What does this day mean? Why did God ask us to keep this day?

Leviticus 23:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Leviticus 23:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.

Leviticus 23:24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.

A pivotal time in history where We will see a transition of the rulership of this world!

Many do not realize that we are:

Under the Rulership of Satan

2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Ephesians 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Revelation 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
Revelation 12:8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Mankind has Opted to Follow Satan

Man chooses right and wrong for himself:

Genesis 3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

By doing this:

Mankind Rejects God

God instructed them personally in the beginning

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Mankind has been rejecting God in every way since the beginning even though

God has continued to reach out to mankind through:

Through the prophets that they have killed
Through His Son who they crucified
Through His word that they scoff at
Through preachers of righteousness that they dismiss
Through His Spirit which is an enemy to them

By doing this We reject the way to Life, Blessings, Peace, Joy

So Is it any wonder then why we have the problems:

James 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
James 3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
James 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

This is the way of life that mankind has become entrenched in

Getting Mankind’s Attention

IT’s not going to be pretty

Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.
Zephaniah 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Zephaniah 1:16 A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers.
Zephaniah 1:17 “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.”
Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.

What the Ezekiel Warning addresses: a trumpet sounding an alarm; sword upon the land; sinning against God

Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet [part of what this day depicts] in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand:
Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations.
Joel 2:3 A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them.
Joel 2:4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run.
Joel 2:5 With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array.
Joel 2:6 Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color.
Joel 2:7 They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks.
Joel 2:8 They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down.
Joel 2:9 They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
Joel 2:10 The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness.
Joel 2:11 The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?

Brief Synopsis of the Seals, Trumpets and Plagues

Religious Deception (white horse) (Revelation 6:2)
War (fiery red horse) (Revelation 6:3-4)
Famine (black horse) (Revelation 6:5-6)
Pestilence (pale horse) (Revelation 6:7-8)
The Great Tribulation (Revelation 6:9-11)
Heavenly Signs (Revelation 6:12-14)
Day of the Lord is the 7 Trumpets (Revelation 8:1-2, 6)

TRUMPETS

1. hail and fire with blood burns up ⅓ of trees and of the grass (Revelation 8:7)
2. great mountain burning with fire turns ⅓ sea to blood; ⅓ sea creatures & ocean ships destroyed (Revelation 8:8-9)
3. great burning star from heaven poisons ⅓ of rivers and springs killing many (Revelation 8:10-11)
4. ⅓ of the light of the sun, moon and stars blocked (Revelation 8:12-13)
5. (first woe) Beast attacks (Revelation 9:1-12)
6. (second woe) depicts retaliating Asian powers (Revelation 9:16)
7. (third woe) = 7 Last Plagues (Revelation 15:1; 16:1)

PLAGUES

1. 1. causes “a foul and loathsome sore” (Revelation 16: 2)
  2. causes every living creature in the sea to die (Revelation 16:3)
  3. causes the sweet water supply to become “blood” (Revelation 16:4-7)
  4. scorches mankind (Revelation 16:8-9)
  5. causes total darkness (Revelation 16:10-11)
  6. prepares for “Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16)

Revelation 16:12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.
Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Revelation 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
Revelation 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
Revelation 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”

7. causes the greatest earthquake of all time (Revelation 16:17-18)

Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst.
Zechariah 14:2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Zechariah 14:3 Then the LORD will go forth And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle.
Zechariah 14:4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

There will other problematic events going on:

Olivet prophecy goes on to fill in more details during the end time

Matthew 24:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Two witnesses

Revelation 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Revelation 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

ETC

Up to this point the world is going down hill, BUT after the fulfillment of this day it begins to look up!

Jesus Christ Qualified to be Ruler

Satan is and has been ruling here from a throne

CITE: Revelation 2:13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Not only that but Satan ruled over the kingdoms of the world

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Matthew 4:9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

[Jesus didn’t say that they weren’t yours to give; that would have been the easy answer if it were true]

Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.’ “

Jesus actually qualified to rule and replace Satan by overcoming him and living a perfect sin-free life.

Not only that but He would bring His own way of ruling, based on the Law of God; with His own ruling family – a system designed in heaven

John 18:33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

….

John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Satan is dethroned!

The kingdoms of this world

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Meaning of the day

a time of : teruah = joy and praise and clamor and shouting like at a celebration

This is not a meaningless festival. It signifies the time when Christ intervenes in the affairs of mankind and takes over rulership of the world!

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

How he will rule:

Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

This is the beginning of the end of the old ways!

Notice what else happens:

First Resurrection

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Fills in a little more here:

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We Will be Ruling with Christ

Revelation 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,[who inherited all things] if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Men Everywhere Repent

Not a time just for the elect – but also for the rest of mankind. It is a plan that is just merciful and compassionate for all

Joel 2:12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Joel 2:13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
Joel 2:14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
Joel 2:16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
Joel 2:17 Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”
Joel 2:18 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people.

Mankind is Spirit-led

Joel 2:27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.
Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
Joel 2:29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

This jumps ahead to the 1000 year reign on Earth. It ties in with it being the very end time.

When Adam sinned, he cut himself and effectively the rest of mankind off from God and the Holy Spirit. He had a choice between the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil AND the tree of LIFE. He chose poorly!

But the way to the tree of life which represented the spirit of God will once again be granted.

Ties in with Revelation 19:19 that we were reading before:

Zechariah 14:4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.
Zechariah 14:5 Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee As you fled from the earthquake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You.
Zechariah 14:6 It shall come to pass in that day That there will be no light; The lights will diminish.
Zechariah 14:7 It shall be one day Which is known to the LORD Neither day nor night. But at evening time it shall happen That it will be light.
Zechariah 14:8 And in that day it shall be— That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the eastern sea And half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur.

Even though this represented by another feast day, we continue to see that the world is quickly becoming a better place overall!

John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;

And with His spirit comes a heart of understanding

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

It keeps getting better:

Satan to be Bound

Revelation 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Revelation 20:2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
Revelation 20:3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

And finally:

A Time of Healing will Ensue

Isaiah 35:1 the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
Isaiah 35:2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice
Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.
Isaiah 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isaiah 35:6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.
Isaiah 35:7 The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water;

No more: Sickness, disease, famine, war, or even death:

Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”