Shalom Aleichem,
Living in Israel during the fall feasts is a particularly exceptional time for anybody to be here but especially for the believer in Yeshua (Jesus). God calls the feasts of Israel “My appointed times” as He is the Creator of the calendar, the seasons, and time itself! (
Gen. 1:14
). The feasts, like everything proclaimed in His Word, always lead to and display Messiah. For us who are here to speak about Christ to our people, the Jews, the feast days allow us to demonstrate who He is through the pictures provided in these appointed days. This is especially true since most Jewish people recognize these days, albeit with a blindness to who Messiah is (
Rom 11:25
).
U
nfortunately, what Rabbinic Judaism practices now is only a shadow of what was commanded in Scripture. We must not forget that Judaism today is the religion of the Rabbis, much like it was of the Pharisees during the time of our Lord. It is a religion based upon the Tanach (OT Scriptures), but it also incorporates centuries of Rabbinic interpretation leading to wrong teachings due to unbelief (
Rom 11:13-24
). Without the Temple, Jewish leaders have struggled to keep the feasts alive. The sacrificial altar had always been the focal point of the feasts which is the heart of God’s redemptive plan showing the need for the shedding of blood through substitutionary atonement (
Lev. 17:10-11
).
That’s where we, who are New Covenant believers in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, come in to show our Messiah in the feasts. Since Yeshua was the perfect sacrifice, the feasts can be fully realized and understood now with a clarity that only a true believer can see and demonstrate the gospel to the world beginning with the Jew (
Rom 1:16
).
The feasts were given to Israel with the boundaries of their covenant relationship to God. Outside that covenant relationship they become mere religious ceremonies, much like we see today among the unbelieving Jewish communities.
Romans 9:31-32
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone
;
Everything done for God must be coupled with faith!
The fall feasts of
Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot
show the gospel in a glorious way:
Repentance, Redemption, and Rejoicing
in a reconciled personal relationship with our Heavenly Father through Messiah Jesus.
1. Repentance: The feast of Trumpets
teaches
the first step
in discovering a personal relationship with God is through
Repentance –
turning from our sins.
The first step is the most difficult
. It requires courage to confront our unrighteousness
. True repentance is more than saying “I’m sorry” or asking for forgiveness
.
It is agreeing with God that we have nothing good of ourselves to bring to Him.
Isa. 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away
.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
.
Repentance means being sorry enough to change
. We must agree with God and now live righteously by the power of God through our relationship with the Messiah.
2. Redemption: Yom Kippur, the day of atonement
, reminds us that the modern Rabbinic Jewish concept of repentance alone on this day cannot bring us into a relationship with a Holy God…
God must complete what we could not on our own
. God sent the Messiah – Jesus – to bear sin’s penalty for both Jews and Gentiles.
We must also accept His sacrifice as God’s merciful provision for our atonement.
Lev. 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul
.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name
:
Rom 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
2 Cor. 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him
.
By faith, Yeshua (Jesus) must be recognized as Redeemer and Lord of one’s life.
3. Rejoicing
:
Sukkot shows us the joy of a personal relationship with our Savior.
If Jesus is known as our personal Savior, we will fully understand the feast of Sukkot as tabernacling with our God and it will be a season of joy!
The reward of having been cleansed and purged of our sins through repentance and redemption brings great joy
.
There is no greater joy than knowing you are forgiven!
As king David recited in
Psa. 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile
.
The question we ask to all is:
Who is the Lord of your life?
We proclaim that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Lord of the calendar but we must always ask is He the Lord of your life?
