Now let’s briefly take a look at the words “caught up” in 1 Thes. 4:17. These words have produced the word “rapture” in the modern Christian theology, which isn’t in the Bible.  The Greek word for “caught up” means “harpazo,” which is translated “caught away or seized.”

Indeed, all believers can be “caught up” in the Spirit with the Lord when His presence is amongst us and heaven’s reality seems to be larger than earth’s reality. But we can also be “seized” by the Lord when the Holy Spirit is calling us forth (trumpet/voice) and we draw ourselves toward Him in our hearts.  Moses gave us that example at Mt. Sinai when He went up into the thick cloud-like presence of God while the rest hid out of fear (Ex. 19:18-20).

“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die” (Ex. 20:18).

Whether we actually lift off the ground like Jesus did when He walked on water and was transported from the place He and the disciples were in the boat to the land across the sea,

“Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And i was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going” (John 6:16-21).

or translated like the disciple Phillip,

“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.  But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:39,40).

or we get “caught up” sitting in our living rooms worshipping and the fire, wind, and rain of the Holy Spirit “seizes our hearts,”

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2),

I really can’t say for certain, although all of those are possibilities. However, a cleansing and purification process must proceed any presentation of the “firstfruits remnant” who are redeemed from the earth and “caught up” before a Holy God (Rev. 14:1-5), which is why the LORD set the pattern with the Day Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles following Trumpets for a people He has chosen (Rev. 17:14).

I also know that the union with Christ is for the purpose of escorting the KING (Commander in Chief) to His kingdom here on the EARTH to reign….Not to go away with Him to stay in heaven.  

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.  And in righteousness He judges and makes war…And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp work, that with it He should strike the nations.   And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron…” (Rev. 19:11,14-15).

Many misinterpret this “caught up” or rapture idea thinking we are to escape and live in heaven eternally and miss the “days of tribulation.”  But this contradicts the Disciples Prayer [called by many as the LORD’S Prayer], which IS THE BASIC BLUEPRINT OF GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION (Matt. 6: 9-13).

“Thy kingdom COME, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

God’s heart is to bring His kingdom to earth to rule, redeem, and multiply His goodness, not destroy it.  Anyone who has embraced the Lord’s sanctification process has NOT been trained by it to run away from the Lord’s battle, or to hide from the battle we are going to win.  This process trains us to follow our Commander in Chief!

God is also NOT taking Christians away so He can destroy the earth.  The earth will go through tribulation due to God’s judgment in correcting the choices believers and the non-believers have made to sin.  It will produce a “shaking” to break the evil strongholds and to set the captives free (Is. 24).  This will lead creation through a process that produces healing, life, and a revelation of His love. 

God and His army are coming so that the earth can be restored back to His glory through righteous leadership.  This is why the Bible says:

“creation eagerly waits for the revealing [unveiling, stepping forth, “catching up” of the sons of God”(Rom. 8:19).

Jesus informs us that the “last days,” before the Fall Feasts begin to go “live,” are going to be similar to the days of Noah. 

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37).

Noah was never taken from the earth during the tribulation of his days. Noah was divinely protected through the flood of judgment.  It was Noah’s obedience to the Lord’s instructions to build an ark and share the news of repentance for 120 years prior to the flood that was a part of his “sanctification process.” Noah obeyed the Lord wholeheartedly.  Jesus captures the heart of Noah’s example when He said,

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

From the story of Lot, he was removed from Sodom, and taken to another city on the earth so he would be spared from the Lord’s judgment.  In both instances, the WICKED were removed from the earth, not the righteous.  

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took THEM all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left (Matt. 24:37-40).

The “THEM” in the above Scripture was the WICKED, not the righteous!

The Lord even tells us in the Beatitudes in Matt 5:17 that the meek (gentle) will be blessed and inherit the earth, not be removed from it

Jesus is coming back to judge the nations, and there will be consequences for those who oppose Him. But God promises us protection, as He declared in Psalm 91, and showed us that same pattern of protection for His people in Egypt when the 10 plagues were released.

“And in that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land.  I will make a difference between My people and your people.  Tomorrow this sign shall be” (Ex. 9:22-23).

I believe the sign of the “dead in Christ” rising from the graves, and the sound and sign of Christ and His army coming will cause an alarm to ALL Christians who will then mourn.  This is because the “fear of the Lord” will be upon us, and we will understand our frailty in the presence of the Lord and recognize our need to repent. This is also why the ten days following the Feast of Trumpets are called the “Ten Days of Awe,” as Christians will be in awe that the time is at hand for the Millennium reign to begin, which means judgment will begin in the house of the Lord.

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17)?

We will all be in a state of reflection:  Are we ready? Will we be like the 5 wise Virgins in the Parable of the 10 Virgins, who had oil? Or will we be like the 5 foolish Virgins who didn’t have oil and the door was shut, unable to join those chosen for the First resurrection (Matt. 25:1-13)?  These Fall Feast “dress rehearsals” each year helps us examine our hearts so we are ready.

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matt. 25:13).

When describing the Feast of Trumpets, we can refer to the prophet Joel who said it best:

“Blow the trumpet in Zion.  And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand” (Joel 2:1.)

The Feast of Trumpets is a “blast of the horn” that signals an awakening of God’s people to remembrance and readiness:

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold”(Psalm 18:2).

It is also an announcement that the King is coming to gather His army to wage war against the enemy and to establish His reign on earth:

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God”(Rev. 19:15).

These Fall Feasts are honored and celebrated as “dress rehearsals” so our hearts are in sync with the Lord’s redemption plan.  So what happens when the Feast of Trumpets goes “live” after the sound of the trumpet?

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thes. 4:16).

One of the most remarkable signs that will happen when this Feast is fulfilled is that the dead in Christ will rise from the grave.  Most Christians assume ALL those who are believers that have died will rise at this resurrection. But after studying Scriptures, a different pattern emerges as we define the purpose of the two resurrections the Bible refers to:

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the FIRST resurrection.  Over such the SECOND death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6).

The fact that the Scripture indicates there is a first resurrection mandate that there is a second. God has a trumpet call for two occasions, and it is clear from Rev. 20 that the FIRST is for those who will reign with Him during the Millennium.

Let’s go back in the Bible and find the purpose of the blowing of the silver trumpets and see how it ties into these two resurrections.  In Numbers 10, God instructed Moses to make two trumpets from hammered silver: 

“Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps.  When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.  But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you”(Numbers 10:2-4).

Notice that when the Lord said to blow ONE trumpet, He was calling forth the HEADS (those chosen for rulership) to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. But when the two trumpets were blown, it was to gather ALL.

1 Cor. 15:51,52 shares Scriptures that reveal some details of Christ’s return, and the unfolding events after the trumpet is sounded:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery:  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Notice the Scripture above doesn’t say trumpets.  This is because the purpose of this first resurrection is to call forth those who have been chosen as “heads” (first) to reign with Christ in the Millennium.   This is also confirmed in 1 Thes. 4:16. Both Scripture references say one trumpet is blown when the dead in Christ rise.  Therefore, all those who are dead in Christ won’t arise in this first resurrection (Rev. 20:6).  Those who remain dead will rise and get their glorified bodies in the second resurrection.

The word “head” is actually the definition for the Hebrew word “Rosh” which is the same word used to describe “firstfruits.”   

The Bible makes it clear that God has set aside a “firstfruits” remnant of 144,000 who are chosen to reign with Him in the Millennium. This number is symbolic as it follows the pattern of symbolism throughout the whole Book of Revelation, and using common sense, God will need more than 144,000 in the earth to help assist Him through the Millennium reign. The Bible does make clear that ALL aren’t chosen to reign with Him during this time.

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads”(Rev. 14:1).

In John, Jesus did however talk about a general resurrection in which ALL who were dead, both good and evil, will be raised at the same time and hear His voice – NOT just those who are “dead in Christ” as the previous Scriptures indicated.  

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which ALL who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation”(John 5:28,29).

The above Scripture is a picture of the SECOND resurrection that includes both believers and unbelievers.

Looking at all these Scriptures, it is evident that the FIRST resurrection is NOT the time for the resurrection of salvation.  The first resurrection marks the time Jesus is coming back, gather the 144,000, and together, rule over the nations to secure and establish His governmental authority in the earth.  

The issue of salvation is the purpose of the SECOND resurrection, which is explained in Rev. 20.

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books [The Law].  

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged, each one according to his works.  

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:12-15).

Taking all these scriptures into account, we can conclude that the sole purpose of the FIRST is to call forth those believers who are “rewarded” with the responsibility to reign with Christ for 1,000 years (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7; Rev. 20:6).

When talking to the disciples about the rewards of leaving all to follow Him, Jesus said to them that they would be repaid at the “resurrection of the just.” 

“And you [disciples who gave ALL] will be blessed, because they [the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind] cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14).

We can further conclude that Christ is referring to the FIRST resurrection since there is no reference in this passage of the SECOND, and the “just” can ONLY signify believers since no one outside of faith in Christ alone are “just” (Rom. 5:1).

The reward given at the FIRST resurrection that Christ was referring to doesn’t equate to be a more “powerful or important position” in the body of Christ. That kind of thinking is what our world thinks, so it’s hard to grasp that this doesn’t mean a person chosen that is “special” or “better than” other Christians.

On the contrary, these who are rewarded are “bondservants of Christ” like our example of the Apostles Paul and Peter, who laid their lives down to serve Christ (Rom. 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1). 

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2Cor. 4:5).

In humility of heart, these bondservants followed His voice out of obedience to serve and faithfully steward the talents God had given them. “Bondservants” of Christ have allowed the sanctification process to crucify their flesh so that they think and act like Christ. Christ can then entrust them with His authority of rulership, which is His reward:

“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matt. 16:27).

In the letters to the 7 Churches in the Book of Revelation, God first praises and acknowledges each Church for the things they were doing well. But He goes on to chastise each Church in the areas they were in error or had veered off course. In every letter the Lord addresses, He states that those who had an ear to hear would be rewarded when He returned, for following His instruction.  These would be known as His “Overcomers;” the ones who embraced the sanctification process and were willing to go through the tribulations of their day. Here is a list of rewards for those who OVERCOME:

1.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God”(Rev. 2:7).
2. “…He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Rev. 20:2:11).
3. “…To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.  And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it”(Rev. 2:17).
4. “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations- ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’- as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star”(Rev. 2:26-28).
5. “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels”(Rev. 3:5).
6. “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.  I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the NEW Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God.  And I will write on him My new name”(Rev. 3:12).
7. “To him who overcome, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne”(Rev. 3:21).

If you read the entire chapters of Rev. 2 and 3, the Lord makes a distinction between Christians who will overcome, and those who don’t repent but continue following their own ways.  It is important to emphasize that becoming an “overcomer” has nothing to do with salvation, for the letters were addressed to ALL who were saved by grace.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8,9).

But Christ does lay out the rewards for those who overcome through this sanctification process.  They enter into the FIRST resurrection, while the others continue on with the sanctification process, or die, and must await until the SECOND resurrection.

In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus shares what rewards, concerning the kingdom of heaven, have to do with rulership. The man traveling to a far country in this parable is symbolic of Jesus.  He gives to each servant (Christians) talents according to their ability to steward them until He comes back.  What does He say to the servant who gained from the talents given:

“…Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you RULER over many things.  Enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matt. 25:21).

Rulership is a product of faith, obedience, and the sacrifice of self. No one bi-passes this sanctification process.   Even Jesus Christ couldn’t bi-pass the process that led Him to the cross.  But there is a “firstfruits” remnant whose hearts will be ready first at the time of Christ’s return.

Think about the difference between King Saul and King David.  Both kings served the Lord.  Both weren’t perfect leaders, nor perfectly obeyed the Lord’s commandments.  But Saul never fully surrendered his heart to the Lord. Instead, he was led more by his own ambitions, needs, and pride. David, however, was on his knees asking for the Lord’s help. David was not perfect by any means, but he was one in whom God could entrust with His anointing of rulership.  

Kingships “rewards” are a product of our choices whether we lean into God’s voice as Moses did, in obedience to His commandments, or run away and do our own thing.  Those who have learned obedience by the things they suffer will find their reward, as Christ did (Heb. 5:8).

“And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with Me, to give to every man according to his work” (Rev. 22:12).

The Fall Feasts of the LORD begin this year at sundown on September 15th. They begin with the Feast of Trumpets:

“Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.  For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob”(Psalm 81:3,4).

So what is the significance of the Feast of Trumpets? The literal Hebrew translation is “a memorial of blasts.” In Hebrew, this Feast is called “Yom Teruah.”  Yom means day, but Teruah doesn’t mean trumpets.  It means a shout or blast of war, alarm or joy. So literally translated, this is a Feast that is a “Day of Blasting or Shouting.”

The Feast of Trumpets is the ONLY Feast that is celebrated on Firstfruits, tying its meaning with “firsts” and making this day the “granddaddy” of all Firstfruits celebrations. It is believed by Biblical historians that Adam was born on this day. It has also been known by the Jews as the “Anniversary of Creation.”

The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated in the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Tishrei was originally recognized as the first month of the calendar the Hebrews followed, due to the epic beginnings just described. 

However, in God’s master plan for redemption, He needed to create a separate, but intimate, calendar with the people He was in covenant with so that they could become His SIGN, to the nations, that He was the One True God.  

This special covenant calendar was purposed to establish a pattern, purpose, timing, and union with God that set the Israelites apart from all other nations.  But it also was a witness of the sign of the “Coming One” (Jesus), as God would use the calendar to fulfill His prophetic promises.

It’s worth mentioning again that the Hebrew Covenant Calendar was created when God spoke to Moses and Aaron in Ex. 12:2:

“This month (Abib/Nisan) shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first of the year to you” (Ex. 12:2). God followed this commandment with His instructions for Passover.  Afterwards, He declared, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations.  You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance”(Ex. 12:14).

Later on when the children of Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai, God gave instruction for all 7 Feasts after He sealed His Covenant with them and set them apart from all the other nations. The month of Tishrei was now changed to be the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, and the first day of the harvest (blessed) season and the month in which all the Fall Feasts were celebrated.

“Therefore, all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim (Tishrei), which is the seventh month” (1 Kings 8:2).

There is much confusion today as to when the Hebrew Covenant calendar starts because the Jews today emphasize celebrating the beginning of their civil year in the month of Tishrei. Today, Jews celebrate the first day of Tishrei as Rosh Hashanah; translated as “the ‘head/first’ of the year.”   But if God said that Abib/Nisan was to be the first of the year, why are the two months still recognized as first?

To find the answers as to why this is, we can go back to Biblical history when the twelve tribes of Israel were split into two kingdoms after King Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 11).  Subsequently, the Israelites were divided into the Southern Kingdom, also known as the House of Judah; and Northern Kingdom, also known as the House of Israel (1 Kings 11). The House of Judah consisted of the two tribes, one being the tribe of Judah where the Jews originated, and the other the tribe of Benjamin (so that David My servant would have a light in Jerusalem when the Messiah) (1 King 11:36).

After being in captivity, the House of Judah adopted some Babylonian ways, and added them to their Jewish traditions.  One of those changes was the “resurrection” of importance of the Jewish Civil year again in the first and second century because of the writings that were compiled in what is known as the “Mishnah.” Sometime between the finality of the writing of the Torah by Ezra, and the creation and codification of the Mishnah, the autumn Civil Calendar New Year regained acceptance by the Jews, and its relevance was incorporated into the Feast of Trumpets celebration.  The Hebraic Covenant calendar, which God created for His covenantal purpose and celebration, was not intertwined with the calendar the Lord had separated His people out of.  The first of Tishrei took on a double meaning, which makes is confusing. 

The Northern Kingdom (House of Israel), made up of the remaining ten tribes, originally kept the Ecclesiastical (Priest) year that God commanded them to follow in Ex. 12 as well…. Somewhat.  But over time, after the House of Israel was captured by the Assyrians and scattered all over the nations, their heritage, name, blueprint of Covenant (including following the Hebrew Covenant Calendar), was altered or omitted because they forgot they were God’s people, even though God promises He would never forget them.  

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Surely, they (House of Israel) may forget, yet I will not forget you” (Is. 49:15).

“Forgetting” was a part of the chastisement of God, which is why when Jesus speaks of his original mission for the disciples:

 “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.  But go rather to the lost tribes of Israel’” (Matt. 10:5,6).  

By the time the Mishnah was created in Babylon, and its writings adopted as ” Jewish tradition,” the House of Israel was long gone, having scattered through the Caucasian mountains, into Europe and the “isles” (which was later known as Great Britain.) 

Technically, both calendars are correct, because both calendars exist.  But God commanded Moses and His chosen nation to follow His new calendar in Exodus 12, and for those wanting to recognize, honor, and be a SIGN of the redemption process that God has determined, honoring the Hebrew Covenant Calendar should continue to trump any calendar, including the Gregorian calendar most of our world today recognizes.

The school calendar versus Gregorian calendar is a parallel example of two calendars followed during the same time, but the Gregorian begins on January 1^st, while the school calendar starts in September.  The Gregorian calendar is the one the world follows, while the school calendar is for a specified people who are signed up for education, which is their focus. 

Because the Jews returned to honoring the Jewish Civil calendar with their Feast celebration, it brought about confusion that continues to exist today when celebrating the Feast of Trumpets. This is perhaps one reason why the Jews couldn’t see and accept Christ as the Savior when He began His ministry, because the adoption of honoring the two calendars caused them to anticipate a conquering king FIRST rather a sacrificial lamb.  

God created the Covenant Calendar in Ex. 12 to “set apart” His Covenant promises of how Christ would become our High Priest FIRST, and our King of kings second when He returned to the earth.  If we keep our focus on God’s purpose in creating this calendar, we will not be confused or blinded with God’s prophetic timing of redemption.

“…You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9,10).

So let’s now get back to the simplicity of the purpose of the Feast of Trumpets, which is to awaken us with a blast of the trumpet.  What are we awaking to?

The trumpet has many significant meanings in the Bible.  

The trumpet was blown to signal war against the adversary (Josh. 6:5; Jer. 51:27; 1 Cor. 14:8) 

“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies (Numbers 10:9).

It was also used to announce the king (2 Kings 9:13; 11:14).

“Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon.  And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” (1 Kings 1:39).

The trumpet was the sound to wake up the Church (Rev. 1:10).

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.”

All of these reasons (and there are many more) of why the trumpet is used are all united together on the Feast of Trumpets. This “dress rehearsal” shares it’s purpose of becoming the signal (/sign/proclamation/alarm/shout) to awaken us, to announce war against the adversary, to announce the return of the King, and to summon God’s people who are IN covenant with Him.  And when this Feast goes “LIVE,” it will mark the beginning of the Millennium.

At sundown on August 15th, we will be entering into the sixth month of the Hebrew Covenant Calendar known as ELUL, which is linked to the tribe of GAD. Gad was the seventh son of Jacob and his name primarily means a “troop.” However, GAD can also be translated as: good fortune, to attack, to overcome, to invade, and to gather together.

Gad’s name alone reminds us of the “good fortune” that comes when God’s people choose to gather together in union (like a troop) with a heart of humility, repentance, and forgiveness as they wait upon the King.

GAD was known to be great warriors, taking the lead line in the battlefield. 1 Chronicles 12:8 says, “Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, MIGHTY MEN OF VALOR, MEN TRAINED FOR BATTLE, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.”

This scripture lists “valor” as a foundational quality of God’s mighty warriors, which is having great courage in the face of opposition. Courage is increased when faith in God is greater than the threat of the enemy, a quality that is strengthened by being “battle tested.” (The summer months are known cyclically to test our flesh in the heat of fiery trials).

The Gadites were most effective when they joined the king’s forces and came under their authority and purpose.

Before Moses died, he prophesied over the tribe of Gad. “..he (Gad) administered the justice of the Lord, and His judgments with Israel” (Deut. 33:21).

The great prophet, Elijah, was from the tribe of Gad. His life illustrates the great warrior God is training for battle today. He saw, listened, and obeyed God’s righteousness, and was used to administer the judgments of God with a “sword” = the WORD of God.

In 1 Kings 18:18, King Ahab accused Elijah of being a “troubler of Israel.” Elijah boldly answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed after Baals.” It was after this encounter that Elijah challenged King Ahab to bring all the false prophets to Mount Carmel. King Ahab accepted the challenge, and invited all the children of Israel to gather together for this “spiritual battle.”

God then uses Elijah to draw a line in the sand, challenging the children of Israel to chose God or the false gods they had begun worshipping. In verse 21, Elijah spoke to the people, “How long with you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” Unfortunately, God’s people were not inclined to let go of their idolatry.

Afterwards, Elijah challenged the false prophets to a duel to prove to all observers that there was only one God Almighty. “Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God” (1 Kings 18:24). Elijah eventually called on the Lord after the false prophets fail the task. The Lord consumed the sacrifice with fire, and then had all the false prophets executed.

This is the same cry of God’s heart today: HOW LONG WILL YOU FALTER BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? God wants to see the warrior gift of Gad rise up in all of us and confront the enemy, but more importantly, he wants us to have ears to hear His rebuke so we can stop compromising and repent before judgment comes.

After Elijah’s huge victory over the enemy, we find him alone in the wilderness, fleeing for his life after Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him.  Ironically, this happened immediately after he was used by God to call down the fire of judgment on the false prophets; a huge military feat.  This fear gripped a battle fatigued Elijah after he SAW and HEARD the threat of the head of government, which became more real than the King he served.  All of the sudden, God’s ability and strength to save him dwarfed under the pressure of the threat. Can we all relate?

What happened to Elijah in this interaction? How is it he went from a man full of faith, to a man full of fear running for this life? The answer can be found in Jacob/Israel’s latter day prophesy over the tribe of Gad:

“Gad, a troop (Gad) shall tramp upon him, BUT he shall triumph at last” (Ge. 49:19).

This latter day prophecy over Gad reveals that the greatest enemy of Gad was Himself! As in the case of Elijah, he lost faith through a “victim” self-talk, even though he was a great prophet and warrior who could believe God for everyone else. How many Christians today are defeated by the fear of man or the fear of failure instead of the fear of the Lord, and their own self-talk removes them from the front lines of the battlefield to fulfill their destiny? How many Christians hear the plans and threats of all the unrighteous leaders today and are gripped by fear, focusing on the threat, rather than preparing for the fall of the Mystery of Babylon and God’s triumphant plan to restore?

Thankfully, we see in Elijah’s example that God didn’t abandon or reject Elijah in his moment of weakness. God came to Elijah in a still small voice, meeting him intimately in his time of need. As God spoke, Elijah gathered strength, humility, and the instruction of moving forward with God’s plan.  This is the heart of ELUL, and the heart that is ready to hear and meet the King of kings!

“In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6).

ELUL translates substantively that God “ leaves His throne” and meets us intimately right where we are at, even in the midst of struggle, and “hang with us.”

This desire to meet us in our weakness is pictured in the New Testament through the ministry of Jesus here on the earth: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” (John 1:14).

Two thousand years later, this same Word is pictured and prophesied through the gathering of the Ecclesia, dwelling together in unity, and crying out to the LORD (Dan. 12:7). Jesus leaves His throne to come and save His people and rule with an iron fist, and manifest His glory FULLY in the earth to a world in darkness:

“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘…Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev.21:3).

The word “dwelling” is actually the word for “tent” or “tabernacle.” Jesus left His throne to come and “tabernacle” among us for 33 years. Then He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit who “dwells” within us. But, this was only a guarantee of a greater inheritance to come, and the reason why we still wrestle with our flesh.

The “New Jerusalem” prophesied in Rev. 21::2 is the full inheritance to come, when death is swallowed up in victory, and the corruptible garments are exchanged for “incorruptible” garments of glory, much like the garments of glory Adam and Eve had before the fall. This vision ahead is a pictured as the “second Adam” (Christ, the Son of man), and His unified “troop” (His Firstfruits remnant) who are called to bring healing to the nations.

Historically, the two months prior to ELUL were tragic in the days of Moses. The children of Israel had built the golden calf, and when Moses returned and saw what they had done, he broke the tablets of Covenant. Moses made a call to repentance: “Whoever is on the Lord’s side-come to me” (Ex. 32:26). Those who came repented and were then given instruction to kill everyone else left, totaling 3,000 people.

Afterwards, Moses instructed the remaining people to consecrate themselves while he went to ask God to pardon them for their sin. God finally answered Moses’ plea and called Moses back up for the “do over.”

On the first day of ELUL, Moses went back up to Mount Sinai to get the second tablets of covenant.  It was during this month that the children of Israel gathered together and prepared their hearts in humility.  They understood it was the mercy of God that had given them a second chance. It is no different today. God’s MERCY will save His remnant:

“And it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel in truth” (Is. 10:20).

Today, this month is symbolic of the body of Christ getting their hearts ready individually and corporately with an atmosphere of humility and thanksgiving for God’s mercy, as we await for the revolution of Jesus and His Firstfruits company (troop) to manifest in the earth.

We must never underestimate the power of prayer and unity, and the value of God’s “still small voice.” For they are God’s greatest weapons of war and the true gold we all long for.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14)

The 5th month of the Hebrew Covenant Calendar begins at sundown on July 17th known as “AV” which root meaning is translated “to will or to desire.” AV is literally translated as “father.” It is linked with the tribe of Simeon, whose name means “to hear and obey.” If you put all those Hebrew clues together, this month has the significance of “hearing and obeying the will/desire of the Father.”

It was during the previous Hebrew month that the twelve spies were sent out to survey the Promised land in Numbers 13,14. Ten of the twelve put their sights on the giants in the land rather than the promise of Gods word, and they returned with great fear. During the month of AV, the “congregation” of Israelites HEARD the two reports based on what the spies saw, and on the 9^th of AV, the majority agreed to listen to the negative report.

“So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:1,2).

Through their unbelief, the children of Israel proceeded to make bad decisions that led to severe consequences. First, they complained and cried. Then they had the idea to dethrone Moses as their leader, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.” Finally, when hearing Joshua speaking the truth about God’s promise, they came up with the idea of stoning Joshua. None of these actions were pleasing to God (Numbers 14:4-10).

If it was not for Moses and Aaron interceding for the children of Israel despite their plot to dethrone their leader, the children of Israel could have been wiped out because of God’s anger. Nevertheless, it did not stop God’s judgment. None of them were able to go into the Promised Land, and all those spies who brought the wrong report died of a plague.

The fear of the enemy, the fear of man, and the fear of the future are instrumental in creating negative reports our world bombards us with as well today. The “voice” behind most bad/fearful news arises from the “false prophet” (the enemies of God ) that are sent to even get believers to lose hope in God’s plan of redemption. Suddenly out of fear, even Christians can find themselves making choices that agree with the enemies lies that enslave them.

When God speaks, it is important we listen, and that His voice has greater authority than even a well known ministry leader, or our own voice that wars against what God has spoken. When man’s voice gains preeminence, we set ourselves up to come into bondage. It is critical we take time to hear God.

King Saul was an example of a leader who justified not listening to God’s command fully, and it led to the downfall of his kingship and peace in his soul. God had instructed King Saul to destroy the Amalekites, and their goods (livestock), not sparing anything. But Saul spared the king of Amalek, and only destroyed what he determined was despised and worthless, and spared the best. God spoke to Samuel the prophet what had been done, and said:

“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments” (1 Sam. 15:11).

Later, God used Samuel to speak to King Saul what we need to hear today as well:

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king” (1 Sam. 15:22,23).

King Saul later admitted to fearing the people over fearing the voice of the LORD, but God did not turn back from replacing King Saul as leader to King David, even after he repented. The judgment seems harsh for missing the mark of not doing everything God instructed. But the LORD had a purpose in asking King Saul to obey Him because He knew the bitter hatred of the Amalekites would eventually destroy the Israelites.

Rebelling against the Word of God, whether what He has written in His Word to us, or the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, can open us up to spiritual warfare because the compromise can lift God’s favor, protection, and peace. When you see these things happening, it is important to ask the LORD to open up your ears to hear His correction, direction, and/or resurrection. When we are aligned in obedience to God’s voice, our job next is to STAND, and expect His increase to come forth.

