Israel's Fall Feasts: A Prophetic Roadmap

Fall is one of my favorite times of year as the air turns crisp and the first leaves of September start to color with the changing seasons. God built a prophetic calendar into Israel’s yearly rhythms through seven feasts outlined in Leviticus 23. These “appointed times” (Hebrew: moedim) are not arbitrary holidays but point to the person and work of the Messiah. 

The feasts are living object lessons that teach Israel (and us) that God is the author of history and the redeemer of His people. Most Christians don’t formally observe these holidays, yet we are deeply enriched when we learn and understand them because they all point to Christ. 

There are four spring feasts and three in the fall. The four spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost) were fulfilled with remarkable precision in Christ’s first coming. Jesus was crucified as our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), buried during Unleavened Bread, rose as the Firstfruits of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), and sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. That leaves the three Fall Feasts, which are yet to be fulfilled. These are prophetic road markers of Christ’s second coming.  

1. The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) 

This feast, beginning on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri), is marked by the sounding of the shofar. In ancient Israel, the trumpet called the nation to gather, to awaken, and to prepare. The rabbis called it Yom Teruah—the Day of Blowing. 

Prophetically, this feast resonates deeply with Paul’s words: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Paul ties the last trumpet to the resurrection and transformation of believers: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52). 

The Feast of Trumpets, then, points us to the moment when Christ calls His Bride (the Church) home. The Church is not waiting for another world leader or another election cycle; we are waiting for the trumpet blast that will gather God’s people to Himself. This does not mean the rapture will occur on this feast day, but it is a reminder of what will come.

2. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) 

Ten days after Rosh Hashanah comes Israel’s holiest day—a solemn day of fasting, confession, and national repentance. In the Old Testament, it was the day when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, offering sacrifice for the nation's sins (Leviticus 16). 

Prophetically, the Day of Atonement points to Israel’s future moment of awakening. The prophet Zechariah prophesied, “They will look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child” (Zechariah 12:10). When Christ returns in power and glory, the remnant of Israel will recognize Him as Messiah, confess their sins, and be saved (Romans 11:26-27). 

Here’s the beautiful picture that I don’t want you to miss: the atonement has already been made at the Cross. Jesus entered not into an earthly temple but the heavenly one, offering His own blood once for all (Hebrews 9:12). What Israel will one day realize nationally, we already know personally—“It is finished” (John 19:30). 

3. The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) 

Five days after Yom Kippur, Israel enters a week of joyful celebration. Families build temporary shelters, recalling how God made His people dwell in tents in the wilderness and how He dwelt among them in glory (Leviticus 23:42-43). It is a time of rejoicing, harvest, and recognizing God’s provision. 

Prophetically, this feast points to the Millennial Kingdom and beyond—the day when Christ will reign from Jerusalem and God will once again dwell with His people. John gives us the final fulfillment: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people” (Revelation 21:3). 

Why does this matter to Gentile believers? If the spring feasts were fulfilled in Christ’s first coming with exact precision, then the fall feasts will be fulfilled just as precisely in His second coming. God’s calendar is organized and precise. The same Lord who arranged the Cross on the very day of Passover will keep His future appointments. 

With this knowledge, we can have urgency and hope. Urgency is because the trumpet may sound at any moment. Hope is because the story ends not with chaos but Christ reigning and dwelling among His people. 

Of course, all of this rests on a single central event of history: the Cross. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). The fall feasts remind us that our greatest problem (sin) was dealt with at Calvary. The fall feasts remind us to look up with expectancy, for His plan is about to be completed. 

The Lord our God is the author of history. The chaos in the news is not random, but prophetic, as the Kingdom of God is preparing to be ushered in once and for all. The nations rage, but God laughs (Psalm 2:1-4). Here’s the good news: the Cross assures us victory, and the feasts remind us and assure us of His return.