The Annual Feasts of Israel

Leviticus 23

Tod Kennedy, September 11, 1996 and November 25, 2000 

I. Introduction to the Feasts of Israel

1. The Biblical feasts, Leviticus 23, were five (or six) in Number.

2. Israel was a theocracy; she had an agricultural economy. The feast had a religious purpose and an agricultural background. The LORD God, Yahweh, Elohim, Adonay, was Israel’s God; Israel’s main agricultural products were grain, oil, and wine.

3. The purpose of the feasts was to assemble the people and help them reflect on God and his graciousness.

II. The Feasts

1. The Passover and Unleavened Bread were the first of the three great annual feasts (Exodus 12:1-28; 23:5; Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 1:1-8).

    1.1. The Passover commemorated God’s deliverance from the tenth plague which brought the death of the firstborn, and the exodus. It was a spring festival, the first festival of the religious calendar and occurred on Nisan 14. Nisan was the first month of the religious calendar and equivalent to March-April. The Passover taught redemption.

    1.2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a seven day festival that began the day after the Passover and lasted from Nisan 15-21. Passover and Unleavened Bread were one unit; the Passover marked the sacrifice and Unleavened Bread marked the feast following the sacrifice. Unleavened Bread commemorated the separation from Egypt under God’s direction and protection Unleavened Bread taught separation from the past to a new life with the Lord.

    1.3. The First fruits occurred during Unleavened Bread on Nisan 16, one day after Unleavened Bread began. Israel offered the first part of the grain harvest (barley) to the Lord. This was a dedication of the harvest to God, thanksgiving for the crop, and anticipated God’s continued provision. First fruits stressed thanksgiving and taught that God provides the necessities for life for Israel (Leviticus 23:9-14).

2. Pentecost, celebrated in May-June, was the second great annual feast. It was also called the feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10, 16), the feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16) and “the day of first fruits” (Numbers 28:26). Israel observed Pentecost seven weeks plus 1 day (50 days, Pentecost) after the Nisan 16 wave offering of the barley sheaf during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Pentecost linked the spring barley harvest to the early summer wheat harvest. Pentecost stressed thanksgiving and taught that God provides the necessities for life for Israel (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-16; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10).

3. Trumpets occurred in the fall, during Tishri, September-October, the seventh religious month and the first civil month It marked the beginning of the civil year, like our New Years Day. Israel blew trumpets on the first day of every month (Numbers 10:1,10), but this trumpet blast was on the first day of the seventh religious month or first of the civil month. Trumpet blasts were symbolic reminders to the Lord about Israel’s needed blessing by Him (Numbers 10:10). Trumpets called the Lord’s attention to Israel’s need of His blessing; it may have prepared for the Day of Atonement, besides opening the civil year (Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6).

4. The Day of Atonement occurred on the 10th day of Tishri, the seventh religious month, September-October. This was the most important annual festival. The high priest entered the holy of holies. The scapegoat was sent into the wilderness signifying the sending away of the people’s sins. The Day of Atonement taught God graciously forgives all sin (Leviticus 16; 23:26-32; Exodus 30:10-30; Numbers 29:7-11).

5. The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles was the third great annual feast. It occurred during Tishri 15-21, the seventh religious month, September-October. The name comes from the fact that Israel was to live seven days in temporary booths that they made out of boughs. This commemorated that God took care of Israel during the exodus, during which they did not have permanent houses. Booths taught that God gives fatherly care and protection (Leviticus 23:33-43; Numbers 29:12-39; Deuteronomy 16:13; Nehemiah 8:18; John 7:2, 37).

III. Summary