Pastor Marc Bertrand

How Do Christians Observe the Biblical Festivals? A Guide to God's Holy Days.( Pt 1) The Bible lists a series of festivals that God gave to Israel. These festivals hold timeless significance for Christians because they show God's plan of salvation for humanity. The progression of the biblical festivals throughout the year vividly portrays the glorious plan of God to bring many children to glory in His family. The Bible lists seven festivals that God gave to the nation of Israel for them to celebrate each year (Leviticus 23). The New Testament shows many examples of Jesus, His apostles and the Church of God observing them as well. Each festival is full of rich Christian symbolism, pointing to God’s plan for humanity and Jesus Christ’s role in each step. Most of the festivals are also special annual Sabbath rest days, which are observed in addition to the weekly Sabbath day. Passover The first, the Passover , is a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. The origi...

"How did Jesus fulfill the meanings of the Jewish feasts?" (Pt 2) The way in which Jesus fulfilled the Jewish feasts is a fascinating study. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish prophet Amos records that God declared He would do nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). From the Old Covenant to the New, Genesis to Revelation, God provides picture after picture  of His entire plan for mankind and one of the most startling prophetic pictures is outlined for us in the Jewish feasts of Leviticus 23. The Hebrew word for “feasts” (moadim) literally means "appointed times." God has carefully planned and orchestrated the timing and sequence of each of these seven feasts to reveal to us a special story. The seven annual feasts of Israel were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar, at set times appointed by God. They are still celebrated by observant Jews today. But for both Jews and non-Jews who have placed their faith in Jesus, t...

"What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible?" (Pt 3) There are seven Jewish festivals or feasts outlined in the Bible. While they are mentioned throughout Scripture, we find instructions for all seven laid out in Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23:2 refers to the seven Jewish festivals, literally “appointed times,” also called “holy convocations.” These were days appointed and ordained by God  to be kept to the honor of His name. These times of celebration are important not only to Israel, but also to the overall message of the Bible, because each one foreshadows or symbolizes an aspect of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Leviticus contains God’s instructions to His chosen nation, Israel, on how they were to worship Him. It contains detailed instructions about the duties of the priests as well as instructions on observing and obeying God’s Law and the sacrificial system. God designated seven specific feasts that Israel was to celebrat...

King James Bible-Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. The Final Superpower The Kingdom of God. "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed ... You saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold ... The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure." —Daniel 2:44-45. In God’s love, He revealed what will happen in the coming years so that we may not be discouraged, but instead have hope. The beast power of Rome will persecute God’s people and rule the world with iron cruelty. Revelation pictures the end-time superpower as a woman dressed in...

The Warnings Noah’s Ark Gives to the People of the End Times. Most people are familiar with the ark of Noah, because not only does the Bible record it, but because archaeologists also proved that it really does exist, as it was found in the valley of Mount Ararat in Turkey (which is the place Noah’s ark rests on). Since Adam and Eve didn’t listen to God’s word, but listened to the enticements of  the serpent and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, various corrupt satanic dispositions were planted in humans’ hearts. Mankind became more and more deeply corrupted by Satan. When it got to the time of Noah, the earth was filled with violence, evil and licentiousness. Mankind abandoned themselves to hideous depravity, and incited the wrath of God. The meaning of God’s creation of man in the beginning was lost. So God intended to destroy the deeply corrupted mankind with a flood. But this was not God’s original intention. God hoped that when people heard His wo...

King James Bible-Ezekiel 5:12 “A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.” Is the Coronavirus an End Times Sign? Bible Warns There Will Be ‘Pestilences’ in the Last Days. Revelation 6:5-8 says that in the final days, the world will be rocked by subsequent famines and plagues. In the U.S., cases of Coronavirus have crossed 800 and the death toll has risen over 20 with an even larger impact globally. Around the world, there are over 118,000 cases and over 4,200 deaths from the virus. Luke 21:11 cautions us that there will be ‘pestilences in various places and fearful events’ in the final days. While we don’t know if the ‘pestilences’ Jesus mentions refers directly to COVID-19, is it a warning? The word pestilence comes from the Greek word “loymos” which means plague, a ...

What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?. The term "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" comes from the Bible's book of Revelation, specifically chapter 6 of that book. "Apocalypse" is another word for "Revelation", and means "the unveiling" in the Greek language. The Apostle John was given a vision by God about things that would occur in the last days immediately prior to the second coming of C hrist, so in a sense God "unveiled" to John what will occur in the future. One of the things God disclosed to John was that a triune series of judgments will occur at some point that will bring great destruction upon the world. These are described in chapters 6-18 in Revelation and consist of what are called the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments. These collective judgments are also described by Jesus in Matthew 24 (cf. also Luke 21 and Mark 13) and are often called the "great tribulation," a term used by Jesus: "For then the...