Do You Keep God’s Appointments?

In today’s world of hustle and bustle, we tell time by our smartphones, expensive watches, and even our computers. Often, our appointment books are kept electronically and we march to the beat of what these devices tell us to do, and when. But, as believers in Jesus Christ, should we not pause and ask how the Inventor of time keeps time, and what are His scheduled appointments?

In Genesis:

“God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons ["moedim" - Hebrew] and days and years, ...'” Genesis 1:14 (NET) 

God, during the creation week, sets up His Cosmic Clock and in effect created time on Earth. Days, seasons, and years are determined by these lights in the sky (sun and moon) and His Cosmic Clock. Even the oceans on the Earth are moved and tides roll in and out according to these lunar bodies.

In Hebrew, the original language in the Old Testament, the word for seasons used in the Genesis 1 passage above is “moedim” which can also mean appointed times, or appointed festivals or feasts. Moedim is used again by God in Leviticus 23:1-2:

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts [moedim].'" (ESV)

In other words, God set up time with the lights in the sky and then set up specific, sacred Feasts on a weekly and annual basis. The weekly Feast He explains in Leviticus 23:3 is the Sabbath, a day of rest and sacred assembly. God then begins in Leviticus 23:4 to explain His seven annual appointed Feasts [moedim].

In reading the Genesis and Leviticus passages, God clearly has established time in the form of days, months, and years. He has also established sacred meetings or appointed times that are to take place weekly (Sabbath) and annually (the seven Feasts). In other words, God made the sun, the moon, and the stars in order to establish days and years, but they also mark His specific times for Him to commune with His people.

When you ask most Christians if they keep the Sabbath, most will say yes and do their best to attend church.  But what about the other seven annual Feasts? Many argue that these appointed times were/are only for the nation of Israel.

However, Jesus chose to usher in the New Covenant when He said “this is my blood of the Covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” during the Passover Feast! (Matt. 26:28 NIV). Further, during Pentecost (fourth spring Feast) the Holy Spirit descended upon early believers and the Church was born (Acts 2). These were really important days to God and to ALL believers, whereby the New Covenant and the birth of the Church occurred on these appointed Feasts (moedim). 

Do you see the connection?

The next annual Feast is The Feast of Trumpets to be celebrated this fall. Interestingly, Jesus taught in Matthew 24:31 that the elect would be gathered with a “blast of the trumpet.” In 1 Corinthians Paul wrote,

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NIV)

I am not suggesting that these events will occur this year or even during the Feast of Trumpets in any subsequent year. What I am suggesting is that God’s moedim or appointed times are His — they are very important and special to Him. He has done spectacular and miraculous things for His people during these special appointed times. I am also saying that God has used his Feasts to fulfill His promises and I believe that many promises that were put forth by Scripture will be fulfilled in accordance with the Feasts, and according to God’s Cosmic Clock.

Truly, God is amazing in the way He has ordered events to unfold according to His time frame and His sovereign purposes. But you are probably still questioning ... do they really apply to the Gentile believer under the New Covenant? 

Remember that God said His Feasts were “appointed of the Lord” and that they belonged to Him (Leviticus 23:2 NIV). Accordingly, their true nature was never only limited to the Jewish people but were instructions to ALL His people. This is why the early believers kept the Feasts, Paul kept the Feasts, the disciples kept the Feasts, and Jesus kept the Feasts.

There is no record or passage in Scripture that abolishes or does away with the any of the Feasts. Just as the Sabbath was never abolished. Rather, the Feasts are about glorious things God has fulfilled and will fulfill for ALL people through His son, Jesus Christ. 

Remember His Cosmic Clock is ticking. Are you going to keep His appointed times?

Copyright © 2018 Rev. Kevin L. Spencer