Feast of Weeks or Rosh Ha Shana?

Our Day of Departure

by Greg Alston

Many prophecy scholars believe that the Rapture of believers, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, will occur on one of the seven feasts of Israel. If this true, and I am somewhat persuaded that it is, which feast will it be? Many feel it will occur on the fifth feast, the Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Ha Shana. A primary reason for believing this is the presumption that the first four feasts have already been fulfilled, i.e., Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Weeks, aka, Pentecost/Shavuot/Harvest. The next to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Ha Shana), to be followed by the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. The following list depicts the seven feasts of Israel and their historic and possible future fulfillments:

1. Passover Crucifixion of Christ 14 Nisan

2. Unleavened Bread Christ’s Death & Burial 15 Nisan

3. Firstfruits Christ’s Resurrection 17 Nisan (variable)

4. Weeks Birth of the Church Iyar/Sivan[1]

5. Trumpets Return of Christ 1 Tishri

6. Atonement Redemption of Israel 10 Tishri

7. Tabernacles Judgment of the Nations 15 Tishri

As you may notice, I have not listed the event which has come to be known as the Rapture. Most would put it in either four or five above. I’ll let you decide which is correct after reading the pages that follow. In addition to the foregoing feasts, there are two others that were not instituted by God in Leviticus 23. Those are Purim, which occurs in the twelfth month of the Sacred Calendar, Adar, and Dedication, which occurs in the ninth month, Chislev.

An Unfulfilled Feast

As mentioned above, some prophecy scholars teach that the first four feasts have already been fulfilled, and therefore the Rapture must happen on one of the last three feasts. However, there is a great deal of scriptural evidence that the fourth feast, the Feast of Weeks, [2] was only partially fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, when the Church came into existence. On the basis of this and other data to be presented, it is my belief that if the rapture is to occur on one of the seven feasts of lsrael, it will be on the Feast of Weeks - not the Feast of Trumpets.

God's Wheat Harvest

Colin H. Deal, author of the national bestseller, Christ Returns..., writes, "Fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of 'Harvest' was observed. The space between the two feasts, seven Sabbaths (49 days), was called the Feast of Weeks. It began with the offering of the Firstfruits of the barley harvest and ended with the ingathering of the wheat harvest, the first day being the Feast of Firstfruits, the last the Feast of Harvest. Only the first and last days were celebrated." The Feast of Harvest is another term for the Feast of Weeks. On this day, the wheat is harvested or "gathered in."

Matthew 13:29, 30 reads: ''But he said, 'No, lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, first gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn."' This is reiterated in Matthew 3:12. Jesus informs us that 1) believers are represented in Scripture as "wheat" and 2) we will be "gathered" into His barn at the end of the age; after the tares are "bundled" - but before they are "burned.” There exists a striking contrast between the gathering up of believers and this Feast of Harvest (Weeks). 2 Thessalonians 2:1 says: "Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him..." This verse is universally accepted as describing the blessed hope of the Church - the Rapture/glorification of our bodies. In 1 Corinthians 15:37, Paul compares believers to wheat, as does Jesus in John 12:24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit." The context in which this was spoken clearly indicates that the Lord was comparing His disciples to wheat. Remember, the barley harvest started on the third feast (Firstfruits), and the wheat harvest began 50 days later (Exodus 34:22, Leviticus 23:16), on the fourth feast. Although the beginning part of the Feast of Weeks was fulfilled when Christ was resurrected as the Firstfruits of the barley harvest, the wheat harvest has not yet been reaped!

It is common knowledge that on the feast of Weeks (also known as Pentecost), the church came into existence with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). But the birth of the church is only half of the fulfillment of this feast. What was planted must also be harvested. I am of the persuasion that the harvest (rapture) of the church will occur on the same day of its planting (birth) - the Day of Pentecost. Danny Miller, pastor and author, states on page 122 of his book God, Israel, the Future and You that the feast of Weeks (Pentecost) was not completely fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was given to the 120 in the upper room. As support for a partial fulfillment, he references Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:18-20, Acts 2:17-21 and Joel 2:31, all of which reveal gaps between the beginning and ending of the prophecies. He cites Joel 2:23 when noting that although the "early" rain has occurred in the past, the "latter'' (or spring) rain is still future. It just so happens that the Feast of Weeks occurs in the spring - the time of the latter rain!

"Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it until it gets the early and late rains." (James 5:7).

This scripture shows us that the farmer, Jehovah God, is still waiting for the harvest of the latter rain. I present the possibility that He will receive that wheat harvest of believers in the pre-tribulation Rapture on the feast of Harvest (Weeks), thus fulfilling the second half of Pentecost.

Amos chapter 8 is a picture of the coming Tribulation Week. The first verse describes "a basket of summer fruit" being harvested before the trouble starts in verse 2. The remainder of the chapter describes the Tribulation. Could this "basket of summer fruit" represent the offering that is "presented to the Lord" on the feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:16)? Companion passages that support this interpretation of Amos 8 are found in Isaiah 57, Micah 7 and Psalm 12. In all instances, believers are removed (harvested) before the time of trouble, as Revelation 3:10 says that they will be.

Reverend William Beirnes of the Midnight Cry Ministries, Tequesta, Florida, states in his book God's Prophetic Calendar, that "the general character of the festival (Weeks) was that of a 'harvest-home' celebration." Is this not precisely what the rapture of believers will be?! A "harvest-home" celebration. Praise the Lord! Reverend Beirnes affirms the twofold aspect of Pentecost when he writes, "There appears to be a strong tie between the feast of the Firstfruits, which was the beginning of the barley harvest . . . and the feast of Pentecost which came at the commencement of the wheat harvest." Again, the wheat, which represents New Testament believers, has not yet been harvested.

Another term for the feast of Weeks or Pentecost is "Day of the Firstfruits" (Numbers 28:26). 2 Thessalonians 2:13b, in the literal rendering, reads, "God chose you to be Firstfruits in the harvest for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth." A cursory reading of the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians will reveal to you that the subject matter is the last days, in particular the time of Great Tribulation. After describing the Tribulation in verses 8-12, Paul reminds the believers that they were "chosen to be Firstfruits in the harvest for salvation." This tells us that the salvation, contextually speaking, is with reference to the last days’ Tribulation - not eternal damnation. It also draws yet another parallel to this amazing feast of Weeks, also known as "Day of the Firstfruits." We are Firstfruits, to be harvested before the day of the Lord! The Apostle James also likens believers to "Firstfruits" (see James 1:18). So, we are Wheat and we are Firstfruits - perfect candidates for a Pentecost harvest!

Notice also the word "sanctification" in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "salvation through sanctification." Rev. Beirnes writes concerning this topic: ". . . it is important to notice that these loaves representing Pentecost were baked with leaven and salt. Leaven is always a type of sin . . . when the loaf is put into the oven and the fire applied, which is a type of the Holy Spirit, the fire burns out all the activity of the leaven and the bread comes out sweet and fresh and ready to be waved before the Lord. Salt also in these two loaves is very significant, for salt sweetens and preserves. Jesus said, 'Have salt in yourselves.' The spiritual saltiness in the sanctified believer's life is the natural result of his cleansing." Even the prescribed two loaves that are to be waved on Pentecost bear reference to New Testament believers. We must undergo the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in order to be in the Firstfruits Rapture. (Rom. 8:13-17)

Furthermore, we must have "belief in the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Jesus said in John 17:17 that "Thy Word is truth". So sanctification, as reflected in the two loaves of Pentecost, is accomplished through the Spirit and the Word. "That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:26-27). There is tremendous significance and application to the feast of Weeks in this scripture from Ephesians. Notice again the need for sanctification through the Word. As the loaves are "presented to the Lord" (Leviticus 23:17-18), so shall the church be "presented to the Lord" when He comes to receive us unto Himself (John 14:1-3, 2 Corinthians 11:2).

Three Risings

Exodus 23:17 says, "... that three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord God". These three times were to be at the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread (April), the feast of Weeks (May or June) and the feasts of Ingathering (September December). These times are given in Exodus 34:22-23 and 2 Chronicles 8:13. The feasts of Ingathering are at the "end of the year" (Exodus 23:16) and include the feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the feast of Booths (Tabernacles).

