The Jewish Feasts
Leviticus 23:1-44
INTRODUCTION: God established seven original annual feasts for the children of Israel as described here in Leviticus 23. Two later feasts are recognized in the Bible. The feast of Purim is established in the book of Esther (9:20-32). The feast of Hanukkah was established during the time of between the testaments but was sanctioned by the New Testament where it is called the feast of dedication (Jn.10:22).
These seven feasts were commemorative for the Jewish saints. That is, they look back to what God has done for them. For instance, the Passover looks back to their deliverance from Egypt and the feast of tabernacles commemorates God’s care for them in the wilderness. The feasts are also prophetic. They tell of things that had not occurred at the time the feasts were given. Yet, the first four feasts were fulfilled immediately after the coming of Christ while the last three are yet to be fulfilled. Finally, the feasts are instructive. They teach much about our relationship to God. Although they may have been specifically for the Jewish people, we also can learn from them.
THE SABBATH FEAST (V.1-3)
A. Feasts of the Lord (v.2)
1. God calls them “my feasts”
2. Just as those things which were devoted to the Lord were holy and belonged to Him, so the Sabbath days belong to Him
B. Holy Convocations (v.2-3)
1. A Sabbath of rest
2. No work to be done
C. The Sabbath Day (v.3)
1. The seventh day
2. The Sabbath of the Lord
I. THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER (v.4-5)
A. The First of the Annual Feasts (v.4; Ex.12:1-2)
B. The Fourteenth Day of the First Month (v.5; Ex.12:1-14)
C. A Commemoration of God’s Deliverance (Ex.12:12-13, 25-27)
D. A Prophecy of the Sacrificial Death of Christ (1Cor.5:7; 1Pet.2:24; 3:18)
II. THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD (v.6-8)
A. The Celebration of the Feast
1. Begins on the fifteenth day of the first month (v.6)
2. Seven days of eating unleavened bread (v.6)
3. Holy convocations with no work
a. The first day (v.7)
b. The seventh day (v.8)
B. A Commemoration of Their Separation From Egypt (Ex.12:15-17)
C. A Prophecy of Sinless Offering of Christ
1. Leaven is a type of sin and corruption (Mt.16:11-12; 1Cor.5:5-8; Gal.5:7-9)
2. The unleavened bread is a type of the sinless Christ (2Cor.5:21; 1Pet.2:22; 1Jn.3:5)
3. The seven days are a picture of the completeness and perfection of the sacrifice (Eph.5:2; Heb.10:12)
III. THE FEAST OF THE FIRSTFRUITS (v.9-14)
A. The Time of the Feast (v.9-11)
1. At the time of the firstfruits of the harvest (v.9-10)
2. On the morrow after the Sabbath (v.11)
a. On a Sunday
b. On the Sunday following the Passover
B. The Offerings of the Feast (v.10-14)
1. A sheaf of the firstfruits (v.10-12)
2. An he lamb for a burnt offering (v.12)
3. A meat offering (v.13)
4. A drink offering (v.13)
5. God’s portion must come first (v.14)
C. A Commemoration of God’s Provision for His People (v.14)
D. A Prophecy of the Resurrection of Christ (1Cor.15:19-23)
IV. THE FEAST OF PENTECOST (v.15-22)
A. The Time of the Feast (v.15-16)
1. Count from the feast of the firstfruits (v.15)
2. Count seven Sabbaths (v.15)
3. To the morrow after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days (v.16)
B. The Offerings of the Feast (v.16-21)
1. A new meat offering (v.16-17)
a. With fine flour (v.17)
b. With leaven (v.17); this is totally opposite from the standard meat offering (Lev.2:11). That is why it is called a new meat offering (v.16). It indicates the acceptance of those who are not in themselves sinless.
2. Additional offerings (v.18-21)
C. A Commemoration of God’s Provision For All (v.21)
1. The poor
2. The stranger
D. A Prophecy of the Coming of the Holy Ghost (Ac.2:1-4; Rom.8:9)
V. THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS (v.23-25)
A. A Commemoration of the New Year
1. It begins the Jewish secular year with the feast called Rosh Hashanah
2. It announces the year with the blowing of trumpets (see Num.10:1-10 for the trumpets and their uses)
a. For the assembling of the congregation (v.3)
b. For the gathering of the princes (v.4)
c. For the moving forward of the camp (v.5)
d. For an alarm of an enemy (v.9)
e. For the day of gladness (v.10)
f. For the solemn days (v.10)
g. For the beginnings of the months (v.10)
B. A Prophecy of the Coming of Christ
1. The trumpet of the rapture (1Thes.4:16-17; 1Cor.15:51-52)
2. The trumpets of the tribulation (Rev.8:2, 6)
3. The trumpet of the second coming (Mt.24:30-31)
VI. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (v.26-32)
A. The Time of the Feast (v.26-27); the tenth day of the seventh month
B. The Purpose of the Feast (v.28-32)
1. A day to make atonement (v.28)
2. A day to do no manner of work (v.29-31)
3. A day to afflict their souls (v.32); this included fasting (Isa.58:3-7)
C. A Commemoration of Their Need for Atonement (Lev.16; Heb.10:3-4)
D. A Prophecy of Future Redemption
1. The redemption of Israel (Isa.66:5-9; Rom.11:25-29)
2. The redemption of creation (Rom.8:19-22)
3. The redemption of the body (Rom.8:23)
VII. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (v.33-44)
A. The Time of the Feast (v.33-39)
1. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month (v.34-35)
2. On the seven days following this day (v.36)
3. When the fruit of the land has been gathered (v.39)
B. The Activities of the Feast (v.40-44)
1. Rejoicing before the Lord (v.40-41)
2. Dwelling in booths (v.42-44)
C. A Commemoration of Their History (v.43)
D. A Prophecy of God Dwelling With Man (Rev.21:3-6)
Copyright © 2002
Antioch Baptist Church Knoxville, Tennessee