The Seven Feasts of Jehovah: An introduction

Why study the feasts

The Old Testament furnishes us with the shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 10:1). For one who loves the Lord understanding His concern for the welfare of man is to understand the Lord Himself and the dealings with his Chosen people. Further, understanding the connection of the Old Testament with the things of New Testament enables a true searcher of Scripture to be fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14).

Study of the Law is to reveal the true nature of God and His working towards us, a lost people, redeemed from everlasting destruction, destine now for glory, as heirs. The typography of the Seven Feasts of Jehovah reveals the path Christ took to purchase and sanctify His chosen people, and further, it reveals the glorious moment of "being with Him". It does this by looking forward to a future time of restoration of His people.

Study points

• Old Testament is the shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 10:1).
• The connection of the Old Testament with the things of New Testament enables a true searcher of Scripture to be fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14).
• "The New Testament hidden in the Old, the Old Testament revealed in the new"
• Law reveals the true nature of God and His working towards us, a lost people, redeemed from everlasting destruction, destine now for glory, as heirs.
• The typography of the Seven Feasts of Jehovah reveals the path Christ took to purchase and sanctify His chosen people, and further, it reveals the glorious moment of "being with Him". It does this by looking forward to a future time of restoration of His people.
• A Christian's interest in the feasts is in the way they speak of the Jehovah's boundless mercy and grace.

The tenet

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. Hebrews 10:1 (NKJV)

Background

• The Feasts governed the lives of Israel.
• Feasts ran from Spring to Autumn.
• Three times a year all males had to present themselves to the temple at Jerusalem (Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles - Ex 23:14-17). A "holy" convocation is a religious meeting, and in Scripture it is a holy gathering of people as appointed by God, hence being more than a congregational meeting.
• The feasts ran from the early rains in spring through to the late rains, which came at the end of the long hot summer, at the beginning of autumn.
• There were three feasts, a break the forth feast, then a break followed by the last three.


• Observance is not required by Christians (because Christ fulfilled the law).
• Early Church observed Passover.
• Key bible passages - Leviticus 23 outlines the law pertaining to the seven feasts.
• These feasts belonged to Jehovah - see Leviticus 23:2_.

The "types" seen in the feasts are as follows.

Feast	Action	Antitype	NT Reference
Passover	Blood sprinkled	The Lords death	1 Cor 5:7
Unleavened bread	Passover eaten	Communion of Saints	1 Cor 5:7,8
First fruits	Sheaf of first fruits waved	Christ’s resurrection	1 Cor 15:20
Pentecost	Two loaves waved	Holy Spirit Sent	Gal 3:28
Trumpets	Trumpet blowing	Christ return to His land	1 Cor 15:51-52
Day of Atonement	Blood atonement	Repentance of Jews	Heb 9:28
Tabernacles	Dwelling in booths	Millennium	Revelation 20..
Note that in each action many other 'types" can be found, for instance, in the atoning sacrifice, which Christ has done, once for all, the Passover lamb, being Christ Himself.

Note that in each action many other "types" can be found, for instance, in the atoning sacrifice, which Christ has done, once for all, the Passover lamb, being Christ Himself.

Overview

• Not counting the Sabbath there are seven feasts, a divinely perfect number. The Sabbath makes it eight, instituted in the first week of creation, but the book of Leviticus (chapter 23) begins with the Sabbath, then states that there are "seven holy convocations which you shall proclaim".
• The first four feasts are connected with the Lord's heavenly people, the Church - Christ is our Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7). These have been fully fulfilled.
• The last three feasts are more connected with His earthly people, Israel. These remain to be fulfilled.
• They were held at the place Jehovah appointed (Deut 16:16). The three times when males appeared in Jerusalem, they had to come without empty hands (Deut 16:16, Ex 29:24, Lev 16:12, Deut 26:2).

Christians need to realise that observance of the feasts are not required, (because Christ fulfilled the law), however, the early church did observe Passover. Also note that Passover observed by the early church in Acts is not the Easter Christendom observes now, that latter being a pagan festival, borrowed by the Church of Rome from Babylon along with "Lent". (In 2004 there is a month between Easter and Passover).

0. Sabbath

• Leviticus 23, describing the Seven Feasts, begins with Sabbath.
• Observed weekly, feasts are yearly.
• Observed at home, others in the place Jehovah appointed (Deut 12:14, 16:6).
• The Sabbath has not been completely filled, for there remaineth a rest for the people of God. (Heb 4:9).

