SEVEN FEASTS OF THE LORD
Paul Wong
The
Feasts of the LORD that were given to Israel were simply seven great religious
festivals that were to be observed every year.
Each Feast carries with it a three-fold fulfillment in the plan of God. First, there is the historical fulfillment in
the life of the nation of Israel that the Feasts commemorate (Ex.
12:14). Second,
there is a present day fulfillment in the life of Christians and of the Church
of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 3:15-16). Third,
there is a future and final fulfillment to be realized in Heaven after the
Return of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet.
3:13). The Feasts of the Lord are
outlined in Leviticus 23.
The
Seventh Day Sabbath – Shabbat (Lev. 23:1-3)
The
Seventh Day Sabbath does not relate directly to the Seven Feasts of the LORD,
but is distinct from them in many aspects, as we shall study later. It is a weekly day of rest on the seventh
day, which is Saturday.
The
historical fulfillment of this Feast was at God’s resting from His work of
Creation of the universe (Ex. 20.11),
and observing it reminds us that God created us and that we owe worship and
service to Him.
Its
present day fulfillment is the rest God’s people have from their own works (Heb.
4:9-11), and its future fulfillment is our eternal rest
in Heaven (Rev. 14:13).
The
remaining seven holy days of the Lord are annual holidays, and are properly
known as the Seven Feasts of the LORD.
1. Feast of the Passover - Pesach
(Lev. 23:4-5)
The
Passover is an annual meal eaten in the evening of the 14th day of Nisan, the
first month of the Hebrew sacred calendar, which commemorates the deliverance
of Israel from the destroyer and the land of Egypt (Exodus
12).
Its
present day fulfillment is that God has redeemed us from the kingdom of darkness
by the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s sinless Passover Lamb. It is interesting to
note that our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled this Feast when He was crucified on
the day of Passover (1 Cor. 5:7).
Its
future fulfillment will be at the Marriage of the Lamb after the Lord Jesus
Christ returns to take His Bride to Heaven. (Lk. 22:14-18; Rev. 19:7-9)
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread - Hag
Ha Matzah (Lev. 23:6-8)
Unleavened
Bread is an annual week-long Feast immediately following Passover, beginning on
the 15th day of the first month and continuing for seven days. The Feast of
Unleavened Bread relates to the time of Jesus’ burial, after His perfect,
sinless sacrifice on the cross, during which time He was received by God the
Father as holy and complete (the Holy One who would not see corruption,
Acts 2:27), perfectly accomplishing our salvation.
Its historical fulfillment was the removal of
leaven from the homes of the congregation of Israel in preparation for their
flight from Egypt and journey to the Promised Land (Ex.
12:17-20).
Its
present day fulfillment is that after repentance, confession and baptism into
the Lord Jesus Christ our sins are washed away through His shed blood (Acts
2:38; 1 Jn. 1:7-9; Rev. 1:5).
Its
future fulfillment is the total absence of sin and death in the heavenly
Kingdom (1 Cor. 15:25-26; Rev. 21:1-8).
3. Feast of Firstfruits - Yom
HaBikkurim (Lev. 23:9-14)
Firstfruits
is an annual feast that is celebrated on the day after the Sabbath, which
historically commemorated the arrival of new life the first spring after Israel
entered the Promised Land. A sheaf of
new grain was offered to the LORD before any green thing could be eaten every
new agricultural year (Lev. 23:9-14).
Jesus
fulfilled this Feast when He was raised from the dead early after the Sabbath
on the Feast of the Firstfruits.
Its
present day fulfillment is that after our baptism into the Lord Jesus Christ
God has made us into new creatures (Rom. 6:4-7; 2 Cor.
5:17), and has made us His children (Gal.
3:26-29).
Its
future fulfillment will be the resurrection of the saints and the revelation of
the children of God at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ as they receive the
Kingdom of Heaven (1 Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 21:1-7).
4. Feast of Pentecost - Shavuoth (Lev. 23:15-22)
Pentecost
or Weeks, is an annual feast always celebrated on the fiftieth day after the
Feast of the Firstfruits, and historically commemorates the harvest of the
fruit of the Promised Land the first summer Israel dwelt there. Loaves of bread baked with leaven and
animals from the flocks were offered to the LORD (Lev.
23:15-22). Leaven
symbolizes sin, corruption and false doctrines that the Church has to deal with
(1 Cor. 5:6-8; Mt. 16:6; Mk. 8:15).
This
Feast was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was poured down on the disciples of
the original Christian Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts
2:1-4). Its present day fulfillment is that Christians
are filled with the Holy Spirit when they believe, trust, pray and wait upon
the LORD (Eph 1:13-14).
