The Feasts of YHWH are the Eternal's appointed times, revealing in detail his awesome plan of salvation for mankind through Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. They begin with Passover when he died as the Lamb of God to take way the sin of the world and end with the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the Feast of his return to Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords.

A rich heritage was lost when the Christian church in the second century began to sever the connection with the Jewish people and eventually stopped celebrating the Feasts of the Lord. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews." (Jn 4:22) We are now living in times of restoration preceding the Messiah's return. Celebrating the Biblical Feasts is part of this restoration to prepare us for his coming.

Three words are used to describe the Feasts of the Lord. They are:

• moed – appointments, set time, cycle, or assembly
• miqra – convocation or rehearsal
• chag – feast, to move in a circle, dance, celebration, rejoicing

The Feasts of the Lord are in other words,

• sacred gatherings or convocations, at
• appointed, set times
• when we rehearse and
• celebrate God’s salvation through the Messiah,
• both what he has done as well as what he will do.

All the Feasts of the Lord have their prophetic fulfillment in Jerusalem. They are rehearsals for the great Feast in Jerusalem in the kingdom of God.

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 8:11)

"On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

 

"In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'" (Isa 25:6-9)

The antichrist, "the man of lawlessness," will try to change the Lord's appointed times. Dan 7:25 says, "He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws." This is a direct reference to the Feasts of the Lord.

The Feasts of the Lord are altogether nine, consisting of the Sabbath plus eight annual feasts, which are divided into two groups:

• the Spring Feasts and
• the Fall Feasts

The Spring Feast, were all fulfilled when Yeshua came the first time. They are:

• Pesach – the Feast of Passover, which falls on Nissan 14 on the Biblical calendar.
• Chag haMatzot – the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Nissan 15 - 21
• Bikkurim – the Feast of First Fruits. The day after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
• Shavuot – the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). 50 days after the Feast of First Fruits.

The Fall Feasts will be fulfilled when Yeshua returns. They are

• Yom Teruah – the Feast of Trumpets. Tishri 1.
• Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. Tishri 10.
• Sukkot – the Feast of Tabernacles. Tishri 15 – 21
• Sh'mini Atzeret – the Closing Assembly. Tishri 22

We encourage you and your family to observe and celebrate God's set times on his calendar as they explain and declare our salvation in the Messiah and are dress rehearsals for the soon coming King!

May the Eternal bless you!