Summary
In its broadest view, this chapter takes our thoughts all the way from the beginning of God's dealings with men on the earth to the end of those dealings. In its narrower, but more detailed view however, it takes our thoughts from the beginning of God's dealings with His earthly people, Israel, to the end of those dealings... and beyond. It is most comprehensive indeed!
These latter dealings are comprehended in the seven feasts of Jehovah. They begin with the Passover feast, typical of the death of Christ; the feast of unleavened bread, typical of the deliverance from the power of sin His death gives to those who have died with Him; the feast of firstfruits, typical of the resurrection of Christ; and the feast of weeks, typical of the assembly and its resurrection life with Christ.
These are all either past or present. The following three feasts are yet future. They are as follows: The feast of trumpets, typical of the spiritual and moral awakening of His earthly people, Israel; the feast of atonement, typical of that people's repentance for their rejection and crucifying of Messiah; and the feast of tabernacles with its eighth day, typical of the millennial reign of Christ over the earth and that which follows—that is, the eternal state, the foundation of which was laid in the death and shed blood of Christ upon Calvary's cross. As to this latter, eternal state, it is what Peter calls "the day of God, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13). The first heaven and the first earth will have passed away in order to make room for "a new heaven and a new earth." (See Gen. 2:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:10, 12; and Rev. 21:1-6.) There will be nothing further to be accomplished. All God's counsel will have been brought to full fruition. His holy heart and mind will be altogether at rest. He will forever enjoy the company of His heavenly and earthly redeemed alike. A day in which all will be in conformity with the pure and holy nature of God, it will be a scene of unimaginable bliss and glory, where there is only light and love, and where joy will fill our hearts and song our lips. God's love will fill the place, the Lamb that was slain will be its Center, and the hearts of the redeemed will be forever bursting with joy and praise.