^{"Harvest" is always the bringing in of those crops that have been planted, have grown, and have matured during that year’s harvest season. Ancient Israel had a harvest season that ran roughly from April through October. Most countries today in the northern hemisphere have a harvest season which runs through those same months.}

^{Not all crops are harvested at the same time during the harvest year. Some crops are such that they can be harvested early, because they come to maturity early. Others are harvested late, because they mature late. Sometimes the time of the actual planting varies as well, and affects the harvest time. But regardless, the time at which each type of crop comes to maturity directly determines the time of harvest for each. You don’t harvest crops when they are half grown. You wait until THEIR time.}

^{Israel had THREE phases to their annual harvest cycle. These three phases were directly related to the annual feasts which God commanded Israel to keep. God gave Israel SEVEN annual feasts, or holy days. These SEVEN feasts were divided into THREE groups, each of which corresponded to one of the THREE harvests of Israel’s annual season.}

^{All through the Bible, harvest is likened unto the Redemptive plan of God – even in it’s stages:}

^{Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. (Matt. 9:37-38)}

^{Jesus said unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One sows, and another reaps. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors. (John 4:34-38)}

^{And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Rev 14:14-19}

^{A harvest is always likened to the "reaping" of that which was sown, and which has come to maturity. This is so with regards to both the good and bad people. BOTH good and bad are harvested. But only the good is of God.}

^{Leviticus 23 outlines each of these three "harvests," and establishes their relationship to each of the three festival groupings. The first harvest, the BARLEY harvest, was commenced on the feast of FIRST FRUITS, during the holy day season of Unleavened Bread. The "first fruits" of the barley harvest were to be offered to the Lord, along with other sacrifices:}

^{Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf a male lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savor: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (Lev 23:10-14)}

^{The second harvest, the WHEAT harvest, was commenced on Pentecost. Sometimes Pentecost is also called "first fruits," because Israel considered the Pentecost wheat harvest to be somewhat of an extension of the feast of First Fruits when the wheat would have been first planted.}

^{From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, (which was the feast of first fruits, the day Christ was raised) count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of a fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of first fruits to the Lord. Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the first fruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live" (Leviticus 23:15–21).}

^{The third harvest, which was of the rest of the crops, mostly FRUITS, was in the fall.}

^{So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23:33-44)}

^{Now, before we proceed, we MUST be clear on this fact: There were THREE harvest seasons spoken of in scripture, directly linked to THREE festival seasons. We find this, not only in the Bible, but historically so. We must be clear on the fact of THREE of each, and on the fact that the harvest seasons relate directly to the festivals. Much of what we are going to see depends upon seeing this fact.}

^{We not only have THREE festival seasons, and THREE harvests which correspond, but we have THREE resurrections, which the harvests typify. These three resurrections are spelled out clearly by Jesus:}

^{Notice the PRESENT tense of this resurrection. Apparently, Jesus is speaking of a resurrection which occurs BEFORE one physically dies. There is no mention of the grave here. In other words, this is not a bodily resurrection. The person who believes HAS passed from death unto life because of His faith in Christ. But Jesus goes on to mention another resurrection:}

^{Here we have the resurrection of those "that hear." This is not everyone. This would seem to refer to those who are "dead in Christ," or "asleep in Jesus," as it says other places in the NT. They would "hear" His voice and be raised.}

^{But how do these first two resurrections relate to each other? It would seem that they are actually the SAME resurrection, although at different stages. The reason I say this is that anyone who passes from death to life by faith in Christ, and who then dies, is obviously going to hear the voice of Jesus when He returns, and be raised. So it would seem that the first mention of resurrection is talking about being raised in Christ through faith NOW, and the second mention is referring to the bodily resurrection which will be the final outcome of that when Jesus returns.}

^{This fits the Biblical concept. For a number of times, Pentecost is spoken of as a feast of first fruits, as opposed to the actual day which is the feast of First Fruits. Those folks back then sort of looked at Pentecost as the outcome of the feast day of First Fruits. But actually, that is right on, isn’t it? For the real Pentecost IS the outcome is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Thus, we are most certainly on safe ground to say that the first two resurrections of which Jesus speaks carry this same relationship: Those who receive Christ HAVE passed from death to life, and therefore, will hear His voice when He returns, and be raised from the dead.}

^{Thus far we have the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of those IN Christ. But there is yet a THIRD group spoken of:}