Its
future fulfillment will be the resurrection of Christians by the Holy Spirit at
the return of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:11, 23; 2 Cor. 5:2-8; Php. 3:20-21).
5. Feast of Trumpets - Rosh
Hashanah
(Lev. 23:23-25)
Trumpets
celebrate the beginning of the Jewish Civil year
on the first day of Tishri which is the seventh month of the Jewish Sacred
Calendar. It is both a time of
rejoicing as well as a holy occasion (Neh 8:2, 9-12). It is
an annual feast that historically commemorated the use of trumpets for the
gathering of the nation of Israel. The
Shofars (Ram's horn Trumpets) were blown to proclaim a gathering for worship. They were
also used to sound an assembly, an alarm, an attack, praises to the Lord, the
ascension of kings, and the Jubilee year of freedom. (Ex.
17:8-16, Num 10).
Its
present day fulfillment is that believers have been gathered together into one
body, the Body of Christ, under the banner of our Head, Jesus Christ to preach
the Gospel to the whole world (1 Cor. 12:27).
Its
future fulfillment looks forward to the Day when the last trumpet blast will
gather together the Body of Christ from the ends of the earth at the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thes. 4:
16-17). That
will be the real True Church in Heaven.
6. Day of Atonement - Yom
Kippur (Lev.
23:26-32).
The
Day of Atonement is an annual day of fasting and repentance occurring on the
tenth day of Tishri, wherein historically the high priest would enter the Holy
of Holies, into the presence of the LORD, and make atonement for his own sins,
the sins of the priests, and the congregation of Israel (Lev.
16).
Its
present day fulfillment is that by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have
been washed, sanctified and made a Kingdom of priests unto God, with every
believer able to minister to God and from God (Rev.
1:5-6; 1 Pet. 2:5; see also Heb. 9:12). The Day of Atonement not only speaks of the
ultimate, perfect atonement Jesus offered on our behalf, but also of the
affliction - and salvation - Israel will see during the Great Tribulation. It will truly be a time when the soul of
Israel is afflicted, but for their ultimate salvation; as Jeremiah 30:7 says
regarding that period: “Alas! For that day is
great, so that none is like it, and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he
shall be saved out of it.”
Its
future fulfillment looks forward to the Day when the Lord Jesus Christ our High
Priest will bring us into the very presence of God Himself (Hebrews
9).
7. Feast of Tabernacles – Succoth (Lev. 23:33-34)
Tabernacles
or Booths is an annual week-long feast, celebrated in the seventh month, in
which Israel was to dwell in tents for the duration of the feast.
Its
historical fulfillment was the time that Israel dwelt in tents in the
wilderness, and that God’s presence dwelt in the Tent of Meeting and the Temple
(Lev. 23:42-43).
It also was fulfilled historically when God clothed Himself with humanity and
dwelt among men in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ (Jn.
1:14).
Its
present fulfillment is that the LORD dwells in the hearts of all believers, and
that a relationship with our Creator is now possible (1
Jn. 4:13). The
Tabernacle symbolizes the Church on earth that is imperfect. Our Lord Jesus Christ is “a
Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle . . . with the greater
and more perfect tabernacle . . . “
(Heb. 8:1-6; 9:11) This “True Tabernacle”
is now in Heaven. (Rev. 15:5; 21:1-4)
Its
future fulfillment looks forward to the day when God and man will dwell
together in Heaven forever (Rev. 21:3-7).
The
Weekly and the Annual Sabbaths
It needs to be properly understood
that the Feasts of the LORD are also called Sabbaths, and they are to be
distinguished from the weekly Seventh Day Sabbath in three aspects.
|
The Weekly
Sabbath |
The Annual
Sabbaths |
|
Established directly by God at
the time of Creation (Gen. 2:1-3) |
Established through Moses while
Israel was in the wilderness (Leviticus 23) |
|
Made for man – mankind (Mk.
2:27) Includes Gentile Christians
(Isa. 56:1-3) |
Mainly given to the “Children
of Israel” (Lev. 23:1-2, 10, 24, 34, 43-44) |
|
After the death and burial of
Jesus Christ’s Body in the tomb, His disciples continued to keep the Sabbath
Commandment (Lk. 23:56) |
In the Primitive Church only
Jewish believers had kept the Feasts of the LORD. Gentile Christians did not keep the Feasts. |
This Article is the response of Paul Wong
to a discussion in the ARK Forum on July 29, 2003
For comments please write first to: [email protected]
May God bless you.
Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the
President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston.
The ARK Forum on the Internet is international and non-denominational.
 |
|
|
|
