Blessings Through the Seven Feasts in Three Times
The Bible tells us that celebrating the feasts of God is a necessary condition for entering the kingdom of heaven, and that those who celebrate the feasts are given a great blessing.
The Passover
The Passover is the first of the Seven Feasts in Three Times recorded in the Bible. It is observed on the evening of the 14th day of the first month by the sacred calendar, and it corresponds to the period between March and April in the Gregorian calendar (solar calendar). The Seven Feasts are classified into three times: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Passover belongs to the first time of feasts- the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Origins
The Passover was kept for the first time around the 15th century B.C. in the time of Moses. God inflicted ten plagues on Egypt to free the Israelites who had been slaves in Egypt for about 400 years. Before the tenth plague came upon the land, the plague that struck down every firstborn, God allowed the Israelites to keep the Passover.
"It is the LORD's Passover. On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD-a lasting ordinance."
Exodus 12:11-14
Fulfillment
The history of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt after keeping the Passover was a prophecy that Jesus Christ would establish the Passover of the new covenant and free people from this sinful world. Jesus Christ sent Peter and John to prepare for the Passover on the 14th day of the first month by the sacred calendar when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb (Luke 22:7-8). That evening, Jesus Christ washed His disciples' feet in Mark's upper room and celebrated the Passover together. Jesus Christ proclaimed the new covenant, saying that the Passover bread is His flesh and that the Passover wine is His blood, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:19-28).
“When the hour came, Jesus and His disciples reclined at the table. Jesus said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer .... " And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."
Luke 22:14-20
The Passover is the core truth of the new covenant which God established to save all humanity. On the evening of the 14th day of the first month by the sacred calendar, Jesus Christ established the new covenant by keeping the Passover with His disciples with bread and wine representing His flesh and blood. Just as in the times of the Old Testament, when the Israelites were freed from Egypt by keeping the Passover and entered the land of Canaan, in the times of the New Testament, God's people are given eternal life and freed from the sinful world by keeping the Passover of the new covenant and enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Benefits of Keeping the Passover
Upon observing the Passover, there are blessings that are received, making it one of the greatest gifts from God to people.
· Protection from disasters (Exodus 12:11-13)
· Forgiveness of Sins (Matthew 26:28)
· Eternal Life in heaven (John 6:53-54)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a feast of God kept on the fifteenth day of the first month according to the sacred calendar. It is also called the Feast of Affliction in the New Testament times. It was established to remember the suffering the Israelites experienced from the day after the Passover until they finished crossing the Red Sea.
This represented Christ's suffering on the cross in the New Testament times. It is also the name of the first group of the Feasts (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread) among the three groups of the feasts that God commands us to keep.
Origins
After Jacob and his family moved to Egypt, Israel became a large nation in the land of Goshen. However, when a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, sat on the throne, he enslaved the Israelites in Egypt. For about 400 years, they were charged with dangerous tasks such as building Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Egypt. When the cries of the Israelites reached heaven, God sent the prophet Moses to lead them out.
Nine plagues were sent, followed by the last plague of the death of every firstborn son in each family. When Pharaoh surrendered to God's power, the Israelites left Egypt the day after they celebrated the Passover. Since they had no time to prepare any other food, they baked loaves of unleavened bread made from the dough without yeast (Exodus 12:29-39).
Fulfillment
The Feast of Unleavened Bread symbolizes suffering. It represents the suffering Jesus Christ would endure by carrying the cross until His death, following the celebration of His last Passover with His disciples.
Jesus was arrested on the night of the Passover. His suffering began from that time. The next day, He was hung on the cross for six hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Matthew 26-27). As a sin offering to pay for mankind's sins (Matthew 20:28, 1 Corinthians. 5:7), He was pierced, wounded, flogged, afflicted, and interrogated just as prophesied in the Bible (Isaiah 53:5-8).
The Israelites entering the Red Sea represents Jesus entering the tomb, and their emergence from the Red Sea represents Jesus' resurrection. Baptism is a profound example of this symbolism (1 Corinthians 10:1-2, 1 Peter 3:21). Whoever believes and is baptized has symbolically crossed the Red Sea and entered the desert of faith.
By observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread and participate in Christ's sufferings, we receive power from God to endure hardships and trials that we will face in the future, and we also participate in the glory of the resurrection.
Day of Resurrection
Day of Resurrection (Resurrection Day) is a feast of God that commemorates Jesus' resurrection three days after His death on the cross. In the Bible, the date of Resurrection Day is the "day after the first Sabbath (Sunday) following the Feast of Unleavened Bread."
