Greg Wilson (6 September 2020)
Re: Mary B and "Fall Festivals"
Mary: I appreciate your study of the "Mow'ed of the LORD". When you study this chapter it will be helpful to use the Blue letter Bible's (BLB) Interlinear study function. The KJB says: "concerning the feasts of the LORD (Jehovah). The Hebrew word for "feast" in verse 2 is "mow'ed. It is as you say an "appointed time".
There are seven (7) feasts of the LORD. I use the term feasts as "appointed times". You will find it interesting that of these seven feasts, three are different. Perusing through the BLB studying each of these seven feasts, three are distinguished as pilgrimage feasts. These are a special kind of mow'ed.
They are (1) Passover, (2) Unleavened Bread, (3) First Fruits, (4) Shavuot, (5) Trumpets, (6) Atonement and (7) Sukkot. Seven represents spiritual perfection. It was symbolized in the seven branches Menorah, where all the oil provided to the other six candles flowed from the center stand representing Shavuot.
The three pilgrimage feasts are (1) Unleavened bread, (2) Shavuot (Pentecost), and (3) Sukkot (Tabernacles). In Leviticus 23:6 you will see that Unleavened bread is not termed a "mow'ed", but rather "chag". The same is true for Shavuot and Sukkot. The LORD commanded Israel to appear three times a year in what were termed "holy convocations" at these "chag" type feasts. (Exodus 34:22)
What is most prophetically fascinating about these seven feasts of the LORD is that they are metaphors for God's redemptive plans. Jesus, Israel's Messiah fulfilled the first three. He was the sacrificial lamb of Passover, who was buried sinless during Unleavened Bread and resurrected on First Fruits. On First Fruits the Temple priests were waving the grain sheaf offering to God. Jesus was the grain that had to die to produce much fruit. (John 12:24)
And Shavuot/Pentecost, a two-part fulfillment, will have its second stage fulfillment at the Resurrection/Rapture. You believe that Pentecost was fulfilled (1) at Sinai and (2) with the deposit of the Holy Spirit. Gently I say to you that your Sinai belief has no foundation in the Old Testament. Here is why. Read Leviticus 23:10 and tell me when were the "children of Israel" supposed to celebrate the fourth feast? The answer is "after they come into the [promised] land". Were the children of Israel in the Promised Land at the foot of Sinai? Answer: no.
The law given at Sinai represents the "ministration of death". Read 2 Corinthians 3:7. Paul says: "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:”
So, would we say that the "ministration of death" should be associated with the "deposit of the Holy Spirit"? What does Paul say about this? He distinguishes the "ministration of condemnation" with the Pentecostal deposit as the ministration of the spirit and ministration of righteousness.
Let's look to the practical example. On the first Pentecost how many people received the Spirit or were saved? Acts 2:41 says "about 3,000 were [saved]." Let's call this the "ministration of life". At Sinai, how many people saved? None. About 3,000 were killed. (Exodus 32:28)
Now, tell me how the ministration of death and condemnation is the first fulfillment of the ministration of the Spirit? It cannot be. The fact is that they have nothing in common.
Now, Paul suggests that the first resurrection, which includes Jesus' resurrection, the resurrection/rapture of the body of Christ and the resurrection of the beheaded saints in the Tribulation each represent a component of the "first resurrection" or the resurrection to life everlasting. Study 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 and Revelation 20:4-5 and recognize God's ordered plan. It is very likely that Paul is suggesting that each order of the first resurrection is associated with a pilgrimage feast. Jesus resurrected at First Fruits during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (1 Corinthians 15:20) The Church will be resurrected/raptured at the Feast of Pentecost, in the future on an unknown day and hour in the Spring season. (1 Corinthians 15:23, 52) The comes the "end" when the Tribulation saints are resurrected. (1 Corinthians 15:24; Revelation 20:4-5)
The fall feasts are all about the Second Advent of Christ and the salvation of remnant Israel. (Romans 9:27, 11:27; Revelation 12:17; 14:12, 20:4-5) The feast of Trumpets is not a "chag" feast. It is not a pilgrimage feast. It is exclusively associated with the Time of Jacob's Trouble, Daniel's 70th week.