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Question

What are the seven appointed feasts (mo'adim) of Leviticus 23, and do they form a unified prophetic calendar? What is the structure of the festival year and what does each feast typify?

Topics

PASSOVER

  • Institution of EXO 12:3-49; 23:15-18; 34:18; LEV 23:4-8; NUM 9:2-5,13,14; 28:16-25; DEU 16:1-8,16; PSA 81:3,5
  • Design of EXO 12:21-28
  • Special Passover, for those who were unclean, or on a journey, to be held in the second month NUM 9:6-12; 2CH 30:2-4
  • The lamb killed by Levites, for those who were ceremonially unclean 2CH 30:17; 35:3-11; EZR 6:20
  • Strangers authorized to celebrate EXO 12:48,49; NUM 9:14
  • Observed at the place designated by God DEU 16:5-7
  • Observed with unleavened bread (no yeast) EXO 12:8,15-20; 13:3,6; 23:15; LEV 23:6; NUM 9:11; 28:17; DEU 16:3,4; MRK 14:12; LUK 22:7; ACT 12:3; 1CO 5:8
  • Penalty for neglecting to observe NUM 9:13
  • Re-instituted by Ezekiel EZK 45:21-24
  • Observation of, renewed:
  • By the Israelites upon entering Canaan JOS 5:10,11
  • By Hezekiah 2CH 30:1
  • By Josiah 2KI 23:22,23; 2CH 35:1,18
  • After the return from Babylonian captivity EZR 6:19,20
  • Observed by Jesus MAT 26:17-20; LUK 22:15; JHN 2:13,23; 13
  • Jesus in the temple courtyard at the time of LUK 2:41-50
  • Jesus crucified at the time of MAT 26:2; MRK 14:1,2; JHN 18:28
  • The lamb of, a type of Christ 1CO 5:7
  • The Lord's Supper ordained at MAT 26:26-28; MRK 14:12-25; LUK 22:7-20
  • Prisoner released at, by the Romans MAT 27:15; MRK 15:6; LUK 23:16,17; JHN 18:39
  • Peter imprisoned at the time of ACT 12:3
  • Christ called "our Passover," 1CO 5:7

PENTECOST

  • Called:
  • FEAST OF WEEKS EXO 34:22; DEU 16:10
  • FEAST OF HARVEST EXO 23:16
  • DAY OF FIRST FRUITS NUM 28:26
  • DAY OF PENTECOST ACT 2:1; 20:16; 1CO 16:8
  • Institution of EXO 23:16; 34:22; LEV 23:15-21; NUM 28:26-31; DEU 16:9-12,16
  • Holy Spirit given to the apostles on the first day of ACT 2

TRUMPETS

  • FEAST OF:
  • When and how observed LEV 23:24,25; NUM 29:1-6
  • Celebrated after the captivity with joy NEH 8:2,9-12

TABERNACLES, FEAST OF

  • Also called FEAST OF INGATHERING
  • Instituted EXO 23:16; 34:22; LEV 23:34-43
  • Design of LEV 23:42,43
  • The law read in connection with, every seventh year DEU 31:10-12; NEH 8:18
  • Observance of, after the captivity EZR 3:4; NEH 8:14-18
  • By Jesus JHN 7:2,14
  • Observance of, omitted NEH 8:17
  • Penalty for not observing ZEC 14:16-19
  • Jeroboam institutes an idolatrous feast to correspond to, in the eighth month 1KI 12:32,33; 1CH 27:11

FEASTS (Annual Festivals)

  • Designated as:
  • SOLEMN FEASTS NUM 15:3; 2CH 8:13; LAM 2:6; EZK 46:9
  • SET FEASTS NUM 29:39; EZR 3:5
  • APPOINTED FEASTS ISA 1:14
  • HOLY CONVOCATIONS LEV 23:4
  • First and last days were SABBATIC LEV 23:39,40; NUM 28:18-25; 29:12,35; NEH 8:1-18
  • Kept with rejoicing LEV 23:40; DEU 16:11-14; 2CH 30:21-26; EZR 6:22; NEH 8:9-12,17; PSA 42:4; 122:4; ISA 30:29; ZEC 8:19
  • Divine protection given during EXO 34:24
  • The three principal were: PASSOVER, PENTECOST, TABERNACLES
  • All males were required to attend EXO 23:17; 34:23; DEU 16:16; PSA 42:4; 122:4; EZK 36:38; LUK 2:44; JHN 4:45; 7
  • Aliens (non-Jews) were permitted to attend JHN 12:20; ACT 2:1-11
  • Attended by women 1SA 1:3,9; LUK 2:41
  • Observed by Jesus MAT 26:17-20; LUK 2:41,42; 22:15; JHN 2:13,23; 5:1; 7:10; 10:22
  • Observed by Paul ACT 18:21; 19:21; 20:6,16; 24:11,17

FIRST FRUITS

  • First ripe of fruits, grain, oil, wine, and first of fleece, required as an offering EXO 22:29; LEV 2:12-16; NUM 18:12; DEU 18:4; 2CH 31:5; NEH 10:35,37,39; PRO 3:9; JER 2:3; ROM 11:16
  • Offerings of, must be free from blemish NUM 18:12
  • Presented at the tabernacle EXO 22:29; 23:19; 34:26; DEU 26:3-10
  • Belonged to the priests LEV 23:20; NUM 18:12,13; DEU 18:3-5
  • Freewill offerings of, given to the prophets 2KI 4:42
  • Wave offering of LEV 23:10-14,17
  • As a heave offering NUM 15:20; NEH 10:37; EZK 44:30
  • To be offered as a thank-offering upon entrance into the Land of Promise DEU 26:3-10
  • FIGURATIVE ROM 8:23; 11:16; 1CO 15:20,23; JAS 1:18

HARVEST

  • Sabbath to be observed in EXO 34:21
  • Sabbath desecrated in NEH 13:15-22
  • Of wheat at Pentecost, in Palestine EXO 34:22; LEV 23:15-17
  • And of wheat before harvest time LEV 26:5
  • Of barley, before wheat EXO 9:31,32
  • Celebrated with joy JDG 9:27; ISA 9:3; 16:10; JER 48:33
  • Promises of plentiful GEN 8:22; JER 5:24; JOL 2:23,24
  • FIGURATIVE JOB 24:6; PRO 10:5; JER 8:20; JOL 3:13; MAT 9:37; 13:39; LUK 10:2; REV 14:15

ATONEMENT

  • For tabernacle and furniture LEV 16:15-20,33
  • In consummation of the Levites NUM 8:21
  • For those defiled by the dead NUM 6:11
  • Made for houses LEV 14:53
  • For sin, see below
  • By meat offerings LEV 5:11-13
  • By jewels NUM 31:50
  • By money EXO 30:12-16; LEV 5:15,16; 2KI 12:16
  • By incense NUM 16:46-50
  • DAY OF:
  • Time of EXO 30:10; LEV 23:27; 25:9; NUM 29:7
  • How observed EXO 30:10; LEV 16:2-34; 23:27-32; NUM 29:7-11; ACT 27:9; HEB 5:3; 9:7,19,22
  • MADE BY ANIMAL SACRIFICES EXO 29:36; 30:12-16; LEV 1:4; 4:20,22-35; 5:6-10; 6:7; 9:7; 10:17; 12:6-8; 14:12-32; 16:6,10,11,15-19,24-34; 17:11; 19:22; NUM 15:22-28; 28:22,30; 29:5,10,11; HEB 9:22
  • MADE BY JESUS:
  • Divinely ordained LUK 2:30,31; GAL 4:4,5; EPH 1:3-12,17-22; 2:4-10; COL 1:19,20; 1PE 1:20; REV 13:8
  • A mystery 1CO 2:7
  • With context 1PE 1:8-12
  • Made but once HEB 7:27; 9:24-28; 10:10,12,14; 1PE 3:18
  • Redemption by MAT 20:28; ACT 20:28; GAL 3:13; 1TI 2:6; HEB 9:12; REV 5:9
  • Typified GEN 4:4 with HEB 11:4; GEN 22:2 with HEB 11:17,19; EXO 12:5,11,14 with 1CO 5:7; EXO 24:8 with HEB 9:20; LEV 16:30,34 with HEB 9:7,12,28; LEV 17:11 with HEB 9:22
  • UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES PSA 40:6,7; ISA 53:4-12; DAN 9:24-27; ZEC 13:1; MAT 26:28; LUK 22:20; 24:46,47; JHN 1:29,36; 6:51; 11:49-51; ACT 17:2,3; 20:28; ROM 3:24-26; 4:25; 5:1,2,6-11,15-21; 1CO 1:17,18,23,24; 15:3; 2CO 5:18,19; GAL 1:3,4; 4:4,5; EPH 1:7; 2:13-18; 5:2,25; COL 1:14,19-22; 1TH 5:9,10; 1TI 2:5,6; TIT 2:14; HEB 1:3; 2:9,17; 9:12-15,25,26; 10:1-20; 12:24; 13:12,20,21; 1PE 1:18-20; 2:24; 3:18; 1JN 1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10; 5:6; REV 1:5; 5:9; 7:14; 12:11