Origins
The origin of Resurrection Day is the resurrection of Jesus. A more fundamental origin can be found in the Day of Firstfruits from the Old Testament times. The Day of Firstfruits was established to commemorate Moses' landing after crossing the Red Sea, leading the Israelites about 3,500 years ago.[6] It was celebrated on the day after the first Sabbath (Sunday) following the Feast of Unleavened Bread. On that day, the priest waved a sheaf of the first grain before God.
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.'"
Leviticus 23:9-14
Fulfillment
On this day, Jesus was resurrected and appeared to His two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. The two disciples talked with Jesus, but they did not recognize Him. It was because their eyes were covered (Luke 24:13-16). So, Jesus gave them the bread He had given thanks for to eat, and the disciples' eyes were opened to realize that they had been talking with Jesus, who had died on the cross (Luke 24:30-34). Afterwards, the saints of the early Church celebrated the Resurrection Day by breaking bread on the day after the first Sabbath coming after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, following the example of Jesus.
“After the Feast of Unleavened Bread ... On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.”
Acts 20:6-7
The World Mission Society Church of God keeps the Resurrection Day on the basis of the dates of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened in the Bible, and break the bread, following the example of Jesus.
The Day of Pentecost
The Day of Pentecost was called the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament times (Deuteronomy 16:16). It is named "Pentecost," because it is kept on the 50th day after the Day of Firstfruits (Day of Resurrection)(Leviticus 23:15-16). After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the saints of the early Church on the Day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago. The disciples, who received the full blessing of the Holy Spirit on this day, preached boldly and the world evangelism began in earnest.
Origins
The Day of Pentecost originated from the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament times. The Feast of Weeks was established to commemorate the day Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the tablets with Ten Commandments for the first time. The Israelites, who were freed from Egypt, crossed the Red Sea which was divided by the power of God.
On the fortieth day after crossing the Red Sea, Moses was called by God and went up to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-7). Then God told him that He would give him tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them, so Moses went up to Mount Sinai again ten days later (Exodus 24:12-18). God appointed this day as the Feast of Weeks.
Fulfillment
The work of Moses was a prophecy of what Jesus would do in the future (Deuteronomy 18:18, Acts 3:20-24). Just as Moses went up Mount Sinai on the fortieth day after landing from the Red Sea, Jesus ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection (Acts 1:3-9). And just as Moses went up to receive the Ten Commandments on the fiftieth day, which was ten days later, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven (Hebrews 9:11-24) to receive the Holy Spirit and poured it upon His disciples on the fiftieth day after His resurrection.
When we observe the Day of Pentecost, we, just like the early church, will receive the Holy Spirit which will empower us to do the will of God toward the completion of the gospel work (Acts 2:1-4).
The Feast of Trumpets
The Feast of Trumpets is the first feast to be celebrated in autumn among God's seven feasts in three times. The date is the first day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar, which falls in September or October by the Gregorian calendar (solar calendar). Every Feast of Trumpets, the Israelites blew trumpets loudly in preparation for the Day of Atonement, repenting of their sins.
Origins
Israel's Sin Against God
The Israelites crossed the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1-2). God called Moses to Mount Sinai to give him the Ten Commandments. When Moses did not come down from the mount for forty days, the people thought he had died and began worshiping a golden calf as a god to lead them instead of him. They worshiped the idol, calling the golden calf the god who brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt. God was enraged at this. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments, he saw the people worshiping the golden calf. He was very angry and threw the tablets, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. This event brought a great disaster upon the Israelites; around 3,000 people who had participated in idolatry were killed (Exodus 32:7-19, 27-28).
The Second Set of the Ten Commandments and the Feast of Trumpets
Afterward, Moses pitched a tent outside the camp some distance away. It was called the Tent of Meeting and he prayed earnestly to God there. When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting, the Israelites stripped off their ornaments and worshiped God at the entrances to their tents (Exodus 33:1-11). At Moses' earnest prayer, God forgave their sins and commanded Moses to come up to receive the Ten Commandments again. As God commanded, Moses prepared two stone tablets like the first ones and went up to Mount Sinai early in the morning on the first day of the sixth month by the sacred calendar (Exodus 34:1-4). Moses stayed with God on Mount Sinai for forty days, and God Himself engraved the Ten Commandments on the stone tablets.