It is fascinating to note that all resurrection/raptures, both in the past and in the future, occur(red) at these three times. Christ, "the first of the Firstfruits (Exodus 23:19)", "those that are Christ's at his coming (1 Corinthians 15:23,)" and then a variety of groups "at the end of the year.'' The three "appearances before the Lord" can be summarized in the following manner:

(1) (2) (3)

Unleavened Bread Pentecost Ingathering

Jesus Christ Enoch Great Multitude

(John 19:31) (Enoch 68:3) (Revelation 7:14)

O.T. Saints N.T. Believers 144,000 Jews

(Matthew 27:52) (1 Thessalonians 4:17) (Revelation 14:1)

Two Witnesses

(Revelation 11:12)

Tribulation Martyrs

(Revelation 20:4)

The future seven-year Tribulation will most certainly start with the feasts which constitute "Ingathering", i.e., Rosh Ha Shana, Yorn Kippur, Tabernacles, and Dedication - all of these occur at the end of the year, September through December. Preceding the start of Daniel's seventieth week is Unleavened Bread and Pentecost (March through June). The first rising or "appearance before the Lord God" occurred at the appointed time - during the seven-day period of Unleavened Bread, on the feast of Firstfruits in A.D. 32. The second appointed time, Pentecost, is represented in Enoch (to be discussed later) and the Church (more specifically, first fruit believers) that will rise in the future. I believe this second rising could occur on a future Day of Pentecost, before the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7, Isaiah 26:19-21). The third "appearing before the Lord" (Exodus 23:17) will be at the end of time, during the course of the Tribulation, as out lined in (3) above.

Reverend Beirnes writes, "The sheaf of the first fruits used in the wave offering before the Lord is not representative of all the first fruits to be gathered in. This was only the 'first of the first fruits' (Christ being the first fruit and the Old Testament saints, the wave offering). The general ingathering of the first fruits was to come at a later date. This was made clear from the law governing first fruits: 'The first of the first fruits of the land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God" (Exodus 23:19; 34:26). There is only one reason for this; that the resurrection/rapture of Christians is to take place in different orders and thus, a distinction is made between the "first of the first fruits" and the "general ingathering of the first fruits." Thus we see that there will be a "first fruits" gathering out of the Church at the end of the age. The main harvest of the "great multitude" will occur during the "Ingathering" season which comes later (during the course of the Tribulation).

This construct, in terms of the seven feasts, may be outlined in the following manner:

Feast Fulfilled In

Passover

Unleavened Bread } Christ

Firstfruits

Weeks } the Church

Trumpets

Atonement } Israel

Tabernacles

The Case for Rosh Ha Shana

As mentioned earlier, a number of prophecy teachers believe that the Lord will come for His church on a future feast of Trumpets (Rosh Ha Shana). The two main reasons for believing this is, 1) the assertion that the first four feasts have already been fulfilled and, 2) the fact that a trumpet is blown at the catching up of believers.

It is often said that the first four feasts were fulfilled in the spring, thus representing the "early" rain of James 5:7. The final three feasts purportedly are the "latter" rain of the fall season. The presumption is that the "latter" rain will begin with Rosh Ha Shana since it is the first of the fall feasts (September/October).

It is true that the latter rain is still future, however, it is common knowledge that the latter rain occurs not in the fall but in the spring (Zechariah 10:1). Hence, the coming of Christ for His people would be on a spring Feast. James 5:7, along with Hosea 6:3 clearly parallel the early and latter rain with the first and second coming of Christ, "...He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth."

It is held by many scholars that Jesus was born on Rosh Ha Shana - during the time of the "early" rain (fall). If His coming for the church is in the time of the "latter" rain, it would be in the spring. The feast of Weeks is in the spring, thus providing additional evidence that the fourth feast has not been completely fulfilled. The second item, concerning the last trumpet, is probably the strongest reason for placing the Rapture on a future Rosh Ha Shana. However, the Bible shows us that trumpets are also blown on the feast of Weeks and throughout eternity (Numbers 10:10). Therefore, there is no “last trumpet,” in a FINAL sense.

