The first six days of the Creation week in Genesis 1 is a blueprint for a 6000 year period called the Olam Ha Zeh, or the Present Age. The seventh day Sabbath in Gen 2 will be a picture of the 1000 year period called the Atid Lavo (future coming), Messianic Kingdom, or the “Day of the Lord” or “the Lord’s Day.” We have the creation of “time” on the first day and this day will eventually be called “Rosh Ha Shanah” or the head of the year.
This creation week will be divided into 7, 24 hour days, not ages, for many reasons. For instance, how can you have plants, vegetation and trees created on the third day and functioning (God said it was “good”) before the sun was created on the fourth day if these days were ages? A simple elementary school education will tell you that plants can’t thrive without something called photosynthesis. So, why did he create everything in 6 days and “rest” on the 7th day called the Sabbath? Was he tired? He could have done it in ages, or seconds or however he wanted (and he did). It’s because these were given as pictures of things to come (Col 2.16-17).
The Lord was communicating something to us. The Sabbath (to cease, rest), or 7th day, would be known as “the Last Day” and “the Lord’s Day” (Isa 58.13). Heb 3-4 speaks of three types of rest, the rest we have in salvation through Yeshua, the 7th day Sabbath rest and the last 1000 years called the Lord’s Day or Messianic Kingdom.
Remember, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day (Psa 90.4; 2 Pet 3.8). So, the creation week is a picture of a 7000 year period. We have 6 days (6000 years) and the 7th day (1000 years). Eschatologically this teaches that Messiah will come for believers at the end of 6000 years, on a Rosh Ha Shanah, year 6001 from creation, right at the beginning of the last 1000 years.
Now, the Bible operates on two calendars. The civil year calendar is in operation from Genesis 1 to Exodus 12, which means all dates are according to the civil calendar (beginning with the month of Tishri). From Exodus 12 to Revelation 22 all dates are according to the religious calendar (beginning in the month of Aviv /Nisan). The civil calendar speaks of the physical while the religious calendar speaks of the spiritual. It is absolutely essential that a student of the Bible knows this because it will have numerous prophetic applications.
For instance, in Hos 5.15 there is a prophecy that says that the Lord is going to “go away and return to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek me.” This refers to Yeshua and returning to Heaven ( Acts 1. 9-11). Hosea then says that the Lord will afflict his people, but will revive them after 2 days and on the third day raise them back up (Hosea 6.1-3). Now, there is a reference to the “rain” and this refers to the early and latter rains in the land of Israel. These rains came in Nisan and then again in Tishri.
So, there will be 2 comings of the Messiah, one in the month of Nisan and the other in the month of Tishri. Joel 2.23 says that “he has given you the early rain for your vindication and he has poured down for you the early and latter rain as in the first month.” How can you have the early and latter rain both “in the first month” unless this is prophetic. You see, early and latter rain here is translated as “teacher of righteousness” (a clear messianic reference) in Hebrew and it is referring to Yeshua and the fact that Messiah came in Nisan (1st coming and first month of the religious calendar) and will come again in Tishri (2nd coming and first month of the civil calendar). James 5.7 clearly says that the Lord’s coming is like the early and latter rains (James 5.7).
The 7 festivals of the Lord are divided into 2 seasons. The spring festivals are Passover (death); Unleavened Bread (Burial); First Fruits (Resurrection); and Pentecost (Holy Spirit sent and the beginning of the prophesied Eschatological Congregation). The fall feasts are Rosh Ha Shanah (the Rapture/Natzal; wedding of Messiah; Judgment of believers; Coronation of Messiah); Yom Kippur (second coming); Tabernacles (enter the Messianic Kingdom on Earth). Let’s look at some pictures of these comings.
Rachel had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph means ” he will add” clearly showing another coming after. Joseph is also the “suffering” servant” and it refers to Yeshua’s first coming. The “son of Joseph” is also a Messianic title. Benjamin means “son of my right hand ” or “son of the last days” and Yeshua is sitting at the “right hand” of the Father right now and will come in the last days.
The next festival to be fulfilled is Rosh Ha Shanah (Rapture or catching away/resurrection of believers). The feasts of the Lord, therefore, are eschatological blueprints for the Plan of God. The problem is that believers in the 1st century knew these things and practiced them (1 Thes 5.1-5) until anti-Semitic doctrines took over by the 4th century AD. Now, these concepts are virtually unknown amongst believers. But festival language and terms run throughout Scripture.
For example 1 Cor 5. 6-8 refers to Passover, 1 Cor 13 is full of Yom Kippur terms, John 14, Eph 5.14, 1 Cor 15.51-52 and 1 Thes 4. 13-18 alludes to Rosh Ha Shanh. The Book of Life and “passing under the rod” are also Rosh Ha Shanah terms. The Great Trumpet of Matt 24.30-31 is an idiom for Yom Kippur and the list goes on and on. The book of Revelation is full of festival, Temple and Hebrew idioms.
Many prophecy teachers today try to teach Revelation and other prophecy passages without knowledge of the phrases, concepts and idioms of the festivals and their conclusions would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic. Leviticus 23 gives a rundown of these 7 feasts and they are called a “mikrah” which means a rehearsal and a “moed” which means an appointment or an appointed time.
Each festival portrays a different aspect of God’s plan. Because believers are not taught these things in most congregations, people do not have the blueprint and so their
“eschatological/prophetic house” is way off. Yeshua has fulfilled the first 4 festivals on the exact day they were celebrated, and will fulfill the last 3 on their respective days in the coming future.
These are God’s appointments and rehearsals. Now, when you have a rehearsal that means that the real thing is coming. It is not too late to begin learning these things and be watchful so that day will not overtake you like a thief (1 Thes 5.1-5).
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