Part 5 of the Feasts of The Lord Study...Summertime

 THE FEASTS OF THE LORD PART 5

As we continue our study of The Feasts Of The Lord, there is an  interesting “Gap” between the Spring and Fall Feasts of The Lord!!!

Throughout my life when people would discuss The Feasts Of The Lord, they would focus on the fact that the Spring Feasts are about Israel’s past, and that the Fall Feasts are about Israel’s Future. 

This is true of course, but I have never heard anyone talk about the fact that after the Church is born on Pentecost…there is NOT ONE Feast of The Lord during the Summer. In this study we will be looking at the significance of that, and see how it applies to us in The Body Of Christ.

So far we have seen how our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fulfilled The Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits with His Death, Burial, and Resurrection. We also have seen how The Feast of Pentecost was fulfilled with the pouring out of The Holy Spirit, and THE CHURCH WAS BORN!!! 

We have also compared these Feasts of The Lord with the events that occurred when these Feasts of The Lord happened the first time, and found AMAZING comparisons between the 2.

Now that we have Finished The 4 Spring Feasts Of The Lord, we have reached the Summer, and there isn’t another Feast of The Lord or “APPOINTED TIME OF THE LORD” until we get to the Fall Feasts.

We’re going to talk about some very interesting Bible verses that apply to The Church in this study that I believe will be a blessing and encouragement to you.  

We called this study Summertime because that is when The Church Was Born…. So Here We Go!!!

There is a Gap between The Feasts of The Lord that occurs right after Pentecost when The Church is Born, and The Feast of Trumpets which is in the fall. I believe this “Gap” symbolizes the Church Age that we have been in for over 2000 years. I will be sharing some interesting scriptures, and I believe Psalms Chapter 1 has an AMAZING CONNECTION with this Study. You will never look at this Chapter the same once we're done!!! 

Psalms 1:1-6…”1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

There are some important things that I need to point out in this Chapter.

 

In Verse 2 it doesn’t say that we “KEEP” The Law…it says that we “DELIGHT” in The Law.  As the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 3:24-25….”24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” 

 The purpose of the law was to bring us to Christ, and one we are “In Christ” we are no longer under The Law.  That’s one of the reasons I believe The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost.  Instead of the law guiding us, The Holy Spirit guides us now!!!

 

In Verse 3 it compares Believers in Jesus Christ as their Savior as Trees that are planted by “RIVERS OF WATER” that will bear “FRUIT” IN THEIR SEASON. 

 

Jesus Christ makes this statement in John 7:38-39 about what Believers in Jesus Christ as their Savior receive ....”38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

 

In Verse 4 Unbelievers or The Ungodly are referred to as “Chaff”. The interesting thing about this comparison is that no chaff is presented at the wheat and barely harvest in Israel.

Compare that point with what John The Baptist said in Luke 3:16-17…..”16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”

As you see in these verses… the Wheat Represents Believers in Jesus Christ that The Lord will gather to Himself, and the Chaff represents unbelievers that will be burned just like Chaff gets burned.

 

So Jesus Christ Resurrected on the same day Israel presents the First Fruits of the Wheat Harvest to The Lord. 

Talk about a switch...instead of Israel having to present anything to The Lord on this feast day, The Lord presents Himself to israel ALIVE and WELL!!!

Now all they “or anyone who wants to have Salvation and forgiveness of their sins” has to do is  Believe He Died, was buried, and rose again from the dead and they will receive Everlasting Life, and forgiveness of ALL their sins!!

 

Verses 5 and 6 have a common theme. The ungodly will Perish like Jesus Christ warned people about in John 3:16….”Whosoever Believeth in me will not Perish but have Everlasting Life”. And the ungodly (Those who haven’t Believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior) will not be able to stand “withstand” in The Judgment either.

