What Are the Days of Awe?

The Feast of Trumpets (also called Yom Teruah or Rosh Hashanah) begins the first of the Ten Days of Awe.

On the Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish people believe that every person’s name is written into the book of life, death, or the intermediate. From Trumpets through the end of the Feast of Atonement, Ten Days later, a person who did not repent during Teshuvah has the opportunity to return to God. These are ten days of grace to have your name changed from the book of death into the book of life. Jewish tradition says that when the door to the Temple closed after the Feast of Atonement, a person’s fate was sealed for the upcoming year.

We can see from the Bible a pattern of ten days being used in powerful ways that tie into the Days of Awe. Rebekah’s family begged for her to stay 10 more days before she left to marry Isaac (Genesis 24:55). It was 10 days between Nabal’s rejection of David and the Lord striking him dead (I Samuel 25:38). Every 10 days Nehemiah was abundantly supplied with wine of all kinds (Nehemiah 5:18). There were 10 days from the time the people of Judah asked for a Word from the Lord until Jeremiah actually received one (Jer. 42:7). There were 10 days between Daniel’s request to abstain from the King’s Table from when the king’s men checked on them (Dan. 1:12-15). Jesus ascended to Heaven 10 days before the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 1:3). In Revelation 2:10, the Lord said to the church of Smyrna that they would face tribulation 10 days. Atonement occurs on the 10^th day of the 7^th month on the Hebrew Calendar. The Lamb for Passover was chosen on the 10^th day of the 1^st month to be examined.

We can see some interesting parallels between all of these ten-day accounts. Ten days’ grace means the Lord is allowing us to change our mind for the better. Nabal could have repented. Rebekah could have decided to stay with her family. It is also a transition period in our lives. Daniel and his friends’ appearance actually improved over the ten days. This event started a transition of ascension in the kingdom of Babylon. They were exalted to leadership positions and had tremendous opportunities from this point forward.

During the Days of Awe, God is looking at your heart and life. Will you leave your past to embrace your future, as did Rebekah? Rebekah prophetically represents the Bride of Christ marrying Isaac, who represents Jesus! We have Ten Days to decide. There were Ten Days that Jeremiah waited to receive the Word from the Lord about the future of the Jewish people.

On the Feast of Atonement, the 10^th day, the Lord has a Word for you about your upcoming year. Every 10 days Nehemiah received provisions. God will show His awesome provision in your life during the Days of Awe. He wants to direct you, but He wants to see if we are willing to make the change during the allotted time. It was on the 10^th day of the 10^th month that Nebuchadnezzar started his siege against Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52:4). True repentance would have prevented this calamity.

The Days of Awe are a picture of your upcoming year. God is going to show you what your upcoming year will be like. HE is going to show you areas that you need to work on and areas of blessing.

If you experience car trouble during the Days of Awe, then expect car problems. If you have a breakthrough at work, then you can expect good things to happen at work. Look at your interactions with others and even in ministry. Even if something negative happens during the Days of Awe, it gives us an opportunity to guard ourselves from unnecessary trouble. Problems or miscommunication in a relationship show us where we need to work harder. Consider the example of the car that had problems. Having this trouble during the Days of Awe gives you the warning to take special care of your car in the upcoming year. This again shows God’s awesome power and grace – that He would warn us of events before they happen! In some instances, God is showing us the attacks Satan will use against us this upcoming year! It would be wise to write down the things that happen to you during the Days of Awe.

Last year I had water issues during the days of Awe. Sure enough, I had water problems. However, I didn’t fret when they happened. God showed me ahead of time. AND – he supernaturally resolved the issue!

This will be my 10^th time paying close attention to the events that occur in the days of Awe. They are special days of grace and favor from God. Take heed of them, and keep your spiritual eyes open.

Prophetically, these days represent 10 days of grace for the people who survive the wrath of God. The Bible mentions that there will be people who survive the Wrath of God (Zechariah 14:16-19).

When Christ returns, He is going to open the books according to Daniel 7:9-10. “As I looked ‘thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.’”

Those who went by the wayside in the Tribulation will have the opportunity to repent and receive salvation for the Millennium. They will still be flesh and blood. We will teach them and their descendants for 1,000 years.

The Feast of Atonement represents two major events: 1) when Christ went into Heaven to Atone for the sin of mankind; 2) when Satan the devil is cast into the Abyss before the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-3).