For those of you that want to learn more about the
feasts of the Lord or you are trying to let yourself go from the pagan feasts
we know as Easter, Christmas, Halloween and Valentines, this post is for you!
When letting go of something, sometimes it’s easier when you know you have an
alternative. Well, as for the pagan festivals and you wanting to let go of that
foolishness, God kept you in mind and has feast for you to remember and bring
you closer to Him! If you are like me and just want to dig more into the Word
of God and get a better understanding of these feasts so you can better please
God and live a more righteous life (because you let go of the world already,
been there done that!), then this post will work for you, too!
Just to give some background, I was a kid, like
most of us, that was brought up on the holidays we know as Christmas, Easter,
Valentine’s and Halloween (just to name some). However, I was also the kid that
loved Jesus and just couldn’t figure out how this stuff was connected to Him. I
was a thinker and unlike other kids, I wanted to please God the right way and
not just how people say to please Him. Jesus DIED on a cross for us! That was a
big deal to me. I wanted to understand how this stuff really honored Him. I
never got a clear explanation.
I also enjoyed the memories and fun traditions,
but I still didn’t see the connection to Jesus. The stuff itself was fun, but
what does it have to do with Jesus since it is supposedly about Him? My
favorite was Halloween all because my birthday is on October 31st.
All of the other stuff wasn’t as big of a deal as it was to others. I just
wanted presents, but I would happily take presents any time of the year! What
kid wouldn’t??? As I got older, I learned where all of this stuff came from and
it wasn’t hard at all for me to let go. All I needed was a reason to let go
because I didn’t want it anyway! No one could tell me how it was connected to
Christ. And I noticed that people would be super excited about decorations and
presents and Christmas trees and I never saw them open the bible…ever. So how
could you be celebrating Christ, but don’t learn about Him? You’re more excited
about a tree and lights and decorations and presents and music than about the
Word itself? It all made me wonder.
So, I wanted to learn about the holy days God
actual gave us. These days, we don’t have to wonder what the connection is or
focus on worldly things more the Godly things. With these feasts, they’re all
God-centered. These feasts are:
1.
Passover
2.
Feast of Unleavened Bread
3.
The Feast of Firstfruits
4.
The Feast of Weeks (Pentacost)
5.
The Feast of Trumpets
6.
The Day of Atonement
7.
The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles)
The
Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
Passover began when God struck Egypt with the
plagues. The last plague (10th) was the death of the first born of
every man and beast. The children of Israel were instructed by God through
Moses to stay indoors and place lamb blood on the doorposts of their houses. As
God struck Egypt with the plague, He passed over the houses with the lamb blood
as it was a sign. We are to remember Passover and to keep it as a feast. God
also stated that for the next seven days, you should observe the Feast of
Unleavened Bread where no leaven is to consumed or even in the house. This also
represents the sinless life of Jesus. The first day is a Sabbath and the
seventh day is a Sabbath. (Exodus 11-12) If you read from Genesis to Exodus,
all of this will make lots of sense and even give you more background. The
bible begins with Adam and Eve, but it takes us through the journey of Israel
and the children of Israel which ultimately leads us to Jesus! This whole bible
is about Jesus!
If you look at Passover, they killed a lamb and
shed the blood so that they would have grace through that night of the plague
and make it out of Egypt. Who was our ultimate lamb whose blood was shed so
that we may have grace and make it to Heaven? Jesus. (1 Cortinthians 5:7) Which
this also the time He was actually crucified. (Matthew 26-28) Wow, that’s
something isn’t it? So, when Israel was instructed to observe Passover that
first night, it was preparing them and their following generations for Jesus.
How to Observe Passover: Many of us go to
church and have communion services and feet washing services. For those of you
that think it’s for Easter, WRONG!! It’s for Passover. Matthew 26: 26-29
explains why we have communion. Jesus was letting His disciples know that it
was getting close to Him leaving and it was going to be His last Passover
before He eats with us again in God’s kingdom. Doesn’t that make you excited?
It makes me excited, that Jesus did all of that (dying on the cross and going
to preparing a table) just for me and you if you want it. Think of loving
someone so much and so unconditionally that no matter how much wrong they do,
if they come back and ask you for your forgiveness and truly give their life
over to you and no other lover (gods) anymore that you will still take them in
and still have their seat at the table set for them!
Also, there is the unleavened bread. During these
days, it is a little difficult to rid our houses from leaven (yeast) because it
is in almost everything! My advice is to do the best you can and definitely
avoid eating any of it. Use this time to spend even more time with the Lord and
He will lead your steps. The Passover meal includes lamb of course, unleavened
bread, and bitter herbs (list of bitter herbs: http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/List_of_Bitter_Herbs).
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is
a Sabbath and also the last day of Unleavened Bread. On these days, just
observe them the same as your weekly Sabbaths, a day of rest and worship.
