At the time that Adam and Eve sinned, in the Garden of Eden, God revealed to them his provision for a Redeemer that would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to defeat Satan and restore to man his lost glory. This Redeemer came to be known to the Hebrews as Messiah, the Anointed One. As God's revelation began to unfold about this coming Messiah, there seemed to be some contradictions regarding the nature of this expected one.
By the time of the first century, the Jewish people had developed the concept of two Messiahs to reconcile this confusion. There was Messiah, the Conquering King, who came to be known among the Jewish people as Messiah ben David; and a Suffering Messiah, who came to be known as Messiah ben Joseph.
This confusing expectation regarding the Messiah was the basis for John the Baptist's question from prison asking Jesus whether he was the Messiah or should they expect another (Matthew 11:2). Because of the lack of Jewish understanding of this Messianic expectation, Christians have concluded that John the Baptist was in doubt as to whether Jesus was the Messiah. It is imperative that we examine these redemptive revelations within the context of their Jewish origin. In truth, John had already declared Jesus to be Messiah ben Joseph, the Suffering Messiah (John 1:29-34; 3:22-36). John was questioning Jesus as to whether he would also fulfill the prophecies regarding Messiah ben-David or if God would send another.
Jesus' answer was recognized in Jewish thinking as referring partially to the Suffering Messiah and partially to the Messiah, the Conquering King. Jesus was expressing that he would fulfill all of the Messianic prophecies. God was not sending two Messiahs, but one Messiah in two separate appearances.
A means to understanding the two messianic themes is in the study of the Feasts. It is significant to this truth that God divided the Feasts celebrated in the Tabernacle into two groups, Spring and Fall. These two groups related prophetically to the first and second coming of the Messiah.
Our Promise to You
We've stumbled upon some surprising answers to questions we had never thought to ask. Questions such as:
Why didn't Jesus know the day of his return? What did Jesus really mean when he said, "It is finished." Why the lake of fire? What's being served at the Wedding Supper?
One of our discoveries was that the Feasts of Israel are keys to end times prophecy. When you were in school, the teachers wouldn't give you the answers to your math problems, but they gave you the tools to figure it out yourself. We won't be giving you all the answers either, but we'll point you in the right direction for your own study and give you some tools to work with.
We have attempted to lay out a foundation of information regarding the Spring and Fall Feasts of the Lord. In order to understand some of the concepts about the time of the Feasts, we have included information about the Hebrew calendar. We have also included chapters on the Tabernacle, Marriage & Adultery, and Kingship to better help you understand the point of view from which John wrote the book of Revelation. We have used the New International Version Bible for all scripture references, unless otherwise noted.
When God established the nation of Israel, He showed Moses the heavenly Temple and instructed him to build a Tabernacle on the earth after the pattern he had seen. Scripture gives us many descriptions of its construction, furnishings, rituals and its prophetic significance. The Tabernacle structure and its furnishings symbolize the redemptive work of the Messiah, as do the Feasts that are celebrated there, the sacrifices offered and the work of the Priesthood.
The keys you will discover in the following pages will help to open the way for your own exploration of the mysteries of the Second Coming of Christ.
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