Feasts of the Lord: Jesus Revealed in the Old Testament

Danielle Flaherty

REL 151

062112

Feasts of the Lord: Jesus Revealed in the Old Testament

Old Covenant Israel's holidays were events prescribed by the Lord. There are seven of them. These seven holidays are discussed throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. In Leviticus 23 all seven of the holidays are listed in chronological order. The seven holidays are called Feasts of the Lord.

"These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. (Leviticus 23:4 ESV).

These feasts typify the sequence, timing, and significance of the major events of Jesus' life. They commence at Calvary, where he gave Himself for the sins of the world (Passover) and culminate in Jesus' second coming (Tabernacles). The feasts occur in the first seven months of Israel's year and are pictured in their agricultural practices. The first four celebrations: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened bread, First fruits, and Pentecost come in the spring representing the first advent of Christ, His death, burial, resurrection, and the establishing of a New Covenant. Then come the fall feasts (the other three) that picture the return of Christ which are the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles, representing the fall of Jerusalem, the end of Old Covenant Israel and the establishment of the New Heavens and Earth where God's tabernacle is with men. Each of the Feasts adds to the complete picture of Christ as the type and anti-type in the Old Testament (where types are found) and the New Testament (where the anti-type is found). Although the full picture of Christ is seen when looking at all seven feasts in chronologic order it is possible to see him clearly while looking at just the first four.

Passover

Leviticus 23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD's Passover.

Passover is the foundational feast. The six other feasts are built upon it. Although the Jewish people have celebrated the Passover annually since the time of Moses, in reality, there was only ONE Passover. It occurred around 3,500 years ago in Egypt see Exodus chapter 12. It was there, at that time, that a lamb was sacrificed and the blood was applied to each doorpost and lintel. When this was done in faith and in obedience to God's command, that home was "passed over," and the life of the firstborn was spared. All the observances over the centuries have been memorials of that one and only first Passover. In the same way, there was only one occasion when Jesus' blood spilled on the cross of Calvary for the sin of the world. He was the anti-type or fulfillment of the picture. John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of God in John 1:28-29. Paul the Apostle tells the Corinthians that Christ is the Passover, "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV).

Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:6 (NKJV) 'And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread.

The next feast that was to begin the day after Passover, on the fifteenth of the Hebrew month, Nisan. It is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was to last for seven days (see Deuteronomy 16:4).This feast commemorates the Exodus. Deuteronomy 16:3 (NKJV) "You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction