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Songs and Teachings of the Bible
Songs and Teachings of the Bible
God's Plan of Salvation for Mankind
Pictured by His Annual Holy Days
The Bible compares human beings to flowers in the grass which live for a short season and then die (Isaiah 40:6-8; I Peter 1:24-25). It compares humanity living on God’s earth to a field of crops waiting to be "harvested" into the Eternal Family of God, which is the Kingdom of God (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Mark 4:26-29; Luke 8:4-15; John 4:34-38). Flowers in the Grass
The purpose of God's plan of salvation for mankind is to save humanity from sin and death (John 3:16-21). Salvation is not a matter of going to heaven or hell when one dies, but a matter of life and death. God's annual Holy Days teach us about the pathway to eternal life (I Corinthians 5:7-8; II Timothy 1:10). Doctrine Four
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, '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 23:1-2)
"Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread . . . and the Feast of Harvest . . . and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year."
(Exodus 23:14-16)
“To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness. . . .”
(Daniel 9:24)
THREE PERIODS OF RESURRECTION
The three Holy Day seasons -- "THREE TIMES A YEAR" (Exodus 23:14; 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16; I Kings 9:25) -- picture the THREE PERIODS OF RESURRECTION for human beings.
PERIOD ONE
Period One pictures Jesus Christ -- the first human being to rise from the dead and inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of God (John 3:13) -- the "first of the firstfruits" (I Corinthians 15:20).
Jesus died on the Passover and was resurrected during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Jesus died on the Passover and was resurrected during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
"On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover." (Leviticus 23:5)
"And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord;" (Leviticus 23:6)
PERIOD TWO
Period Two pictures the firstfruits of God’s plan -- those human beings whom God predestined, called and supervised their character development during this age (Romans 8:28-30), who will inherit eternal life and enter into the Kingdom of God before the Millennium begins (Revelation 20:4-6).
No calendar date is given for Pentecost. The purpose of counting seven weeks from Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread to Pentecost is to picture the connection between God, Christ and the Church through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; I John 3:1-2).
God sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
No calendar date is given for Pentecost. The purpose of counting seven weeks from Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread to Pentecost is to picture the connection between God, Christ and the Church through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; I John 3:1-2).
God sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
"And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath;" (Leviticus 23:15-16)
PERIOD THREE
Period Three pictures the Great Harvest of mankind, when all human beings who were not called previously will have opportunity to be prepared for eternal life and enter into the Kingdom of God. This will include those who lived and died during this age and will be brought back to life after the Millennium (I Corinthians 15:22; John 6:45; Revelation 20:5).
Salvation will be opened to all during and after the Millennium (John 5:25-29; Revelation 20:11-15). Doctrine Four
Salvation will be opened to all during and after the Millennium (John 5:25-29; Revelation 20:11-15). Doctrine Four
"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." (Leviticus 23:23-24)
"Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls. . . . It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest. . . ." (Leviticus 23:26-27, 32)
"The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. . . . you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest." (Leviticus 23:33-34, 39)
From the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson #25, Copyright © 1986:
"The annual observances God instituted reveal a step-by-step outline of how He is accomplishing His supreme purpose. Each portrays a great event in God's plan for the salvation of all mankind.
"But the vast majority are deceived by Satan, the 'god of this world' (II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9). They don't understand the true way to salvation. That's because they do not know what sin is, nor what its penalty is. Consequently they don't really know why man needs a Savior! The meaning of repentance is not understood, or what God's way of life is all about. They don't understand what God's Spirit is, why we need it, or how to receive it.
"The religions of this world do not understand the processes of spiritual begettal, growth and birth into God's divine Family. They do not know that God is now calling only a few into His Church, or that those few are now being trained to rule in Christ's soon-coming world-ruling government. Nor do they realize that the vast 'unsaved' majority will be given their opportunity for salvation in a later, more favorable age, when Christ and his Spirit-born assistants are ruling the earth."
(Page 4)
"Many professing Christians claim to accept Christ's sacrifice. But God has not applied that sacrifice to them. They are still unrepentant sinners--they refuse to obey Him, claiming His laws are done away.
"Christ is not a minister of sin (Gal. 2:17). Not until we repent of sin, believe and begin to obey God can we be forgiven. Christ's sacrifice will be applied only to those who show by their actions that they are truly repentant."
(Page 15)