LEVITICUS 23

Feast:  Preparation for Passover
Biblical Calendar:  Nisan 10
Secular Calendar:  March/April
O.T. Event in Israel:  Passover lamb was examined for imperfections until sacrificed on Nisan 14 (Ex. 12:3ff).
N.T. Event in the Church:  At His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus offered Himself as the King-Messiah of the Jews (Matt. 21:1ff).
 

Feast:  Passover (Pesach)
Biblical Calendar:  Nisan 14
O.T. Event in Israel:  Symbol: Blood.  God’s deliverance of the Jews from death.  A lamb was sacrificed, its blood was put over the door, and the angel of death passed over the Jewish household in Egypt.  The lamb was the substitute which received the death penalty.
N.T. Event in the Church:  Crucifixion of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who died to take away the sin of the world.  He gives us the gift of everlasting life if we accept His sacrifice and righteousness (1 Cor. 5:7b).
 

Feast:  Unleavened Bread (Hag Ha Matzah)
Biblical Calendar:  Nisan 15-21 (one week)
O.T. Event in Israel:  Symbol:  Matzah.  A week of eating bread made without yeast(Matzah), to remember how God brought the Israelites out of Egypt in haste (Ex. 12:15-20).
N.T. Event in the Church:  A Godly life:  Since yeast represents evil, eating unleavened bread represents the effort to live a life without sin, because Christ has set us free from our sinful nature and forgiven our sins (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
 

Feast:  Firstfruits
Biblical Calendar:  Nisan 16, the day after the Sabbath
O.T. Event in Israel:  Presenting a sheaf of the first harvest.
N.T. Event in the Church:  Jesus’ resurrection.  He is “the firstfruits” from the dead(1 Cor. 15:20, 35).
 

Feast:  Pentecost or Weeks (Shavout)
Biblical Calendar:  Sivan 6
Secular Calendar:  May/June
       Symbols:  Two loaves containing leaven were waved before the Lord (Lev. 23:17).  This represents Israel and the Church, in which the leaven of sin still exists.
O.T. Event in Israel:  Birth of the Jewish nation at the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. About 3,000 Jews died for worshipping the golden calf (Ex. 32:28)
N.T. Event in the Church:  Birth of the Church by descent of the Holy Spirit on Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1ff).  About 3,000 Jews were saved that day (Acts 2:41).
 

Feast:  Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah Jewish New Year)
Biblical Calendar:  Tishri 1
Secular Calendar:  September/October
O.T. Event in Israel:  Symbol:  Shofar (ram’s horn).  Day of Assembly commemorated by trumpet blasts.  Ten days of awe and repentance begin.  Opening of Book of Life for God’s judgment of people’s sin of past year. No fulfillment by an historical Christian event.
N.T. Event in the Church:  Proposed:  Invasion by Russia and 5 areas:  Awakening of Israel, the Church and the world to presence, power, and will of God. Proposed:  (7 years later) Armageddon invasion of Jerusalem begins.
 

Feast:  Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
Biblical Calendar:  Tishri 10
O.T. Event in Israel:  Sacrifice offered for repentance, cleansing, and restoration of Israel; closing of the Book of Life until the next year.  No fulfillment by an historical Christian event.
N.T. Event in the Church:  Proposed:  Coming of Messiah.  Defeat of false messiah and his forces.  Resurrection of dead.  Israel mourns for the One pierced (Zech. 12:10ff).  He is High Priest.
 

Feast:  Tabernacles, Booths (Sukkot) Ingathering
Biblical Calendar:  Tishri 15-21 (one week)
Secular Calendar:  September/October
O.T. Event in Israel:  Symbols:  Lulav and Etrog (palm branch and citron).  Celebration of harvest.  It is an eternal reminder of the booths, sukkot, in which Jewish ancestors lived during their desert wandering.  No fulfillment by an historical Christian event.
N.T. Event in the Church:  Proposed:  Inauguration of Messiah as King in His kingdom on earth.  All nations will go to Jerusalem yearly at Tabernacles to worship the King of Kings!  God dwells with men on earth.