THE LAST three feasts — the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles — have not yet had their typical fulfillment; they are still future. After the Church is called home to heaven it is remarkable how rapidly events take place! When God undertakes for His earthly people again things begin to move quickly. We read of “the first day,” then “the tenth day,” again “the fifteenth day,” all in one month.
The feast of trumpets typically foreshadows the future day of Israel’s awakening and regathering. God is going to gather them back to their homeland. Now the Jews are going back to Palestine in unbelief and will accept the antichrist! But the feast of trumpets looks on to the day when Christ their Messiah will call them back and settle them in their own land with His blessing.
“In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” In this dispensation, the gospel of the grace of God is being preached, but in that day it will be the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel or glad tings for Israel will be when God’s time is come to bless them. His messengers will publish peace and salvation and say to Zion, “Thy God reigneth.” Isa. 52:77How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7).
In Psalm 81 we read: “Sing aloud unto God our strength, make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob... Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.” This is very string and beautiful. Each time we see the new moon reappear, we know it has not been out of existence. Nor is Israel out of existence. That little crescent in the sky, the new moon, is the picture of the reappearing of Israel when God begins a new testimony on the earth. The reawakening of Israel will be His work, just as the work which began in our souls and brought us to Christ was His work of grace too. So it is grace from beginning to end whether it be for the believer and the Church of God now, or for Israel in the coming day. Blessing begins with God and ends with His glory and praise.
After the feast of trumpets, “on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.”
This feast looks on to the time when Israel shall be brought under the effects of the atoning work of Christ. It is Israel brought to repentance, to own their sins, when the atonement will be made good to them, when they are restored. It is the day of Israel’s mourning when they shall look upon Him “whom they have pierced,” and “shall mourn for Him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him... In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem.... And the land shall mourn, every family apart.” Zech. 12:10-1210And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; (Zechariah 12:10‑12). “Whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” v. 29.
How solemn a time it shall be for Israel, and the result of it shall be they shall own, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5).
ML-09/17/1972