There are three main feasts that God instituted in the Old testament. Each has its own revelation and speaks of events that happened in the history of mankind as well as what happens in this present age and what will happen in the age to come.
The Three Feasts:
1. Passover
Represented by: Moses
Beginning of age: Creation
Ending of age: The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
Offering: Barley bread made without yeast.
Time Span: Approximately 4,000 years.
2. Pentecost
Represented by: King Saul
Beginning of age: Acts 2, when the disciples received the
Holy Spirit 50 days after the death of Jesus.
Ending of age: Our present time.
Offering: Wheat bread with yeast.
Time Span: Approximately 2, 000 years.
3. Tabernacles
Represented by: King David
Beginning of age: The second coming of Christ
Ending of age: After the millennium reign of Christ.
Offering: Grapes
Time Span: 1,000 years.
God’s plan is to fill the earth once again with His Spirit. He is seeking a place where He will permanently make His abode. And we humans are His chosen vessel. By studying the three feasts of God and the people that represented them as well as relating them to our history, present time and the future age, we will see how God will accomplish His plan.
Passover Age
The first observance of Passover happened during Israel’s bondage in Egypt. They were instructed to kill a lamb and put its blood on the lintel and doorposts of their houses. For God will send his angel and cause a plague that will kill all the firstborn in Egypt. Those who have blood in their houses will be exempted from the destruction.
The Passover feast and age speaks of justification. Justification is the first step in order to receive God’s Spirit. We can see that Israel was justified by putting their faith in the blood of the lamb. Likewise, we are justified through faith in the blood of the true lamb, Jesus Christ, the true passover sacrifice.
Moses represents the Passover age. Through Moses the people were justified in the sight of God and was freed from their slavery in Egypt. As good as that was, Moses was still unable to lead the people in the promise land. Likewise, we are justified by the blood of Christ and was freed from our spiritual Egypt(sin) but it was not enough for us to fully receive our promise land(glorified body). A glorified body is a body wherein the fullness of God resides.
Pentecostal Age
The first feast of Pentecost was celebrated when the law was given to Israel at mount Sinai 50 days after their Exodus from Egypt. Pentecost is the celebration of the giving of the law. If Israel was humble enough at that time to hear God’s voice on the mountain they will receive an early earnest of the Holy Spirit and God’s law will be written on the tables of their heart instead of tables of stone. But they prefer for Moses to go up and hear the rest of the law instead of heading into the fiery mountain themselves to personally hear from God. Thus, the outpouring of the earnest of the Holy Spirit was deferred until Acts 2 when the disciples are humble enough to hear from God.
Pentecost is an age where we are trained to learn obedience through hearing God’s law(word) which the Holy Spirit will write in our hearts so that we will not sin. It is the stage of sanctification or refining.
The main person to represent Pentecost is king Saul for he was crowned on the day of wheat harvest(Pentecost). Saul’s reign started out great but in the end he was consumed by his pride that led to rebellion towards God. He became addicted of power and treated Israel as his own kingdom instead of God’s. In the end, He seek the counsel of witchcraft over the counsel of God. The same thing happens today in our current church age.
The Pentecostal age started from the time the disciples received the earnest of the Holy Spirit on Acts 2 up to our present time. The same character of Saul is evident in the church today. The apostles of Jesus started out a great work but many denominations today became addicted to wealth and power and treated God’s people as their own. They also prefer to hear the counsel of the world instead of God’s just like how Saul seek the counsel of the witch of Endor. They teach a watered down gospel of prosperity or condemnation in order to keep the people and their money for themselves.
Lawlessness is also common in the church today for many refuse to hear what Holy Spirit says and pick and choose what they prefer to hear. For that reason, the Holy Spirit cannot do its work of refining the hearts of men. God’s law is yet to be written in the hearts of men. But there are those who grew tired of the nominal teachings of church leaders and seek God personally. They are those whom the Holy Spirit saw fit to teach His ways and write His laws in their heart.
The Pentecostal age made a great breakthrough in the history of mankind. In this age many people were given the chance to receive the Holy Spirit. A lot of miracles happened in this age. But still, it is not enough to give us the glorified body that Adam lost on the fall, for this age is just an earnest of the Holy Spirit. So we are yet to enter the promise land.
Tabernacles age
This is the age where God will fully inhabit his temple(believers). It will start at the second return of Christ where he will give the believers who underwent Pentecostal refining the reward of glorified body. The chosen ones will reign with Christ for a thousand years here on earth in order to put all things under his feet.
King David represents the feast of Tabernacles. Saul’s reign ended in a failure but David’s reign was a success. Saul killed his thousands but David his tens of thousands. The Pentecostal age made a big breakthrough in humanity but the age of Tabernacles will make a bigger breakthrough. This is the age where all things will finally be placed on the feet of Christ.
Conclusion
We should establish our faith based on the revelations of these feast days. First, we must receive our justification through faith in the Passover lamb which is Jesus Christ. Believe that his blood is enough to give us justification and forgiveness from our sins.
Next, we should allow the Holy Spirit to do His work of refining us through hearing His word. This is the time where God’s laws are written in our hearts in order to strip us of all the idols(bad attitudes) of our hearts. We are justified by Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Lastly, as we allow ourselves to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we should anticipate the reward that is kept for those who endured sufferings, the reward of glorified body. Those who are found faithful will be given the privilege to reign with Christ for 1,000 years. We will be given a body that is both heavenly and physical. A body that can go to both physical and spiritual realms. A body that is freed from sin and death. A body the same as what Christ have in His resurrected state. Let’s have this hope as our goal in pressing forward and being strong in the faith despite of the challenges that is set before us. Blessed are those who endure until the end.