It is recorded in history that the 9^th of Av has continued to be a day of judgment. IN 587 BC, the armies of Babylon destroyed Solomon’s temple. In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the 2^nd temple. In 1095 AD, the 1^st crusade was launched, killing thousands of Jews. In 1290 AD, the Jews were expelled from England. In 1492 AD, the Jews were expelled from Spain. In 2005, the Jews were removed from Gaza.

The 9^th of AV incidences are NO coincidence. This cycle of judgment started when the children of Israel responded in fear to the spies report, “The enemy is too strong of us. We will die!” Their fear led them to rebel against Gods leadership, and they put themselves under a curse.

Later in biblical history, the Jews rejected Jesus as their leader, which in doing so, “cut themselves off” from God’s Covenant according to the laws written in Leviticus 17. In addition, the Jews made a declaration of their own agreement in their desire to crucify Jesus:

“When Pilate saw he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying: ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it. And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children‘” (Matt. 27:24,25).

This declaration also set forth a curse that has yet to be atoned. Until the Jews repent and believe in the Son of God slain for their sins, their generational sin of unbelief and rebellion continues to leave a wake of cyclical destruction. The prophet Isaiah reveals the answer on how the curse can be broken: “I will give You (Jesus) as a covenant to the people”(Is. 42:6).

The tribe of Simeon is also associated with the month of AV. Simeon was one of two tribes that Jacob cursed in his final prophetic blessing to his sons because they went against God’s word and chose to murder the men of Shechem for the rape of their sister Dinah. This vengeance was evil, and Jacob called them on it:

“Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self will they hamstrung an ox; cursed be their anger for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel” (Gen. 49:5-7).

Simeon was made to be a warrior and one called as a weapon of justice in the hand of God. But when his own hand ruled Simeon, as he did so in Shechem, his passion and temper produce a work of destruction against God rather than for God. This can be true for all of us. We can think we are going to help God out by executing justice out of a “righteous anger.” But when we do that, our character is one that kills, steals, and destroys in the name of righteousness, and we appear to be sons of the enemy of God.

Although this month has a history of destruction because of the works of the flesh, it is a great reminder of how Jesus broke the curse of destruction through His obedience that required suffering for us all.

AV is a month that presents to us a choice to hear God’s word and have faith and believe in the promises of God. It is also a month to remind us to keep our passions under His command by taking the time to HEAR what God has to say about the matter. We are NOT under the curse any longer.

Jesus finished His letters to the Churches in Rev. 3:9 with an important message for us all to hold on to this month:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 3:22).

Today, we are seeing and hearing a lot going on in this world through social media. But what is God saying? If we know more about what the enemy is doing rather than what God is saying in the midst of all the chaos happening in the world, it is a signal to stop, and make time to listen to the Commander in Chief for ourselves.

The summer months are tied to seeing, listening, and then obeying, which makes way for Gods remnant to join in unity and fruitfulness for His kingdom cause. So in the heat of this summer, take a moment and say, “Speak LORD, for your servant hears!”

The next Firstfruits begins at sundown on June 18th, celebrating the fourth month in the Hebrew calendar known as Tammuz.

Tammuz has been coined the month of “hidden sin” because of the repetitive failure of the children of Israel to trust the LORD.

It was during the month of Tammuz that the Israelites became impatient, waiting for Moses to come back with the Tablets of Covenant. In their discomfort and fear, they chose to make a golden calf to “fix things.” If it wasn’t for Moses interceding for the people, God would have “cut them off” of Covenant (Ex.32:1).

Another test that came in the month of Tammuz was when the twelve tribal leaders left to spy out the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb were the only “spies” who SAW the land through God’s promise and potential. While their “eyes” led them to share a faith-filled plan to advance, the others shared how big the problem and enemy was.

Unfortunately, the Israelites didn’t pass this test as well, and chose to adopt the report of fear, which caused the hand of God to send them into the wilderness for 40 years (Numbers 13, 14).

In Chapter 10 of Joshua, another pivotal battle is recorded during the month of Tammuz against 5 Canaanite kings who teamed up to wipe out the Israelites after their wilderness experience.

Joshua’s men were outnumbered and out of solutions with their limited resources. Joshua could have SEEN this situation and lost hope. But Joshua leaned into God for help to see things from His stance instead. God then replied,

“Do not fear them (the forces of darkness that are coming together to rule the nations), for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you” (Josh. 10:8).

Joshua had courage to believe God at His word, and the Lord assisted with what Joshua couldn’t do on his own by sending hailstones from heaven, which caused many to die.

Hail symbolically represents the sweeping away of the “refuge of lies” that enslave humanity caught under the power of evil leaders (Ex.9:26; John 8:44). Hail then represents God’s truth removing the blinders by His mighty hand to set the captives free.

“I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies”(Is. 28:17).

“Hail (truth) mixed with fire (Gods judgment) is what is shaking the nations today. In the end, the truth will reveal that God is LORD of the heavens and earth and no other.

Joshua’s story of courage continued on in this epic battle. Needing more assistance after the hail came, he was led to pray and ask God to make the sun stand still so they could finish defeating the Canaanite kings. God answered that prayer, and the sun stood still!

“…So the sun stood still and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel” (John 10:13,14).

When the wartime was over, Joshua had defeated 31 kings. Joshua’s maturity to believe God at His Word in the midst of opposition made him one of the greatest military leader’s of the Bible. This kind of supernatural partnership with God is what Christians needs to grab hold of and model today: do what God is directing, and expect God to bring the increase in what we can’t do on our own.

The month of Tammuz is also linked to the tribe of Reuben, whose name means, “SEE, a son!” As you can summate, sight is a major theme of this month. Now the question to answer is: What kind of son is the world SEEING through our words and actions? Do they see a Joshua? Or a Rueben?

Reuben’s story, the firstborn of Jacob, is quite different that Joshua’s, and reflects the “firstborn Church” who have been challenged to be stable and courageous in an unstable world full of fear. Reuben often fell short seeing God’s perspective through trials, and instead, quite often responded in his flesh. Christ, however, gave believers His power to overcome through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and encourages us to seek Him for truth and comfort: “By your patience, possess your souls” (Luke 21:19).

Reuben became known in biblical history as the one who lusted after his father’s concubine and lost the firstborn inheritance. This is no different than believers choosing to follow the lusts of the flesh and losing their rewards (not salvation) of an “overcomer” spelled out in the letter to the Churches (Rev. 2&3).

Reuben did have moments of courage, and moral strength, (just like the Church at large has these past two thousand years), but it wasn’t consistent, which gave him the reputation of being “unstable.” Unlike Joshua, Reuben went back and forth between faith and fear. This is why Jacob prophesied over Reuben these latter day words:

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength. The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. UNSTABLE as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it…” (Gen. 49:3,4).

Reuben’s life reflects the internal war believers battle to mature to be known as “sons of God” that mirror the character of Joshua. Through our acceptance to humble ourselves through God’s sanctification process, we become stable, leaning into trusting in God’s word without doubt.

