Dr. Steven D. Osborne
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God,and the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16
This past Sunday evening the Jewish calendar turned over from 5776 to 5777. Jews all over the world also observed the Feast of Trumpets, a two-day feast mandated in the book of Leviticus to herald the New Year. Have you heard of the “Rapture?” It is describe in the verse above as the Day the Lord will resurrect believers from all over the earth and most believe it will land on the Feast of Trumpets.
This feast is one of the seven required feasts and happens to land on Tishri 1 the first day of the 7th month that begins the Jewish New Year. The first four feasts are the spring feasts (Passover, unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Pentecost) and the final three are fall feasts (the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles). Jesus’ death coincided with the Passover, He was in the grave as Jews observed Unleavened Bread, He rose from the grave on the Feast of First Fruits and He sent His Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost all in the same year. Thus Jesus has fulfilled all the Spring Feasts and the “church” awaits when He will fulfill the Fall Feasts!
Why do I bring these observances now? This past Sunday concluded a “Year of Jubilee” (observed every 50 years) and their calendar moved from 5776 to 5777. Many believe that the “Rapture” will happen during the Feast of Trumpets concluding a Year of Jubilee.
If you‘re reading this, you either know it wasn’t this week (no mass exodus of believers) or you know it was the rapture (because millions disappeared) and you were left behind. These events are chronicled in the New York best-selling series “Left Behind” by Tim LaHaye.
We know that Jesus will return but no one knows the year, the day nor the hour. As assuredly as He came fulfilling a host of Old Testament scriptures at His birth, He will come again – as He said He would.
The question is, are you ready should He return?
God gave us a timeline to chart His plan for history. The whole world is watching the Middle East right now and all three of the major world religions are anticipating the coming of a Messiah. The Jews are yearning for the Messiah to come and establish the Temple worship and a worldwide reign, the Muslim is looking for the 12th Imam or Grand Mahdi to give them world domination and the Christian longs for the return of Jesus Christ to reveal Himself as the “King of kings and the Lord of lords” to bring peace on earth under His reign.
I believe the (Jewish) Messiah and (Christian) Christ will be one in the same! I also believe we need to be prepared when that Day of the Lord happens. Jesus came with one agenda – to pay for our sin. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God. Paul tells us that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). We cannot be good enough to gain admission to Heaven when we die. So God gave His only begotten Son so that “whoever would believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
It’s never too late to get right with God. As long as you are still breathing, you can repent of your sins, invite Jesus into your heart and become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and then live forever in Heaven! You can do that right now and have a relationship with God by bowing your head in prayer-talking to our Father.
Can there be anything more wonderful than that? No matter what your circ*mstances in this life may be, Jesus will be your constant companion and your hope. And know this: He’s coming back some day to get you!
Whether He comes soon or tarries longer, keep your inner focus on Him. You can actually get excited that He’s coming back. He rose from the dead just like He said He would and He is coming back just like He said He would. (John 14) The power of being unconditionally forgiven will impact every aspect of your life.
Happy New Year and may the final three feasts (Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles) give you hope in Jesus, the Christ - the Son of the living God.
Dr. Steven D. Osborne is Lead Pastor at Alive Vineyard Church of Licking County.
