1. 2) The personal significance: This is the spiritual outworking of the truth of these feasts into our lives today. Which was initially several different places, and eventually, Jerusalem. Fall Feasts: A Complete Guide to the Jewish High Holidays, Celebrating the Biblical Feasts: Jesus and Passover, Shavuot and Pentecost: Tongues of Fire and 70 Languages. The Feast of the First Fruits was held during the wheat harvest. But the richness of Gods Word is that it often reveals a deeper truth if you know where to look. These feasts were to be celebrated from the time in the wilderness when God gave the law and would carry on into the future. This seven-day feast begins on the day following the start of Passover. The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur is the Holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Sign up to receive the free devotional. What should we focus on as we study these feasts? TheChurchofGodisrequired to The establishment of the Jewish Holy Days was given to Moses by Jehovah, Himself. Act 2:1-4, And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Tribulational believers alive at the Second Advent live into the Millennium to repopulate the earth. He was also born in Bethlehem which in the Hebrew means the House of Bread. ), Unlocking the secrets of the Feasts - Michael Norton (a smaller, quicker read but with some interesting information), After the Rapture - Jerry L. Dart (a very comprehensive book on Bible prophecy/end times in general but includes useful information on the 'days of awe' between the feast of Trumpets and the day of Atonement.). - The twenty-second day was the solemn assembly and the prayer for rain. All Jewish males were required by God to go to Jerusalem three times each year to commemorate these feasts: Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Jewish teachings also confirm that it was on the sixth day of Sivan that Moses received the Ten Commandments. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; Surely it is near, day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 1 Co 5:7, Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.. Watchful/Warfare: Living in view of His imminent return. Let's have a look at a brief overview of what is taught in each feast. It commences with the Antichrist profaning the rebuilt Temple and concludes exactly 1260 days later. At least four times in their history on this day, the fourteenth day of Nisan, the evening the Passover Supper is celebrated, marks some great spiritual and national events in the life of Israel. You may also remember that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit happened on the holiday of Pentecost. Birth takes place on the tenth day of the ninth month. What a day that will be! That means the seasons are determined by the sun. This is the introduction to the introduction to the Seven Feasts of the Lord if that makes sense! Leviticus 25 describes this celebration: LEV 25:9-10, You shall then sound a rams horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land. Bible doctrine produces common sense. 10. (17) These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Combined these feasts speak of the total work of Christ to redeem mankind and this planet. - The Giving of the Ten Commandments. And once again God intervened in this war of Yom Kippur and Israel turned the tide of battle to win against Syria and Egypt. - The finding of the book of the Law that Moses wrote. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know Next, the gynecologist said, "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the lungs become fully developed. The Passover was held during the time of the latter rains or the barley harvest. Yes, you read that right! Most importantly, we can prepare for the second coming of His Son to Earth. Eight days after birth, in Jewish families, a son is circumcised. It was a reminder that God has provided through free enterprise the only basis for sustaining a nation. You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. WebJewish Feasts - Part 1 Barnes Bible Charts THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD n Leviticus 23:8 n Began the day after Passover n Begins on the 15th day of Abib n Lasted If you are like me, when you hear 'feast' you think 'food' and possibly/hopefully lots of it. On this day, Nisan 15, God brought the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt on the exact day their father Abraham had prophesied it would happen some 430 years earlier. God wanted Israel to acknowledge that they owed Him not only the firstfruits, but that all that they had was from God, and that it was a daily gift from His gracious hand. This feast taught that all Israel is not Israel. In other words, feasts were related to the practical, every-day living of the Jews. The Jews catechism is his calendar. The Burnt Offering Here we have the highest aspect of the work of Christ where He is seen offering Himself up entirely to God to do His will even unto death. So there have been two major events on this day, the fifteenth day of Nisan. What we commonly refer to as the Jewish feasts should more appropriately be called Biblical Feasts or Feasts of the Lord. Especially, since in the Bible God calls these festivals simply His own. God established the biblical feasts for His people to observe. It is a