Jesus in the 7 Feasts of the Lord: An Introduction and Overview

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. (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.

~1 Corinthians 5:7-8

This is the introduction to the introduction to the Seven Feasts of the Lord… if that makes sense! So let me ask you a question as we begin: When is the last time you did a study on the Feasts of the Lord? When is the last time you heard a sermon on them or read a book about them? For the majority of Christians I think it is fair to say that some common answers could well include the words ‘long time’, ‘never’ or ‘what feasts?’ If you are a student of Bible prophecy then the answer could, or should, be different. I think all Christians will have heard something about the feasts for, at the very least, all Christians should be familiar with the terms Passover and Pentecost (which of course are two of the feasts).

Let me just say right from the start here that the feasts which God gave to the nation of Israel (and are often called the feasts of Israel) are incredible in their truth about Jesus and for their prophetic revelation concerning God’s plan to redeem and retake this planet.

This is a very important topic to study. It is one that will only become all the more important as we edge closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of these feasts.

Some answers to questions you may not have been asking…

In giving these answers, I will also try to add a few related thoughts where appropriate.

Feast of the Lord Answers
1. What nation or people were the feasts given to?
Leviticus 23:1-2 The LORD spoke again to Moses, saying, (2) “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD’S appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations–My appointed times are these…
The feasts were given to the nation of Israel, as part of their law, to be celebrated each year. Thus they are often called the feasts of Israel. They were not given to any other nation nor were they given to the Church. But, as “the Lord’s appointed times”, we can learn a great deal from them as we shall see.

2. In the Bible, who came up with the idea of having feasts?
From the above scripture we can see that they came from God. Moses wrote them down and instructed the sons of Israel as directed by God. With God, things are precise and perfect and as we shall see, so is the fulfillment of these feasts!

3. In the Bible, when was the first mention of any of the feasts?
The first mention is when Israel as a nation was preparing to leave Egypt in the Exodus. This is where God first taught about the ‘Passover’ and ‘Unleavened Bread’ as mentioned in Exodus 12. After that the full instruction for all the feasts were given by God to Moses when the law was given at Sinai.

4. How many feasts where there?
As mentioned earlier, what God does is perfect so you won’t go far wrong if you say it must be God’s perfect number, seven! The nation of Israel had other feasts that became part of the culture throughout their history (such as Purim, the feast of Lots, celebrating the victory won in the book of Esther) but there are seven feasts specifically given by God to Moses as indicated in Leviticus chapter 23.

5. Can you name all the feasts in order? (And if that is too easy for you, do it in Hebrew!)
In English followed by the Hebrew names in brackets:
Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag Hamatzot), Firstfruits (Hag HaBikkurim), Pentecost or Weeks (Shavuot), Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), Tabernacles (Succoth).

6. In terms of the timing of these feasts, are they split in any way?
The feasts are split into two groups that can be summarised as the spring and autumn (fall) feasts. The four spring feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. The autumn feasts are Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. There is a gap of roughly four months in between the last of the spring feasts (Pentecost) and the first of the autumn feasts (Trumpets).

7. What is the spiritual purpose in giving the feasts?
At a natural level each of the feasts celebrated some aspect of Hebrew history. But God has given them for a far greater reason that that. God has given these feasts to foretell in advance the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, in specific relation to His death, resurrection and return. Simply put, these feasts are amazing! They are absolutely specific even giving the exact days of the year in which these events will occur. They are God’s calendar for the order and details of the most significant events in the history of the world!

8. What does the split timing of the feasts teach us about the Messiah’s work of redemption?
This is a fascinating aspect of the feasts. As mentioned there are four feasts in the spring and three in the autumn with a four month gap in between. This separation signifies the two comings of Jesus Christ. All of the spring feasts were fulfilled EXACTLY in Jesus’ first coming 2000 years ago. These feasts deal with the death and resurrection of Christ as well as the sending of the Holy Spirit. This has all been fulfilled. The later autumn feasts all deal with the events at the end of the age including the rapture and resurrection, the second coming of Christ and the long awaited Messianic Kingdom on earth. Combined these feasts speak of the total work of Christ to redeem mankind and this planet. And it is all laid out in advance!

So what exactly is a ‘feast’ then?

