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God is a God of purpose, order and design. The prophet Isaiah describes God as one “declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things which were not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’ ” (Isa. 46:10). As such, God works according to His carefully planned timetable. We see this, for example, when God promised Abraham that Sarah would conceive only at “the time appointed” (Gen. 17:21; 18:14; 21:2). The Hebrew term used here is moed, meaning an appointed or set time—one that had been well thought out in advance. Concerning end-time events, God shows through the prophet Daniel that He works in concert with appointed times: “Behold, I will make you know what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation, because it belongs to ‘the appointed time’ [moed] of the end” (Dan. 8:19; 11:27, 35). As well, the vision given to the prophet Habakkuk was for “an appointed time” at the end (Hab. 2:3).
A vital key to understanding how God works according to a carefully ordered plan is the knowledge of His annual festivals—or “appointed times.” In Genesis chapter one, we see that God ordained the heavens as a kind of timepiece to indicate the timing of His moadim (plural of moed)— literally His appointed times. “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide between the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for [the] appointed [festival] seasons, and for days and years’ ” (verse 14). Indeed, God “made the moon [to indicate] the appointed times” (Psa. 104:19). In Exodus 13:10 we are instructed to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread “in its season [moed]” or “appointed time.” In Leviticus 23, where all of God’s festivals are listed together, they are called “the appointed feasts [moadim] of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons [moadim]” (verses 2, 4). Thus, God’s “appointed times” are His set festivals and holy days.
The entire Master Plan of God revolves around His Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah. Jesus’ life, ministry, sacrificial death, resurrection, and role as King of the age to come is the focal point of God’s grand purpose on earth. Thus, it should come as no surprise that every aspect of Jesus’ role as Messiah is ordered according to God’s “appointed times.” We see that Jesus was “slain,” as it were, from the foundation of this present age (Rev. 13:8) —that is, His death would be required as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Thus, it was appointed from the beginning that Christ would have to be sacrificed for the reconciling of mankind to God. The apostle Paul tells us that “at the appointed time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). The Greek means a definite, fixed time. Similarly, Paul tells the Galatians that God sent Jesus only when “the fullness of time” had come (Gal. 4:4). Again, the Greek points to a specific, appointed time.
But exactly what and when are the “appointed times” of Jesus the Messiah? How can we know them? As we will see, the mystery of the “appointed times” of the Messiah can only be resolved by understanding God’s feasts and holy days!
Appointed Times “Hidden” in Plain Sight
It is mind-boggling that the Orthodox Christian world—consisting of over two billion professed believers—has little or no clear understanding of the biblical “appointed times” of Jesus the Messiah. This ignorance stems primarily from the overarching rejection by popular Christianity of the Old Testament festivals of God—falsely labeled as “Jewish.” It is precisely because of this bias that most “Christians” are blinded to the truth of God’s plan as it revolves around the “appointed times” of the Messiah. In other words, they have thrown away the very key that unlocks the prophecies hidden in God’s Word.
Jesus’ messianic role is fundamental to the establishment of the millennial Kingdom of God. Yet mankind as a whole has been locked in the dark concerning that kingdom. In Jesus’ day, He often intentionally spoke in parables in order to obscure the facts of the kingdom: “And His disciples came to Him and asked, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ And He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries [or secrets] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them [those who do not love and obey God] it has not been given’ ” (Matt. 13:10-11). In fact, “Jesus spoke all these things [concerning the kingdom] to the multitudes in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them, so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet [see Psalm 78:2], saying, ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world’ ” (verses 34-35).
God Himself has concealed these things—howbeit, in plain sight in the Scriptures. As Proverbs tells us, “The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:2). Paul writes that God reveals His secrets to those who love and obey Him. “Having made known to us the mystery of His own will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself; that in the divine plan for the fulfilling of the times [His appointed times], He might bring all things together in Christ, both the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth; yes, in Him, in Whom we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestinated according to His purpose, Who is working out all things according to the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:9-11).
This mystery—the authentic plan of God, centered on the Gospel of the kingdom (Eph. 6:19) and organized around God’s “appointed times”— “has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been revealed to His saints” (Col. 1:26; also Rom. 16:25-26).
We observe this concept throughout the New Testament: God has chosen to reveal the truth of the kingdom only to a select few at this time. All others remain blinded. But why? Why is the truth of God’s “appointed times” hidden in plain view right in the pages of the Bible?