clear picture of the sacrifice of Jesus, who saved us through his death on the Cross. We are trying to learn more about Jesus Christ and our life in Him. At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. The Lord confirmed His covenant with Abraham on the first Passover. It proves the existence of an intelligence beyond this world. The Feast of Trumpets begins on the first day of Tishri in the fall (September-October). This is because it explains so much about prophecy and it really supports the idea of its 3,500 year old declaration of Holy convocation days must be the word of God. It is a day of fasting and in Israel everything comes to a full stop, including airports and traffic. Now, this is simply an overview and introduction to the series. Called Sukkot in Hebrew (booths), it points to the commandment of God to stay in temporary dwellings for a week. Bible doctrine has practical and temporal applications as well as spiritual blessing. Moses wrote them down and instructed the sons of Israel as directed by God. God wants to meet with us to celebrate with usand to teach us. This was a reminder of the importance of free enterprise. Great! Although the Feast of Unleavened Bread is quite distinct from the Passover Feast, it occurs at the same time and lasts seven days from the fifteenth day of Nisan through the twenty-first. The gynecologist said, "On the first day of the seventh month, the baby's hearing is developed. 2. The Feast of Tabernacles was the third of the three Annual feasts which all Jewish men were required to attend in Jerusalem each year. The apostle Paul spoke of the importance of these special days in his epistle to the Church at Colossi. They portray WebTheFeastof Unleavened Breadisseven (7)dayswith theFirstDayanAnnual SabbathandtheSeventhor LastDayanAnnual Sabbath. Christ proved that His power over death was not limited to Himself by resurrecting many of the Old Testament saints on this Feast of Firstfruits and offering these saints to God. After the conclusion of the ten plagues, the Egyptian Pharaoh finally let the people go. In this Year of the Jubilee, on the Day of Atonement, all debts were cancelled, slaves were set free, and family lands that had been sold would be returned to their original owners. The Lord himself was with the Israelites in the desert, in a tented temple called the tabernacle, so the feast also celebrates his presence as he tabernacles (dwells) with us. Although they didnt know it at the time, the children of Israel were celebrating what would become a very important day. It was this spiritual (not natural / outward) that Paul spoke about when he wrote: During the celebration of Passover, the father takes three loaves of the unleavened bread and places them in a special white linen envelope which has three compartments. But as 'shadows' or 'types' we can certainly learn from them for God has hidden many important truths within them. Studying all the minute details that the Jews did outwardly at these feasts is only helpful to the extent that it can be applied to one of the following aspects: THE PASSOVER 2. Passover. For a year Noah and his family had floated upon the waters wondering if they would ever see land again. Zola noted that the eight days of Hanukkah are celebrated right on schedule, nine months and ten days after Passover. That is because the Hebrew calendar is slightly different from the western Gregorian calendar. WebOther words used to describe Gods seven feasts are hag, a noun meaning a feast, and hagag, a verb meaning to hold a feast, a pilgrim feast, to celebrate a holy day (ibid., pp. Then, before their eyes, God parted the waters of the Red Sea and the Israelites crossed over into a new life as a resurrected nation on the Feast of Firstfruits, the seventeenth of Nisan, to become the firstfruits of a nation reborn from the bondage of Egypt. Gods plan to save souls included more than the Jews. Once again a required Jewish feast was totally fulfilled by the greatest Jew of all, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then He judges the unbelievers, resurrects the Old Testament believers and Tribulational martyrs, and brings them with Him into the Millennium. So whether you think you know the feasts well and hardly at all, I can honestly say that this is a very important topic to study once again. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. However, the Passover holds forth the promise of that final redemption when the Messiah will redeem all those who look to Him for salvation. Summer is also a season when the Jewish people commemorate the destruction of the Temple. The most significant event that took place on the seventeenth day of Nisan is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the firstfruits of all future resurrections into eternal life. In COL 2:16 he said, Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath daythings which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. My answer has always been this: we dont have to celebrate the feasts we get to! In Matthew 9:37 Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Then he put the plan into place: In Acts 1:4 he tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. However biblically, it was a solemn day with trumpet blasts reminding people to reflect on their lives and repent. Christians can freely celebrate these feasts out of a desire to know Gods character. The Jews had Divine protection during this plague due to their sacrifice of the Passover lamb and the application of its blood to their door posts. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work. We read above that the feasts / festivals were 'shadows' of the reality that is in Christ. So the Passover begins at sunset (twilight or around 6:00 P.M.). (8) Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Web3 FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD Lev. 9. The holiday usually falls around the Christmas season in the Gregorian Calendar. This definition is rooted in the Biblical description of the Yom Kippur holiday inLeviticus23:32, where it says the holiday lasted from evening to evening. More than one hundred thousand Egyptian soldiers invaded Sinai against some three thousand Jewish defenders. The Haggadah, the Jewish liturgy, says that at the Passover, In every generation, each person should feel as though she or he were personally redeemed from Egypt.. THE FEAST OF Amen. Passover was the first of these feasts. Pentecost then occurred on a Sunday, exactly 50 days after the First Fruits or the resurrection of our Lord. During this feast of seven days, the people were to live in boothstemporary dwellings made of branchesto commemorate their dwelling in tents for forty years in the wilderness. WebThe figure above shows the first three biblical feast days (High Sabbaths) according to the astronomical and biblical calendar of God 2023, where each month begins with the first visible crescent moon over Jerusalem, and the mathematical Jewish calendar 2023 used in Israel. The four spring feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. They are God's calendar for the order and details of the most significant events in the history of the world! - On the twenty-third day, the Jews celebrated the dedication of the first temple. During these seven days, Israel was to eat bread without leaven (leaven symbolized sin) in remembrance of their baking unleavened bread in their haste to escape Egypt. In fact, Passover only happened on the first day. When studied closely, they present an ongoing picture of the first and second coming of the Messiah Yeshua. LEV 23:15-19, You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath [a Sunday], from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths [7 x 7 or 49 days]. The autumn feasts are Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. Wycliffe Bible Translators. For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.. 2. The first is 'feast' and the second is 'assemblies' (or 'convocations' in some other versions.) The Jews were constantly sacrificing unblemished animals to temporarily atone for sin. It is called the intercalation when the Church Age is inserted into the Jewish Age. 42 You shall dwell in [ g]booths for seven days. There are several Christian holidays that famously correspond with Jewish ones. WebIn Leviticus 23, God speaks to Moses about seven feasts. Copyright 2023 Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries | Powered by JT Digital Creatives, Click the File Folder to Download Your PDF. During that session, the gynecologist showed him a series of pictures, pointed to the first one (an egg and a sperm) and said, "On the fourteenth day of the first month, the egg appears." WebEach feast has an historic, memorial context (not to be a basis of criticism). So this is what we should focus on - the reality in Christ. People who have capacity are the only people who are ready for freedom and can enjoy freedom. Through Jesus, this plan was revealed. Israel now waited for three days at the base of Mount Sinai for Moses to return from conversing with God. Thats why GEN 8:4 calls it In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.. The Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles were observed during the early rains and the time of sowing. On the night of Passover, when the Pharaoh of Egypt was finally forced by God to let Israel leave Egypt, hundreds of thousands of Jews started out toward freedom. In Biblical times, these three feasts required that you make your way to where the Tabernacle or Temple stood. It also portrayed freedom from slavery and the establishment of a new client nation. However, God changed Israels calendar so that, from the time of the Exodus, their New Years Day began in the Spring on the first day of the month of Nisan, around March or April. This is why in DEU 16:3 the bread eaten during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is called the bread of affliction. This unpleasant tasting bread symbolized all the burden and affliction in Egypt. My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. This feast occurred exactly fifty days after the Passover, LEV 23:1521. This reminded Zola of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the seed or grain that "fell into the ground and died" in order to produce a harvest, the firstfruits of which was presented to God. It is a one of a kind set up with so many future events that cant be coincidence. Leaven often represents sin and decay in the Bible. First Fruits Leviticus 23:10. Jesus said, If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for He wrote of Me (John 5:46). Part 2 of the booklet was a fascinating account of how the feasts