Why should the harps stay on the willow trees?
The sanctuary calendar begins with the fall feasts: Passover, feast of unleavened bread, first fruits, and Pentecost. These were fulfilled in the events of the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit. After the long winter with no celebrations, come the three spring feasts (for a total of seven). These represent the final events before Jesus returns (Rev. 1:7) and the ultimate celebration in the New Jerusalem (after the city comes down from heaven and the wicked are destroyed; chapters 20, 21). With this background we are ready to consider the harps on the willow trees. The feast just before the feast of tabernacles is the day of atonement. It represents the time period before the close of human probation and the coming of Christ. On that day, the sanctuary was cleansed (Lev. 16:16) and the people who cooperated were cleansed. “. . . in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all. . . . For on that day
