October this year
includes the Fall Feasts of Israel, which occur in the first 15 days of the
month of Tishri. Each of the seven Feasts of Moses commemorate historical events
of the nation Israel, but they also have prophetic significance as well (Colossians
2:16, 17).
October 4th (1st of Tishri)
Rosh Ha’Shana (“The Head of the Year” or
Jewish New Year). This begins Israel’s civil year (Ezra
3:1-6); and also Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus
23:23-25). Yomim Noraim, the seven “Days of Affliction,” begin here and
continue to Yom Kippur.
October 6th (3rd of Tishri)
Fast of Gedaliah: Not a Feast of Moses, but
observed by many Jews in memory of the slaying of Gedaliah, appointed by the
Babylonians as governor of Judah after the capture of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (Jeremiah
41:1-2; 2
Kings 25:25; also called “the Fast of the Seventh Month” in Zechariah 7:5,
8:19).
October 13th (10th of Tishri)
Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement (Leviticus
16:1-19;
23:26- 32;
Hebrews 9:1-6). This is the most solemn of all the feasts, and involves the
Sin-Bearer (Leviticus
16:20-34;
Matthew 27:33;
2 Corinthians 5:21;
Isaiah 53:6;
52:15), the Ashes of the Red Heifer, and the Water of Purification (Numbers
19; Hebrews
9:13). Jesus turns this water into wine at Cana in
John 2.
October 18th (15th of Tishri)
Succoth, The Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths (Leviticus
23:33- 44). After living in temporary “booths” for eight days, they leave
them for their permanent dwellings (Hosea
5:15-6:3;
Zechariah 14:4,
9, 16).
This is one of the three feasts which were compulsory for all Jewish males (Leviticus
23:33-46).
Everything in the Torah has prophetic as well
as historical significance and merits our careful attention (Romans
15:4). For more information, see our briefing pack,
The Feasts of
Israel.
