Fall Feasts

 

1. Passover — Leviticus 23:4-8

This feast remembers the last plague in Egypt, when the angel of death “passed over” the children of Israel who applied the blood of the lamb to their doors. The Israelites took a bundle of hyssop and dipped it into the blood in the basin at the threshold.

Going up, they put it up on the lintel, then touched the two sides of the frame (Exodus 12). Can you see the imagery? Bottom to top, side to side: the motion formed a cross.

“The Angel of Death and the First Passover” by Charles Foster”

When John the Baptist said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NLT), he understood the Old Testament reference.

And in the New Testament we see that Jesus — born in a stable, visited by shepherds and led to the slaughter — is that lamb sent for us. His death allows the judgment we deserve to pass over us.

When we accept Christ, we accept the loving gift of a second chance — because of his death on the cross, we have a clean slate!

2. Unleavened Bread — Leviticus 23:6

This seven-day feast begins on the day following the start of Passover. In the haste of the Israelites to leave Egypt, there was no time to add leaven (yeast) to their bread.

During this time, remembering the hardships in Egypt and how God freed them from captivity, the Jews eat nothing leavened.

Leaven often represents sin and decay in the Bible. Once incorporated, yeast becomes an inseparable part of the bread; the same is true for sin’s effect on our lives.

The Jews were constantly sacrificing unblemished animals to temporarily atone for sin. Only the Messiah, the perfect sinless sacrifice, could offer a permanent solution.

The unleavened bread represents Jesus’ sinless life; he is the only perfect sacrifice for our sins.

In John 6:35, Jesus boldly states that he is the bread of life. Not only does he remove our sins, he nourishes our souls!

3. First Fruits — Leviticus 23:10

The Feast of First Fruits is one of three Jewish harvest feasts to thank and honor God for all he provided. Although they didn’t know it at the time, the children of Israel were celebrating what would become a very important day.

The priests sacrificed Passover lambs on the 14th day of the month of Nisan, and the first day of Passover was the 15th. The Feast of First Fruits was celebrated the third day, the 16th of Nisan. This “third day” celebration was the same day that Jesus resurrected from the dead.

In 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul refers to Jesus as the first fruits of the dead. He represents the first of the great harvest of souls — including you — that will resurrect to eternal life because of the new covenant in his blood (Luke 22:20).

4. Feast of Weeks or Pentecost — Leviticus 23:16

This feast is the second of the three harvest feasts. It occurs exactly seven weeks after the Feast of First Fruits, so it’s also called Pentecost which means “50 days.”

Traditionally, people were expected to bring the first harvest of grain to the Lord including two leavened loaves of bread.

God’s plan to save souls included more than the Jews. Through Jesus, this plan was revealed. In Matthew 9:37 Jesus tells His disciples that “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.”

Then he put the plan into place: In Acts 1:4 he tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.

That arrival was the day the Church was born — Pentecost — and the harvest began with 3,000 souls. The message spread to both Jews and Gentiles (the two leavened loaves of bread), extending the harvest to us!

Today, Bible translation continues this harvest, enabling more people to read, speak or sign to clearly understand the gospel message in a language that touches their hearts.

5. Feast of Trumpets — Leviticus 23:24

In a beautiful declaration God commands his people to rest. During this time all regular work is prohibited, and men and women present a food offering to God.

In Leviticus 23:24 God commands his people to gather and to commemorate the decree with trumpet blasts.

On the same front, the sound of a trumpet is also associated with the rapture, or the time Jesus will return for his bride (1 Corinthians 15:52). Once he returns, there will be a wedding feast of celebration. Revelation 19:9 says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb” (NLT). He’s preparing us to celebrate!

6. Day of Atonement — Leviticus 16, 23:26-32

To make “atonement” is to make restitution for wrongs committed. As a day of humility and repentance to God, it was a time for the Jews to get their hearts, consciences and lives right before him.

The observance involved the sacrifice of animals as the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. What the High Priest did there couldn’t offer more than an annual payment for their sins.

However, hiding in plain sight was the promise of one who could atone for their sins permanently (Hebrews 9:12).

Where is Jesus in these sacrificed animals? The bull and one of the goats were an offering of thanks, but the “scapegoat” took on their sins (Leviticus 16:10). The scapegoat was to be burdened with all the sins of Israel and sent into the wilderness.

The Jewish leaders condemned Jesus, and he — burdened with the sins of all mankind — was led out of the city to be crucified: “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins — and not only our sins but the sins of the world” (1 John 2:2, NLT).

The necessity of the Day of Atonement was rendered void by Jesus’ death on the cross — our debt has been paid!

7. Feast of Tabernacles or Booths — Leviticus 23:34

Celebration always follows the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision and protection for the people of Israel during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness; for the seven days of the feast, people live in temporary structures like they did in the wilderness.

The Lord Himself was with the Israelites in the desert, in a tented temple called the Tabernacle, so the feast also celebrates His presence as He tabernacles (dwells) with us.