Remember, it’s all about God, not you. Now, many work places are quick to observe
these pagan days. We can be closed for Christmas and New Years, but are we off
for Passover and Unleavened Bread? No, but off for Good Friday? (which has
nothing to do with Christ) So, it may be hard to rest and worship on these days
if they fall on workdays. I you are adamant about observing these Sabbaths,
there are forms you can fill out and have your employers excuse your days. If
not, I would suggest that as soon as you get home from work, REST and get into
that Word! Already have your meals prepared and chores around the house already
done so all you literally do is rest and worship.
Additionally, Passover is also the first feast of
the new year. Passover is the 14th of the month (month of Nisan) and
the first day of the sacred year is on the 1st of Nisan (Exodus 12:1-2). We go
by the Gregorian calendar so we celebrate the new year in the middle of winter,
but the beginning of Spring makes more sense. The beginning of new life, the
new year…the resurrection.
The
Feast of Firstfruits
The Feast of Firstfruits is a time to offer the
fruits of your labor and harvest to God. It falls on the Sunday during the
Feast of Unleavened Bread and gives God thanks for all that He has provided.
The Feast of Firstfruits also point to Jesus because Jesus was the ultimate
Firstfruit offering. The first begotten son of the Father, the firstborn of
creation (Colossians 1:15), the firstborn of the dead (Revelation 1:5), and the
Firstfruits of those who are to be resurrected (1 Cortinthians 15:20). Adam
brought us death by sin, and Jesus brought us life through resurrection. I
don’t know about you all, but I am so blessed by this! So, the Feast of
Firstfruits is all about offering thanks to God. This was also the last feast
that Jesus fulfilled.
How to observe Firstfruits: Remember to
give God thanks. This day has been overshadowed in our oh so worldly world by
Easter. Easter is about a pagan god, not our wonderful Jesus! Firstfruits is
about Jesus!
The
Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
We also know the Feast of Weeks as Pentecost. It
is called the Feast of weeks because it is seven weeks after the Feast of
Firstfruits, or the 50th day after the Feast of Firstfruits which is
why it is also called Pentecost. This was a day of holy convocation and Sabbath
(rest and worship). During the Feast of Weeks in Acts 2:1-4 the believers were
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. Peter then
gives a sermon and about 3,000 souls were saved that day.
How to observe the Feast of Weeks: We
usually spend this day…yes, in church! We know about Pentecost service. This is
a time to rest and worship and to gather and be filled with the Holy Spirit!
The
Feast of Trumpets
The Feast of Trumpets is a day of rest and holy
convocation. It begins with the blowing of the trumpets. We mostly associate
the trumpets with Jesus’ return. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says For the Lord himself
will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel,
and with the sound of the trumpet of God. In Leviticus 23:23, God tells us that
the Feast of Trumpets is a day of rest with no usual work on the first day of
the seventh month (beginning of civil year on Hebrew calendar). On this day
there should be a holy convocation and a memorial through the blowing of
trumpets. Also, there is a food offering. Numbers 29 specifies the details of
the offerings for the feasts.
How to observe the Feast of Trumpets: The
Feast of Trumpets is observed by having a day of rest (holy Sabbath) and the
blowing of trumpets, which is usually done during the Feast of Trumpets church
service (holy convocation). The Feast of
Trumpets is the civil new calendar year and the beginning of the Fall feasts.
Therefore, this is a time of reflection on the past year and your relationship
with God. Happy New Year!
The Day
of Atonement
The Day of Atonement and the Feast of Trumpets and
the days in between (10 days total) are considered the High Holy Days or Days
of Awe(days of repentance). The Day of Atonement is on the tenth day of the
seventh month. This is a day of rest and absolutely no work. This is also a day
of fasting and prayer (Leviticus 23: 26-32).
How to observe the Day of Atonement: The
Day of Atonement (humble our soul) is observed by fasting from food, drink,
marital relations and leather clothing. “Afflict yourselves” stated in
Leviticus 23:27 refers to refraining from food, drink, bathing, sex, and luxury
clothing which pleasures the flesh. The purpose of fasting is to suppress physical
desires (humble yourself) in order for spiritual desires to surface. Fulfillment
of this feast will be when Jesus returns, day of repentance.
The
Feast of Booths (Tabernacles)
The Feast of Tabernacles is on the 15th
day of the seventh month. This feast lasts for seven days (season of our joy).
The first and eighth day are days of solemn rest. (Leviticus 23:33-43) This is
a time for rejoicing (Deuteronomy 16:14). When Jesus returns, he will “tabernacle”
with his people. The feast also celebrates how God provided shelter for the
children of Israel while in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.