The Trumpet of God

James T. Harman, author of The Blessed Hope and Beyond the Higher Power, tells us that Jewish tradition teaches that the ram that was found by Abraham in Genesis 22:13 was kept and its two horns preserved by the Israelites. Pastor Danny Miller notes that the ram’s horn is recognized by orthodox Jews as representing resurrection. He mentions in his book, God, Israel, the Future and You that this is the reason many Jewish headstones have ram’s horns carved on them and many coffins contain actual ram’s horns. Ram’s horns were used to make loud blasts by blowing into them. The Hebrew term for this "blast of the ram's horn" is SHOFAR (7782 Strong's). It is used in Leviticus 25:9 and elsewhere. The first of the two horns from Abraham's ram was sounded on Mt. Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments from God (Exodus 19). The second, or last, according to this same Jewish tradition, will be blown at the time of the Resurrection/Rapture. "Behold, I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. . . " (1 Cor. 15:51-52). According to the tradition, this last or second trumpet is the second shofar from Abraham's ram!

Exodus 19:1 states that Moses ascended Mt. Sinai in the third month, Sivan. The Jewish Almanac, J.R. Church and an abundance of other sources, affirm that the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai occurred on Shavuot, the Hebrew term for the feast of Weeks. The date of Shavuot at that time was 6 SIVAN.

Exodus 19 reads in part: " ... when the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain . . . So it came about on the third day, when it was morning that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound (SHOFAR)" (verses 13 and 16). The thunder, lightning and trumpet blasts that occurred on Mt. Sinai originated with God. The two horns of Abraham's ram may be only symbolic; otherwise, how do we explain God blowing the same ram's horn that the Israelites had in their possession? Then again, all things are possible with God. Whether or not it was the same horn taken from Abraham's ram is not the central concern - the fact remains that this trumpet blast on Mt. Sinai came from God, it was the trumpet of God and it occurred on the feast of Pentecost.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the TRUMPET OF GOD, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

With the exception of Hebrews 12:19 (which is referencing Exodus 19:16) this scripture in I Thessalonians is the only other place in the Bible that the Trumpet of God is mentioned. Could it be that the second ram's horn is blown at the Rapture of the Church? Even more compelling is the question: If the first ram's horn was blown on Shavuot, will the second be also? This possibility has to be reckoned with. There are only two instances in the Bible concerning the Trumpet of God - surely it is not unreasonable to assume that the events surrounding each will be similar.

Thus we see that the ram's horn and trumpet blast criteria for the Resurrection/Rapture are more than met by the feast of Pentecost. It is, therefore, not mandatory that only the feast of Trumpets (Rosh Ha Shana) be considered when postulating on which feast the Rapture might occur.

It is sometimes said that the seven days (Tishri 3 - Tishri 9) between Rosh Ha Shana and Yorn Kippur parallel the seven-year Tribulation; meaning that the Rapture occurs and the Tribulation starts on Rosh Ha Shana (Tishri 1) and ends seven years later on Yorn Kippur (Tishri 10). The seven days between the feasts are referred to as the "Days of Awe," "Days of Affliction" or "Season of Teshuva" (meaning repentance). There are, however, a few problems with this analogy.

First, the actual interval is eight days, not seven. God originally specified in Leviticus 23:24 that the feast of Trumpets or Rosh Ha Shana should be one day in duration. Several centuries later the Jewish Rabbis added a day, thus changing the interval from eight days to seven. In addition to this discrepancy, "Teshuva" is a time of repentance - not tribulation. Even if it were, Jacob's trouble is only 3 1/2 years in duration (Daniel 9:27), not seven. The Nation of Israel dwells in complete security for the first 3 ½ years of Daniel’s seventieth week. We also know from Zechariah 12:10, Romans 11:25,26 and Isaiah 66:8 that Teshuva (repentance) does not occur during the Tribulation Week, but after it is over – on the day the Lord returns. Although the seven-day Teshuva theory is interesting on the surface, it does not stand up under the close scrutiny of Scripture, and, at best, provides little basis for the Rapture being on a future Feast of Trumpets.