The day when Moses came down the mountain after receiving the second set of the Ten Commandments is the tenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar (Exodus 34:28-29). God appointed the tenth day of the seventh month when He granted the second set of the Ten Commandments as the Day of Atonement, and the first day of the seventh month as the Feast of Trumpets in preparation for the Day of Atonement by blowing trumpets.
“The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.' ... The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement."
Leviticus 23:23-27
Fulfillment
In the New Testament times, God's people should keep the Feast of Trumpets, following the example of Jesus (John 13:15). Unlike the Old Testament times when animals were sacrificed as an offering, people worship God in the New Testament times by confessing the sins they have committed in the past year. They offer the prayer of repentance for ten days from the first day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar in preparation for the Day of Atonement (John 4:23-24).
Day of Atonement
The Day of Atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar, is God's sixth feast among the seven feasts in three times. It is held after the Feast of Trumpets, which is the beginning of the Third Time Feast, and five days later, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar, the Feast of Tabernacles gets held for seven days (Leviticus 23:24-34) around September and October by the Gregorian calendar (solar calendar).
Origins
While Moses stayed on Mount Sinai for forty days to receive the first set of the Ten Commandments, the Israelites thought Moses must have died and they made an idol of a golden calf as a god to lead them to the land of Canaan. Moses witnessed this scene while coming down with the Ten Commandments. In great anger, Moses broke the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32:7-19, 27-28), and the Israelites repented of their sins.
God forgave the Israelites and called Moses to Mount Sinai to give them the Ten Commandments again (Exodus 34:1-4). Moses fasted on Mount Sinai for forty days and received the second set of the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was the tenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar (Exodus 34:28-29). The Israelites were allowed to receive the Ten Commandments once again, which showed God's will that He would forgive the Israelites of their sins. God commanded that the day when Moses received the second set of the Ten Commandments should be kept for the generations to come as the Day of Atonement.
"The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God."
Leviticus 23:26-31
Fulfillment
The law is a shadow of good things to come, and the reality of the sin offering in the Old Testament is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the reality of the sin offering presented on the Day of Atonement; He allowed mankind to receive the grace of the forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 10:1-4, 9-11; John 1:29; Ephesians 1:7) and opened the way for them to enter the Most Holy Place in heaven (Hebrews 10:19-20). So the regulations of the Day of Atonement also changed from offering animal sacrifices to worshiping God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23) through the precious blood of Christ, who is the reality of the sacrifices. The Day of Atonement in the New Testament times became completed as the people of God could repent of their sins and were forgiven.
Atonement means removal of sins. The Day of Atonement is an important day when we can receive the forgiveness of the sins that we committed over one year before God.
The Feast of Tabernacles
The Feast of Tabernacles is the last one of the seven feasts in three times written in the Bible. It is celebrated from the 15th to the 22nd of the seventh month by the sacred calendar, and it falls between September to October in the Gregorian calendar [solar calendar]. The Israelites kept this feast to celebrate the building of the tabernacle of God during their journey in the desert. This is the feast of harvest observed at the time of harvesting autumn crops. The Feast of Tabernacles represents the third set of feasts: (Deuteronomy 16:16) the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
Origins
On the tenth day of the seventh month by the sacred calendar in the first year after coming out of Egypt and heading for Canaan, Moses descended from Mount Sinai [Horeb] after receiving the second set of the Ten Commandments, and gave the Israelites detailed explanations of how to build the tabernacle to keep the Ten Commandments and of the materials for the tabernacle (Exodus 34:4-35, Exodus 35:4-19). The people willingly brought materials for the tabernacle. For seven days from the fifteenth day of the month, various materials such as gold, silver, linen, and wood were gathered abundantly (Exodus 35:29-36:7). God appointed the Feast of Tabernacles to commemorate the Israelites' gathering the materials for the tabernacle (Numbers 29:12; Deuteronomy 16:13-15).
“The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. ... Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths.'"
Leviticus 23:33-43
The Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorates Moses and the Israelites' gathering of the materials for the tabernacle, is a prophecy about the preaching to gather the saints, the materials for the spiritual temple in the New Testament times (Revelation 3:12; Ephesians 2:20-22). Jesus set an example of preaching on the Feast of Tabernacles, showing its meaning. And on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, He promised the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the water of life (John 7:2,14, 37-39), to those who believed in Him. The rain symbolizes the Holy Spirit in the Bible (Hosea 6:3; Joel 2:23; Zechariah 10:1), which fulfills the prophecy of God's promise that those who keep the Feast of Tabernacles will have rain (Zechariah 14:12-21).