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| September/October 2002 |
Vol.5, No. 8
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Restoration:
Shadows of the World to Come
by Darris McNeely
This column seeks
to highlight the hope of a future time of peace brought by Jesus Christ at His second
coming. The "times of restoration of all things" will be more than another
utopian ideal. For many readers of this column, the prophesied future provides a
compelling vision that fills the days, weeks and years of life with meaning. Each
article of this publication seeks to point the way to God's view of today's world
and the spiritual solutions to its problems. Let me describe how this translates
into a walk of faith.
This month of September, United Church of God members will
be observing four of the seven biblical festivals: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day
of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. By the time most of
you are reading this, members and other interested people will be gathering to keep
the Holy Days as God commands. These festivals hold a message of hope and light for
this world as it makes its way forward through challenging times.
- The Feast of Trumpets
(Leviticus 23:24). This day foreshadows the return of Jesus Christ to the earth as
King of Kings as described in Revelation 19:11-16. The kingdoms of this world will
become the kingdoms of our Lord, and Christ will reign on the earth.
- The Day of Atonement
(Leviticus 23:27). This is a solemn day of fasting, picturing a time when all mankind
will be reconciled to God. The source of all evil, Satan the devil, will be identified
and removed from influencing the course of human events. Revelation 20:1-2 describes,
"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless
pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old,
who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years."
- The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34). This marvelous festival pictures a time of peace
throughout the world. Christ's return will result in the establishment of a righteous
government that will restore the elusive peace and goodwill among all peoples throughout
the world. Zechariah 14:16 shows that eventually all people will be keeping this
festival: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations
which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the
Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."
- The Last Great Day
(the eighth day of Leviticus 23:39). The meaning of this festival contains the
most hopeful of messages. It coincides with the time spoken of in Revelation 20:11-12
when "the dead, small and great" stand before God in the judgment of the
great white throne. This day pictures the time when all who have never had a chance
will have the opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and eternal life.
For more information about God's festivals, please request our
booklet, God's
Holy Day Plan, the Promise of Hope for All Mankind.
These days define a deep-rooted faith among those who follow the words of Christ.
God's message of hope in these festivals shows the positive future beyond today's
headlines of human strife and tragedy. It is a time to step back from the world of
today and renew the vision of the world to come. It is a time to view the problems
of today's world from God's perspective. Those who observe these festivals receive
training in the solutions to the great problems afflicting today's world. May God
speed that day of restoration. wnp
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