Prophetic Significance of Feast of Tabernacles - 10/15/04

Israelis ended their three fall feasts Oct. 6 after dwelling in booths for 7 days.

Their New Year, Rosh Hashana, began Sep.16. These 3 of 7 annual feasts are subsumed under the Feast of Trumpets! The New Year was followed by ten high holy days until Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, began on Sep.30. The first day of Sukkot occurs at the time of a full moon!

The Feast of Tabernacles is the one unfulfilled feast of prophetic significance among the 3 main annual feasts, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The great scholar, Alfred Edersheim, author of the monumental "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" and "The Temple, Its Ministry and Services" in the early 1800's stated that, while the Temple worship will be restored during the Millennium, no Day of Atonement will be observed. It lost its prophetic portent at the Cross as the veil was torn from top to bottom.

The Feast of Trumpets introduces these three fall feasts and includes the entire prophetic period for the 22 feast days: Rosh Hashana and ten days to Yom Kippur and, five days later, for the week of Tabernacles. The Last Trumpet for the final "ingathering" of the Endtime Harvest will occur on Tishri 15. That day almost always occurs on the day of the full moon or one day after the full moon when it is still about 93 percent full.

Sukkot began in 2004 on Sep.30, two days after the full moon. In the 19 year intercalary period from 1998 (5759) and 2016 (5777), it begins 9 times on the day of the full moon and 9 times on the day after the full moon. Once, in this year of 2004, it began 2 days after the full moon. What's the significance that Sukkot begins on any one of these 3 days? The prophetic fulfillment of the Day of Tabernacles falls on one of the three days the Two Prophets lie dead in Jerusalem. God alone knows that day!   

The exact Lastday for the Endtime "ingathering" will be unknown in advance; but Jesus said His coming will be "immediately after...in days after great tribulation." Mark 13:24-27; Matt.24:29-31. I believe the "last trump," of I Cor.15:52, will be blown three times as was the custom of the Priests in announcing the first Day of the Feast. At the 2nd sound of Revelation’s 7th Trumpet I believe Jesus promises that He will "raise up all believers and gather them together upon the 4 winds...and at the 3rd sound of the great trumpet, the angels will then gather them out of the same 4 winds unto Jesus." John 6:39; Matt.24:31; 2 Thes.2:1.

I base my belief also on the certainty that Trump #7 sounds in heaven on the day and within moments before Christ descends with the Saints and gathers all the Elect to Himself. With the first sound of the Last Trump, Christ is crowned and all heaven rejoices from Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:10. I believe this passage will be fulfilled between Rev.11:19 and Rev.19:11. At its 2nd sound, heaven opens and Christ brings all the Saints from heaven, including the Two Prophets and Enoch and 144,000 Jews, "Firstfruit unto God and the Lamb, who will follow the Lamb wherever He goes" from that time forward on the Lastday. Rev.14:1-5.

The Last Trump, the "great trumpet" of Matt.24:31, blasts out a 3rd sound, as stated by Jesus, "after the great tribulation." It sounds for the Son of Man to "gather the Elect from earth to heaveN on the 4 winds." Mark 13:27. Instantly, after gathering them from earth, "He sends the angels to gather them out of the 4 winds from all extremities of the heavenS." Paul reveals their destiny is the "gathering place unto Jesus at the Synagogue" in the Sky. 2 Thess.2:1.

Daniel's 1290 days (Dan.12:11) will be "cut short" to 1260 days, thus limiting the time for the Two Prophets to manifest "God's Kingdom Power and Authority of His Christ." Rev.12:10. Believers will know the End is imminent when the Beast kills them and their bodies remain on a street of Jerusalem for up to 3˝ days! "Some," Jesus warns, "must taste death after God's Kingdom Power has come" for 1260 days! Mark 9:1. For 3˝ days, some of “many will be purged, purified and refined." Rev.11:10-11; Rev.12:10-11; Dan.12:10-11.

Jesus restricts the unknown day of His coming to the day of the Last Trump! Matt.24:36. I think the 3˝ days the two Prophets remain dead in a street of Jerusalem are part of the 30 days to be "cut short." Those days will be less than 84 hours as 3 days and nights were less than 72 hours for Christ's time of death. A Jewish idiom says any part of a day may be counted as a 24-hour day.

Those who survive until the Last Trump know it will sound after the moon has turned red and the sun to darkness between 48 to 84 hours after the Beast kills the Prophets. The decisive factor requires the last martyr to be killed "who must  be killed" before God avenges their blood. Rev.6:9-11. He alone knows when that completed number and the "Hour to Reap has come." The tares ("sons of Satan") are reaped "first" to the Winepress of God's great anger. Rev.14:14-19. They are reaped by the Son of Man and "collected" by three angels under the direction of the Angel of Fire. The wheat ("sons of God") will be gathered unto Jesus at the End of the Age. Matt.13:28-30; Matt.13:38-43.

To keep mutual respect with those expecting an "any-moment-rapture," we must allow two "gatherings," one before and one after the great tribulation. The gathering of Mark 13:27 and Matt.24:31 must occur after the Tribulation as Jesus comes to do His Father's will: "Every believer will rise up on the last day." Not one the Father has given Him will be left behind on the last day for Pre-Tribs or Post-Tribs. This promise is irrefutable and irrevocable. John 6:38-40.

