The Lord gave Israel a unique calendar to help His people remember who they were and to encourage them to review all He had done for them. In following this calendar of special events year by year, the Jews would find cause for great celebration. But this calendar also belongs to believers today, because it illustrates what Christ has done for His church and what He will do when He comes again. As the Jewish people followed this calendar year by year, they had every reason for great celebration because of the Lord’s mercies to their ancestors and to them. As we study this calendar, we should give thanks and rejoice that we have so great a salvation and such a great Savior.
On the seventh day of the week, the Jews celebrated the Sabbath. God gave them the Sabbath as a sign that they were His special covenant people and belonged to the Creator of the universe (Ex. 31:12–17). There’s no record in Scripture that God ever gave the Sabbath to any other people and commanded them to observe it. (See Col. 2:16–17.) Every seventh year was a Sabbath Year (Deut. 15:1–11), and every fiftieth year was the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8–55).
The Jewish civil year began with “Rosh Hashanah,” the Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the seventh month (our September–October), but the religious calendar began with Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month (our March–April; see Ex. 12:1–2). The week that followed was called “the Feast of Unleavened Bread.” On the day following the Sabbath after Passover, which would be a Sunday, the priest waved the first sheaves of the barley harvest before the Lord, and this was known as the Feast of Firstfruits. Fifty days later, they celebrated Pentecost, and from the fifteenth to twenty-first day of the seventh month (our September–October), they celebrated the Feast of Weeks, also called the Feast of Tabernacles.
Moses emphasized only three of these seven special occasions because they were the feasts that every Jewish male would be obligated to celebrate at the central sanctuary every year (Deut. 16:16–17; Ex. 23:14–17; 34:22–24). That chosen place would be the tabernacle or temple in Jerusalem.
Passover and Unleavened Bread (15:19—16:8; Ex. 12—13). Moses discusses three topics related to the Passover: the sanctifying of the firstborn animals (Deut. 15:19–23), the sacrificing of the Passover lamb (16:1–3, 5–7), and the observing of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 4, 8). At the first Passover in Egypt, God killed all the firstborn in the land, both humans and animals, except those Jews who were in their houses and protected by the blood on the doorposts (Ex. 12:12–13). From that time on, God claimed for Himself all the firstborn sons and animals in Israel and they all had to be redeemed with a sacrifice (13:1–3, 11–13; Lev. 12; Num. 18:14–19; Luke 2:21–24). If the animal wasn’t redeemed, it had to be killed. Whenever a Jewish father had to redeem a firstborn animal, it gave him opportunity to explain Passover to his children.
Passover was “Independence Day” for the nation of Israel, for on that night the Lord not only gave them freedom from slavery but also demonstrated His great power over the gods and armies of Egypt. Israel celebrated Passover a year later at Sinai (Num. 9:1–14), but after their rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (Num. 13—14), the nation didn’t celebrate Passover again until the new generation had entered the Promised Land (Josh. 5:10–11). Once they were settled in the land, the men had to obey the command to go to the sanctuary to observe Passover, and they could take their families with them. Parents were instructed to use the occasion of Passover to instruct their children about Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 12:25–28).
The New Testament interpretation and application of Passover identifies the lamb with Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who gave His life for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev. 5:12). Outside the city of Jerusalem, Jesus died on the cross at the time when the Passover lambs were being slain by the priests at the Jewish temple. The blood shed by many lambs in Egypt delivered a nation on that first Passover night, but the blood of one Lamb, slain on the cross, will deliver from judgment any lost sinner who will trust Jesus Christ. The blood of the many Jewish sacrifices could cover sin but never take it away, which explains why these sacrifices were repeated, but the blood of Christ has settled the matter of salvation once and for all (Heb. 10:1–18). It wasn’t the life of the lamb that saved Israel from bondage but the death of the lamb and the application of the blood by faith. Christ is our perfect example in all things (1 Peter 2:21–25; 1 John 2:6), but trying to follow His example cannot save us, because He did no sin. First we need Jesus as our Savior, and then we can follow in His steps.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread followed Passover and lasted for a week (Deut. 16:3–4, 8). During those days, no yeast was allowed in any Jewish home. At the first Passover, the Jews didn’t have time for the bread dough to rise and therefore ate unleavened bread with the roasted lamb and the bitter herbs (Ex. 12:1–12; 13:2–10). But more was involved here than just shortness of time and readiness for a quick exit. In Scripture, yeast often symbolizes evil of one kind or another, because yeast is a substance that, though small and seemingly insignificant, rapidly grows and “infects” the whole lump of dough. Yeast represents the sins that belong to the old life (1 Cor. 5:7), such as malice and wickedness (v. 8) and hypocrisy (Luke 12:10); it also represents unbelief (Matt. 16:6), compromise (Mark 8:15), and false doctrine (Gal. 5:9).
The nation of Israel wasn’t rescued from Egypt by cleaning their houses and getting rid of yeast. They were delivered by the power of God because of the blood that had been sprinkled on the doorposts of their houses. Sinners aren’t redeemed by getting rid of their bad habits and “cleaning up” their lives, but by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for them on the cross. However, one of the characteristics of a true child of God is a changed life. “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2: nkjv). “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Anyone who professes to belong to Christ who doesn’t seek to conquer sin and become more Christlike in daily conduct is making a false profession (1 John 3:1–10).
