Who does not want to attend a joyous feast? Leviticus 23 is a perfect outline of God ordered feasts filled with joy, hope, redemption, and celebration. But what if I told you, these were all a typology of Jesus? It is so amazing how God has woven the scarlet threads of Jesus Christ and His life throughout every part of scripture. Also, He has woven those threads throughout every celebration He ordained. God intricately has woven Jesus Christ into every part of history. Additionally, He is the story yet to come. We, who know Him as Lord and Savior will be present at the greatest feast and celebration of all. Are you ready?
The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘These are the Lord’s appointed times which you must proclaim as holy assemblies—my appointed times. Leviticus 23 (NET)
Weekly Celebration in Worship of God
These feasts were to be held at the tabernacle with all attending. It began with a day of rest and remembrance to the Lord weekly. That was to be the Sabbath when all rested from labor. God established this as a day of rest, knowing that humanity needed a time to reflect, to be re-energized, and most importantly spend time with God Himself. The sabbath was a gift of God for his creatures. A time to spend with family, all worshiping Him. Nothing lifts a broken soul so much as worshiping God, remembering all He has provided. A joyous feast unto the Lord. A moment to remember that the Lord Jesus gave His all that I might have life abundant in Him.
The Timeline of God on Earth
4 “‘These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time. Leviticus 23: (NET)
Notice the word MUST. This was God’s Calendar and remains His Calendar concerning both the Jewish nation and for all of creation. Each feast represented a moment in history and foreshadowing of the events yet to come. We have seen that often throughout the Bible where prophecies are for soon and then far away fulfillments. One would ask, “Is God commanding joy and worship?” Well, yes, He is. He who created us, also knows He is the only true source of our joy. By commanding these festivals, He is guiding each of us to maintain our focus on Him.
Furthermore, when we understand their significance and how Jesus did fulfill them and will fulfill the remaining, how can we do anything but rejoice. Each feast was also called the SABBATH—such as the Passover being the 14th Day of the Month of Nisan—it was honored by not working—gathering at the tabernacle.
Joyous Feast #1: The Passover: Day 14 of the Month of Nisan
5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, is a Passover offering to the Lord. Leviticus 23:(NET)
Now the details surrounding the Passover feast are not detailed in this chapter. However, those were outlined in Exodus 12. Following the Passover that happened in Egypt, they were to perform the same ritual every year. This was to be in their calendar as the 1st month of their year. The month was called Abib and later named Nisan. It corresponds to our March or April.
The lamb was to be without blemish, maintained within their homes for 5 days and then slaughtered. They were to prepare the lamb and eat it as outlined by God. The blood was to be presented in the tabernacle to remember the time they were saved from the death angel in Egypt. It was eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
This was to be done in remembrance of their deliverance from slavery. It is also a picture of Christ who would be the perfect unblemished lamb. He came into Jerusalem 5 days before His death on the cross where He would be the final perfect sacrifice for our sins. There he would free us from the slavery of sin.
ROMANS 12 (ESV)
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.
Joyous Feast #2: the Feast of the Unleavened Bread (Days 15-21 of Nisan)
This began the day after the Passover, as a memorial to the Jewish nation fleeing their bondage in Egypt. It signifies sanctification and justification.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough—you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 So then, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of vice and evil, but with the bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. I Corinthians 5 (NET)
We are to be removing the “leaven of sin, anger, and evil” as we are being sanctified. The Holy Spirit is about the work of sanctification. Sometimes it is about our yielding to the Baker’s hand easily or resisting all the way. Whatever, it takes those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be transformed. Then we will feast with immense joy, after the trials and sacrifices we face here on earth have completed their work within us.
Joyous Feast #3: The Day of First Fruits
9 The Lord spoke to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land that I am about to give to you and you gather in its harvest, then you must bring the sheaf of the first portion of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he must wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for your benefit —on the day after the Sabbath the priest is to wave it.