ETHANIM (Seventh Month / Tishri / October)

  • Feast of Trumpets in LEV 23:23-25
  • Day of Atonement, on the tenth day of LEV 23:26-32
  • Feast of Tabernacles in LEV 23:33-43
  • Jubilee proclaimed on the tenth day of LEV 25:9
  • Temple dedicated in 1KI 8:2
  • Altar restored in, after the captivity EZR 3:1,6

SABBATH

  • Signifying a period of rest GEN 2:2,3; LEV 23; 25; 26:34,35
  • Preparations for the EXO 16:22; MAT 27:62; MRK 15:42; LUK 23:54; JHN 19:31
  • Religious usages on the GEN 2:3; MRK 6:2; LUK 4:16,31; 6:6; 13:10; ACT 13:14
  • Sacrifices on the NUM 28:9,10; EZK 46:4,5
  • UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES GEN 2:2,3; EXO 16:5,23-30; 20:8-11; 23:12; 31:13-17; 34:21; 35:2,3; LEV 16:29-31; 19:3,30; 23:1-3,27-32; 24:8; 26:2,34,35; NUM 15:32-36; 28:9,10; DEU 5:12-15; 2KI 4:23; 1CH 9:32; 2CH 36:21; NEH 9:13,14; 10:31; 13:15-22; PSA 92:1-15; 118:24; ISA 1:13; 56:2,4-7; 58:13,14; 66:23; JER 17:21,22,24-27; LAM 1:7; 2:6; EZK 20:12,13,16,20,21,24; 22:8; 23:38; 44:24; 46:1,3; HOS 2:11; AMO 8:5; MAT 12:1-8,10-12; 24:20; MRK 2:27,28; 6:2; 16:1; LUK 4:16,31; 6:1-10; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; 23:54,56; JHN 5:5-14; 7:21-24; 9:1-34; 19:31; ACT 13:14,27,42,44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4; COL 2:16; HEB 4:4,9
  • Observance by Moses, Nehemiah, the women, Paul, disciples, John

LEAVEN (YEAST)

  • For bread EXO 12:34,39; HOS 7:4; MAT 13:33
  • Leavened bread used:
  • With a peace-offering LEV 7:13; AMO 4:5
  • With a wave-offering LEV 23:15-17
  • Leavened bread forbidden:
  • With meat offerings LEV 2:11; 6:17; 10:12; EXO 23:18; 34:25
  • At the Passover meal EXO 12:19,20; 13:3,4,7; 23:18
  • With blood EXO 23:18; 34:25
  • A symbol for sin 1CO 5:6-8
  • FIGURATIVE:
  • Of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees MAT 16:6-12; MRK 8:15; LUK 12:1
  • Of other evils 1CO 5:6-8; GAL 5:9
  • Parable of MAT 13:33; LUK 13:21

JUBILEE

  • Called THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD ISA 61:2
  • Called THE YEAR OF LIBERTY EZK 46:17
  • LAWS CONCERNING LEV 25:8-55; 27:17-24; NUM 36:4
  • UNLEAVENED BREAD (See BREAD, PASSOVER)
  • REAPING, GLEANING (related to HARVEST)
  • BLOOD, REDEMPTION, SALVATION (related to ATONEMENT)