God has a magnificent plan to change the lives of everyone on the earth and to create a perfect world! Wouldn’t it be great if you could be a part of it?
The world is a chaotic place that is full of unpredictability and danger. That is why it’s reassuring to know that the source of this confusion is not God (1 Corinthians 14:33)! In fact, when we understand the Bible, we see that God has a detailed, orderly plan to save mankind. One of the goals of Life, Hope & Truth is to educate as many as possible about this plan.
We don’t talk about God’s plan in order to just educate readers about it. We talk about it to help people understand that they—and that means you!—can have a part in it! God didn’t create you without purpose. Your life has a purpose, and it is tied to God’s overall plan for all humanity.
Involved in the plan of God
In the Bible God reveals seven festivals that He expects His people to keep annually (Leviticus 23). Today most people ignore these festivals completely, not understanding that these festivals reveal the outline of God’s plan for all mankind. Each festival has something special for us to learn about what God is doing with each person individually—and what He is doing with the world collectively!
Though we have literature that deals with this topic in more detail, let’s look at an overview in this blog post.
The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread
The first festival is the Passover. This observance represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The horrible, but necessary, death of Jesus Christ was not a spontaneous event. Instead, it was a part of God’s plan “from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Because all humans have sinned, a sacrifice that could pay the death penalty for sin was necessary (Romans 3:23; 6:23). As Peter said, we are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus because He died for our sins (Acts 2:36).
Don’t think of that collectively—think of it individually! He died specifically so you could live.
As a result of the forgiveness available through the symbolism of Passover, God wants us to change our lives. For more on this, read our article on Passover.
After we are forgiven of past sins through Christ’s blood, we are to strive to live a life that is free of sin (John 8:11). As we repent, we need to grow in godly character and overcome sin. This aspect of God’s plan is represented by the Days of Unleavened Bread, when God’s people remove all leavening, which symbolizes sin, from their lives and strive to live by “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Day of Pentecost
The Day of Pentecost is the day when God first gave His Holy Spirit to the Church (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit, which is the power of God, is vital for salvation. This was also the day that the Church of God was founded (Acts 2:47). God is calling people, perhaps you, into the Church for special training to grow in character and be in the Kingdom of God.
The Feast of Trumpets
On the Feast of Trumpets, which pictures a time yet to be fulfilled, ancient Israel was to have “a memorial of blowing of trumpets” (Leviticus 23:24). Trumpets have many meanings, including the heralding of a royal figure. And that is exactly what this day is about—the return of theKing, Jesus Christ, when He comes to establish His Kingdom on the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Until that time comes, we should heed Christ’s warning to constantly watch and pray (Mark 13:33).
The Day of Atonement
The Day of Atonement pictures the future time when Satan the devil will be bound and rendered powerless (Revelation 20:1-3). With Satan out of the picture, mankind will have an opportunity to be reconciled (become at one or unified) with God.
The Feast of Tabernacles
After the establishment of God’s Kingdom, there will be a period of 1,000 years when Christ will rule over the earth as it recovers from the ravages of man and Satan’s rule. This is represented by the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16; Revelation 20:4-5). Christ will not rule alone, however, but will rule with the assistance of His saints (Revelation 5:10). This will be only the beginning of a magnificent future of rulership that God has promised His people.
The Last Great Day
In the Great White Throne Judgment, represented by the Last Great Day, God will open understanding of His Word to the multitudes of people who have lived and died throughout history without ever before receiving that opportunity (Revelation 20:11-12). This is the time when the Book of Life—representing the opportunity to live forever as a child of God—will be opened to all mankind.
God wants you to have a part in His plan—and you can start right now by educating yourself further about these festivals and beginning to observe them. You may be surprised by the many things you will learn!
Joshua Travers grew up and lives in Athens, Ohio. He graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies and Spanish education from Ohio University. He also studied theology at Foundation Institute, Center for Biblical Education, in Allen, Texas and graduated with a certificate in biblical studies in May 2017.
by Joshua Travers