I point these things out because Pentecost is when the wheat and barley harvest takes place in Israel, and FRUIT SEASON BEGINS. Bearing Fruit and Leading others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior is a responsibility of The Church that depends STRONGLY on the presence of The Holy Spirit who only resides In Believers of Jesus Christ as their Savior. So both Fruit Seasons begin at the same time!!!  Check out Colossians 1:10 ....”That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Other verses in God’s Word show how this period of time is a symbol of The Church Age.  

Matthew 28:18-20 is where The Great Commission is given to the 12 Apostles, here’s the passage and I’m going to show you something interesting. “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The word that is used for World in Verse 20 is aion and here’s the definition according to Strong’s Concordance….”a space of time, an age”.  Also here’s the usage according to Strong’s Concordance.  An age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age.

Here’s the link for this.... https://biblehub.com/greek/165.htm

So one this Church Age ends when The Rapture of The Church takes place…..God Will Focus on (unsaved) Israel, and those who have not Believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior during the 7 year tribulation.

Another verse that shows this “Summer Gap” in The Feasts of The Lord representing  the current Church Age that we’re in is Romans 11:25.

In Romans 11:25 the Apostle Paul says….”For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

The word that is used for Fulness is pleroma, and it is defined as…”fullness, a filling up”, and the usage is…” a fill, fullness; full complement; supply, patch, supplement, (b) fullness, filling, fulfillment, COMPLETION” 

Here’s the link for this…. https://biblehub.com/greek/4138.htm

I love both of these verses because they show that the Church Age we are currently in will end at the Rapture of The Church.

Now that the Day Of Pentecost has arrived, and the Church Age has begun, we talked about how 3000 received Salvation and Forgiveness of Sins on the FIRST DAY of The Church Age. So the Heavenly Fruit began to grow at the SAME TIME The Fruit Season Begins in Israel!!!

We have been looking at the events that happened when these Feasts originated, and now we’re going to compare some interesting verses in God’s Word that I know will encourage us, and shed light in this Church Age we are in until the Rapture of The Church takes place. 

During our study on The Feast of Firstfruits, we showed how the Apostle Paul pointed out that Jesus Christ became the “Firstfruits” in 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 which says “22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.”

So after reading that and comparing the wheat and barley season which was the season that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again so we could receive Forgiveness of Sins and Everlasting Life….I had a question that I needed an answer to. 

What kind of fruit comes from wheat???

That same day I found a Bible Verse that REALLY got me even more EXCITED to find out the answer. The Bible Verse is in John 12:23-24 which says this…..”23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Verse 24 is amazing because the word corn is a masculine noun, and we all know Jesus Christ is referred to as the “Son of Man” in God’s Word.

This word also means kernel according to Strong’s Concordance, and the Kernel is a type of Fruit. 

Here’s the link.... https://biblehub.com/greek/2848.htm

Even more interesting is that the name of the fruit that is produced by the wheat kernel is called Caryopsis.  (It’s amazing how much Caryopsis sounds like Christos, which is what the Apostle Peter called our Lord and Savior in Matthew 16:15-17.

Here’s the verses...“15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, (Christos) the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

Here are some AMAZING FACTS about the Caryopsis Fruit that ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED with Jesus Christ.

The Caryopsis is a source of multiple nutrients and dietary fiber just like Believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior is required for The Holy Spirit to dwell in us, and allows us to receive the spiritual nutrients that we need throughout our Christian Lives so that we continue to grow spiritually. 

Pastor Chuck Swindoll made a good statement in this article on Spiritual Nourishment.  He said that “Without sufficient and regular nutrition, our inner life begins to suffer the consequences. Our souls long to be fed, nourished, and energized on a regular basis.” Here’s the link for the article if you want to check it out.  It has a lot of great information.

https://www.insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/priorities-of-spiritual-nourishment

Even though our Salvation will NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM US…We now have The Holy Spirit dwelling in us and our souls long to be fed as he pointed out.

 

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines caryopsis as a small one-seeded dry indehiscent fruit (as of corn or wheat) in which the fruit and seed fuse in a single grain. 

