Part A (The Seven Feasts of Jehovah)

Tenet

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 (Romans 6:23)

Old Testament and New Testament

• This document shows that the Seven Feasts has relevance to Christians, through Christ our Lord and Saviour.
• The Feasts of Jehovah are Old Testament elements revealed in the New Testament. Where the old is the new concealed, and new is the old revealed.

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)

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance [body, the reality (NIV)] is [found in (NIV) ] of Christ. NKJV Col. 2:16-17

• Law reveals the true nature of God and His working towards us, a lost people, redeemed from everlasting destruction, destine now for glory, as joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
• 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.
• Our interest in the feasts is the way they speak of the Jehovah’s boundless mercy and grace.

Passover: The separation of God’s people from the world (10^th day first month) (Pesach)

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)

1. I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

2. I will rescue you from their bondage, and

but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us. (2 Corinthians 1:9-10 NKJV)

3. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Exodus 6:6 (NKJV), and

God sent forth His Son, to redeem, Who were under the law (Gal 4:4)

4. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
(2 Corinthians 6:18 KJV)

Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:7 NKJV)

Summary

• Christ our Passover redeemed those that believe in him.

Unleavened bread: living sinless lives

• 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).

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:17)

Summary

• Christ, the sinless one redeemed those that believe in him.

Firstfruits: Christ must die first, and then rise.

• The seed must die first, to bear forth much fruit (John 12:24)
• 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)

• Proved that the sacrifice is sufficient for our sins.

Summary

• Christ, the firstfruits redeemed those that believe in him.

Passover (Feast of weeks) The new beginning (Shavuot)

• Christ’s sacrifice accepted
• Holy Spirit sent.
• Pentecost is a type of God’s people gathered by the Holy Spirit
• Includes the stranger as well (Leviticus 23:22), and involved free will offering

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (AV)

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8 NKJV)

That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, (Ephesians 3:6 NKJV)

Summary

• Christ, the acceptable sacrifice, efficacious in all ways, has redeemed those that believe in him.

Trumpets (1^st day of seventh month) (Rosh Hashanah)

• A time of praise, but points to the repentance of Israel, a remnant shall be formed.

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)

Summary

• The redeemed shall return.

Atonement (See also Leviticus 16) (10^th day seventh month) (Yom Kippur)

• Without the shedding of blood there is no redemption.
• It speaks of the bitter sorrow Israel will feel when then realise that they did to their Messiah (Zech 13:6).

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb. 9:13-14 NKJV)

Summary

• The redeemer is Christ, once for all.

Tabernacles (Sukkot)

• The feast is prophetic, acknowledged by both biblical and rabbinical teachings, and in essence typifies the days of the Messiah. It speaks of the restoration of the tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11).

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37 NKJV)

“On that day I will raise up, The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old (Amos 9:11)

Summary

• The redeemed shall enjoy the reign of the redeemer.

Part B Other feasts

Purim (Lots) (Feb - March, 14^th Adar)

Haman, the great enemy of the Jews by birth (Amakelite) because he attempted to have all Jews put to death, but as the narrative of Ester tells us, the providence of God (although the name of the Lord is not mentioned once) if evident and they are saved.

Haman, clearly a superstitious man, cast lots to decide the best day to deal with the Jews.

The festival, the most joyous of the year, is only seen as a minor holiday with most Jewish people not observing it. The festival is one of merrymaking with games, music and dancing along with the reading of Esther.

Each time Haman’s name is mentioned the congregation cries out (indeed as much noise as possible is made – booing, hissing, stomping of feet): "May his name be blotted out," or "Let the name of the ungodly perish."

At the end of the reading the following is cried out: "Cursed be Haman; blessed be Mordecai; cursed be Zoresh (the wife of Haman); blessed be Esther; cursed be all idolators; blessed be all Israelites, and blessed be Harbonah who hanged Haman."

Purim has no scriptural significance.

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) (Hebrew for Dedication (John 20:22)

The festival remembers the salvation of Jerusalem by Judah the Maccabeus (lit. hammer), and his army. They faced an army 13 times their size but reclaimed the Temple Mount. Prior to this the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV (who called himself “God Manifest” – Epiphanes) had beguiled Israel into a false sense of security, as the Antichrist will do, thinking he was God. He then attempted to remove all Jewish symbolism from Israel including circumcision, festivals, Sabbaths, sacrifices reading of the Torah, along with offering of pigs on the alter and setting up of an image of Zeus on the bronze alter (25^th day of the month of Kislev 168 BC) – the abomination of desolation (foreshadow of). Failure to comply led to death. All of this was foretold by Daniel. From this period we get the Hellenized Jews e.g. Timothy.

(e.g. See Flavius Josephus: The Wars of the Jews Or The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, Book 1)

Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, lay before this city, and had been guilty of many indignities against God, and our forefathers met him in arms, they then were slain in the battle, this city was plundered by our enemies, and our sanctuary made desolate for three years and six months (Book 5, Chapter 9)

 And indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision, and what he wrote many years before they came to pass.

(e.g. See Flavius Josephus: The Antiquities of the Jews Book 10 Chapter 11)

The festival occurs at Christmas and hence there has been an element of Christmas incorporated into its traditions. The festival is observed over eight days, beginning on the 25^th of Kislev (Nov-Dec). It is the second most popular festival for American Jews.

The festival begins with the lighting of candles at home, with a new candle added each day. There are burned near a window for all to see. Much is made of oil which lasted the time the Maccabeus took to secure their objective – often doughnuts are eaten, made in oil as a remembrance. Gifts are exchanged, children play games, and Handel’s oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus is sometimes performed.

Although it has not Scriptural relevant in the sense of the Seven Feasts, it remembers the prophecies of Daniel 11:21-35 that forewarned that the events were going to happen – a shadow of things to happen. During Hanukkah Jesus stated:

If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (John 10:37- 38)

Others

Simchat Torah: Rejoicing Over the Law, (23^rd of Tishri ie after the Feast of Tabernacles)

Yom Ha-Sho’ah: The Holocaust Remembrance Day

Yom ha-Atzma’ut: Israel’s Independence Day (May 14)