YEA Lesson Library
Are You Ready?
About This Lesson
This lesson ties the Feast of Trumpets with the return of Christ and the importance of being ready for His return.
Scriptures
Leviticus 23:23-25
Numbers 29:1
Matthew 24:1-50
Matthew 24:43-44
Matthew 25:1-13
Luke 21:25-36
1 Corinthians 15:50-52
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Words to Know
MANIFESTATION - a phenomenon; a public demonstration of power or intent
MANNA - it literally means, “What is it.” It was the small grains or flakes left miraculously on the ground around the Israelite’s camp for them to eat.
The Lesson
The Israelites celebrated their first Feast of Pentecost with such awesome manifestations! Smoke billowed up as the mountain trembled violently, then God spoke the Ten Commandments. This wasn’t long after God miraculously saved the Israelites from Pharaoh’s approaching armies by parting the Red Sea. The children of Israel had watched as Pharaoh’s chariots tried to cross the sea and were drowned as God brought the water back over them. But those weren’t the only miracles the Israelites experienced as they continued their journey towards the Promised Land. Even though the Israelites did a lot of grumbling, God took care of them and gave them sweet water to drink and fed them with manna and quail.
God continued to instruct this massive group of people in His way. While they were slaves in Egypt, they had lost sight of the worship of the True God. After giving the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, God outlined other social responsibilities, regulation of servants, personal injuries, protection of property, and other laws they were to obey. In the middle of these laws, God instructed Moses about the Holy Days. This is found in Exodus 23:14-17, “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month you came out of Egypt.
“No one is to appear before me empty handed.“
“Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.”
“Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.
“Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD.”
There were three seasons of Holy Days which God commanded the Israelites to observe. The first autumn holy day is the Feast of Trumpets. Leviticus 23:23-25 says, “The LORD said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.” This is the only one of God’s holy days which falls on the first day of the month. Historically, God’s people looked for the new moon which signaled the beginning of the month. When it was seen by trained observers, trumpets were blown and signal fires were lit to announce to all the people that a new month had begun. Each month was announced this way. On the Feast of Trumpets, it was a day of rest, a day of the blowing of trumpets, and a day of special sacrifices. But there’s no other direct explanation of the reason behind the celebration in the Old Testament.
Then how are we to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets today? We still have the command: “On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work” ( Numbers 29:1 NIV). In addition, we have Paul’s explanation of what sounds like the Feast of Trumpets, with trumpet blasts and the return of Jesus, in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (ESV).
Because every one of the holy days, including the Feast of Trumpets points directly to Christ, we can make a good case for the return of Jesus happening on the Feast of Trumpets. We know that He will return when the last trumpet is blown. Many believe the seventh trumpet is blown on the Feast of Trumpets. But we also have this warning: Christ says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Since we don’t know if Christ will return next year on the Feast of Trumpets or at another time, what do we do? We must be ready whenever that wonderful event takes place. Jesus tells us, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44 NIV).
How do you get ready? To be ready to be caught up in the air to meet Christ when He returns, you must be a converted Christian. That means that you must have repented of your sins and been baptized. That’s the first act of obedience, but it doesn’t stop there. You must choose to follow God’s ways (His laws and principles) every day. That requires daily submission to the changing power of the Holy Spirit in your life. But the reward is great! So I just have one question for you: Are you ready?
Student Prayer
Holy Father,
Thank you for revealing your holy days to me. Help me to always celebrate them in a way that would please you. Thank you for the Feast of Trumpets and the hope of Jesus Christ returning to this earth. We’ll never have real peace until He returns. Hasten the day.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Leviticus 23:23-25
Monday - Numbers 29:1
Tuesday - 1 Corinthians 15:50-52
Wednesday - Luke 21:25-36
Thursday - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Friday - Matthew 24:1-28
Saturday - Matthew 24:29-50
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Discuss world conditions at the return of Christ.
2. Explain why Christ needs to return.
3. Contrast the difference in the five wise and five foolish virgins’ preparation for the return of Christ.
4. Make the connection with the return of Christ and the Feast of Trumpets.
5. State when the Feast of Trumpets is and what Christians should do on that day.
Topics & Themes
Feast of Trumpets
God’s Law
God’s Provision
Holy Days
Holy Days, Feast of Trumpets
Jesus, Return of
Miracles
New Moon
Preparing for Jesus’ Return
Promised Land
Wandering
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students’ and teacher’s books, songbook, CD or cassette book, music player, pencils, paper, timer, chalk board or newsprint pad, marker
How to Teach This Lesson
Divide the class into three groups. Explain that they are to go to separate parts of the room, take their Bible, and the pencil and paper you will give to each one. The first group is to turn to Matthew 24 , brainstorm, and outline what the world will be like just before Christ returns. The second group should also turn to Matthew 24. They are to brainstorm and list as many reasons why Christ will need to return as they can find in that chapter. The third group is to turn to Matthew 25:13, read it, and outline what makes some people ready for Christ’s return, list the reasons why some will not be ready for Christ’s return, and find out what happens to them. Tell them that they will have eight minutes to do this. Set the timer and say go. When the time goes off, bring the students back to their chairs in a semicircle.
Start with Group One - ask them to read their outline showing what the world will be like just before Christ returns to this earth. Ask one of the students in their group to write their points on the chalk board.
Group two - have this group read their list showing why it will be urgent that Christ re- turns to this earth. Have one of the students in their group list these reasons on the chalk board.
Group three - have this group read their outline of what are the things that make some people ready for Christ’s return. Have them read the list of reasons why some will not be ready and tell what happens to those who are not ready. Have one of the students in their group list the reasons on the chalk board.
Debrief - What connections would you make between the Feast of Trumpets and the return of Christ? When does 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 say that Christ will return to this earth? Why is the Feast of Trumpets called the “Jewish New Year?” What month on God’s calendar is the Feast of Trumpets in? (The seventh month). Why do you think it will be necessary for Christ to return to this earth? What things do you think the Christian can do or not do that would compare with the virgins falling a sleep? What does that tell us about what our spiritual lives should be like when Christ returns? What was required of the virgins in Matthew 25 to be a part of the wed- ding? (They had to have oil in their lamps.) What does oil in the virgin’s lamps represent? (Having the Holy Spirit.) What does a person have to do to receive the Holy spirit? (They must repent and be baptized.)
Students’ Activity - Go around the room and have each student give one thing from their list of things they can do to be prepared for Christ’s return. List those on the newsprint pad. If time permits, repeat this until every student has given every thing on their list.
Teacher-Directed Activity
The activity is incorporated in the lesson under How to Teach This Lesson.
Song
“Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” is on page 43 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Have the students form a circle and join hands. Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer thanking God for their better understanding of the Feast of Trumpets and asking Him to help each one of them to be ready for Christ’s return.
Printable Pages
