Jewish Feasts

Leviticus 23:4-17, 23-28, 33-36, 39-44 (read through)

How many feasts? (7)
Why important? – Colossians 2:16-17… the feasts point us to Jesus. (In fact the Hebrew word for feast means
appointed time – repeat word for “feast” and “appointed time”).

1) Passover (14 Nisan) – back to Leviticus 23:4-5. Go to Exodus 12 to explain point of first feast
a) v. 1-6 – take a lamb 4 days before the slaughter and examine to ensure it’s without fault.
i) Jesus went to Jerusalem 4 days before Passover
(1) John 12:1 – in Bethany 6 days before Passover
(2) John 12:12 – leaves Bethany heading for Jerusalem 5 days before Passover
(3) Mark 11:11 – Jesus makes it to Jerusalem 5 days before but it’s late, so He went out to Bethany
and stayed the night.
(4) Mark 11:12, 15-19 – proves He is perfect in zeal.
(5) Mark 12:13-17 (summarize) – Pharisees and Herodians find no fault.
(6) Mark 12:18-27 (summarize) – Sadducees find no fault.
(7) Mark 12:28-34 (summarize) – teachers of the Law find no fault.
(8) John 18:38 – Pilot finds no basis for a charge against Him. And He shows that they can’t save
themselves by asking His own questions to them that they can’t answer (Mark 11, Mat 21).
b) v. 7, 13 – partake of body and blood to avoid wrath of God. (John 1:29, 3:36).
i) Jesus is sacrificed on Passover to remove the wrath of God.

2) Feast of Unleavened Bread (15 Nisan) – back to Leviticus 23:6 (Exodus 12:15 – do not eat yeast;
represents sin)
a) 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 – Explains that yeast equals sin. As Jesus is the perfect sin free sacrifice, He
fulfills what was the symbolic point of this feast - to rid us of our sins. And, because Jesus has gotten
rid of the leaven in our lives, we are told to, "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch
without yeast - as you really are..."

3) Feast of Firstfruits (day after the following Sabbath [i.e., the next Sabbath after Passover) – back to
Leviticus 23:9-11
a) 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – Jesus is God’s firstfruits from the dead…but Jesus being our high priest
(Hebrews 4:14) must have some kind of sample to wave before the Lord.
b) Matthew 27:51-53 – just as the priests wave their first fruits before the Lord, Jesus waves His own
firstfruits from among the dead (a sampling of the great harvest that was yet to come!) – Ephesians 4:8

4) Feast of Weeks (fifty days later – Pentecost) – back to Leviticus 23:15-17

a) Acts 2:1-4 – Holy Spirit shows up to fulfill Feast of Weeks
i) v. 36-41 – offering of new grain. Why bread with yeast? (Yeast equaled sin before)
ii) Matthew 13:33 – Jesus mentions yeast symbolic of the kingdom beginning and advancing.

These are the 4 spring feasts and Jesus fulfilled them LITERALLY = Colossians 2:16-17.

That means we should expect the 3 fall feasts to be fulfilled in a literal fashion as well!
The Fall Feasts – Hosea 6:1-3 – Hosea alludes to Jesus coming twice. He comes at both times - during the
spring rains (first four feasts), and during the winter rains (second three feasts). Also, it makes sense that Jesus’
first and second comings are separated because spring and fall feasts are separated. In fact, Hosea says on day 3
He appears (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8).

5) Feast of Trumpets (first day of seventh month: Rosh Hashanah) – back to Leviticus 23:23-25
a) Revelation 8:6
i) Today the shofar is blown for a whole month before Rosh Hashanah to alert the people to their need
to repent because Judgment Day is coming.1 The feast of trumpets begins what the Jews call "The
Days of Awe" - how great is that. During this time the world will be in awe as Revelation unfolds.
Also on this day, the Jews say to one another, "may you be inscribed in the Book of Life"

6) Day of Atonement (tenth day of seventh month: Yom Kippur) – back to Leviticus 23:26-28 (Leviticus
16:29-30)
a) Romans 11:25-27
i) For the ten days between Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (Atonement) the Jews are
very solemn as they reflect on their sins and ask for forgiveness.
ii) Zechariah 12:10 – Jesus will return, will you be ready?
iii) Matthew 24:30-31 – Trumpet call of God announces His return and our being gathered to Him.
iv) 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, Revelation 10:5-7,
11:15-18 – Rapture event…only if needed – (Zechariah 13:1, 14:2-4).
v) Leviticus 25:8-10 – The last trumpet is blown on the Day of Atonement to commence a Jubilee
(Luke 4:18-19)

7) Feast of Tabernacles (Ingathering) – back to Leviticus 23:33-36

a) Zechariah 14:16-19 (Philippians 2:10-11, Daniel 7:13-14)
i) This feast is for the fall harvest. Many will be harvested to righteousness.
ii) Jeremiah 8:20 – But still many more will say this. Isn't this why Jesus gave us so many parables
about harvesting? He was explaining that He would literally fulfill these feasts.
iii) Matthew 8:11-12 – Lastly, during the feast the Israelites are told, "after you have gathered the crops
of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the
eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm
fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. Celebrate
this as a festival to the LORD"

WOW there will be a great celebration when our King returns!

1
Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 3:4