Jesus is called Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23, NLT). He put on a temporary tabernacle — a human body — to dwell on this earth and offer himself as a sacrifice.

This act of divine love and sacrifice was not just for a select few but for all humanity.

Revelation 7:9 paints a beautiful picture of this truth: “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.” This verse highlights the inclusivity of God’s Kingdom — people from every corner of the world united in worshipping Jesus.

This feast also points to the promise that God will return and rally with His people — in the person of Jesus. And when He does, He has promised that there will be no more death and suffering, that He Himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).

His return is the ultimate fulfillment of the hope we’ve carried our entire lives. What a day that will be!

In light of this glorious promise, we are called to participate in the mission of making God's Word accessible to every nation, people and language.

Day Of Atonement Meaning

Always remember Jesus fulfilled the spiritual aspects of that Day of Atonement when He went into the holy of holies with His own blood.

Jesus is our Great High Priest. The price was paid.

When we repent and believe in Jesus as our Savior, our names are permanent in the book of life, although we can still be in need of cleansing,

I am not perfect and I would guess you are not either.

Prophetically, the Day of Atonement points to the return of Jesus to judge the earth. This will fulfill the final great Day of Atonement.

Just as Christmas and Easter are the most popular Christian holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the most celebrated Jewish holidays. 

Each year, Israeli airports, buses, television, and radios shut down in honor of Yom Kippur as people all over the world celebrate the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mark the High Holy Days or Days of Awe.

We just learned in the last blog post why Christians should celebrate the Feast of Trumpets: it’s the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.

The Feast of Trumpets also announces that something great is about to happen.

This begins the 10 days where Jews:

• FORGIVE OTHERS

• GIVE TO THOSE IN NEED

• CONFESS SINS IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR NAMES IN THE BOOK OF LIFE FOR ANOTHER YEAR

The Days of Awe end in a 25-hour fast and Sabbath-rest called Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur represents the day God provided atonement for the sins of the Israelites. (Leviticus 16)

Day Of Atonement Bible Verses

God gave very clear direction concerning the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 23. These are important words for us to understand because God sent Jesus to fulfill it.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Be careful to celebrate the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of that same month -nine days after the Festival of Trumpets. 

You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves and present special gifts to the Lord.  Do no work during that entire day because it is the Day  of Atonement, when offerings of purification are made for you, making you right with the Lord your God.

 All who do not deny themselves that day will be cut off from God’s people. And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day. You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live. 

This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth day.” Leviticus 23: 26-32

4 Ways Christians Can Celebrate The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

How can Christians celebrate the Day Of Atonement? Here are four ways:

1. Learn the Terms

Start with the scapegoat. Read the story of the priests and how they chose the goat to carry away the sins of the people. Let your kids reenact the story.

To make the lesson more real and impactful, visit a petting zoo or farm and review the story. Bring some rocks to use as lots while there.

The High Priest is instructed to lay hands on the chosen goat while confessing the sins of the entire community, then throw the goat off a cliff.

We don’t want to reenact that part! However, the rest of the story (and maybe throwing a toy goat away) will have more of an effect on children than the reading of this powerful biblical story.

All of God’s Word is important. Sin is very serious. Our children, and we ourselves, may feel sorry for the goat and appalled by animal sacrifice, but this helps us understand all sin has to be paid for.

We don’t want to make light of sin, God’ commands, or the laws and feasts that preceded Jesus’ incarnation and being the final blood sacrifice and scapegoat.

That’s the beautiful painting of this masterpiece: Jesus came to fulfill all these requirements for sin through the cross and resurrection.

If we don’t understand, if our children don’t understand, the seriousness of sin and God’s just wrath, then we can’t fully understand the massive abundance of His grace.

This is why the entire story - found in both the Old Testament and New Testament and how one weaves into the other - is essential for understanding how loving God is. 

A Hebrew word to teach is Yom Tov, which means “good day” or a generic term used to refer to any Jewish holiday.

2. Forgive

The Day of Atonement starts with 10 days of Awe. They are days of seeking forgiveness. We can use these days as a time of seeking forgiveness from when we haven't acted Christ-like as well as an opportunity to recognize resentment against others and instead forgive them.

The radical forgiveness Jesus displayed ought to prompt us to also extend radical forgiveness.

In the Inner Circle coaching group, it is more often than not that a person needs to see themselves as forgiven before they can move forward with complete understanding of how deep God’s love is for them.

We hold our problems as bricks that build walls which block us from seeing God at work.

It’s time to let go of our shortcomings and see what God is doing -  exceedingly, abundantly in our lives.

Anytime we say, “Yes, but I have this issue and that issue, that’s pride. We need to stop giving excuses, pause, and pray for forgiveness. 

Instead, we forgive ourselves, stand up and acknowledge, “That is not me anymore. I am loved. I am forgiven. And greater is He who’s in me than he who’s in the world.”

