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Israel’s 7 Apocalyptic Days
“The Last [Seventh] Day, that Great Day of the Feast”
Chapter 1, Part 6 Preview: The envoys (apostles) never said that the seven Biblical “Feast” Days were dusty archives of events long forgotten! Rather, they are prophetic signs of “things to come”! The modern Israelite nations have almost entirely lost the knowledge of not only their Biblical heritage, but also the truth that we were to have an “everlasting covenant” with Elohim (God). This series explains, via the Biblical Feast and Festival Days (there is a difference), why it is that only the Israelite nations will suffer the prophesied “Great Tribulation”. The penalty for not keeping our covenant will be inflicted upon Modern Israel by the hands of the nations who we were supposed to set an example for! (Deuteronomy 4:5-10) The other nations suffer afterward:
The Feast days represent different events in different millennia. Just as Passover meant the exodus in ancient Israel in Leviticus 23, and Messiah the Lamb in Mark 14, and something different still in the seventh millennium in Ezekiel 45. The same goes for Pentecost in Deuteronomy 16:9-12 where it was a just seemingly a harvest Feast, but by Acts 2 there were miraculous signs and an outpouring of the 'special' spirit. Yet in 1948, just after sundown, calculated by the original first century calendar method (key phrase: UPDATE 2023), the Modern state of Israel was born—a preview of the reformation of all 12 tribes of Israel, as predicted in Ezekiel 37. So it will be at the close of the age, 2031(?). All of the Feasts and Festivals dates will have literal historic meanings that as the story unfolds on a literal Biblical scale! Over a seven month period it will fulfill the Second Exodus story! After a searing seven year long beatdown—the seventh shemitah cycle (2024-2030?) in the countdown to the Jubilee year, most of Bible prophecy will be completed in preparation for a millennial Sabbath!
This is all about Messiah’s real Bride—the Back Story of the Entire Bible!
Your Makers Are Your Husbands!
Isaiah 54:1-8 Shout for joy, you barren one who never had children. Break into shouts of joy, you women who have not been in labor! Because the forsaken 'woman' will have more children than the children of a married woman,” says Yehovah. 2 “Expand your tent site, stretch your tent curtains further out! Don’t hold back; lengthen your ropes, and drive your pegs deeper. 3 “You’ll spread out to the right and to the left, and your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the deserted cities.
4 “Don’t be afraid, because you won’t be ashamed or humiliated. You won’t be put to shame, and you’ll forget the shame of your youth. You won’t remember the stigmatism of widowhood. 5 Your MAKERS are your HUSBANDS [1], Commander Yehovah is His name, and the 'special' One of Israel is your Redeemer. He is called the Elohim of the entire earth. 6 Yehovah has called you like a deserted wife tormented by grief, like a wife rejected early in life,” says your Elohim. 7 “For a brief moment I let you alone, but with infinite compassion I’ll bring you back. 8 In a spurt of anger I hid My face from you momentarily, but with eternal love I’ll have compassion on you,” says Yehovah your Redeemer.—The Gabriel Bible
[1] Yes, both are plural, but not a trinity. This site source has plenty of plurality verses that some call a Binity. But to read historical statements confirming the fact that Yehovah was recognized as a Binity until Constantine forced a “reconsideration”, see this link. Also, when last I checked, Wikipedia’s article on Binitarianism (a moving target) was an equally informative article that is as persuasive as it can be, while still maintaining the necessary air of neutrality required of an encyclopedia.The entire Book of Hosea tells the story of the Bride and the astonishing events leading up to a surprise Wedding Day!
Hosea 2:14-20 But I’m going to allure her back. I’ll bring her into the wilderness [Ezekiel 20:35] and speak tenderly to her there. 15 I’ll give her back her vineyards beginning there and the Valley of Achor [trouble] into a door of hope. She’ll respond there as in the days of her youth, just like when she came out of the land of Egypt.” 16 Yehovah says: “When That Day Comes* you’ll call Me ‘Husband’ [Ishi] and you’ll never again call Me ‘Lord’ [Baali]. 17 I’ll remove the names of the Baals from your mouths, and you will never mention them again. 18 When That Day Comes I’ll make a covenant with all the wild animals of the plains, the birds from the air and the animals that move around on the ground. I’ll abolish bows and swords and weapons of war from the “earth”? [eretz: land or region] so that everyone can live in peace. [3] 19 I’ll be betrothed [4] to you forever. Yes, you’ll be betrothed to Me in righteousness and in justice, in faithful love and compassion. 20 I’ll be faithful to you, and you’ll finally know Yehovah.
[3] After Israel, the bride, has returned to her greatly enlarged land (Ezekiel 47:14-23), she will be totally dependent on her Husband for defence, (no Iron Dome), but armies near (
Psalm 83) and shortly afterward far (Ezekiel 38 (special emphasis on verse 11) will learn hard and fast. [4] Betroth literally means: “a fine, literally pay the price, and gain the right of possession.” Yeshua paid the price. So when does He take possession? And Who is the Messiah’s Bride? [4] Betroth literally means: “a fine, literally pay the price, and gain the right of possession.” Yeshua paid the price. So when does He take possession? And Who is the Messiah’s Bride?
In the first exodus, a great many did not survive (Numbers 14:29). But here is what happens in the “second exodus”:
Jeremiah 46:26-28 I’ll hand them over to those who want to kill them—into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and into the hands of his officers. But later, Egypt will be inhabited as in ancient times,” says Yehovah. 27 “As for you my servant Jacob, don’t be afraid, and Israel don’t be discouraged. I’ll rescue you from the distant lands, and your descendants from the lands of their captivity. He’ll be undisturbed and secure, with no one to frighten him. 28 Don’t you be afraid, Jacob My servant,” Yehovah says, “because I’m with you. Tho I bring destruction on all the nations where I have banished you, but I won’t completely destroy you. I’ll discipline you justly, but by no means will I leave you unpunished.”
