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Occurring in the seventh month of the sacred calendar, the fall feasts and holy days portray the future fulfillment of God’s plan for all mankind. These vital days foretell how and approximately when end time events prophesied in the Old and New Testaments will unfold.

We will begin our survey of the fall holy days by focusing on the Feast of Trumpets—which falls on the first day of the seventh month (Lev. 23:23-25). Trumpets is the fourth (or “middle”) of God’s seven annual holy days, and indeed functions much like a fulcrum or a “tipping point” in the history of the world. Why? Because Trumpets pictures God’s direct, climactic intervention in the affairs of man—leading directly to the literal return of Jesus Christ and all the resurrected saints with Him to establish the Kingdom of God on earth—on this very day.

Historically, God required the priests and Levites to blow silver trumpets as a memorial throughout the day of Trumpets (Psa. 81:3; Lev. 23:23-24). They also blew hundreds of shofars, which were trumpets made from rams’ horns, used primarily in time of war. During such times, God would lead Israel into battle as the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant— while blowing trumpets (Josh. 6:1-16; Judges 7:8, 16-18). If the people had been obedient to God and faithful to His covenant, He would fight for them and give them victory over their enemies (Deut. 28:7; Lev. 26:7-8).

In addition, guards who watched over the cities and villages of Israel were to blow the shofar if an enemy attack was imminent (Ezek. 33:1-6; Joel 2:1, 15).

The Feast of Trumpets in the New Testament

There is not a direct reference (by name) to the Feast of Trumpets in the New Testament. However, based on the chronological structure of John’s Gospel, we can surmise that the feast mentioned in John 5:1 was probably the Feast of Trumpets. John’s framework for his Gospel is: Pass- over, John 2; Pentecost, John 4; a feast of the Jews, John 5; Passover, John 6; Tabernacles and Last Great Day, John 7 and 8; and Passover, John 12-19. Based on the seasons, John has the following sequence: spring, fall, spring, fall, and spring.

Since the feast in John 5:1 was after Jesus’ reference to Pentecost in John 4, it must have been a fall feast. (If it had been the Feast of Taberna- cles, it is likely that John would have mentioned it, as he did in chapter

seven. If it had been the Day of Atonement—a fast day characterized by absolutely no work whatsoever—the Jews would have been even more vehement against Jesus for healing a man and telling him to pick up his bed- roll and walk.) We can conclude, therefore, that the feast mentioned in John 5:1 was probably the Feast of Trumpets.

The Birth of Jesus Christ and the Feast of Trumpets: As the Word of God demonstrates, God has always used His feasts and holy days to ful- fill His will as well as certain major prophesies. We have already seen that the “appointed time” for Jesus to die was the Passover day in 30 AD, which God had set “before the foundation of the world.” But what about Jesus’ birth—was it likewise predetermined “before the foundation of the world” to occur on a particular day? Was that day a holy day? And if so, which holy day? What do the Scriptures and history reveal about Jesus’ birth?

Paul confirms that Jesus was born at the precise time appointed by God: “But when the [appointed] time for the fulfillment came, God sent forth His own Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). This indicates that the time of Jesus’ birth was predetermined. While the Gospels do not announce the specific day of Jesus’ birth, He was clearly born at a particular time preordained by God to fulfill His will and prophetic plan.

There is a preponderance of evidence found in the New Testament, the writings of Josephus, and other historical sources, as well as information relating to the calculated Hebrew calendar and specific astronomical events, from which we are able to determine approximately when Jesus was born— perhaps even the exact day. A chronicle of pertinent information document- ing when Jesus was born is, unfortunately, too expansive to be included in this book. Such details, however, are carefully documented in two books: A Harmony of the Gospels in Modern English—the Life of Jesus Christ and The Holy Bible In Its Original Order—a Faithful Version with Commentary, bothby Fred R. Coulter. It is sufficient to mention that the complex scrip- tural and historical evidence systematically compiled in these books sup- ports the Feast of Trumpets in 5 BC as the most probable date of Jesus’ birth. These books may be obtained from York Publishing (see address in the front of this book) or fromwww.amazon.com.

The Prophetic Meaning of the Feast of Trumpets: The book of Revelation unveils the prophetic meaning of the Feast of Trumpets, as the book depicts the “day of the Lord” described in several Old Testament prophecies. These prophecies give us many details regarding the day of the Lord—the time of God’s direct intervention in the affairs of man, when Jesus Christ returns in glory as King of kings and Lord of lords, to take control of this world (Rev. 11:15; 19:11-21). The Bible informs us that often a day in prophecy is a year in actual fulfillment (Num. 14:34, Ezek. 4:6). Isaiah 34:8 describes it as a “day of vengeance” and a “year of recompenses.” There- fore, reckoned from Trumpets to Trumpets, the “day” of the Lord is the final year leading up to and including Jesus Christ’s return to earth.

and war with death and destruction unparalleled in all of human history. The prophet Jeremiah indicates that ultimately all nations will be involved in the end time day of the Lord (Jer. 25:15-17, 26-27). God will intervene powerfully from heaven against all the nations of the world—none shall escape (verses 30-33). In fact, when Jesus Christ intervenes mightily in this world, He is going to shake the earth so violently that it will be nearly thrust out of its orbit (Isa. 13:6-13; also see Hag. 2:6-7). The prophet Isaiah describes the awesome power of God when He “arises to shake terribly the earth” and begins to make Himself known to the world. There will be no doubt that such events are from the hand of God (see Isa. 2:10-12, 18-21).

