This study series is about Paul’s eschatology found in his two epistles to the Thessalonians, with particular attention to what he claims in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18. There, he tells us that the dead shall rise at the coming of the Lord, who comes at the sound of the trumpet. At that time “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” (i.e. believers in the 1st century AD; verse-15) will be taken or gathered with the raised dead to meet the Lord (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). We need to keep in mind, as we read Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians that he preached nothing but what is written in the Old Covenant text (Acts 26:22-23). So, if this is true, what would the coming of Christ, the raising of the dead, and the gathering of the elect, “who are alive and remain,” mean in terms of Jewish thought as found in the Old Covenant text?
Briefly, there were seven annual Holy Days or Feast Days in the Jewish calendar, according to Leviticus 23. They were: the Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah – the coming of the King), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur – judgment), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth; i.e. harvest – gathering – resurrection). Jesus alluded to this calendar in the Gospel of John: “Do you not say, ‘It is yet four months, and the harvest comes?’ Behold, I say to you, ‘Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already!’” (John 4:35). In other words, Pentecost had already past and they were in the midst of the four-month period between the spring festivals and the fall festivals.
The point in bringing the festivals up is that Jesus claimed all things under the Old Covenant concerning him must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). The festivals were shadows of things to come (Colossians 2:16-17). The first four Feast days: Passover (crucifixion), Unleavened Bread (cleansing of sin), Feast of Weeks (Jesus’ resurrection) and Pentecost (coming of the Holy Spirit), had been fulfilled. The four-month period between the spring festivals and the fall festivals symbolized the waiting for judgment. When Paul wrote his epistle to the Colossians he was in the midst of that period—waiting for the coming of Christ, judgment and resurrection, and he said of the Holy Day Feasts that they: “are a shadow of things about to come” (G3195 – mello; literally “about to”), about to be (ECB), soon to come (WNT), coming things (YLT). In other words, Paul was alluding to the fact that the last four festivals were about to be fulfilled (Colossians 2:16-17). In other words, about to (G3195 – mello) be fulfilled does not mean about to be delayed for 2000 years or more.
James tells us that the Judge was already standing at the door (James 5:9), and Peter wrote that the time of the judgment had already come (1Peter 4:17), and Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that in their expected lifetime, the Lord would come, and the dead would be rise, and they who were alive would be gathered with the raised dead to be with the Lord (1Thessalonians 4:13-17), and judgment would fall upon the evildoers (1Thessalonians 5:1-3).
Remember, Jesus had told his disciples that, until all was fulfilled, not even the slightest component of the Law would lose its authority (Matthew 5:17-18). Therefore, the whole Law stood or fell together. In other words, then, the Law was still in force at the time of Paul’s writing to the Colossians, because there still remained parts of the Law to be fulfilled (Colossians 2:17). If the Law is still unfulfilled today, then the Old Covenant is still in force, and the New Covenant has yet to be established. However, Paul wrote to the Hebrews that the Old Covenant was soon to pass away and give way for the New Covenant to be established (Hebrews 8:13). So, if, indeed, the New Covenant is the covenant, through which the Lord deals with mankind, then the Old Covenant has been abolished. If the Old Covenant is abolished, then all things have been fulfilled, including the Feast of Trumpets (the coming of the King), the Day of Atonement (judgment) and the Feast of Tabernacles (resurrection / gathering to the King).
Smoodock's Blog 
15 responses to “The Feast of Trumpets!”
Chameleon, where does it indicate that the Lord spoke of the third day of the week in Exodus 19? He told Moses to sanctify the people “today” and “tomorrow” and on the “third day” the Lord would come. **You** claim it is the 3rd day of the week, but the word of God makes no such application. For example, the resurrection was on the first day of the weeks (which occurs on Sunday every year, but you claim the resurrection was on the 7th day of the week) – whatever; the word of God says he was resurrected on the third day (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7). Does this mean Jesus was resurrected on Tuesday? Of course not. Nothing is said about “the third day” being the third day of the week—either referring to the resurrection nor in Exodus 19.
Actually, I said: “How you arrive at the 3rd day is a mystery.” It is your math that is a mystery. How many days do your months have? If you count (according to your date) from the 16th, how many days are left in the first month? …15 if you count 30 days in the month. In the second month how many? …if you count 30 again (actually there are only 29) you have a total of 45 days. This means with the 3rd day of the 3rd month being Pentecost (your claim) you need to attach two more days somewhere in one or both months. What calendar are you using. **All** of the nations at the time used a lunar calendar. That’s why the new moons were so important (1Samuel 20:18, 24; 2Kings 4:23; 1Chronicles 23:31; Psalm 81:3; Isaiah 66:23).
According to Joshua 5:10 the children of Israel kept the Passover in the plains of Jericho. They ate of the old grain that was stored in the land on the 15th day of the month with unleavened cakes and the manna ceased on the following day or the 16th of the month (Joshua 5:11-12). Nothing is said of harvesting or sacrificing the Wave Sheaf offering or anything like that. Your understanding is wrong.
Eddie
Leviticus 23:10 ” … When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:”
Comment: They did not bring Jesus, like you say is the “firstfruits” of their harvest. That harvest is the first harvest of the year of the ears of barley done during the first month of the year.
Joshua 4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day (similar to picking a lamb to celebrate the passover, seems the nation represented that lamb to be picked on the 10th day of Abib) of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. (They had already crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land) and they celebrate the passover on day 14 (Joshua 5:10) and on day 15 they ate of the old (not new, not recently harvested) corn, unleavened cakes and parched (roasted) corn. The manna ceases the next day, Day 16 when they eat the fruit of the land, the Firstfruits of the Promised land (They didn’t eat Isho, aka Jesus) found at Joshua 5:12.
I’m so sorry. I believe I’m talking to a wall.
This last comment shows me your character. Not willing to try to understand what somebody else is presenting you.
If it is not your way then we are wrong. It should be His way: the way of the Lord.
A few years ago I mentioned something to you and now I verify that you have not changed at all. Good for you.
I’m so sorry that we see the word SO differently. But this happens daily in life. Some believe this and some believe that.
May the Lord bless us all and may He give us wisdom to understand His ways.
So be it.
Chameleon, I just received seven more of your “comments”. I have better things to do that trade replies back and forth all day ad infinitum. You do not appear to be serious in searching for the truth. Nothing changes after each round of discussion. You simply keep going back to reiterate what I’ve proved wrong before. So, that will be it. I will not reply to your comments from this time forward. If you continue to submit your comments, I will spam you, and your comments will no longer come to me.