In Ephesians 1:18-20, the Apostle Paul took this concern to prayer for the Church:

“….that our EYES of understanding would being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of His calling for us all, the riches of His inheritance, and the exceedingly greatness of His mighty power which He worked in Christ.”

This month we are challenged to “WORK the WORD,” no matter what we see and what fiery trial we are called to endure. We cannot forget to read, speak, and believe God’s Word above our circumstances nor be moved by what we see across the headlines.

This month launches the summer season known for war. Around the Tabernacle, Reuben led the brigade joined with Simeon and Gad on the southern side. These three tribes were trained warriors, although Reuben did not like to war at times because it required work. This also got Reuben in trouble because God anointed his tribe for wartime.

Christians are being challenged to work the word to build their faith so they are the beacon of hope the world is in need of. Our war is one to fight with the sword of the Spirit, believing the WORD of God, and not moved by what we see the enemy doing. Our character is being tested to subdue our flesh and not join the masses gripped with fear and anger. We must be armed with faith to trust that God has our victory in His hand, even through our darkest hour of struggle. “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23).

The first chapter in the book of James sums us God’s WORD of instruction to us this month:

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faithful produces patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.

If anyone of you lacks faith, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:3-8).

Let’s all find joy through the heat of these summer months, believing God reigns over the nations and the schemes of the enemy, so we can become a “Joshua company” in the hand of God, used to defeat the enemy, and known as “sons of light!”

Difference Between Old and New Covenant “Pentecost”

God has a royal wedding He has been preparing and planning for His Bride, and its invitation went out as soon as the disciples were baptized with “the Promise” on the Day of Pentecost.  

In Part 1 of the Feast of Pentecost, I focused primarily on the similarities between the Old and New Pentecost Blueprint. Let’s now explore some of their differences.

The first difference is easy to identify.  In the Old Covenant, the execution of God’s Covenant, and the revealing of Himself by fire had an inherent problem that kept Him separated from His “Bride” -SIN.  Therefore, the people could see and hear God, but they could not get near God.

God always knew He needed a solution to cleanse and remove the sin that separated Himself from His bride. Without that solution, God’s consuming fire would destroy His bride instead of glorify her.  This is why God instructed Moses to bring himself and Aaron only up the mountain to meet with Him, so that everyone else wouldn’t die.

“Then the Lord said to him (Moses), ‘Away!’ Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you.  But do not let the priest and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break out against them.”  (Ex. 19:24).

The second difference is that the Israelites chose to reject God’s voice and go through a mediator instead, God was going to have to restore His voice through a mediator. After Moses read the “Tablets of Covenant” to the people, which was God’s marriage vows written by His finger, the Israelites responded to Him in fear:

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled [feared], and stood afar off.  Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear, but let know God speak with us, lest we die.  And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you so that you may not sin.  So THE PEOPLE STOOD AFAR OFF, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20:18-21).

We can now understand why the voice of God was still only heard through those selected by God in the Old Testament, even after this betrothal.  

If you notice from the Scriptures above, Moses was the ONLY one who drew near to the Lord, while the others withdrew away from the Lord out of fear.  Moses walked into darkness, knowing God was in it.  The people saw darkness and ran for cover.

Through their rejection of God’s voice, it was then established that a mediator was to remain between God and themselves.  Moses would then become a symbol and pattern of how Jesus would perfect this marriage covenant as the mediator of the New Covenant and unite us with the original promise of His voice, His fire, His presence, and His desire to permanently dwell with His Covenant people.

These Scriptures also then explains why the nation of Israel had to fight with their hands and not by the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word/voice of God” to gain dominion in the Promised Land (Eph. 6:17). As believers who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, we now have access to take dominion by His Word over the enemy and not through the blood of our own hands.

Finally, we see the difference between the Old and New through God’s mercy and grace.  In the New Day of Pentecost, the Lord kept His promise to the people instead of the people trying to keep their promise to God and failing to be able to do it:  

“For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.  (For they could not endure what was commanded:  And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.'”And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and the church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake; not only the earth, but also heaven.’

Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.  For our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:18-29).

We are now coming into a greater understanding of the “national covenant of God.”  It is with an understanding of the purpose of the Feast’s blueprint, and a people abiding in His set times that we will be able to see the New Jerusalem taking shape on the earth.  This New Jerusalem was conceived on the Day of Pentecost, when Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit of Promise to dwell in our bodies.  This national covenant began multiplying throughout the world through His disciples.

Our role as His “living stones,” His royal priesthood, and His “holy nation,” who God called out of the dark, and drew into His marvelous light, is to abide in His ways and to be ready in our hearts for His return (1 Peter 2:9).

“Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength.  Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  

The VOICE of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters.  The VOICE of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty” (Psalm 29:1-4).

An Overall Look at the Meaning and Blueprint

The Feast of Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Harvest, Feast of Weeks, as well as Shavuot(Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Lev. 23:16). This feast marked the beginning of the early wheat harvest, seven weeks after Passover.  Pentecost, which is the Greek translation and means “fiftieth,” commemorates the giving of the Law, otherwise known as the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible.

After departing Egypt and surviving the wilderness through supernatural acts of God (The parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, bitter water made sweet, and the Lord defending the Israelites from attacks), the children of Israel finally arrived at Mount Sinai 50 days later.

“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai” (Ex. 19:1).  

The Israelites camped at the base of Mt. Sinai while Moses went up to speak to God.

God then told Moses to remind the people of all the amazing things God had done to “court” His people to reveal His love and His ability to take care of them, as their “Groom.”  He also told Moses to ask the people (nation of Israel) if they would marry Him:  

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My VOICE and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for the earth is Mine.  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a HOLY NATION.” (Ex. 19:5,6).

This was a special invitation as a nation of people to accept the Lord as their God, King, Husband, Priest, and Provider. Upon their “Yes” response, their commitment in turn would be to honor God’s voice and obey Him.  This union would open up heaven’s gates to prosper and bless a people, and a “promised” land where God would dwell with them.

The transaction of the prophetic word that had been given to Abraham declaring, “In you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gal. 3:8) was about to consummate.

In short, this was God’s SET TIME that He was going to multiply His promise to Abraham, from an individual SEED promise, to a “national” SEED promise. This is so key to understanding the significance of the Feast of Pentecost in the New Testament, because the perfected blueprint went from fulfillment of God’s Covenant plan through an individual Seed (Christ) to a national Seed (CHRISTIAN NATION, meaning, a multitude of Christian’s). Therefore, it was this SET TIME in the blueprint of God’s storyline that He conceived His corporate (national) promise.

In order to follow the trail of this courtship and why this is taking place at Mount Sinai, we need to go back to the “founder of our faith, Abraham” (Rom. 4:16). Abraham accepted by FAITH the things God spoke to him concerning establishing a covenant with him and his family.  Abraham did not have to do anything to meet this requirement of being chosen except to have faith in what God said:

“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.  I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make NATIONS of you, and kings shall come from you.  And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and your descendants after you: (Gen. 17:5-7).

God originally made this promise in Gen. 12 with Abram.  Years later, God changed his name from Abram (exalted father of a family), to Abraham (Father of many nations) because the covenant was going to extend past his immediate family.  Abraham’s son Isaac would be the inheritor of this promise, as the Lord said, “In Isaac your SEED shall be called” (Heb. 11:18).

Isaac then begot Jacob, and Jacob had 12 sons who became known as the “Israelites.” The Israelites inherited that name because God also changed Jacob’s name to Israel, which translated means, “one whom understands that God rules” (Gen. 28:34; 35:10).  

Years later, over 2 million Israelites were at the base of Mt. Sinai, and God was about to unite them all into ONE NATION, giving them a blueprint to be a community that functioned together as God would instruct; in one rhythm and heartbeat so that the world could see their Groom; the “God of Abraham.”

God had also prophesied to Abraham in Gen. 15 that 400 years after the people were afflicted in Egypt, He would deliver them.  This would then become the “sign” of when God would elevate His promise to Abraham to national level.

“Then He said to Abram, “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them and they will afflict them four hundred years” Gen. 15:13).

400 years later, the nation was gathered at Mt. Sinai, listening to God’s proposal, and accepting it “by faith” like their Father Abraham.  God then instructed Moses to tell the people to “consecrate themselves,” for in 3 days, God would descend from Mt. Sinai so they could hear (see) His voice.

“Then it came to pass, on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings, and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the SOUND of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled” (Ex. 19:16).”

When the trumpet sounded loudly, the Israelites ran to the foot of the mountain to meet God.

“Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you: on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire” “(Deut. 4:36).

“The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire” (Deut. 5:4).

“The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire” (Psalm 29:7).

The mixed multitude that came out of Egypt saw the tongues of fire and heard God’s voice in their own language.  The translation of “seeing voices” came through as thunder and lightnings:

“Now Mt. Sinai was completely in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire.  Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked greatly.  And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and because louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.  Then the Lord came down upon Mt. Sinai, on the top of the mountain (Ex. 19:18-20).

Do you remember reading in the Book of Acts about the sound of the mighty rushing wind that came on the Day of Pentecost, in the upper room? This was the SAME day in God’s Hebrew Covenant Calendar, years later from the day they were at the base of Mt. Sinai, that Christ would renew this covenantal national blueprint.

CHRIST had instructed His disciples, as Moses did, to get ready and prepare themselves, and then wait:

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now….But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to he end of the earth” (Acts 1:4-8).

SUDDENLY, the Holy Spirit came upon the 120, at the same SET TIME that Mt. Sinai had been filled with fire in the Old Testament. The people in Jerusalem, who had travelled from afar to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, were awakened to what was going on in the upper room and came to see.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts. 2:1-4). 

The Jews who had gathered in the international cosmopolitan Jerusalem knew of a day when this would happen.  This is because God had established His Covenant Calendar Blueprint to gather, at His SET TIME, when the Promises made to Abraham would be perfected.  God used the Feasts schedule to prepare them, like a “dress rehearsal,” throughout the years between Mt. Sinai and the Day of Pentecost in the upper room:

“Count 50 days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.  You shall bring from your dwellings two waves loaves of two-tenths of an ephah.  They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven.  They are the first fruits to the Lord” (Lev. 23:16,17).

 God also used Jeremiah to prophesy of this Pentecost fulfillment:

“Behold, the days are coming says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand and lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, thought I was a husband to them, says the Lord (Jer. 31:31-33)..  

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord:  I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Heb. 10:16).

The blueprint of the Feast of Pentecost would show us, through the understanding of its firstfruits wheat offering, that this fulfillment of Pentecost would ONLY be the beginning (a deposit of guarantee) of the perfecting of the national marriage covenant promise God had made at Mt. Sinai.

If you study the Pentecost first fruits offering, it was the ONLY sacrifice that was offered and acceptable with “leaven.” This offering symbolized believers in Christ today who are holy and acceptable through Christ’s sacrifice, but our sinful or “leavened” bodies have yet to been transformed.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:20,21).

Therefore, we can REST knowing there is a soon coming day, during the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, that we believers will experience the FULL manifestation of this covenant of marriage.  We will be able to stand in the presence of God in our glorified bodies, as well as stand before men as “sons of light.”

On May 19th, the firstfruits celebration of the third Hebrew month called “Sivan” kicks off. Sivan is linked to covenant, giving, mercy and alignment.  This month is a month inherent “to do business with God” for His kingdom cause as we sync with His purpose.

Zebulun is the tribe associated with this month of Sivan, who was positioned on the east side of the tabernacle with the tribe of Judah and Issachar.  Judah brought to the trio the apostolic sound of praise, awakening, and an alarm to go to battle. Issachar received the revelation and timing needed to navigate with wisdom and understanding. And Zebulun brought forth the supply and the place to rest and store the abundance of blessings. Jacob prophesied over Zebulun:

“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall adjoin Sidon.” (Gen. 49:13)

Moses also prophesied concerning the latter days that Zebulun and Issachar would work side by side together:  Zebulun was said to rejoice in going out, while Issachar would stay in his tents:  

“They shall call the peoples to the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall partake of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hidden in the sand.” (Deut. 33:18).  

Issachar’s portion was to “intercede and pray” and “gather the hidden treasures of intel.” Zebulun found joy in taking the revelation and facilitating the resources to enact on the intel. 

Zebulun was also known to profit through maritime trade.  One of their key roles was to bring forth the increase of their labor, so God blessed this tribe to fill “the storehouses.” This month is associated with both spiritual and natural provision to step into His kingdom cause.

When Jesus began His ministry, He went to the region of Zebulun fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 9, which said that the people who had been in darkness would see a great light.  HE was PROVISION!

Zebulun was a blessed and loyal tribe to the LORD, and one who gave the gift of sacrifice.  This month is linked with GIVING; giving sacrifice, gifts, and time to the LORD.

.The month of Sivan coincides with the timing of the children of Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai. Later, God asked Moses to be His spokesman to propose to the Israelites:

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel”. (Ex. 19:4-6).

The Israelites accepted the invitation, and God revealed Himself through thunder, lightning, His voice heard amidst the glory, sealing the marriage certificate with the “tablets of the testimony” (Ex. 19).  The anniversary date of this proposal would be embedded in the Law of the Feasts of the Lord known as the Feast of Pentecost, which is why covenant is key this season.

In the New Testament, the pattern is replicated through another invitation and outpouring. After His death at Passover, followed by His resurrection, Jesus returned to visit the disciples for 40 days.  The Lord gave His disciples a personal invitation to become His apostles, and to wait in the Upper Room for the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  On the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came suddenly with an outpouring of glory, and they began speaking in tongues of fire.  

Even as God came down as fire upon Mt. Sinai, the Holy Spirit came as a fire upon the disciples on the exact same day in His Hebrew Covenant Calendar: 50 days after Passover. The difference was that the fire was no longer external as in the days of Moses, but internal! This shows a difference now concerning the new “temple” that God would inhabit. 

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwell in you” (1 Cor. 3:16)? 

It is no coincidence that Zebulun means “habitation or dwelling.”  The indwelling of His presence now through the gift of the Holy Spirit is the hope (down payment) when our own earthen vessels are first consumed with His fire and we receive our incorruptible bodies, and then the earth is filled with His glory in the Age of Tabernacles (1 Cor. 15:53-55).