God gave Daniel a vision of this time, saying, “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” (Dan. 12:1). Jesus described for His disciples a time of tribulation coming at the end of the age—a time so devastating and destructive that if He did not intervene to limit those days, no flesh would be saved alive. “For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again. And if those days were not limited, there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be limited” (Matt. 24:21-22).

Throughout history mankind has suffered greatly from war, famine, pestilence and natural disasters. But nothing will compare to the day of the Lord: “The great day of the LORD is near; it is near and comes swiftly,

the sound of the day of the LORD. The mighty man shall cry bitterly there.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the ram’s horn and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers. ‘And I will bring distress on men, so that they shall walk as the blind because they have sinned against the LORD.

And their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung.’ Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of His

jealousy, for He shall make even a full end, yea, a terrible end of all who dwell upon the earth” (Zeph. 1:14-18).

The book of Revelation documents the fulfillment of such prophe- cies—describing an electrifying demonstration of power as Jesus Christ directly intervenes and personally manifests Himself. The opening of the sixth seal sets the stage for the day of the Lord to begin: “And when He [Jesus Christ] opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as the hair of sackcloth, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its untimely figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the heaven departed like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the powerful men, and every bondman, and every free manhid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the

rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb because the great day of His wrath has come, and who has the power to stand?’ ” (Rev. 6:12-17).

Trumpets and the Day of the Lord: The day of the Lord actually begins with the opening of the seventh seal—in which seven angels succes- sively sound their trumpets, signaling various phases of God’s direct inter- vention signaling the last year of human rule under the sway of Satan the devil. Ultimately, this great “day” will climax in angelic war from heaven against the united armies of men and demons on the earth.

John describes what he saw in vision regarding the seven trumpet plagues sent from God by the hands of angels: “Then I saw the seven an- gels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar; and much incense was given to him, so that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense went up before God from the hand of the angel, ascending with the prayers of the saints. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

“Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared them- selves to sound their trumpets. And the first angel sounded his trumpet; and there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was cast upon the earth; and a third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Then the second angel sounded his trumpet; and there was cast into the sea as it were a great mountain burning with fire, and a third of the sea became blood; and a third of the living creatures that were in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded his trumpet; and there fell out of heaven a great star, burning like a lamp; and it fell on a third of the rivers, and on the fountains of waters. Now the name of the star is Worm- wood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from drinking the waters because they were made bitter. Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet; and a third of the sun was smitten, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars; so that a third of them were darkened; and a third part of the day did not shine, and likewise a third part of the night. And I looked; and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who are dwelling on the earth, be- cause of the voices of the remaining trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets’ ” (Rev. 8:2-13).

When the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, hordes of demons will be released from an abyss to join human armies using futuristic weapons: “And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet; and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and there was given to him the key to the bottomless abyss. And he opened the bottomless abyss [to release the imprisoned demons]; and there went up smoke from the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit.

Then locusts [demons] came onto the earth from the smoke; and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was said to them that they should not damage the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only the men who did not have the seal of God in their fore- heads. And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death but will not find it; and they will desire to die, but death will flee from them.

“And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for war; and on their heads were crowns like those of gold; and their faces were like the faces of men; and they had hair like women’s hair; and their teeth were like those of lions. And they had breastplates like iron breastplates; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots drawn by many horses running to war; and they had tails like scorpions, and stingers; and they were given power to injure men with their tails for five months. And they have over them a king, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but the name he has in Greek is Apollyon [Satan the devil]. The first woe is past. Behold, after these things two more woes are still to come” (Rev. 9:1-12). John is no doubt graphically describing futuristic weapons to be used by human armies and demons. This fifth trumpet represents the ag- gressive attack by the prophetic “beast” of Revelation 13 against nations north and east of Jerusalem (Dan. 11:44).

After the five months, a coalition of kings from the east will retaliate against the “beast” with the largest army ever amassed in the history of the world. This massive, 200-million-man force will be armed with powerful, sophisticated weapons—and backed by the supernatural strength of hordes of demons. “And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet; and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God; and it said to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet, ‘Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates.’ Then the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were loosed, so that they might kill a third of men; and the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand; and I heard the number of them.

“And so I saw the horses in the vision, and those sitting on them, who had fiery breastplates, even like jacinth and brimstone. And the heads of the horses were like heads of lions, and fire and smoke and brimstone shoot out of their mouths. By these three, a third of men were killed: by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that shoot out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouths; for their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they inflict wounds. But the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands, that they might not worship demons, and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood, which do not have the power to see, nor to hear, nor to walk. And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thievery” (Rev. 9:13-21).

The prophet Joel describes this battle that takes place between the armies of the fifth and sixth trumpets: “ ‘Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain!’ Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD comes, for it is near at hand—a day of

darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness. As the morning is spread across the mountains, so comes a great people and a mighty people; there has never been the like, nor shall there ever be again, even to the years of many generations.

“A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wil- derness—and nothing shall escape them. Their appearance is as the appear- ance of horses; and as war horses, so they run. They shall leap with the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains, with the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, like a mighty people set in battle array. In their presence the people shall greatly tremble; all faces shall grow pale. They shall run like mighty men. They shall climb the wall like men of war, and they shall march each one in his path, and they shall not break their ranks.