^{Here we see the rest of humankind resurrected. Now, we must be certain on one point: No one in this resurrection is of the Body of Christ -- that no one who is IN CHRIST is in this resurrection. How do we know this? Because some of those in this third group are raised to condemnation – which is not possible among those, "in Christ." Furthermore, Paul tells us that all who have died in Christ will be raised together – all at once. No one else is included in THAT resurrection. And finally, it is clear that the SECOND harvest, or resurrection, is, in fact, the resurrection of the church. Therefore, there could not be anyone of the church left over for this resurrection.}

^{Yet – and this is a vital point to note – some of this third group are raised unto life. How can this be – if they aren’t of the Body of Christ? It can be if God intends to deal with people who never heard the Truth in this life, but who never rejected it. Get that. They aren’t of the church, but they aren’t condemned either. They just never heard. Infants would be included in this group. God could deal with them in the resurrection.}

^{The Bible never teaches that anyone is condemned who has NOT HEARD the Truth of Jesus. The Bible draws a clear distinction between those who have heard and rejected the Truth – and as a result, ARE condemned – and those who have never heard. (see John 3:19) There have been countless people – young children – who have lived and died on this planet, who never had the chance, or the capacity, to accept or reject Christ. Certainly they will be in this resurrection – and God will be perfectly just in dealing with them.}

^{Let’s be perfectly clear: Jesus is the only Way to the Father. There is not another way of salvation offered through any sort of future resurrection. But is this a so-called, "second chance?"  No.  There are no "second chances," simply because the "first chance" isn't over until a person has either accepted Christ or rejected Him.  Among other things, what this means is that if I have been shown the Truth now, my first and only chance is now.  I can no longer claim ignorance.  I am accountable now.}

^{I want to repeat that in case someone still doesn’t understand: There is no such thing as a "second chance." No. Why? Because the "first and only chance" isn’t over until a person either embraces Christ, or rejects Him. And some people, especially kids, never had the chance to do either. So their "first and only chance" is still going.}

^{Think about a modern example, which took the lives of thousands of innocent children: The atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945. Were all of those little children who died in that event condemned to hell simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time? Well, errors such as 5 point Calvinism try to solve the problem by saying that God has already elected each of us to either salvation or condemnation, and that this is the answer. Nonsense. Yet the question remains: it is a fact that unless these children were "in Christ" they weren’t saved. They had no eternal life in them. So how can they be saved?}

^{The only sin Jesus said would never be forgiven is THE SIN of refusing God’s forgiveness, that is, the means of salvation, Jesus Christ. Ask: Did these innocent children, who never heard the Truth, ever sin THAT sin? No – despite the fact that they never received Christ.}

^{Could it be that when Jesus speaks of the judgment of God that what that judgment will entail is that God will thoroughly discern and discover the true heart of each of us – with regards to what we done with His Son? If we have received Christ, or if we have rejected Him, or if we have never heard about Him – will God not know this?}

^{This is actually the Greek root of the word, "judgment" – it is to separate and discern, and then to render a moral decision in accordance with this. If God does that to infants, and to the truly ignorant, it is clear that He cannot condemn them.}

^{God is just. No one will fall through the cracks. No one will end up in hell simply because they happened to be born in the wrong culture, or happened to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.}

^{To further solidify the Truth about those in this final resurrection, let’s do some logical deduction. There is no question that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, and that He is said to be the first fruits. And there is no question that all who are IN CHRIST will be raised at His coming. Hopefully, everyone can agree on that. But once we do agree on that, we have completely addressed all who are in Christ as far as resurrection goes. In other words, no one who is in Christ is going to be raised up at a later time. Indeed, if there was one thing which Paul the apostle wanted to show the Thessalonians, it was that. He said to them:}

^{But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thes. 4:13-18)}

^{You will notice that ALL INCLUSIVENESS of Paul’s teaching. Those who have died in Christ will not be raised at a later time. In fact, the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who remain will join them.}

^{Paul says much the same thing to the Corinthians:}

^{Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor 15:51-54)}

^{So what we see in these passages is that the Body of Christ – those who have died in Christ and those who are alive when Jesus comes – will ALL be in the same resurrection. No one will be left out who is in Christ.}

^{Now, having established this, ask: How then, in the later resurrection, when ALL who are in the graves come forth, are there STILL some who are raised to LIFE? Can we see that it is not possible for them to be among those who died IN CHRIST? – but that they must be of another category?}