12 On the day you wave the sheaf you must also offer a flawless yearling lamb for a burnt offering to the Lord, 13 along with its grain offering, two-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour mixed with olive oil, as a gift to the Lord, a soothing aroma, and its drink offering, one-fourth of a Hin of wine.14 You must not eat bread, roasted grain, or fresh grain until this very day, until you bring the offering to your God. This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all the places where you live. Leviticus 23 (NASB)
Then and Now
Now for the Jewish nation this was to begin once they entered the land. The feast of first fruits includes great dancing, music, and celebration. It was to represent the faith in God providing plenty more. It represented a new beginning. A resurrection of life. Jesus resurrected from the dead on the day of First Fruits AD 33.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. I Corinthians 15 (NET)
A Joyous Feast—The Festival of Weeks (the Day of Pentacost-50 days)
15 “‘You must count for yourselves seven weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you bring the wave offering sheaf; they must be complete weeks. 16 You must count fifty days—until the day after the seventh Sabbath—and then you must present a new grain offering to the Lord. ….21 “On this very day you must proclaim an assembly; it is to be a holy assembly for you. You must not do any regular work. This is a perpetual statute in all the places where you live throughout your generations 22 When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the resident foreigner I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 23 (NET)
This was to celebrate the harvest. Specifically, it occurred exactly 50 days (about 1 and a half months) after the feast of the first fruits. Tradition also says that this fell on the same day Moses received the law; but that is not proven. However, Orthodox Jews stay up all night to study the TORAH all night to contrast with their ancestors whom they believed fell asleep.
Also, here they bring two loaves of leavened bread. It was on the day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was given to the church. Also, note two loaves were presented and may represent salvation for both jew and gentile. Also, this feast included provision for the foreigner.
Although Somber, yet a Joyous Feast—The feast of Trumpets
23 The Lord spoke to Moses: 24 “Tell the Israelites, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you must have a complete rest, a memorial announced by loud horn blasts, a holy assembly. 25 You must not do any regular work, but you must present a gift to the Lord.’” Leviticus 23 (NET)
This feast occurs on the 7th month—notice there have been many months between the earlier feasts and this one. It is a day of feast to announce the day of atonement which is to occur in 10 days. They begin the preparation toward the most solemn event of the year when they as a nation will be cleansed. These are called the “days of awe.”
Therefore, this trumpet corresponds to the trumpet that will call us forth in the rapture. The rapture then ushers in the tribulation which is the cleansing of the Jewish nation as predicted by Daniel.
12 At that time the Lord will shake the tree, from the Euphrates River to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites. 13 At that time a large trumpet will be blown, and the ones lost in the land of Assyria will come, as well as the refugees in the land of Egypt. They will worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. Isaiah 27 (NET)
There will be a time yet when Israel will be cleansed and will turn to God to be their Lord. It will be during the awful tribulation that they are prepared for this day of Atonement.
The Joyous Feast: The Day of Atonement
This is observed yearly 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks) after the feast of the trumpet. I started thinking. God is so exacting in days regarding every prediction, then would it be 10 years after the rapture for the completion of the 7-year tribulation. Are we taken out 3 years ahead of the tribulation, so the final preparations are completed? I do not know the answer, but this was a question I pondered upon this week. We did do a deeper discussion of the day of atonement sacrifices with the scape goat last week, so will not go too deep into this this week.
26 The Lord spoke to Moses: 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must humble yourselves and present a gift to the Lord. 28 You must not do any work on this particular day, because it is a day of atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the Lord your God. 29 Indeed, any person who does not behave with humility on this particular day will be cut off from his people. Leviticus 23
Though this is a time of fasting and not feasting until after the sins are removed. Then there is a day of great feasting. There will be a day of great mourning and sorrow. A day of repentance.
10 “I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. Zechariah 12 (NET)
A Joyous Feast—the Feast of Booths
They then have a feast of relocation celebration. It is one in which they camp out in tents, celebrating God’s provision through the wilderness. A reminder of their heritage.
33 The Lord spoke to Moses: 34 “Tell the Israelites, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Feast of Shelters for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day is a holy assembly; you must do no regular work. 36 For seven days you must present a gift to the Lord. On the eighth day there is to be a holy assembly for you, and you must present a gift to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly day; you must not do any regular work.
This will be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ.
22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over them all. They will never again be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people, and I will become their God.
24 “‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes. 25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it—they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them. I will establish them increase their numbers and place my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’” Ezekiel 37 (NET)
A Joyous Feast—Celebrating the Lord Jesus. He is Coming Are you ready?
Then after the millenial reign,
24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death. 27 For he has put everything in subjection under his feet. But when it says “everything” has been put in subjection, it is clear that this does not include the one who put everything in subjection to him. 28 And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. (I Corinthians 15 NET)
Are you ready to meet Him at the joyous wedding feast yet to come?
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said[a] to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19-6-9 (ESV)
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024
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