THE FULFILLMENT OF THE FEAST DAYS AND THE RAPTURE
 
I have been thinking about the Rapture from the backdrop of the Feast Days.  The Lord was trying to show me something but I just was not comprehending what He was attempting to say to me.  I still believe we have the only true hope in this World which is the Rapture of the Church, and I maintain to Believers in Jesus Christ and Unbelievers that we have the Good News of the Gospel.  When I look at all the tragedies in this World and listen to the news or talk shows people just can't seem to agree on anything.  The people on this Earth are really asking questions and who knows Christians may have some answers for you.
 
I think I sincerely appreciate the Rapture now more than any other time frame in my life.  I believe this great event is just about to happen.  Not only are we explaining this Good News of the Gospel that you can be a part of but Christians that have at the very least a basic understanding of end time Bible Prophecy are the only ones that can truly explain to other people what is truly going on in the World.  When we accepted the Lord into our hearts the Bible says we became friends with Jesus Christ among other things.  Friends don't really keep secrets from each other and God has shown us in His written Word the future.
 
The Lord showed me some fascinating things as He took me through each Feast Day one by one from the first to the seventh and some light bulbs did indeed turn on in my mind.  Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of burned out light bulbs but have no fear, God is doing some rewiring work on me.  The job will be finished shortly, soon to be completed at the Rapture of the Church.
 
Before you read this article I want you to stop and think about the word " progression."  I will give you the most simple meaning to the word.  It means a continuous and connected series : a sequence.  It might be a good idea if you stop for thirty seconds to one minute and think about the word progression and its' definition.  Maybe you can store the meaning of the word in your mind and think about reading this article from the backdrop of that word.
 
I wrote a couple of articles about a possible spring time Rapture because there were so many tones of Resurrection and Rapture; however, even when I would finish the writings I would always walk away and ask one  fundamental question.  If Jesus Christ already fulfilled the first four Feasts and I am going to explain that, why would He fulfill it again a second time?  I noticed in Bible Prophecy that all it takes is one clue to throw reasonable doubt in there if you know what I mean.  I am going to show you how Jesus Christ has already fulfilled the first four Feasts.  They all had their fulfillment in the spring time so we immediately have to ask ourselves a rudimentary question.  Does God desire to fulfill one of His Feast Days through His Son Jesus Christ two different times?  I am convinced the answer to the question is no because what we are looking at is a progression, not a repeat or a redundancy.  The seven Biblically mandated Feasts will be fulfilled as prophetic revelation enfolds.  If Jesus Christ fulfilled one of the seven Feasts two different times then I believe He would have to fulfill all seven Feast Days two different times to be consistent.  Two is the number of division.  This would not make any sense to me at all.  We don't serve a divisive God.  He has and will fulfill His Feast Days with perfect unity which is the consistent meaning of the number one in Scripture from Genesis to the Book of Revelation.  As Jesus Christ fulfills His seven Feast Days ( four of which I believe have already been fulfilled) a prophetic revelation will enfold -a story about  God's prophetic plan will literally be fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ in sequence or progressively as it were continuous, one Feast Day after another in succession, not in some random way.  If the Feasts were fulfilled in a random way then God might fulfill Feast number three then seven then two then four.  I think that you will soon see they will be fulfilled in order one through seven and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ will tell a prophetic story in succession.
 
When the Holy Spirit started opening up with me on how these Feast Days were and are going to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ, a prophetic story began to emerge in continuous order and indeed the mystery of the Rapture became a little more clear to me through a study method of induction and perhaps a little bit of deduction.
 
