The books of Moses set forth the torah (teachings or instructions) on God’s first three feasts. Christ Jesus reserved to Himself the privilege of teaching about the fourth feast. It is the summing up and consummation, the suntelia, of the other three feasts.

          YHWH/Jesus through Moses gave specific instructions that all the people would gather at the place “where I choose to place my name” three times each year for the indefinite future (olam–translated “forever”). (In those days, He had not yet chosen Jerusalem as the location for the observances.)  Those occasions corresponded to the barley and wheat harvests, and the grape harvest.  They signify God’s plan for all of mankind, individually and corporately.

          The first feast is Passover, called in Hebrew “Pesach” and corresponds with the barley harvest. Spiritually it signifies justification, or more simply put being born anew, or born again. You may accurately equate this with infancy in humans. The pattern for this feast was set down in Egypt.

          Somewhat later in the spring, occurring 50 days later is Pentecost, called in Hebrew “Shavuot” or Feast of Weeks. The second feast corresponds with the wheat harvest and spiritually signifies sanctification, or more simply put, learning to hear and distinguish the voice of God the father, Christ Jesus the son, and the Lord Holy Spirit, (for all indeed are speaking), and most importantly learning to obey the voice one hears.

          The pattern for this second feast was set down at Mount Sinai, when everyone heard YHWH/Jesus speak in their own language, and convey to them His instructions called the Ten Commandments. This equates to the time of childhood and teenage years in humans.

          Have you ever noticed how everyone wants a savior, but no one really wants a lord? But in every life the time comes to leave infancy behind, and begin to learn the rules.    Thus Samuel explained to Saul, to obey (Pentecost) is better than sacrifice (Passover).  1 Samuel 15:22

          The third feast was celebrated after the end of spring, through the long summer, and into the early fall at the end of the growing season and corresponds to the grape harvest. It is called Tabernacles, or in Hebrew “Sukkot”, and spiritually signifies glorification, or simply stated, receiving new, incorruptible bodies for believers who have achieved mature sonship.

          It equates to the time when a young adult no longer obeys because of the threat of punishment or even correction, but responds in love and agreement. Every parent looks forward to this maturity in their children, and God the father is no exception. At this point a father can trust a son to speak and act for him, because the son knows the father’s mind.

          Have you ever noticed how everyone wants to be an overcomer, but no one wants to be given adverse circumstances to have to overcome? As soon as difficulties come, the prayers of the saints begin to bombard God for alleviation, as though God was napping and unaware of the struggle of his much loved child.

          The Holy Spirit wants us to learn that real maturity comes in agreeing with God about these hard times, thanking him, rather than questioning, Why? Why? Why?      And so the Holy Spirit signifies that to obey is better than sacrifice, but to agree is better than to obey. 

          The tabernacles period of life is also the time when the father decides it is time for his mature son or daughter to be married!

          Thus we come to the fourth feast, the wedding feast, also referred to as the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. It should first be observed that the Lord Jesus wants barley and wheat bread, and wine for His supper table.

          Each of the feasts, including Communion, is a foreshadow, an illustration, an incomplete preview of a reality that is soon to be experienced. We know this because Paul specifically said so in Colossians 2:17.  Observance of Communion is symbolic on several levels.  Let us consider that symbolism.

The Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was given up, took bread; and when he had given thanks, He broke it and said, “ This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.  “In the same way, He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.  1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.  Matthew 26:29

           During most Communion services, the emphasis, the songs, the spoken word, and all the attention is usually given to the Lord’s death (Passover) and it is not wrong to do so.  But did you notice that the proclamation of His death will not continue forever?  Did you observe the word “until”? Do you not see that the Apostle is pointing to another time, a coming time?

             … proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

          The coming time is the time of fulfillment of the illustration, the reality. It is the wedding supper of the Lamb of God. The Lord Jesus has told us to “remember” Him– yes, remember Him at Passover, but remember Him also at the wedding feast.

            … until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.

          On “that day”, the day He comes to drink the fruit of the vine with us, we will no longer be proclaiming His death, but instead, we will be proclaiming the arrival of He and His Father’s Kingdom.  In other words, there is an aspect of Jesus’ coming again that makes proclaiming His death, not unimportant, but less important.  And it has to do with drinking “it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.”

          The Greek word for “new” in Matthew 26:29 is kainos (Strong’s Concordance G2537).  A second Greek word that is also translated “new” is neos (Strong’s Concordance G3501), but the Lord did not use that word.  Although there is some disagreement among scholars whether kainos can mean “fresh, newly-made”, which is the undisputed meaning of neos, there is no disagreement that kainos also means “qualitatively better”—new and improved, as we might say.  (In other words, kainos can be used either way, but neos cannot.)

          Accordingly, we interpret the Lord’s words as:  I will not drink this fruit (grapes) of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it in a new and improved way with you in My Father’s Kingdom.  He does not simply say it will be wine fresh and newly-made (neos), but rather it will be fresh and newly-made and new and improved and qualitatively better (kainos). 

          For this wedding feast, the fulfillment of the foreshadow which we call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, the Lord intends to have many guests.  Those guests will be recently harvested “grapes” whose worship will be new and improved because of the arrival of the Kingdom of God and of his Christ.  Although the Lord’s Passover will always be important, the wedding feast and the arrival of the Kingdom (not to mention all the wedding guests) will be more important.  What a day of rejoicing that will be!

          Blessed are you, O Lord.  Our wonderful God, you are the king of forever, and you have set the seasons according to your own pleasing, and with wisdom.  How wise and beautiful you are.

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