Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20010207.htm

LEVITICUS: GOD'S CALL FOR A SEPARATED WITNESS
Part II: The Path Of Walking In Fellowship With God (Leviticus 11-27)
M. God's Prophetic Assemblies Of Christ's Redemption
5. The Feast Of Trumpets: Foretelling Israel's Millennial Kingdom Regathering
(Leviticus 23:23-25)
  1. Introduction
    1. We at Nepaug Church hold the next main prophetic event in God's timetable to be the Pretribulation rapture of the Church. We believe this event will be followed by the seven-year Great Tribulation that will prepare for the nation Israel's official regathering into Palestine for Christ's "Millennial" reign, cf. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things To Come, p. 193-218, 219-228. A main reason for this belief is our view that the Church is a body distinct from the nation Israel in God's program, so that God must begin working again with Israel separate from His work with the Church, and that after the Church has been removed from the world by the Pretribulation rapture, cf. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation, p. 56.
    2. If this prophetic view is correct, it should fit the prophetic schedule of Leviticus 23: there, in sequential order, we have observed in Leviticus 23:1-22 the feasts predicting Christ's death (Passover and Unleavened Bread) and resurrection (Firstfruits), followed by the Church's origin (the Day of Pentecost).
    3. We study Leviticus 23:23-25 to see what the Feast of Trumpets in its context reveals regarding the future, and how it sheds light upon our prophetic viewpoint as well upon God's program on the earth:
  2. The Feast Of Trumpets: Foretelling Israel's Millennial Kingdom Regathering, Leviticus 23:23-25:
    1. In the seventh month of Israel's calendar year, in the September-October realm of the fall, on the first day of that month, Tishri, a Sabbath day was instituted with a memorial of the blowing of trumpets with an assembly of the people of Israel, Leviticus 23:23-24.
    2. Since the focus was on the blowing of trumpets, we look at Israel's cultural, religious setting for understanding of the significance of this particular convocation as follows:
      1. God appointed that trumpets be used in Israel to gather as a signal for the gathering of princes or the congregation for journeying in their camps, or as an alarm or public notification that involved the entire nation's attention to the things of God, cf. Numbers 10:1-6.
      2. Also, this first day of Tishri began Israel's civil new year, cf. Ryrie St. Bib. KJV, ftn. to Lev. 23:24.
      3. Of particular note, this date also marked the gathering of the returned exiles from Babylon at the Water Gate in Jerusalem for the hearing of the Law read by Ezra the scribe, cf. Nehemiah 8:1-2. At this reading of the Law, the people realized they had been in the Babylonian Captivity for their sin, and became repentant to the point of weeping for all of their needless sufferings caused by sin, Neh. 8:5-9.
      4. Additionally, the Feast of Trumpets in Leviticus 23:23-25 is followed by the Day of Atonement when Israel was to afflict its soul for its sins, Leviticus 23:26-27!
      5. Hence, drawing from all of these facts, we deduce the Feast of Trumpets marks the actual time of the year when God will OFFICIALLY regather the nation Israel from the ends of the earth BACK into Palestine in preparation for the installation of the Messianic Kingdom:
        1. As the sounding of the trumpet signaled the major movement of God's people in the Old Testament, the Feast of Trumpets signals God's summoning the nation Israel for a geographical regathering.
        2. This regathering of Israel is profusely prophesied in the Old Testament: Isaiah 43:5-7 and Ezekiel 28:25-26 are just two of many such passages predicting this regathering to Palestine.
        3. At that time, similar to what happened in Nehemiah's era of old, Israel will realize the cause of Her dispersion was her rejection of Christ, and She will mourn over this sin, cf. Zechariah 12:10-14.
Lesson: Since the Feast of Trumpets follows Pentecost in Leviticus 23, and as Pentecost signals the origin of the Church and the Feast of Trumpets Israel's regathering for her repentance re: Christ, Israel and the Church are distinct bodies, and the Church is raptured before the Tribulation.

Application: (1) The Pretribulation Rapture of the Church is verified in Leviticus 23, so we should hold to it. (2) God's great FAITHFULNESS to the people of Israel in fulfilling His Abrahamic Covenant and applying Christ's salvation to Her is also thus verified, cf. Rom. 11:25-27; Gen. 12:1-3.