The Daily Word of Righteousness

Seven Steps to the Rest of God

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)

The seven feasts of the Lord are one of the major scriptural types of the process of salvation. The seven feasts typify the steps we are to take as we enter the rest of God.

The Christian salvation, or redemption, is a process. It is a definite program. The program of salvation begins when we receive by faith the atonement made on the cross of Calvary by the Lord Jesus Christ. The program of salvation is brought to a conclusion when we enter the promised-land rest of God.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:10,11)

The Lord Jesus is the One who began our salvation. Jesus is the One who will finish our salvation. Every step along the way is guided by Him provided we are pressing forward in prayer and faith each day.

The seven feasts of the Lord, as set forth in the twenty-third chapter of the Book of Leviticus, make up one of the major Scriptural types of the process of salvation.

Notice that each of the seven feasts is proclaimed in its season, signifying there is a Divine timing that operates in our growth toward spiritual maturity and in the growth of the whole Body of Christ.

These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. (Leviticus 23:4)

Notice also when the time for us to move into one of the feasts, the Holy Spirit may prompt us to cease our striving and pay careful attention to what the Spirit is saying to us. We are to "do no servile work" when God is moving us forward (Leviticus 23:7, 8, 21, 25).

In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. (Leviticus 23:7)

The seven feasts, which typify the seven steps to the rest of God, are:

1. Passover (Leviticus 23:5). 2. Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6). 3. Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:10). 4. Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-17). 5. The Blowing of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24). 6. The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27). 7. Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34).

The seven feasts portray the seven aspects of the Divine redemption that is in Christ. Each of the feasts has a historical fulfillment and also a personal fulfillment. In order for the historical fulfillment to profit us we must partake of the personal fulfillment.

The historical fulfillments of the seven feasts reveal the steps that the Lord God is taking as He establishes His Kingdom on the earth:

Passover—the death of Christ on the cross.

Unleavened Bread—the descent of Christ into Hades.

Firstfruits—Christ's resurrection from the dead.

Pentecost—the sending of the Holy Spirit from Heaven.

Blowing of Trumpets—the sounding of the seven trumpets of the Book of Revelation. Christ will come and raise His saints from the dead at the seventh trumpet and take possession of the nations of the earth.

Day of Atonement—the thousand-year reign of Christ over the present earth.

Tabernacles—the new heaven and earth reign of Christ.

The above are mighty acts of the Lord God of Heaven. They are the seven foundation stones on which the eternal Kingdom of God is being constructed.

Each of the seven aspects must be performed in the individual believer. Otherwise the universal acts of God remain external to him and do not bring him into the rest of God, into the Presence and joy of God.

To be continued.