Jeremiah 31:31-33 Yehovah says: “The time is coming [1], when I’ll make a New [marriage] Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. 32 It won’t be like the [marriage] Covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand led them out of the land of Egypt, since they broke My Covenant, tho I was their Husband,” says Yehovah. 33 “In this [marriage] Covenant that I’ll make with the House of Israel after those days,” Yehovah says, “I’ll put My Torah in the very hearts. I’ll be their Elohim, and they’ll be My people.
[1] Jeremiah 30 and 31 are one long prophetic monologue about the events to occur at the time of the Second Exodus (Jeremiah 23:7-8), when all 12 tribes of Israel return to the land (not just the Jews!) AND The Time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)—better known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:1-22). Not one verse of this 2 chapter prophecy has been fulfilled, including the Torah being written on anyone’s hearts. Why single verse 33 out of all this futuristic context?
The “great” thing about the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles is that it marks the transition of this present evil world into the wonderful world of tomorrow! It isn’t a Sabbath Day, but it will be great to view it thru the rear view mirror!
So I need to clarify which day is being spoken of. A close look at the wording unmistakably indicates that it is a single day within a multiple day Feast. The Eighth Day (that many people confuse with the “Last ... Great Day” of the Feast of Tabernacles) is strictly a one day festival that obviously couldn’t have a last day!
Note the distinction between the Seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the separate Eighth Day:
Leviticus 23:34-36 Tell the Israelites: “The fifteenth day of this seventh month begins the Feast of Tabernacles lasting for seven days to Yehovah. 35 On the first day there is a special public assembly, don’t do any ordinary [employment/home] work.
The Eighth Day
36 For seven days you must present offerings made by fire to Yehovah. On the Eighth Day you are to hold a special public assembly, and you must present offerings made by fire to Yehovah. It’s a solemn assembly. Don’t do any ordinary work.
The Scriptures never lump the Eighth Day in with the Feast of Tabernacles; it is a separate Feast, yet the term Eighth Day would logically follow the seventh day with no gap in time separating it from the time pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles—no one thousand year long postponement! The events of the Eighth Day change the world forever as we’ll see in the next section segment.
Judgment Day for the living non-Israelite world is based on how they live their lives immediately following the literal fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:16 Then everyone who is left behind [survivors] from all the nations that come against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship Commander Yehovah and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
This is where I explain my understanding of the Mysterious Seventy “Weeks” (years) prophecy—the connection:
Daniel 9:27 Then he [the desolator] will force a strong 'contract' on many for one septad time period. Then in the middle of the period of seven [shemitah cycle] he [the desolator] will stop the zebakim [sacrifices] and the offerings: [Daniel 12:11] And the winged one of abomination will cause desolation, until the predetermined destruction is poured out on the desolator.” [During the Jubilee year: Isaiah 34:1-8]
[4] See Zephaniah 2:8-10 and Ezekiel 25Again notice the mid contract occurrence that follows the warning sign that Yeshua (Jesus) gave about fleeing when an army surrounds Jerusalem—Matthew 24:15-16.
Daniel 11:31 Armed forces will rise up and defile the 'Temple' refuge and put a stop to the daily burnt zebakim [sacrifices], and they’ll set up an appalling detestable idol [KJV, abomination of desolation].
This will happen in the exact middle—1,260 days into—the Beast’s seven year “strong contract”. However at the end of the final seven year period, the tribes of Israel will be given miraculous power to throw off their bonds of slavery. Israel will become a warrior bride as she fights her way to the Promised Land:
Zechariah 12:8 When That Day Comes, Yehovah will defend the residents of Jerusalem so that the weakest of them will be like David, and David’s descendants will be like Elohim, like the Messenger of Yehovah going before them.
(I checked Google for the phrase “warrior bride” and found “about 6,590,000 search results”, [updated in 10/2/23] often referring to a church, but 0 results for the definitive “Israel is a warrior bride” {2 now in 2023, up from 0 in 2019} and O for “Israel is the warrior bride”. (Naturally, Google still doesn’t show my site.)
Once the seventh year is over, Elohim will destroy the hostile neighboring armies that pose a threat to Israel:
Verse 9 When That Day Comes I’ll begin to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
(Gog and Magog will be dealt with after all 12 tribes are resting securely in the promised land! Ezekiel 38 & 39—in “a land of unwalled villages”.)
Yet at the same time Israel will be learning about redemption and eternal life:
John 7:37-40 On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures says, ‘Out of their innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But He said this about the spirit that those who believe in Him were to receive, since the spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet become radiant. 40 Many in the crowd who heard what He said were saying, “He is certainly the Prophet!
Towards the end of the Tribulation the Beast may have his hands full fighting with the Antichrist (Revelation 17: 5 & 16) and this may be the opportunity for the newly forming army of volunteers to move back to Jerusalem:
Daniel 11:40-45 At the time of the end the King of the South will wage war with him, and the King of the North [Antichrist] will storm against him with chariots, cavalry, and many ships, and he’ll invade many countries, and overwhelm them like a flood and pass thru their land. 41 He’ll also invade the Beautiful Land, and many countries will be overthrown, but these will be [temporarily] spared from his grasp: Edom, Moab and most of the descendants of AMMON [4]. [home of Petra!] 42 He’ll 'conquer many' countries. The land of Egypt won’t escape. 43 He’ll take control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Nubians will also be in submission. 44 But then news from the east and the north will quickly alarm him, and he’ll leave in a great rage to destroy and completely exterminate many. 45 He’ll pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the beautiful 'special' mountain, yet he’ll come to his end, and no one will help him.
