God’s Plan of Salvation

When most people think of the word “Sabbath” they think of the weekly Sabbath.  Yet, God has also called his Holy Days “Sabbath” as well.  Through these Holy Days, God begins to outline his plan of salvation to us.   There are seven Feasts or Holy Days.  The first three festivals; Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost are memorials of the first part of God’s plan.  The last four festivals; Feast of Trumpets, Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, and the Eighth Day look forward to the future and show how and when God will reap the great autumn harvest of people into His family.

God’s ultimate plan is to create a spiritual family, comprised of all those in mankind who have overcome the world. God’s Holy Days outline His process of how we are to change our lives for Him, as well as His plan to change the world and restore His Kingdom here on earth.  He will rule his divine Kingdom with spirit-born members of His family. The Holy Days outline what will happen when Christ returns, the resurrection of the saints, what happens to Satan and his demons at the return of Christ, the total destruction of both heaven and earth, and finally the creation of a brand NEW heaven and earth to come.

God’s Holy Days are commanded Holy Days, just as the keeping of the weekly Sabbath is.  True understanding of these Holy Days brings much joy into our lives.  They allow us to see into the mind of God.  Wisdom comes from “doing,” and through God’s command of keeping these Holy Days comes a greater understanding of God’s plan of salvation for our lives.

Let’s begin this summary. Greater information of each Holy Day is defined under their specific tab.

As I stated earlier, God’s Sabbath extends beyond just the weekly Sabbath.  The fourth commandment is an absolute essential part of God’s law.  Keeping God’s Seventh day Sabbath holy is a sign that identifies those who worship the Creator God.  (Ex. 31:13, 16-17) The Sabbath is a memorial of God’s creation as well as looking forward to the Millennium and the completion of God’s spiritual creation in man.

In the Old Testament, the “feasts of the LORD” were to be proclaimed “in their seasons.”  This tells us there is a specific “time and order” to these observances!

These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.  (Lev. 23:4)

The Passover is the first of God’s commanded annual festivals, the first of seven Holy Days that outline his plan of salvation for mankind.   It is a yearly reminder of God’s intervention in delivering the Israelites firstborn from death.  It also pictured, in advance the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, “our Passover” lamb, for the sins of mankind.

…For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. (I Cor 5:7)

For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (I Pet 1:18-19)

The New Testament Passover is commanded to be kept as an annual memorial of Christ’s suffering and death.  The Passover reaffirms year by year “till He comes” the true Christian’s faith in the blood of Christ our Passover.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.  (I Cor 11:26)

Just accepting Christ’s sacrifice for our sins is not enough.  We must repent and be baptized.  When our sins have been forgiven by God, we must then strive to forsake sin completely.  We must come out of this world’s ways of sin.

(Rev. 18:4)  As God outlines his part of our plan of salvation, he also reveals our part as well.  Our part in all this is coming out of this world in action, words, and thoughts to become Christ like.  Accepting Christ as our personal savior, our Passover lamb, is our part in the plan.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures symbolically the putting of sin out of our lives. Biblically, leaven is a symbol for sin. Leaven “puffs up” just as sin does in our lives and makes us think we’re something we’re not.

Paul, speaking to the church in Corinth, tells them to purge out the old leaven (sin) that they may be unleavened (without sin). (I Cor. 5:7-8)

We all sin…but we are told to continue to strive to put it out of our lives. (Heb.12:1-4)

Striving to put sin out of our lives and keep it out is our part of this step in God’s Plan of Salvation.

Pentecost is the Third step in God‘s Plan.  This pictures a memorial celebration of the first fruits of the crops that God had given them, as well as a memorial commemorating the founding of the New Testament Church of God through the receiving of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4)

The fourth step in God’s Plan of Salvation is the Feast of Trumpets.  This feast portrays a pivotal event in God’s plan.  It not only pictures the coming of Christ to resurrect and change the first fruits, it also pictures the terrible time of world war just ahead and the intervention of Jesus Christ to humanity from total annihilation.  It also portrays the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.  Trumpets were blown to announce God’s festivals, as well as to call God’s people to assembly.  Trumpets were also used as an alarm of invading armies and impending warfare.  This terrifying sound filled the people of ancient Israel with fear, because they knew the horror of war was imminent!  It is this warning of war that sets apart the Feast of Trumpets from God’s other festivals. 

This festival was to be a memorial of blowing of trumpets.  It is from this ceremony that the Feast of Trumpets gets its name.

WHAT HAPPENS TO SATAN AFTER CHRIST RETURNS?

The fifth step, the Day of Atonement reveals the answer.  It pictures Christ deposing Satan the Devil from his present position as world ruler, and Satan’s removal to a place completely away from mankind.  He will be bound for 1,000 years, no longer able to deceive the nations and influence man to sin.  

