Dear Pineman,

     I believe that there could be layers of fulfillment with regard to the Jewish feasts.   Although they commemorate events that have occurred in Jewish history, they also have prophetic applications to events connected to Jesus Christ, Israel and the Church.   "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. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." Colossians 2:16-17.   While there could be multiple fulfillments to each of the feasts,  I believe that Jesus will ultimately fulfill the Fall Feasts in "real time" – just like the Spring Feasts.   Since I’m giving you my 2 cents on this issue,  let me give you a possible scenario for how the Fall Feasts could be fulfilled.   The Feast of Trumpets could be fulfilled by the second coming of Christ. A trumpet will sound at the time of His return.   At that time, all of Israel will finally be gathered together.   "In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound." Isaiah 27:13.     Matthew 24:31 also states:    "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 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."    The Day of Atonement could be fulfilled at the time that Jesus sets His feet on the Mount of Olives.   (Scholars like Chuck Missler believe that Jesus will first go to Bozrah and Edom before he sets foot on the Mount of Olives.  See Isaiah 63:1.   This is because the Israelites may have found refuge in this area during the latter part of the Tribulation.)   We see in Zechariah 12:10 that the nation of Israel will recognize Jesus as their Messiah:    "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son."    Then, in Zechariah 13:1, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are cleansed from "sin and impurity."    At this time, the atonement of the Jews will be complete.    In Zechariah 14, the enemies of Israel will gather around Jerusalem, and the Lord will go out and defend it.    His feet will touch the Mount of Olives and it will split. I   t should be noted that the last Fall Feast is mentioned after all of these events in Zechariah.    I do not think that it is a coincidence; rather, I think that it confirms the timing of these events.   "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, wthey will have no rain." Zechariah 14:16-17.     Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles could mark a time of separation and marriage.   When Christ returns,  He will separate the sheep and goat nations (Matthew 25:31-46), and the wheat from the tares – i.e. believers from unbelievers (Matthew 13:24-30).    I also think that the Marriage of the Lamb will occur during the first 7 days of Tabernacles.   I’m the only person I know who puts the wedding at this point, but since Jesus fulfilled prophecy in "real time," I think that the Church’s wedding to Him will occur during the time period Biblically set for weddings – a literal 7 days.   This would fit in perfectly with Tabernacles -- a 7 plus 1 day celebration.    (I also think that the separation of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) will occur at the same time everybody else on earth is going through a separation process.)

     Now, on the issue of whether the Rapture is going to occur on a feast day – I’m not 100% sure.   It seems logical that it would be scheduled on a feast day,  but then there is that pesky verse about not knowing the day or the hour.   See Matthew 24:36.   I suspect that something is physically going to happen to our earth which will change the calendar as we know it.   Prophetically, time seems to be based on 360-day year – see Daniel 9:27 and the 42 months of Revelation 11:2-3.   The days will also be cut short during the end times – see Matthew 24:22.   So, if God is marking time differently, there are probably inaccuracies in our current calendar.    Perhaps the Rapture will be a calendar correcting event.   Clearly, it will be definitive point for calculating the remaining end time period.   So the Rapture could be on a feast day without us knowing exactly what day it will be.

     Well, I think that I have more than surpassed my speculation quota.   Good luck with your studies.

               -- Lisa Taylor