Day 3 – The God of Seasons

Dear Friend,

We are now in the season of Tabernacles, the final of three feast seasons commanded by God in Deuteronomy 16, with the Day of Atonement as the centerpiece – the holiest day on God’s calendar. Just a few days ago, this miracle-infused season began with Rosh Hashanah, and the 10 Days of Awe.

You aren’t receiving this email today by accident. 

Scriptures say the steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord. I believe this is your time, your moment, your season for your Heavenly Father to do a new thing in your life!

You may be wondering, “What is significant about this season? Why these 10 days? Why now? Does it really matter?”


Friend, in more than 800 verses across its 1,166 pages, your Bible shouts that our God is a God of timing. He’s a God of seasons, cycles, purpose, and intention.

God’s timing and purpose revealed through seasons is more than an aspect of His character. It is an invitation. You’ll clearly see this truth if you consider the cycles of the earth and our natural surroundings, all of which He made.

If you were to take a drive through the back roads here in Ohio in September or October, you’ll see fields and fields just full of sweet corn, pumpkins, and gourds. However, strawberries come along much earlier, in late May. It’s very difficult to find fresh strawberries now. Conversely, apples are everywhere right now, but you can’t find them in June.

Why? Because your Bible says, “to everything, there is a season.”

From the very beginning, God set in motion His times, cycles, and seasons. On the fourth day of creation, as He made the sun, moon, and stars, “God said, let there be lights to separate the day from the night and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14).

• God’s Word Translation words it, “They will be signs and will mark religious festivals, days, and years.”
• The NIV translates it, “Let them serve as signs to mark sacred times …”
• The Amplified Bible says, “Let them be signs and tokens [of God’s provident care].”

I’m sure you see it — the meaning God hid for you (not from you) in the original Hebrew language. The sun, moon, and stars are to mark “religious festivals” or “sacred times”. They are tokens of God’s covenants and His loving care.

The Hebrew word behind this truth is mo’edim. It means “set or appointed times; festivals; appointed places; appointed meetings.”

Now, there is no point recorded in your Bible where God ever did away with His calendar or His timetable. I’ve said it already, but I must say it again … God is a God of seasons. You cannot get strawberries from God in October. You aren’t going to get apples from God in May.

God commanded His people to be in very close connection to the land, according to a very cyclical nature so they could have faith in His faithfulness.

Now then, God said three times in a year, He would cause His people to enter into “mo’edim” – times He blocked out on His divine calendar and decided to meet with His people.

That’s what Isaiah 55:6 means when it says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

Read it again … “Seek the Lord while He may be found.” What? Is He hiding? How can He be lost when He’s always present? How can He be near when He fills all-in-all?

This is what the feasts are! They are not the feasts merely of Israel or the Church. God calls them “My feasts.” They are times when God has made a covenant promise – a commitment – to draw nearer to His people than any other time of the year – when God sets His watch to come and meet with you!

• At Passover ... He gets ready.
• At Firstfruits ... He gets prepared.
• At Pentecost ... He draws nearer.
• At Atonement … He meets with us.
• It's Tabernacles and He comes to dwell among us.

Leviticus 23:27 says, “Be careful to celebrate the Day of Atonement … You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves and present special gifts to the LORD.”

This is God’s feast, on His calendar. But He has invited us, His people, to participate! As a loving Father, He’s telling us what He’s going to do, where He’s going to go, and how to be at the right place at the right time doing the right thing to encounter His majesty!

Why? Because He wants to bless His people! He is the Ultimate Giver of every good thing! You can’t out-give God! Hallelujah!

God’s calendar is defined by His appointed feasts and His declared, sacred times – divine encounters where He reveals His nature and character to us in a way that can only be seen or experienced at that appointed time.

His calendar prompts us, much like a sacred alarm clock, to arise and remember God’s great deeds, to celebrate His abundant goodness, and to worship Him for His glorious acts yet to come.

He is a good God! And He wants to bless you!

I want to pray with you for your deepest prayer needs every day between now and the Day of Atonement – Monday, September 25. Send me your requests and all that you’re believing God for today so I can believe with you for all 7 blessings of the atonement to be released into your life!


My prayer for you today:

Father, I thank you for my dear friend. Thank you that you give us an opportunity to participate in your feasts that we might experience your blessing. We ask today that you seal your word in our hearts and cause us to chase after you. Teach us to operate according to your will and your calendar and grow our faith in the coming days as you begin to pour out your blessing upon us this year! In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!


Pastor Rod Parsley