Leviticus 23:2 Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

There are two important words that we need to concentrate on in this passage that will help answer what exactly a feast is. The first is ‘feast’ and the second is ‘assemblies’ (or ‘convocations’ in some other versions.) If you are like me, when you hear ‘feast’ you think ‘food’… and possibly/hopefully lots of it. But that isn’t what this word means. The Hebrew word is ‘mo’ed’ which means ‘an appointment, that is, a fixed time or season; specifically a festival’. The second interesting word is ‘assemblies’ or ‘convocations’. The Hebrew word used is ‘miqra’ which means ‘something called out, that is, a public meeting.’ But it also has the thought of ‘a rehearsal’. So God was setting up a ‘fixed time’ during the year when the nation of Israel would be ‘called out’ to gather together, every year, to ‘rehearse’ future coming events. God would get them to rehearse this year after year after year… And whatever it is that they had to rehearse for centuries on end it must be important!

So let me ask you: If you had all the events of mankind’s history to chose from, which seven events would you choose as the most important to celebrate each year?2 What we find is that each of the feasts find their fulfillment in the life of the Messiah Jesus and God’s plan to redeem this world! Specifically, the feasts center in on the Messiah’s death, burial and resurrection, the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, the rapture and resurrection of believers, the second coming of Christ and finally the coming Messianic Kingdom. Great stuff! Let’s have a look at a brief overview of what is taught in each feast.

Overview of the feasts

Each of the seven feasts has a historical, Messianic and personal significance associated with them. This is displayed in the following table:

Or, to display it a little differently, here is a chart that shows the order, separation and prophetic significance of each feast.

Also useful:

Chronology of Yeshuah's Resurrection — Chronology of Yeshuah’s Resurrection – Click to Expand

Seven Feasts of God2 – Click to Expand (Nemos Note: this 8th day teaching that all humans get saved after death posthumously is probably a false doctrine)

Passover for New Believers

Passover

Here is what I know and currently understand, subject to correction, as I learn more from the Scriptures:

Passover (aka “Pesach”) is Hebrew for “pass over”)

Passover is celebrated for eight days during the Hebrew month of Nissan, (which in 2022 will be is midday on April 15 until Sundown on April 23.)

The commemoration begins with the first Seder (a special meal with wine, matzah, bitter herbs) served as a remembrance on the 15th after Sundown, and the second Seder also served after Sundown on the 16th.

The Passover Feast is to commemorate the Israelites freedom, ending their slavery from the Egyptians, after the Creator sent ten plagues to destroy Egypt. The tenth plague that Pharaoh (and Egypt) received was the killing of all firstborn. But, the “children” of Israel were spared from this plague and “passed over,” hence the name given the feast.

The Israelites left Egypt on short notice and traveled in large numbers across the Red Sea (just as Yahweh “parted” the sea to allow they escape) as they headed to Mount Sinaiahead of Pharaoh and his pursuing army of many thousands of soldiers.

The bread that was being baked in preparation for their “exodus” across the Red Sea was not allowed enough time to rise before their hasty departure. (Unleavened bread)

To commemorate when they left Egypt in a rush, we are not to eat—(or even retain in our possession during this period)—any unleavened bread (chametz) from midday of the day before Passover until the conclusion of Passover on day eight.

Your entire home is to have all these items removed. Getting “rid” of chametz (crackers, bread, cakes, cookies, and any of the ingredients with even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives, or other ingredients used in their baking etc.) is required. This includes bread, cake, cookies, cereal, pasta, and most alcoholic beverages

Clearing out your home can be an intensive process; and turns out to be a big deal of a spring-cleaning that can go on for several weeks before Passover, and culminates with a ceremonial “treasure hunt” called Bedikat Chametz (search for the chametz on the night before Passover,)

This “search” usually involves the family’s children (where 10 pieces of chametz is hidden for them to find) and the ceremony for its disposal can get pretty intense; using a candle for illumination of all the “nooks and crannies”, a feather to symbolize the sweeping of any crumbs, a wooden spoon to hold the chametz, and a paper bag to hold all this stuff while it is waiting to be burned the following morning.

There are many other symbols and rituals that note the observance of Passover.

A lamb is usually cooked and eaten on the first Seder, with its blood kept to be placed around the door of each believer’s home.

For the first two days and the last two days, large meals (feasts) are served and special candles are lit.

No work is to be performed on these four days, with some people choosing to not even switch on or off a device or a machine to preserve this directive of “no work.”

The middle four days are less restrictive and work can be performed.

The whole idea is to “set aside” these “convocations” (special times) and make them “different” from your usual routine.

During Passover, the first half of the day is to be “set aside” as a time for Torah study, meditation/quiet time, and prayer.

In the afternoon, is the feast, and perhaps a nap and a stroll. Then, most would attend synagogue in the afternoon and attend evening prayers.