ⓒ 2009 WATV

“Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe” (Rev 14:15).
In this spiritual harvest season, the autumn feasts, when God pours out the latter rain of the Holy Spirit abundantly upon the harvesters, began with the Sacred Assembly of the Feast of Trumpets. The members of the Church of God throughout the world, who had diligently prepared for the feasts, participated in the Sacred Assembly of the Feast of Trumpets with one mind to receive the full power of the Holy Spirit which God had promised them.

The Feast of Trumpets originated from the following prophetical event; Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Command-ments, and while he stayed on the mountain for forty days, the people of Israel worshiped the golden calf, which was an idol, and Moses broke the tablets of the Ten Commandments which he had received. After that, the people of Israel stripped off their ornaments, and sincerely repented of their sin. As a result, they were allowed the second tablets of the Ten Commandments; it was on the Day of Atonement—the 10th day of the seventh month in the sacred calendar—that Moses came down from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments a second time. As a commemoration of this prophetical event, the Israelites blew the trumpet of repentance for ten days in preparation for the Day of Atonement (Exodus 32-34; Lev 23:23-25).

ⓒ 2009 WATV

Mother gave thanks to Father who had established the seven feasts of three times, the truth of life, through His sacrifice and granted His children the Feast of Trumpets, so that they could reflect on their lack of faith and repent of their sins. She also prayed that Her children would all possess faith enough to save the whole world by understanding the meaning of this feast fully and offering the prayers of repentance wholeheartedly. In addition, Mother blessed Her children, saying, “Prepare enough oil for your lamp of faith like the wise virgins, blowing the trumpet of the gospel even louder in accordance with God’s guidance.”

Through the commemoration service, Gen-eral Pastor Joo-Cheol Kim explained the origin of the Feast of Trumpets, and emphasized again God’s work of salvation fulfilled through the feasts, saying, “In order to save sinners, God Himself restored the feasts of the new covenant destroyed by Satan, and rebuilt Zion.” He also urged the members, “Let us achieve true repentance by confessing all of our past sins during the Prayer Week for the Day of Atonement, starting from the Feast of Trumpets, with all our heart, soul and mind. In addition, let’s preach the gospel powerfully, blowing the trumpet of repentance towards many people who do not yet know about God’s salvation and His atoning grace” (Ps 102:16-18; Isa 33:20-24; Mt 4:17).

The members gave thanks to God for making them the “children of Zion” through the feasts and granting them the opportunity to repent. For ten days from the evening of this day, they offered the prayers of repentance with all their hearts, confessing all of their past sins.