The Fall Feasts and Zechariah’s Prophecy: Zechariah 14:16-21

On By LFTBH AdministratorIn Bible Study

Bible study friends, you are the best!  Over the past 2+ weeks we have intermittently covered the 3 fall feasts of Israel through the eyes of the prophet Zechariah!  Today is the culmination of our study and we will discover great news for those of us who belong to Jesus the King!  If you missed previous study sessions, you can catch them here:

We are closing out our study on the “bonus day” of the Feast of Tabernacles. Beginning at sundown tonight, the final day of the joyous Feast of Tabernacles commences. It is called Shemini Atzeret and shifts focus from harvest to rain.  In Israel, rainy season follows harvest, and the Feast of Tabernacles celebrates an in-gathering (harvest).  In the context of our study, we can accurately call it a harvest of souls as well!  Then, it becomes a time when prayers focus on rain.  Rainy season typically begins around mid- to late-November and lasts 4-5 months in a good year.  Honestly, our tour groups will be in Israel (Lord willing!) from mid-October to mid-November, so hopefully we won’t get wet! (BTW – we’ll report live from Israel, so be looking for that in mid-October and into November!)

But, back to our study….let’s pick it up in Zechariah 14:16-21.  As always, I encourage you to read the entire chapter to get these final verses in context.

I love the words “And it shall come to pass…”!  God has something big in store for us!  Remember, as believers, we will have been raptured prior to the tribulation, enjoyed the marriage supper of the Lamb while the tribulation took place on earth, then we will have returned with Jesus as He stepped foot on the Mt of Olives to destroy Israel’s enemies and bring salvation to His people!  The millennial reign of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, and we are there to rule and reign with King Jesus!

Verse 16 of our passage tells us that everyone who is left (after Jesus destroys Israel’s enemies) will go up to Jerusalem year after year to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Instead of coming to Jerusalem for battle, the nations are now coming to honor God at the Feast of Tabernacles.  Whereas, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus sent us to the ends of the earth with the Gospel, He will bring the entire earth to Jerusalem to worship Him!  Is that cool or what!

Though the millennial kingdom will be ruled by Jesus, and Satan will be bound during those thousand years, sin will still be in the flesh of the unredeemed (those born during the tribulation or millennium, but not having accepted Christ).  Thus, some will choose not to come to Jerusalem to worship God.  Upon them, no rain will fall.  God will not force them to worship Him, but the advantages will be made clear! 

Gentile friends, of the 7 feasts of Israel, there is only one in which Gentiles are invited: the Feast of Tabernacles!  There, along with all of Israel which has been saved, we will be one in Messiah!  Today, we are one with our Jewish brothers and sisters who know Jesus, but in that glorious millennium, there will be no distinction between Jews and Gentiles.  All will be saved, and we will all be one!  Glorious day!

Now our concluding passage. Take a look at verses 20-21.  The Lord is holy and He will proclaim His holiness during the Feast of Tabernacles.  The idea of “HOLINESS TO THE LORD,”      originated in Moses’ day.  Exodus 28:31-43 describes priestly garments, and verse 36 says specifically, “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” That great inscription will no longer be required on the high priest’s headpiece. Neither will horses be needed for war any longer. Even they can wear the sacred words, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

Pots and bowls used in Temple sacrifices had two different purposes. The pots were used to cook the sacrificial meat of the peace offering, and the bowls were used to gather and sprinkle sacrificial blood on the altar.  Because Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for sin, there is no need for cooking sacrificial meat or gathering sacrificial blood!  Yet, in the millennial kingdom, verse 21 seems to indicate pots will be used and sacrifices brought may be cooked in them, yet NOT for atonement for sin!  Jesus was the perfect atoning sacrifice. All other sacrifices will look back to the perfect work of Jesus.  He gets the glory!

The opposite of holy is profane, and here is a quote from an unknown author that should exhort us all as believers:

There is a right way and a wrong way to eliminate the line between the holy and the profane: you can make everything holy (set apart to the LORD), or you can make everything profane (set apart to sin and self). Zechariah ends his prophecy making it clear that God’s way is to make everything that was once common or profane holy instead.
~Author Unknown

Study friends, our Passover Lamb (Passover) was pierced for our transgressions (Feast of Unleavened Bread) and rose on the third day to give us new life (Feast of First Fruits). He sent us the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and promises to come again to redeem His people (Feast of Trumpets), bring repentance and salvation to Israel (Yom Kippur) and invite us all to worship and honor Him (Feast of Tabernacles)!  That’s the truth of the 7 feasts of Israel.  As Christians, we cannot deny the Jewish roots of our faith.

I pray you have been blessed as we viewed the final 3 feasts of Israel through the eyes of the prophet Zechariah.  May you be blessed by these truths, and may we all join together in praying for the salvation of our Jewish brothers and sisters.

But there is one final look at this wonderful feast tomorrow, so don’t miss it!

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