Continuing in Matthew 13, notice Jesus’ explanation: “For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand” (verses 12-13). Amazing! They read the words right in their Bibles, but “see not.” They hear the words being preached, but “hear not.” They simply do not—cannot—understand!
Why? Jesus answers: “And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, ‘In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand; and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive; for the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes THEY have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them’ ” (verses 14-15).
Indeed, modern “Christianity” has almost no knowledge of the “appointed times” of God—of His Sabbath, holy days and feasts—keys to His prophetic plan. While they profess to believe in and accept Jesus as Savior, their rejection of God’s Word has left them spiritually blind and incapable of understanding. Notice what Isaiah writes: “Be stunned and amazed! Blind your eyes and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink, for the LORD has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered [blinded] the prophets and your rulers, and the seers. And the vision of all has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which they give to one who is learned saying, ‘Please read this,’ and he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ And the book is delivered to him who is not learned, saying, ‘Please read this,’ and he says, ‘I am not learned’ ” (Isa. 29:9-12).
Jesus continues the thought, quoting from the same passage. “Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me [God the Father] with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.’ For leaving the commandment of God, you hold fast the tradition of men…” (Mark 7:6-7).
In other words, they are willingly ignorant of the truth because they prefer their humanly-devised traditions over the clear commands of God. Today, in mainstream Christianity, such “teachings of men” would include: 1) the erroneous idea that God’s weekly Sabbath and annual holy days— ignorantly labeled as “Old Covenant” rituals—are now obsolete, and 2) that “traditions of men”—such as Easter and Christmas—are perfectly acceptable forms of Christian worship. However, God commands us to not worship Him according to the customs of the pagan world (Deut. 12:30-32) —for such an approach is tantamount to calling good evil, and evil good
(Isa. 5:20). Of those who do so, God says they have “cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel” (verse 24).
As Jesus said and Paul wrote, this mystery of God’s plan— previously hidden for ages—has now been revealed to His saints (Col. 1:26). Accordingly, as Daniel brings out, “there is a God in heaven Who reveals secrets” (Dan. 2:26)—and He reveals the secrets of His plan to “those who fear Him” (Psa. 25:14). These are the mysteries of the Kingdom of God—of His plan and purpose, the deep things of God as outlined by His “appointed times.”
God makes plain the secrets of His prophecies according to His own timetable—when it is needful for such knowledge to be given. Case in point: When Daniel wanted to know the truth of the prophecies God had given to him, he was told, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and refined. But the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (Dan. 12:9- 10). Indeed, the Scriptures are written “here a little, and there a little” so that only those who are truly yielded to God will be able to understand (Isa. 28:9-10).
Today, during these latter days, as God has promised, He has abundantly revealed the previously hidden truths of His plan. The unveiling of the book of Revelation and the knowledge of the Calculated Hebrew Calendar (CHC) are vital keys to understanding God’s plan. But the first and most critical requirement is a simple desire to believe and obey what the Scriptures teach. Only with such an attitude can one hope to have their mind opened and understanding granted by God’s Holy Spirit—for “God has revealed [His mysteries] to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things—even the deep things of God. For who among men understands the things of man except by the spirit of man which is in him? In the same way also, the things of God no one understands except by the Spirit of God” (I Cor. 2:10-11).
Will you understand? Or will you allow yourself to be blinded by human tradition, hindered by religious bias? God shows no favoritism, as He is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11; Acts 10:34). However, for those who diligently ask, seek and knock (Matt. 7:7-8), the truth is readily available, in plain sight, right in the pages of the Bible. It is “hidden” only to those who willingly reject or dismiss the key—the Sabbath, holy days and festivals of God (Lev. 23).
Understanding the “appointed times” of Jesus the Messiah is essential to comprehending the Master Plan of God—the very plan designed to deliver humanity from utter destruction and bring eternal life to all who will embrace God’s way. If you are willing, this book will open your eyes to the truth of God’s plan of salvation as it follows the “appointed times” of Jesus the Messiah along the framework of God’s annual festivals.
One final note: The in-depth information contained in this book is based on Scripture, the time frame of the God-given CHC, as well as substantiating historical fact. No consideration has been given to the religious teachings and traditions of men. Thus, those who are not familiar with basic biblical teachings may initially find this book to be somewhat difficult. It is our hope, however, that the reader will follow the wise example of the Bereans, who “received the Word with all readiness of mind and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things [being taught by Paul] were so” (Acts 17:11). As a result, “a great number of them believed” (verse 12).