In 1 Corinthians 5:8, Paul compared the life of the local church to “keeping the feast” of Passover. The church doesn’t “keep the feast” literally because it has been fulfilled in Christ our Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us (v. 7). But like the Jews on Passover night in Egypt, we are a pilgrim people, ready to be called out, and we must not be encumbered by sin. The Jews ate the Passover feast as families, and each local church is a family of God, feasting on Jesus Christ through the Word and waiting for Him to call His people out of this world. Like Israel of old, we must remind ourselves that we were once slaves of sin, in bondage to the world (Eph. 2:1–3), and God delivered us by sending His Son as the sacrifice for our sins. When we observe the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist), we remember His death and look forward to His return.
Pentecost (vv. 9–12; Lev. 23:15–22). The word “pentecost” means “fiftieth” and comes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint. This feast was celebrated fifty days after Firstfruits, which means that it also occurred on the first day of the week. For the Jews, it was a joyful time of celebrating the wheat harvest, but for the Christian, it commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the “birthday of the church” (Acts 2). Jesus promised that He and the Father would send the Spirit to believers (John 14:16–17), but the Spirit couldn’t come until first Christ died, was raised from the dead, and was glorified in heaven (7:37–38).
Beginning at creation (Gen. 1:1–2), the Holy Spirit is found at work throughout the Old Testament, usually empowering men and women to do mighty acts to the glory of God. During Old Testament times, the Spirit was a temporary visitor who came upon people, but since His coming in Acts 2, the Spirit permanently indwells all who belong to Christ (John 14:16–17). He gives spiritual gifts to the church (1 Cor. 12) and empowers God’s people to bear witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). Without the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit, believers can’t live for God or serve Him effectively.
On the Feast of Firstfruits, the priest waved a sheaf of grain, but on the Feast of Pentecost, he presented two loaves of bread baked with yeast (Lev. 23:17, 20). When the Spirit came at Pentecost, He baptized all believers into Christ (Acts 1:4–5; 1 Cor. 12:13), so we no longer have single sheaves of grain but the grain made into flour and formed into loaves. The flour was made from the “firstfruits sheaves” from the wheat harvest. The presence of leaven in the loaves indicates that the church on earth isn’t yet a pure church and never will be until Christ takes it to heaven.
The Feast of Pentecost ushered in the harvest season (Lev. 23:22) and the Jews were commanded to share what they had and feast joyfully before the Lord (Deut. 16:11). When the Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost, it was the beginning of a great harvest season for the church. Peter’s message at Pentecost brought 3,000 people to Christ (Acts 2:41), and shortly after that, his ministry added 2,000 more (4:4). The book of Acts is the inspired record of the growth of the church as the Holy Spirit empowered witnesses to share the gospel in the harvest field, wherever the Lord sent them.
Dr. A. W. Tozer once said, “If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world, much of what the church is doing would go right on, and nobody would know the difference.” What an indictment that our churches depend on everything except the power of the Holy Spirit! The early church had none of the things that we deem essential—budgets, buildings, academic degrees, and even political “connections”—but they did have the power of the Holy Spirit and saw multitudes turn to Christ.
Tabernacles (vv. 13–15). Like the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days. It took place in the autumn (our September– October) and was also called the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Booths, and the Feast of Ingathering. It celebrated the completion of the harvest that had begun with barley harvest at the Feast of Firstfruits, continued with the wheat harvest at Pentecost, and now the harvest of fruits, grapes, figs, and olives. After the harvest, the farmers would plow their fields and sow their grain, and then the winter rains would begin. During this feast, the Jewish people lived in booths made of tree branches, a reminder of the years their ancestors lived in temporary dwellings as they wandered in the wilderness. It was a week of joyful celebration that began with a holy convocation and closed with a solemn assembly (Lev. 23:33–44).
Certainly God wants His people to be thankful and to rejoice at the good gifts He showers down upon us. After Israel moved into the Promised Land, He wanted them to remember that life had not always been that easy, that their ancestors lived in tents and booths after they left Egypt. All of us know that no younger generation wants to hear the “old people” talk about the difficulties of “the good old days,” but the Lord wrote the memory of Israel’s past into Passover and Tabernacles, the first and last feasts of the year. While the church must not live in the past, the church must not forget the past and what the Lord has done for His people down through the ages. We’re prone to take our blessings for granted and forget the faithfulness of the Lord.
Two of the churches I pastored celebrated significant anniversaries while I was serving them, and during those special years we took time in our worship services to remember the goodness of the Lord and thank Him for all He had done. It was helpful for the younger members to learn about the sacrifices people had made in the past, and it was good for the older members to receive a new challenge for the future. After all, the church isn’t a parking lot; it’s a launching pad!
As God’s people, we have many reasons to celebrate the greatness and goodness of the Lord. We’ve been redeemed by the blood of Christ (Passover), we’re indwelt and empowered by the Spirit (Pentecost), and we’re generously supported by the Lord in our pilgrim journey (Tabernacles). Our time here on earth is brief and temporary, but one day we shall enter heaven where Jesus is now preparing places for us.
“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Ps. 34:3).