[4] See Zephaniah 2:8-10 and Ezekiel 25In any event, the Two Witnesses will be back in Jerusalem later for certain, because it is there that they are martyred.
Revelation 11:6-8 These Witnesses have the power to shut up the sky, to keep rain from falling during those days [Gr. “of prophecy”], and they have power over bodies of water to turn them into blood, and to strike the land with any disaster as often as they want. 7 When they have finished witnessing, the predatory beast [Aramaic “A beast of the tooth”] that comes up out of the abyss will wage war against them and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie in the open street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where their Sovereign was crucified.
This concludes the seventh seven-year period (the shemitah) that immediately precedes the Jubilee year. Satan is now to finally be ousted. Here is the transitional event
Joel 2:31-32 The sun will become dark and the moon will become blood red in the presence of [8] the great and awesome Day of Yehovah coming to pass. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of Yehovah will be rescued as Yehovah has said, ‘Because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be a way of escape [rootword: refugees] for the survivors who Yehovah is inviting [calling].
[8] Paw-neem’ usually means “before”, but a literal meaning is “presence” (131 X) (or “face of” 259 X+) of.” The timing is clarified in Matthew 24:29 “Immediately AFTER the time of Tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon won’t shed her light and shooting stars will fall from the sky, and the inherent power of the skies will be shaken.” The Day of Yehovah is also the Jubilee year: Israel saved, neighboring nations conquered.As the Great Tribulation is winding down, the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”) is announced: Zephaniah 1:14
Satan’s forces will be dominating world events until the final seven years expire. Satan will be defeated during the 7th trumpet. Gog and Magog’s army that assisted in his defeat fulfill their mandate to kill a third of mankind (Revelation 9:13-21). This is the fulfillment of the sixth trumpet. Their target is the Beast worshipers. After their job is finished they get the stupid idea (politicians do that) of attacking Jerusalem and they will be slaughtered. So all the wealth they collected during their rampage will become the property of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
A few “others” who are wise will side with Israel and be spared from the Day of Yehovah. They will get a head start on those of the other nations who will be forced to obey the Torah (Law) and these others will probably never enter the servitude that the rest of the enemy nations will.
Toward the very last literal day of this seven day period, that should be commemorated as “that GREAT DAY of the Feast” the reign of wicked men will cease. While the Seventh Day is not a Feast Day, it is still a high point of the commemoration because of what is ending!
The Judgment Day is very good news for the righteous and very bad news for the wicked!
Romans 14:10 Why do you judge your fellow believers, or why do you consider your fellow believers to be worthless? We must all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.
First the good news:
This is the grand finale event of this amazing Jubilee year. It brings us to the very threshold of the Everlasting Kingdom. There is precious little in the Bible about what follows the victory that falls during “the Great and Awesome Day of Yehovah” beyond the transitional period. We do know for certain that Yehovah’s truth will begin to flow everywhere like living water:
So after the carnage, Elohim will “gather OTHERS to Him, besides His own...”—unconverted survivors who were not wicked!
“Born Again”—Two Resurrections
Another facet of the Jubilee Year is that it also marks the year of the “first resurrection”, when the 'cherished' ones (saints) are resurrected—as in: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit IS spirit”—John 3:6. This impending resurrection (Daniel 12:1-4; John 5:24-30) precedes the “White Throne” Judgment by a thousand years. (Revelation 20:11).
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately after the time of Tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon won’t shed her light and stars will fall from the sky [See footnote on Isaiah 34:4], and the miraculous power of the skies will be shaken. 30 Then the miraculous sign of the Human Son will be seen in the sky, and then all the nations on earth will mourn when they see the Human Son coming on the clouds in the sky with great power and splendor.[6] 31 Then He’ll send out His spirit messengers with a loud shofar blast [7] and they’ll gather together His selected people from the four winds [north, south, east and west], from one farthermost bound of the horizon [heaven] to the other.
[6] Yeshua was alluding to Daniel 7:13 where “Daniel saw Someone like a Human Son coming with the clouds in the sky. So what is the sign—it will look like a human (son of man) descending from the sky! Immediately after Satan’s nearly unhindered seven year long rampage, everything begins to change in a day. Another entire set of prophecies will play out during the Year of Payback (Isaiah 34) [7] This link is a remarkable timetable that Ernest Martin calculated in 1989. He made many of the same asumptions as I had. Still a lot of good info. The passage of time necessitated the start of my countdown 2,000 years from Yeshua’s crucifixion rather than start from the beginning of His ministry. (otherwise the Great Tribulation would be well underway by now.)
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: Our Sovereign will 'personally' come down from Heaven with a mandate, and with a voice like the chief Messenger and with Yehovah’s shofar, and the dead who 'belong to' the Messiah will rise first! 17 Then, we who are still alive, having survived, will be carried away together with them into the clouds to meet our Sovereign in the expanse. And we will be with our Sovereign forever.
Finally, here is something wonderful being announced to those of us who were and are not going to have to learn the hard way about THEM like the bride will. Surely you know their names: (Proverbs 30:4)
1 Corinthians 15:52 In the smallest possible fraction of a second [Gr. atomos], while the last [seventh] shofar [8] is sounding, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be transformed!
[8] See Revelation 8:6.The resurrection is on the “last day of the Feast”:
John 7:37-39 On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures says, ‘Out of their innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But He said this about the spirit that those who believe in Him were to receive, since the spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet become radiant.
