Be God's Guest

The Feasts of Israel

Lev. 23:1-4

Have you ever thought about how that we as a people celebrate important things and events? I.e. how do we celebrate the Thanksgiving? By a thanksgiving meal with family and fiends, right. How does the typical American family celebrate the fourth of July; Independence Day? By having a fourth of July cookout, right. You could do anything you wanted but typically it usually involves bar-b-q sauce and a grill. Have you ever been to wedding and they have some kind of reception afterward? I mean, its not apart of the marriage ceremony itself; its possible for a couple to get married without any food or punch. But usually when a couple wants to celebrate their love for one another; they usually want to share that time with family and friends; thus a reception.

And for that matter, whether it is Christmas, Easter, Mother's day, Father's day, even Labour Day; we usually find our way to the dinner table and enjoy that time together over some food.

I think it is more than just interesting how that we as Americans celebrate a lot of important days, important events or things usually with a meal!

If we can understand that about ourselves; then we should be able to grasp; what's called the feasts of Israel. Did you know that when God wanted the Israel to remember an event, or remember something important; God threw in some food and it became a feast!

In fact, God had a bunch of things that he wanted his people then to remember and constantly keep on their minds; so God gave them a calendar that he wanted them to keep!

Have you ever heard someone tell you, "I don't know about that date; I have to check my calendar first ".

Did you know that God is keeping a calendar with his church? That's right. The next event on God's calendar is the rapture of the saved. And if we can grasp these feasts of Israel we will be able to understand the rest of the events that God has for Israel.

I. IMPORTANCE OF THE FEASTS

We are studying these feasts for several reasons. First of all, our God is a God of order. He does all things "decently and in order" (I Cor. 14:40). God has a plan for His people, and the general scope of God's prophetic program is given to us in Leviticus 23. God isn't in heaven wringing his hands, saying what are "going to do", no. God knows what he's going to do next, and we can know as well and maybe see some of it lived out in front of us.

Second, we shall study these feasts because they tell us what we have in Jesus Christ. Leviticus 23 does not list a series of funerals or a series of fights—it lists a series of feasts. The Christian life is a feast. Being a Christian means enjoying the privilege of complete and joyful fellowship with God. Be God's guest! In Leviticus 23 God invites us to be His guests and to enjoy His fellowship. If your not enjoying God something is wrong, friend. Something is wrong in Christians that go back to a lifestyle of sin, because as they think it's enjoyable. God wants us to enjoy what he has for us.

Third, we study these feasts because they tell us what we as Christians ought to be doing in this world. There is much to enjoy in the Christian life, but there's also much to accomplish. I trust that, as we study these feasts together, we will learn what it means to participate in the blessing of God made possible through Jesus Christ. We will also learn what God wants us to do.

Fourth, if don't understand the feasts there are some New Testament scriptures that just want sense to us. Why, because almost all the New Testament penmen were Jewish; except for Luke. As God revealed New Testament truth to them; they kind of connected the dots back to the Old Testament feasts and offerings and whaola! It all made sense to Paul and rest. God used those feasts, offerings, sacrifices as a preview to what he was doing now in the NT.

For instance; 1 Cor 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

There are two feasts from Lev 23 that Paul is applying to NT believers like us; the feast of Passover and the feast of Unleavened bread.

There probably were some Jews in Corinth when Paul wrote that and they might have picked up on that right off the bat; but there was definitely Gentiles there like us who probably only had a vague understanding about any feast at best. They had to be taught the OT truth of what Paul was referring too before they could understand the application that we was making.

Scripture should not be looked at like it is a code book. If you can read English you can understand all of what the Lord wants to make known to you.

It's important that we understand these feasts for our own sake.

II. THE SEVEN FEASTS

Leviticus 23 lists seven feasts, and these feasts are centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you read this chapter, you will notice the phrase "unto the Lord" repeated many times. The Lord is the center of all this activity. These are not the feasts of man—they are the feasts of the Lord. Sad to say, in John 5:1 we read: "There was a feast of the Jews." You see, when the Lord is left out, then the feast just becomes man's feast. It is not God's feast at all.

A.     Passover v5

The first of the feasts, of course, is Passover. "These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convo­cations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover" (Lev. 23:4,5). Passover speaks of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 5:7,8). Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb who has been sacrificed for us. Egypt is a picture of the world. Israel in Egypt is a picture of condemned people in

bondage to the world. The only way they could be redeemed was by the blood of a Lamb.

God began His calendar with the shedding of blood. Unless you know Jesus Christ as your own Lamb, your Saviour, these feasts will have no application to you. You will miss out on the blessing of being God's guest simply because you have never put your faith in Jesus Christ.