I said in my articles that the spring time spoke of Resurrection and Rapture.  Well of course this would be the case because Jesus Christ fulfilled the first four Feasts.  The Bible says..." how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; (4) And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.  1 Cor. 15:3-4.  These verses would provide us with the exact order of the fulfillment of the first three Feasts  (1) Passover---The death of Jesus Christ  (2) Feast of Unleavened Bread--The burial of Jesus Christ (3) Feast of Firstfruits--The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Most Christians know that Jesus Christ fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost (Shavot) at the birth of the Church in Acts, Chapter 2 on the exact day of Pentecost.  What most of  the body of Christ ( Church) did not do ( including myself) was go back to the first three Feasts and see when they were fulfilled and follow the succession to Pentecost.
 
Passover is Feast number one.This particular number has a consistent meaning of unity and sovereignty from Genesis to Revelation. The very first thing that Jesus Christ had to do for the Salvation of the World was die on the Cross.  Jesus Christ ( Yeshua) was celebrating Passover along with His disciples on that night of the Last Supper.  Passover was a picture of deliverance in Messiah, Jesus Christ as He became the ultimate sacrifice or the Passover Lamb.  By dying first Jesus Christ took away the sins of the entire World and thus fulfilled the Feast of Passover.
 
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is the second biblically mandated Feast out of the seven.  The number two has a consistent meaning of division from Genesis to Revelation.  The second thing that had to happen was Jesus Christ had to be buried.  Burial speaks of the meaning of the number two which is division.  If you were ever at an emotional funeral at times you may have seen people weep with anguish when their loved one was buried because it speaks of the reality of being separated.  This is an extremely important point.  When Jesus Christ was buried there was no leaven in Him because He never sinned; therefore, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was then able to be fulfilled in the burial of Jesus Christ, only because our Messiah, Yeshua was sinless.  If there was even one sin in Jesus Christ He would not have been able to fulfill the Feast of Unleavened Bread in His burial.  Jesus broke ( division) Unleavened Bread with His disciples at the Last Supper foretelling His own prophecy that He would be buried to fulfill the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
 
The Feast of Firstfruits is the third of the seven biblically mandated feasts.  The number three has a consistent meaning of divine completion from Genesis to Revelation.  Jesus Christ fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits on the third day after His death to be Resurrected from the dead by God the Father on the very day of Firstfuuits.  God the Father divinely completed ( the meaning of the number three ) the work of His Son, Jesus Christ on the Cross by raising Him from the dead as Firstfruits from the dead.  This is one of the more obvious fulfillments in Jesus Christ but look at the excitement of the progression on how Jesus Christ fulfilled in order the succession of the first three feast days.
 
The Feast of Pentecost ( Shavuot) is the fourth of the seven biblically mandated feast days.  The number four has a consistent meaning of the World and seasons from Genesis to Revelation.  Jesus Christ fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost ( Shavuot) after the sacred fifty day Omer count from Firstfruits to Pentecost on the exact day of the Feast of Pentecost to fulfill the fourth feast day by giving birth to the Church in the World ( the very meaning of the number four) and thus sending the Church out into the World to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This happened at the end of the fifty day Omer count to start the Feast of Pentecost.  In Jewish circles the number fifty is so infinite that they will not even put an attached meaning on that number.  This fulfillment in Jesus Christ happened on the exact day of this Feast of Pentecost in His Church.  I could see why some Christians might think that the Rapture would happen on this feast day because in the Old Testament it was a harvest festival.  After all once the harvest comes in then the Rapture takes place. I believe as tones of harvest  and redemption are spoken of in this Feast the completion of the harvest and the culmination of God's redemptive plan for His Church at the Rapture is not pictured until we get to the fifth feast ( Rosh Hashana) as that solemn assembly is gathered together in its' fullness.  We still have to ask ourselves the most basic fundamental question.  Was the Feast of Pentecost ( Shavuot) already fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the answer is yes it was.  You have to make up your own mind as to whether you believe Jesus Christ will fulfill this particular feast day two different times by coming for His Church at the Rapture on this particular calendar time.  I find there are problems with Jesus Christ fulfilling one feast day two different times because it seems to me Jesus Christ is preaching a prophecy sermon regarding the fulfillment of His feast days through Him and the general tone seems to be He is not repeating Himself.  He is going from one feast day to the next in succession and a picture is starting to enfold about His plan for His Church and as we will see God's plan turns back to Israel in the sixth and seventh feasts.  Some people may ask could the Rapture happen during the counting of the Omer?  Well if you believe the Rapture will happen in the year 2005 ( there are many hints for this year) then no because the next counting does not happen until the spring of 2006.  Even if you subscribe to a spring time New Years calendar by the time the counting of the Omer starts I still believe the World would well be into the year 2006.  Then you would still have to ask yourself a question--how is Rosh Hashana going to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ if the Rapture happened during the counting of the Omer?  Or if Jesus Christ were to come for His Church at some other time you still have to remember the Feast of Rosh Hashana would remain unfulfilled in our Messiah ( Yeshua).  If the Rapture does not symbolize Rosh Hashana what does it typify?  I know this might seem difficult for some people to follow what I am saying but you really have to logically and systematically walk through this to understand it.  It's not hard we just have to look at the order of the feast days.
 