John 6:40 Because My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have eternal life, and I’ll raise them up on the Last Day [of the Feast].
John 6:39,44,54 And the will of the One who sent Me is that I won’t lose any of those He has given Me, but should raise them up during the Last Day. ... 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them. Then I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day. ... 54 but anyone who eats My body and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day.
Martha understood it:
John 11:24 Martha replied, “I know that he’ll rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.
Judgment of those who deliberately rejected Yeshua will also occur on that same “Last Day”:
John 12:48 Those who reject Me and don’t accept My words have something to judge them—the words [5] I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day.
[5] Isaiah 5:24
Perhaps some or all of those who have viciously rejected Yeshua will suffer longer than Judgment Day. As we’ll see below, the High Priest and those who pierced Yeshua are already present when Yeshua returns!
As I understand it, “On the Last Day” (seventh year?) the announcement will go out that the “Torah giver” is coming “who can cause you to live, or can destroy you” (James 4:12).
Many teach that the “Last Day” is the “Eighth Day” that follows the Feast of Tabernacles, but insert a 1,000 year long postponement between the 7th and 8th days. The “Great Day” of the Feast is the greatest day of a multiple day feast, as the term itself indicates, while the “very last Day” is “the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”)”—Judgment Day.
In essence there are two “Last Days”. There is the seventh Sabbatical year (year 49) and then there is the last year of the fifty year cycle:
Leviticus 25:8-11 You must count off seven Sabbaths of years—seven times seven years, so that the seven Sabbaths of years amounts to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then you will sound the shofar alarm [Literally “shofar shofar”, not Jubilee] [2] on the tenth day of the seventh moon, on the Day of Atonements you’ll sound the shofar alarm thruout your entire land. 10 You’ll dedicate the fiftieth year, and shout liberty thruout the land to all of its inhabitants. It will be a Jubilee for you, and each of you can return to your own property, and each of you will return to your own clan. 11 The fiftieth year will be your Jubilee year. During ‘that year’ you won’t plant, or preserve the “after crop”* from what grows by itself, or make wine* from any leftover* grapes.
[2] The KJV wrongly says “trumpet of the jubile[e]”, in agreement with the Jewish custom of beginning years in the seventh month—a practice begun in Babylonian captivity. But an upcoming Jubilee was originally to be announced on the Day of Atonements of the seventh Shemitah year (the 49th year).
Yeshua’s statement on the Last Day apparently had a powerful influence on the audience. As soon as He revealed the essential meaning of the Last Day to the faithful who have ears to hear, His enemies discussed how they could kill Him!
John 7:44-46 Some of them wanted to arrest Him. But no one laid a hand on Him. 45 When the Temple guards returned to the high priests and Pharisees, the priests asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him?” 46 The Temple guards said, “No one has ever spoken the way this Man speaks.
Now for some critical news:
Zechariah described this time of transition between the “old earth” and the “new earth”.
Zechariah 14:4, 8-9, 16-19 And when this day arrives, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.... 8 When That Day Comes, living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea, both in summer and winter.
9 Yehovah will be King over all the land [not earth, “eretz”, same word as v.10]. When That Day Comes* it will be Yehovah alone, and His name alone... 16 Then everyone who is left behind [survivors] from all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship Commander Yehovah and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 When that time comes, if any of the clans of the region won’t come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Commander Yehovah, they’ll get no rain. 18 If the people of Egypt don’t show up, they’ll get no rain. This is the plague that Yehovah will strike the nations with that don’t come up and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 That will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of any other nation that wonn’t come up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
It appears that a severe news black out will occur within the far flung regions of the earth. Any number of prophesied events—“natural disasters”—could cause this among the nations that actually sold Israelite slaves “who haven’t heard of My fame or seen My splendor”. I believe that the 'cherished ones' “will declare My splendor among the nations”.
Isaiah 66:18-23 Because I know about their behavior and their thoughts, the time is coming when I’ll gather all people of every language. They’ll come and see My splendor. 19 I’ll set up signs among them and send [some] survivors to the nations—to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal, Javan and to the distant lands beyond the oceans [Scroll to v.18 comment] who haven’t heard of My fame or seen My splendor. They’ll announce My splendor among the nations. 20 They’ll bring all of your relatives from all the nations as an offering to Yehovah [Second Exodus], on horses, on chariots, on litters, on mules and on dromedaries to My 'special' mountain Jerusalem,” Yehovah says, “like the Israelites bring their offering in a ceremonially clean vessel into Yehovah’s 'Temple'. 21 I’ll also appoint some of them to be priests and Levites [Ezekiel 44:6-15],” says Yehovah. 22 “As the New Heavens and the New Earth that I’ll make will endure in My presence”, declares Yehovah, “So your descendants and your name will endure. 23 “Then, from one New Moon to the next New Moon [every month!], and from one Sabbath to the next Sabbath [every week!], all of humanity will come to worship before Me”, declares Yehovah.
While the Tribulation is also referred to as “great” and similarly “the last [7th] day, that great day of the feast” is once referred to as “great”, it is the Day of Yehovah/Jubilee/Judgment Day that is the greatest because Elohim is here:
Joel 2:11 ... Yehovah’s voice 'thunders' before His army, because His forces [3] are extremely large. Those who obey His 'commands' are powerful. The Day of Yehovah is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?
[3] Just like Babylon and Assyria were His armies scattering His unfaithful bride.Revelation 16:14 They are the spirits of demons who perform signs, going out to all the kings of the “inhabited” world, to gather them to the battle of the GREAT [Judgment] Day of Yehovah Almighty [3].