God’s timing is always perfect, witnessing the Old Covenant blueprint as a shadow and type of the perfection of His covenant promise for us who are living in the days of the New Covenant (more accurately described as His “renewed covenant”). The month of Sivan continues to flow with the blueprint of an outpouring of God’s “kingdom business” with a people who say yes to His invitation.

Because of this amazing national covenant with God that has been witnessed both in the Old and New Testament during Sivan, it serves as a template for us to dive deep and into an alignment with those God has put His invitation on our hearts to come into a “covenant” relationship with for the King. Having ONE heart to serve Him and each other, sowing into these relationships will prove to bring a great harvest of blessings.

Sivan is the third month which is the number associated with completeness, and a oneness with ALEPH, our Father.  Jesus took three disciples with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed three times. During this time of great distress, He cried out to the Father, “Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will but what You will” (Mark 14:36).   After the third time praying and surrendering all, Jesus was ready to die for our sins and trust the Father to use Him to create a way to redeem mankind. Jesus was placed on the cross on the third hour (9a.m.).  At 3p.m., He died.  There was three hours of darkness while He was suffering on the cross.

Three is a number closely associated with resurrection life as we know that it took three days and three nights before Jesus rose from the dead.  It was after His resurrection that the disciples were given the resources and ability to go “build His Stone Kingdom not made of hands” (Dan. 2:45). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit also gave the disciples comfort that the LORD was with them intimately, and opened up His storehouses of His powerful signs and wonders as they went forth.

God’s business is always centered on honoring His Covenant for a people He has chosen. His mercy covers our mistakes, and His grace is sufficient for our weaknesses. Pentecost is a time of receiving His outpouring of grace, mercy, and power so we can align with heaven and go do “business” for the Lord in establishing His Kingdom here on earth.  We cannot even comprehend the great outpouring that is directly ahead of us….IT WILL BE MAGNIFICENT!

This Thursday evening, April 20th, begins the second month of the Hebrew month known as IYAR, which is translated “reflected light.” This month is connected to receiving the increase of God’s timing and strategy to move in sync with His purpose.  Understanding His way will reflect His light as we step forward in the truth He gives us.

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1John 1:7).

The timing of this month matches the Old Testament blueprint of the 50-day period of transition when the children of Israel left Egypt and began journeying to Mount Sinai.  Through their travels, God showed Himself intimately as their Healer, Provider, and Deliverer.  After living in Egypt for such a long time, most of the Israelites had heard about God, but were far from experiencing the God who made Covenant with Father Abraham. 

God first revealed Himself in the wilderness as Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals.  God cleansed the waters at Mara and made the bitter waters pure for drinking.  Next, God came to them as Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides.  He released “manna” or “bread from heaven” supernaturally which the Israelites found in the morning dew.   And finally, through the holding up of the arms of Moses during a battle with the Amalekites, the children of Israel saw Jehovah Nissi, their banner of victory (Ex. 15-17).

The Exodus from Egypt was a significant shift in departing from the oppression of a “worldly system” to one founded in God’s ways.  Cultivating these enslavement systems, Pharaoh’s government had brainwashed the Hebrews to accepting this lifestyle as norm.  This is evident through the complaining and grumbling of the children of Israel who were crying to go back to the oppression they had prayed to get out of. Nevertheless, God reveals Himself in their moment of weakness like a groom courting a “bride to be.”

Similarly, during the same 50-day calendar time period in the New Testament, the disciples were re-introduced to their Savior after Jesus rose from the dead.  Within 40 of those days, Jesus manifested Himself to the disciples to show Himself alive as their Healer, the “Bread of Life,” and Deliverer.  Jesus met the disciples in their weaknesses as well; Thomas the doubter, Peter the rejecter, and all the disciples received healing after seeing a conquering Jesus over death (John 20). The disciples then had to trust in their Savior (Covenant) now revealed, who commanded them to stay in the hostile environment of Jerusalem and wait to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). 

Prophetically speaking, we are about to witness this whole transition scene play out again preceding the Age of Tabernacles, except it will happen with a multitude of nations (instead of 12 disciples), who are being “reintroduced“ to their Covenant Keeping God.  There will come a day when Christian nations whom have been “oppressed” by the “mystery of Babylon” will be delivered out of the hand of the enemy. Then they will be reintroduced to Jehovah Rapha who will heal their land (2 Chron. 7:14). They will encounter Jehovah Jireh, the Word, made manifest on the earth to establish His Kingdom (Rev. 19:13-15). And they will see Jehovah Nissi, the Commander in Chief and His Army who will put the adversary away into the bottomless pit (Rev. 19:19).

The similarity between the children of Israel, the disciples waiting in the Upper Room, and the Overcomers of today waiting for the Millennium reign is that ALL go through the revolution of transition, bringing forth a greater encounter of God’s glory.  And with each age, the glory increases.  At Mt. Sinai, the glory rested upon them  (Ex. 19:18;24:16-18). At Pentecost, a portion of the glory dwelt within the disciples through the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). When the Age of Tabernacles comes, believers will experience the fullness of the manifestation of His glory. (Rev.21:3).

The tribe of Issachar is associated with the month of Iyar. This tribe was gifted to know the timings of the Lord for the nation.  As one of the tribes who came alongside David when he was anointed as King, the Bible says in 1 Chron. 12:22-32 of Issachar, “and the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times to know what Israel must do.”  I believe there is an anointing this month to go deeper in our understanding of the times we are in and our faith in a Covenant Keeping God so we can go out into the world with greater authority and power.  

The Hebrew meaning of Issachar is “bringing reward.”  It comes from the root word “nasa” and means “to lift, to advance, arise, bring forth exalt or raise up.”  What better reward can we get than to humble ourselves and seek the Lord and get the treasures of seeing and experiencing the God of Covenant!

Issachar is nestled in between the tribe of Judah and Zebulun on the east side of the Tabernacle.  These three tribes formed a branch that the Lord chose to march out first when He instructed the tribes to go.  Judah would be given the charge to praise and worship, but Issachar understood the timing with which they were to depart and go.  Zebulun then came alongside the two and had the ability to provide the supply or “business” of what needed to be done.

Issachar’s symbol was a humble donkey.  He gets this symbol through Jacob prophesying over his tribe:  “Issachar is a strong ass couching between two burdens.” (Gen. 49:14). A donkey carries the burden of a load from one place to another.  Issachar represents a strong but humble servant of God who fulfills the law of Christ spoken of in Gal. 6:2, “Bear each other’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  

Issachar is rewarded from the Lord for serving His people, standing in the gap and carrying their burden whether it be through prayer or practical application.  Issachar is spoken of as carrying two burdens:  one for himself and one for a “brother in need.”  Rewards for intercession as well as carrying other’s burdens that the Holy Spirit is leading us to do is priceless and brings much joy.

God’s desire is to reveal His “mysteries” so that we are armed with His story, stand as His witness, share His truth, and obey His voice. The remnant is coming into their finest hour. The intel received this month will help bridge the gap between what God’s purpose is this year, and how to accomplish His goal.