relate to the development of the baby in the womb. Aaron, the High Priest, made Atonement for Israel for the First Time in the Wilderness. The prophet Zechariah, after describing the Battle of Armageddon, goes on to describe a supernatural out-flowing of grace to the Jewish remnant several days after their Messiah defends them at the Battle of Armageddon. As soon as the new moon was sighted in eastern Israel, the watchers would trumpet the signal from hill to hill until the signal finally reached the Temple. That is why the holiest day of the week the Sabbath rightfully identified as Saturday, starts being celebrated on Friday evening. Passover and Unleavened Bread: redemption from death (new creation) and commitment to simplicity and trust in Gods power to provide food in the wilderness Firstfruits and Weeks: celebrating the gift of produce from the land Trumpets: announcing the sabbatical (seventh) month Day of Atonement: Gods renewing the holiness of his Eden Join our worldwide prayer team for those awaiting and translating Scripture! - Another great event which happened on the Feast of Firstfruits, the seventeenth day of Nisan was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Estera Wieja is a journalist, book author and public speaker, focused on the topics of Israel, Jewish history, and Judeo-Christian culture. A new dispensation, the Church Age, was inserted into history. , I should add a rule that you are not allowed to list your own birth. The final three feasts, the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled at the Second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a day of humility and repentance to God, it was a time for the Jews to get their hearts, consciences and lives right before him. The church is not under any law to outwardly keep the feasts as the nation of Israel was told to do. The evidence from. When is the last time you heard a sermon on them or read a book about them? Appendix - Jewish Holy Days: The Making of a Baby. Israel is restored as a nation and the four unconditional covenants are fulfilled. This is where God first taught about the 'Passover' and 'Unleavened Bread' as mentioned in Exodus 12. What is the spiritual purpose in giving the feasts? It is remarkable that it is exactly 1260 days from Passover until the Feast of Trumpets, three and a half years later. Grace Bible Church The Seven feats of the Lord. This feast represented the fulfillment of the four unconditional covenants to Israel: the Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian, and New Covenants. This feast represented the termination of the fifth cycle of discipline to Israel. Galatians 4:9-11 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? ZEC 12:10, And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a firstborn., REV 1:7, Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. She holds a Bachelor degree in Communications and Media from Azusa Pacific University (California, USA), and a Master degree in Journalism from University of Warsaw, Poland. The first section includes the "Passover," the Feasts of "Unleavened Bread," of "First-Fruits" and They are absolutely specific even giving the exact days of the year in which these events will occur. ZEC 14:16, Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of tabernacles. When it falls to the ground and takes root it is soon transformed into new life. Purim is a celebration of another victory of the Jewish people over their enemies. Our years begin in January. My understanding was very limited compared to what I discovered! Unlike searching for Waldo in a messy world, we can pray for Gods wisdom as we read his Word. Thats when they began the first of many complaints to Moses: EXO 14:11-12, Then they said to Moses, Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? We know Jesus had a Passover meal with His disciples. Moses turned to the only sure help that exists for any of us. 3. But it also has the thought of 'a rehearsal'. It represented the beginning of the Church-age and the times of the Gentiles. Zola thought, "That's the Day of Atonement, when the blood was taken into the Holy of holies!" WebJewish Feasts - Part 1 Barnes Bible Charts THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD n Leviticus 23:8 n Began the day after Passover n Begins on the 15th day of Abib n Lasted seven days n God was honored with the firstfruits of the harvest n Leviticus 23:9-14 THE FEAST OF PENTECOST n Leviticus 23:9-12 n Observed 50 days after the Passover Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. And now with the seven Feasts of Israel they have a chart into the future. It was essential for Jesus to die in order to triumph over death, sin and Satan. Finally I want to mention a couple of books that have helped in this topic which I will be quoting from occasionally. It represented the establishment of Israel as a nation, ISA 5:2630, 10:1923, 11:1116, 14:13, 60:46; JOE 2:16ff; ZEC 10:612. The whole offering, except the skin of the animal, was burnt upon the altar and all MAT 27:52-53, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin. The unleavened bread represents Jesus sinless life; he is the only perfect sacrifice for our sins. And Zola thought, "That's the festival of Tabernacles, a time of celebrating the Temple, home of the Shekinah glory or Spirit of God." That will be