[3] The sun will darken “immediately after the time of Tribulation”: Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-27, Acts 2:19-20, Isaiah 13:9-13, Joel 2:31.Revelation 6:17 ...because The Great Day of Their anger has come, and who is able to 'survive' that?” [Isaiah 34:4,8]
Jude ‘1’ 6 He has held the angels who disregarded their prime directive, and abandoned their assigned place with chains [Gr. ‘eternal chains’] in concealed darkness, awaiting the great Judgment Day.
Elohim fairly well concealed the significance of His Biblical Feast Days, preferring to let us dig out their meanings for ourselves.
Proverbs 25:2 It’s the 'prerogative' of Elohim to conceal phenomena, but the 'honour' of kings is to discover them.
We should hope to be a priest or a king some day.
Revelation 5:10 and You made them kings and priests for Yehovah, and they’ll rule as kings on the earth.
Here are some Bible verses that date the “Last Day”:
Revelation 1:7 He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes, Aw-main'. [4]
[4] When the One who was pierced returns there will be mourning everywhere: Zechariah 12:9-14.
Matthew 26:63-64 But Yeshua was silent. Then the high priest said, “I adjure you by the living Aloha [God] to tell us if You are the Messiah, Yehovah’s Son.” 64 Yeshua replied, “You have correctly stated it. But I’m telling you that in the future you’ll see the Human Son sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds in the sky. [Acts 1:9].
The “high priest” and “those who pierced Him” will not be present at Yeshua’s return for milk and cookies!
The words “coming on the clouds of the ‘sky’” (usually rendered “heaven”) is a reference to Daniel 7, verse 13 in particular. The context here unmistakably confirms that Judgment Day is when Yeshua returns visibly in the clouds.
(As I explain under the heading: “No Man Knows the Day or Hour” in Part 3, the phrase is actually a reference to the Feast of Trumpets. Expect Yeshua to return on that very day as a Judge! Satan being cast into the bottomless pit as a judgment is mentioned in Revelation 20:3, in the context of Judgment Day, verse 4.)
The Eighth Day—What it Does Not Picture!
So far as I know, all of the many splinter groups descended from the Worldwide Church of God still teach that the symbolic purpose of the Eighth Day has to do with an imaginative period of salvation thought to take place a thousand years after the Everlasting Kingdom is set up, and that Judgment Day for billions of people now dead is also in the distant future—imagining that every sin in this life is to be magically erased because humanity did not understand “the truth”. Yet salvation and judgment for both the righteous and the wicked will not be postponed for a thousand years. So the way they tell it, people like Hitler (even mentioned by name) will be resurrected to another physical life because 'God' needs more time to sort the good people from the evil people. However this defies dozens of Scriptures! That “grave” error is the most prominent teaching concerning the Eighth Day that I am aware of.
In reality, everyone who will have died during the first 6,000 years—prior to the seventh millennium will be judged immediately after the time of trouble—the Great Tribulation (Daniel 12:11-13).
Daniel 12:1-4 AT THAT TIME, Michael will take a stand, the great commander who stands for your people, and there will be a time of trouble [the Great Tribulation, worse than 536 A.D, The Worst Year In History], such as there has never been since the first nation up until that time, AND AT THAT TIME [during the “time of the end!”] your people will escape, everyone whose names are still found {niphal} recorded in the Book [of Life]. 2 Multitudes of people sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some of them to everlasting life, and the others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 But Daniel, keep this message a secret, and put a seal on the book until the time of the end. Many will travel around quickly, and knowledge will greatly increase [Hebrew shoot!]
And a Second Witness from Yeshua’s favorite follower:
John 5:28-29 Don’t be amazed at this, because the time is coming when everyone in their graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things to a Resurrection resulting in life, and those who have committed evil to a Resurrection resulting in Condemnation.
A Third Witness:
Hebrews 9:27-28 And just as people are destined to die once, and after their death comes Judgment Day, 28 so the Messiah was also offered once, and personally placed on the altar to bear the sins of many, and He’ll appear a second time, not to bear sin, but for the eternal life of those who expect Him.
The Church of God’s Eighth Day Festival/Second chance theory serves the same purpose as Purgatory does for Catholicism—it’s human reasoning thought to make God appear more “fair”. But to deny that sin in this life has eternal consequences for the billions of people who have ever lived is the most offensive teaching they have! The true Biblical account is most inspiring. Sadly, virtually everyone rejects Yeshua’s answer to “What must I do so that I can inherit eternal life?”. This is the world’s most important question, but virtually no one believes Yeshua’s answer, even tho it is repeated in Mark 10:17-22 & Luke 18:18-23! These are the six “love your neighbor” Commandments, (counting covetousness, vss.21-22). The first four Commandments are the “love your Aloha” Commandments, while the last six Commandments apply to human relationships. There is a greatly overlooked means of obtaining eternal life for the relatively righteous people who are ignorant of the Torah, as explained in Are the “Unsaved” Lost?.
So why do I care about the Sabbatarian “Churches of God”? It is because they are one of the seven end-time commandment keeping “churches” referenced in Revelation 2 & 3. Unfortunately, the various factions are lead by a Nicolaitan (totalitarian) rulers.
The 8th Day—the Beginning of the 1000 Everlasting Kingdom!
Daniel 7:14.27 He was given dominion, splendor and a Kingdom, so that people of every nation and language would serve Him. His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom that will never pass away, and His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed... 27 The kingdom and the sovereignty, and the majesty of every kingdom under every sky will be given to the cherished ones, the people of the Most Supreme. His kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom, and every king will serve, hear and obey Him.
