Lev. 23:37
These are the appointed times of YHWH which you shall proclaim to be set apart gatherings, to bring an offering made with fire to YHWH; the burnt offerings and grain offerings, slaughtering and drink offerings; each on their day.
In addition to the Sabbath offering, the ordinary daily offerings, the individual gifts, vows, and voluntary offerings, there were offerings specific to each annual Moed.
- For seven days in the first month of the year, beginning on the fifteenth day, our ancestors were taught to bring an offering made with fire to YHWH. Lev. 23:8
- Following this time of unleavened bread (23:14), on the first day of the week, the priest was to wave the sheaf offering. On this same day, the people were to offer a lamb as a burnt offering, a drink offering, and a grain offering as an offering made with fire. Lev. 23:10-13
- Exactly fifty days after this (23:16), they were to offer two baked loaves of bread as a wave offering, seven lambs, one young bull, and two rams as a burnt offering, a drink offering, and a meal offering made with fire. Lev. 23:17-18
- On the first day of the seventh month of the year, they were to set the day apart for resting, congregating, and making a great noise for remembrance. On this day, they were also told to bring an offering made with fire. Lev. 23:24-25
- On the tenth day of this same month, the Israelites were commanded to fast, gather, and observe a complete Sabbath, beginning in the preceding evening. They were also instructed to bring an offering made with fire. Lev. 27:32
- For seven days of this seventh month, beginning on the fifteenth day, our ancestors were taught to bring an offering made with fire to YHWH. Lev. 23:34-36
- Finally, on the following day, they were again commanded to bring an offering made with fire. Lev. 23:36
As can be observed from the bullet points above, there are seven times in Leviticus 23 when we are instructed to bring an offering made with fire to YHWH. On two of these occasions (in the first and seventh months), we are told to do this for seven days. [It can also be noted that instead of Passover being listed as one of the seven annual appointed times, the day of the Omer (sheaf offering) is instead listed.]
Without Cohanim (priests, or sons of Aaron) and the Altar, we cannot bring any of these offerings, much less the ones intended to be made with fire. We can, however, observe the Moedim in other ways.
Every seventh day of the week, for example, we can participate in YHWH’s Sabbath blessing by resting, praising Him, praying, and congregating.
We can also refrain from leavening for one week out of the year, rest and congregate seven days of the year (in addition to the weekly Sabbaths), and fast one day of the year. We can even decorate and/or camp for a week on an annual basis.
More importantly, we can remember why YHWH set these days apart in the first place and look forward to all prophecies being fulfilled.
Each Spring, we eat a special meal consisting of bitter herbs and unleavened bread to remind us of our ancestors’ redemption from the land of Egypt and our redemption from sin. [See Exo. 12:26-27 & Luk. 22:19.]
While this observance teaches us to recall past events, it can also teach us to look ahead. Describing a future event, Isaiah 31:4-5 tells us that YHWH will send His Messiah to fight our enemies upon the mountains of Zion.
[Isaiah’s prophecy (31:4-5) and Zekariah’s prophecy (14:3-4) both speak of a time when “YHWH will be King over the whole earth” (Zec. 14:9). Some prophecies state that in the last days, David will be king over Israel (Jer. 30:9; Eze. 37:24; Hos. 3:5), and others state David’s seed will be king (Jer. 33:17; Psa. 89:4, 29, 33-37; 1 Ki. 9:5; 1 Ch. 17:11-14). Still other prophesies state that YHWH Himself will be king over Israel (Zec. 14:9; Psa. 47:8; Oba. 1:21; Mic. 4:7; Isa. 24:23). All these prophecies can only be true if the future King is BOTH David’s seed and YHWH’s seed. In this understanding, can the Proverb be answered: “Who has ascended into the heavens and descended? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?” Pro. 30:4]
Isaiah’s use of the term ‘Passover’ is no coincidence in this passage.
When YHWH sends Yeshua back to earth in the last days, He will gather His people from the ends of earth (Isa. 11:11-12. Cf. Jer. 31:8; Mat. 24:31; Isa. 27:12-13; Deu. 30:3-4; Isa. 43:5-6; Jer. 32:37; Eze. 34:12-13; 36:24; Eze. 39:28; etc.).
