S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

There are seven Jewish festivals or feasts outlined in the Bible. While they are mentioned throughout Scripture, we find instructions for all seven laid out in Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23:2 refers t...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Robert Bills High Pursuit Ministries

Let me start out by saying that the Bible feasts that are referred to today as Jewish feasts are done so primarily due to the majority of celebrators being Jewish. They are God's ordained feasts for His chosen people which we all are if we are in Christ Jesus. Romans 10:12 says “there is now no distinction between Jew and Greek, the same Lord is Lord over all and He bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him”. 

These feasts are laid out in the law of the old covenant, to which yes we have been given a new and better covenant. Let me remind you though that Jesus Himself said “I did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill” in Matthew 5:17. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) which was the bondage of it in order to achieve an unreachable righteousness of our own effort.

The moral and ethical standards of the law still are valid and apply though, the ten commandments were laid out in the law, but can all be found in the new testament and are still very important in our walk with Jesus today. The feasts can be found referenced in the new testament whether in specific mention or fulfillment or both.

There is Passover or Pesach, which for a follower of Jesus is a time to reflect on Him being our Passover lamb, sacrificed for us so that we can escape the judgment of sin coming, it was on the preparation day of Passover that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Then there is Unleavened Bread or Chag Hamotzi, leaven or yeast is represented as sin, which for us He was the sinless or leaven-less bread of life come from heaven, during Unleavened bread He was in the tomb.

Then there is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir, very important for us, it was on the very day of First Fruits that Jesus rose Himself from the dead. The Bible says He is the First Fruits of our resurrection (1Corinthians 15)

Then there is Pentecost or Shavu-ot, which on that very day documented in Acts chapter 2, The Holy Spirit was poured out, our guide into all truth(John 16:13), our power to live Godly, fruitful lives.

Then we have Trumpets or Yom Teru'ah, a mysterious feast that was a memorial of blowing of trumpets, this has yet to be fulfilled, but will be when the trumpet sounds and we are gathered together with the Lord in the clouds to forever be with the Lord (1Thessalonians 4:17), just like no one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' return, this feast could only start when two witnesses saw the sliver of the new moon and reported it to the high priest hence no man knew the day or hour of this feast either. 

Then we have the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur which was a cleansing process of the sins of the people, this will be fulfilled in the great tribulation period when the earth will be purged of sin and the effects there of. 

Last but not least we have Tabernacles or Sukkot, which for us the fulfillment is when Jesus again is dwelling with us again on this planet after his second coming. 

There is an argument today in the Church over whether the feasts should be observed or not, though we see in scripture the disciples kept the feasts, Jesus kept the feasts, and Paul kept the feasts.

We also see in scripture that the feasts will be in effect when Jesus is on the throne in the temple after his second coming (Zechariah 14 for example). Why would the feasts have been important back then, not important now, and then be important again when Jesus is back on this planet? Answer, they have never lost their importance, we have just been caught up in traditional “so called” holidays that are full 
of customs that are very unpleasing to God. 

Unlike the pagan laced “holidays” of today, the Bible feasts are focused on God completely, and they reveal the entire redemption plan of mankind. They don't have a lot of so called “fun”or “happy” things in them that cater to the flesh necessarily, but they challenge us to Godliness and bring a joy that is far better.

December 15 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report