This time of year is my favorite. I love the fall season. September is my favorite month.
As a girl, I didn’t have a favorite month; I had a favorite season - summer. Sometime in my early teen years, August became my favorite month. I loved the warmth, the beauty, and the quietness of those late summer days.
Sometime in my twenties, I began to love fall even more than summer, and September became my favorite month.
The beauty and coziness of the fall season is hard to beat, especially if you live in a state where the leaves change color and cool mornings and evenings make you want to snuggle under a cozy blanket with a cup of hot tea or coffee.
Beyond the beauty of this season, I also love fall for another reason. I love the Biblical holidays that occur in this season.
Growing up, I did not know anything about the Biblical holidays. I was familiar with Passover since it is part of the Exodus story in the Bible. I also knew Jesus died on that day, but that was about it. I didn’t know much more than that.
Fifteen years ago, back in the year of 2009, my Dad had a small booklet sitting on our kitchen counter among his pile of extra mail. The booklet was titled “The Holidays of God”. Intrigued, I asked my Dad if I could read it. Printed by a well known (to us) Christian publisher that prints small devotional booklets, my Dad was happy to let me read it.
I read that small booklet. And I was completely blown away. Why do Christians not know about these Biblical holidays?
Yes, God told His people Israel to keep them, but all of them point to Christ! All of them point to God’s redemptive plan for His people. Why don’t Christians see the connection?
I was amazed.
Christ died on Passover.
Christ was buried on Unleavened Bread.
Christ rose from the grave on First Fruits.
The Holy Spirit was poured out on Shavuot. (Pentecost)
All of those major things in Christianity happened on the four Biblical holidays in the spring time. Christ perfectly fulfilled them. Since these holidays are about Christ, shouldn’t we remember them? I had something to think about for a while.
A little while later, I read their second booklet on “The Holidays of God” that are in the fall season. Once again, I was amazed.
Why do Christians not see the significance and connection to Christ in these Biblical holidays?
My Dad loves Bible prophecy. Sometime that year, my Dad got a DVD series in the mail about the “Feasts of the Lord” in Bible prophecy.
After reading those small booklets, I wanted to know more. I was eager to watch these DVD’s with my Dad. Once again, I was completely amazed.
Click here to watch a teaching from this DVD.
The Biblical holidays in the spring were so easy to see the connection to Christ.
The Biblical holidays in the fall have not been fulfilled yet, but they will be in the future. Some Christians say these Biblical holidays have been “done away” with. How can they be “done away” with if Christ hasn’t even fulfilled all of them yet? They can’t be.
The first Biblical holiday in the fall?
It is the Feast of Trumpets.
What is that day about? It is a day of blowing shofars and trumpets. In Hebrew, that day is known as “Rosh Hashanah” and “Yom Teruah”.
What are we as Christians still waiting for?
The return of Christ.
What will Christ do when He comes back?
The Bible tells us:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…”
1 Thessalonians 4:16
When Christ comes back to take His people home to heaven, He will blow a trumpet!
That is exactly what the first Biblical holiday in the fall season is all about. I learned that day is known as the day when no man knows the day or hour when it comes. Why? Because you have to be looking for the new crescent moon in the sky for that holiday to begin.
After learning more about this Biblical holiday in the fall, the connection to Christ’s return is undeniable. That is precisely what that Biblical holiday is all about. No one knows the day or hour, but we can know the season He will come in by understanding the Biblical holidays. It is glorious!
Friends on social media see many verses from me about the return of the Lord this time of year.
I cannot help but share the overflow of my heart. Every year in the early fall season I wonder…
Is this the year of your Son’s return, Father? Will we hear you blow your trumpet, your shofar? Is this the year your Son will come to get His bride?
Recently, my mind was drawn to the parable Christ gave in Matthew 25 about the ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. I read that parable in my Bible yesterday morning.
The wise had oil to burn when the bridegroom came. The foolish had no oil to burn when the bridegroom came.
Oil is a type and picture of the Holy Spirit.
Though they were waiting for the bridegroom, the foolish virgins did not have any oil when He came. That is, the foolish ones did not have God’s Spirit living in them.
The wise virgins had oil, that is, God’s Spirit lived in them. The wise ones were ready when the bridegroom came.
Christ, the Bridegroom, said to them:
“But he answered and said,
Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”
Matthew 25:12
Very sobering words, these.
The meaning of this parable?
We must be born again. We must have oil. We must have God’s Spirit in us. Otherwise, Christ will say:
“…Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”
Matthew 25:12
There will be people looking for Christ’s return, but do not have oil. They are not born again.