B.     Unleavened Bread v6

Beginning the next day after Passover, and con­tinuing for one week (that would mean the 15th day to the 21st day), they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread. "On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread" (Lev. 23:6). The Jewish people not only shed the blood of the lamb and applied the blood to the doorpost, but they also feasted on the lamb (see Ex. 12:1-28). The Lord Jesus Christ is not only the Lamb who died for us, but He is also the One who sustains us and strengthens us. The people gathered together around the lamb. It was a fellowship time, a time of removing the leaven (yeast) from their homes. In the Bible, leaven is a picture of evil. The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the fact that after you have been saved by the blood of the Lamb, then you should put evil out of your life (see II Cor. 7:1).

C.     Firstfruits v9-14

On the day following the Sabbath Day after Passover, they celebrated the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:9-14). The Sabbath Day, of course, was always the seventh day of the week. This would mean that the Feast of Firstfruits was on the first day of the week.

The Feast of Firstfruits is a picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:23). Jesus Christ is the Firstfruits. The people would go into the field and bring to the priest a sheaf of the grain. This sheaf would be presented to the Lord and dedicated to Him. It declared the fact that the entire harvest belonged to the Lord.

D.     Pentecost v15-22

We have the death of Christ in the Passover, the resurrection of Christ in the Feast of Firstfruits and the enjoyment of feeding on Christ in the Feast of Unleavened Bread. All of these took place within just a very short time in the first month of the Jewish year. Then they waited for 50 days for the Feast of Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-22). The word "Pentecost" means "50." Pentecost marks that day in history when the Holy Spirit came down (Acts 2). We have the coming of the Holy Spirit pictured in the Feast of Pentecost. The Lord Jesus Christ went back to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. This is pictured at the Feast of Pentecost which was 50 days after Firstfruits.

E.      Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles

On the first day of the seventh month the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Trumpets (Lev. 23:23-25). According to Numbers 10, the Jewish people used trumpets to gather the assembly, to declare war, to announce that the camp was moving or to announce a special event. The Feast of Trumpets speaks of our Lord's gathering Israel together, but it also applies to us as New Testament Christians—the Rapture of the Church. You and I are waiting for the sound of the trumpet and the voice of the archangel when the Lord Jesus Christ shall return to receive His own (I Thess. 4:13-18).

Three feasts took place in the seventh month: on the first day, the Feast of Trumpets; on the tenth day, the Day of Atonement; and from the 15th to the 21st days, the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Feast of Booths. Each of these three feasts in the seventh month applies specifically to Israel. We believe there is a future for the nation of Israel. We do not believe that everything Israel does today is necessarily right. But we do believe that Israel is God's nation and that God has a great future for Israel. The Feast of

Trumpets pictures the gathering of the people of Israel. The Day of Atonement illustrates the cleansing of the people of Israel. The

Feast of Tabernacles pictures the kingdom that shall be established when Israel shall enter into her glory.

The people of Israel are a scattered people, and they have to be gathered. The Feast of Trumpets teaches this. They are a sinful people (like anybody else), and they must be cleansed. This is seen in the Day of Atonement. They are a suffering people. What nation has suffered as much as Israel? And yet they shall be comforted. They will enjoy that great Feast of Tabernacles when they enter into their kingdom.

These three feasts in the seventh month have their specific interpretation for Israel. But there is an application to us as believers. Certainly we are waiting for the sound of the trumpet when we will be called to be with the Lord. We are a sinful people, and we will be examined at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The great Day of Atonement illustrates this. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, everything is going to be made right; the Bride of Christ will be made without spot or wrinkle. We shall then enter into that marvelous time of glory and fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ, pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles.

These seven great feasts speak to us of the spiritual history of God's people. Passover --- Jesus died for us. Firstfruits --- He arose from the dead. Unleavened Bread ---putting away sin from our lives and feeding on the Lord Jesus. Pentecost — the coming of the Holy Spirit. Trumpets — God gathering His people. Atonement — God cleansing His people. Tabernacles --- God sharing His blessing in the kingdom with His people.

Between Pentecost and Trumpets (that's where we are living right now) is a time of harvest. During that period, Israel was busy in wheat harvest. You and I are living now between Pentecost and Trumpets, and this means we should be involved in the harvest. Are you involved in the harvest? If you are a Christian, you have come by way of the Lamb and have met Christ as your Saviour. You have experienced resurrection and life through Him. You are putting sin out of your life, and you are feeding on Him daily. You have the Holy Spirit within. But are you involved in the harvest? When the Lord Jesus Christ comes again, He wants to find us faithfully doing the work that He has called us to do. God's

calendar not only pictures our privileges in Christ but also our responsibilities.

Be God's guest! These feasts are for you!

Closing: God wanted these events to always be on the minds of his people. We celebrate them as well as we keep in mind what Jesus did, is doing; and what he shall do for us! God’s Feasts speak for our life now and what will come to our lives!