How to observe the Feast of Tabernacles: A
sukkah or “tent” is built and decorated before the feast begins. This is to be
the dwelling place for the duration of the feast. This represents the
tabernacles, or booths (tents) that Israel dwelt in while in the wilderness and
the fellowship with Jesus when he returns to dwell with us (Jeremiah 23:7-8). The
sukkah meant to be outdoors. Also, a lulav is made from specific branches (Leviticus
23:40). These branches are meant to be waved during the feast to rejoice. It is a time to celebrate, praise God and
give Him thanks, sing, and do things that make you happy. Also, reading from
the Torah (first five books of Bible) is done each day.
The
Sabbath
In addition to these feasts, we have the weekly Sabbath.
My very first post was on the Sabbath. I began this blog on the Sabbath, the
day of rest. Leviticus 23 walks us through the seven feasts and also begins
with the Sabbath. The Sabbath began in the beginning. We all know that when God
was done with His work with creating the world, He rested on the seventh day.
There is a reason this is told to us and a reason God did this. We are made in
His image, so we, too, need to rest. We would go non-stop if we let ourselves.
We work all through the week and all through the weekend. But God gave us the
seventh day to rest. He was the first example. Genesis 2:1-3 tells us that God
blessed the seventh day, making it holy.
In Exodus 16:22-30, the children of Israel were
instructed on how to conduct themselves for the Sabbath. They were to gather
bread and eat for six days. On the sixth day, they were to gather bread for
that day and for the next day. This way, there would be no gathering or working
on the Sabbath day, but they would already have the food they need for that day
and already prepared. Exodus 20:8-11 gives us the commandment to remember and
observe the Sabbath and to keep it holy. We are to work for six days and rest
on the seventh.
God reminds us in Exodus 31:12-18 the reason for
the Sabbath. It is a reminder that God created the heaven and the earth in six
days and rested on the seventh. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 also reminds us of how
keeping the Sabbath reminds us of how the children of Israel were kept in
bondage with no rest and God freed them from the bondage of Egypt and should
work for six days and take the seventh day to rest and be refreshed.
How to
observe the Sabbath: Observing the Sabbath does take some getting used
to in our day and time. For my husband and I, as you’ve read in the first
Sabbath post, it felt more like a burden than a day of rest. It felt like we
were not allowed to do anything and in bondage at home. But after I read Exodus
16, 22-30 it was clearer to me. We needed to get everything done before the
Sabbath so that everything was already done and prepared and all we needed to
do was rest.
We have a different calendar now from back then,
but we still function with seven days per week. Sunday is our first day of the
week, but MANY people observe the Sabbath on this day, which is why we have
church serves on this day and some businesses are closed on this day. This is
where observing the Sabbath became challenging, because the bible says the
seventh day. This would make our seventh day on Saturday, which is the day we
normally like to do stuff and get stuff done. So how backwards things are when
you listen and follow man and not God?
But observing it can be done and it can be
refreshing just like God made it to be. I usually cook a big meal on Friday
that we can eat from through Saturday evening. Any chores or school work (I’m a
teacher) that need to be done, I do through the week or on Friday before
sunset. If there is something that can wait until Sunday then it will wait. By
sunset, food is prepared, chores are done and I’m ready to get into the Word.
From sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, we rest. We relax. We read and study the
Word. We pray. We talk. We laugh. We rest. When we get hungry, we just fix a
plate of food and eat. No cooking. If we can help it, no going to the store. No
shopping, just resting and relaxing. Any shopping that needs to be done, is
done on Friday or Sunday and the rest of the week. When you have kids, emergencies come up, but
try to be prepared!
The Sabbath is our day to rest our bodies, rest
our minds, be refreshed for the next week and remember that God created the
world, He created us so He gets ALL of the glory! It’s our day to chill. Jesus
reminded us in Mark 2:27 that, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath” because even then they were complaining and acting like the Sabbath
was a burden and they couldn’t do anything at all. Jesus told them, “If your
sheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath, don’t you get it out?? So how is a man
less than an animal??? Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to harm, save
life or to kill???” when the Pharisees were wondering if He was going to heal
the man with the withering hand on the Sabbath. And He healed the man’s hand.
Basically, a lot of the stuff we go through, we put on ourselves.
Keeping the Feasts
Exodus 23:10-19 tells us to keep the feast, in
other words continue to observe these feasts throughout the generations. Many
people say that we do not have to follow the law, but does that mean we no
longer are required to follow the ten commandments??? It is part of the law. And
Jesus made it perfectly clear that he came to fulfill the law, not destroy it.
Matthew 5:17-20 quotes Jesus saying in his sermon that, “Do not think that I
have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but
whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of
heaven. Fore I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes
and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus makes it
clear to continue to follow the law, which is laid out throughout the Torah.
This includes the feasts. We celebrate all of these days of foolishness (Christmas,
Easter, etc.) when God has specifically created days of observances that honors
Him and helps us grow as His people. I hope you all join me in celebrating and
honoring God for all He has done for us!!!
