The Radiant Mission Podcast | Episode 37
Host: Rebecca Twomey @theradiantmission
Co-Host: Rachel Smith @rachelsmithsmith
Thank you for listening to The Radiant Mission podcast! We are on a mission to encourage and inspire you on your walk with Christ and as you journey through life.
In Episode 37 we’re continuing to discuss the Biblical feasts as we transition to the fall feasts: The Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.
In This Episode on The Biblical Fall Feasts: Feast of Trumpets & Day of Atonement:
As a reminder, there are seven Biblical feasts described in the Bible in what’s known as the Torah, which is the first 5 books of the Bible. Four of the feasts are in the Spring, and three are in the Fall.
The 7 feasts in the Bible:
- Pesach (The Passover) This is the foundational feast
- Unleavened Bread. This feast was to last for 7 days
- First Fruits
- Shavuot (Pentecost or Feast of Weeks)
- Rosh HaShanah (Feast of Trumpets)
- Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
- Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)
- Purim
There are two types of trumpets mentioned in the Bible.
One is the brass trumpet that so many of us know and was used ceremoniously. The other is called a shofar and is made from a ram’s horn. It is more of the everyday type of trumpet.
The fall feasts are special in their own way because their fulfillment represents things yet to come.
Just as the fulfillment of the spring feasts happened back-to-back within days and weeks of each other, the same will occur when Yeshua comes again. This means that He will come on the Feast of Trumpets.
Interestingly, the name “feast of trumpets” or Yom Teruah in Hebrew, is not very well known, especially among the Jews. But what is well known, and I’m sure you’ve heard of before, is Rosh Hashanah. It’s known as the Jewish new year, which is what Jews currently celebrate this day as. However, there does not appear to be mention of new year in Leviticus 23:23-25.
Jewish tradition does uphold that the blowing of trumpets was a reminder of the shofars that Joshua and the Israelites used at Jericho.
Scripture reveals a lot about the prophetic meaning of the Feast of Trumpets. And that this feast points forward to a time when Israel will be gathered back into the land.
Isaiah specifically references all kinds of amazing details about what is known as the Millennial Kingdom. But specifically in chapter 27 verse 13 it says: “It will come about also in that day that a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”
This connects with what Paul speaks of in the New Testament. And it points to the same event when the Body of Messiah will be gathered or “caught up” to meet the Lord Yeshua. In 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Paul says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
Similarly in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 it is written: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
All of these Scriptures are speaking of the same event and signify the importance of the trumpet blast.
Yahweh misses no detail and He specifically wants us to know that this will occur on the Feast of trumpets.
But what about no one knowing the day or hour of His return?
Yeshua specifically says that Himself about “the coming of the Son of Man” talking about this very event. He also mentioned in multiple parables to be watchful and ready for His return. How can both be true?
Rachel’s thought is because year to year we actually don’t know the exact moment the Feast of Trumpets will begin. As the scripture states: a day is given, the first day of the seventh month. But today the exact date of this feast varies from year to year because it’s based on the Hebrew calendar. The 7th month being the month of Tishrei. They calculate the first of each month based on the spotting of the moon. So, we can predict when this feast will be this year because our technology allows us to have elaborate dating. But the exact moment this feast begins is really dependent on when the moon rises in Jerusalem each year. In this way we can’t know exactly the day or the hour that Feast of Trumpets will be.
Feast of Trumpets begins what’s called “the days of Awe.” There are 10 days between this feast and the next, which is what’s considered the holiest day of the year and that is the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.
The Day of Atonement is solemn and is set apart, even from the rest of the feasts.
In Leviticus 23 Yahweh commands the people of Israel to “humble their souls” on this day. Some use the language: “afflict our souls.” For this reason, it is common for people to fast from sundown to sundown on Yom Kippur, along with taking a sabbath day of rest.
How can Christian’s celebrate or recognize the Day of Atonement today?
Fasting from sundown to sundown and taking a sabbath or day of rest is a great way to honor this day since all the efforts of a High Priest have, can, and will be done by our High Priest Yeshua.
What’s really interesting about beliefs of the traditional Jewish community is that Rosh Hashanah, what we refer to us the Feast of Trumpets, is seen as the Day of Judgement when God evaluates an individual’s deeds to determine if He’ll write that person’s name in the book of life for the coming year. So typically, according to their tradition, they essentially have 10 days, until Yom Kippur, to “get right with God,” so to speak and repent from their sins of that year.
This is why the Jewish community takes Yom Kippur so seriously. They fast and pray and go to synagogue since Yom Kippur was the day God set apart to restore relationship between Himself and His people.
Now Rachel is simply mentioning these traditional beliefs, not to say they’re right or wrong. She does not actually agree that doing any action like fasting is what makes us right before God.
But there’s a beautiful picture in this day that because we are covered by the blood of the Lamb, Yeshua. He has already paid that sin sacrifice for all of our sins. So, all that work and effort that the High Priest would go through on this very Holy Day, Yeshua did for us so our sins have already been atoned for. It’s why He said on the cross “It is finished.”
What Rachel believes is still significant about revering this day though it that just because our sins are forgiven and paid for does not mean we stop repenting. She thinks there’s something to be said of taking a day out of the year to fast, or humble ourselves, in whatever way that seems appropriate, and rest and pray and just spend time with the Lord asking Him to reveal any sins in our life that we still need to repent for. This is what she personally does on this day and it can be hard but beautiful.
In Sam Nadler book he says: “God’s redemption is not to provide a great religion for His people, but to provide a great relationship with His people. It is not by good deeds during the Days of Awe that will gain entrance into the Book of Life, but by faith in God’s finished work of atonement in Messiah. As we have seen, under pain of death our own works were not allowed on the Day of Atonement.”
So how will this feast be fulfilled in the future?
This is revealed in In Revelation 20:11-15:
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
What is the correlation between Revelation and The Day of Atonement?
In Revelation we’re shown what’s called Judgement Day. This is when the Lord will judge every single person.
We will all stand before Him on this day and those who are covered in the blood of the Lamb will go on to live eternally with Him. But to those not covered by the blood of the Lamb, they will experience the second death.
The Day of Atonement will be prophetically fulfilled on this very day. Our High Priest will be there having atoned for our sins. There is no more important decision anyone can make with their life than to put their faith and trust in Him.
Bible Verses Mentioned on The Biblical Fall Feasts: Feast of Trumpets & Day of Atonement:
- Leviticus 23:23-25
- Isaiah 27:13
- 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
- Leviticus 16
- Revelation 20:11
- Psalm 40:6-8
Resources Mentioned:
Subscribe to receive emails from The Radiant Mission
A Christian Guide to the Biblical Feasts by David Wilber
Messiah in the Feasts of Israel by Sam Nadler
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