These are the LORD’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies
you are to proclaim at their appointed times.
Leviticus 23:4
The three feasts in the fall occur over a span of 21 days around our September and October. They foreshadow Jesus’ Second Coming, Day of Atonement, and Millennial Reign. Not surprisingly, Christians do not agree on the future occasions that fulfill the fall feasts. Here is a description of each, including what they could mean for the future.
- The Feast of Trumpets is a day of rest when the people assemble together with trumpet blasts and make an offering to the Lord on the first day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1-6). It also goes by the name Rosh Hashanah, and is the start of the new calendar year. There is a fascinating similarity between this feast and the fall of Jericho, but we don’t have room for explanation here. It is believed that this feast is tied to the Rapture/Second Coming, which is marked by the sound of trumpets (Matthew 24:30-31, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 11:15).
- The Day of Atonement takes place ten days after the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 16, 23:26-32, Numbers 29:7-11). Another sacred assembly gathered, fasted, and treated it as a Sabbath rest. Once a year, only on this day, which is also known as Yom Kippur, the high priest entered the inner sanctuary of the Holy Place to make an offering, which was to be atonement for the sins of the people. Jesus, our High Priest, made atonement for our sins once and for all (Hebrews 10:1-14). This day seems to be connected to the ultimate future day when we stand before God and His throne to be judged for our sins. Due to His Son’s atonement, our names appear in the book of life (Revelation 20:11-15).
- The Feast of Booths, Ingathering, or Tabernacles occurs five days after the Day of Atonement and is a week-long celebration (Leviticus 23:33-43, Numbers 29:12-34, Deuteronomy 16:13-15). The people would erect booths, somewhat like canopies, celebrate the harvest, and make offerings to the Lord. Perhaps this celebration is a foreshadowing of perfect union with Him in the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation 21:1-4. God will dwell, or tabernacle, with us from then on. Zechariah 14:16-19 also references a future day when all nations will come to worship the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Once again, I should mention that Christians do not agree on how these three fall feasts will be fulfilled, so take what I’ve written with a grain of salt. Others see the Feast of Trumpets symbolizing the Rapture, the Day of Atonement as the Second Coming, and the Feast of Tabernacles as the Millennial Reign. I lean toward what I’ve written above. Let us find peace in the fact that God will fulfill these fall feasts, and it will be glorious.