God's Timing

I love to study the Word of God! HIS WORD is absolutely amazing! I’m studying the book of Acts from the university. I am preparing to take my final next week. I am in the process of reviewing the material to take this exam. As I just reviewed a lesson, I feel compelled to share this information I learned as I find it absolutely fascinating!

Okay—here goes. As we look in Leviticus 23 we find the list of the feasts of the Lord listed.

Lev 23:5 The Feast of Passover

Lev 23:6-8 The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Lev 23:9-14 The Feast of First Fruits

Lev 23:15-22 The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)

Lev 23:23-25 The Feast of Trumpets

Lev 23:26-32 The Feast of Day of Atonement

Lev 23:33-36 The Feast of Tabernacles

The first four Feasts occur in the spring (April-May) and the last three occur in the fall (Oct.—Nov.). The Feasts are separated by an interval of approximately four months. Each of these Feasts is prophetic.

As we take a look at New Testament scriptures, we’ll see that the first four Feasts have been fulfilled through the life of Christ.

The Passover

1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Christ was the Passover Lamb who was slain for us. His blood made atonement once and for all for our sins.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NIV) 6Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

Yeast represents the sin in our lives. We’re to live our lives without leaven—that is sin. We’re to live with the unleavened bread of “sincerity and truth” which as been made available to us through the blood of the Passover Lamb.

The Feast of First Fruits

1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV) But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

After the Sabbath the priests gathered the first harvest, took the sheaves back to the temple to be waved before the Lord as an offering. After the offering was made, the spring crop could be harvested and the product could be eaten. Christ was the firstfruit offering of those raised from the dead! He rose on the very day of the Firstfruits. He was the resurrected life that was waved before the Lord. None of us could have a resurrected life until Christ resurrected!

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)

Seven weeks after the Feast of Firstfruits is Pentecost. At this time, the harvest is in and instead of a grain offering a loaf of bread is the offering. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the 120 were told to wait in the upper room. As they were obedient and waited they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Pentecost continues through this day and age because Christ’s harvest of souls is not yet completed. This Feast will be completed when the Lord returns!

Now that we’ve seen that the first four Feast have been fulfilled as prophesied. They represent the life and work of Christ in this age; the final group of Feasts represents the age to come.

Trumpets: the taking up of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Atonement: the salvation of Israel (Zechariah 13:1; Romans 11:26-27)

Tabernacles: abiding with Christ eternally in the new heavens and earth (Revelation 21:3-4)

The last Feast to be fulfilled was Pentecost! The timing for the 120 to gather and receive the Holy Spirit is God’s timing. At this time there were numerous people who traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. On the day the 120 were filled with the Holy Spirit, 3000 were added to the church. Thereafter, many became to believe on the Lord Jesus daily. As these people traveled back to their home countries, they took the gospel message with them. Thus, this was part of the fulfillment of Acts 1:8 (NIV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is WOW to me! Can you see God’s prophetic calendar? How perfect HIS timing is?

This makes me think about times I’ve prayed for something and I don’t see the answer. Maybe its no; but just maybe it’s not time yet. HIS timing is perfect!

God Bless you all!