Rosh Hashana is the fifth of the seven biblically mandated feast days.  Five has a consistent meaning of grace from Genesis to Revelation.  I can't speak for you but the one overriding word that I would think of and feel during the Rapture is grace ( the very meaning of the number five corresponding to the fifth feast day; Rosh Hashana).  The seven year Tribulation period is a horrible time and Jesus Christ is calling his Body ( Church) home to Heaven to be with Him and be mysteriously absent during the coming days of Awe.  I think the Church is going to be saying " what overwhelming grace."  If we were Saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ would not the Church end in grace ( the very meaning of the number five).  Four is the number of the World corresponding to the Feast of Pentecost.  The Church had its' origin or beginning on Pentecost in the World.  Could Rosh Hashana as the fifth feast ( the number of grace) have its' fulfillment in Jesus Christ at the end of the Church?  Pentecost the beginning of the Church and Rosh Hashana the end of the Church Age each corresponding to the Biblical meaning of the number four ( Pentecost) and five ( Rosh Hashana).  Remember feast days will have their fulfillment in major events.  The next major event in the Church is the Rapture.  Even if I was 100% sure that Rosh Hashanah would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ at the Rapture I would be very hesitant to give an exact day or even week of its' fulfillment, but it could happen on the exact day or week of the first week in October of 2005.  I would definitely not rule this out.  In fact I am really starting to look at this more seriously, but to say it will happen on the exact day or week is just at least too difficult for me.  I believe this will be the greatest event in the history of all mankind.  It is known as the hidden day so it is a little bit of a mystery.  It is the least talked about feast day so that even makes it more of a mystery.  Behold, I show you a MYSTERY; ( emphasis mine) we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 1 Cor. 15:51.  On the first day of the seventh month this feast day was to be conducted with trumpet blasts and by the way it was a celebration.  For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the TRUMP ( emphasis mine) of God..., " After this I looked and, beheld, a door was opened in Heaven; and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a TRUMPET ( emphasis mine) talking with me; which said, come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter."  Rev. 4:1.  In verse two the Apostle John was in the Spirit and beheld a throne which to me implies a solemn assembly.  A solemn assembly is specifically talked about in 1 Thes. 4:16-18.  In the original Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashana the blowing of the Shofar Trumpet was associated with a calling together of a solemn assembly before danger was to take place.  Most people throughout history that knew about the Jewish feast days thought Rosh Hashana to be the holiest because it started off the fall festivals.  This does not make it true just because people throughout history said this but it is something to think about.  The Rapture is a holy event.  It is true that a trumpet blast takes place at the end of the Tribulation as well because it is mentioned in Matthew, Chapter 24 but if you will look at the sixth feast with me I believe there are many clues to indicate that the Day of Atonement ( Yom Kippur) will have its' fulfillment in the days of the seven year Tribulation period. Rosh Hashana takes place before Yom Kippur and I am convinced the succession of these feast days will take place in their designated order to witness of God's prophetic plan in His Son, Jesus Christ.  I think that it is very interesting that Jewish people celebrate Rosh Hashana with the Shofar Trumpet but the Church does not.  Why?  Because we celebrate something after its' fulfillment not before.  Will we be celebrating the fulfillment of Rosh Hashana in Jesus Christ at the Rapture of the Church in Heaven after we have been a part of this event?  Only time will tell.
 