Jeremiah said that this future gathering will overshadow our flight from Egypt, to which the observance of Passover recalls. Jer. 16:14-15; 23:6-7.
This means that this ‘greater exodus’ will be the ultimate Passover. The prophet later stated that in the last days, YHWH will “bring them from the north, and will gather them from the end of the earth to the feast of the Passover” (Jer. 31:8 LXX).
Yeshua said that when He returns, His people will “look up, for their redemption draws near” (Luk. 21:28). At this time, the souls of the faithful will rise from the dead (1 Co. 15:52; 1 Th. 4:16; Rev. 20:4).
Then those who are still alive will be supernaturally transformed into spiritual bodies (1 Co. 15:42, 50-54; Phi. 3:21). The apostle Paul calls this future resurrection the “day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30. Cf. Eph. 1:14 & Rom. 8:23).
This is how we know that He will return on Passover. Not just because the word ‘Pesach’ is used in Isaiah 31:5. Or because Jeremiah compared our future gathering to the first Passover. Or that he prophesied that in the days of the Messiah, we will be gathered from the ends of the earth to the feast of Passover.
We can also be certain of this because, at the time of Yeshua’s return, our final redemption will occur.
We can conclude, therefore, that the first Passover was merely a shadow of good things to come! At His first arrival to earth in a human body, our Messiah showed us that He is our Passover Lamb. When He returns, He will “appear a second time, without sin, bringing eternal salvation” (Heb. 9:28).
A Falling Away First
Before He returns, the “days of vengeance” must first take place. This was prophesied by Zechariah:
Yeshua referred to this and other prophecies (Daniel 7:21, 25, 8:24, 9:26, & 11:31, for example) when He said:
We can observe that the events of Luke 21:22-24 happen before the event of Luke 21:27, when “they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.” See also the witness of Mark 13:24-26.
The fact that the “Day of YHWH”, also called the “time of the Gentiles” (Eze. 30:3; Luk. 21:24), happens before Yeshua returns is also evident in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. He said that the coming of Yeshua and our gathering together to Him from the ends of the earth will not happen until the “man of sin” is first revealed (2 Th. 2:1-3).
The language used by Yeshua in Luke 21:24 is also used in Revelation 11:2. According to John, Jerusalem being “trampled underfoot by the nations” will last forty-two months.
This time frame John gives to describe the “Day of YHWH” (Zec. 14:1; Eze. 30:3) or the “time of the Gentiles” (Eze. 30:3; Luk. 21:24) is interesting because it is the same period given in Revelation 13:5:
Moreover, this individual is also said to “fight with the set-apart ones and overcome them” (13:7). These two verses (Rev. 13:5 & 7) match what the prophet Daniel wrote about a certain coming prince. In Daniel 7:25, he said that he would “speak matters against the Most High” and that the set-apart ones would be given into his hand for “times, time and half a time.”
This phrase “times, time and half a time” is thus equivalent to forty-two months. —Rev. 13:5, 7; cf. Dan. 7:25. This is important because John also equates this period to one thousand, two hundred and sixty days—Rev. 12:14; cf. 12:6.
This brings us back to Revelation 11:3:
Immediately after their prophecy, John tells us the one who overcame the set-apart ones (Rev. 11:7 cf. Rev. 13:1-7) will kill the two witnesses and their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days.
Following this, the witnesses resurrect and ascend into heaven. In that instant, there will be a great earthquake in Jerusalem and seven thousand people will perish.
After this, the final trumpet will sound and the souls of the faithful will resurrect from the dead. Rev. 11:15
If the final trumpet heralding the return of our Messiah happens on Passover, one could count backward to arrive at the day when the days of vengeance begin. 1/14 minus three and a half days, minus three and a half years would bring us to 7/10. This is the Day of Atonements.
It can be understood, therefore, that Yom haKippurim, or Yom Kippur, will start the days of vengeance and the Day of YHWH.
This could happen this upcoming Jubilee year when a shofar is to be blown on the tenth day of the seventh month. Lev. 25:9; Isa. 27:13.