The absolute best place to read about the Everlasting Kingdom is in Isaiah 65 and 66. No other one place even comes close. But caution: Do not inert a 1,000 year gap anywhere in here.
As explained in New Jerusalem, a Place of Safety! many 'chosen ones' (saints) will have taken refuge in the “New Jerusalem” during the year of wrath; but likely just before the next 7th millennium even begins, it will be visible from earth, and certainly after the renewing of the Earth, looking outwards into the “New Heavens”! where everything “up there” is rearranged and substantially repurposed and awaiting us! I really encourage you to read all of Chapters 65 and 66, but here is a sampling:
Isaiah 65:17-24 [2] “I’m going to create a New Heavens and a New Earth, and the previous ones won’t be remembered or come to mind! [This is in the context of burning the wicked and blessing the world’s better survivors at the end of the age as they live out their lives.] 18 Be glad and rejoice forever in what I’m going to create, because I’m creating [a New] Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people a joy. [1] 19 I [Yehovah] will celebrate in Jerusalem and take delight in My people. Screaming and crying will never again be heard in the city.
20 “Never again will there be an infant who lives for only a few days, or an old man who hasn’t lived out his days. A son who only lives to be a hundred years old would die young, because a family member who dies at one hundred years of age would be cursed. [Indecisive people live to 100, obviously these are flesh and blood people doing what they were meant to do.] 21 They’ll build houses to live in and eat fruit from the vineyards they plant. 22 They won’t build homes for others to live in, and they won’t plant for others to harvest. My people will live as long as the trees [sometimes centuries], and My select will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They won’t work for nothing or have children doomed to misfortune, because they are the 'people' blessed by Yehovah, along with their children. 24 Before they call, I’ll answer. While they are still asking, I’ll hear.
[2] In verses: 17-19: A common misconception is that somehow, without notice or reason, the timeline jumps to a time after the millennium! Yet there is no justification in postponing the crowning events in this eight chapter long finale of human and satanic rule that began in chapter 59!Isaiah 65 & 66 also describe the worldwide salvational (salvage) plan of the new millennium that will be set in motion by the 120th Jubilee (year 6000). Isaiah also spoke of the “New Earth”. This description is more specific and inspiring than any other reference place in the Bible. Note that when the flood “destroyed” the earth (Genesis 9:11) we really got a Renewed Earth, not a different planet. So it will be very soon when the Earth is “destroyed” again Matthew 24:37-39.
[1] See my commentary in From 2024 to Eternity—scroll down to “The Sequence of End Time Events”.
Of course Israel is the first focus of the prophecy because Israel is the catalyst for change once the destruction of the Day of Yehovah is past. But these liberated people will zealously spread the truth about Yehovah’s eternal plan to the rest of the world—those who have survived: Very early in the morning following the Seventh Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua was again in the Temple teaching. This would have been the Eighth Day. On this particular day Yeshua gave a dramatic illustration of forgiveness—forgiveness of a deadly sin! This is another perfect example of His turning sour lemons into lemonade as His enemies were trying to entrap Him. We just read about two separate resurrections from the dead and the restoration of Israel. Now we’ll deal with the rest of “the world”, “anyone” still alive. It was on the eighth day when Yeshua said that He was “the light of the WORLD”. Here is part of the account: John 8:1-6 Yeshua [Jesus] went to the Mount of Olives.
2 In the morning He returned to the Temple and virtually everyone came to Him, and He sat down and taught them.
3 The Torah teachers and Pharisees brought a woman to Him who was caught committing adultery [1]. They made her stand in 'among them'.
4 They told Him, “Sovereign, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.
5 In the Torah of Moses, Yehovah has commanded us to stone such people, but what do You say?”
6 They asked this to 'entrap' Him, in order to have legal grounds to accuse Him. But Yeshua stooped down, and began writing [2] on the ground with His finger. [1] The 53rd verse of John 7, as well as the whole story of the adulteress in John 8:1-11, was accidentally omitted in the Peshitta Testimony of Yeshua (and hence, in the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus). It is found in eight Aramaic (Syriac) mss, and in numerous references by the “church fathers” in reference to the book of John. This is one exact page since manuscript pages were all laid out with the same line & word counts.
After pointing out the accusers hypocrisy, likely naming names by writing them in the dirt, the wicked ones left. Yeshua continued:
John 8:9-12 When they heard about it they passed by, one by one, beginning with the oldest until He was all alone with the woman still standing 'there'. 10 When Yeshua stood back up, He asked the woman, “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Sovereign.” Yeshua replied, “I don’t condemn you either. So go, and from now on don’t sin any more.” 12 Once more Yeshua conversed with them, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who comes to Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Such will be the fabulous favor toward the fortunate survivors among the nations of the Great Tribulation and the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”).
It seems a bit odd at first, but The Eighth Day is the seventh annual Feast Day; count them in Leviticus 23. The Eighth Day is in reality the seventh thousand year long “day”—years 6000-6999, of the first “millennial week”, ending the first millennial week not beginning another week! The presumed fulfilled prophecies of 1948 fulfilling a Jubilee Year are mmostly all taken out of context. The postulations about 1948 fulfilling great end-time prophecies never take into account the fact that Yeshua will personally reestablish Israel, King David will be reigning in Jerusalem, and there will be true safety—no missile threats, suicide bombers or invasions. All 12 tribes will be present and accounted for, etc. etc. when Jubilee is really fulfilled.
