[soc.religion.christian] Feasts and Prophecy

kamphau@oktext.sbc.com (Mark Kamphaus) (09/23/90)

In Col 2:16-17 Paul implies that the Jewish feasts
are shadows of things to come.  Some, including myself
take that to mean they are a prophetic type.

There are seven feasts.
1) Passover
2) Unleavened Bread
3) First Fruits
4) Harvest
5) Trumpets
6) Atonement
7) Tabernacles

The first three feasts are collectively known as
Passover and are celebrated on 3 consecutive days.
The fulfillment of their prophecy occured with Jesus
on the actual days.  
Passover morning (friday morning) Jesus was crucified.
He became the passover lamb slain for our sins. (See John 1:29
and I Peter 18:19)
Jesus was buried on Unleavened Bread. This represents sinlessness
as leaven was the symbol for sin.  Jesus gave the example of
leaven affecting the whole lump of dough.
The Ressurection occurred on First Fruits and Jesus is referred to as
such by Paul in I Cor. 15:20.

THe next feast was fulfilled on the feast day with the decent of the
Holy Spirit at Pentecost to mark the establishment of the Church Age.
We are symbolically living in the Harvest.  

The remaining three feasts point to end time events and are unfulfilled.
Trumpets represent the Rapture and the end of the Church Age.  I believe this
is the last trumpet Paul refers to and also the sound that marks the transistion
from the end of the church prophecy in Rev.2-3 to the scene in Heaven in Rev 4.

Atonement is the Second Coming when the salvation of the faithful remnant of
Isreal occurs.  This is the "Day of the Lord."  Zech 12:10, Rom 11:1-6,25-36.

Tabernacles represents the millenium where the Messiah dwells
with His people in Jerusalem.  Micah 4:1-7.

(I have used for a reference "The Jewish Feasts" by Dr. David R. Reagan of
Lamb and Lion Ministries.  It is article No.6 in the Prophecy Notebook series.)

Rosh Hashanah is on 20th of September this year.  Yom Kippur is the 29th and
Sukkot starts on the 4th of Oct.

With the first four feasts having fulfillment on the actual day, it
would not be unreasonable to assume the last three will have the same
method of fulfilment. 

I am interested in discussing the fulfillment of the remaining feasts and
the scripture supporting the manner of their fulfillment.  It is my
understanding that it is a rabbinical tradition that tabernacles points to
the messianic reign.

johnw@stew.ssl.berkeley.edu (John Warren) (09/27/90)

In article <Sep.23.02.01.24.1990.4779@athos.rutgers.edu> kamphau@oktext.sbc.com (Mark Kamphaus) writes:
>In Col 2:16-17 Paul implies that the Jewish feasts
>are shadows of things to come.  Some, including myself
>take that to mean they are a prophetic type.
>
>There are seven feasts.
>1) Passover
>2) Unleavened Bread
>3) First Fruits
>4) Harvest
>5) Trumpets
>6) Atonement
>7) Tabernacles
>
>The first three feasts are collectively known as
>Passover and are celebrated on 3 consecutive days.

That is, if you believe Jesus was crucified on Friday 
and rose on Sunday.  But Jesus said he'd be in the ground
for 3 days.  Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is 1 1/2 days.

>The fulfillment of their prophecy occured with Jesus
>on the actual days.  

I believe this; there is something wrong, not with scripture,
but the erroneous traditions that we've somehow received.

>Passover morning (friday morning) Jesus was crucified.
>He became the passover lamb slain for our sins. (See John 1:29
>and I Peter 18:19)
>Jesus was buried on Unleavened Bread. This represents sinlessness
>as leaven was the symbol for sin.  Jesus gave the example of
>leaven affecting the whole lump of dough.
>The Ressurection occurred on First Fruits and Jesus is referred to as
>such by Paul in I Cor. 15:20.

Passover was the 14th day of a certain month, Unleavened Bread was
the next day, and Firstfruits was the following Sunday, no matter 
which days Passover and Uleavened Bread happened.  So if Jesus was
crucified on Wednesday morning/afternoon on Passover, buried at
sundown (which would be the start of Unleavened Bread since the 
Jewish day starts at sundown), and rose at nightfall Saturday 
night, that would be 3 days in the tomb, like he said.  The
Gospels say that he was crucified on the day before the Sabbath,
but the Unleavened Bread was a special Sabbath, not necessarily
happening on Saturday.  Again, a Gospel (Mark, I think) says that he rose
at the 'dawn', but the Greek word used can equally apply to the moon.
Another Gospel has the women going to the tomb in the morning, but
that doesn't necessarily have to be immediately after Jesus rose.
So if Jesus rose at the dawning of the moon, that could happen (but not
always) right at the start of the new day, by Jewish reckoning, which
would be First Fruits.  
>
>THe next feast was fulfilled on the feast day with the decent of the
>Holy Spirit at Pentecost to mark the establishment of the Church Age.
>We are symbolically living in the Harvest.  
>
>The remaining three feasts point to end time events and are unfulfilled.
>Trumpets represent the Rapture and the end of the Church Age.  I believe this
>is the last trumpet Paul refers to and also the sound that marks the transistion
>from the end of the church prophecy in Rev.2-3 to the scene in Heaven in Rev 4.
>
>Atonement is the Second Coming when the salvation of the faithful remnant of
>Isreal occurs.  This is the "Day of the Lord."  Zech 12:10, Rom 11:1-6,25-36.
>
>Tabernacles represents the millenium where the Messiah dwells
>with His people in Jerusalem.  Micah 4:1-7.

Also look in Zechariah, near the end, where it says that when the Lord
comes back He will command all the nations to observe the Feast of the
Tabernacles.
>
>(I have used for a reference "The Jewish Feasts" by Dr. David R. Reagan of
>Lamb and Lion Ministries.  It is article No.6 in the Prophecy Notebook series.)

I have used, for reference, sermons by Dr. Gene Scott.  Sorry, I don't
remember which ones.
>
>With the first four feasts having fulfillment on the actual day, it
>would not be unreasonable to assume the last three will have the same
>method of fulfilment. 

I agree.  Also, I can't wait!

To all who think this stuff is trivial and a waste of time when we
should be about our Lord's business, I don't say that it is imperative
that everyone know all this right now.  Nothing's proven or conclusive.
But the Lord gave the feasts for a reason, and if we start seeing
patterns in what He has laid out, then more power to the people who
show us what a great artist God is!

-John Warren			"Into the narrow lanes...
				 I can't stumble or stay put."  -Dylan

[In the 1st Cent., time was counted inclusively.  I.e. the end points
were counted.  So rising "on the third day" is exactly consistent with
crucifixion on Friday and Resurrection on Sunday.  When you call it
1.5 days you really mean 36 hours.  That's not quite the way
terminology was used.  --clh]