^{The harvest seasons tell us that they are not of the same "crop" as those who have died in Christ. The wheat harvest began at Pentecost, and symbolizes those who IN THIS AGE will accept Christ. The resurrection of these will occur when Christ returns, which is typified by the Feast of Trumpets. But in Israel, the harvest season didn’t end with the wheat harvest! There was yet the fruit harvest – the final ingathering of the crops! This was typified by the Feast of Tabernacles, which was to celebrate it.}

^{Now note the progression here, as pictured by the feasts. First, we have Jesus as the first fruits, who was raised on the very Feast of First Fruits. Then we have the effects of HIS resurrection, extended to Pentecost and the age of the church. That also could be called part of the first fruits – which is what WE are in Christ. The church age, however, extends over the longest period of time between the annual feasts. That wait ends with the Feast of Trumpets, which BEGINS the ingathering of all the crops. The Feast of Trumpets symbolizes the return of Christ, when all who are in Christ will be raised from the dead – all of whom already have eternal life.}

^{But then what? Then the DAY OF ATONEMENT. Is this not the day when God judges SIN? I don’t mean in the same sense that Christ judged it, for when Christ died, sin was finally, once for all, and forever, judged. But I mean SIN in the sense of whether men choose to accept Christ or reject Him. That is the issue – for THE SIN is the refusal of Jesus, and THE LIFE is receiving Him.}

^{Embodied within this day of Atonement is God’s final judgment. And included in this would be this final resurrection of all who were not in the resurrection of those who died IN CHRIST. Those who died in Christ have already been raised – for their judgment has already been satisfied in Christ. Yet there remains this mass of humanity, some of whom REJECTED Christ, and some of whom never heard.}

^{Doesn’t the fact that Christ is called the first fruits, and that WE are likewise called the first fruits, tell us that there is a whole lot more harvesting to do? The first fruits are NEVER the harvest – but just the first of it!}

^{Now, someone is liable to say, "Well, this isn’t fair. I lived my whole life to the glory of God, and suffered for it. Now you are telling me that there are going to be those who never knew Christ, and yet they will receive eternal life! I object to this?"}

^{First of all, if what I am saying is what is going to happen, there will be nothing "unfair" about it because it will be accomplished by a God who is perfectly just and holy. So if will be totally fair. Furthermore, if we are living our lives to the glory of God, we will want as many people as possible to be saved. We will realize that our opportunity to know Christ now, has eternal ramifications, and is a privilege, not some burden God has put upon us.}

^{The fact is, the moment I have enough light to choose or reject Christ, it is too late for me to claim ignorance. At that point, I’m down to two options: Accept Christ and be raised with the Body of Christ at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. Or reject Him, and be raised at the end unto condemnation. In other words, my "first and only chance" has come, and I am being called. There is no longer, for one who sees the Truth, an option of being one of those who never had a chance in this age.}

^{We are not responsible for when God calls us to Christ. But when God does call, we are totally accountable for how we answer. If we would just see this one Truth, it would clear up much of the confusion about God’s calling and the free will of man.}

^{The harvest seasons aptly picture "each man in his own order." You cannot harvest a crop until it’s time. There are many people in this age whom God has never called. But they are not lost. They are simply in another harvest season that we who ARE called are in.}

^{This pattern of resurrection is again outlined in I Corinthians:}

^{But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1 Cor 15:20-25)}

^{Paul tells us that Christ was THE first fruits of those who were dead and then raised. He hastens to add that in Adam ALL must die, but all who are in Christ shall be made alive. Thus, he says, "But each man in his own order." The word for "order" here is togma, which signified "that which has been arranged in order," It was especially a military term, denoting "a company;" it is used metaphorically in 1 Cor. 15:23 of the various classes of those who have part in the first resurrection. It was used of a precession after a great victory, when a winning army passed through a grand archway – each in his own "togma," according to rank. So we see, if nothing else, that in the plan of God there IS an order. Just as each crop in the harvest has it’s time and season, so does each person in God’s plan.}

^{Paul actually tells us the order. He says, "Christ, the FIRST FRUITS." Then, "all who belong to Christ AT HIS COMING." Then, Paul says, comes the END – or to compare this to the words of Christ from John, then are the rest of mankind "harvested." In this progression, we see once again the same scheme as Jesus described in John. We see Christ, during the Passover festival raised from the dead on First Fruits. Then we see all those who accept Christ being spiritually raised during the Pentecostal age, and then bodily raised at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. But there yet remains another festival and harvest: The rest of the dead – who were not of the Body of Christ. This would include all those who rejected Christ, but also all those who never heard of Him. Those who rejected Christ would be raised unto condemnation. Those who never heard will be judged and be given the opportunity to embrace Christ during the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement. The consummation of it all will be the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.}