3. Fast

Every day is a great day to fast. We fast from any obstacle that is inhibiting us from the sweetest fellowship between us and God.

The problem with our lives today is that we enjoy God’s blessings so much they interfere with seeing God himself.  

Food, talents, friends, careers, nature are all great blessings – but every one of them can be a hindrance in cultivating a great relationship with God, versus just a good relationship with Him.

We thank Him for all the blessings He bestows on us, but often, “Thank You for this,” is still self-focused.

On the contrary, when we say, “Thank You, Lord, because You are the one Who blesses," our focus stays fixed on Him.

Have you considered fasting?

All family members 5 years old and up, except women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, can fast from food. Even if it’s just one meal.

Fasting can also be from our go-tos: 

• tv
• internet
• books
• phones
• social media
• anything

Fasting draws us closer to God.

Consider how your family can fast together. Fasting is one the way to celebrate Yom Kippur.

As followers of Christ, we aren’t called to walk in guilt. Christ entered the Most Holy Place on our behalf and washed us clean from our sins. 

Hebrews 9:14 reminds us that if that animal blood and the other rituals of purification were effective in cleaning up certain matters of our religion and behavior, think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out.

A great psalm to read at the end of a fast is Psalm 107:8-9:  

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

4. Fellowship

The Day of Atonement leads right into the Feasts of Tabernacles.

This is why it’s great to understand that the Day of Atonement was always meant to be a symbol pointing to something to come—something much greater: The promise of Christ as the ultimate, once-and-for-all sacrifice and scapegoat for our sins.

Gather with friends and family and celebrate the assurance we have in Christ! Use this time to teach the children the reminder of how Jesus came to be our High Priest.

The greatest story ever told is the story of the temple, the High Priest, the lamb, and the promises kept for us today.

God’s story from Genesis to Revelation is about His promises, provisions, and grace.

The Weight of Yom Kippur

As mentioned, the Day of Atonement is the most sacred day of the year in the biblical calendar. Even today in Israel, everything stops to remember the day. Major roads are blocked off and shut down. It allows families to walk and ride bikes down the middle of otherwise busy highways.

On a personal level, some will try to make things right in a strained relationship, ask for forgiveness or extend it when necessary. It’s amazing to see a city or nation all but shut down with the intention of trying to extend or seek mercy for their wrongs. Even if much of it is inspired by tradition. It’s a unique and significant sight.

Yom Kippur in the Bible 

Biblically, it was a little more serious. The consequences of working that day would permanently cut off the offender from Israel. It’s also the one day a year that God mandated a fast for everyone. Yet most importantly, on this day the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer an atonement or a covering for the sins of Israel.

In the Temple

Back when the Jewish Temple still adorned the landscape of Jerusalem, Yom Kippur was the only day of the year when the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies – the most holy place in the Temple. 

Two goats were brought before him and lots were cast, to determine which goat would become a sin offering for the people. Over the other goat the Priest was to confess all the wickedness of Israel, and the animal was to be driven out into the desert. It symbolized a release from sins for the entire nation (Leviticus 16).

The priest was to enter behind the veil into the most holy place, and afterwards if we came out alive, it was a testimony that God accepted the sacrifice and forgave their sins. God said that this sacrifice mandate is eternal – God’s people were to honor it throughout the generations.

But if there is no temple today, to offer sacrifices, how can one receive forgiveness of sins?

Our Atonement

Like the High Priest entered the holy place, Jesus went before God the Father to atone for our sins with His own blood (Hebrews 9:12). Instead of the goat, He was the One to shed His blood for us. Despite there being no Temple, He restored the meaning to the Day of Atonement. Jesus fulfilled the command of the Law by becoming the Yom Kippur sacrifice for all mankind. 

The day on which our Savior the Messiah was crucified became the day of redemption for all – the day of covering and forgiveness of sins (Zechariah 13:1). Our life and eternity depend on whether we know Him and have accepted Him as the one true Messiah. 

As the perfect sacrifice, Isaiah 53:12 says he “was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sins of many…” The only One who truly was blameless and didn’t need atonement or a sacrifice, He chose to be in this mess with us as if He did. If we are going to be like Him, how much more should we embrace our place with our brothers?

The Perfect Sacrifice for Yom Kippur

Regardless of who did what, we need to be carrying each other’s burdens, walking together, forgiving, extending grace and fully receiving God’s atonement and perfect sacrifice. This is the message of Yom Kippur. 

Thankfully, Yeshua the Messiah made the perfect sacrifice once and for all. While this does ultimately fulfill the requirement for sin, God’s Yom Kippur instructions remain. Leviticus 23:31 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.”

God’s intention was that forever we would have an annual reminder to stop and humble ourselves, address our shortcomings, and celebrate His complete atonement and sacrifice. We are still awaiting His second coming, when He will put an end to all sin and wipe off every tear. He will establish His eternal kingdom in Jerusalem.

And Apostle Paul reminds us that on that day we will also be reconciled with the remnant of Israel:

And in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Romans 11:26