We know the Two Prophets must be raised up on the Post-Trib last day to witness in the Court of heaven with all the Martyrs and 144,000 Jewish Firstfruit assembled before God. They will come with the Saints after the Verdict of Seal 7 and Decree of Trump 7 to take Vengeance on earth's destroyers. Rev.11:18. The Hour of Judgment appointed by God to avenge the Martyrs, "judge the dead and reward the Prophets and Saints" occurs at the 7th and Last Trump. "All believers rise up on the Lastday." I Cor.15:52; John 6:38-40,44,54.

Daniel describes this dramatic Judgment and the “Son of Man coming with the Saints." Dan.7:9-27. He comes with them to "give the kingdom under the whole heaven to the people of the Saints." The Two Prophets will emphasize the imminent fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy. Five or six million Jews will be saved too late for the Rapture/Gathering. But Ephraim and Judah, with Dan heading the list of 12 tribes, will be "one stick" in the 1,000-Year Reign of Christ and the Saints over the nations. Ezek.37:16-28; Ezek.48:1; Rev.2:25-27.

Before Jesus comes with "all the Saints," including Tribulation Martyrs and the 144,000 Jewish Firstfruit rescued from earth and taken to heaven, the Verdict by the Angel of Fire authorizes Judgment upon the wicked just reaped to the Winepress of God's great anger. That reaping (Rev.14:14-19) precedes the Tribunal of Seal 7. Rev.8:1-5. This "out of order" textual sequence is required because the Court cannot convene until the 7 Plagues finish demonstrating that God's judgments are holy and true; nor until the smoke of God's glory and power clears the Temple at the last Plague. Rev.15:1,4,8. The drama begins in the "Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony." Rev.15:5; Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5. 

Immediately after the Verdict of Rev.8:5, the Court's Judgment results in the first sound of the Last Trump announcing Christ has been crowned "King of kings, that God's wrath has come and the (appointed; kairos) time to judge the dead, reward the prophets and Saints and to destroy the wicked." Rev.11:15-18.

Heaven rejoices from Rev.18:20 to Rev.19:10. Then, at the Last Trump's 2nd blast, Jesus descends with the Saints from heaven at Rev.19:11 and gathers the Elect upon the 4 winds from earth to heaveN. At a 3rd blast, angels gather the Saints out of the same 4 winds from all extremities of the heavenS to the meeting place above. "The tribes of earth mourn. Every eye sees the Son of Man" and the Elect having been caught up to meet Him. Zech.12:10; Matt.24:30; Rev.1:7.

Believers cannot know the exact day in advance because the Last Trump will sound "in the days whenever time shall no longer" be subject to a 1260-Day Countdown...for "God's mystery was finished." Rev.10:6-7; Rev.11:6-7. I believe Trump #7 begins to sound just before the final 7 of 22 major events occur on the Day Christ appears in glory. [See the Centerpiece and Ten Keys.]

The Feast of Trumpets begins Rosh Hashanah and, in Jewish practice, ceases on the Day of Atonement. Yet a shofar introduces Sukkot 5 days later. The Last Trump sounds 3 times during the Hour of Coronation, Judgment and Upgathering. This Hour occurs on the Day of Seal 6 after the Verdict of Seal 7's Court. Christ's Coronation is the moment for the Angel's first blast of the Last Trump. Matt.13:30; Matt.13:38-43; Joel 3:13; Rev.6:15-17; Rev.11:15-17.

That Day is also one of Mercy! Messiah "rescues" 144,000 Jews on Mt. Zion. Joining the Martyrs in heaven who sing the song of Victory, they present the Son of Man with the song of the Lamb before the Tribunal of Dan.7 and Seal 7. The Testimony of the Martyrs and Firstfruit anticipate the Tribunal. Dan.7:9-13; Rev.14:3-4; Rev.15:3-4. The Last Trumpet begins to sound as soon as the Angel of Fire renders the Court's Verdict. Dan.7:22; Rev.8:1-5; Rev.11:15.

Zechariah presents Messiah coming "with all the Saints" to destroy all the wicked with their eyes and flesh rotting while standing in their tracks. Those left on earth must come annually at the Feast of Tabernacles to worship the Lord as prophesied by Zechariah. Jesus rescues survivors on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem. All the Elect from earth and the heavenS join Him in glory. Dan.7:22-27; Zech.14:5-16; Joel 2:32; Rev.14:1-5; I Thess.3:13; Rev.17:14; Rev.1:7.

Mercy as well as Judgment! The Feast of Trumpets calls for repentance! God's grace and power shows in "rescuing 144,000 Firstfruit" of a spiritual, living harvest of "blameless men redeemed from earth, purchased by the Lamb." Firstfruits of His Harvest, the Lamb's Bridal Gift to His Father, they present the Son of Man to their Father. Rev.14:1-5; Rev.15:1-5; Dan.7:13.

The Temple Drama begins at Rev.15:5 and Rev.7:9. For only Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:15-19 occur in the "open" Temple before God. Rev.11:19. The Last Trump sounds that "God's wrath has come." Rev.11:15-18. It will sound a 2nd time as Christ brings the Saints from heaven and He gathers those from earth upon the 4 winds. I Thess.4:16; Mark 13:27. At the 3rd blast, the angels gather the Saints out of the same 4 winds. Matt.24:31. The "gathering place," Paul reveals, is "unto Jesus at the Synagogue" in the Sky. 2 Thess.2:1.

I believe this is the only way all the Saints come with the Lamb...OT Saints; Zech.14:5; NT Saints; I Thess.3:13 and the survivors of great tribulation...    "the called, elect and faithful who come with Him." Rev.17:14; Rev.19:14.  Mel