In Leviticus 23, where we find the complete listing of Feast Days, there is only part of one verse instructing Israel about the one day annual Commemoration immediately following the Feast of Tabernacles. No clue is given in the immediate context as to what is to be commemorated. Certainly this is a situation where Elohim would expect natural human curiosity to kick in. Imagine Elohim summoning a meeting of your entire nation to memorialize something, but neglecting to mention why! Two things we do know: this is the end of the story, and we win!
Leviticus 23:36 For seven days you must present offerings made by fire to Yehovah. On the Eighth Day you are to hold a special public assembly, and you must present offerings made by fire to Yehovah. It’s a solemn assembly. Don’t do any ordinary work.
The Eighth Day is all about the happily ever after part, beginning with Israel, Yeshua’s bride.
Isaiah 11:9-10 They won’t hurt or destroy on all [1] My 'special' mountain, because the land [eretz: region, vs 10-11] will be as filled with the knowledge of Yehovah as the water covering the sea. [2] 10 When That Day Comes* the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a rallying banner for the nations. His resting place will be majestic.
[1] Of the 30 places where 'special (holy) mountain' appears, almost every reference is to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, but a few apparently include all of Jerusalem. [2] Notice that the “knowledge of Yehovah” fills the Land of Israel (not really the earth) (v.9) completely before making much of a dent beyond Israel. Verses 10-11 make it abundantly clear that Israel must be fixed before the neighbors begin to “recover”.This seventh millennium is the point in history when Israel is beginning in earnest to live Elohim’s way of life. Israel has just become Yeshua’s (Christ’s) Bride. Zion (Jerusalem) has just become the world’s Capitol city. Following these events the survivors of “many nations” will want to come and learn about this awesome Elohim and the people who serve Him.
The next generation will be stunned to learn, after the fact, that billions of Bibles described the climactic end time state of affairs of this age. These prophecies describe in excruciating detail the single most traumatic event in the history of humanity. Their closed minded yet highly venerated religious leaders have had well over one hundred generations to decipher Yehovah’s straightforward proposal. They should have “made a difference”. Nevertheless these shepherds subjected Yehovah’s truth to “spin”, and substituted fairy tales about wafting off to heaven or stories of “reincarnation” for the true earthly message, and all the more deceitfully as the devastation was imminent! Needless to say, the rest of the world had not been hearing the good news.
2 Timothy 4:4 They’ll reject the truth and turn to fiction..
“AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM”
Make no mistake, this is no mere 1,000 year long Kingdom!
Psalm 145:11-15 They’ll speak of the splendor of Your Kingdom, and talk about Your power. 12 They’ll reveal to 'humanity' His mighty acts, the splendor of the majesty of His Kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom. Your dominion endures thruout every generation. [Aramaic: Yehovah is faithful in all His words, and loving in everything He does—Clarke’s Commentary] 14 Yehovah supports everyone who falls, and raises up all those who are bent over under burdens. 15 Everyone 'looks' to You. You give them their food right on time.
“THE TIME WHEN EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED: Acts 3:21—Peshitta”
The Greek versions of Acts 3:21 ‘say’ “the restoration of all things”, but there has never been a time from Adam being ousted from their personal oasis in Eden until now that we would want to be restored to!
The “Time When Everything Is Completed” is the genesis of the “New Earth”
(Isaiah 66:22, Acts 3:21)! It is the long awaited establishment of the “Everlasting Kingdom”. Revelation 20, “the millennium chapter”, nowhere indicates that Yehovah’s Kingdom will only last for one millennium, tho an unsavory event involving the Adversary (Satan) does punctuate the conclusion of the first millennial “week”. Very soon we will arrive at the time when all of humanity will have the opportunity to become Yehovah’s people. It represents physical salvation and the opportunity for eternal spiritual salvation being offered to all of Israel, with Israel in turn finally setting an example for the entire world (the plan from the beginning)! Most of those whose lives have been spared during the Jubilee year will be good candidates for eternal life at the conclusion of their long lives.There will soon be liberty and justice and eternal life for all, and you can be a part of it!
was dedicated to the future “DELIVERANCE” of the nations:
Psalm 67:1a-7 For the Music director. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song. 1b May Elohim be merciful to us and bless us. May He 'look' on us with favor. Selah. 2 May Your ways be known on earth, and every nation realize that You can save. 3 May the nations praise You, Elohim. May the nations praise You. 4 The nations will celebrate and sing for joy, because You’ll judge the nations fairly and guide the kingdoms on earth. Selah. 5 All the nations will praise You, Elohim. All the nations will praise You. 6 The earth has yielded its harvest. Elohim, our Elohim, bless us. 7 Elohim will bless us. The 'far' ends of the earth will revere Him.
Psalm 96 is entirely about this time of the worldwide reign of Yeshua as well. Here is an excerpt:
Psalm 96:10-13 Say among the heathen, “Yehovah reigns.” The world is established so that it won’t fall. He’ll judge the nations fairly. 11 The heavens will rejoice and the earth will be glad. The sea and everything in it will roar. 12 The fields will be jubilant, and everything in them, and all the trees in the forest will sing. 13 You will rejoice before Yehovah because He is coming. He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the people with His truth.
“Who is to rule” and whose “judgment seat”?
Revelation 12:5 She [Israel] 'had given' birth to a Son who is to rule all nations with a scepter of iron. Her Child was quickly taken up to Yehovah and to His throne.
Psalm 98 is another Psalm that is devoted to commemorating this wonderful age of “deliverance” soon to come!
Psalm 98:2-3, 9 Yehovah has announced His victory. He has revealed His righteousness for the nations to see. 3 He has remembered His faithful love and His faithfulness toward the House of Israel. All the remotest parts of the earth have seen the victory of our Elohim. 9 ...in Yehovah’s presence, because He is coming to judge the earth. He’ll judge the world with justice and the nations with fairness.
