Feasts of the LORD

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The Feasts of the LORD

The yearly Feasts of the LORD are placed into the calendar and grouped into 4 spring feasts and 3 fall feasts. The first three form a unit, and the last three form a unit. Pentecost is in the middle and forms a bridge between the past and the future. The fall feasts form a climactic crescendo as they begin during the Seventh month, the holiest month on God’s calendar. All of the feasts are to be considered holy festivals. A festival is a day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration.

Here is a brief overview of original 7 Feasts of the Lord with points of significance to our Christian belief system:

  1. Passover remembers the Israelites’ exodus from hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt. It is the redemption of a newborn nation. It is the establishment of a people belonging to the LORD. And it was the Blood of the Passover Lamb over the doors of the people that rescued the Israelites from the destroying angel. The Death Angel struck down every firstborn in Egypt except those who had the blood on their door posts and on its lintel. Today it is the Blood of Jesus Christ that covers our hearts, and rescues us from eternal destruction.

  2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a seven day festival, beginning with Passover. During this week, we eat no foods made with active yeast. Leavened bread spoils quickly, but unleavened bread will remain uncorrupted. Since Jesus Christ’s body did not undergo decay in the grave, His incorruptibility was a picture of pure and unleavened bread, without the yeast of sin in His life.

  3. The Feast of First Fruits occurs on the third day after Passover. This festival event is when there is an offering of the first barley which has already come up in the early part of spring. This festival is a time of Thanksgiving before the main crop has come in. By offering God the first part of our crops, we are showing Him that we trust Him for greater harvest in the weeks to come. The Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the First Fruits. This was the third day after Passover. This demonstrates that He went ahead of us, and the first one to be harvested from death. Since the Father raised Him to life, we can now trust Him to resurrect an enormous harvest of the righteous dead.

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  4. The Feast of Pentecost occurs 50-days after the Sabbath of Passover. This festival is also called the Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot. In Hebrew Shavout means “weeks.” In Greek Pentecost means “fifty.” To determine when this festival occurs on the Biblical calendar, we count seven weeks from the Sabbath of Passover, which is 49-days, plus one equals 50-days (see Leviticus 23:15-16). This corresponds to the time that Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. 1 Kings 6:1 places the Exodus at 480 years before the construction of Solomon's Temple, so this implies that the date of the first Pentecost took place in the year 1446 BC. This date is an estimate, and exact dating has not been conclusive. Nevertheless it is this same feast in which the Holy Ghost outpouring of Acts chapter 2 took place; filling the believers in the Upper Room at Jerusalem and inaugurating the New Testament Church.

  5. The Feast of Trumpets is also known as Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year.” This is a time of repentance, and a solemn “wake up” call commemorated by many blasts of the shofar. The connection to our New Testament belief system is an urgency for us to prepare in expectation of the Lord’s return. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

  6. The Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the year. This observance is a 24-hour fast day commanded in the Bible. The Old Testament priest would enter this day into the Holy of Holies to offer the blood of the animal sacrifice for the sins of himself and the people of Israel. We learn in the Book of Hebrews that Jesus Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1); greater than all other priests in the Levitical Priesthood and their lineage. It was Him who entered the Heavenly Tabernacle on our behalf to offer His Own Blood Sacrifice and make permanent atonement for the sins of all mankind. This sacrifice becomes a reality for all those who are born again and the righteous of all generations past who died in the faith.

  7. The Feast of Tabernacles also known as “Sukkot” or the “Feast of Booths” is the last of the original feasts of Leviticus 23. It is a festival that carries a commandment for joyfulness, and it lasts for a full 7 days. This feast commemorates the Israelites living in tents during their long sojourn in the desert without permanent homes. We learn from this festival that God has always desired to dwell or “tabernacle” with His people on earth. In John 1:14 the Amplified version is so beautiful in describing the incarnation of Christ: “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” Revelation 21:3 tells us even more about this supernatural occurrence…it says: “the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” It is the same story from Genesis to Revelation. It is a continual reminder that the earth is not our permanent home. We live in mortal tents, but we are looking forward to a permanent home whose builder and architect is God.

Hannukah & Purim

These two festivals are specifically commemorations of the LORD’S physical salvation. These two feasts are not among the seven Feasts of the Lord laid out in Leviticus 23. Both are historic celebrations of the Jewish people being delivered from their enemies. These events occurred well after the Books of the Law and most of the Prophetic writings. Hanukkah took place during the 400 years between the last writings of the Old Testament and the Gospels. The Purim deliverance took place in the fifth century BC while Judah was exiled and were subjects of the Persian Empire; Purim is found in the Book of Esther. Hanukkah comes 75-days after Tabernacles; it is usually in December. Purim comes about a month before Passover; usually in late February or March.

Other Observances

The Hebrew calendar affords many opportunities throughout the year to celebrate, commemorate, and reflect upon our relationship with God and our fellow man. Gathering to give thanks, offer respect, and stay connected to ancient and modern traditions shapes our lives and our identity in Jesus Christ. We should remember, re-enact, and retain the memory of the Lord during all these times. Honoring moments, experiences, and values afresh, works in powerful ways. We welcome you to learn more about significant holidays and observations that honor God. We also invite you to join us for our many celebrations throughout the year!

Here are a few additional observances that are notable:

  1. The Sabbath Day is the Lord’s day. It is designed by God to be set apart each week for rest and worship. In Old Testament times, God’s covenant people observed the Sabbath because God rested on the seventh day when He created the earth (Genesis 2:2). The Apostles continued observing the Sabbath in the New Testament (Acts 20:7). God emphasized the importance of Sabbath observance in the Ten Commandments. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8–11). Jesus kept the Sabbath also (Matthew 12:9–13; Luke 4:16; John 5:9).

  2. Rosh Chodesh literally means “head of the month.” It is the minor holiday that marks the beginning of every Hebrew month. The Jewish calendar, combines both lunar and solar aspects. It generally has 12 months, but there are 13 in leap years. Half of these months are 30 days long and half are 29 days long. At the end of months that have 30 days, Rosh Chodesh is observed for two days, on the 30th day of the previous month and the first day of the new month. After months that have 29 days, only the first day of the next month is observed as Rosh Chodesh.

  3. Tu B'Av marks a time of romance and love in modern Israel. It is customary to send a bouquet of red roses to the one you love. Romantic songs are played on the radio and parties are held in the evening throughout the country. It is a time of celebration and a time of summer dancing and of courtyard festivities.