Here’s the link…https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caryopsis

I find this very amazing, and Genesis 3:15 comes to mind when The Lord says that He will put separation between The Seed Of The Woman and the seed of the serpent.  Jesus Christ is the seed that gives everlasting life and forgiveness of sins to ALL WHO BELIEVE IN HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR, and I find it AMAZING that this Caryopsis Fruit only has ONE SEED as well.   

If that wasn’t interesting enough….the Seed and The Fruit Fuse into A Single Grain!!!  You don’t get the Fruit from the Caryopsis without the Kernel, and you can’t eat the kernel without receiving the fruit.

YOU CAN’T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER!!! 

You will never bear Everlasting Fruit that will NEVER PERISH without a Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Savior.  

This reveals SO MUCH about what Jesus Christ said in John 15:4-5….”4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”  

This also makes me think of when Jesus Christ said that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and that NOBODY comes to The Father BUT BY ME in John 14:6.

So for all those people out there that say there are many ways to Heaven…..ask them to take you to Burger King so you can get a Big Mac, and when they tell you that’s impossible, let them know that unless Jesus Christ is the seed that they have believed in for Salvation it’s impossible to get to Heaven and Bear Spiritual Fruit that will NEVER PERISH!!!

One other thing I need to point out with all this talk about the caryopsis fruit that comes from wheat is when Jesus Christ was talking to those who participated in the feeding of the 5000.  John 6:35 says this…”And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”  

Since Jesus Christ is The Bread of Life, those who don’t believe in Him as their Savior will suffer from Spiritual Hunger and Thirst for ALL ETERNITY.   

I Hope and Pray that you have Believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior so that you won’t be separated from The Lord for ALL ETERNITY.     

Before we end this Study on The “Summer Gap” Between the Spring and Fall Feasts Of The Lord, I came across something that you’ll enjoy.

In Matthew 13:3-9 Jesus Christ shares a very popular parable about the sower and the seeds. 

In Israel when they are sowing seeds so the wheat can grow, they throw seeds in all types of areas just like Jesus Christ talked about in this parable.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jesus Christ gave this parable at the time of year the Israelites were sowing seeds in the wheat season getting ready for the Wheat Harvest.

Here’s an interesting clip from an article from The Jerusalem Post…”The natural yearly cycle of grain growers has not changed much since biblical times.  The process begins around the month of Kislev (November/December) with STAGGERED SOWING OF THE SEEDS over a period of 4 months.” Here’s the link for the article…. https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/the-circle-of-a-year-603008

According to this article the Israelites scatter seeds on all types of areas “just like Jesus Christ described in this parable” during a 4 month period of time, which has been their practice since the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, and possibility was always their tradition.

It’s very interesting that they start scattering these seeds in the Jewish month of Kislev which is in November or December in our calendar.  If you go forward 4 months it takes you to the time of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. 

 

Another interesting connection is that Jesus Christ went to all kinds of people sowing seeds before He was Crucified, and The Sower is only one person.  I believe that Jesus Christ is referring to Himself in this parable.

 

And just like there is only One Sower in this parable….There is only ONE SAVIOR AS WELL!!!

So Jesus Christ “The Bread of Life” Resurrected on the same day Israel presents the First Fruits of the Wheat Harvest to The Lord. 

TALK ABOUT A SWITCH!!!

Instead of Israel having to present anything to The Lord....Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ presents Himself ALIVE AND WELL!!! All they “or anybody that wants Forgiveness Of Sins, and Everlasting Life” have to do is  Believe He Died, was buried, and rose again from the dead and they will receive Everlasting Life, and Forgiveness of ALL THEIR SINS!!!

I hope that this study was a blessing to you, and as Believers in Jesus Christ as your Savior I hope that you BEAR SPIRITUAL FRUIT that will last FOREVER.  

In our next study, we will begin The Fall Feasts of The Lord that start with The Feast of Trumpets.  I’m sure it will be a blessing to you.

God Bless You All,                                                                                                          Ron Smith     

Good News From God Ministries