Here is yet another Messianic portion of Scripture that describes the coming restoration of Israel that, while liberated in battle, is mostly lived out beginning in the peaceful Eighth Day. Inherent within the prophecy is the fact that Israel will yet set an example for the rest of the world—given enough coercion! There could be no better description of the establishment of the Everlasting Kingdom than Isaiah 49. The Day of Yehovah makes the “day of deliverance” possible:
Isaiah 49:6-13 He is saying: “It isn’t enough for You [just] be My Servant [Yeshua] to to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the Israelites who were 'spared.' I will also make You a light to the nations, so that You can bring My message of deliverance to the 'remotest parts' of the earth!” 7 This is what Yehovah the Redeemer of Israel, and its 'special' One, says to the despised One, the One the nation abhors, the Servant of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise, and leaders will bow down, because of Yehovah who is faithful, the 'special' One of Israel who has chosen You.”
8 This is what Yehovah says: “In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of deliverance I have helped You. I’ll protect You [the Messiah: Barnes] and give You to the people as a covenant [the covenantee], to restore the land and to repossess its desolate heritage. 9 You will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out’ and to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves’! They’ll be My sheep, grazing along the roads and finding pastures on all the once barren heights. 10 They won’t hunger or thirst, and the heat or sun won’t beat down on them because the One who has mercy on them will lead them. He’ll guide them to springs of water. [Context: Revelation 7:13-17] 11 I’ll make all My mountains traversable, and My highways in the valleys will be elevated. 12 They will come from far away! They will come from the north and from the west, and they will come from Australia. 13 Shout for joy, you heavens, and earth rejoice, and break out into singing you mountains, because Yehovah has comforted His people and will have compassion on His meek and afflicted.
Isaiah 55 and 56 contains the entire message about Israel returning to Elohim that Yeshua alluded to in John 7:38 when He said, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures have said, ‘Out of their innermost being will flow rivers of living water’”. These are beautiful chapters concerning the transition to the Everlasting Kingdom, as the rest of the world is being subdued.
Isaiah 55:All Everyone who is thirsty should come to the water. Anyone without silver should come, buy and eat! Yes, come and buy wine and milk without silver and without cost. 2 Why do you spend silver for something that isn’t food? Why labor for something that doesn’t satisfy? Listen to Me carefully, and eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. 3 “Turn your ear, and come to Me. Listen, so that you can live! I’ll make an EVERLASTING COVENANT with you [Israel], the unfailing love I promised to David. [See Ezekiel 37:26] 4 I’ve made Him [Messiah: Barnes] a witness [or Testimony] to the people, a leader and commander of the nations! 5 You [Israel] will summon nations you don’t know, and nations that didn’t know you will come running to you, because of Yehovah Your Elohim, the 'special' One of Israel, since He has honored you.”
6 Seek Yehovah while He can be found. Call on Him while He is near. 7 The wicked should change their ways, and the unfair their thoughts. They should turn to Yehovah, and He’ll have mercy on them, AND to our Elohim, since He is very willing to pardon. 8 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways aren’t My ways,” says Yehovah. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts. 10 “Just like rain and snow come falling from the sky, and don’t return before watering the earth, and causing it to sprout and grow, providing seeds for the sower and food for the hungry, 11 that’s how My word is as it leaves My mouth, it won’t return to Me without an effect; it will accomplish what I want and it will prosper in whatever I sent it to do. 12 You’ll leave [Babylon] with joy, and be led [into Israel] in peace, the mountains and the hills will burst into shouts of joy before you, and all of the trees in the land will clap their hands. 13 Instead of thorns, cypress trees will come up, and instead of briers myrtle trees will grow. These things will bring renown to Yehovah as an everlasting sign that will never be destroyed.
Continuing the rescue message that Yeshua alluded to (ignoring the misplaced chapter break):
Isaiah 56:1-7 This is what Yehovah says: “Maintain justice and do the right things, because My YESHUA [1] WILL COME, and My righteousness will be revealed. 2 People who do these things are blessed—'people' who 'stand' fast, who 'keep from profaning' the Sabbath and keep their hands from doing any evil. 3 Don’t allow a foreigner who has joined himself to Yehovah to say, ‘Yehovah will certainly separate me from His people.’ And don’t allow a eunuch to say, ‘I’m a dry tree!’ 4 This is what Yehovah says:
“To the eunuchs who regard My Sabbaths and choose the things that please Me and hold firmly onto My covenant. 5 In My 'Temple' and within My walls, I’ll give them a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I’ll give them an everlasting name that will never die. 6 “And foreigners who join themselves to Yehovah, to serve Him, and to love Yehovah’s name, to be His servants, everyone who regards the Sabbath without profaning it, and who holds fast to My covenant. 7 These I’ll bring to My 'special' mountain, and bring delight to in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their zebakim will be accepted on My altar, since My house [Temple] will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
[1] Isaiah identifies Yeshua by name in Isaiah 56:1. The word for “rescue” is the word “Yeshua” in the Hebrew language. If we were to translate this using the Gentile [contrived] name for Yeshua, we could insert “Jesus” into Isaiah 56:1”This is what Yehovah’s Biblical Feast Days represent, as I understand them.
Anyone who naively believes that Yehovah’s Biblical Feast Days are relics of the past, and that days adopted from paganism are now acceptable days for worship such as Easter, Christmas and Hallow’een etc. is in for an earth shaking blow—sooner or later.
Chapter 2 is Did Yeshua’s Supper (the “Lord’s Supper”) Replace the Passover?