1. Passover (14^th day first month), see also Exodus

• Speaks of redemption: a separation of the people of God (Psm 148:14) from Egypt.
• It speaks to us as having been redeemed from the curse of the law:
• No stranger can partake - only His chosen, the redeemed.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)

• It involved a lamb and spilt blood.
• The ground on which it is taken (the location) is chosen by Jehovah.
• Done to glorify God: Exodus 6:7, John 17:3, 1 Cor 6:20.

2. Unleavened bread

• Passover was eaten without leavened, and unleavened bread was eaten for a further week.
• Involved the absence of leaven: leaven was not seen, was not eaten, was not in the home.
• Leaven speaks of sin. Unleavened bread speaks of salvation. Gentiles ought to live without sin.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 1 John 2:1 (KJV)

• It speaks of the communion of the saints.
• All men had to appear in a place God appointed (Jerusalem) see Deuteronomy 16:16.

3. Firstfruits

• On the first day of the week as the Son (Christ) rose from the dead, and the sun rose in the east, the priest was waving the first fruits.
• Involved the waving of the first fruits of the harvest before the Lord, on the east side of the tabernacle.
• It speaks to us of Christ's resurrection - first among the dead.

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NKJV)

• Shows that the sacrifice is sufficient for our sins.
• The first fruit (Christ) was the example of what was to come - a great harvest.

4. Weeks 50 days after Passover

• Linked to the firstfruits, using two loaves, made from the first grain.
• Linked to the sin offering that made it possible for God to accept the leaven (where the leaven was killed by heat).
• Two loaves speak to us of Jews and Gentiles, united by the Holy Spirit.
• Pentecost is a type of God's people gathered by the Holy Spirit
• Involves oil, leaven and baking.
• Belongs to the stranger as well Lev 23:22, and involved free will offering.
• All men had to appear in a place God appointed (Jerusalem) see Deuteronomy 16:16.

5. Trumpets (1stday of Seventh month)

• Occurs after the Autumn rain in the seventh month, where rain always speaks to us of the Holy Spirit.
• No work was to be done - it was to be a Sabbath.
• Occurs after a long hot summer, where the Holy Spirit has been quenched.
• Trumpets points to future events, when Jehovah shall "be King over all the earth", Zech 14:9.
• The events are spoken about in Isaiah 18:3-7, 27:13.
• It spoke to Israel of God's ability to defend them from their enemy.

6. Atonement (See also Leviticus 16)

• Involved affliction of soul (deny), atonement for sin, and rest from labour.
• Speaks of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, where Christ glorified His Father: the feast formed the ground of God's dealing in grace, mercy, patience and forbearance.
• It speaks of the bitter sorrow Israel will feel when then realise that they did to their Messiah. (Zech 13:6).
• The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Jeremiah 8:20 (KJV).
• They will mourn the one whom they have pieced (Zech 12:10-14).
• Guilt will be felt and they shall be afflicted.
• This truly belongs to Israel

7. Tabernacles

• After the long journey in the wilderness, where each pain and pang of hunger was dealt with by the gracious Jehovah, and they now rejoice in Canaan.
• It remembers the in-gathering of the harvest, a time of rejoicing.
• Its fulfilment is in the Millennial reign - after the gathering of the corn and wine.
• All men had to appear in a place God appointed (Jerusalem) see Deuteronomy 16:16.

The Jewish Calendar

The Jewish calendar is confusing because it initially followed the seasons and phases of the moon. Hence their names were just descriptions of what was happening eg "Abib" meaning sprouting (corn), the first month, "Bul" meaning rain the 8^th month.

The first month was designated by God to be the month the exodus took place and was called "Abib": it is now called "Nisan" (Ex 12:2). However, a glance at the Jewish calendar shows that new year (Rosh Hashanah) is celebrated in September or October in the month of Tishri. This is because there are two systems - one religious and one civil. This discord probably occurred after the exile. The beginning of each month was determined by the new moon, and to account for the uneven number of lunar months in a year, certain leap months were added periodically. Adding further confusion, due to the complex rules applied to "leap months".

Feast Cycle and Calendar arrangement

March/April		May/June		July		Aug	Sept/Oct		Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb
Early rain		The long hot Summer					Late rain
Nisan	Iyar	Sivan	Tamuz		Ab	Elul	Tishrei	Marches-van	Kislev	Tevet	Shebat	Adar
Abib:†	Ziv	Sivan	Tammuz		Av	Elul	Ethanim	Bul	Kislev	Tebeth	Shevat	Adar
Passover (14) Unleavened Bread (15-21)* Firstfruits (16)		Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (6)*					Trumpets (Jewish New Year) (1) Day of Atonement (10) Tabernacles (15-21)*
*All men had to attend in Jerusalem (Deut 16:16, Ex 23:14) † Some alternative names/spellings for the months of the Hebrew calendar