A recent Time magazine cover story listed the "Re-Judaizing Jesus" as one of the "Ten Ideas That Are Changing the World." According the editors of Time, the Hebrew roots movement will have more impact on the future than money and politics. The article explains that to properly understand the Savior of the New Testament one must accept the precepts and customs of the Old Testament. Such a return to the Rabbi Y'shua leads many people to begin celebrating what are mistakenly called the "Jewish Festivals." These are days of worship that were not given only to the Jewish people but for all who call upon the God/Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Leviticus 23:2 explains, "Concerning the feasts of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are MY feasts." The Biblical festivals are holy days that the Almighty has chosen. They are HIS feasts, which include Passover and Pentecost in the Spring and several festivals that usually occur in September or October.
The Feast of Trumpets is most easily recognized as Rosh Hashanah, though the Bible never makes this distinction. It is a commanded time to gather for celebration and the blowing of trumpets, which occurs on September 19th this year. During Temple times a set of twin silver trumpets were sounded along with a ram's horn called a "shofar." This day is also considered the first of the "ten days of awe" that lead up to and include the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Trumpets is symbolic of the return of Messiah to the world to set up His kingdom. "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound...," 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
The next special day of worship is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. It was on this day, during Temple times, that the High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and present a special once a year sacrifice. Atonement was granted if the people were truly repentant of their sins and the priest was obedient in his actions. Today, Yom Kippur is observed by fasting for a period of 25 hours. "It shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before YHWH," Leviticus 23:27-28. Yom Kippur is prophetic of the great white throne judgment of Revelation 20.
The last festival of the Fall season is the joyous Feast of Tabernacles or "Sukkot." During this seven-day celebration believers are commanded to remember the wilderness journey of the nation of Israel by dwelling in tents. "Seven days shalt thou keep a feast unto the YHWH in the place which YHWH shall choose; because YHWH shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the work of thy hands, and thou shalt be altogether joyful," Deuteronomy 16:15. Prophetically, the four sided sukkah pictures the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven in Revelation 21.
The upcoming fall festivals of the Lord are opportunities to experience true Biblical worship as the Creator intended. Many Christian leaders, from John Hagge to Joseph Falwell, are advocating the celebration and relevance of the Leviticus 23 festivals. When a person begins to keep the Festivals of God their eyes are often opened to a greater understanding of the Scriptures and end times prophetic events.
