7 (Part 4)

7 (Part 4)

The book of Leviticus records details of seven feasts that were instituted by God. These feasts were spread over seven months of the Jewish calendar and they symbolized God's complete prophetic plan as revealed and fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

-The Passover symbolized Israel's protection by the blood of the slain lamb and their deliverance from Egypt which is symbolic of sin in Leviticus 23:5.  Jesus is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world in Revelation 13:8.

-The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a time when Israel cleansed their homes from leaven and presented their offerings to the Lord for seven days in Leviticus 23:8.  This feast symbolizes the Messiah's sinless life, as leaven is a picture of sin in the Bible.

-The Feast of First Fruits prophetically indicated the resurrection of the Messiah as the first fruits of the resurrection of all the righteous in Leviticus 23:10, 11. Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, which is one of the reasons that Paul refers to Him  as the "first fruits from the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:20.

-The Feast of Pentecost was determined by counting seven Sabbath days or forty-nine days from the day they made their wave offering to the Lord in Leviticus 23:15.  This feast pointed to the great harvest of souls and the gift of the Holy Spirit that would be given to both Jewish and Gentile believers during the church age in Acts 2. 

-The Feast of Trumpets was on the first day of the seventh month in Leviticus 23:24. This feast points to the rapture of the church when the Messiah (Jesus) will appear in the heavens as He comes for the church. The rapture is always associated in Scripture with the blowing of a loud trumpet as recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:52.

-The Feast of Tabernacles started on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, and the children of Israel presented their offerings to God for seven days in Leviticus 23:24.  This feast symbolizes the Lord's promise that He will once again “tabernacle” with His people when He returns to reign over all the world according to Micah 4:1-7.

-The Day of Atonement was on the tenth day of the seventh month in Leviticus 23:27. This feast points to the Second Coming of Jesus when He will return to earth and the Jewish remnant will "look upon Him whom they have pierced," repent of their sins, and receive Him as their Messiah according to Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:1-6.