Sermon Central
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Jewish Festivals - A Shadow Of Christ Part 2 Series
Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Oct 8, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: In this season of Jewish festivals (Sept 18th-October 7th 2012), when the Jews the World over would have celebrated three of their important festivals-Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkoth- to glean lessons from them, which are significant to Christians
JEWISH FESTIVALS-A SHADOW OF CHRIST-PART 2
Before coming to the second group of Jewish festivals signifying those events in Christian history, which are yet to occur it is pertinent to ponder…if paramount events in Christian history, such as crucifixion of Christ, pouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples took place EXACTLY on the day of relevant Jewish festivals, will not other important future events related to Christianity take place on the days of other relevant Jewish festivals? The answer is yes. Period!
v) PROMOTION
5.FEAST OF TRUMPETS in Hebrew Language :Rosh Hashanah Leviticus 23:23-24/Numbers 29:1-6
ACTION: Display of pictures of
a) Shofar being blown/Yours truly also blows the same (especially brought from the Holy Land) in front of the congregation..ha..ha..
b) Archangel blowing the trumpet at the zero hour
c) Rapture of Christians
The Jews are summoned from the fields of work by the trumpet blast during this Festival which comes at crop harvest time after the autumn rains. Based on sighting of full moon, this festival is celebrated over a period of 2 days.
Jewish reason for celebrating
To commemorate the Creation of Adam. Chronologically, this festival, ought to have been THE FIRST, going by the historical order of events. BUT CLEARLY WE SEE, DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN PLACING THIS FESTIVAL , AT THE FIFTH SPOT, because it has to serve the purpose of highlighting , yet another landmark event in the order it would occur in CHRISTIAN HISTORY-RAPTURE!!!
Christian significance
Called from “fields of work”, by the trumpet blast of the Arch-angel (I Cor 15:51-53/I Thess 4:15-18), at this stage, there would be a New RECREATION of believers bodies’ into eternal, raptured, glorified state like the one Adam possessed BEFORE the Fall. This would also signal, the beginning of 7-year tribulation in the World minus the Church. Sadly, those Jews who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ would be left behind to face the tribulation.
ACTION: Display of a picture of a confused man with a question mark over his head
If momentous events in Christian history, such as crucifixion of Christ, coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples took place exactly on the day of relevant Jewish festivals, will the rapture take place on the day of yet another Jewish festival-the festival of trumpets? The answer is yes. But wait a minute doesn’t the Bible say that no one knows the date of rapture (Matt 24:36)? Yes! While, I am affirming that the rapture would certainly take place on the day of the Festival of Trumpets in the coming years, please note that I am neither specifying the EXACT day (this festival is spread over 2 days, so will rapture take place in the first day or second day of the said festival is still matter of conjecture) nor am I specifying the EXACT year!!!
VI) TRANSFORMATION
6.DAY OF ATONEMENT: IN HEBREW LANGUAGE CALLED-YOM KIPPUR- LEVITICUS 16/23:26-27/NUMBERS 29:7-Seven days after the Feast of Trumpets
ACTION: Display of pictures of
a) The Jewish High Priest with the Blood of atonement before the Mercy
seat inside the Holy of Holies of the Temple
b) U-turn traffic sign
c) Christ’s Second coming astride a White horse
Jewish Reason for commemorating
To express their deep anguish of sinning (remembering the worship of the Golden calf). Chronologically, this festival, ought to have been the third (after the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread), going by the historical order of events. But clearly we see, Divine providence in placing this festival , at the sixth spot, because it has to serve the purpose of highlighting , yet another landmark event in the order it would take place in CHRISTIAN HISTORY-JESUS’ II COMING!!!
Christian significance
The Jews towards the end of 7 years *of tribulation would (in national repentance) make a U-turn towards the Messiah (Zech 12:9-10/Romans 11:26)-THE VERY ONE- they rejected 2000 years back. He would come back and fight on their behalf against Anti-Christ who would be severely persecuting them in the second half of this 7-year tribulation period. This battle would take place at Armageddon, where Anti-Christ would be defeated (Rev 19:19-21). Before their National repentance besides persecution from Anti-Christ, the Jews would also be at the receiving end of several natural calamities which would come upon this World during those 7 horrific years.
The gap between the Festival of trumpets and the Day of atonement is SEVEN days, likewise from the Christian perspective the time between the Church rapture (with the Children of Israel at that time stubbornly refusing to accept Jesus as the Messiah) and National repentance of Jews would be SEVEN years, with EACH DAY BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF A YEAR LIKE IN NUMBERS 14:34/13:25. HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, ONE DAY -ONE YEAR PRINCIPLE IS OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF ISRAEL’S TROUBLE. LIKE THE DIVINE COMEUPPANCE IN NUMBERS 14:34 SPELT TROUBLE TO THAT NATION, THE CURSE OF BEING LEFT BEHIND FOR REJECTING THE MESSIAH AND CONSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCING TRIBULATION WOES FOR SEVEN YEARS WOULD COME UPON THAT NATION SOON AFTER THE CHURCH RAPTURE.