Other arguments for Rosh Ha Shana being the feast for the Rapture include its theme of “New Beginnings” and the “Opening of Gates,” and the fact that it is the only feast that occurs on the “new moon.” The new moon connection to the day of the Rapture is a bit obscure. It is alleged that “no one knows” the exact time of the new moon’s appearance, so this must apply to Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:36, “no man knows the day or the hour.” However, Jesus made that statement prior to His death and glorification – when He had set aside His Godly attributes of omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence (1 Timothy 6:14-16). I assure you that these were restored when He sat down at the right hand of the Father. TODAY, the Creator of all things, the author and finisher of our faith MOST CERTAINLY knows the day and time of the Rapture! His knowing nullifies the new moon theory of a Rosh Ha Shana Rapture. Furthermore, IF the Rapture is to be on a future Rosh Ha Shana, we already know the day – 1 Tishri. That in itself contradicts Jesus’ statement that “no man knows the day…”

Concerning the themes, since this is a feast that pertains to Israel (as opposed to Pentecost relating to the Church), I am inclined to think that the “opening of gates and a “new beginning” would be more appropriately placed at the commencement of the promised Davidic Kingdom (seven years later). Others, including John Zachary, author of Threshold of Eternity and Grant R. Jeffrey, noted best-selling author and prophecy teacher agree with this concept.

Rosh Ha Shana – The Coming of the King

Grant Jeffrey, in his book, Armageddon, Appointment with Destiny, notes on page 85 that the feast of Trumpets is exactly 1,260 days after the abomination of desolation is set up in the middle of the seven-year Tribulation. This feast (1,260 days later) is precisely when Jesus Christ returns to earth to defeat the Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 13:5). The premise, which is substantiated by a great number of prophecy scholars, is that the abomination of desolation and the death and resurrection of Antichrist will occur on Passover, which is 3 ½ years before Rosh Ha Shana. Mr. Jeffrey speculates that the following passage from Jeremiah 4:5,6 is describing the future Battle of Armageddon:

“Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, blow the trumpet in the land; cry aloud and say, assemble yourselves and let us go into the fortified cities. Lift up a standard toward Zion! Seek refuge; do not stand still, for I am bringing evil from the north, and great destruction.”

The presence of a trumpet in this passage meets the requirement of Rosh Ha Shana, thus strengthening the likelihood of the Battle of Armageddon (not the Rapture) being on this feast day.

D.A. Miller, in her book Forbidden Knowledge, tells us that Rosh Ha Shana is “a day of judgment, a call for repentance, and a time of regathering for the nation.” This is precisely what occurs at the END of the Tribulation – the nations are judged (Matthew 25:31, 32) and Israel repents (Zechariah 12:10). According to Abraham P. Block,

the Talmud says, “at the new year (Rosh Ha Shana) all creatures pass before him like sheep…” This is exactly what happens in Matthew 25:31-46 at the judgment of the Nations; an event that unquestionably takes place at the end of the Tribulation Week. Further describing the feast of Trumpets, Miller quotes Isaiah 27:13, “And it shall come to pass in that day that a great shofar shall be blown, and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, and they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” The “great shofar” spoken of here is the same as the “great trumpet” of Matthew 24:31. The trumpet blown on the feast of Trumpets is called the Teki’ah Gedolah or Great Teki’ah. It means “the Great Trumpet” or “Great Blowing.” The great Teki’ah or great trumpet of Rosh Ha Shana blows “immediately after the tribulation of those days (Matthew 24:29), further indicating that the Lord’s physical return, not the rapture of believers, will occur on Rosh Ha Shana.

It is also interesting to note that, historically speaking, certain events that have occurred on Rosh Ha Shana seem to point to Armageddon when the Lion of the tribe of Judah will come to defeat the enemies of Israel, thus ending their time of trouble. Shortly after Armageddon, Yeshua Ha Mashiach (as the Great High Priest), will atone for the sin of the nation as they recognize Him as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world for their redemption (Revelation 1:7).

Notable past events that occurred on Rosh Ha Shana:

ü Adam Eve were created (Sanhedrin 38b)

ü Jesus was born (Luke 1:8, 26-31)

ü Waters of the Great Flood dried up (Genesis 8:13)

ü Joseph freed from Egyptian prison (Rosh Ha Shana 10b)

These events do herald a "new beginning", the theme of Rosh Ha Shana. The question is, when is Israel's new beginning? Surely it is not at the start of Jacob's trouble (Tribulation period), but rather after it is past! Those that teach the pre-tribulation rapture being on Rosh Ha Shana contradict both the theme and the historical events of the feast.

