Title: Three Harvest Seasons and Times of the Word
In Leviticus 23, there are two different Hebrew words expressing the significance of the seasons or feasts.
- Appointed Time
Its emphasis is that God set a specific time.
- Convocation, meeting, gathering or assembly
Its emphasis is that we should gather and do what we are supposed to do. Therefore, seasons are the reminder for us that God’s plan will be accomplished at the appointed time. Seasons are the foreshadows of how God is going to save fallen mankind and accomplish His Redemptive History.
- What should we do in these seasons?
- Remember
The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) is the 15th day of Nisan and is the day when the Israelites came out from Egypt.
The Feast of Weeks is the 6th day of Sivan and is the day when the Israelites received the Word of God in God’s voice.
The Feast of Booths is the 15th day of Tishri and is the day when the Israelites stored all the harvests into barns for the first time after entering to the land of Canaan.
By keeping these seasons, the people of God should remember how God saved us from spiritual Egypt and established His covenant with us by giving us the Word, and will lead us into the kingdom of God.
- Remind
God specifically ordered that no one should come before the Lord empty-handed (Deuteronomy 16:16).
By keeping these seasons, the people of God should be reminded that we should bring God the heart of thanksgiving and the offering of thanksgiving.
- Messiah
Three seasons taught the Israelites how the Messiah would come, what He would do, and how He would accomplish the salvation.
- Timeline
These also teach the order and sequence of God’s work.
If we understand the 3 seasons, we can understand the timeline of God’s Redemptive History: where we are and what is going to happen next.
- Three Harvest Seasons
- Early Harvest
Passover-14th day of Nisan at Twilight
Feast of Unleavened Bread-15-21st day of Nisan
Feast of the first fruit of Barley-16th day of Nisan
Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb and resurrected as the first fruit of those who are asleep (1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 15:20).
- Mid Harvest
Feast of Harvest of the first fruit of Wheat (Feast of Weeks, Pentecost)-6th day of Sivan (Rom 8:23; Jam 1:18)
If the Feast of the first fruit of barley is the time when Jesus became the first fruit, this is the time when God makes us the first fruit through the Word of truth and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26; Acts 10:44).
- Late Harvest
Feast of Trumpet- 1st day of Tishri
Day of Atonement- 10th day of Tishri Feast of Ingathering (Feast of Tabernacle)-15-21st day of Tishri
Sounding the trumpet is related to God’s judgment and gathering wheat into the barn is related to the consummation of God’s kingdom. If we become the first fruit through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, there will be time of judgment and ingathering but don’t be afraid of the days of judgment because the day will be the day of our salvation being completed.
- The characteristic of the late harvest
If we believe that we received the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, then we are living in the late harvest season spiritually.
- There will be two times of sounding trumpet
According to Jewish culture, among 7 festive seasons, there are 3 occasions when a trumpet should be sounded. The first occasion is Pentecost. It is because when God came down to the top of Mount Sinai, there was a sound of trumpet. Therefore, Jews blow a trumpet to commemorate this feast (Ex 19:19). The second occasion is the Feast of Trumpet (1st day of Tishri). As God commanded the Israelites to blow the trumpet on this day, Jews still sound the trumpet and it is called the last trumpet (Lev 23:24). The third occasion is the Day of Atonement (10th day of Tishri). God also commanded the Israelites to blow trumpet on this day. It is called the final trumpet or the great trumpet (Lev 25:9).
As we can see, there will be two occasions when trumpet will sound in the late Harvest season. Even if the last trumpet sounded and seemed nothing is happening, we should not lose heart but wait for the final trumpet. There will be another sound of trumpet and with this final sound of trumpet, our sins will b forgiven completely and led into the kingdom of God alive.
- We are called to deliver the Word of Redemptive History to all nations
Apostle John met another mighty angel and received the little book opened from Him (Rev 10:1-2). Greek word for angel means a messenger or a servant. Greek word for ‘another’ means ‘unlike to others or special’. Finally, the little book opened symbolizes the Word of God being revealed clearly. This Is what should happen in the late harvest season. If we believe that we are the one who received the little book opened, then we have to eat it and deliver the message to all nations.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 