Aspects of the Hebrew Way: Understanding the Holy Feasts as Signs in the Times

Since Biblical times the months and years of the Jewish calendar have been established by the cycles of the moon and the sun.

The length of days and hours vary by the season, controlled by the times of sunset, nightfall, dawn and sunrise. Though the months follow the lunar cycle, the lunar months must always align themselves with the seasons of the year, which are governed by the sun. Thus, the Jewish calendar is "Luni-Solar." The discrepancy between the solar year (365 days) and the lunar year (354 days) was resolved by every so often adding a thirteenth month to the year, to form a "leap year." This is the permanent calendar according to which the New Moons and festivals are calculated and celebrated today by Jews all over the world. ~ Introduction to the Jewish Calendar

This original calendar as a way to keep the times, with it's systematized calculations between the moon and sun cycle, is a beautiful concept because it allows the original families of Israel a way to look to and keep their lives centered around the Lord's sacred Holy Feasts for which they were commanded to keep.

John Pratt's Uniform Hebrew Calendar - JohnPratt.com

In Leviticus chapter 23 is reads:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations (an assembly) even these are my feasts.

"Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, and holy convocation: ye shall do not work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings." Leviticus 23: 2-3

How many Sabbaths are there in a year? At least 52. This Sabbath feast is the "Weekly Feast" and Holy convocation.

These are the Feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons:

Passover: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover.” Leviticus 23:4-5 (takes place in the early Spring, and is called Pesach in Hebrew)
Feast of the Unleavened Bread: “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of the Unleavened Bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread..., but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation…” Leviticus 23: 6-8 (takes place in the early Spring - began and lasted for seven days)
Feast of the Firstfruits: “When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the Firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you...ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish..., and a meat offering..., an offering made unto the Lord... Leviticus 23: 9-14 (takes place in the early Spring celebrated on the day after the Sabbath on a Sunday)
Feast of Weeks: “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath..., seven Sabbaths.... Even unto the morrow after the seven sabbath shall ye number fifty days and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord." This is also called Feast of Pentecost or Harvest, or Shavuot. Leviticus 23: 15-22 (takes place in the end of Spring)
Feast of the Trumpets: “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord.” This takes place at the “Head of the Year,” or in Hebrew phonetically translated to English, Rosh Hashanah. Leviticus 23: 23-25 (takes place in the Fall)
Day of Atonement: “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a Day of Atonement (or in Hebrew phonetically translated to English, Yom Kippur), to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” Leviticus 23: 26-32 (takes place in the Fall after the Feast of the Trumpets, at the Head of the Year)
Feast of the Tabernacles: “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of the Tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. ...It is a solemn assembly... Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord..in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days, and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath, and ye shall take the goodly tree branches of palms, and the boughs of thick trees and willows of the brook... and ye shall dwell in booths seven days: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23: 34-44 (takes place in the Fall after the Feast of the Trumpets, Day of Atonement at the Head of the Year)

It is important for us to understand that this "Luni-Solar" calendar, used to mark time, is marking (see Two Sticks Crossed, in my Early Semitic Pictographic Alphabet book) our history with God and also the patterns for following the instructions of the Lord since the Creation (Rosh Hashanah - when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden). Knowing this, we can then look at these patterns of the original calendar, or of the original Feasts, for the markings and signatures upon the events of our day and history in order to see for ourselves and make prophetic connections. This awareness brings us into the light as to what is really happening.

John Pratt's Jubilee Calendar - JohnPratt.com

John Pratt's Millennial Calendar - JohnPratt.com

Using the ancient “time marker” of the Holy Festivals gives us the ability to see more of that which is unseen.

Here are just a few things which have happened over the years on these special Feast/Festival Days that are significant to me. With the resources below, feel free to look up other dates that may be significant to you:

March 26, 1820 - on the 10th of Nisan - The Great Shabbat, or Shabbat Hagadol, the Sabbath before the Passover, God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ visited a young farm boy to begin the Restoration of His Organization and Authority to the Earth.
September 21-22, 1823 - on the 16th of Tishri - The Feast of Tabernacles - Joseph Smith Jr. was visited by the Angel Moroni regarding the Ancient records of the lineage of Joseph, as recorded by John the Revelator.
April 3, 1836 - on the 16th of Nisan - The Passover, the Savior, Moses, Elias and Elijah appeared to restore the Priesthood keys to officiate in the ordinances of the Lord in His Holy House.
During 2015 - 2016 - The Sabbatical Year - Shmita/Shemitah (relates to the Feast of Sabbaths, every seventh year there is a release and rest as in the seventh day) - Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ emphasize honoring the Sabbath.
September 22-23, 2017 - on the 2nd of Tishri - Rosh Hashanah - Revelations 12:1-2 prophesy fulfilled - "Women clothed with the sun, moon at her feet, and upon her head crown of 12 stars."
September 9, 2018 - on the 29th of Elul - Feast of the Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah - An Apostle of Jesus Christ speaks from the first Melchizedek Temple and introduces the story of Saints.
October 5-6 2019 - on the 6th of Tishri - Shabbat of Returning - a Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - The Worldwide General Conference held.

What’s to come:

April 4, 2020 - on the 10th of Nisan - The Great Shabbat, or Shabbat Hagadol, the Sabbath before the Passover… The Worldwide General Conference held, a Hosannah Shout performed

October 3-4, 2020 - 15th of Tishri - The Feast of the Tabernacles, or Sukkot... The Worldwide General Conference will be held, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sept 2021 - Sept, 2022 - The Feast of the Trumpets, Rosh HaShanna - the next Sabbatical Year, or Shmita...

September 30-October 1, 2023 - 15th of Tishri - The Feast of the Tabernacles, or Sukkot... The Worldwide General Conference will be held, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Enjoy knowing more how to discern the times and center your lives around Christ and these Holy Feast days given of Him in the Old Testament and Ancient days.
~Katie Hansen