^{So we see that we not only have three festival seasons, which correspond to three general harvest seasons, but we see that each corresponds to the ORDER, or "togma" which is built into God’s plan for humankind.}

^{The relationship between the harvests, holy days, and resurrections, are displayed below, along with the corresponding scriptural passages:}

^{Now to the specific feast days. Pentecost was the day when those who accepted Christ began to "reap" the benefits of it. Just as Christ was THE first fruits, so were they a "kind of first fruits" of the greater wheat harvest. Notice again, however, that if the church is the first fruits, then they church isn’t the harvest. We see in this, once again, that there is yet a great harvest to come AFTER the church age.}

^{But back to Pentecost, as it was fulfilled:}

^{And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)}

^{John the Baptist pointed towards this event, which was but the beginning of the wheat harvest – the first fruits of it -- in one of His announcements of Jesus:}

^{I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matt. 3:11-12)}

^{Here we see the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire likened to a purging. This purging will result in a separation of the wheat from the tares, indeed, result in a purifying of the wheat itself.}

^{John guarantees us that there will be a judgment going on upon all those who have enough light to be accountable. This is their harvest. For them, the harvest is NOW – one way or another.}

^{And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. (Lev 23:15-21)}

^{If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 1:8-2:1-2)}

^{Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Eph 2:11-22)}

^{The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) in the Old Testament was a joyous celebration of the Spring harvest that occurred seven weeks after Passover. By offering the first fruits of the harvest, the Israelites expressed their thanksgiving to God for His bountiful provisions. In time, Pentecost was transformed into a feast commemorating the giving of the law at Sinai which, according to Jewish tradition, occurred fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. The few ceremonies associated with the Feast of Weeks were designed to express gratitude for the material blessings of the harvest and for the spiritual blessings of the Law, which provides principles of life and happiness for God’s people.}

^{Pentecost represents the climax of Christ’s Paschal sacrifice that was celebrated in heaven. When the Father accepted His sacrifice "for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2) and exalted Him (Acts 2:33), the Father and the Son sent forth the Spirit. Pentecost is then the crowning of Christ’s Passover in heaven, which was manifested on earth with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33).}

^{Pentecost celebrates not only the crowning of Christ’s Paschal sacrifice, but also the inauguration of His heavenly ministry. The ascension constituted the transition from Christ’s redemptive work on earth to His intercessory work in heaven. Upon His ascension, Christ was exalted to a position of honor and dignity by being seated at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33; 5:31; 7:55). As the seating of delegates represents their official installation, so the seating of Christ at the right hand of the Father represents His official enthronement.}

^{Paul tells us what Jesus will be doing from His heavenly position:}

^{For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (1 Cor. 15:22-26)}

^{During this church age, Jesus will be "putting his enemies under His feet." This would include US, as He gathers us into His kingdom.}

^{The meaning of "sitting" as intercessory ministry is explained especially in Hebrews 8:1-2, where Christ is presented as the "high priest, . . . seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent." Through His intercessory ministry, Christ sustains the Church (Rev 1:13, 20), mediates repentance and forgiveness to believers (Acts 5:31; 1 John 2:1-2; 1:9), makes our prayers acceptable to God (John 16:23-24; Rev 8:3), provides us with the invisible and yet real assistance of His angels (Heb 1:14; Rev 5:6; 1:16, 20), and bestows upon us the essential gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33).}

^{We have already said that the resurrection of Christians will occur on the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, when Jesus returns. Those who hear the voice of the Son of God will live. They had already passed from death to life spiritually, when they were physically alive, and now they will do so physically. This will end the church age, which began at Pentecost. The longest period of time between holy days, on the annual religious calendar ends with the Feast of Trumpets.}

^{But note: Not only are Christians called "a kind of first fruits," (see James 1:18) but this would mean there has to be a harvest AFTER that – because they would have to be the first fruits of a harvest YET TO FOLLOW. Indeed, in Israel’s harvest year, there was one more general harvest, as celebrated by the fall feasts There was the FRUIT harvest – the ingathering of the remainder of the crops.}

^{To get the setting of these fall feasts, let’s look at them as we did the spring feasts, on a graphic. Note that the weekdays on the graphic are arbitrary, for these feast days could each fall on any day of the week, depending on how the calendar fell that year, as to the new moons, etc.:}

