275. THE FEASTS OF YAHWEH

"Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year"

In the wisdom of God, worship in Israel was regulated in part by their agricultural year. In this way the nation was constantly reminded that they depended upon Him for their existence and prosperity, and was taught to thank Him for all His goodness. The aim of this lesson is to show how the three annual feasts of Israel were designed to teach deep spiritual lessons.

Leviticus 23

A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY (Deut. 8).

The Promised Land to which God led His people on their escape from Egypt was called "a land flowing with milk and honey." They were in structed to keep the commandments of God, to walk in His ways and to reverence Him, "for Yahweh thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass" (vv. 7-9).

Having eaten and been satisfied with the goodness of the land God had given them, they were to return thanks to Him (v.10). But they were to be careful lest in their material prosperity they should forget God (vv.12-15). They were not in danger while they remembered what God had done for them and given them. But prosperity is deceitful. Israel "would wax fat, and kick" in the years of prosperity, so Moses warned (32:15). In imagin ing that their wealth had been gained by their own strength, and not Yahweh's, they would soon fall away to idolatry and perish (vv. 17-20). The terrible result would be that they would not have a "latter end" (v.16), i.e. a hope. Instead of entering God's eternal rest in Christ, they would perish as the nations who know not God. Hence there was the need for constant remembrance of how Yahweh was their Saviour € the feasts of Yahweh fulfilled this need.

THE FEASTS OF YAHWEH (Lev. 23).

The word rendered "feasts" can be misleading. It is more correctly understood as "festivals". They were periods in the year that God claim ed as His (vv.2, 4); 11 times in Lev. 23 they are called "holy convoca tions" (vv. 2, 3, 4, etc.). On these occasions the tribes came together from all parts of the land, with the object of rejoicing together on account of their wonderful spiritual heritage and their covenant relationship with the God of heaven and earth. In an atmosphere separated from their daily work and business, they were able to devote themselves to the worship of Yahweh. They entered into the more elaborate sacrificial requirements of these occasions, and together communed joyously about their common hope.

Apart from the weekly Sabbath (v.3), there were three main festivals of Yahweh: €

1. Feast of Passover or Unleavened Bread (vv.4-14);
2. Feast of Pentecost or Firstfruits (vv. 15-22);
3. Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering (vv.33-36).

Attendance was compulsory at Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles for all male Israelites (Ex. 23:14-17; Deut. 16:16). God assured Israel that their borders would be protected during their absence at the feasts (Ex. 34:22-24).

God deemed it necessary for His people to make three annual pilgrimages to the place where He would set His Name, so that they might be refreshed in spiritual things, and gain the necessary stimulus to continue in faithful service.

THE FEAST OF PASSOVER OR UNLEAVENED BREAD (Lev. 23:4-14).

The Passover was the first of Israel's annual feasts, and was sometimes called "The Feast of Unleavened Bread" (v.6). It commemorated the events which took place when Israel was delivered from Egypt by God's hand.

The Passover lamb was selected on the tenth day of the first month and slain on the fourteenth. Its blood was sprinkled on the upper lintels and sides of the doors of Israel's dwellings. In this way the destroying angel, appointed to destroy the firstborn of Egypt, would "pass over" Israel's firstborn. The lamb whose shed blood had "saved" them, was roasted whole and eaten that night with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. By eating it, the lamb, whose death had saved them, also sustained them in life. In order to teach the lesson that the antitypical "slain lamb," the Lord Jesus, would be raised from the dead, they were not to break "a bone thereof" (Ex. 12:46; Psa. 34:19-20).

The destruction of the firstborn of Egypt broke Pharaoh's stubborn resistance, so giving Israel the opportunity to be released from bondage. Thus the Passover marked the commencement of their national existence; it was the birthday of the nation (Ex. 12:2).

The events were also an elaborately enacted parable of the ultimate deliverance from death in Jerusalem. Its spiritual fulfilment is found in Christ, "our Passover" (1 Cor. 5:7). He was a "lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:19), whose "blood of sprinkling" (1 Pet. 1:2) gives us protection from the "Angel of Death" (Rom. 5:21; 6:23). As the Passover lamb was "penned up" on the tenth day of Abib and slain on the fourteenth, so likewise was Jesus in Jerusalem before dying on the fourteenth day. Even when he was dead on the cross, his legs were not broken that the scripture should be fulfilled: "A bone of him shall not be broken" (Jn. 19:36). In these and other ways, Jesus Christ fulfilled the type of the Passover lamb.

Just as Israel ate of the Passover lamb with "unleavened bread" and "bitter herbs", so also must we put away sinful ways (leaven) and follow Christ's example of service and self-denial (bitter herbs € 1 Cor. 5:8). As Israel partook of the Passover lamb, so we partake of the emblems of the bread and wine. In this way Christ abides "in us" and he sustains us in our walk from "Egypt" to the Promised Land (Jn. 6:56).

THE FEAST OF PENTECOST OR FIRSTFRUITS (Lev. 23:15-22).

This feast fell in two parts. Firstly, the sheaf of barley was offered dur ing the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Passover and specifically, "on the morrow after the Sabbath". Then, seven full weeks later, or 50 days after the same Sabbath, in addition to sin, burnt, peace, meal and drink offerings, there were to be offered "two wave loaves... of fine flour... baked with leaven" (v.17).