For instance, the creation of Adam and Eve does not parallel the onset of the Great Tribulation! It more closely depicts the redemption of Israel, which occurs at the end of the Tribulation (Romans 11:25-26). And, is not the Great Flood judgment a picture of the Great Tribulation judgment? Should not the feast that signaled the end of the first judgment also signal the end of the second? Joseph being released from prison on the feast of Trumpets is a graphic picture of the Jews being released from Petra-Sela by Jesus at the end of the Tribulation Week (Revelation 12:14, Isaiah 63:1-3).

These are all telling reasons why the return of Christ and not the rapture of the Church, will fulfill the feast of Trumpets. Consider the following scenario for the fulfillment of the final feasts of Israel:

Feast of Trumpets - Christ returns at Armageddon (Lev. 25:9)

Day of Atonement - Israel is redeemed (Zech. 12:10)

Feast of Tabernacles - Start of Millennium (Rev. 20:6)

Feast of Dedication - Temple completed (Zech. 6:12)

As an aside, it is interesting to compare the time spacings given in Daniel 12:11-12 to the time relationships of the above feasts at the end of the seven years.

On the basis of the foregoing facts and information, I believe the case for the Rapture occurring on a future Rosh Ha Shana is weak at best. The greater body of evidence would indicate the physical return of Christ to the Mount of Olives on the feast of Trumpets. You be the judge.

A Harvest-time Marriage

The marriage of Boaz the Jew to Ruth the gentile is a picture of Christ and the Church. We are His bride (Eph. 5:31-32). In the book of Ruth we find the account of Ruth being received by her “kinsman redeemer” in the bond of matrimony. It is interesting to note that the eventual fruit of this union was King David (Matthew 1:5, 6). According to the New Jewish Encyclopedia, David was born on the feast of Weeks. He also died on the date of this feast - the same feast day (Harvest) that Ruth was married to Boaz! (Ruth 2:23; 3:10).

J.R. Church, in his May, 1990 issue of Prophecy in the News makes several observations concerning the marriage and betrothal themes associated with the festival of Pentecost, "On the first day, Jewish tradition recognizes the marriage of God to Israel by the reading of the book of Ruth. It is customary on this feast (Pentecost), to stay awake the entire night. This is done because, at some brief moment, during the night, it is said that Heaven is opened and all who are alert for this will have their prayers answered. This practice is called 'Decorating the Bride' and it draws amazing parallels to the New Testament description of the Rapture: "Behold, I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed, in a MOMENT, in the TWINKLING OF AN EYE..." (1 Corinthians 15:51).

Matthew 25:1-10 tells us that we are the bride of Christ and that those who are aware and prepared will enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. There are definite correlations between this and the ancient Hebrew custom of "decorating the bride". This marriage theme was also present when Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai on the feast of Pentecost. The reception of the Ten Commandments foreshadows the Church being betrothed to Christ. We, as the Bride of Christ, will go forth to meet the bridegroom as "we are caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.'' This blessed event has come to be known as the Rapture of the Church. The marriage themes of Pentecost could very well be telling us that the future day of the Rapture, and subsequent marriage to the Lamb, will transpire on this feast. The Song of Solomon (2:10-13) beautifully captures this theme. Notice that her beloved comes in the springtime - the time of the latter rain:

"My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away!

Vs. 1 "In the third month (feast of Shavuot) after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt..."

Vs. 4 "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians . . . I have borne you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself..."

Vs. 5 "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all people; for all the earth is mine."

Vs. 6 "And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…"

Vs. 10 "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes."

Vs.11 "And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people."

Vs. 13 ". . . only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they GO UP to the mountain."

Vs. 14 "Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they

Vs. 15 "And he said to the people, 'Be ready for the third day;' . . .

Vs. 16 "Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud..."

Vs. 17 "And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God . . ."

Vs. 19 "And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice."

