In Leviticus 23 the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gave instructions for celebrating His feasts. It is important to realize that the LORD calls these feasts, My feasts. While God gave His feasts to the Jewish people, they are not exclusive to them. Of course, this is a new thought for both Jews and Christians and challenges centuries of tradition. But the feasts of the LORD are for all people who worship the One True God of the Bible.
Unfortunately for Christians, in the fourth century, Constantine replaced these biblical feasts with his pagan Greco-Roman holidays. Since he ruled with the sword, he was very successful in his efforts.
When we hear the word “feast” we think of an elaborate meal or banquet. After teaching and writing on this subject for forty years, I am still shocked when Christians tell me they thought these biblical holy days had something to do with Jews and eating.
The Hebrew word for feasts is Moedim. In Greek we would use the word Kairos. These words mean a fixed appointed time or season or place where God would meet with His people. It specifically refers to God’s appointed holy days. They are His holy festivals or feast days when the people would go to Jerusalem for a holy encounter with the Living God.
While God’s people can encounter God anywhere, anytime, the LORD did tell us to set aside these special feasts days specifically for meeting with Him.
There are three fall feasts which are:
- Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets,
- Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), and
- Succot (the Feast of Tabernacles).
I want to share three words to help you remember the basic purpose of each feast. Keeping it simple, the three words to remember are:
1) Renew, 2) Repent, and 3) Relax (rest)
Yom Teruah (Renew)
The Feast of Trumpets is also called Rosh Hashanah meaning “Head of the Year” because it is the first day of the Jewish New year. Since this feast days falls on the New Year, Trumpets calls us to renew our commitment to God. This is not the same as making New Years Eve resolutions where we try to do better than we did the previous year. Instead, it is seeking God for a divine encounter to renew us spiritually. In 2015, Yom Teruah is September 14.
Yom Kippur (Repent)
The Day of Atonement is the one day of the year when the High Priest would go into the holy of holies and seek atonement and forgiveness for the sins of the nation and the people (Leviticus 16). This feast calls us to repent of our sins and seek God for a divine encounter of forgiveness. It is not lamenting the consequences of our sins but a genuine repenting, a turning away, teshuva in Hebrew. In 2015, Yom Kippur is September 23.
Succot (The Feast of Tabernacles)
Feast of Tabernacles calls us to relax or rest and celebrate the goodness of God. It is at the end of the agricultural season and at the end of God prophetic seasons. It is the time to rejoice over the blessings God has given us. It is not a time to boast in ourselves but to recognize that we only have what we have because of the goodness of God. It is a time to have a divine encounter of rest, thanksgiving and gratitude. It is a celebration.
The Feast of Tabernacles is the Feast for all the nations to come up to Jerusalem and worship the King the Lord of Hosts in His holy city (Zechariah 14:16). In 2015, Succot is September 28-October 4 followed by a special celebration on the eight day called Simchat Torah – rejoicing in the Torah.
Since 1980, thousands of Christians from one hundred nations have joined with their fellow Jews and celebrated Succot in Jerusalem. Dr. Booker was blessed to be one of the lead teachers at this wonderful event for eighteen years. He and Peggy have taken groups for twenty-six years. They are leaving on Yom Kippur this year with their tour group.
Since Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world and the hub of spiritual warfare between heaven and earth, they ask for your prayers for a safe journey and that each person will have their own moedim with the LORD.
God says that if we will seek Him with our whole heart we fill find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). For all who love the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, may you have a personal moedim in these Fall Feasts. May your encounter cause you to renew your walk with Him, repent and receive the assurance of forgiveness and relax and rest in His goodness.
“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound [understand and internalize the spiritual realities of the feasts]! They walk O, LORD in the light of Your countenance” (Psalm 89:15).
