An Amazing Book!

We just finished our study on the Psalms of Ascent called "Stepping Up" by Beth Moore and it was MARVELOUS!  Beth uses a particular resource a couple times in the study called "The Feasts of the LORD" by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal.  I just loved the details she got from it concerning the feasts and celebrations.  Depending on what day Jesus spoke certain scriptures determined the depth of what he spoke that I had never gotten before.  Who knew God's attention to detail would run so deep into scripture that His son's speaking before, during, or after a feast would have the depth and impact that it has.  AMAZING!  I'm so blessed to have ladies like the ladies in our small group who encourage me and cheer me to keep going in life.They surprised me with a copy of that very book Beth used in her study and I can't seem to put it down.

Did you know?

The number seven is God's Holy number signifing perfection, completion, and satisfaction.  God rested on the seventh day showing completion and satisfaction (Gen 2:2).  During the seventh month of the Hebrew calender all 3 "fall" feasts are observed (Lev 23:23-43).  God told the Israelites to not farm their land every seven years in order to give the soil a time to rest (Lev 25:4).  Seven seven's of a year plus the next year was the Jubilee year in which all debts were forgiven (Lev 25:8-12).  Seventy seven years was used in Daniel and Revelations signifing the time God would bring completion (Dan 9:20-27).  Revelations talks about the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls.  And finally, there are seven feasts appointed by God which represents His meeting with man for His Holy purposes (Lev 23).

Did you know?

Four of the feasts were called "Springtime Feasts" in which they were celebrated one after the other starting on the 14th day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March or April).  All four feasts signify the first coming of Christ and He specifically spoke on him being the supplication of those feasts in scripture time and time again. The other 3 feasts were called "Falltime Feasts" in which they were celebrated starting in the seventh month of the Hebrew calender.  All three fall feasts signify Christ's second coming.

The feast of Passover - Christ was called the passover lamb whose blood was spilled for redemption to come to us, so that the LORD's wrath might pass over us on the day of judgement as it did for Moses and the Israelites in Egypt.

The feast of Unleavened Bread - This feast represents sanctification and purity.  The Israelites would make bread with no leavening in it because leavening or yeast signified sin or evil.  Christ is the only one who's body did not see decay nor was any sin found in him. 

The feast of Firstfruits - The firstfruits of the Israelites harvest in springtime were offered to God and in return He promised that the rest of the harvest would be safe and abundant.  Christ is the firstfruits of a harvest of souls yet to come who offered himself as a sacrifice guarenteeing God's promise that the rest of the harvest of souls would be saved.

The feast of Weeks -  God told Jacob that exactly seven weeks and one day after the day of firstfruits they were to celebrate the feast of weeks called Shavuot (also called Pentecost meaning 50th).  On this day they were to bring two loaves of bread to be baked with leaven and fine flour.  The two loaves represented Jews and Gentiles, the leaven represented that sin would be among them, and baked in the fine flour would represent the fire of the Holy Spirit bringing it all together.  Interestingly the Holy Spirit fell on the Apsostles on that exact day of Pentecost.  God's timing in amazing! 

The feast of Trumpets - There were two occasions when the Israelites would blow the trumpet, one was a call for all the children of Israel to assemble as they were being summond to God's presence, and two was a call to war by devine direction.  In Christ's second coming He will call His own to Himself and then go to war against His enemies.

I have yet to read and discover the details of the other two fall feasts, The Day of Atonement and The Feast of Tabernacles.  I can't wait to see what God reveals through them!