Theologians have analyzed the prophecies of the Bible and determined that there are more than 100 prophecies predicting that Jesus would come to this earth.

Many Old Testament prophecies talk about a Messiah coming as a king of the line of David who will sit on the throne of Israel and rule with power and authority over all nations.

However, during Jesus’ time, the Jews – even Jesus’ own disciples at first – did not understand that the Messiah was prophesied to come twice. In His earthly ministry, Jesus had spoken of distinctions between His first and second comings. When Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, questioned Him just before the crucifixion, Jesus stated clearly that He had not come to rule at that time.

"My kingdom is not of this world," Jesus told the governor. "If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." So Pilate asked Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered in the affirmative: "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth" (John 18:36-37).

2000 years later, Christian theologians recognize that Bible prophecy distinguishes between Jesus’ first and second comings. However, opinion polls show that many Christians don’t believe in a literal return of Jesus Christ to this earth, even though the New Testament authors like the apostle Paul clearly describe this event: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thes­salonians 4:16-17).

The symbolism of God’s Holy Days reveals the plan of God for mankind. We understand that the Feast of Trumpets depicts nothing less than the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish the Kingdom of God!

We have now kept the first of the fall Holy Days with our understanding of its meaning. In so doing, we have expressed our love for our heavenly Father and His son by fulfilling their command to keep this day.

We have also expressed our faith in God’s revealed plan. With the help of the holy spirit, we believe God and look forward to the time when the feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled. That’s a good start for the fall Holy Day season.

With these thoughts I wish us all a rewarding Sabbath!