^{Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. (Lev 23:24-26)}

^{The Feast of Trumpets began a new civil year for the Jews. It had always began their year until God changed it, and told them to begin the year with the month of Abib, wherein the Passover occurs. The Feast of Trumpets doesn’t have much in the Bible describing it. But generally, it began the season of the final ingathering, which would be celebrated in fullness at the Feast of Tabernacles.}

^{The blowing of trumpets always meant a call to assemble. Of course, right away we see the picture of God gathering together His people in the resurrection. The New Testament speaks of the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets as being when Jesus returns and the dead in Christ are raised:}

^{But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thes. 4:13-18)}

^{Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor 15:51-54)}

^{In a preliminary way, God is right now blowing a trumpet, in that He is calling certain ones out of this world to Christ. We must choose to answer. If we answer NOW, we will have the ears to answer THEN – when Jesus comes back. That is why Jesus said, "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live." You cannot hear THEN if you haven’t opened your ears NOW.}

^{Jesus’ voice is said to be as "of a trumpet." (Rev. 1:10) So we can be sure that the trumpet spoken of is really His voice. After all, Jesus also said, "My sheep hear My voice," and, "He that is of God hears the words of God." (Jn. 8:47) Jesus also said many times, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear." This is OUR choice, for hearing is a symbol for being open and teachable to the Truth.}

^{The day of Atonement was the only day of the year on which the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, where stood the ark of the covenant. He had to bring blood for his own sins and for the sins of the people. This Blood provided "atonement" for the entire nation for the entire year – almost like an overall.}

^{What we see here is the death of Jesus which answered for all sin for all people. Just as the high priest was able to enter into the Holy of Holies by the Blood, so are we now able to enter in Christ. The day of Atonement therefore not only symbolizes the judgment of all sin that could keep us OUT of the Holy of Holies – communion with God – but it celebrates the fact that by the Blood we are able to enter.}

^{And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month 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 the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that does any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. (Lev 23:26-32)}

^{But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience, Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb 9:7-14)}

^{Leviticus 16 describes in detail the rituals of that day which God gave to Moses. It is too long to reproduce here. But several important insights emerge.}

^{All the work that day was done by the priest ALONE – stripped of his priestly garments and severed from his home. Jesus did His redeeming work alone. He remained God, but took upon Himself the form of a servant. He was severed from His heavenly home in the meantime.}

^{The many different kinds of offerings of that day do not suggest that the offering of Christ was not once-for-all, or that there were other offerings. Rather, the many offerings show that His once-for-all offering was sufficient for all kinds of sin. There is no sin so deep the Redemption cannot reach – save the sin of rejecting that redemption.}

^{The two goats both represent Christ, but in different meanings. One goat showed the fact that Christ bore our sin – the blood of which had to be sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. We see here also that merely the death of the goat accomplished nothing. The entry into the Holy of Holies with the blood shows the resurrection of Christ, and provides the complete picture. As Paul says, "We are reconciled to God by death of His Son, but we are saved by His LIFE." (see Romans 5:10)}

^{The other, the scapegoat, showed the results of the death of Christ. This goat is never mentioned until after the first is killed. Then it is cast into the wilderness. This pictures the fact that our sin is TAKEN AWAY where we can never be harmed by them again. Namely, into a final death. Psalms says, "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Ps. 103:10-12)}

^{Note that the benefits of this day did not apply to anyone of Israel who failed to keep the day. God said anyone who violated this day would be cut off from the people. Could there be a more clear indication that it is by FAITH that we enter into Christ, and not because we are somehow "elected" into Him by God? Israel was God’s elect. But if you didn’t come under the Blood, it meant NOTHING to belong to the stock of Israel.}

^{The day of Atonement seems like it is the one feast day which is out of place. After all, Jesus made all the atonement necessary for sin with His once for all sacrifice of Himself. So why, if the day of Atonement stands for Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for sin, do we find it among the fall feasts, long after Pentecost, and even after the Feast of Trumpets?}

^{What complicates matters is that the Body of Christ, which is saved through the "harvest" of Pentecost, and raised with Christ at His return, as symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets, certainly needs no further atonement. Yet this day of Atonement is placed after both of those events. So again we ask: Why?}

^{Well, first of all, it is PASSOVER that celebrates the death of Christ which paid for sin. Jesus was the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. That is the FIRST of the holy days, and ought to be. NOTHING can happen between God and man until the Lamb dies and is raised. But notice: When Jesus dies and is raised, it is finished. So what does the day of Atonement stand for?}

^{On the day of Atonement, the high priest purified the Holiest Place, of the earthly tabernacle. As part of that feast day, we find that Israel was to confess their sins. In other words, they were to bring their sins under the Blood which the High Priest would take into the Holiest Place. They were to judge themselves worthy of death, and then place their faith in the blood which satisfied that justice for them. So there was not only a purification by Blood of the sanctuary, but of the people themselves.}

^{Jesus is said to have purified "the heavenly things themselves" with better sacrifices – namely His own Blood. (see Heb. 9:23) Thus, the day of Atonement is really the Blood of the Passover Lamb being applied in it’s fullness. It is in the final fulfillment of that "day" that ALL who have lived will be judged by the Blood. All must confess who they are in relationship to Christ – because the light will expose the Truth about it}

^{Everyone who was not in the Body of Christ, and raised at the return of Christ, will, during this time, be raised, and must be judged. Those who rejected Christ during their lifetime will be condemned. But notice: What about all those who never heard? That person who never heard will be raised just as they were when they died. That "day" will expose their true condition and God will rightly and justly and lovingly judge them. They will meet Jesus Christ. Then they will hear and see. Then they will, upon some basis, choose.}

^{So what we see here is that the Redemptive work of Christ is finished. We have access to God by His Blood. But the victory is still being worked out. He has made it possible for us to enter into that Holiest of Holy places. But He is still revealing this to people and bringing people in.}

^{Once God completes His judgment, the next step is that God and man can, once again, dwell together. This is captured by the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles.}

^{Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Lev 23:34-43)}

^{The Feast of Booths fell in a time of year when the hearts of people would naturally be full of thankfulness and gladness. All the crops had been harvested, all the fruits were gathered, and the land was now waiting for the softening of the "latter rain" to prepare it for a new crop. This was an appropriate time for a thanksgiving celebration.}

^{Just as the commencement of the harvest (Feast of First fruits) was consecrated by the offering of the first ripe sheaf of barley, and the full ingathering of the wheat crop (Pentecost) was commemorated by offering the two wave-loaves, so the completion of the harvest season (Tabernacles) was celebrated by a harvest feast of thankfulness and gladness.}

^{The blessings of the harvest reminded the people of the providential way in which the Lord had brought them to their Promised Land, for the land was connected with the history and mission of God’s people. The beginning of the harvest in the Spring served to commemorate at Passover the birth of Israel in their Exodus from Egypt. Seven weeks later the completion of the wheat-harvest invited the people to commemorate at Pentecost the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. The conclusion of the fruit harvest in the Fall provided the setting to thank God, not only for the blessings of the harvest but also for His providential protection through their journeying to the Promised land.}

^{God said they needed to live in booths to remind them that they lived in booths when He brought them out of Egypt. Here we see that God has not set us free from sin, and from this world, in order that we may settle HERE. He bought us for Himself. Our home is not here. It is in Him.}

^{The spiritual reality of the Feast of Tabernacles is that God dwells in man, and with man forever, through Jesus Christ. Our home is HIM.}

^{And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Rev 21:3-7)}

^{In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas said unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou go; and how can we know the way? Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:2-6)}

^{In Numbers 29:12-34, God directs the Israelites to sacrifice 70 bulls during the eight days of Sukkot, as well as an assortment of other animal sacrifices. Because of how Zechariah relates Sukkot to a time when all the gentile nations will worship God at his temple, the rabbis decided these 70 bulls represented the traditional 70 gentile nations.}

^{"The nations" are a theme with the Feast of Tabernacles. They ought to be, because as we have seen, there is to be a final "ingathering" of ALL who were not in the body of Christ. We see this all through the NT and OT in prophecy:}

^{And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Rev 22:1-3)}

^{Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? (John 7:8-11)}

^{In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)}

^{And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4)}

^{And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:6-9)}

^{Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. (Acts 17:22-32)}

^{One of the traditional ceremonies held at the Feast of Tabernacles during the time of Jesus was the lighting of the temple. This is significance in light of prophecy, and in light of the statements of Christ Himself.}

^{The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)}

^{Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)}

^{Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)}

^{The Feast of Tabernacles also featured a ritual called the pouring of the water, and the Jews knew this to refer to the Holy Spirit. Jesus, at the feast, showed it referred to HIM.}

^{Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:2-3)}

^{In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:37-39)}

^{The Feast of Tabernacles was concluded with a great last day of the feast. Amazingly, it was upon that day when Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "He that believes on ME." From beginning to end, the annual festivals proclaim exactly that: The finished Redemption of Jesus Christ for those who surrender themselves to Him by faith.}