The Feast of Trumpets began yesterday evening at sunset. Naturally, my mind is drawn to the return of Christ since that is what it represents! The future resurrection of the dead will occur some year on this Biblical holiday. We do not know the day or hour, but we can know when it is near.
I blew my shofar last night, loud and clear, after telling the Lord that I eagerly anticipate His return! Today is the Feast of Trumpets - a reminder to be watching for our heavenly Bridegroom with our lamp full of oil.
Because the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Hebrew gives a much deeper insight into God’s Word.
Unlike English, every Hebrew letter has a numerical value as well as a picture meaning. Because of this, much more can be seen in Hebrew than in English.
For example, there is something in the Hebrew text of the Bible that implies that Adam and Eve, created on the 6th day of creation, were also created on the Feast of Trumpets.
This means the creation of the world took place the week before the Feast of Trumpets. I enjoy remembering the creation of the world every year.
God joined Adam and Eve on that day. They were, in essence, married on the Feast of Trumpets.
Like Adam and Eve, Christ will also come to get His Bride some year on the Feast of Trumpets.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
When I discovered this, about 15 years ago, I began thinking how special it would be to have my wedding either on or near this Biblical holiday.
I would love to have my wedding, and especially my marriage, reflect Christ in every way. Amazingly, the wedding of our Messiah will take place some year during my favorite season!
This year, that is today, Saturday, October 5th. Often, this holiday falls in September.
My favorite love story in the Bible is the story of Isaac and Rebekah. (Genesis 24) There are so many beautiful elements in that story. God surely had them planned for each other. Although I do not know this, I cannot help but wonder if the wedding of Isaac and Rebekah may have happened on the Feast of Trumpets? I see something in Scripture that, very subtly, implies that it could have been on that day.
I do know that Isaac and Rebekah had an evening wedding because the Bible says:
“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.”
Genesis 24:63-64
Like Isaac and Rebekah, I would love to have an early evening wedding so that we have an actual “marriage supper” with our guests. Evening is my favorite time of the day. I love sunsets.
I cannot help but wonder if Eve was brought to Adam in the early evening? You know, in late afternoon or early evening on the 6th day of creation? Eve was God’s final creation.
I cannot help but wonder if the Lord Jesus will come to get His Bride in the evening too? You know, towards the end of the Feast of Trumpets - at the sound of the last trump?
We shall see.
On Saturday, I enjoy visiting on the phone with a friend of mine who lives in the state of Maine.
Last Saturday, we had an enjoyable chat about weddings and God bringing people together.
Because we are both single, I laughed as I told her, somewhat jokingly:
“You know where I would love to meet my future husband someday?”
There was a brief silence on the phone as she waited for my answer with anticipation.
“I’d love to meet him at a well.”
My friend laughed heartily over the phone while I joined in her laugh. I continued by saying:
“It would be just like some stories in the Bible!”
“I know. It’s wild. And I’m dreaming. But wouldn’t that be special?”
I concluded by saying to her…
“In all reality, I would be delighted to meet my husband in a park or somewhere like that.”
The first time my parents saw each other was at a park in Michigan. A short time later they were introduced to each other by mutual friends. It is special for me to know where my parents first met. I really like parks. I also love nature.
Love stories are special and each couple has a different story about where and how they met.
Last month, I went for a walk one evening in our neighborhood. The sun had already set, but it felt good to walk and pray in the cool of the evening. The full moon began to rise.
September 2024. Like so many years before, I hoped that maybe my wedding would be this year. But no.
I recalled the first time I ever prayed for a Godly husband. It was September of 1999. It was just before I turned 17. I remember wondering if I was too young to pray about that, but I decided to pray anyway. That was 25 years ago.
I will now be able to tell my husband that I waited and prayed for him for 25 years.
Tears formed in my eyes on my walk. I told the Lord how I felt that evening.
God’s loving response to me?
“I know how you feel, Erin.”
“I’m still waiting for my Bride.”
God knew. God understood. He is still waiting too.
Every year as the Feast of Trumpets comes to an end, I am always a little sad. This must not be the year of Christ’s return.
Though it may seem at times like our heavenly Bridegroom delays His coming, His Word says:
“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”
Hebrews 10:37
When Christ comes to get His beloved Bride, let us be ready, waiting, and watching, our lamps filled with oil - His precious Holy Spirit. And let us be listening for the sound of the trumpet!
“… Behold, the bridegroom cometh;
go ye out to meet him.”
Matthew 25:6
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