Barley was the first grain harvested, even as Christ was the firstfruit to rise from the dead (1 Cor. 15:23). The single sheaf, representative of Christ, was offered "on the morrow after the sabbath". The sabbath mentioned is the 15th day of Abib which was the "first day" of the feast of unleavened bread in which Israel was to have an "holy convocation and do no servile work" (Lev. 23:6-7). The "morrow after the sabbath" was then the 16th day, the day on which Christ rose from the dead (Matt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1-2; Lk. 24:21; 1 Cor. 15:4).

Seven weeks later, two loaves were offered. These were to be made of fine flour, and significantly they were to be "baked with leaven" (v.17). Whom did they represent? We have to look at the events of the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 to answer this question. On that day 3,000 believed the gospel when it was first publicly proclaimed by Peter (Acts 2:41). Thus the "two loaves" speak of multiplicity. In its outworking the gospel at length embraced Jews and Gentiles and so for this reason also "two loaves" were offered.

But why were the loaves "baked with leaven", the symbol of sin (1 Cor. 5:8)? Whereas Christ was raised on the first day (16th day of Abib) to immortality, those who believed at Pentecost were still "in the flesh". They would have to wait until the second coming of Christ for their change to immortality. This teaching is summarized by Paul in 1 Corin thians 15:21-23, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order € Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming".

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT (Lev. 23:26-32).

The seventh month was a busy one for Israel. On the 10th day the "Day of Atonement" was observed, while from the 15th to 23rd the Feast of Tabernacles was kept. We shall briefly consider the Day of Atonement and then study the Feast of Tabernacles, the third great feast in Israel's calendar.

The Day of Atonement was the most solemn day in Israel's calendar. It was a fast more than a feast. Its distinctive purpose was to bring the col lective sin of the year to remembrance, so that it might be atoned for in one offering. Work of any sort was forbidden therein (v.28). On the con trary, it was to be a day of affliction (v.27), and excommunication faced anyone refusing self-humiliation (v.29). As Leviticus 16 explains, it was on this day that the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, while the people waited his return outside. They prayed that God would accept their offering and forgive their sins.

Paul expounds the significance of these things in Hebrews 9. When Jesus died, the veil separating the Holy and Most Holy Place was split from the top to the bottom (Matt. 27:51). In this way God indicated that the way into the Holiest, i.e. "heaven itself", was now possible. He ac cepted Christ's offering, raised him from the dead and exalted him to His right hand, the Most Holy Place. As the true High Priest we can be represented before God by him, and we have our sins washed away by the offering of his blood (Heb. 9:8, 12, 14, 24). As Israel awaited the emergence of the High Priest to see if their offering was accepted, even so we look for his appearance from heaven so that we might receive salva tion (Heb. 9:28).

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES OR INGATHERING (Lev. 23:33-44).

The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated Israel's redemption from the bon dage of Egypt. At that time God made them dwell in booths (Lev. 23:43; Ex. 12:37). These were hastily erected dwellings made from the boughs of thick trees (v.40). They were flimsy and unstable, but served to emphasize that Yahweh was their true protection and deliverer. Compare Psalm 27:3-5. In verse 5 the word for "tabernacles" is "succoth", the word so translated when reference is made in the Old Testament to the Feast of Tabernacles. In Psalm 31:20 the word "pavilion" is also "succoth" and again the significance of this feast becomes clear.

During the course of the feast seventy bullocks were offered (Num. 29). "Seventy" is the number of the nations recorded in Genesis 10. The number appears to foretell the day when all nations will celebrate the redemption from oppression and sin, during the millennial reign of Christ. Christ will destroy Gog and free the world from its slavery, even as Israel was redeemed from Egypt (Psa. 72:12-14). Then shall the whole world re joice in God and His Son: "And it shall come to pass, that everyone that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zech. 14:16).

LESSONS FOR US:

• We need to remember, like Israel, that prosperity is a gift of God, to be used rightly and wisely in developing His glory in our lives.
• The Passover Feast reminds us of our deliverance in Christ, and our life of self-denial in following in his steps.
• The Feast of Pentecost reminds us of our grafting into the stock of Israel. We must offer ourselves to God as Israel did the firstfruits (Jas. 1:18; Rev. 14:4).
• We, too, must "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts", if the atoning work of Jesus Christ is to be effective for us.
• We can celebrate in our hearts the deliverance from slavery to sin made possible by Christ, even as Israel kept the Feast of Tabernacles in remembrance of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"The Law of Moses" (R. Roberts) € Chapter 21

"Law and Grace" (W. F. Barling) € Pages 133-150

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. When Israel became prosperous they turned from Yahweh to idolatry. What lessons can we learn from this?
2. Explain how the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.
3. Why did God require Israel to keep the three great feasts every year?

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Briefly outline the significance of the three great Feasts of Yahweh.

2. Explain the significance of Yahweh's feasts in their application to the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. The Feast of the Passover commenced the national existence of Israel. Explain both the origin and the significance of the feast.
4. What major events occurred in the 7th month of Israel's religious year? What lessons do we learn from these?