Messiah’s Return in the Feasts of the Lord
Feast of Pentecost
In my previous post, we looked at the spring feasts and the barley harvest, and what they imply about the future. Seven weeks later, the Feast of Pentecost appears just as the wheat ripens in the fields. As with those in the first month of the Jewish calendar, the feast in the third month has something to say about both Jesus’s first coming and Messiah’s return.
On the Feast of Pentecost, the first fruits of the wheat harvest came into the temple in the form of two, five-pound loaves of bread waved before the Lord. This pair of equally leavened loaves seems representative of both Jew and Gentile, raised together before God in thanksgiving and praise. All because, at Messiah’s return, he would reign as King over all nations, not just Israel.
The Jew First
Barley’s ingathering before the wheat echoes Paul’s statement in Romans 1:16 that salvation was to the Jew first, and then the Gentile.
Jesus, too, confirmed the order. In Matthew 15:24–28, a Canaanite woman asked him to help her demon-possessed daughter. He initially refused based on his calling to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Yet her faith moved him to action. She declared he had power to spare, and even the “crumbs” left over would be enough for her. Because he had already been working in the “barley fields” of the Jews for some time by then, he could legitimately open the wheat harvest of the Gentiles.
After his death, his disciples further widened the opening by preaching the Gospel everywhere.
The end-time account in Revelation also reflects the barley harvest before the wheat, the Jew first and then the Gentile. In the seventh chapter, 144,000 Jews are gathered in and sealed for salvation before another group appears before the throne. “A great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues.” All nations this time, not just Israel. (Revelation 7:1-12)
Altar of Incense and Messiah’s Return
For some time, Jewish authorities have recognized a connection between Pentecost and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. The fire and smoke of the mountain accompanied the deliverance of God’s word etched in stone. God speaking to man in the smoke hints at the ministry of the Holy Spirit at the altar of incense in the holy place. In Acts 2, the smoke of his presence spread to the upper room, where it lit their hearts on fire.
The thundering shofars announced the words etched in stone, and trumpeting praises declared the Law written on human hearts. The prophecies of Joel 2:28–29 and Ezekiel 11:19–20 merged when God’s Spirit poured out on human beings, and hearts of stone became tender to God’s will and ways.
So Pentecost connects with the ministry of the Holy Spirit and activity around the golden altar of incense. But what of its appearance at Messiah’s return?
Messiah’s Return and the Hour of Prayer
To understand this better, let’s look at the rituals centered around the altar of incense.
Twice every day, priests at the bronze altar prepared lambs for the burnt offerings–one at the third hour of the day (about 9 AM) and the other at the ninth hour (about 3 PM). At the same time, priests in the holy place would be tending the menorah and replacing the used coals on the golden altar with fresh. Once all was ready, two priests worked in concert so that the pieces of the sacrifice went into the fire in the courtyard at the same time fresh incense was poured onto the coals in the holy place. At a signal from a loud wind instrument, everyone in the temple dropped in silent worship.
The third and ninth hours of the day were therefore known as the hours of prayer. In Acts 2, as smoke billowed from both the holy place and the courtyard, a mighty wind raced through the city streets to an upper room. The Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples and, like incense hitting live coals, he set their souls on fire.
The book of Revelation shows something like an hour of prayer in chapter 8. The seventh seal is opened and an angel at the heavenly altar of incense pours the prayers of God’s people onto the coals. Silence reigns for half an hour, as at the hour of prayer. Then Sinai-like thunderings follow the launch of the incense-filled censer against the earth.
The “Wet” Harvest
The wheat harvest begins with Pentecost but also opens the “wet harvest”–three months of bringing in the grapes and olives and whatever is left in the field. In the Revelation account, however, the reaping instruments become harsher. The bowl plagues are the final pleas from the owner of the vineyard to bend the knee voluntarily and recognize his authority.
In-gathering will continue for a short time yet, but the seventh month is around the corner. When the trumpets of the next feast blow, it will call the workers in from the fields. Whatever has ripened too late will be left on the vine.
The Sabbath of months takes the stage at Messiah’s return. But that will be for the next installment.
Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t done so already, then check that you received an email confirmation.