enough questions for now. ZEC 12:10, And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. Once incorporated, yeast becomes an inseparable part of the bread; the same is true for sins effect on our lives. The second interesting word is 'assemblies' or 'convocations'. This feast remembers the last plague in Egypt, when the angel of death passed over the children of Israel who applied the blood of the lamb to their doors. It portrayed phase two or living grace, which is everything God provides to keep you alive in Satans world, 1 Co 5:8. Can you see the imagery? What nation or people were the feasts given to? The Church-age as an intercalated dispensation was unknown to any Old Testament writer, ROM 16:2526; EPH 3:16; COL 1:2526. WebThe four spring feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. So, lets dive deeper into what they are. This was a reminder to the Jews that, always under free enterprise, there is opportunity for new business. Wycliffe is an interdenominational, nonsectarian, 501(c)(3) taxexempt, nonprofit mission organization, and an accredited member of the ECFA.PO Box 628200 Orlando, FL 32862. - Noahs Ark Rested on Mount Ararat (GEN 8:4), After the flood destroyed all of humanity except for Noah and his family, the ark floated above the waters until, by Gods mercy, it finally came to rest, on the seventeenth day of Nisan, on Mount Ararat in Turkey. The Feast of Trumpets, better known as Rosh HaShanah, meaning Head of the Year, points to the beginning of the civil calendar in Israel. Lets begin with the Passover Supper and look at the accuracy of fulfillment found throughout Israels history. * THESE ARE THE FEASTS OF THE LORD, EVEN HOLY He teaches us to remain watchful. The prophet Joel seems to connect the great Day of the Lord - the Battle of Armageddon - with this day, the Feast of Trumpets. Unleavened Bread is usually identified with Passover as they are closely related. After 430 years they were faced with either imminent disaster or salvation from the slavery and bondage of Egypt. WebTHE SEVEN ANNUAL SACRED FEASTS OF THE OLD COVENANT: And their fulfillment in Jesus Christ THE SEVEN ANNUAL SACRED FEASTS OF THE OLD COVENANT AND He put on a temporary tabernacle a human body to dwell on this earth and offer himself as a sacrifice. Until then, we don't know if we have a duck or a tadpole." The Feast of the Trumpets ( Lev. So we are not under any legal obligation to keep the feasts (festivals) because they were a shadow of the reality that is in Christ. You may know them as the Jewish holidays,but did you know the Bible calls them Feasts of the LORD? We can celebrate the miracles He has done. The prophet Ezekiel tells of a great day of restoration for Israel: EZE 36:26, Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh., EZE 36:33, Thus says the Lord God, On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt., Paul prophesied of Israels greatest Day of Atonement when he declared, ROM 9:26, And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, you are not My people, There they shall be called sons of the living God.. 8. This is also an interesting question. And it is all laid out in advance! The Seven Festivals of the Messiah - Edward Chumney (this is a very detailed book which will be very useful if you want to study this topic in a lot more detail. The New Testament commentary on this feast (known today as Yom Kippur is found in ROM 3:2326 and HEB 9:2428. Bottom to top, side to side: the motion formed a cross. Weve put this guide together for you so that you have all you need to know about these holidays that God calls His own. These are: Whatever the Jews had previously thought about the Lord Jesus Christ, they certainly had to admit that it seemed more than coincidental that He was crucified on the Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, raised on First Fruits, and had sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Well actually, since when did I get what I want? The Jewish leaders condemned Jesus, and he burdened with the sins of all mankind was led out of the city to be crucified: He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins and not only our sins but the sins of the world (1John 2:2, NLT). Celebration always follows the Day of Atonement. In the recent years, the amount of churches across the world that celebrate these holidays has grown. What does the split timing of the feasts teach us about the Messiah's work of redemption? Unconditional means these covenants require nothing from man to be fulfilled and executed. The Jewish people have kept many of the biblical feasts through the centuries. Apparently these individuals had just recently died because for them to appear to many as a miraculous event, the many would have had to know that they died! 23:24) Yom Teruah The Feast of the Trumpets falls on the seventh month, in the first day of the month of the Jewish calendar. You shall do no work at all. God performed this exact ceremony with the burial of Jesus and more importantly, He performed it on the exact day of the Jewish feast. Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? THE SEVEN ANNUAL SACRED FEASTS OF THE OLD COVENANT: The Feasts of Remembrance. Leviticus 23:27 provides a day of Now, its interesting because these feasts point to a literal time on earth when they would be fulfilled by God Himself.