By James M. Hutchens
The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah, gives us a clue as to when the second coming of the Messiah will occur.
As we know, all of Yahweh’s appointed Feasts (Leviticus 23:4) were entrusted to Israel and they all point to some aspect of the person and work of Jesus. For example, the spring feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits were fulfilled by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Fifty days later at Shavuot or Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill and baptize his followers.
Now we await the fulfillment of the fall feasts and we can rightfully expect them to fulfill some aspect of Jesus’ ministry, The first of these will be the Feast of Trumpets or what Rabbinic Judaism has labeled Rosh Hashanah. We believe this heralds the coming or return of Jesus because the Scriptures connect his coming with the sounding of trumpets (shofars) in Zechariah 9:14; Matthew 24:30-31; I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:15-16; Revelation 8:2; 10:7; 11:15.
Recognizing the inseparable connection between the Feast of Trumpets and the second coming of Jesus, we can note some the events that must occur before Jesus returns and thus we can make the following observations.
- The Daniel 9:27 covenant must be signed and strengthened by the Anti-Christ that is to last for seven years. (the 70th week of Daniel) This will involve “a covenant of death” (Isaiah 28:15, 18) that the Jews enter into that will prove disastrous for them. These seven years will postpone the coming of Jesus for seven years.
- The 3rd Jewish Temple must be built with sacrifices being offered. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; II Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 11:1)
- Three and a half years into the Daniel 9:27 covenant of seven years, the Anti-Christ will be recognized as “The Abomination of Desolation” and cause the sacrifices to cease in the Temple. (Matthew 24:15; II Thessalonian 2:3-4)
- A 200 million man army must destroy 1/3 of mankind. (Revelation 9:15-16, 18)
- The Anti-Christ and False Prophet must reign for 42 months. (Revelation 11:2; 13:1-18)
- The two Witnesses will have prophetic authority for 1260 days. (Revelation 11:5) We believe the reign of the Anti-Christ and the ministry of the two Witnesses occur at the same time – the last three and a half years of Daniel’s seven year prophecy.
- Believers will suffer the wrath of man during Daniel’s seven years. At the end of that time Jesus will come in power and great glory at the Feast of Trumpets and in rapid succession (Revelation 16:1-21) decimate and destroy all who oppose him with the seven bowls of his wrath that extend 75 days beyond Daniel’s seven years to 1335 days. (Daniel 12:11-12.
- 144,000 Jewish men must be sealed, saved and sheltered for 1260 days. (Revelation 12:6; 14:1-5)
- The gospel of the kingdom must be preached in the whole world. (Matthew 24:24:14)
- A remnant of the Jewish leadership must confess Jesus as God, for Jesus said, “you will not see be again until you say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh.” (Matthew 23:39, Psalm 118:26)
Conclusion and take away. Pray fervently for the Daniel 9:27 covenant to be activated soon – for seven years later Jesus will come on the Feast of Trumpets! Hallelu YAH!!!