The Seven Feasts of Israel

The Jews celebrated 7 feasts in the Old Testament, and what this page will do is show you the significance of each feast as the feast is related to Christ Jesus. They are in essence, worshipping and celebrating Jesus before His time on earth. Each feast fulfilled a prophesy about Jesus.

There are 7 (the number 7 signifies completeness, spiritual, perfection) feasts broken down into 3 main feasts. 3 feasts for Passover, 1 for Pentecost, and Tabernacles having 3 feasts. Each of the Feast seasons has a spiritual significance or theme. They are

1. Passover: To receive peace with God.
2. Pentecost: How to receive God's power.
3. Tabernacles: How to enter in God's rest.

Feast of Passover

We receive peace with God.

Feast of Passover

Passover was the first of three feast seasons. All Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem for an encounter with God. Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29, and Deuteronomy 16 provides an excellent summary of this.

Date: Nisan 14

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus Crucified (New birth)

In John 1:36, John the Baptist announces "Behold, the Lamb of God." Jesus was crucified on the 14th. Not only was he killed on the same day the lambs were killed, but also at the same time. As the Jews were preparing thier lambs for sacrifice Jesus was being nailed upon the cross (Mark 15:25.)

He gave His self to be consumed on the judgement fire of God. The spit upon which the lambs were spread open was shaped like a crossbar and pointed to Jesus hanging on the cross. This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Passover.

Feast of Unleavened Bread

This feast was celebrated the day after Passover and lasted from the 15th to the 21st in the Hebrew month of Nisan. God instructed the Hebrews the keep the feast as a memorial to their separation from Egypt. (see Exodus 13:3,7)

Date: Nisan 15-21

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus Buried (Putting off the old)

Jesus fulfilled the feast as the bread of life from heaven who had no leaven (sin) in Him. Because of the fermenting and permeating nature of leaven we use it as a metaphor for sin. There was no leaven of sin in Jesus Christ

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5)

Jesus's body was taken down from the cross before 6 o'clock that evening which began the start of the next day. From this we learn that Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus prepared His body just in time for burial in Joseph's tomb on the 15th which was the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus took out our leaven (sin) with Him to the grave. This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Feast of First Fruits

The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated On the day after the Sabbath. The Sabbath that is spoken of is the regular Saturday Sabbath. This means the the Feast of First Fruits came on a Sunday.

Date: Nisan 18

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus Resurrected (Putting on the new)

Jesus fulfilled this feast when He was resurrected as the first fruits from the dead. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

"But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first fruits of them that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming."

This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits.

Feast of Pentecost

We receive God's power.

Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of Pentecost (also known as Feast of Weeks, Feast of Harvest, Day of First Fruits) was celebrated at the completion of the wheat harvest. The date can be determined in Leviticus 23:15-16. God said to celebrate it 50 days after the Feast of First Fruits.

Date: Sivan 6

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus Exalted (Baptism in the Holy Spirit)

As we know, it was 50 days from the Feast of First Fruits to the Feast of Pentecost. Likewise it was exactly 50 day from, Jesus' resurrection to the day He sent the Holy Spirit upon his disciples. (see Acts 2:1-8)

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. ow when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Pentecost.

Feast of Tabernacles

We enter in God's rest.

Feast of Trumpets

The main purpose in the Feast of Trumpets was to announce the arrival of the 7th month in order to prepare people for the Day of Atonement. This day was uneventful other than the blowing of trumpets and an offering of sacrifices (see Numbers 29:1-6)

Date: Tishri 1

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus defeating the enemy (Putting on the full armor)

Jesus is the true commander of the army of God

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; Luke 1:68-71

As Commander and the horn of our salvation, He defeated the enemies of our soul. For us to defeat the enemy we must put on the Armor of God (see

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the demon. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:10-12

This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Trumpets.

Feast Of Atonement

This was the great day of national cleansing and repentance from sin. It was on this day the God judged the sins of the entire nation. The Day Of Atonement was the one day in the year when the High Priest would go behind the veil in the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat. It was a day of godly sorrow, godly repentance, and confession of sins. A time of mourning before God with a broken spirit and contrite heart. On this day God judged the sins of the entire nation. The word atonement means "to cover" and on the Day Of Atonement, the sins of the nation were covered by the blood of the sacrifice.

Date: Tishri 10

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus' purifying His bride (Baptism in fire)

Jesus fulfilled the spiritual aspect of the Day of Atonement when He went into the heavenly holy of holies with His own blood which He shed for the sins of the world. We have been forgiven and made clean once and for all by the blood of Jesus Christ. His blood has done what the blood of bulls and goats could not and can never do. It doesn't just cover our sins, it takes them away to be remembered no more. This is how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Atonement.

Feast of Tabernacles

The Feats of Tabernacles was the last of the seven feasts, it completed the religious season. The number seven (7) in the bible represents completion. This means that this feast represents the completed or finished work on God in both this age in which we live and in the lives of individual Christians. we have learned to rest in God for who He is and to be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Paul the Apostle recognized this in his own life. That he was not perfect, but that he had matured to a place of rest in God. (see Phillipians 3:12-14, 4:11-13)

Date: Tishri 15-221

Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus' coming again (God's rest)

Jesus is the tabernacle or dwelling place of God. In Him dwells all the fullness of God (see John 1:14, Collosians 2:9) and God dwells in our midst through Jesus Christ (see Matthew 18:20). Jesus will ultimately fulfill the Feast of Tabernacles at His second coming. This is how Jesus will fulfilled the Feast of Tabernacles.

References

Jesus In The Feasts Of Israel: ISBN 0-914903-98-5

Nelson Study Bible (NKJV)

New King James Version Bible (NKJV): ISBN 0-7180-1086-8

New American Standard Bible (NASB): ISBN 1-885217-72-2

American Standard Bible, 1901 Version

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: ISBN 0-917006-01-1

Smith Bible Dictionary: ISBN 0-8407-5542-2

The Laymans Bible Encyclopedia