Jesus is worthy of praise and worship....

....because He perfectly completed God's Counterintuitive Plan for our salvation through His life, death, and resurrection, ....ransoming us from sin and death.  Jesus did everything He came to do for us who believe.... John 18:37, 19:28,30

Though he was God, (John 1:1,4)
   he did not think of equality with God
   as something to cling to. (John 1:14)

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God (Mark 14:36)
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Matt 27:35, 46; Heb 12:2)

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor (Rev 1:7,8)
    and gave him the name above all other names,
    that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, (Rev 19:16)
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, (Rev 5:13)
    to the glory of God the Father.
    —  Philippians 2:6-11 NLT

BEFORE the Cross and Resurrection ....John 14:29

Jesus told His disciples about "God's Plan"

The Father loves me because I SACRIFICE MY LIFE SO I MAY TAKE IT BACK AGAIN.  No one can take my life from me.  I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I HAVE THE AUTHORITY to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.  For THIS IS WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED.
  — John 10:17-18 NLT
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Jesus' Prophetic Fulfillment of Biblical Feasts

In Leviticus 23, God appointed 7 feasts to celebrate "remember our relationship" events in Jewish history.  And in God's eternal timeline they have prophetic meaning.  ....These feasts foretell the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, in specific relationship to His death, resurrection and return.  Simply put, they are GOD'S CALENDAR for the ORDER AND DETAILS of the most significant events in the history of the world!  

As illustrated above, there are 4 feasts in the Spring and 3 in the Fall with a "harvest" time period in between.  TODAY, ....this "harvest" period is called the "Church Age" ....signifing where we are in history (Matthew 28:18-20).  IN GOD'S TIMING, we are living between the feasts of PENTECOST fulfilled when the Holy Spirit came as Jesus foretold (Acts 1:8) ....and TRUMPETS when the Church is Raptured

All the SPRING feasts were fulfilled EXACTLY in Jesus' first coming 2000 years ago, and deal with the death and resurrection of Christ, and sending of the Holy Spirit. The FALL feasts deal with events at the end of the age including the Rapture, the Second Coming of Christ, and the long awaited Messianic Kingdom on earth.  Laid out by God, these 7 feasts speak of the total work of Christ to redeem mankind. *

Fulfilled Biblical prophecy validates God's Word as TRUTH we can trust....

Let's talk about the Spring Feasts....

(....following from Echoes of His Presence by Ray Vander Laan
with Judith Markam; published Focus On The Family, c.1996)

‍"Though Jesus lived a pure life (2 Cor 5:21), perfectly obeying the Law, which no other man had ever done or ever could do, HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY WERE ALSO A FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S PROMISE centuries before to the Jewish nation. Thus, Jesus' redemptive work (Mark 10:45; Eph 5:2; 1 John 4:10) was carried out ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN OF FEASTS that God had set in place with His people Israel. 
(See Leviticus 23:1-2,3-43,44)

"Not only did Jesus come into Jerusalem on the day the sacrificial lamb was traditionally chosen, but He was also sacrificed on the cross during PASSOVER, the first of the great Jewish feasts. He was buried at the beginning of the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, the feast that, among other things, offered thanks to God for the life — the bread — He provided from the earth.  ...And He rose on the FEAST OF FIRST FRUITS, the feast that celebrated the beginning of the harvest.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.  —  1 Corinthians 15:20-21 NIV

‍"Finally, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on PENTECOST, forth of the seven Jewish feasts."   See John 14:15-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-12

‍(....end quote from introduction to Echoes of His Presence)

TODAY'S CHURCH AGE: We are living in that period of time between the feast of Pentecost (fulfilled by the Holy Spirit and birth of the Church in Acts 2:38-41) and the feast of Trumpets (Jesus' imminent Rapture of the Church).  Today, we as the Church (Believers, Body of Christ) are commissioned (Matthew 28:18-20) to advance God's Kingdom (Eph 4:11-13, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:10).  Believers are to TELL YOUR STORY of being Born Again to New Life in Jesus.

Fall Feasts point to our future with Jesus

The way in which Jesus perfectly fulfilled the first 4 Jewish feasts is a fascinating study.  From the Old Covenant to the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Luke 22:20; Heb 9:15), God provides prophetic pictures of His entire plan for mankind ....as outlined in the Lord's appointed feasts of Leviticus 23.

Let's talk Jesus' prophetic fulfillment of the 3 Fall Feast still to come....

TRUMPETS — Leviticus 23:24 — Many believe this day points to the Rapture of the Church when the Messiah Jesus will appear in the heavens as He comes for His bride, the Church. The Rapture is always associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet (1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:52; Rev 19:6-9).

‍BETWEEN TRUMPETS AND DAY OF ATONEMENT — The Tribulation is a 7 year period marked by various divine judgments, celestial disturbances, natural disasters, and terrible plagues (see Revelation chapters 6-18).  Jesus said, “Those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now.... (Mark 13:19-20).

DAY OF ATONEMENT — Leviticus 23:27 — Many believe this feast prophetically points to the day of the Second Coming of Jesus when He will return to earth. That will be the Day of Atonement for the Jewish remnant when they "look upon Him whom they have pierced," repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:1-6, 25-36).

TABERNACLES — Leviticus 23:34 —Symbolizes God's dwelling among His people, fulfilled in Jesus.  Many believe that this feast day points to the Lord’s promise that He will once again “tabernacle” with His people when He returns to reign over all the world (Micah 4:1-7).

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Born Again to New Life NOW with Jesus
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God's Counterintuitive Plan

....requires our "spiritual birth" through Jesus (John 14:6)....

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been BORN AGAIN, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  ....For you know that God paid a ransom (ON THE CROSS) to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.  And it was paid with ....the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

‍‍THROUGH CHRIST YOU HAVE COME TO TRUST IN GOD. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. ....YOUR NEW LIFE will last forever because IT COMES FROM THE ETERNAL, LIVING WORD OF GOD.
   — 1 Peter 1:3,18-19,21-23 NLT

A "Born Again".... Christ-centered life is lived in continual fellowship with God, seeking the INDWELLING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (John 14:25-26; Romans 8:26; Romans 15:13; Galatians 5:16,22-23) as our Source of life and blessing, ....our Helper in making every day choices.  

The abundant life Jesus gives is not about material possessions or accomplishments; it is about knowing God, being in Him, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and manifesting the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.  ....Ephesians 3:16-19; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Therefore....

So then, since we have a great High Priest Who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.  SO LET US COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF OUR GRACIOUS GOD. There we will RECEIVE HIS MERCY, and we will FIND GRACE TO HELP US when we need it most.
    — Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT

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....and the rest of ETERNITY with Jesus

‍The Rapture of the Church (Believers in Christ, Body of Christ) is the coming event where Believers are taken up to meet Jesus in the air ....to join Him in Heaven for the "wedding feast of the Lamb" in Revelation 19:6-9.  Jesus does this in order to make way for God's righteous judgment to be poured on the earth, during a 7-year period known as the Tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-18).  See Rev 3:10 NLT.

The Rapture is described in 1 Thess 4:13-18 and 1 Cor 15:50-54.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died.  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God....
    — 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 NLT

....continuing....

....First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be "caught up" (Greek word "harpazo", Strongs G726, from which we get the word "Rapture") in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Then WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER.  So ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER WITH THESE WORDS.
    — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NLT

Physical bodies transformed to spiritual bodies

Recall our conversation in Chapter 8.1....

Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die....
Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory....  ....What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.
 
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown.  For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.  For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
    — 1 Corinthians 15:42-44,50-54

....also Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5; and 1 John 3:2

....and, as Jesus said....

"I am the resurrection and THE SOURCE of all (SPIRIT) LIFE; THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME will live even in (PHYSICAL) death.  Everyone who lives and believes in Me WILL NEVER TRULY DIE.  Do you believe this?"
    — John 11:25-26 The Voice

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Second Coming of Jesus Christ our Lord

Following the 7-years of Tribulation recorded in Revelation chapters 6-18....

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war.  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns.  A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself.  He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was the Word of God.
 
The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses.  From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.  On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
    — Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

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"Reverence" and "Awe"  describe this moment!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega — the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the One Who is, Who always was, and Who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
    — Revelation 1:8 NLT

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"Maranatha!"  

....Come, O Lord!

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Oh, there is sooo much more to know about Jesus!

Keep studying your Bible.  Read it daily.  ....And read what others have written in books and study guides and blogs and websites ....telling their life's experiences with our Lord.  ....The more you seek to know Jesus, the more there is to learn about our Savior, Lord and Friend.

As scripture says,....

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one
of them were written down, I suppose that even
the whole world would not have room for the
books that would be written.
    — John 21:25 NIV

.......Perhaps some day, you will write your own book
about life with Jesus.  I'd like to read it.  ....SMILE....

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^{* Credits: Transfiguration, Rapture, and Second Coming images anonymous, found on several blog sites / Rapture of Believers image from WallpaperCave com / text for Prophetic Fulfillment of Biblical Feasts from jesusplusnothing com and gotquestions org / Jesus photos from The Chosen}