THE DAY AND THE HOUR
HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY … (MATTHEW 24:35) (WITH) BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN … (MATTHEW 24:36) DOES NOT SAY BUT OF THAT DAY KNOWETH NO MAN. THERE IS A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE FOR THAT DAY – THE 8TH DAY, SHEMINI ATZERET/SIMCHAT TORAH, THE 22ND DAY OF TISHRI.
ON THE DAY THAT HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, THE ELEMENTS MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT (II PETER 3:12). THERE IS AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE UNTO THE LORD ON THAT 8TH DAY (LEVITICUS 23:36). THE 8TH DAY IS A DAY OF HOLY CONVOCATION, AND A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY WITH NO SERVILE WORK.
THE UNGER’S BIBLE DICTIONARY (1977 EDITION) GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE FEASTS (FESTIVALS) ON PAGES 350-363. ON THE EVENING OF THE 7TH DAY (WHICH STARTS THE 8TH DAY), THE FESTIVAL CALLED THE REJOICING OF FINISHING OF THE LAW (SIMCHAT TORAH) IS BEGUN. THIS DAY IS THE ANNUAL COMPLETION OF THE PERUSAL OF THE PENTATEUCH. ON THAT DAY THE LAST SECTION OF THE LAW IS READ.
THE 8TH DAY WAS BOTH SHEMINI ATZERET AND SIMCHAT TORAH (THE REJOICING OF FINISHING OF THE LAW) PRIOR TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 70 A.D.
II CHRONICLES 7:10 SHOWS THAT THE FALL FEASTS (FESTIVALS) WERE CONCLUDED ON THE 8TH DAY (22ND DAY OF TISHRI). ON THE 23RD DAY OF TISHRI, SOLOMON SENT THE PEOPLE AWAY INTO THEIR TENTS AFTER THE MASSIVE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE GLAD AND MERRY IN HEART FOR THE GOODNESS THAT THE LORD HAD SHOWN UNTO DAVID, AND TO SOLOMON, AND TO ISRAEL HIS PEOPLE. THIS WAS THE HAPPIEST DAY FOR THEM, AND MAY BE AN OLD TESTAMENT FORESHADOWING OF THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH!
UNGER’S BIBLE DICTIONARY, 1977 EDITION, PAGE 363 STATES THAT THE 8TH DAY FOLLOWING THE SABBATH (LEVITICUS 23:39) POINTS TO THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH FOLLOWING THE MILLENIUM AND THE DISPENSATION OF THE FULLNESS OF TIMES BEFORE THE ETERNAL STATE.
THE WEEK OF SUKKOT IN THE FUTURE MAY CONCLUDE THE MILLENIAL REIGN, WITH THE 8TH DAY (DAY 22 OF TISHRI) WHEN THE CURRENT HEAVENS AND EARTH PASS AWAY, AND THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH ARE CREATED.