| The Feasts By Joan Fink – Attorney at law |
In Leviticus 23, Moses received instructions from the Lord concerning the observance of holy feasts. These feasts were to be held in addition to the 52 Sabbaths honored each year.
The Passover The Passover, the first and most important of feasts, is held on the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish calendar. This month, ascribed the name, Nisan, is roughly mid-March through mid-April, when spring is beginning. The first full moon after the vernal equinox (March 21st) was deemed the time of Passover. The observance of Passover poignantly conveys the story of the deliverance from Egypt’s bondage and also the release from sin’s chains of captivity. As you recall from the scriptures, God called upon the Jews to kill lambs without blemish and to place the blood upon the door posts of the house so that when the death angel appeared, it would Passover the homes of those trusting in God. The word in Hebrew for Passover is the same as that for sacrificial lamb. The concept of animal sacrifice as a covering for sin was well-known to the Jews, imagine their astonishment when one day John the Baptist proclaimed regarding Jesus, “behold, the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.” Passover, as well as a number of other feasts, was made manifest in Jesus Christ, who was the sacrificial unblemished lamb whose blood was shed for the remission of our sins. Jesus was crucified on the Passover, which is regarded as a happy celebration. . a time when God delivered his people in one night. During this festival, people often dress in white and use their best tableware. It was a strange time for a crucifixion.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread | At some time in the course of the celebration, the middle matzo is wrapped in a table napkin and hidden for the children to find. The one who locates the “buried” treasure is given a reward. And just as there is a reward to the one who finds the hidden matzo, there is a reward to those who find Christ. The Jewish matzo is marked with piercing and stripes over all, a symbol of Jesus who was pierced by a sword as he hung fastened to a cross by three nails and by whose stripes we are healed. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die and normally took three days to kill its victim by suffocation. Hanging on the cross-made it ultimately impossible to draw a breath, because each breath came only by lifting ones body away from the cross and gasping. Eventually, the person became so exhausted; he could no longer lift himself away to catch a breath. Jesus died within six hours. No one took his life, for he freely gave it. It was in fulfillment of prophecy and of the feast of unleavened bread that he died in time to be buried on the day of the feast of unleavened bread. He is the bread of life, born in Bethlehem, which means “Place of Bread.”
Feast of First Fruits On the Sunday following Passover, a thanksgiving offering was to be made by the priests of the first crops of the barley harvest in observance of the feast of first fruits, a celebration of resurrection and God’s provision. This feast is actually what we erroneously call Easter (which is derived from “Ishtar,” the goddess of fertility in Babylon). Jesus arose from the dead in fulfillment of the feast of first fruits. He was the first fruit of God raised from the dead on that day. According to Matthew 54:57, along with Jesus were numerous others who rose from the dead that day and were reported as having been seen by many. Jesus, upon resurrection, made his offering for the feast of first fruits (The Lord doesn’t raise crops, but He raises people).
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