last day of this feast, Jesus declares, "If anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink" (John 7:37). It is in this context we find the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11). He then declares, in John 8:12, “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”” Then, He heals the man blind from birth (John 9:1-7) and declares, “I am the Light of the world” (John 9:5). These stories take on new revelation in the light of the Feast in which they took place.
It has always been God's desire to tabernacle, to dwell, in the earth with His creation. That is the true revelation of the creation account. Consider this possibility; when God formed Eden He was forming a Temple - a tabernacle - for Himself in the earth. He took up residence in that temple when He rested on the seventh day.
Humanity rejected God by seeking a source of knowledge and wisdom outside the provision and prescription of God—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In other words, they chose to be their own gods, desiring self-sufficiency rather than relying on God. That broke the intimate relationship between man and God. Our Bibles are the record of the fulfillment of the story of how God planned before creation, to redeem and re-possess His creation and to dwell in it for all eternity. This story was placed in God's cosmic clock on day four of creation (Genesis 1:14) The Feast of Tabernacles tells that story to the fullest.
This feast recalls the moment in the past when God rested in the Tabernacle made with hands in the desert with His called-out people and also points forward to the promise that He will return and dwell once again with His people, first — in the person of Jesus for a period of a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). We call this the millennial reign. Christ will return is revealed by the Feast of Trumpets, He will be declared King, and bring all things under His authority (Isaiah 9:6; 1 Corinthians 15:25).
Then, He will hand all things over to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). Then God again takes up residence in a new earth, this time, forever. When he does, he has promised that there will be no more death and suffering, that he himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). His return is the final answer to the hope we’ve carried our entire lives. What a day that will be!
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”” (Revelation 21:3–4, NASB95)
Unlike searching for Waldo in a messy world, we can pray for God’s wisdom as we read his Word. Even with this small glimpse into these feasts, we see his intentional love for humanity has endured centuries, and he has left us clues that foreshadow the beauty that is to come. The Old Testament has many hidden truths that, in light of the New Testament, bring a richer understanding to our life in Jesus Christ.
God's cosmic clock reveals the "times and seasons" He has chosen to do all that He will accomplish with mankind and reveals there is still yet a special appointment to come as we rehearse with the cycle of Feasts—A day appointed on the cosmic clock.
“... He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”” (Acts 17:31, NASB95)
Try a one-year walkthrough of God’s plan of salvation to consummation by celebrating the feasts as a reminder of what God has indelibly etched in the cosmic clock of the heavens—of what He has done and as a means to focus on what He has promised and will yet do. You won’t find the dates on the Christian calendar but you can find them here.
Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
