It has appeared, from the Feasts already touched on, how God, in His infinite wisdom, sketched in brief His intended ways—ways carrying us on through centuries with all the varied history as to Israel and all the nations. It was in view of His declared intention of having Israel as the head, and not the tail, of the nations. Thus is the earth ordered in relation to His people, as was stated by Moses in their early history, “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For Jehovah's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance” (Deut. 32:8, 9).
This treasure and portion Jehovah has never yet truly possessed. For as the antitypical Passover and Wave-Sheaf testify that Jehovah, their Messiah, was by the Jewish builders cast out, and despised and set at naught, whilst exalted by God to heaven, so from thence the Holy Spirit has come, and remains, the clear and positive antitype to the Feast of Weeks. During such time Israel are out of the land, scattered and peeled all over the earth, bearing the marks of Jehovah's displeasure, especially Judah for their guilt in crucifying their Messiah, and willfully saying they had no king but Caesar; also, “His blood be upon us and our children.”
Ever since their Messiah's death, judicial blindness has rested upon them; the like condition is alas! rapidly overtaking Christendom, which for its sin and unbelief must be cut off by judgment, and Israel will again be brought into prominence. True, before Jehovah's action of gathering His earthly people, they may reappear in Canaan, as stated by the Prophet, “They shall gather but not by me.” Moreover their Messiah testified that they would become a prey to antichrist, saying, “I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).
Notwithstanding all this, the unconditional promises coalescing with the new covenant await their fulfillment in full and complete blessing. For their still rejected Messiah will then be king in Zion, reigning gloriously over Israel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. In view of this, after the Pentecostal period, the Feast of Trumpets, under the figure of the moon, heralds the reflected light to shine on them, and summons them, not only by the blowing of the trumpets as in the days of the type, but as it is termed, by the “Memorial” to regather them in antitypical blessedness.
Before this moment, the twenty-second verse touchingly shows Jehovah's care and provision for the poor, at the end of the harvest, and outside those contemplated in the closing Feasts. The remaining corn should be for the poor and stranger to glean, and thus share the portion of those gone before who are to come on the scene after the coming of the Lord for His saints. Those slain shall be blessed and share heavenly glory with Christ. Yea, “blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;” and blessed and holy those that suffer death for Christ and the truth's sake, for they shall have part in the first resurrection. Though not raised till later, they will nevertheless reign with Christ (see Rev. 20:4-6). Such poor and forgotten ones will thus be honored and blessed, as intimated in the wonderful order of the type, which may enhance its application.
Respecting the blowing of trumpets, Num. 10 sheds light on their purpose, also on those responsible at the appointed time, and their distinct object. Two silver trumpets were to be made of a whole piece, “that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.” The priests, Aaron's sons, must blow them according to Jehovah's appointment, for gathering, guidance, or alarm of impending danger. Of this the scriptures from time to time give samples, some of a most humbling character; whilst others clearly are prophetically given in relation to the day of the Lord and Israel's future, in view both of judgment and of their after restoration to blessing.
Many passages in the Prophets are instructive as to detail; but Joel 2 will suffice to show that the trumpet is to be blown in Zion, and the alarm sounded because the day of the Lord cometh; bringing first judgment, then blessing. The people are to be gathered for fasting and repentance, and finally for blessing and glory on earth.
It is evident therefore, that the summons by the trumpets denoted an unfulfilled epoch in the experience of Israel, when they will respond to the call at the time distinctly future. “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.” To this period of Israel's summons the varied books of the Psalms assuredly apply, when Jerusalem will be the joy of the whole earth and the prayers of David are ended in the full cup of peaceful blessing under the true Solomon. The preliminary summons with its pointed allusion is thus stated in Psa. 83 “Blow ye the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, in our solemn feast day.” The new moon and solemn feast day, when responded to in the reflected light of Israel's new beginning, will gather them for the following feast with their God-given experience, to know and value the one and only work of Atonement, accomplished in the death and shed blood of Him, who died for the nation of Israel, as well as for the salvation and gathering of the children of God.
Blessed indeed for us who now believe is this teaching or lesson in the ways of God, but not least for Israel's nearing future, to learn the feast of Atonement, when on the tenth day of the same month with the blowing of trumpets, “there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you"; and ye shall afflict your souls “and offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah and ye shall do no work that same day.” For this most important feast, Lev. 16 and Zech. 12 will furnish deep instruction later as to Israel's experience yet to be made good in the glorious antitype. Hence in the feast, the people's part in the day of Atonement is distinctly stated, namely, “ye shall afflict your souls and do no work.” Both are one as to this. But Lev. 16 also minutely gives the work of the High Priest in which Israel took no part. As the representative of all Israel, he took the blood of the slain bullock and goat, sprinkling it before and upon the mercy seat, thereby declaring that, only by death and shed blood, atonement could be made. This is in character with the passover, and both find their perfect answer in the work of Christ, who has in the value of His own blood entered heaven; from whence He will return to make good in the very people that crucified Him the benefit of His atoning work, when they shall indeed look on Him whom they pierced.
Then a corresponding work in them will follow the work done for them. This has ever been the case; but the distinct and perfect work of Christ for souls is often confounded with the work of the Spirit of God in them, to the hindrance of enjoyed peace with God, which Christ Himself made by the blood of His cross. Truly repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus must be enjoined upon souls in relation to heaven; as affliction of souls, and no work, will be Israel's experience when brought into peace and blessing upon earth in the value of the atoning blood. Then by a divine work of grace they will learn Jehovah's intention to have Jerusalem again inhabited, and by the people spared through all their great and final tribulation. So He saith, “And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,” etc. (Zech. 12:10).
Supplication and mourning will mark them, from royalty and priestly dignity to families generally, even to husbands and wives mourning apart. Then, no longer scoffing and turning their backs on their Messiah, they will look on Him whom they pierced and say, “Lo this is our God: we have waited for Him.” It is then they will prove the value of the water and the blood, when Isa. 53:3-6 will be intelligently hearkened to, both expiation of their sins by blood, and the purifying power and cleansing of the water; as it is written “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1).
Such are the privileges in boundless grace Israel has in store, associated with their coming Feast of Atonement, when Jehovah will speak peace to His people, who will never more return to folly, or fall under the yoke of the oppressor. Alas! ruin will be the case of the apostates, “the many” Daniel speaks of, justly doomed to shame and everlasting contempt. But it is to those in whom the Spirit will work in grace according to the new covenant that the day of Atonement applies, as also the following Feast.