Tremendous application to the Church, particularly her removal in the last days, is seen in this nineteenth chapter of Exodus. Remember, what we see occurring here on Mt. Sinai happened on the feast of Shavuot - the Day of Pentecost. According to D.A. Miller, this date is further substantiated in the apocryphal books of Jubilees and Falashas. It is my belief that Shavuot pertains to the Church - her birth and her departure. The first three feasts were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the last three will be fulfilled in Israel. But sandwiched between the two, is the fourth feast, the feast of Weeks, which is fulfilled by the Church. This dovetails also with Daniel's 70 Weeks in that the Church fills the space between the 69th and 70th weeks. The death of Christ ended the 69th week (6 April A.D. 32) and the time of Jacob's/Israel's trouble will begin the 70th (Daniel 9:27). But in between, during the interval, there is the Church.

I believe Exodus 19 is a picture of the Church’s future. Verse one speaks of the exodus from Egypt – a symbol of the world. Today, we become members of His body, members of the Church when we are delivered from the darkness of this world. We are to leave the things of the world when we come to Christ – we should go completely out of the land of Egypt and not ever desire to return again. This is what the children of Israel who died in the wilderness did. They desired to go back after they were delivered and they eventually perished before they reached the good land of Canaan. This is a picture of lukewarm, unprepared Christians being left behind at the Firstfruits Rapture.

In verse four of Exodus 19 it says, “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” This parallels the New Testament passage, “No man comes to Christ unless the Father draw him” (John 6:44). Verses five and six echo the words of the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 2:9): "You shall be a special treasure to me . . . a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. Surely this describes the Church of Jesus Christ and indicates to us that what happened on Mt. Sinai has direct application to the Bride of Christ.

Verse ten reminds us of Revelation 19:7 in which we learn that the bride must make herself ready. This is necessary for the bridegroom to receive the bride. We must be in a state of preparedness if we expect to go in to the marriage supper (Matthew 25:10). We must also sanctify or purify ourselves in light of His coming (1 John 3:3). In fact, 1 Thessalonians 4, the chapter on the Rapture of the Church, tells us in the opening verses that we must undergo the process of sanctification; the result of which is described at the end of the chapter - the Rapture! Exodus 19:10 clearly says that God's people must undergo sanctification and that they must "wash their clothes." Why? So they will be prepared and eligible to "go up" with Him.

In addition to purification, we must be ready (v. 11). And when must we be ready? On the third day! Hosea 6:2 says: "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before him". According to 2 Peter 3:8, this can be interpreted as meaning two thousand years; one day equaling 1,000 years. On the third day (or the seventh day if counting from the day of creation), God will raise up Israel from defeat and raise the Church up to meet Him in the air! Most prophecy scholars teach that end time events, including the Rapture and final, seven-year Tribulation, will occur at the end of the second day, at the outset of the third day. This scripture is certainly insightful and prophetic, as God reveals to us His pre-determined time frame concerning the third day.

And what happens on the third day, according to Exodus 19:11 and 13? The Lord will come down and the people will GO UP, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven . . . then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17). This is what happens at the Rapture. The Lord descends to the atmospheric clouds from the celestial heavens and calls us up off the earth to meet Him in the air. Sinai is a prototype of the Rapture of the Church; on the third day and, perhaps, on the same day – the feast of Shavuot/Pentecost!

As we have seen earlier, the ram’s horn is in Exodus 19. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is the only other time that the Trumpet of God is seen. Exodus 19 also reflects the Day of Pentecost when the Church came into existence. There was the sound of a “mighty rushing wind” (Acts 2:2). Dr. Albert Barnes says the meaning here is that of a sever gale or tempest, including loud thunder; precisely what occurred on Sinai, on a previous Pentecost. It is also what will occur on the future day of the Rapture. God’s voice will be heard, as it was in Exodus 19:19 – the loud voice of a trumpet:

“After these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said ‘Come up here’” (Revelation 4:1).

On Pentecost, 50 days after our Lord’s resurrection, The Holy Spirit came suddenly (Acts 2:2). The Resurrection/Rapture will occur “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51).

The scripture describing the translation of believers (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17) bears strong similarities to the events surrounding the giving of the law and the giving of the Holy Spirit, both of which occurred on Shavuot, the feast of Weeks. Are these similarities telling us that the final “going up” to God will also be on Pentecost?