The Day of Atonement ( Yom Kippur) is the sixth biblically mandated feast day out of seven.  Six has a consistent meaning of the number of man from Genesis to Revelation.  It shows me that man is trying to accomplish something apart from God on his own.  In the first three feasts Jesus Christ fulfills His work on the Cross.  In feast four and five the focus to me at least seems to be on the Church.  Then in feast six and seven I believe the focus is on Israel.  It is not that the Church does not exist ( they are in Heaven).  It is that Israel becomes the focal point of fulfillment in the Person of Jesus Christ.  It is similar to the example when in Revelation Chapter one the seven candlesticks ( the Church) are on planet Earth but in Revelation Chapter four ( after the Rapture) the seven candlesticks are in Heaven.  This is a picture of the Church being Raptured from Earth to Heaven before the seven year Tribulation period.  The fifth feast ( Rosh Hashana) could have its' fulfillment at the end of the Church Age ( Rapture) and the sixth feast corresponding to the end of the sixth day of man ( Yom Kippur) could have its' fulfillment in Jesus Christ as the Jewish remnant repents and comes to know Yeshua ( Jesus Christ) their true Messiah. It is not that the Church does not exist just because it may have had its' fulfillment at Rosh Hashana.  They are now in Heaven because Jesus Christ snatched them up in the Rapture.  The focus is now a Jewish proposition as God fulfills prophecy through the sixth feast day, the Day of Atonement ( Yom Kippur).  The sixth feast day seems to strive with the approximate time at the end of the sixth millennium during the seven year Tribulation period which takes place on Earth thus causing the Jewish remnant to repent to fulfill the Day of Atonement in Jesus Christ.  On Yom Kippur ( the Day of Atonement) the Jewish people sought God's forgiveness.  They absolutely knew His judgment was to be feared.  This time period was referred to as the Days of Awe.  That sounds like the Tribulation period not the Church Age.  The main theme in this sixth feast day was the forgiveness of sin on the Day of Atonement.  This feast day will have its' fulfillment when the Jewish remnant recognizes and realizes that the blood of bulls and goats only provided temporary forgiveness of sins and that Jesus Christ provided the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross which was Himself.
 
The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths is the last of the seven biblically mandated feasts.  The number seven has a consistent meaning of spiritual perfection from Genesis to Revelation.  This particular feast seems to correspond to the seventh millennium of human history as Jesus Christ sets up His reign after the seven year Tribulation period to rule from Jerusalem.  The seventh feast of Tabernacles or Booths seems to have its' fulfillment in Jesus Christ during the seventh millennium of history.This was a joyful feast to celebrate the final harvest of the year. To commemorate this feast the Israelites had to leave their homes and live in tabernacles or tents. There is so much I could say about this feast but in Zechariah Chapter 14 during the 1,000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ all the nations will travel to Jerusalem to commemorate this particular feast or God's wrath will come upon them. Just like the Old Testament Jesus Christ will tabernacle with His people in His 1,000 year millennial reign.
 
Do you see why in the beginning of this article I asked you to store the word " progression" in your mind.  The succession of these feast days will be fulfilled in order as Jesus Christ completes His plan of prophecy through the feast days in Himself.  Are you ready for the soon coming Rapture of the Church?  If not would you consider coming to know this wonderful Savior of ours who desires you to become a part of His family.  I am convinced I will be seeing my brothers and sisters in Christ soon because there is not much time left.
 
Love, In Christ
Bob D.