After Satan’s imprisonment, the rest of humanity will be reconciled – made “At One” – with God.

The Day of Atonement is the most unusual Holy Day as far as what God expects us to do.  It is a day God expects us to “fast” – to abstain from food and water.  Fasting for spiritual reasons serves the purpose of drawing us closer to God.  It is a vivid reminder of the state of mind necessary for salvation – of humility, godly sorrow, earnestly seeking after God and His way.  

WHAT DOES THE WORD ATONEMENT MEAN?

Webster’s says to atone means to “set at one.”  To join in one – to form by uniting.  Funk and Wagnall Dictionary defines atone as “to make expiation (make amends), “at one in accord,” i.e. reconcile.

Strong’s Concordance says this:

3722 { kaw-far’} 

1)   to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch

1a)   to coat or cover with pitch

1b1) to cover over, pacify, propitiate

1b2) to cover over, atone for sin, make atonement for

1b3) to cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites

This day actually symbolizes God and man being set at one: literally the Day of At-one-ment!  God and mankind cannot be fully at one – in full agreement – until Satan is restrained. (and ultimately destroyed)

The sixth step is called the Feast of Tabernacles.  It is also called the Feast of Ingathering descibes the harvest in early autumn, which will ultimately be the great harvest of God's people.

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures a time of great rejoicing! In the old testament is was a time for great rejoicing after the people had harvested their crops just before winter prior to the Feast.  In the Millennium which this feast pictures, the happiness and joy will be on a worldwide scale due to being governed with the righteous rule and hand of Jesus Christ. It pictures the first time that everyone will be learning and living God’s way of life and what an incredible and wonderful place it will be to live.

A tabernacle is a “temporary” dwelling.  God's people all around the world who keep the Feast of Tabneracles live in temporary housing (for 8 days).  Living a week away from their everyday surroundings and negative influences, God’s people experience on a small scale the universal freedom, joy and peace that will exist in the Millennium when Satan is gone and the Spirit of God is leading all of humanity.  Just as the Feast is a physical feast filled with rejoicing, it is also a spiritual feast of education and preparation.  The Millenium pictures the ultimate in OUTREACH for those who have been called to rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years, to serve those learning to turn from their old ways of life and toward a spirit filled, loving and righteous way of life.

The Bible tells us that there is only one name that saves.  What about all those who have lived and died,  who never had an opportunity to know and really understand God's purpose and plan for mankind (including, many of your loved ones today)?  Are they lost forever?  

Rev. 20:5 shows that a second resurrection will occur after the Millennium, and verses 11-12 indicate that those in this resurrection will rise to “mortal” life, and who will then be given an opportunity to become members of God’s divine ruling Family.  Just as the Spirit-Begotten Christians have the opportunity today, these people will be given enough time to learn about God.  Those who choose to live God’s way of life, developing the character of God, will be changed from mortality to immortality at the end of this period of judgement.  

The earth as we know it will finally come to an end.  The Bible tells us that after everyone has had a chance to know God and to choose to follow him (or not), the world as we know it will change.  All those choosing to follow Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire including Satan and his demons.  Everything will be consumed by fire and completely burned up.  
We now come to the seventh and final step in God’s Plan of Salvation.

The number seven (7) in the Bible signifies completion and perfection.  The last annual Sabbath or Holy Day is called The Eighth Day.

Just as our weekly days end after the seventh day, the eighth day pictures a new beginning.  All that was physical (everything) will no longer exist.  This earth will be gone and nothing will remain.  It has been completely burned up.  The people that remain are those that willfully chose to follow after God, and they have been changed into spirit beings.  This Eighth Day also represents Jesus Christ turning over the Kingdom to his Father.  The eigth day pictures a  new Heaven and a New Earth, which houses the Temple of God. This temple is described in great detail in the book of Revelations.  The size of this city is a 1500-mile cube; 1500 miles long, by 1500 miles wide by 1500 miles high.  This city of God will be awesome.  

NOW WHAT?

What is the end of the story?  There isn't one!! Those that endure to the end will live eternally with the Father and the son, who is our elder brother.  What will we be doing?  We can’t even imagine it!!!

The Bible tells us in 1Cor 2:9:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Just that scripture alone can be mind blowing if you even “try” to think about it.  Remember, anything and everything you could possibly think of for just how fantastic and awesome it is and what we will be doing will not even compare to the reality of what he has in store for us!!!

I WANT TO BE THERE…AND I’M SURE YOU DO TOO!!

 This is just a summary of each of the Holy Days and what they briefly represent.  God has revealed his Plan of Salvation to those who are humbly seeking after him.

Choose God…and Choose LIFE!!

References:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.