As the relationship between God and His people was dramatically changed and enhanced on Mt. Sinai, and again on the Day of Pentecost, so shall we find our ultimate conformity to Him in the translation of believers (1 John 3:2). From the law, to grace, to the direct presence of God – these experiences appear to be progressively transformational and, interestingly, appear to occur on the same feast of Weeks.

Perhaps the most convincing piece of evidence in support of a Pentecost Rapture is the patriarch Enoch. A gentile, he was the first person ever taken to Heaven without experiencing physical death (Genesis 5:24) and he prophesied of the second coming of Christ (Jude 14) 6,000 years ago. He is the quintessential example of the coming rapture of believers and, most amazingly, he was taken up on the feast of Pentecost (H.L. Ginsburg, The Legend of the Jews).

James Harman, in his book The Blessed Hope writes: ''When was Enoch raptured? While the Bible does not give the date of this event, there is a book entitled: THE SECRETS OF ENOCH[3] which sheds some light. This book was believed to be written near the beginning of the Christian era and was read by the early church and had an influence on the writers of the New Testament. It records that Enoch was raptured on the sixth of Sivan, which just happened to be the same day he was born! (Chapter 68:3).

The sixth day of Sivan is none other than the feast of Pentecost. Enoch was born and raptured on the day that we now know to be the feast of Pentecost or Shavuot. Since Enoch was born and then raptured on the same day, is this a possible picture for the Bride of Christ?

The church of Jesus Christ was born on the feast of Pentecost, ten days after Christ’s ascension. It is possible that Jesus was trying to reveal the picture of Enoch as an analogy for His Bride. If so, the Bride of Christ may indeed be raptured on the anniversary of its birth.”

“By faith, Enoch was taken up, that he might not see death. And he was not found because God took him; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” Hebrews 11:5

The fact that Enoch was both born and raptured on the feast of Weeks provides strong support for the future rapture of believers being on this feast day.

Harman writes, “… the one most likely time [for the Rapture] is the Feast of Pentecost. The feast was partially fulfilled when the Holy Spirit arrived to begin the Church age. The final fulfillment for the Bride of Christ could occur on this day also…evidence that points to the Feast of Pentecost:

· Pentecost is the Harvest Feast that gathers in the wheat from the fields, and we are the wheat that is to be harvested just prior to the Tribulation period.

”Every year there are people studying the Feasts of Moses to determine when the Rapture will take place. They like to hang their hats on things like the sound of trumpets on Yom Teruah, or on celebrations like the Feast of Tabernacles. IF the Rapture takes place on a feast day though, the most likely feast is Pentecost, the Feast of Shavuot. Shavuot is celebrated as the birthday of Enoch as well as the traditional date of his rapture. If Enoch is a type of the Church caught up to God before the Day of Judgment, then Shavuot makes the most likely candidate.”

- Dr. Chuck Missler, The Rapture: Christianity’s Most Preposterous Belief (Kindle Locations 853-854). Koinonia House, Kindle Edition.

[1] Pentecost occurs 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits, which always occurs on the Sunday following Passover (“the day after the Sabbath”). The exact date of Firstfruits and Weeks changes each year depending on the date of Passover (14 Nisan). The Hebrew calendar arbitrarily deviates from this Leviticus 23:16 mandate by permanently fixing Weeks/Shavuot on 6 Sivan, regardless of the day of the week.

[2] The Feast of Weeks is variously referred to as “Weeks,” “Day of Pentecost and “Day of Harvest.” The Hebrew term is “Shavuot,” meaning sevens. It always occurs on a Sunday, as does the Feast of Firstfruits.

[3] The Dake Reference Bible and Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament, tell us that the Book of Enoch was read and endorsed by many early Church Fathers, including Tertullian and Origen and that Jude attested to its authenticity by quoting from its pages in the fourteenth verse of his New Testament Epistle.

This scripture shows us that the farmer, Jehovah God, is still waiting for the harvest of the latter rain. I present the possibility that He will receive that wheat harvest of believers in the pre-tribulation Rapture on the feast of Harvest (Weeks), thus fulfilling the second half of Pentecost.

The Case for Rosh Ha Shana

- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

A Harvest-time Marriage

Vs. 1 "In the third month (feast of Shavuot) after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt..."

Vs. 6 "And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…"

Vs. 19 "And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice."