The 7 Feasts of Israel.

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Time to Chew "Biblebytes" Bible Studies The 7 Feasts of Israel (Holy Convocations & their Spiritual meanings) , by Helen 1 word pad page per week. Most RECENT appears at the top

Date: Friday, April 22, 2005 at 10:21:37 (CDT) Page No :12 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD a. 70 bullocks offered, beginning the 1st day with 13 bullocks and offering one less bullock per day unto the 7th day. The Jews believed these 70 bullocks were offered in symbolism of the 70 nations of earth to which the Gospel would go. On the the 8th day there was one bullock offered, thus altogether making 70 + 1 = 71 total. It also symbolized the Sanhedrin concsisting of 70 Elders + the Chief Priest as President. b. There were 14 rams offered for the 7 days, then 2 on the 8th day. c. Then there were 98 lambs offered for the 7 days, then 14 on the 8th day. d. Then along with each of the above bullocks, rams and lambs there was offered the attendant Meal and Drink offerings, in their respective 10ths deal of flour and wine. In all there were 182 tenths deals of fine flour offered for the 7 days, then on the 8th day there were 9/10ths deals offered. e. Then the non-sweet offerings were 8 goats offered for a Sin offering to the Lord; 7 goats for each of the 7 days of the Feast, and one goat on the 8th day. f. For the Daily sacrifices there was a total of 14 lambs, then 2 for the 8th day Solemn Assembly. These were the morning and evening sacrifices Ex. 29:38-41. Along with these were the Meat and Drink Offerings of the fine flour and wine. 8/10ths in all for the 8 days and 8/4ths of a hin of wine for the Drink offering. The numbers which stand forth especailly in their multiples are the numbers 7, eight and ten !!!! Seven brings us to the number of completion and perfection. It points to the perfection and completeness of Christ's sacrifice. This was the Feast of the 7th month. The Feast lasted for 7 days. The sacrifices are stamped with multiples of 7 in the 7 days. Eight is the number of resurrection and new beginnings. The 8th day of the Feast of this 7th month being set aside pointed to the day after the 7th day. This was fulfilled in Christs resurrection after the 7th day, at the close of the sabbath, on the 1st day of the new week, the new beginning. Dispensationally it points to the New Heavens and New Earth, the New Jerusalem, which comes after the 7th day of the Lord, as in the Millenniel Kingdom. Date: Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 18:45:45 (CDT) Page No :11 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD E. The Sacrifice:....Lev. 23:33-38; Num. 29:12-40 Undoubtedly the most peculiar thing associated with this Feast were the specified offerings which were to be offered from the first day unto the eighth day, the day of the solemn assembly. The seven days of the Feast were stamped with the number seven, as in the sacri- fices offered. We are encouraged to study the scriptures carefully. Only the basic facts can be noted here. No other Feast had as many sacrifices offered therein as in this Feast, as seen here. 1. Passover Feast had it particular sacrifice in the offering of the Passover Lamb Num. 28:16. 2. Unleavened Bread had its particular number of sacrifices. These totalled 14 bullocks, 7 rams, 14 Lambs as well as their associated Meal and Drink offerings, plus 7 goats for the Sin offerings Num. 28:17-25. So there were sweet-savour and non-sweet savour offerings here. 3. Pentecost had its speicified offerings also. These totalled 2 bullocks, one ram, 7 lambs and their associated Meal and Drink offerings, plus the goat for the Sin offering Num. 28:26-31. 4.Trumpets had its specified number of sacrifices too. These consisted of one bullock, one ram and 7 lambs with their Meal and Drink offerings, plus the goat for the Sin offering. Num. 29:1-6. 5. The Day of Atonement also followed a similar pattern. There was one bullock, one ram and 7 lambs with their Meal and Drink offerings, then the goat for the Sin offering. Then there were the two special goats chosen, the goat for Jehovah and the Scapegoat for the Day of Atonement ceremonies Num. 29:7-11. 6. The Feast of Tabernacles had its specified number of sacrifices, as seen in the following outline. All these sacrifices on the Feast days were beside the regular "daily sacrifices" of the morning and evening. In the 7 Days of this Feast there were: Date: Friday, April 08, 2005 at 10:27:17 (CDT) Page No :10 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Remember that Hebrew time was from "evening to evening" or sunset to sunset, and therefore the evening of the 14th day was the beginning of the 15th day, we see, what may be called, "the overlap" of time. So it is with the number seven. The number 7 is seen in the end of the age in many of its uses, yet it "overlaps" into the 7th day of the Lord, i.e., the Millenniel Kingdom. So it is with the Feast of the 7th month. It finds fulfilment in the close of this present age, yet overflows or overlaps on into the next age. We note the special days marked out in this feast. 1. The 15th day was the first day of this Feast. Lev. 23:33-35. 2. Then the Feast was to last for 7 days, during which special sacrifices were offered, as the people rejoiced in booths. So from the 15th to the 21st day the Feast lasted. Lev. 23:36-44. 3. Then the 8th day (or the 22nd day of the month) was to be a special day also, a holy convocation. It was a solemn assembly. Lev. 23:36; Num. 29:35. As seen previously, all Feast days were extra sabbaths, or holy convocations in Israel, besides the weekly sabbaths Lev. 23:37,38. All speak of REST in the finished work of the Atonement. The truth is set forth in the use of these symbolic numbers, which can only be dealt with in brief. The number 15 is seen by these several scriptures to be the number of REST Lev. 23: 5-7, 34,35; Esther 9:18. In Christ Jesus only is there true Rest. Matt. 11:28-30. The number 7 is the number of perfection, fulness and completion. It is the number of the Book of Rev. Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 34:18; Lev. 23:34; Ex. 20:9-11; Rev. 1:4,6,12,20; 4:5. In Christ there is perfection, fulness and completion. The number 8 is the number of resurrection and new beginning. It is seen that it relates to the "morrow after the sabbath" as in the Sheaf of Firstfruits and Pentecost. Those days were also an 8th days, as also is this 8th day solemn assembly Lev. 23:36; Num. 29:35; Ex. 22:30; Acts 20:7; 1 Corin. 16:2. In Christ alone is there resurrection and life and a new beginning. Date: Friday, April 01, 2005 at 10:49:35 (CST) Page No :9 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 1. Dwelling in Booths: For 7 days reminded the Israelites of their exodus from Egypt and that they were but pilgrims and strangers in the earth. So the believer is but a pilgrim and stranger in this world, looking for a city whose builder and maker is God, even as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob looked for. Heb. 11:10-16; 13:,10,13; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11. 2. Dwelling in Booths also reminded Israel that these "tabernacles" were only temporary dwelling places, not eternal. The eternal dwelling place was yet to come. So the believer in Christ is reminded that the earthly physical body is only a temporary tabernacle. We will one day have to put it off, either in death or by the change-over to immortality. At the coming of Christ we will receive a new and heavenly house, our eternal dwelling place, which is an immortalized and glorified body. 2Corin. 5:1-5; 1 Corin. 15:51-57; 1 Thess 4:15-18; Phil. 3:20,21. The fulness of this Feast of the seventh month will be experienced at the coming of Christ and the resurrection and glorification of the saints of all ages. The Kingdom age will be an age of glory. There the believer will look back over their earthly pilgrimage of this life and remember the goodness of the Lord and rejoice in the glory of God. Then the Tabernacle of God shall be with men and He will be to them their God and they shall be His people ..Rev. 21:1-8. This will be the completeness of the Feast of Tabernacles indeed. D. The Feast of the 7th Month...Neh. 8:14 The significance of the number seven has already been discussed, under the Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement. The number is especially stamped on this Feast more than any of the previous Feasts and more particularly under the sacrifices which were offered during these festival days. The number seven points to the end of this age, to its completion, and then it overflows into the Kingdom Age, which is the seventh Day of the Lord. Date: Friday, March 25, 2005 at 10:54:56 (CST) Page No :8 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 2. Greek Word and Thought: The Greek word for "Tabernacle" is "Skene" and means a tent or cloth hut and is translated "habitation, tabernacle". Luke 16:9; Acts 7: 43. This and other relative words are used in the following manner. a. It is used of the body of Christ in His incarnation when "the Word was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacles) among us. John 1:14. b. Peter used it of his own physical body when he was about to die and spoke of it as the putting off of his tabernacle. 2 Pet. 1:13,14. c.The Apostle Paul also spoke of our physical body as being an earthly house, a tabernacle in which we groan, waiting for our house from heaven.. 2 Corin. 5:1-5. d. The Tabernacle of Moses was also spoken of as a tent or habitation of God Acts 7:44; Heb. 9:2-8; 13:10. e. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tabernacles also as pilgrims and strangers in the earth. Heb. 11:9. f. The Tabernacle of David was a tent or dwelling place of God. Acts 15:16. g. The scriptures speak of the Jews Feast of Tabernacles (lit., the tabernacle fixing) when Jesus entered the Temple. John 7:2, 27-29. h. The New Testament also speaks of the heavenly Tabernacle and Temple, God's true dwelling place Heb. 8:2; Rev. 13:6; 15:5. Eventually the Tabernacle of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, will be with men Rev. 21: 3. i. On the mount of Transfiguration Peter suggested to Jesus that they make 3 tabernacles; one for Him, one for Moses and the other for Elijah. Matt. 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33. Perhaps this was an allusion to the Feast of Booths as far as Peter was concerned. So the word is used in a variety of ways. The basic meaning of both the Heb. and the Greek is that of a temporary dwelling place; a tent or a habitation. We note two of the major truths which may be discovered upon a consideration of the Hebrew and Greek thought. Date: Friday, March 18, 2005 at 11:06:29 (CST) Page No :7 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. The Feast of Tabernacles---Booths This Feast was also called the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. 1. Hebrew Word and Thought: The hebrew word "Tabernacle" as used here is "Sook-kaw", and means " a hut (as of entwined boughs) or lair". It is translated "booth, cottage, covert, den, pavilion, tabernacle" Lev .23: 34.; Deut. 16:13,16; 31:10; 2 Chron. 8:13; Ezra 3:4; Zech. 14:16-18. The custom took place when all of the harvest was gathered in. The Israelites were to take booths of goodly trees, the palm, the willow, the olive, the pine, the myrtle as well as other trees and make booths out of them. They were to leave their houses, or else build them on the roofs of their houses, and rejoice in these booths for seven days before the Lord. Lev. 23:39-44; Neh. 8:13-18. The palm tree was symbolic of victory; the willow of weeping; the myrtle of joy; the olive of anointing Neh. 8:15; Psa. 137:1-5. The other branches also had symbolic meaning in Israel. The Israelites were also to bless their families, their servants, and the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless and the widow in their gates. They were commanded to rejoice before the Lord. With the harvest gathered in, they could look back over the labours of the year, all because of the blessing of the Lord in sending the rains. All this was sufficient grounds of rejoicing together. The Feast of Tabernacles was the most joyous season of the year. Pentecost was joyous. Tabernacles was the most joyous. In both Feasts, the Levites, the widows, stranger and fatherless were ministered to and blessed Deut. 16:9-12, 13-16; Acts 5:41; 8:8,39; Luke 14:15-24; Joel 2:21. Another reason for the Feast of Booths was in order that the Israelites would remember how the Lord caused them to dwell in booths when He brought them out of Egypt Lev. 23:42,43. In other words, the Feast of the 7th month reminded them of the first month; the end reminded them of their beginning; Tabernacles reminded them of Passover. Allusions to this Feast may be found in Matt. 21:1-11 and Rev. 7:9-12. There we see the waving of palm trees amidst loud Hosannas to the Son of David, amidst great rejoicing. Date: Friday, March 11, 2005 at 10:15:35 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD So then under the closing days of grace, in the end of this age, the harvest will take place. The same rain that ripens the wheat also ripens the tares. The same rain that matures the righteous will also mature the wicked. The Apostle John saw both of these harvests in Rev. 14:13-16, 17-20. One is the harvest of the righteous and the other is the harvest of the wicked which are cast into the winepress of God's wrath. The prophet Joel in prophesying of a double portion of rain also spoke of a double portion harvest ingathering. The end of the age shows an outpouring of former and latter rains; that is, the rains of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The double portion of rain will result in a double portion of harvest. Joel says that the floor shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. The rain will restore the lost and wasted years. This wheat, wine and oil speaks of the corn harvest and the fruit harvests together Joel 2:21-32. It is here that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed Amos 9:13-15. The Lord has promised to do a quick work and cut it short in righteousness in these days. It will be God's strange work and act. Rom. 9:28; Isa. 28:22. Pentecost was the harvest of firstfruits. Tabernacles is the harvest of the final friuits. the first pointed to the final. Then end of the age will result in the greatest ingathering of souls ever seen. Thus the symbolic and prophetic significance of the Feast of Tabernacles relative to the harvest ingathering in the end of the year points to that harvest ingathering in the church. The Lord Jesus is concerned about the bringing in of the final harvest by the Church before He returns the second time . Matt. 9:37,38; 13:30,39; Mark 4:29; Luke 10:2; John 4:35; Rev. 14:15. Type: Passover 1st Month... Pentecost 3rd Month. =" Former & Spring Rains=Barley & Wheat & Corn harvest. 4th, 5th and 6th Month......No Rain. 7th Month-Tabernacles=Latter Rains Wine and Oil=Fruit Harvest... Antitype: 1st Month, Passover & Pentecost= First Outpouring of Spirit for Jews and Gentiles Harvest of Souls. 4th, 5th and 6th Months=Dry Season Dark Ages.... 7th Month Tabernacles: Last Day of Outpouring of Spirit Worldwide Harvest of souls. Date: Friday, March 11, 2005 at 10:14:44 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD So then under the closing days of grace, in the end of this age, the harvest will take place. The same rain that ripens the wheat also ripens the tares. The same rain that matures the righteous will also mature the wicked. The Apostle John saw both of these harvests in Rev. 14:13-16, 17-20. One is the harvest of the righteous and the other is the harvest of the wicked which are cast into the winepress of God's wrath. The prophet Joel in prophesying of a double portion of rain also spoke of a double portion harvest ingathering. The end of the age shows an outpouring of former and latter rains; that is, the rains of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The double portion of rain will result in a double portion of harvest. Joel says that the floor shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. The rain will restore the lost and wasted years. This wheat, wine and oil speaks of the corn harvest and the fruit harvests together Joel 2:21-32. It is here that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed Amos 9:13-15. The Lord has promised to do a quick work and cut it short in righteousness in these days. It will be God's strange work and act. Rom. 9:28; Isa. 28:22. Pentecost was the harvest of firstfruits. Tabernacles is the harvest of the final friuits. the first pointed to the final. Then end of the age will result in the greatest ingathering of souls ever seen. Thus the symbolic and prophetic significance of the Feast of Tabernacles relative to the harvest ingathering in the end of the year points to that harvest ingathering in the church. The Lord Jesus is concerned about the bringing in of the final harvest by the Church before He returns the second time . Matt. 9:37,38; 13:30,39; Mark 4:29; Luke 10:2; John 4:35; Rev. 14:15. Type: Passover 1st Month... Pentecost 3rd Month. =" Former & Spring Rains=Barley & Wheat & Corn harvest. 4th, 5th and 6th Month......No Rain. 7th Month-Tabernacles=Latter Rains Wine and Oil=Fruit Harvest... Antitype: 1st Month, Passover & Pentecost= First Outpouring of Spirit for Jews and Gentiles Harvest of Souls. 4th, 5th and 6th Months=Dry Season Dark Ages.... 7th Month Tabernacles: Last Day of Outpouring of Spirit Worldwide Harvest of souls. Date: Friday, March 04, 2005 at 10:14:13 (CST) Page No :5 Study: Study 15 The 7 Feasts of the Lord Tabernacles is spoken of as the Feast of Ingathering which took place in the end of the year Ex. 23:16; 34:22. In this harvest was gathered in all the fruits of the land; wine and oil. The corn harvest was the harvest of the firstfruits for it pointed to the final harvest in the end of the year. Deut. 11:10-15. Many references link the rains and especially the two harvests together as the Lord promised to send His people "the corn, wine and oil" Deut. 11:14; Hosea 2:8,9,21,22; Joel 1:10; 2:23,24; Rev. 6:6; Deut. 12:17;14:23; Neh. 5:10,11; 10:39. We can see symbolic significance and national significance in this harvest. Barley harvest has been used to symbolize the Jewish converts; wheat harvest to symbolize the first Gentile converts. This is seen in the Book of Acts and the history of the early church under the historical fulfilment of Passover and Pentecost. Jesus and the Apostles went to the Jews first (barley), then the cities of the Gentiles (wheat). Then the fruit harvest has been used to symbolize the vast variety and multiple of converts out of every kindred, tongue, thribe and nation in the four corners of the earth. This fianl harvest comes under the historical and spiritual fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles in the church. The symbolic truth of the harvest ingathering is the major thing and the scripture speaks of converts and believers as being the fruits of the harvest seasons James 5:7; James 1:18; 1 Corin. 15:20,23.; 16:15; Rev. 14:4. The Father God as the Divine Husbandman has long patience as He waits for the precious fruit of the earth and the early and latter rains. James 5:7,8. "Corn, wine and oil" is used in scripture to symbolize the Word of God, the joy of the Lord and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The fruits and the rains are certainly not speaking of the natural but the spiritual. The Father wants the final harvest of souls, the greatest ingathering ever in church history. The Feast of Ingathering took place in the end of the year Ex. 23:16.There is no mistaking the symbolism here. Jesus spoke of the harvest of the wheat and the tares, the good and the bad, as taking place in the end of the age. Matt. 13:29,30, 36-43. Date: Friday, February 25, 2005 at 10:32:23 (CST) Page No :4 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD However, the rain of the Spirit and the Word so far has been but "showers of blessings" Eze. 34:26. The Feast of Tabernacles is to see a mighty deluge of the Spirit, a universal outpouring of the Spirit. This will be accompanied by signs and wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as revelation and illumination in the Word of God beyond all that has ever been in church history. This is prophetic significance of the rains in the Feast of Tabernacles. It will touch every nation, both Jewish and Gentile. " The early and latter rain" in the spiritual sense speaks of the two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit in the earth, in the beginning and ending of church history. The believer who is living in the time of the latter rain is called to seek the Lord and ask Him to send rain on His people Zech. 10:1; Hosea 6:3; 10:12; James 5:7; Joel 2:23-32; Psa. 65:9,10; 46:4; Jere. 5:24; 31:10-14. All that the early rain meant to the early church, the latter rain will mean to the church in the last days, but in double portions and blessing and power. The rain which came at the "seven times" praying of Elijah typifies the great rain that will be manifest in the seventh Feast. ..1Ki. 18:41-46. B. The Harvest Time: Associated with rains and actually the purpose of such were the great harvest times. As there were two great seasonal rains so there were two great harvest seasons. Rains and harvests were really inseparable. One was the precursor of the other; the harvest was the result of the rain. No rain, no harvest. The first great harvest was the "corn" harvest as seen under the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost. Then the barley and the wheat were gathered in. Ruth 1:22; 2:23; Ex. 34: 22-32; Judges 6:11. Then between the harvest months of Passover and Pentecost came the fourth, fifth, and sixth months, the dry season, when generally no rain fell. Then came the rains of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of the seventh month. All were inteneded to ripen the harvest as well as prepare for the new seasons sowing. The last great harvest was the "fruit" harvest and this came in the Feast of Tabernacles.(Seems to me like we're just now coming out of the dry season, and entering into the latter rains.)... Date: Friday, February 18, 2005 at 10:34:30 (CST) Page No :3 Study: Page 3Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD For the purpose of simplification we will use "early rain" to identify with the "early church" and "latter rain" to connect with the "latter day church". The Lord promised Israel that, upon their obedience to His Covenant, He would give them the rains in their due season, "the first rain and the latter rain" that they would gather in their corn, wine and oil Deut. 11:10-17. He also promised that He would withhold the rains and allow the land to be blighted if they failed to obey His laws. The rains were always the seal of the Israelite Covenant, the token of God's blessing. No rain was judgment and the curse of God on the land as well as on the people Deut. 11:16,17; 1 Ki. 8:35-43; 17:1-7; 18:41-46; Prov. 16:15; Amos 4:6-13; Joel 1:10-12. The outpoured rains and showers of blessing were symbolical of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of the Word of God. THE WORD of God is likened to rain, Deut. 32:1-3; Isa. 55:8-12. The Holy Spirit is also likened to rain, to living waters of blessing, to rivers flowing forth from the throne of God and the Lamb. Joel 2:21-32; Hosea 6:3;10:12; James 5:7; John 7:37-39; Rev. 22:1-3. Rain speaks of revival, refreshing and restoration. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the revelation to the Apostles of the doctrine of Christ in the early church may be likened to "the first rain" or the "former rains." It was the spring of Church history. The Spirit and the Word flowed copiously. When Joel speaks of "former rain moderately" being poured out it is likened to "the teacher rain...the teacher of righteousness" Joel 2:23, marginal. The last 70 years or so have seen a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the nations of the earth. Along with this has come an increased illumination of the Word of God. There is a great return to the doctrine of the Apostles and "the faith once delivered to the saints". Heb. 6:1,2; Jude 3. Untold thousands have come into the baptism or infilling of the Holy Spirit and further truths in the Word of God. It is indeed the time of "latter rain" outpouring, when the Spirit is being outpoured upon all flesh. This is the rain that the Husbandman has long patience for as spoken of by the Apostle James. James 5:7. The remarkable prophecy of Joel 2:23 promises the former and the latter rain in the first month (i.e. first of the Civil yet seventh of the sacred year, or visa- versa_. That is, "a double portion" of rain..... Date: Friday, February 11, 2005 at 10:34:10 (CST) Page No :2 Study: Page 2Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. The Solemn Feast: Deut. 16:15; Hosea 9:5; 12:9; Psa. 81:1-3. The Feast of Tabernacles was the most joyful yet also the most solemn Feast of Israel's sacred year. It involved the solemnity of the Day of Atonement, yet the rejoicing of the Feast of the Feast of Tabernacles. D. The Feast of the 7th Month: Neh. 8:14. The number seven again points to the Feast of fulness and completion. E. The Feast of Booths: Neh. 8:14,15. Refer to the notes above. II. INTERPRETATION OF THE FEAST: The most outstanding truths in the Feast of Tabernacles proper involve the seasonal rains, the final harvest of the year, and then the special days of sacrifice and finally the rejoicing in booths. These things had special significance to the Israelites and will find their spiritual fulfilment in the church in the last days. A. The Seasonal Rains: We are referred again to the comments on the Feast of Pentacost. There it will be remembered that Israel, as in any agricultural nation, had two periods of harvest involving two periods of rain, to prepare and ripen the harvest. According to the Hebrew Calendar, having both Civil and Sacred years in the same year, Passover and Pentecost had "latter" or Spring rains, while the Feast of Tabernacles had "Former" or "early rains.". There is the confusion then with, Passover and Pentecost having "the former and early rain" while Tabernacles had the "latter rain". This is because of the dual calendar Israel had. The first month of the Sacred year was the 7th month of the Cilvil year while the 7th of the Sacred was the first of the Civil year. We have to remember, this was all set up with Israel, and their calendars, not ours. The Prophet Joel speaks of the "former rain and the latter rain in the 1st month" Joel 2:23. So we are again referred to the Hebrew Calendar as used in this text. Regardless of the designation used, whether "former" or "latter" rain, the truth of the matter is that the three Feasts involved great outpourings of rain. Date: Friday, February 04, 2005 at 10:25:43 (CST) Page No :1 Study: Study 15 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES The final part of the Feast of the 7th month is the Feast of Tabernacles proper. The instructions for the keeping of this Feast are found especially in Lev. 23: 33,34. We consider the story in brief before looking at symbolic the truths therein. THE STORY IN BRIEF: With the closing harvest of the year....the fruit harvest....gathered in , the people of Israel were to set aside 7 days unto the Lord. From the 15th day to the 21st day there were to be 7 days of rejoicing before the Lord. They were to leave their houses and dwell in booths made of various trees and rejoice before the Lord their God. On the 1st and on the 8th day there were to be extra sabbath days or holy convocations. The whole Feast pointed back to the 1st Feast, Passover, because the Feast of Tabernacles was the consummation of that which began in the Feast of Passover. The symbolic details show the truths therein for Israel under the Old Covenant and for the church under the New Covenant. I. TITLES FOR THE FEAST: There were several significant titles or names for this Feast. A. The Feast of Tabernacles...Lev. 23:34; Deut. 16:13; Zech. 14:16; Ezra 3:4 Or, more literally, "The Feast of Booths". The Hebrew word for "Booth" is "Succoth". The Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths pointed back to Israel's first emcampment after their exodus from Egypt, as they encamped on the edge of the Wilderness . Ex. 12:37; Num. 33: 1-6. The booths spoke of a temporary dwelling place, enroute to the promised land and permanant dwelling places. B. THE FEAST OF INGATHERING: Ex. 23: 16. This title pointed to the final harvest, the fruit harvest, which was the final ingathering at the end of the year. Date: Friday, January 28, 2005 at 10:19:48 (CST) Page No :14 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD An end will be made of sin, transgression will be finished, reconciliation for iniquity will be realized in fulness and everlasting righteousness brought in. There will be no more need of vision and prophecy for He who is in the burden and the sum of such will be dwelling with His people. The Tabernacle of God shall be with men and He shall dwell with them. He shall be their God and they shall be His people Dan. 19: 24-27.; Rev. 21: 1-8. This will be the completion of the Jubilee ordinances because of the work of the atonement of our God and His Christ. This will complete the "Times of restitution" of all things which the prophets have spoken of since the world began. Acts. 3:19-21; Rom. 8: 17-25. Several significant scriptures concerning "the year" of release and liberty may be seen in these references: The Prophet spoke of "the acceptable year of the Lord" Isa. 61:1-3 and Luke 4:18,19, He also spoke of "the year of My Redeemed has come". Isa. 63:1-4, the sabbath year or every seventh year in Israel was "the year of release". Lev. 25:1-7; Deut. 31:9-11. And then we have "the year of Jubilee" Lev. 25: 8-17. All Points to the end of the age and the coming of the Lord which brings in the eternal ages to come when the fulness of redemption's plan will be experienced by the Redeemed. End of Study 14 Date: Friday, January 21, 2005 at 10:30:40 (CST) Page No :13 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Every Jubilee was prophetic of the ministry of Christ. The Jubilee was proclaimed on the basis of the work of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. So Christ's liberating ministry is founded on His atoning work. When Jesus began His ministry He spoke of His six-fold "Jubilee" ministry in Luke 4:17-19 with Isa. 61:1-3; 63:4. 1. To preach good tidings to the poor and meek. 2. To heal and bind up the broken hearted. 3. To preach deliverance to the captives and open prison doors. 4. To recover sight to the blind. 5. To set at libertay them that were bruised. 6. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. i.e. Year of Release, or Year of Jubilee.. The year of Jubilee was the year of liberty, the year of redemption. Christ in the reconciliation became our Redeemer and all the liberties of the Jubilee year are available through His Work. The church also is joined with Christ in the "Jubilee" ministry in the preaching of the Gospel of redemption, proclaiming the atonement. It is significant that the "time" from Adam until now has been 6000 yrs.; that is 120 Jubilees approximately (120X50=6000.) The 6000 years speaks of the 6 Days of the Lord Psa. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8; Job 24:1; Gen. 2:17. The 7th day is a day of rest Rev. 20:1-6; Heb. Chaps. 3 & 4. The number 120 points to the end the age of flesh also and the reign of the Spirit...Gen. 6:3; 2 Chron. 5:12-14.; Acts 1: 15; 2:4. The ultimate fulfilment of all that took place under the Jubilee year will take place at the second coming of Christ. The earth will be redeemed and come into full and complete rest from the curse brought upon it by Adam's sin. Complete restoration of man's lost inheritance will take place. God's people will be totally set free, set at liberty, from all sin, sickness and disease, death and the curse. Satan, the sorce of all these things, will be bound and true rest will be realized. Date: Friday, January 14, 2005 at 10:25:14 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD So, on the year of Jubilee the trumpet proclaiming liberty was to sound throughout the land. This "trumpet" was to sound on the great "Day of Atonement" of this fiftieth year. With the cleansing of the nation, the priesthood and the Sanctuary, liberty could now sound throughout all Israel. Several significant things took place in this year of Jubilee, all of which Christ came to fulfil in His atoning work. A. Liberty was to be claimed throughout the land unto all the inhabitants. The Lord Jesus began His ministry "proclaiming liberty to the captives" in the acceptable year of the Lord Isa. 61:1-13; Luke 4:18-21. Pentecost, the fiftieth day was also a day of liberty and rejoicing. So the fiftieth year was of liberty and shouting. Christ came to bring liberty from all enslavement. Gal. 5:1; Rom. 6:18. B. The "fiftieth" year was a hallowed year, a sabbath year also for the land. No sowing or reaping was to be done. The land was to rest. The Lord promised that the land would be blessed that it would bring forth fruit in the sixth year to carry them over the seventh, the eighty and into the ninth year. That is to say, God's blessing would be so great, Israel would have enough fruit to carry them through the sabbaths and the Jublilee years. Lev. 25:18-22, 11,12. C. Every man was to return to his "possession". If he was poor and had lost or forfeited or sold his possession, his inheritance, then in the year of Jubilee he was able to possess it again. This was especially so if he was not able to redeem it or have it redeemed by a kinsman Redeemer. Lev. 25:13-17,23-34; Num. 36:4. D. All slaves were set free in this year. If a brother became poor and had to borrow money to live, or sell himself as a slave for service, then in the year of Jubilee he was set free unless some kinsman could redeem him between the Jubilee year. Lev. 25: 35-55. The sound of the trumpet of Jubilee was "the joyful sound" that blessed the people of God. Psa. 85:15. The Jubilee years were "the times of restitution" which the prophets also spoke about in the latter times. Acts 3:19-21. What a time of rejoicing in Israel as liberty was proclaimed by the sound of the silver trumpet in the land. Debts were cancelled, slaves were set free, families were reunited, lost and forfeited inheritances were restored. It was indeed a year of shouting. Date: Friday, January 07, 2005 at 09:48:48 (CST) Page No :11 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The ultimate truth concerning the sprinkling of the blood seven times is that the blood of Jesus will bring the church to perfection. This perfection will be a sinless perfection. There is enough power in the blood of Jesus to do this for every believer. Every genuine Christian believes that the work of the cross will finally bring about the eradication of sin. Or in other words, sinless perfection. It is this state of perfection that every believer longs for and will experience throughout eternity. Many Scriptures could be listed on the benefits of the blood of Jesus. I'll list just a few. Hebrews the 9th chapter makes much of the blood of Jesus in heaven for us and the cleansing that it will bring to the church. If the blood of animals brought ceremonial cleansing, how much more perfect cleansing shall the blood of Jesus bring to us? A. Justified by His Blood. Rom. 5:9 B. Communion in His Blood 1 Corin. 10:16;11:25-27. C. Redemption through His Blood. Eph. 1:7. D. Access to God's Presence by the Blood. Eph. 2:13. E. Reconciliation through the Blood. Col. 1:14,20. F. Remission of sins through His Blood. Heb. 9:22. G. Covenantal relationship through the Blood. Heb. 10:29. H. Sanctification by the Blood. Heb. 13:20. I. Conscience purged by the Blood. Heb. 9:14. J. Cleansing through the Blood. 1 Jn. 1:7. K. Entrance within the veil by the Blood. Heb. 10:4, 19,20. L. Admission to heaven because the Blood is there. Heb. 9:7-25. M. Propitiation by the Blood. Rom. 3:25. N. Perfection by the Blood. Heb. 6:1; 7:11, 17-19; 10:1. O. Overcome satan by the Blood of the Lamb. Rev. 12:11. V111. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT AND THE JUBILEE YEAR: Lev. 25:8-55; Psa. 89:15 In concluding our Study on the Day of Atonement lets consider the laws pertaining to the Jubilee year. The Jubilee years were vitally connected with the Day of Atonement. Every 7th year was a Sabbath year, while every 50th year in Israel was Jubilee year. 7 Sabbaths of years passed (or7X7=49, and the following year, the 50th, was the Jubilee. Jubilee year was literally "the time of shouting". The Hebrew word "Yobel" (S.C.3104) coming from S.C. 2986 means "the blast of a horn" (from its continuous sound); specifically the signal of the silver trumpets; hence the instrument itself and the Festival thus introduced. It is translated "jubilee, ram's horn, trumpet." Date: Friday, December 31, 2004 at 10:26:58 (CST) Page No :10 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD D. Reconciliation: to make enemies friends after being at variance. It is the effect of the siner being made one with God. E. Atonement: the atonement was the official presentation fo God of the blood on the Mercy seat. Thus on the great Day of Atonement the truth of these words was seen in operation and all together they effected "the reconciliation." The Sin Offerings became the ransom, the price of Israel's redemption. They were the propitiation to avert God's wrath and secure mercy. When Aaron entered within the veil and officially presented the BLOOD to God on the Mercyseat, this was the atonement. And the effect of all was the reconciliation of Israel as a nation to God ! All of this was fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. At Calvary we see ransom, redemption and propitiation taking place, as He presented His body and blood on Calvary's altar and suffered for our sins. In His ascension to the Father's throne, into the heavenly Sanctuary, within the veil, we see the actual atonement and the effect of the atonement. The Atonement then was the official presentation of the THE BLOOD OF JESUS at the throne of God in heaven. The effect of this in the church and upon all who believe is THE RECONCILIATION ! The ultimate of the Day of Atonement will bring about full reconciliation of man with His God, both Creator and Redeemer ! The Cross was the brazen altar where the sacrifice of Christ took place. The Throne was the Ark of the Covenant where the sacrifice of Christ, His body and blood, were presented. It is this which comprehends the Day of Atonement. Read....Rom. 5:11; John 17:21; 2 Corin. 5:20; Col.1:10-21; Dan. 9:24-27; Heb. 2:17,18. VII. THE POWER OF THE BLOOD JESUS: On the day of Atonement the blood of the Sin Offering was sprinkled "7 Times". As seen already, 7 is the number of fulness, completeness and perfection. Date: Friday, December 24, 2004 at 10:16:06 (CST) Page No :9 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 5. The Scapegoat was used to subdue Azazel, the evil spirit. Christ and His Church are the only agents associated in the ministry of subduing satan and his wicked hosts Mark 16: 15-20; Rev. 12: 1-12. 6. The Scapegoat was involved in the sending away of sin, in the minsitry of for- giveness. Christ and His church are involved in the forgiveness of sins, James 5: 15-17; Acts 7:60; Mark 16: 19,20; 2 Corin. 5: 18-21; Luke 24: 49; John 20: 22,23. 7. The Scapegoat was taken outside the camp bearing the reproaches of Israel upon it. So the church is called to go outside the camp bearing the reproaches of Christ. Heb. 13: 10-13. People in society often refer to somebody who takes someone elses reproach as being "the scapegoat". The church certainly bears the reproach of Christ in this world, Rom.15: 3; Heb. 11: 26; Luke 6: 22; 1 Peter 4: 14; Zep. 2:8. 8. The Scapegoat was eventually taken into the Wilderness by the hand of a fit man. It was then let go alive in a land uninhabited, a land of separation..Lev. 16: 22. (Margin).. So the church is taken into a wilderness, a place prepared of God, and preserved alive in the last days of this age..Rev. 12: 1-6, 13-16; Son of Songs 3:6; 8:6; Luke 21: 34-36. VI. THE ATONEMENT OR RECONCILIATION: The key word in the great chapter in Lev. 16 is the word "atonement". This word is used at least 14 times in this chapter, generally in the singular and yet sometimes the word is used in the plural..Note...Ex. 30:10; Lev. 17: 11-14; Rom. 5: 11. The basic meaning of the word "Atonement" is "reconciliation". Where it is translated "atonement" in Rom. 5: 11 it should be translated "the reconciliation". There are various words relative to the full meaning of the atonement yet no one word on its own supplies the full significance, yet all together give us the thoughts of God on the matter. These theological words are noted briefly here in order to help us understand and appreciate more fully the work accomplished on the Day of Atonement, both historically and prohetically. A. Redemption.....To buy back again with a price out of the hands of another. B. Ransom..........The price paid in the transaction of redemption. C. Propitiation....The sacrifice offered to God to avert wrath and secure mercy. Date: Friday, December 17, 2004 at 10:25:17 (CST) Page No :8 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD If this is so, then it is certainly fulfilled in the ministry of Christ. In His death, burial, resurrection and ascension He conquered satan and all his hosts. The ultimate victory of Calvary over satan will be manifested when satan is cast into the Lake of Fire, when all his hosts are eternally subdued. The basis of the victory is the Atonement. B. Fulfilment in the Church: The other aspect of truth concerning the Scapegoat finds its fulfilment in the Church. The dual sacrifices in the previous Feast pointed to Christ in His Church. The two birds offered in the cleansing of the leper pointed to Christ and His Church, the only two agents involved in cleasning of the lepers Lev. 14. The two trumpets used on special occasions pointed to Christ and His ministries. Num. 10:1-10. And here the two goats point to both Christ and His church involved in the ministry of reconciliation. Of course, it is to be understood that any sacrifice offered for sin can only and ever typity Christ the sinless sacrificed one. But when there is association of another with that one then it can also symbolize the church, for Christ and His Body are really inseparable. Many times what is said of Christ is also said of the Church, His Body Note: John 8:12; Matt. 5:14; John 6:48-51; 1 Corin. 10:15-17. We ask : In what way then may the church be identified with the Scapegoat ministry? The following number of ways answer such.... 1. The Scapegoat was presented before Jehovah along with the Lord's goat. So the church is presented before God with Christ. 2. The Scapegoat was also to be without spot or blemish with the Lord's goat. So Christ and His Church are both without spot or blemish. 1 Pet. 1-18-Chap.2; Eph. 5:26,27. 3. The Scapegoat shared with the Lord's goat in the ministry of reconciliation. Only Christ and His Church have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Heb. 2:17; 2 Corin. 5:17-21. 4. The Scapegoat "lived" to reconcile while the Lord's goat "died" to reconcile. So the Church lives to reconcile man to God while Christ died to bring reconciliation. Date: Friday, December 10, 2004 at 10:35:22 (CST) Page No :7 Study: Page 7Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD V. THE TWO GOATS: As seen in the historical-typical ceremony two goats were involved in the Day of Atonement, in the ministry of reconciliation. We are referred to the dual offerings as noted under the comments on the Feast of Pentecost.. Here again in the dual offerings of the goats there seems to be a "double type" to find fulfilment in Christ and the Church. A. Fulfilment in Christ: 1. The Goat of Jehovah: The goat chosen by lot for Jehovah was killed. This goat "died" to reconcile. Its blood was sprinkled within the veil on the Mercy Seat. This pointed to the "death" of Jesus, who was "the Lord's goat" and our Sin Offering. He died to reconcile us to God. His blood was brought into the heavenly Sanctuary, within the veil. The writer to the Hebrews shows how this was fulfilled in Christ's sacrifice. Heb. 13:11-13; 9:1-14. 2. The Goat for Azazel: We see that the Scapegoat or the goat for Azazel was also symbolic of Christ's ministry. The Lord's goat symbolized "Christ in His death".... He died to reconcile. The scapegoat symbolized "Christ in His resurrection"...He lives to reconcile. The scapegoat after the laying on of hands was sent by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness bearing away the sins, transgressions, iniquities and uncleanness of Israel. The word "forgiveness" conveys the truth of the Scapegoat ministry. The word "forgiveness" means "to send away, to bear or carry away.". So Christ then, in His death and resurrection died for our sins, and carried them right away, never to be remembered any more. Luke 7:21; Acts 3:14; 25:11, 16; Eph. 4:32; Col. 2:13; 3:13; 1Jn. 1:9; 2:12; Psa. 103:3; Jere. 31:31-34. The meaning of the word "Scapegoat" of Azazel in Hebrew is: "the goat for departure"; the goat for going away. It signifies entire removal. It has been suggested that Azazel means "the evil one". That is to say that the goat for Azazel was the goat to subdue the evil one, that is, satan. Date: Friday, December 03, 2004 at 08:40:51 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 14 The 7 Feasts of the Lord IV. THE GLORY OF THE LORD: Entrance within the veil, by the power of incense and the atoning blood brought Aaron into the very Presence and Glory of the Lord. The Hebrews refer to this visible manifestation of God's presence as "The Shekinah". It was only on this Day of Atonement that Aaron entered into that Glory of the Lord. In fulfilment of this we see the Lord Jesus in His Ascension was "received up into glory". 1 Tim. 3: 16., and He was glorified with the Glory which He had with the Father before the world began. John 17:1-5; 24-26. It is also significant of the fact that as the church enters the experience of the Day of Atonement there will be an entrance into the glory of the Lord. His glory shall be seen upon the church. The church will be changed "from glory to glory' 2 Corin. 3:15-18.. Even on this earth various saints have experienced measures of the glory of God. A. The Glory of God appeared to Abraham. Acts 7:2. B. The Glory of the Lord appeared to Israel. Ex. 16:7,10; 24:16,17. C. The Glory of the Lord filled both Tabernacles and Temple in the day of dedication. Ex.40:34,35.; 1 Ki. 8:11; 2 Chron. 5:14. D. Moses beheld the Glory of the Lord and had that same glory seen upon his face. Ex. 33 with 2 Corin. 3. E. Jesus also shone with the Glory of God on the Mt. of Transfiguration Matt. 17: 1-8; 2 Pet. 1:17,18; Mark 9:1. F. Stephen's face shone with the glory of God also. Acts 7:55. G. The chruch is to shine with the Glory of God aslo. Isa. 60: 1-3; Rev. 12:1 Rom. 8:18; Col. 1:27; Eph. 5:27. The Glory of the New Covenant is far greater than Glory of the Old Covenant 2 Corin. 3 and 4. It is in this way that the Glory of the Lord will fill all the earth also. Num. 14:21; Isa. 6:3; Hab. 2:14; Isa. 40:5. V. THE TWO GOATS: As seen in the historical-typical ceremony two goats were involved in the Day of Atonement, in the ministry of reconciliation. Lets look to the dual offerings as noted under the comments on the Feast of Pentecost. Here again in the dual offerings of the goats there seems to be a "double type" to find fulfilment in Christ and the Church. Date: Friday, November 26, 2004 at 08:49:22 (CST) Page No :5 Study: Study 14 The 7 Feasts of the Lord A. Christ within the Veil: When Christ ascended up on high to heaven, presented His blood and then took His place at the Father's right hand , this fulfilled the type of entrance within the veil. The Lord Jesus ascended on high and entered with the veil of the heavenly Sanctuary. He is there and remains within the veil, hidden from human view during this church period. At His second coming He will come forth from the heavenly Sanctuary in flaming fire and glory to receive His own unto Himself and judge all outside Himself, John 20:17; 16:27,28; Eph. 1:17; 4:8-10; Prov. 30:1-4; Psa. 68:18; Mark 16:19,20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 4:14; 8:1,2; 9:11-14, 24-28. Christ risen, ascended and glorified is the Forerunner into the heavenly Sanctuary, within the veil Heb. 6:17-20. This is the Order of Melchisedek. Others will follow Him who is the Forerunner. This was Christ fulfiling "The Day of Atonement" in the Heavenly Sanctuary. B. The Believer within the Veil: There is also within this great aspect a dual aspect concerning the believer entering within the veil. This pertains to the living believer as well as the believer who dies and goes to be with the Lord. 1. The Living Believer: All believers have the privilege in prayer and in spirit to enter "into the Holiest of All" by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way Heb. 6:17-20; 9:8-10; 10:19-22. All believers have access into the Presence of God by the Spirit, Eph. 2:11-18 and in this way enter within the veil. However, there is a fulness in this experience that the church has yet to enter into and this is what is typified in the Day of Atonement. We will be able to read and sing many of the great Hymns and Songs of the church which speak of this experience of entrance "within the veil". 2. The Dead in Christ Believer: When a believer dies and goes to be with the Lord, his redeemed spirit goes to heaven and certainly experiences entrance with the veil, into heaven's Sanctuary. It is here that the Spirit of just men made perfect are awaiting the coming of the Lord and their immortalized bodies. Heb. 12:22-24; Phil 3:20,21; Luke 16:20-22; Phil. 1:23. Date: Friday, November 19, 2004 at 09:16:38 (CST) Page No :4 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 2. The Church His Sanctuary: There is another aspect of the truth of the Sanctuary. This pertains to the Church. The Church also is God's Sanctuary. His earthly Sanctuary. His dwelling place by the Spirit.. 1 Corin. 3:16; 2 Corin. 6:16; Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Pet. 2: 5-9. The church has yet to come into the full power of the atoning work of Christ which was accomplished on Calvary. As far as God is concerned all was finished at Calvary. God saw a "finished work" John 17: 4; 19:30. This is spoken of as judicial truth. But as far as the believer is concerned individually, and the church corporately, we have yet to enter by faith into that finished work. This is spoken of as experiential truth. As the church experienced Passover truths, and Pentecost truths, so she will experience Tabernacle truths. All will be upon the basis of Christ's finished work on Calvary. Such experience will be the Day of Atonement for the church. What Christ has done for us historically will be fulfilled in us experientally. Hence there has been two aspects of God's Sanctuary; the heavenly and the earthy. This was true in the Old Testament Israel. It is true in the New Testament Israel, the church. III. Entrance within the Veil: As with each of the Feasts there is that which is historical which Christ has fulfilled in Himself, and there is that which is spiritual and finds fulfilment in the church, so it is with the truth of entrance "within the veil". There is that which relates to Christ and that which relates to the church. On the great Day of Atonement Aaron entered within the veil. Hebrews show the fulfilment of this in the ministry of Christ. As long as the veil of the Tabernacle or Temple stood, the Holy Spirit was signifying that "the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing; which was a figure for the time present.. Heb. 9:7-9 When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the Temple was miraculously rent from top to the bottom by God Himself. Matt. 27:51,52.. It signified that the way into God's Presence was now open to all who believe in God through Christ, Believers can come to God through the veil of Christ's flesh and blood Heb. 10:19-22. The rending of the veil of the Temple was connected with the rending of the veil of Christ's flesh, Chirst's temple. John 2: 18-22. We consider here also the twofold aspect of "entrance within the veil" as pertaining to Chirst and His Chruch. Date: Friday, November 12, 2004 at 09:15:15 (CST) Page No :3 Study: Study 14 The 7 Feasts of the Lord c. This heavenly Sanctuary, as the original, cast its shadow on earth. The earthly Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of Solomon were the material: expressions of such. They were the earthly types of the heavenly prototype. Heb. 8:1-5; 9:1-10. d. The heavenly Sanctuary consists of three heavens, even as the Tabernacle and Temple had three "holy places" The words "heaven" or "heavens", and "place and "places used in Hebrews 9:12, 23,24 confirm this thought. The first heaven (to man) is the atomospheric heaven; the second heaven is the planetary heaven, and the third heaven is the immediate Presence of God, the Paradise of God. This is the heaven of heavens where Paul saw and heard unspeakable things. 2 Corin. 12:1-4, Rev. 2:7; 22:14. (We too, can have this same experience that Paul had.)....Solomon recognized that the Temple as God's earthly house could not contain God, let alone heaven and the heavens, God's real dwelling place. 1 Ki. 8:27-30; Isa. 66:1; Acts 7:49; 17:24. e. As Aaron had to cleanse the Sanctuary on the Day of Atonement in its three places, so the heavens have to be cleansed. The reason why the heavenly Sanctuary, God's dwelling place, needed cleansing was because of sin. As the earthly Sanctuary had to be cleansed because of Israel's sins, transgressions, iniquities and uncleanness, so the heavenly Sanctuary has to be cleansed. Sin Originated in Heaven. It was at the very throne of God that the "mystery of iniquity" began in Satan and the fallen angels. The heavens have been defiled by sinning angels. Job himself said "the heavcens are not clean in Thy sight" Job. 15:15; 4:18; 25:5. It is not that the angels will be redeemed, for they sinned as spirit begins in the blazing white light of God's holiness and Christ did not die to redeem them. However, heaven has been defiled by their sinful presence and thus has to be cleansed. The power of the atoning blood of Jesus will do this. This is seen to be the teaching of the Book of Hebrews. Heb. 8:1-5; 9:1-28. The Book of Revelation also shows a time when the devil and all his angels are cast out of the heavens to the earth. At this time the heavens are told to rejoice because the accuser of the bretheren is cast down. The believers are overcomer's through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony ..Rev. 12:1-12. It is here that the atonement manifests its supreme power in the cleansing of the heavenly Sanctuary of the presence of the orginator of sin in the universe. Thus, this is the first aspect of the "cleansing of the Sanctuary". Date: Friday, November 05, 2004 at 10:49:53 (CST) Page No :2 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD II. THE MINISTRY OF ATONEMENT: Uner the historical and typical Day of Atonement, Aaron had to make atonement for himself, then his household, then the nation and finally the Sanctuary. In contrast and comparison we note the follwoing relative to Christ, our Great High Priest. A. No Atonement for Christ: As far as Christ was concerned He did not need the atonement. He was God incarnate. He was born of the virgin. He was sinless and perfect in thought, word, and deed and needed no redemption from sin. If He had sin then He could not be our Saviour and Redeemer. Aaron needed atonement as he was a sinful and imperfect priest. Christ needed no atonement for He was a righteous and perfect Priest.Heb. 5:1-6; 7:22-28. Thus, the antitype far surpasses the type. B. Atonement for His House and the Nation: Here we have further comparison. As Aaron atoned for his priestly household and then the nation of Israel, so Christ made atonement for His household, the church, and all believers, who, since the cross, constitute the Israel of God. "The holy nation and royal priesthood" after the order of Melchisedek. Heb. 5:1-6; 1 Peter 2:5-9; Heb. 3:1-6; 7:11-28; 8:1-4; 9:11-15; Rev. 1:6; 5: 9,10; Eph. 2:11-13; Gal. 6:16. C. Atonement for the Sanctuary: The third area involved in the Day of Atonement ceremonies was "the cleansing of the Sanctuary". Dan. 8: 13,14. The Book of Heb. deals much with this area of Christ's ministry. It deals with the cleansing of the true and heavenly Sanctuary. This is a truth that is not always perceived by believers. The scriptures show two aspects of God's Sanctuary. Let us note the truth of the things under their respective sub-headings. 1. The Heavenly Sanctuary... a. There is a heavenly Tabernacle, or heavenly Temple. This is the TRUE Sanctuary, the original ..Heb. 8:1,2; Rev. 11: 19; 13:6; 15:5-8. b. This heavenly Sanctuary is the dwelling place of God, Of Christ and the elect angles. Date: Friday, October 29, 2004 at 10:33:25 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 14 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD "THE NEW TESTAMENT INTERPRETATION IN HEBREWS" There is no mistaking the interpretation of the ceremony of the Day of Atonement. The New Testament, especially the Epistle to the Hebrews is basically given over to the symbolic significance for this day. We take the major points of the ceremony which have not been interpreted in the course of following the Old Testament outline and see how the Book of Hebrews interprets such for us. I. THE SACRIFICES: All sacrifices and oblations pointed to the perfect and supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As noted earlier, the animal sacrifice were brought in as a substitute for man's sin until THE sacrifice and oblation came Himself to put away sin. Thus, the sacrifices of all Feast Days, Sabbaths as well as the Daily Sacrifice were all fulfilled and abolished by the one sacrifice of Christ. His body and blood caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease. This fulfilled the prophetic word that Messiah would come and "cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." Dan. 9:27 with Heb. 10:1-10. Again, it is to be noted that there were MANY sacrifices, untold thousands, offered upon the altars. In contrast to the many is the ONE sacrifce of Christ offered on Calvary's altar. Those priests stood daily offering oftentimes the same sacrifice which could never take away sins, but Christ Jesus offered one sacrifice for sin ONCE-FOR-ALL...Heb. 10:11-14. Above all this is the fact that no ANIMAL sacrifice can cleasnse the sin of MAN. thus when Jesus died, He was presented as a HUMAN sacrifice for the sin of man. Therefore His sacrifice is totally, absolutely and supremely seen to be above all animal sacrifices and offerings. Calvary is the altar of God upon which His Son was offered. There is no further sacrifce for sin to be made. None can add up to take away from this finished work, as far as Christ's sacrifice is concerned. It is perfect, full and complete. John 17:4; 19-30. This is an historical and doctrinal fact never ever to be repeated. Chirst dies for sin no more, death has no more dominion over Him. The atonement has been made. However, as far as the believer is concerned, and the church as a whole, we have yet to enter into and receive the full benefits of the atonement of Christ. There is no believer living upon the face of the earth that can claim to have experienced fully the COMPLETE ATONEMENT ! Jesus went to the Passovers, and the Pentecosts, but did not go to Tabernacles...This He will, at His 2nd coming. The first 2 are complete in Spiritual experience. But tabernacles is only a foretaste so far. John 7:6-10. It is the understanding between that which is referred to as "judicial truth" and experiential truth" that shows the twofold aspect of the work of Christ. The walk of faith is that which bridges both aspects. It is this which is to be understood in the work of the Day of Atonement as pertaining to the church. Date: Friday, October 22, 2004 at 10:18:18 (CDT) Page No :11 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD III. The Anointed High Priest: Lev. 16:29-34 Only the High Priest who was anointed and consecrated to minister in his Father's stead could make the atonement. This anointed High Priest made the atonement for all other priests, for all the congregation of Israel and the Sancturary of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest, anointed in His Father's stead to make the reconciliation for the church, the New Testament priestly Body.. 1 Pet. 2:5-9; Rev. 1:6; 5:9,10. The difference between Aaron and Christ is this. Aaron and his animal sacrifices were two separate Identities, sinful and inferior, Christ is both Priest and Sacrifice in His two natures, yet one undiveided Person, sinless and superior. In His Diivine nature He is the Priest; in His human nature He is the Sacrifice. So then Christ (the Priest) offered Himself (the Sacrifice) for us. Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:25-27; Heb. 8:1-4; 9:11-15. IV. An Everlasting Statute: Lev. 16: 29,34 The Day of Atonement ceremony was to be "an everlasting state" in Israel on the appointed day of the year. Anything under the Old Covenant that was "everlasting" can only find its true fulfilment in and through the New Covenant, and "everlastng life" as found in Christ. All of the things pertaining to the Old Covenant were temporal and typical, but the things under the New Covenant are spiritual and eternal. Christ lives in the "power of an endless life " Heb. 7:16 and it is only in this way can the atonement be an "everlasting statute". The redeemed will eternally remember the atoning work of Christ, thus fulfilling the "everlasting state" of the Day of Atonement. Rev. 4:8-11; 5:1-14. V. The Atonement for Sins, Transgressions, Iniquities and Uncleanness: Lev. 16:16, 21; Dan. 9: 24-27. In the ceremony of the Day of Atonement "all iniquties" and "all sins" and "all transgressions" as well as "all uncleanness" were fully atoned for. The ministry of reconciliation too care of all these evil things in the natrue of fallen man. Each of these words show some facet of the fallen nature of man and that which needs the atonement, or the reconciliation. A. Iniquity...Vanity, perverseness of spirit. Mt. 23:38; Tutus 2:14; Isa.53:5,5,10; 59:12. B. Sin.... To err, to m iss the mark, go astray, to fall 1 Jn. 3:4; 5:17; James 4:17; Rom. 14:23. C. Transgression...Rebellion, lawlessness, deceive, trespass. Isa. 58:1; 1 Jn. 3:4; Dan. 8:23. D. Uncleanness:...Foulness, defiled, pollution (moral and physical), Lev. 14:57; Num.19:7-22.; 2 Corin. 12:21. The Lord Jesus Christ, by His own sinless and atoning blood, has provided cleansing and reconciliation to God for His people. By the power of His redeeming blood, all sin, iniquity, transgressions and uncleanness shall be fully cleansed from the church in the great Day of Atonement, and at the coming of Christ. THANK YOU Y'SHUA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......... End of Study 13 Date: Friday, October 15, 2004 at 10:30:06 (CDT) Page No :10 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD I. The Scapegoat...Lev. 16:8,10,20-22,26 When the atonement was completed as to his household, the nation and the Sanctuary, then the live goat fulfilled its function in the ceremony. After Aaron had come out from the Tabernacle of the Congregation, he then laid his hands on the head of the live goat. As he did this symbolic act, he confessed over the goat all the sins, iniquities, transgressions and uncleannesses of Israel. When this was completed, the Scapegoat (or "goat for sending away") was taken by the hand of a fit man into the Wilderness. The goat was to bear away all the iniquities of the people into a land uninhabited, or a land of separation. There the fit man was to release the goat of the Wilderness. Upon his return to the camp he was to bathe himself wholly in water and then take his place in the camp of the Lord and of Israel. The symbolic truth concerning the Scapegoat will be dealt with in due time under the antitypical fulfilment in Christ and His Church. J. The Bodies without the Camp: Lev. 16: 23-28. After the Scapegoat had been sent into the Wilderness by the hand of the fit man, Aaron entered into the Holy Place, washed himself and changed his garments. Then he took the fat of the Sin Offering, burnt it on the Altar in the Outer Court, for the fat belonged exclusively to the Lord for His altar Lev. 4:9,10; 1 Sam. 2:16. However, the BODIES of the Sin Offering, both the bullock and the goat, were taken by a fit man outside the camp where all was burnt. The skins, the flesh and dung were wholly burnt. The person who did this was then to return to the camp, wash his clothes bathe his flesh in water and then enter again into the fellowship of the Israel nation. The writer to the Heb. takes this up and clearly shows how Christ fulfilled the Sin Offering. For He went "outside the camp" of Jerusalem, after His rejection. Here on Golgotha He was crucified. His body was indeed outside the camp. It was not burnt physically, as it was incorruptible, but it did suffer the consuming fires of God's holiness and righteousness against sin. Heb. 12:29; 13:10-13. Date: Friday, October 08, 2004 at 11:05:44 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD H. The Seven Times Sprinkling of the Blood: Lev. 16: 14 The sprinkling of the Blood 7 times on the Mercy Seat was prophetic of perfect atonement that Christ would bring to His people. Throughout the scriptures the theme of "The Seven Times" becomes prophetic of the end of the age and that which finds its ultimate in the seventh day of the Lord, the Kingdom age. The following are some of the examples of these "Seven Times" prophecies, the number seven speaking of fulness, perfection and the close of the present age as ushered in by Christ's 2nd Coming.. 1. Jacob bowed to Esau "Seven Times" Gen. 33: 3. 2. Blood was sprinkled "Seven Times" in Lev. 4:6; 8:11; 14:7; 16:14-17. 3. Israel was to be punished "Seven Times" for her sins. Lev. 26: 18,21,24,28. 4. The walls of Jericho were compassed about "Seven Times" before its collapse. Josh. 6: 4-15. 5. Elijah prayed and then after "Seven Times" great rain fell. 1 Ki. 18:43. 6. The furnace of persecution was heated "Seven Times" when the Hebrew believers were cast in and preserved. Dan. 13: 19. 7. Naaman immersed himself "Seven Times" before his healing took place 2Ki.5:10. 8. Oil was sprinkled "Seven Times" in the cleansing of the leper. Lev. 14:16-18. 9. Forgiveness is to be beyond "Seven Times" Mt. 18: 21,22. So, the "Seven Times" sprinkling of blood becomes a shadow of things to come, symbolic, prophetic of the perfection that the blood of Jesus will bring to His Church in the end times and at His coming. In the Passover Feast the blood was sprinkled upon the door. In the Pentecost Feast the blood was sprinkled on the people and the Covenant Book. In Tabernacles the blood was sprinkled seven times on the Mercy Seat. The Day of Atonement in the Church will be the fullest manifestation of the power of the blood of Jesus. It will bring the church to perfection, making an end of all sin, all iniquity, all transgressions and all sins of ignorance and all uncleanness. Date: Friday, October 01, 2004 at 10:42:56 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 3. Atonement for the Sanctuary: Lev. 16: 16-20, 23 After making atonement for himself and his household and then the nation, Aaron then made atonement for the Sanctuary and its furnishings. This day is called by the Prophet Daniel "The Cleansing of the Sanctuary". Dan. 8: 13,14. The Holy Place or the Tabernacle of the Congregation was atoned for. The Most Holy Place or the Holy Sancturary was atoned for. And then the golden altar of incense was atoned for Ex. 30: 1-10. After the golden altar of incense was atoned for, Aaron sprinkled the blood of atonements 7 times on it., cleansing and allowing it from Israel's uncelanness. The horns of the altar were also sprinkled with atoning blood. The significance of this threefold work of atonement will be interpreted when we consider the New Testament fulfilment as set forth in the Book of Heb... F. Aaron alone makes the Atonement: Lev. 16:17 When Aaron the High Priest fulfilled the atoning work, he was to enter alone, and no person was to be with him. He ministered alone in the supreme work of reconciliation. None could help him. So it pointed to the fact that Christ alone could reconcile man to God. Of the people, none could be with Him or help Him. Heb. 9:7. Even in His second coming there are areas of judgement that He alone will perform. Isa. 63: 1-6. G. Entrance witin the Veil: Lev. 16: 2,12,15 It is to be seen that only on this day did Aaron enter "within veil". The veil of the Tabernacle acted as a divider between the Holy Place and the Holiest of All. It signified a separation between God and Man that could only be bridged by the work of atonement Ex. 26: 31,32. None dare presume to enter within the veil except on the appointed day, once a year. It seems as if Aaron's two sons tried to presume within the veil on the day of dedication when the Glory of God fell. For this sin God judged them with death and then gave the details of the Day of Atonement and how Aaron should come within the veil. Compare: Lev. 9:22-24; 10:1-11; 16:1,2. The Book of Heb. takes this up for us and shows how Christ has entered "within the veil" and made it possible for the believer to do so too, because He is the Forerunner, the TYPE, THE SHADOW of things to come..Heb. 10: 19-22; Matt. 27:51,52; Heb. 6: 18-20. Date: Friday, September 24, 2004 at 07:49:47 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 3. Two kids of the goasts for a Sin Offering...one goat for the Lord and the other goat for the people. 4. One ram for a Burnt Offering...for the people. Additional offerings as in Num. 29:7-11 were: a. Burnt Offerings...young bullock, a ram, and 7 lambs of the first year. b. Meal Offerings appropriate to each of the blood sacrifices. c. Sin Offerings...a kid of the goats. d. The Daily Sacrifices of a Burnt, Meal and Drink Offering. The intricate details of these offeringss is given in Lev. Chap. 1-7. All these sacrifices point to the one perfect and once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No one offering was complete in itself to set forth all the intricate glories and perfections of Christ as to His Person and Work. E. The Atoning Ministry. The actual work of atonement falls into three main areas: that which pertains to Aaron and his household, and that which pertains to the nation, and that which pertains to the Sanctuary. 1. Atonement for Aaron and his Household...Lev. 16: 3-14 Aaron, first of all, offered a bullock for a Sin Offering for himself and his own house, thus making atonement for his own household. vs. 3,6. After this he presented the two goats before the Lord, casting lots as to which goat was for the Lord in sacrifice and which goat would be taken into the wilderness and released vs. 5, 7-10. After this Aaron was to take the blood of the bullock for his Sin Offering and enter within the veil, sprinkle the blood on the Mercy seat eastward and then 7 times before the Mercy seat. All of this was done amidst the rising cloud of incense from the golden censer vs. 11-14. In this way Aaron made atonement for his own sins, and the sins of his household. 2. Atonement for the Nation: Lev. 16:15. Aaron then killed the Lord's goat for a Sin Offering. This was the offering for the people of Israel. He did with the blood of this goat what he did with the blood of the bullock: he entered withing the veil, into the Holiest of All, and sprinkled the blood on the Mercy of the Ark of the Covenant and then 7 times before the Mercy seat. In this way the Nation of Israel was atoned for. Date: Friday, September 17, 2004 at 10:50:15 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Again the scripture interprets the symbolic act here. The ceremonial washing of water in the Old Testament pointed to the "washing of water by the Word". It also involves the washing of regeneration Eph. 5:26,27; Titus 3:5; John 3:1-5;15:3; 1 Corin. 6:11; Heb. 10:22; Psa. 51:7. For Aaron it meant that he must be absolutely clean in order to make the atone- ment in behalf of the people. For Christ it meant that He was absolutely clean and sinlessly perfect when He made the atonement for His people. For the believer it means that they must be washed in the water of the Word in their approach into the Presence of the Lord. C. The Linen Garments: Lev. 16:4,23 On this day Aaron laid aside the "garments of glory and beauty" Ex. 28:1-5 and put on linen garments. He was wholly clothed in white linen as he made the atone- ment. He had on linen breeches, a linen coat, a linen girdle and a linen mitre. They were called "the holy garments". After making the atonement for the Sanctuary and washing in the Holy Place, he was then to change back into his garments of gloryh and beauty. How wonderfully Christ fulfilled the "Type" in Himself. For He laid aside His reputation, emptying Himself of His glory and taking upon Himself the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men. But He was a perfectly righteous man. The fine linen garments are interpreted as Divine righteousness, both of Christ and the righteousness with which the saints are clothed Rev. 3:4,5; 15:6; 19:7,8; Psa. 132:9; Isa. 61:10; John 17: 1-5. The linen garments symbolize the righteous and sinless humanity with which Christ clothed Himself, while the garments of glory and beauty speak of that glory which He had with the Father before the world began. D. The sacrifices of That Day: Lev. 16:3, 5-11, 14-28; Num. 29:7-11 There were special sacrifices offered on this day, besides the daily sacrifice. These offerings were as follows: 1. A young bullock for a Sin Offering...for Aaron himself and his house. 2. A ram for a Burnt Offering...for Aaron himself. Date: Friday, September 10, 2004 at 08:15:33 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD A. The Golden Censer Ministry..Lev. 16:1,2, 12-14; Heb. 9:4 The Lord commanded that Aaron not come into the Holiest of All at all times but only on this one day during the year. Even then he was to take the golden censer, and with his hands full of sweet incense bring it within the veil. As he entered within the veil, placing the incense on the fiery coals of the censer, a cloud of incense ascended, covering the Ark of Glory. Aaron dare not enter into the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle without the rising cloud of incense. The symbolism of the incense is clearly interpreted for us both in the Old and in the New Testament, Incense and its ingrediants always speaks of prayer and its essential ingredients. Aaron the High Priest typifies the ministry of the Mediator and Intercessor. David said: "Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense.."Psa. 141:2.Read also Rev. 5:8; 8: 1-5. Rising incense speaks of the ascending prayers of the saints before God. This finds it fulfilment in Christ and the Church. Christ Jesus is our Mediator and Intercessor. He ever lives to make intercession for the saints according to the will of God Heb. 7:24,25; Rom. 8:34; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1. Since Christ's ascension to the throne of His Father, the prayers and intercessions in behalf of His own are presented continually before the Father God in the heavenly and true Sanctuary. The prayers of the saints also ascend "within the veil", acceptable to God through Christ. It is in prayer and intercession that the beliver approaches God. At the first coming of Christ there was a revelation given to Zacharias at the golden altar of incense while the multitude were praying without. As the second coming of Christ approaches the spirit of prayer and supplicaton will again increase in the Church. The book of Rev. 8:1-5 intimates this as it alludes to the Day of Atonement cermony in this passage. Thus, in fulfilment of the golden censer ministry, we see the prayers and intercessions of both Christ and the Church. All will increase as the Day of Atonement approaches. B. The Washing of Water: Lev. 16:4,24 On this day there was the special washing of water in preparation for the sacrificial offerings. Aaron washed before he entered the Sanctuary and then washed again in the Holy Place after Sancturay had been cleansed Date: Friday, September 03, 2004 at 10:56:18 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD D. A Day of Solemn Assembly: Joel 2:15-17; Num. 10:10 The Day of Atonement was also the calling of a Solemn Assembly. There were days of gladness and rejoicing in other Festivals but this day was was the most Solemn day, a time of mourning and deep afflection. The Psalmist said: "Blow up the trumpet in the New Moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn Feast Day"...Psa. 81:3. The Church also may expect times of solemn assembly, when the Lord calls by the trumpet voice to affliction of soul, to times and seasons of special prayer, intercession and fasting before Him so that His purposes may be fulfilled in and through the Church. E. The 10th Day of the 7th Month...Lev. 23:27; Num. 29:7. The significance of numbers may be seen here in the fact that the Day of Atonement took place on the 10th day of the 7th mo. This day brought all the nation of Israel together at the Tabernacle door, at the Sanctuary of the Lord for the great cleansing and reconciliation. Lev. 16:29,30. 1. Seven.. is the number of fulness and completness and perfection. Thus the 7th month completed the Feasts of the Lord and the Sacred year in Israel. Seven is also the number of Rest, so this month brought Israel to fulness of rest through atonement. 2. Ten..is the number of testing, trial, law and order, and also responsibility before the Lord (Rev. 2:10; Dan. 1:12). The 10 days between the day of blowing of Trumpets and the day of Atonement were days of preparation, and all were responsible to be ready for this great day. It was the beginning of the days of Preparation the day Christ was crucified. (Get it ?)... II. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT CEREMONIES: Lev. 16 This Chap. of Lev. gives to us the intricate details of the ceremonies which were to be fulfilled on the great Day of Atonement. The Types and Shadows here all point to the work of Christ historically and then to His work prophetically in His Church. We consider the Old Testament typical ceremonies of this day and what it meant to and in Israel and then see how Christ fulfilled it in the New Testament and what it means in and to the Church, which is His Body. Date: Friday, August 27, 2004 at 11:15:29 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Day of Atonement was to be kept from "evening to evening". The same truth is applicable here as for other Feast Days and Sabbaths. Israel had to cease from their own works and rest in the work of the atonement, the work of the High Priest in Sanctuary service. For the believer, there is true rest in Christ's finished work. It is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but it is what Christ has done in His atoning work Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:27,28; 10:30-33; Matt. 11:28-30; Heb. 4: 1-11; John 17:1-4; 19:30; Rom. 11: 32. B. A Day of Fasting: Lev. 23:26-32; Num. 29:7; Lev.16:31. This day, although involved in the Feasts of Israel was really a "fast" day. In Acts 27:9 this day is called "The Fast". It was the only day of the Feasts of the Lord specifically set aside as a day of national fasting. Fasting has always been the affliction of the flesh. It is the discipline and subju- gation of bildily appetites. Throughout Israel's history there were special occa- sions of fasting, days of national fasting and humiliation. The true and proper Fast is set forth in Isa. Chap. 58... As the Day of Atonement approaches for the chruch, there will be greater times of affliction of the flesh and subduing of bodily appetites. The days are at hand when the disciples of the Lord will fast, because the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, is away. We should also read these scriptures on the importance and practice of fasting as in Israel and in the early church, Ezra 8:23; Neh. 1:4; Mt. 4:2; Acts 13:1-4; Psa. 35:13; 69:10; 109:24; Dan. 9:3; Joel 2:12; Mt.17:21; Acts 10:30; Luke 2:37; 2 Corin. 6:5; 11:27; Mt. 9:14,15. C. A Day of Affliction of the Soul: This day was also a time of "soul-affliction." Body and soul affliction were linked in this day of fasting and prayer. On this day the Israelites humbled themselves before the Lord in national repentance and humiliation as they sought the Lord. God uses soul affliction to draw us to Himself Psa. 119:67,71. Any person who refused to afflict their souls in Israel were cut off. All needed to accept the dealings of God. Soul affliction speaks of that judging of ourselves so that we be not judged of the Lord. 1 Corin.. 11:28-32 As the church approaches the Day of Atonement "soul affliction" will be manifested in the believers more and more. Date: Friday, August 20, 2004 at 10:30:20 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD "THE FEAST DAY OF ATONEMENT" I. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT: Lev. 23:26-28; 25:9 The Day of Atonement was the most solemn of all days in Israel. As with Passover, Sheaf ofFirstfruits, and Pentecost, so with the Day of Atonement. This day was a literal 24 hr. day in Israel, in which significant events took place. The Prophet Zechariah, in prophesying of this Day, said..."and I will remove the The scriptures often use the word "day" in both a literal 24 hr. day meaning as well as an indefinte period of time, as the following references clearly show. Prov. 4:18... "Light that shines more and more unto the perfect Day." John 8:56....."Abraham rejoiced to see "My Day".Heb. 10:25..."The saints are to gather together and the much more as they see "The Day approaching." 2Pet. 1:19....."The believer is to watch as he sees "the day dawn" and "the day-star" arise in our heart. Eph. 4:30......The believer is sealed unto "the day of redemption." Read also Rom. 12: 13,14.; 2Thess. 2:2; Acts 13:41; Nahum 3:3; 1Corin. 13:10; Heb. 9:28; Joel 2:1-11; Zeph. 1:14,15; Malachi 4:1-6. Consistency of these scriptures will show that as each of the Feast days were literal 24 hrs. days in Israel's history, so they are also in church history. But of course, once the initial day has been ushered in it remains open to all who will believe and enter into that Feast. So then Passover took place on a literal 24 hr. day, yet this Feast has been open ever since to all who will belive and enter into it. So it is the same with the Feast of Tabernacles, Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles proper. Several things should be noted about this Day. A. A Day of Holy Convocation: Lev. 23:27-32; Num. 29:7; Lev.16: 31. Like every other Feast Day, the Day of Atonement was a holy convocation, and a sabbath rest. No servile work was to be done on this day. So serious was the command, that if any person did any work on this day he was to be cut off from the people of God. Date: Friday, August 13, 2004 at 10:05:50 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 13 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST DAY OF ATONEMENT We come now to the most solemn of all Feast Days, the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement was the Day of national and Sanctuary cleansing. On this day special sacrifices were offered for atonement. The special and peculiar offerings were those of the two goats, one goat for Jehovah and the other goat for Azazel. One goat was slain, the other goat was taken into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man, bearing away the sins of the people. On this day only, which took place but once a year, the High Priest entered into the Holiest of All, within the veil, with the blood of the Lord's goat, the sin offering. Here he sprinkled the blood on the Mercy Seat. The blood of the sin offering on the Great Day of Atonement brought about the cleansing of all sin, all iniquity, and all transgression. The Priesthood, the Santuary and Israel as a nation experienced blood atonement, thus being reconciled to their God. The details of this Feast Day are provided for us in Lev. 16; 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11; Heb. Chaps. 8,9,10. interprets this Feast Day for us in the N.Testament. Again we need to remember that, as for Passover and Pentecost, there is a twofold fulfilment relative to the Day of Atonement: that which finds its fulfilment in the Person and Misistry of Christ (historically), and that which finds its fulfilment in the believers "individually" and in the church corporately both in the present and in furture experientially. It is important to keep this in view, so that there is a proper interpretation and understanding of this Day of Atonement relative to Christ and His Church. For, there are those who see an historical fulfilment in Christ but fail to see a future or experiential fulfilment in the Church. And there are those who, on the other hand, see a future fulfilment in the church but fail to see what Christ has fulfilled historyically. There is absolutely no doubt that full and complete "Atonement" has been made by Jesus Christ on Calvary's Cross, but there is also no doubt that the church has never fully and completely appropriated and received all that the Atonement has provided. It is the experiential appropriation of the Atonement that constitutes Day of Atonement in the church. Those who interpret this Feast Day to take place in the future in the Jewish nation,, wee it to be prophetic of a day of national cleansing for the Jew. And those who interpret this Feast Day to find its fulfilment in the church also see a futuristic fulfilment but founded on the work of Calvary. Date: Friday, August 06, 2004 at 14:31:49 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 12 The 7 Feasts of the Lord However, in the early 1950's God poured out His Spirit again revealing further truths which had been sealed in His Word. Many ministries were raised up by God about this period of time. It became a real "Feast of Trumpets" with the truths being proclaimed. The truth of the church coing to maturity and perfection; the great preparation for harvest ingathering the coming of the Lord again to His Church in glory. There was also a further call to cleansing, to holiness and separation unto the Lord. In other words, a call to the Day of Atonement. In concluding then the Feast of Trumpets we see that this Feast finds its present fulfillment in the distinctive ministries with distinctive truths being spoken to the church, and then its ultimate fulfilment is in the judgments poured out in the Book of Rev.. All consummate at the LAST and 7th Trumpet at the second coming of Christ for His own and the establishment of His Kingdom ..1 Corin. 15: 51-57; 1 Thess. 4: 15-18; Rev. Chaps. 8-11; Mt. 25: 30,31. God's people need to understand that the church must experience the Feast of Trumpets before experiencing "the last trumpet". He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches...Rev. 2:29; Mark 4:23,24; Luke 8:18; Isa. 18:3. Other prophetic and significant uses of the Trumpets may be considered for study. A. There were 120 trumpets at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple in the Feast of Tabernacles..2 Chron. 5. B. The Book of the Law was opened in the Feast of Trumpets. Deut. 31:9-13; Ezra 3; Neh. 8; Rev. 4 & 5; Isa. 29:11,12. C. The 7 Priests with 7 trumpets brought about the collapes of Jericho. Josh. 5 & 6; Rev. 11: 15. D. Kings were anointed at the blowing of the Trumpets. 1 Ki. 1: 32-40; 2 Ki. 9: 11-13. E. The Day of the Lord, or the second coming of Christ is heralded by the Trumpet. Zeph. 1:14-18; Mt. 24:31; 1 Corin. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16. End Study 12 Date: Friday, July 30, 2004 at 10:20:39 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 12 The 7 Feasts of the Lord 2. Seven priests blowing trumpets were also involved in the bringing up of the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle of David. 1 Chron. 15: 24-28. 3. Seven messengers blow seven trumpets in the Book of Rev, while the blast of the 7th Trump, the Ark of the Covenant is seen in the heavenly Sanctuary. Rev. Chaps. 8-11. All has to do with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the Day of blowing of the Trumpets began in the first day of the 7th Mo., introducing and calling Israel to the soon coming Day of Atonement, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles. In application of this Feast DAy to the Church we may consider the following: The church historically experienced Passover. The church historically experienced Pentecost. The church historically has experienced distinctive "Trumpet calls" as illustratated in Israel's history. Various men of God and revivals and awakenings may be viewed as "Trumpet Calls" and messages to the church. Each Feast was in- troduced by a Trumpet CAll. In tracing Church history we can see how the church entered into what is called.. "The Dark Ages", when light and truth seemed almost extinguished. But God in His purpose and grace raised up Luther, Calvin and other Reformers. They proclaimed with Trumpet Voice the distinctive truths relative to the Feast of Passover; justifi- cation by faith in the blood of Jesus, santification unto the Lord. The Wesley revivals emphasized the truth of Holiness and separation also. This speaks of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the putting away of evil practices (sin). Then followed subsequent awakenings, and more especially in the early years of the 20th Century (1900's) God poured out His Spirit, and multitudes experienced the glorious Feast of Pentecost. Since then other ministries have proclaimed with trumpet-like voice the distinctive truths belonging to this Feast. The "Pentecostal" or "Charismatic" believers witness to this fact. Date: Friday, July 23, 2004 at 08:17:58 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 12 The 7 Feasts of the Lord In the Feast of Unleavened Bread "no servile work" was to be done Vs. 7,8. In the Feast day of Pentecost "no servile work" was to be done Vs. 21. In the Feast Day of Trumpets "no servile work" was to be done Vs. 25. In the Feast Day of Atonement no work was to be done and anyone doing work would be destroyed from the people of God. Vs. 28-31. REST was to be entered into on these Feast Days. Man was to cease from all "THEIR OWN WORKS". The New Testament answers this for the believer, for the believer must "cease from their OWN works" and "enter into the Rest. Heb. 4:1-11; Mt. 11: 28-30. It is "in Christ" the believer finds true rest, ceasing from the works of the flesh Gal. 5: 19-21 and the works of the Law Rom. 3:27,28; 10:30-33. Christ is our Sabbath. The Old Test. Sabbath days showed us things to come to the person of Christ. Col. 2:14-17. C. The Seventh Month:Lev. 23:24 Passover took place in the first month. Number one is the number of beginnings, of commencement. Israel began their experience with the Lord in the "first" month Mt. 6:33; Gen. 1:1; John 1:1,2. In this Feast the believer comes to the Lord Jesus and puts "first" the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. Pentecost took place in the 3rd Mo.. Number 3 is the number of com- plete testimony, the number of Divine Witness. Associated with the Penticostal Feast in the Holy Spirit who is the "3rd" person in the eternal Godhead. In this Feast the believer knows the blessedness of the in dwelling and infilling Holy Spirit. Tabernacles took place in the 7th Mo. Number 7 is the number of per- fection and fullness. In this Feast the believer is brought to the Fulness of the GodHead. Number 7 is distinctly the number of the Book of Rev.. The number is used over 600 times in the Bible. Because the Feast of Tabernacles took polace in the 7th Mo. several important incidents in Scripture will suffice to show its Types and Shadows of the things to come.. 1. Seven priests with the Ark of God in the midst marched with seven trumpets around the wall of Jericho for 6 days. On the 7th day they marched around 7 times. At the close of the march the trumpets were blown, the people shouted and God caused the walls of Jericho to collapse. The victory was complete.......Josh. 5 and 6. Date: Friday, July 16, 2004 at 10:58:27 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD This is the rapture trumpet. However, the Feast Day of Trumpets was distinctly the call to the great Day of Atonement, the Day of national cleansing. Daniel the prophet speaks of it as "the cleansing of the Sanctuary". Dan. 8:13,14. Right throughout the nation, regardless of which tribe a person be- longed to, the call went to all Israelites to come to the Sanctuary of the Lord for this Soilemn Day of Atonement. This is what the Feast Day of Trumpets meant historically in and to the nation of Israel. Several olther important things relative tol this day should be noted here. A. New Year's Day...Num. 29: 1 The Feast Day of Trumpets was New Year's Day in Israel. It should be remembered that the Hebrews had a two-sided calendar year, that is, the Sacred and the Civil. The Sacred year began in Abib or Nisan, the 1st Mo., with the Feast of Passover and it concluded in Tishri of Ethanim, the 7th Mo., in the Feast of Tabernacles. The Civil year began in the 7th Mo. with the Day of Trumpets and finished 12 months later in the month Ebul. Hence the 1st Mo. of the sacred year became the 7th Mo. of the Civil year while the 1st mo. of the civil was also the 7th mo. of the Sacred year... :-(... Thus it was both an end and a new beginning; closing off the old and bringing in the New Year. It is this which helps us to understand Joel 2:23 concerning the former and latter rains coming down "in the first mo." The spiritual truth conveyed here to the church is that God's endings are also new beginnings. He closes off one the old to bring us into the new beginning. He Himself is "the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending" and the Finisher of our Faith...Rev. 1:8,11; Isa. 41:4; Heb. 12:1-4. B. A Sabbath Rest..Lev. 23: 23-25 As were all other Feast Days, so the Day of Trumpets was a Sabbath Rest. No servile work was to be done. It was to be a day of rest...rest in the finished work of the High Priest in the Atonement. Lev. 23 empha- sizes the fact for each Feast that no servile work was to be done. Date: Friday, July 09, 2004 at 10:34:38 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD So the Lord accepts the church in her priestly ministrations through Christ. The believer offers spiritual sacrifices of joy and praise acceptable to God in Him. Heb. 13:15,16; Rev. 1:6; 5: 9,10; 1 Pet. 2:5-9. These were the major uses of trumpets in Israel. The Hebrew nation was familiar with the sound of the trumpet. All had to learn the distinctive messages that were being sounded in order to respond properly. The Lord Jesus, with trumpet voice called to the churches to "hear what the Spirit" was saying to them. Rev. 2:7,11,17,27; 3:6,22; 1:10. We note briefly several olther significant uses of trumpets in Israel as well in the New Testament Revelation. A. Trumpets were used in the anoiting of Kings. 2Ki.9:13; 11:14; 2Sam. 15:10; 2Chron. 23:13 B. Trumpets were used at the Dedication of Solomon's Temple. 2Chron.5: 11-14. C. Trumpets were used in the great year of Jubilee, which was every 50th year in Israel. It was a year of release, restoration and reunion. Lev. 25; Isa. 61: 1-3; Luke 4: 18,19. D. Trumpets are associated with the final judgement of God and also at the 2nd coming of Christ for His own. Rev. 8:1-9; 11:15; 1Thess. 4:16; 1Corin. 15:51,52; Mt. 24:31; Zeph. 1:14-18; Zech. 9:14. III. THE FEAST DAY OF TRUMPETS: Lev. 23:23-25; Num. 29:1 As seen previously, trumpets were blown at the beginning of the mo.s, announcing each new month. The Feast of Tabernacles took place in the 7th Month. This month was ushered in by the trumpets, but with special em- phasis. So much so that this day was called "The Day of the Blowing of Trumpets". It was a different call and message that sounded forth on this Feast Day. Date: Friday, July 02, 2004 at 10:11:43 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD the New Testament church, in times of spiritual warfare and oppression can call on the Name of the Lord and experience great deliverance. Acts 10:38; Eph. 6:10-18. F. For Days of Gladness: Num. 10:10 There were times of great joy and gladness on the various Festival occasions. In these days the trumpets were blown as the people rejoiced together before the Lord their God. This is seen greatly in the Tabernacle of David order of worship. I Chron. 13:8; 15:24-29; Psa. 47:4,5; 150:3; 2 Sam. 6:13. So the church experiences days of gladness and joy as she gathers together to wor- ship the Lord in Festival days as well as on the Lord's day. Col.4:12; Eph. 3:18. G. For Solemn Assemblies: Num. 10:10 There were other occasions when the people of Israel were called by the trumpets to days of Solemn Assemblies; in times of intercession, prayer and fasting. Joel 2:1-17; Psa. 81:3; Zeph. 3:14-20; 2 Ki. 10:20. So the church at times is called by the Lord to times and seasons of intercession and special prayer and fasting. Isa. 58:3-6; Joel 1:14; Mark 2:18-20, 9:29; Mt. 17:21; H. For the Beginning of Months: Num. 10:10 All Feast Days and all the beginning of the months were announced by the sound of the blowing of the Trumpets. These trumpet sounds were to keep God's "times and seasons" in the people's mind Ex. 19:6,13; Lev. 23:24. So the Spirit of God speaks to the church by the ministries, those who can hear His Voice, so that God's people may remember the "times and the season's" of the Lord's calendar. Ecc. 3:1,17; 8:6; Dan. 2:21; Lev. 23:4; Acts 1:7; 1 Thess. 5:1. I. For the Offerings and Sacrifices: Num. 10:10 As the sacrifices were being offered upon the altar the trumpets were also blown. As the Lord heard the silvery note of redemption ascending over the ascending sacrifices, so He would remember His promise to accept His people through blood atonement. Num. 28: 11-15; 29:1-6; 2 Chron. 29:27,28. Date: Friday, June 25, 2004 at 10:34:13 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD (BLOWING OF THE TRUMPETS, CONT.) A. For the Calling of the Assemblies: Num. 10:2 Under this call the 12 Tribes gathered together as one nation. The Trumpet was always used to call Israel, God's people together. Isa. 27: 13. So the Church as the Israel of God gathers together as one in Christ, Psa. 50:5; Mt. 18:20; Eph. 4:10; Jn. 17. At the coming of Christ the trumpet will sound and gather together all the elect from the four corners of the earth. Mt. 24:30,31. B. For the Journeying of the Camps: Num. 10:2 When the Cloud moved, then the trumpets were to be blown and the people were to move on with God. Num. 9:15-23; 10:11-36; Heb. 11:13. So the Church today must follow the Cloud of God's Holy Spirit as He leads the way. C. For the Calling of the Princes: Num. 10:4 When the leadership of the nation was to be gathered together, then only one trumpet was to be blown. Two trumpets whould sound when the whole nation or the whole congregation was to be called. Psa. 107:32; Eze. 34:1-7; Rev. 1:10. So today God calls leadership together in special convocations so that He may speak to them and give them direction. D. For the Blowing of Alarms: Num. 10: 5-7. At times they had to sound an alarm and warn the people of that which was coming Joel 2:1; Amos 3:6,7 So today God sounds an alarm to His Church to warn her of coming events in the World and thus cause the church to seek His Face. E. For War or Enemy Oppression: Num. 10:9 Trumpets were often blown in times of war and enemy oppression. When God heard the trumpet He would fight for His people and bring them deliverance. Jere. 4:19,21; Judges 3:27; 6:34; 7:4-22; Num. 31:6,7. Date: Friday, June 18, 2004 at 10:21:46 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Two trumpets: were made for the various callings in Israel. As noted already the number two is the number of testimony, the number of witness. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" Deut. 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17,18; 2 Corin. 13:1. Here we have the silvery redemptive witness sounding forth in Israel in these two silver trumpets. The Jew and Gentile, two yet one in Christ are redeemed, not with corruptible things such as silver or gold but with the prescious blood of Jesus I Peter 1: 18-20; Lev. 17:11-14. Both speak with a united witness and testimony. The trumpet in scripture is used to symbolize the prophetic voice, the spoken Word of the Lord coming to His people through the ministry. The prophets were told to lift up their voice "Likea trumpet" Isa. 58:1; Hosea 8:1. The Prophet Ezekiel was distinclty told to be a Watchman to Israel and blow the trumpet voice of warning to them, or call them unto the Lord Eze. 33: 1-7. The Voice of the Lord Jesus is symbolized also by the sound of the trumpet Rev. 1:10; 4:1.Read also Joel 2:1,15; Amos 3:6-8; Isa. 18:3; 27:13; Jere. 4:8; 19:21; 51:27. For Israel, Aaron and his sons were responsible as priests to sound the trumpet message on the special occasions Ex. 28:1 with Num. 10:3,4,10. For the Church, the Body of Christ, the two silver trumpets is likened to the Ministries. Christ and His Ministers sound the Word of the Lord to the spirit- ual Israel of God. Eph. 4:8-16. It is important that the trumpets make a clear and distinct sound so that the people of God may hear and understand the message I Corin. 14:8; 13:1; Mark 4:23-25; Luke 8:18. The people of God need to take heed "how" and "what" they hear. II. USE OF TRUMPETS IN ISRAEL: Num. 10: 1-10 The scripture passage in Num. gives nine specific occasions when the trumpets were to be blown in Israel. The find their historical fulfilment in Old Testament Israel and then their spiritual significance in New Testament Israel, the Church. Date: Friday, June 11, 2004 at 10:33:18 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Page 1Study 12 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST DAY OF THE BLOWING OF THE TRUMPETS The Feast of Tabernacles is introduced on the first day of the seventh month by the day of blowing of trumpets. It is a festival of trumpets sounding throughout the land and calling the nation to prepare for the coming Day of Atonement, the Day of national cleansing. Specially prepared offerings were presented to the Lord on the Day also, even as on every other Feast day, besides the regular daily offerings. Psalm 89:15 "How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound ! Or, blast of the Trumpet, shout of joy." The specific scriptures dealing with this Feast are found in Lev. 23:23-25; Num. 29: 1-6. Because this Feast Day is praticularly called "The Day of blowing of the Trumpets" the significance of trumpets in Israel should be understood. I. TRUMPETS IN ISRAEL: There were basically two kinds of trumpets in Israel; trumpets made of ram's horns and trumpets of silver. A. Trumpets of Ram's Horns: Ex. 19:16,19; 20:18; Lev. 25:9; Josh 6:4-13, 20; 1 Sam. 2:1; 1 Chron.25: 5. The horn here came from some sacrifice, from the bullock or the ram. The ram's horns were especially used to blast out the note of shouting at the fall of the walls of Jericho. It was the trumpet of Jubilee Lev. 25: 10-54. And it was the ram's horn caught in the bushes to be the sacrifice for Abrahams only Son Isaac. (A type of Christ).. B. Trumpets of Silver: Num. 10:2,8,9; 29:1; 2Chron. 5:12,13; 7:6; Psa. 98:6. The trumpets here were made of silver. Silver was the symbol of the price of redemption of the soul. It was used as ransom or the atonement money Ex. 30: 11-16. It is possible that the two trumpets made from one piece of silver came from the atonement money after the numbering of the firstborn Num. 3: 40-51. Date: Friday, June 04, 2004 at 10:46:37 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE 3 FEASTS OF THE LORD: ___________________________________________________________ Historical Fulfilment Typical/Prophetical in Israel ___________________________________________________________ PASSOVER, PENTECOST, TABERNACLES ___________________________________________________________ Egypt, Sinai, Wilderness Wanderings, Canaan 1st Month, 3rd Month, 4th, 5th, 6th Mo.s, 7th Month ___________________________________________________________ Passover 14th, 50th, Trumpets 1st Unleavened, from the, Atonement 10th Bread 15th, Sheaf Waving, Tabernacles 15th Sheaf of 1st Fruits 18th Spring Rains, Early/Latter Rains Barley Harvest, Wheat Harvest, Wine & Oil Harves Corn, Fruit ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Historical Fulfilment Antitypical in Christ ____________________________________________________________ PASSOVER, PENTECOST,TABERNACLES ____________________________________________________________ Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Heb./Rev. ____________________________________________________________ Crucifixion, Holy Spirit, Ministry Voice Resurrection, Church Formed, Church, Ingathering Souls Spiritual, Experiential, Coming of Christ Practical Fulfilment in Church Salvation in, Baptism in, Perfection of the Christ, Holy Spirit, Church Separation to, into Body, Coming of Christ Christ, of Christ Early Church Outpouring, Latter Days, Outpouring The Challenge comes to all believers as to which Feast they will stop at ?... Passover ? ....Pentecost ? ..... or Tabernacles ?...... Church history shows how God's people have stopped at either the first Feast or the second Feast. God's people have built their denominations around the various truths of these two Feasts. And the sad history of the church shows that those who experienced Passover truths opposed those who experience Pentecost truths. And, history repeating itself, shows that there are those who have experienced Pentecost truths who oppose those who seek to follow on to KNOW God in Tabernacle truths! End of Study 11 Date: Friday, May 28, 2004 at 10:32:56 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD IV. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES OUTLINED: Before proceeding in our study of this final Feast in detail lets outline the 3 integral parts of it. Passover had 3 integral parts to it. Pentecost stood alone. Tabernacles had 3 integral parts to it. All together the 3 Feasts comprhend seven Festival days in their respective months, times and seasons. Lev. sets out the 3 parts of this Feast of the 7th month. 1. The Feast Day of Trumpets..Lev. 23: 23-25. 2. The Feast Day of Atonement.Lev. 23: 26-32. 3. The Feast of Tabernacles..... Lev. 23: 33-44. Other Scriptures dealing with the details of this Feast may be found in Lev. 16; Num. 10: 1-10; 29: 1-40; in the Old Testament, and the Book of Heb. in the New. V. The Feast of Tabernacles...Historically and Prophetically: The two major schools of interpretation of this Feast both recognize that this is a Feast with prophetic import. Whether it is interpreted to be fulfilled in the nation of Israel or in the Church, both see that this Feast in its fulness has to find future fulfilment. It is recognized that there has been an historical fulfilment of Passover. There has also been an historical fulfilment of Pentecost. There has not been an historical fulfilment of Tabernacles. Consistency of interpretaiton demands that this Feast, as the previous 2, also find historical fulfilment. Not only must there be an historical fulfilment, there must also be an experiential fulfilment. As this Feast is studied it will be seen that certain elements in this Feast have been fulfilled historically in Christ and His redemptive work. The full truth typified has to find its fulfilment in the experience of the church.. Hence, in studying the details of this fianl Feast, it is necessary to clearly understand and discern that which Christ has already fulfilled and that this has to be fulfilled in the church. Or, it is important to understand that which is historical and that which is prophetical. This twofold fulfilment should be distinguished, otherwise misunderstanding and misinterpretation will result. This will be noted by: A. That which has been fulfilled by Christ historically, and judically, as to its temporal and symbolical elements. B. That which has to be fulfilled in the church prophetically and experientially as to its eternal and spiritual elements. This twofold fulfillment will be kept in view as we consider the details of this Feast as it involves Christ historically and the Church, His Body, prophetically. The following illustrates the truth of the Feasts as to their historical and prop- hetical significances in Israel's history and of the church. Date: Friday, May 21, 2004 at 10:24:28 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Rehoboam, the son of Solomon (who is a type of Christ), took the throne over the house of Judah, consisting of two tribes, plus the Priestly Tribe of Levi, Jero- boam, the son of Nebat and servant of Solomon, took the throne over the House of Israel, consisting of the remaining ten tribes. The Lord permitted this division to take place so that His sovereign purposes would be worked out in the nation. 1 Ki. 12: 1-24.. In the remainder of the chapter, verses 25-33, we see how Jeroboam set up a sub- stitute Feast of Tabernacles, postponing it to another month. The salient points are noted here. Jeroboam, fearing that the kingdom would return to Rehoboam, decided to set up a counterfeit religion. He had two golden calves made, setting them up as gods, even as Aaron had years before. One golden calf was set up in Bethel and the other in Dan. This became a sin unto the people, for the people began to worship these golden calves even as they had done under Aaron Ex. 32. Jeroboam also set up a house of high places and established his own priesthood which were not of the tribe of Levi. And then to add to his sin, he "ordained a Feast in the 8th month, like unto the Feast that was in Judah". He built an altar and sacrifices to these false gods, on the 15th day of the 8th month. The Scripture states that this was "the month which he had devised of his own heart.." For his sins, God sent a prophet to bring judgment upon him. However, Jeroboam did not repent but went further into sin as 1 Ki. 13 clearly shows. The lessons which can be learned from this historical account is this: As Jeroboam set up a counterfeit religion and postponed and substituted the Feast of Tabernacles, so will other leaders do likewise. The true Feast of Tabernacles was to be kep in Jerusalem in the place where the Lord recorded His Name. It was also to be kept in the 7th Mo. Lev. 23: 34-44. Evidently Jeroboam reasoned in his heart that the people of Judah would probably accept the postponed and substitute Feast rather than bothering to go up to Jerusalem. In this way he believed he would be able to keep the Kingdom of Israel from re-uniting with the Kingdom of Judah. The tragedy today is that many leaders in Christendom would postpone this Feast to some other dispensation, or pass it on to other people, or even have a substitute Feast. By doing this the church is robbed of entering into this glorious Feast as God intended. However, God will have a people that will indeed enter into all the Feasts of the Lord, rather than follow modern day Jeroboams and a counterfeit priesthood in an idola- tours system. Date: Friday, May 14, 2004 at 08:52:57 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The church has been wandering, so to speak, through church History in so much unbelief of God's promises. Generation after generation has passed on, dying in the wilderness, never experiencing the three Feasts of the Lord. However, there must be....there will be.....a new generation that will arise to enter into the Cove- nant promises of God and experience all three Feasts of the Lord. It is not that this third Feast is not dealt with in the New Testament for it is. Heb. and Rev especially deal with this Feast and its integral parts. However, the Lord has kept this Feast for the endtime generation who will fully believe Him and enter into His promises. The nation of Israel wandered for 40 years, the Church has been wandering for approximately 40 Jubilees ( for, 40 X 50 = 2000 years.) But the Wilderness wanderings are coming to an end. A New Generation is arising. They are experiencing Christ as their Passover. The are keeping the Feast of Pent- ecost in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the Church. They will not stop there but will move on and experience the Feast of Tabernacles and the truths symbolized therein. The following illustrates the truth of these things. Natural Israel:.......... Historical Type: Passover...1st mo........Pentecost...3rd mo.......< Wanderings...40 Yrs. >.......Tabernacles ........................................................................................Israel's History........................7th Mo. _____________________________________________________________ ...Egypt..................................Sinai.........................................................................Canaan Spiritual Israel:....Historican..Antitype: Passover...1st Mo.....Pentecost.3rd Mo.............................Tabernacles ....................................................................................40X50=2000Yrs...................7th Mo. _____________________________________________________________ ..........Gospels.................................Acts......................Church History.............Heb./Rev. III. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES OUTLINED: In 1 Kings Chap. 12 we have an interesting account of the division of the United Kingdom of Israel into 2 Kingdoms; the Kingdom of the House of Judah and the Kingdom of the House of Israel. Date: Friday, May 07, 2004 at 10:35:17 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 11 The 7 Feasts of the Lord For 40 Years God allowed them to wander in the Wilderness until all that gener- ation died. Only Joshua and Caleb lived to enter into the Land of Canaan with the new generation. The national sin was that of unbelief, (lack of faith) in the Word and Promises of God, leading to rebellion, and disobediance. Num. Chaps. 13,14. Heb. Chaps. 3,4. It is evident that the new generation, after crossing the Jordan, kept the Feasts of the Lord. Read carefully Joshua 5: 10-12 with Lev. 23:9-14; Neh. 8: 1-18; Ezra 6:19-22; 3:1-6. So the new generation experienced Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Joshua and Caleb, as over-comer's, also enjoyed the Feasts of the Lord in Canaan land at the end of the 40 years wanderings in the Wilderness. They had another spirit, and wholly followed the Lord. B. Spiritual Israel...The Historical.Antitype... The Old Testament scene may be superimposed upon the history of the New Test- ament Church in remarkable comparison. The Historical Books of the New Testament show the fulfilment of the first two Feasts. The four Gospels present Christ as the historical fulfilment of the Feast of Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Sheaf of Firstfruits. The Book of Acts shows remarkably the historical and anti-typical fulfilment of the Feast of Weeks, or Pen- tecost, in the church. But where, in the history of the church, can one find the fulfilment of the third and final Feast, the Feast of Tabernacles ? This is the one remaining Feast of Prop- hecy..the Feast unfullfilled in the church. Concerning the Feast... the fact remains that the Feast of Tabernacles is the one only type in the Old Testament which has not yet been fulfilled. The New Testament church fofllows the pattern of the Old Testament church. First the natural, then the spiritual; first the type, then the antitype; first the shadow; then the substance. As natural Israel wandered for 40 years after the Passover and Pentecost, and failed to enter into Tabernacles in Canaan rest through unbelief, so spiritual Israel...the church...has followed suit. Date: Friday, April 30, 2004 at 08:18:05 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD II. The Feast Unfulfilled in Israel's Wanderings : Paul tells us that many of the things which happened to Israel were for types and examples to the New Testament Church 1 Corin. 10: 6,11. One of the most remark- able historical-types in Israel's history is that which pertains to the Feasts of the Lord. We will consider both the type and antitype, Old Testament Israel and New Testament Israel, as to the fulfillment of the Feasts of the Lord. A. Natural Israel...The Historical Type: Israel experienced the Feast of Passover in Egypt (the World) and the mighty deliver- ance which resulted therefrom Ex. 12..(As we experience when we're born again.).. They also experienced the Feast of Unleavened Bread in their separation from the land by baptism into the Red Sea and the Cloud Ex. 13:14,15; 1 Corin. 10:1,2. The 3 day journey (note 3 day)...brought them to the foot of Mt. Sinai Ex. Chaps. 15-19. Here at Mt. Sinai the nation experienced the Feast of Pentecost in the 3rd Month. God's intention was then to bring Israel into Canaan land where they could enter into the third and final Feast and partake of the fruit of the land. This is where the Church is today...refusing to go into Canaan land, and still wandering in the desert, because there is still leaven in the bread (sin and disobediacne in the church) and why the Church has not yet experienced the "FRUIT" of the land. We noticed in the case Ai, it only takes one sinner in the camp, to stop the whole pro- gression until the sin is dealt with, and eradicated from the whole camp. An ex- ample to us for sure...So called Christians, dont get it, they holding back the rest of those who have gotten the sin out of their lives. And our Father will have to do something really drastic to get us to bow the knee. In Egypt they knew the Passover. In the journeyings they knew Unleavened Bread. At Mt. Sinai they knew Pentecost. But only in Canaan land could they know and enjoy Tabernacles. The great tragedy is seen when the nation came to Kadesh-Barnea. "Kadesh" means "Holy" or "Holiness", and "Barnea" means "An inconstant or fickle son". It was at Kadesh 'Barnea that they rejected the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In rejecting the land of Canaan they also rejected the greatest Feast also, the Feast of Tabernacles. Num. Chaps. 13,14. Date: Friday, April 23, 2004 at 11:06:54 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 11 The 7 Feasts of the Lord b. The Day of Atonement: This is to be symbolic of the national day of cleansing from sin for Israel after their regathering. It is held that under the Trumpets Israel will be gathered back to the land, unconverted, and under the Day of Atonement will repent, turn to God and experience national cleansing Lev.16;Zech.12:9-14;13:1;Joel 2:11-15 and Heb. 9:11-14. . c. The Feast of Tabernacles: This is to be both a memorial as well as prophetic; memorial to Israel's redemption out of Egypt, and prophetic as to the kingdom rest after her regathering and res- toration. The Feast, coming at the end of harvest when the people dwell in booths is understood to be the fulness of Israel's Millennial rest unto the New Heavens and New Earth. It is also held that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the Millennium by Israel and other nations, who will be forced to keep it or be plagued Zech.14:16-20; Lev. 23:33-44; Deut. 16:13. The nation of Israel's coming back into relationship with the Lord God. However, None could experience Tabernacles without Pentcost, and none could experience Pentecost without Passover. All must follow God's order in the Feasts according to their respective months. Again, it was Jewish "believers" who experienced the first historical Passover and Pentecost in the Gospels and the Acts. These believers actually consisted or constituted "the Church" ! Hence, it becomes inconsistent to take two of the Feasts and apply them to Christ and the Church, and then take the third Feast and apply it only to the nation of Israel. No unbelieving Jew or Israelite could experience the Last Feast without partaking of the first Feast. The Jew must know Christ as his personal Saviour and experience Christ as the Passover Lamb first, then he can experience his personal Pentecost in the baptism of the Spirit which sets him in the church, The Body of Christ. And then, and only then, can he proceed on in God to experience the truth of the Feast of Tabernacles. This is true for both Jew and Gentile. There can be no Feast outside of Christ. Everything since the Cross is "in Christ". Date: Friday, April 16, 2004 at 10:32:54 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of the 7th Month...Tabernacles We come now to the third and final and most glorious Feast of the Lord.... The Feast of Tabernacles. It is a Feast about which the people of God seem to know or understand very little. It will be found that this Feast is alluded to in the Major and Minor Prophets more than the other Feasts combined. It was, for Israel, the consummation of the sacred year, and was the "Feast of Feasts" as far as the Hebrew mind was concerned. Before studying the Feast of Tabernacles and its integral parts and significant details, some broad observations should be considered.... I. The Feast of Prophecy...Israel or the Church ? A. The Feast of Prophecy: Between Pentecost and Tabernacles there was an interval of time of 3 months, these being the 4th, 5th, and 6th months. Passover and Pentecost were linked together by a few weeks but Tabernacles stood alone at the end of the sacred year, separated from the previous Feasts by several months. These months were dry months, when generally no rain fell. (A condition for the present age the believer is in, and the individual believer also experiences this dry season...)..in their walk with the Lord...).. There were no holy convocations when the nation gathered before the Lord and His Sanctuary. There is a definite significance in the time laps between Pentecost and Tabernacles, the dry months. Hence, this Feast is generally recognized as the Feast of Prophecy.. that is, a Feast which has yet to find fulfilment. II. The Three parts of the final Feasts: a. The Feast of Trumpets: Finds fulfilment in the future regathering of long- dispersed Israel. The interval between Pentecost and Trumpets is likened to the pre- sent dispensation and the work of the Holy Spirit. When the present era is ended and the Church or "Pentecostal" period expires, then the elect of Israel will be re- gathered to keep the Feast of Trumpets in Jerusalem (Matt. 24:31; Rom.11:25; Joel 2:1; 3:21; Lev. 23: 23-25 are used to support this interpretation. It is further held that the Feast of Trumpets finds its fulfilment in the "catching out" of the Church and then the regathering of Israel as the second coming of Christ (their Messiah)... Date: Friday, April 09, 2004 at 10:25:03 (CDT) Page No :16 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Passover was "barley" harvest and Pentecost was "wheat" harvest, Ruth 1:22; 2:23; Ex. 34:21,22; Judges 6:11; 1 Sam. 6:13; 2 Sam. 21:9,10. The first harvest of the year, in the beginning of Israel's sacred year was "corn" harvest, which came as the result of the early or the Spring rains. However, the corn harvest pointed to the "fruit" harvest, the harvest in the end of the year Lev. 23:33-44; Deut. 16:6-17; Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Num. 29: 12-40. The final harvest will be considered under the Feast of Tabernacles. Sufficient for the present is to see that the reason why this Feast is called the Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of the Harvest of Firstfruits is because of the corn harvest brought in during this period of time, in these weeks. The Day of Pentecost was actually a "Harvest Festival" or "Thanksgiving Day". The antitype fulfilment of this is seen in the Book of Acts. Under the early outpour- ing of the Holy Spirit as rain there was also a great harvest of souls. Great numbers, great multitudes, came to the Lord. There were 3000 souls, then 5000 souls, and then multitudes of men and women who came in during this harvest period. Acts 4:4; 5:14; 2:41,42. Later on, as the rain of the Holy Spirit continued to be poured out there was a great harvest of Gentile converts reaped. It was the fulfilment of the great harvest which Jesus saw. Matt. 9:37,38; John 4:35. The barley harvest represented the Jewish converts, as barley harvest comes first, and the wheat harvest represented the Gentile converts. To the Jew first came the Gospel, and then to the Gentile. Together they constitute the "corn harvest" of the early Church ingathering period. 3. The Harvest of Firstfruits: Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Num. 28:26. Sufficient has been said concerning the significance of the firstfruits. However, it needs to be noted that the Feast of Weeks was but the firstfruits harvest. The firstfruits always point to more to come. Hence the harvest of Passover and Pentecost pointed to the harvest of the Feast of Tabernacles. (Which has not occurred yet, in our experience; until His Second Coming. As we see Him, NOT attending the Feast of Tabernacles like He did Passover and Pentecost Feasts.) John 7: 8..... 4. Harvest of Freewill Offerings and Rejoicing: Deut. 16:12,16,17; 28:47. With the harvest in, the Lord commanded Israel to bring freewill offerings unto Him, according to the blessing of the Lord upon them. They were to rejoice before the Lord for His Goodness. The freewill offerings were to be given to their sons and daughers, their servants, the strangers, the fatherless, the widow and the Levites..Note also, Deut. 12: 4-12.) The New Testament shows the same spirit of joy and giving upon the early believers, as distribution was made to the needy saints Acts 4:32-34; 6:1; 13:52, 1 Corin. 16:1,2; 2 Corin. 8-9... Thus the believer must experience the glorious Feast of Pentecost, even as Passover. Passover is but the beginning, introducing one to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The believer must continue on in the Feasts of the Lord and enter into Pentecost. Pentecost brings one into the blessed ministry of the Holy Spirit and into the church, the body of Christ. However, this Feast is not the ultimate. There is another Feast into which the believer and the Church must enter. This is the Feast of Tabernacles. Everytime a sinner receives Christ as his own Saviour, he experiences Passover. It is not that the historical Passover is repeated again, but the historical fact and truth becomes experiential truth. The same is true of Pentecost, Pentecost is an historical fact and truth, never to be repeated as such again. However, every time a believer receives the Holy Spirit baptism of fire there is an experiential Pentecost. It is this balance between historical and experiential truth that needs to be kept in mind in studying the Feasts, and especially so as we move on to that glorious Feast , the Feast of Tabernacles....End Study 10 Date: Friday, April 02, 2004 at 09:01:02 (CST) Page No :15 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD G. The Feast of Harvest of Firstfruits: Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Deut. 16:10; Num. 28:26. As seen earlier this Feast Day was called the "Feast of Weeks", or the "Feast of Harvest", or the "The Feast of the Firstfruits". Thus this Feast not only involved a special and literal 24 hour day, it also involved a period of time. There are several other things therefore of significance involved in this Feast besides the special set day ceremonies. 1. The Early Rains...Deut. 11:10-15; Lev. 26:4; Deut. 28:12; Joel 2:23; Zech.10:1 There can be no harvest without the rains to cause it to grow and mature. The Lord promised Israel that He would bless their land, that He would give the "first rain and the latter rain" in order that they would be able to gather in the corn, wine and oil in the appropriate seasons. Thus under Passover, there was the "Spring Rain", according to the reckoning of the sacred year of Israel. And under Pentecost was the "Latter Rain", this will then produce the "Harvest", as it grows during the hot summer months. Rain in Scripture is symbolical of revival and refreshing. Spiritually speaking it pointed to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the "early and latter rain". The Lord promised that He would come to His people as the rain. Hosea 6: 1-3. The Jews always understood that the outpouring of rain or water was symbolical and prohetical of the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit on their own nation as well as other nations. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and onward was indeed "the first rain" or "the spring rain". The Prophet Joel, who is the Prophet of Pentecost, alluded to this in Joel 2:21-32, where he links the out- pouring of early and latter rains with his prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh. 2. The Harvest Time.. Deut. 16:10; Ex. 23:16; 34:22. With rain comes harvest time. The rains were necessary for both sowing and har- vest periods. As in any agricultural year two harvests take place, so in the land of Canaan. There were two periods of harvest: corn harvest and fruit harvest. Thus: a. Passover and Pentecost: ... "corn" harvest. b. Tabernacles......................."Fruit" Harvest" Date: Friday, March 26, 2004 at 10:32:42 (CST) Page No :14 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 7. A Wave Offering: Lev. 23: 17, 20 The Hebrew word "Tenoofaw" meaning "to wave" has also the thought of "to quiver" . i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro; a brandishing" and specially the official undulation of sacrificial offerings. It is translated "offering, shaking, waveoffering.." On the Day of Pentecost the 120 disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, were God's "Wave Offering", for men thought they were drunk by the way they acted and spoke. Acts 2: 1-15. Jews and Gentiles, baptized by the same Spirit into the same body are indeed God's "Wave Offering". 1Corin. 12:13; Eph. 2:11-22. 8. Holy to the Lord for the Priest: Lev. 23: 20 Even though the two wave loaves were leavened, yet the Lord counted them holy unto Himself for the Priest. So the Lord God counts the Church Holy, separated and sanctified unto Himself, for His Christ, even though at present imperfect. The Church is acceptable to God through Christ. The believer is "holy in Christ" Eph. 1:4; 5:27. 9. A Holy Convocation: Lev. 23: 21. The Day of Pentecost was also a sabbath day, a holy convocation. No servile work was to be done on this day of rest. It prophesied of the fact that "the morrow after the sabbath", or the first day of the new week would become the New Testament "sabbath" or "day of rest". The disciples came through the transition from the Old to the New Covenant and came to keep the first day of the week as these scriptures indicate. Matt. 28:1; Acts 2:38; 20:7; 1 Corin. 16: 1,2; Rev. 1:10. 10. A Statute For Ever: Lev. 23: 21. The keeping of the Feast Day of Pentecost was a law that was to be kept in all gen- erations. This finds its fulfilment in the fact that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell with the believer forever..John 14: 16,17. The believer has a continual "Pentecost Feast" thereby. Date: Friday, March 19, 2004 at 08:40:47 (CST) Page No :13 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Jew and Gentile believers together would experience the crushing process in order to become "one bread". Paul says concerning Christ and the church that they are "bread" ! The Bread which we break, is it not the communion of the "Body" of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread " 1 Corin. 10: 16,17. The two Wave loaves being made of fine flour then speak of the oneness of the Jew and the Gentile, blended together by the unifying power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Remembering that God calls the things that are not, as though they are...so shall it be then. 5. Baken with Leaven: Lev. 23: 17 No one can eat fine flour by itself. In order to make fine flour into bread and make it palatable, it must be baked. The fire and the baking process intensify the unity of the loose fine flour. So the fire of the Holy Spirit Heb. 12:29; Matt.3:11,12 intensifies the unity of Jew and Gentile as the bread of God, suitable to be waved before Him. Luke 3:16; Heb. 9: 14. This also speaks of the fiery trials of faith for all saints to bind them to- gether in one loaf, whether Jew or Gentile. Job 23:10; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:6,7; Prov. 17:3. 6. The Firstfruits unto the Lord: Lev. 23: 17 The truth of the firstfruits has already been considered under the Sheaf of the First- fruits. There it was seen that the firstfruits spoke of of the choicest, the first, and the best. They were peculiarly the Lord's and presented to Him. They were sanctified to His Service. This is true whether it speaks of Christ or His Church. Read Ex. 23:16,19; 34:22,26; Lev. 2:12-14; Num. 18:12; 28:26; Deut. 26:10; 2 Ki.4:42 Neh. 10:35-37; 12:44; Prov. 3:9. The New Testament writers particularly see the early converts, both Jew and Gentile as "a kind of firstfruits" unto the Lord. James 1:18; 1 Corin. 15:20, 23; 16:15; Rev. 14:4. They also realized they had but received "the firstfruits" of the Holy Spirit's operations Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1: 13,14. The firstfruits speaks of more to come; the great harvest yet to be reaped and brought in. Thus as the two wave loaves pre- sented to the Lord were but the firstfruits of a great harvest of corn and bread yet to be harvested, so the early church converts, Jew and Gentile, were but the firstfruits of a great harvest to be reaped during this entire church era. Believers are also called the "church of the firstborn". Heb. 12:23. Date: Friday, March 12, 2004 at 10:46:48 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. The twelve loaves of Shewbread on the golden table were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour Lev. 24:5-7. So again we see the double portion of life and health in the "Bread of His Presence" as the Shewbread literally means. d. The two wave loaves offered here at Pentecost were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour. Lev. 23:17. e. In the two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written we also have thought of two-tenths, for the Ten Command- ments find their fulfilment in the two Commandments of Jesus, as given in the New Testament. Matt. 22:34-40. The two-tenths deal of fine flour find their fulfilment in the double por- tion of the spirit upon both Jew and Gentile, who are of the same body. They also can find fulfilment in the fact that the Old Covenant was stamped with the Ten Commandments on Two Tables of Stone, while the New Covenant shows that the Ten Commandments are fulfilled in the Two Commandments of love. Love to God and love to one's neighbor fulfil the Law of Commandments. It is under the Feast of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit, who is the finger of God, writes the commandments of Jesus on the tables of the heart and mind. Jere. 31: 31-34; 2 Corin. 3 As the New Meal offering, the Jew and Gentile come together in the New Covenant, receive a new name, and speak in new tongues and finally are brought to the new Heavens and New Earth and the New Jerusalem. God makes all things New 2 Corin. 5:17,18; Rev. 21:1-8; Mark 16: 15-20; Matt. 26: 26-28. 4. Of fine flour: Lev. 23:17 The two wave loaves were to be of fine flour. Fine flour originates in the whole wheat. This wheat must be taken and put through the grind- ing and crushing process to become fine flour. Only then can it become suitable to become bread. Fine flour speaks of the trials, testings, temptations and sufferings of the believer, as the corn of wheat, in order to become the bread of God, even as for Jesus Christ. John 12:24; Isa. 28:28; 52:14; 53:1-6; Psa. 147:14; John 6:51-56. Date: Friday, March 05, 2004 at 10:33:21 (CST) Page No :11 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD c. Two trumpets of silver were used in the various callings of the camp of Israel and more expecially in the Feast of Trumpets ..Num. 10: 1-10; 29:1. d. Two tables of stone, had the Ten Commandments written on them by the Spirit (Finger) of God. Ex. 20:1-17; 31: 18. e. Two goats were used in the great day of Atonement ceremonies. Lev. 16. When one is with one, making two, then we have agreement and two is therefore the number of witness, the number of testimony. Jesus sent the 12 apostles and the 70 disciples out two by two to witness and testify in every city whither He Himself would come. luke 9:1-6; 10:1,2. The Lord Himself also said that in the mouth of two or three witnesses must every word be established Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16-20. Thus the two wave loaves speak of witness and testimony. The can also be used to symbolize the two ethnic divisions on which the Holy Spirit was poured out in "Pentecostal effusion", make of both "one new man", even the Jew and the Gentile 1 Corin. 12: 13. Both Jew and Gentile testify to the unregenerate world of the Power of the Gospel of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Eph. 2:11-20; Acts 2; Acts 10. They may also be used to symbolize Christ and His Church, who, together declare the same testimony. Although two, yet they are one in witness. God speaks to the World by the testimony of Christ and His Church. Heb. 2: 11; Eph. 5: 31. 3. Two-Tenths Deals of Fine Flour- Lev. 23: 17 Both wave loaves were to be of one and the same measure of fine flour, that is, two tenths deal. The measure of two-tenths deal is found in Israel on several occasions, showing that the Lord had some significant truth in mind when He commanded this measure. a. The Manna which fell in the Wilderness wanderings had two-tenths deal in it, for, on the 6th day Israel was to gather twice as much to carry them over the Sabbath Ex.16:22,36. The two-tenths deal here speak of the "double portion"... b. The Meal Offering presented on the Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits was also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour. Lev. 23:13. Date: Friday, February 27, 2004 at 10:52:49 (CST) Page No :10 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The significance of leaven has already been dealt with. It is worth remembering that Paul wrote his epistles to the Corinthian and Galatian believers, as also other Churches, and they certainly were "Pentecostal leavened wave loaves." He wrote to arrest the action of the leaven and also to have it purged out . 1 Corin. 5:6; Gal. 5:9; Mark 8:15; Matt. 16:6-12; Luke 12:1. We may say therefore that leaven in the two Pentecostal wave loaves is God's rec- ognition...and the believer's...that the root of sin has not yet been eradicated, even though the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The coming of the fire of the Holy Spirit is to arrest the action of sin in the believer's life. Rom. 6:11, 16-22; Eph. 4:17-32; 5:3-13; Col. 3:1-13; Rom. 8:1-4. In summary then it may be seen that Passover speaks of Christ, the Lamb of God, and the believer has faith in the blood and stays under its protection and provision. In Unleavened Bread, Israel was to put away leaven and in a practical way feed on the unleavened food. In fulfilment the believer practically puts away all works of the flesh and outworking of sin. In the Sheaf of Firstfruits, Israel and the believer in the church rests in the fact that God has accepted them in the One Sheaf, Christ. In Pentecost, the two wave loaves baked with leaven, speak of the fact that sin has not yet been eradicated from the Church, in spite of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The believer, because of human frailties still renders imperfect service to the Lord. It will be seen however, that NO LEAVEN is found in the Feast of Tabernacles. Under this Feast the church is brought to maturity and perfection by the atoning blood of Jesus, the Word of God, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. You will note in the gospels, that Jesus attended all the feasts except the Feast of Tabernacles, because this has yet to take place in the Church at His 2nd Coming....... 2. Two Wave Loaves There were Two wave loaves offered to the Lord on this Feast Day of Pentecost. It was a dual offering, both loaves being of the same measure before the Lord. The truth of the dual offerings may be seen through the whole of the Levitical system. a. Two loaves were offered on the Day of Pentecost Lev. 23:17-21. b. Two birds were used in the sacrifice and cleansing of the leper Lev. 14: 1-7 with 1:14 and Gen. 15: 9. Date: Friday, February 20, 2004 at 10:38:29 (CST) Page No :9 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD F. The Two Leavened Wave Loaves: Lev. 23: 15-21; Num. 28: 26-31 The most peculiar ceremony which took place on the Day of Pentecost was the presentation before the Lord of the two leavened wave loaves. It was a ceremony not fully understood by the Hebrews for it seemed to be a contradiction of the previous Commandments of the Lord. We will consider the pertinent details. 1. A New Meal Offering Baken with Leaven The Lord commanded Israel on this Pentecostal day to "offer a new meal offering unto the Lord". They were to bring out of their dwelling places two wave loaves of two-tenths deals of fine flour. And they were to be baken with leaven ! In the Feast of Passover, leaven was absolutely forbidden on pain of excommuni- cation Ex. 12: 15, 19, 20, 31-34; 13: 3-10. In the regular daily Meal Offering no leaven or honey was permitted. Nothing leavened could be offered with blood sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. Lev. 2. We have seen that leaven is symbolical of evil or sin, or that which is false, corruption in its influence, and pointed to the fact that Jesus Christ was perfect and sinless as our Unleavened Breead, our Meal Offering. But here in Pentecost the Lord commanded the very opposite, saying that Israel should make a New Meal Offering of fine flour and bake it with leaven. Why ? Why is there no leaven to be seen in Passover and yet there is leaven seen in Pentecost ? What truth was God setting forth symbolically here ? The reason is that Passover wholly speaks of Christ and His sinless perfections, while Pentecost has to do with the Church, which has not as yet attained to sin- less perfection. Only two particular offerings were offered with leaven in them; these being the Peace Offering offered with leavened bread Lev. 7: 11-13 , and these two Pente- costal Wave Loaves. Lev. 23: 15-22. Date: Friday, February 13, 2004 at 10:21:57 (CST) Page No :8 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 3. The Book of the Covenant: Ex. 24; Heb. Chaps. 8,9 Relative to the Feast of Pentencost was the giving of the Book of the Covenant. The Book of the Covenant contained other civil and cermonial Laws besides the Ten Commandments. This Book was blood-sprinkled, even as were the People. Under Passover the blood was sprinkled on the door. Under Pentecost the blood was sprin- led on the people and the Book. Compare Ex. 24: 8 with Matt. 26: 28. Both Moses and Jesus speak of the "blood of the Covenant". This Book of the Covenant was kept in the side of the Ark of the Covenant Deut. 31: 9-15, 24-26. It was the resposibility of the Priests and Levites to teach the 12 Tribes the Laws of the Lord, as the Church in the Wilderness, or the Old Covenant Church.. Acts 7:38. The New Testament fulfilment is in the writing of the New Testament Books, sub- sequent to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The New Testament Books are blood-sprinled, sprinkled by the blood of Jesus. The New Covenant people are also blood-sprinkled, for it is the Spirit who applies the blood of cleansing. It is also the responsibility and ministry of the church to teach God's people the New Covenant commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ Matt. 26: 26-28; Heb. 9:11-22; Eph. 4: 9-16. 4. The Revelation of the Tabernacle Order: Ex. Chaps. 25-40. Subsequent to the Feast Day of Pentecost was the revelation to Moses of the Taber- nacle of the Lord, and the whole order of approach and worship therein. Here at Mt. Sinai, God established His church. Acts 7: 38, the Aaronic Priesthood, the sacrificial system, the Tabernacle, the sabbath days and the Festival occasions. Here Israel was taught how all must approach God in sacrifice and worship as a redeemed and holy people. The details of these things are enumerable for us in Ex. Chaps. 25-40; Lev. Chaps. 1-27; as well as in certain chapters of the book of Num. The New Testament antitypical fulfilment is seen in the teaching of the Apostles concerning the priesthood of all believers, the spiritual sacrifices offered in a spiri- tual experience of the Feasts of the Lord. The New Testament church, as a redeemed and holy nation approaches God through the perfections of Christ Jesus, by the Spirit 1 Pet. 2: 5-9; Rev. 1:6; 5: 9,10. The Epistles lay out for us the New Testament church order. Date: Friday, February 06, 2004 at 09:52:36 (CST) Page No :7 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD On the 50th day it seems that the Lord wrote with His Finger on the two tables of stone the 10 Commandments. Relative to the giving of the Old Covenant commandments, and the people breaking the same by idolatry, 3000 people were slain. When the Tables were renewed, the face of Moses, their mediator, shone with the Glory of God. Events relative to the New Testament Pentecost show the great comparison and contrast to the Old Testament Pentecost. This was the Birthday of the New Covenant Church. The New Covenant commandments are now to be written by the Spirit (the finger of God, Luke 11: 20; Matt. 12: 28, on the fleshly tables of the heart and mind (Jere.31: 31-34; Heb. 8.) At Pentecost, after Peter's preaching, 3000 people were saved unto life by the ministration of the Spirit. Paul tells us that the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is the greater Glory than that of the face of Moses. Jesus is the New Covenant Mediator, The Glory of the Old Covenant is done away, while the Glory of the New Covenant remains. Paul deals with this comparison and contrast relative to the Feast of Pentecost and the Law in 2 Corin. Chap. 3. This may be seen more clearly when columnized: Old Testament Pentecost: The 50th Day Writing of 10 Commandments on 2 Tables of Stone. By the Finger of God 3000 people slain A ministration of death The letter Glory on the face of Moses Face veiled so people could not behold the Glory of God. Glory to be done away with Ministers of Old Covenant Mt. Sinai. New Testament Pentecost: The 50th Day Writing of Commandments of love on Tables of the heart and mind. By the Spirit of God 3000 People live A ministration of life. The Spirit Glory on the face of Jesus Unveiled face so we can be changed into the same Glory. Glory that remains. Ministers of New Covenant Mt. Zion Heb. 12:22-24. Date: Friday, January 30, 2004 at 08:12:11 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD E. What happened at Mt. Sinai ? Although the Feast day took place on the 50th day, there were other important things which happened on and subsequent to this day. The Old Testament and New Testament Pentecosts can be beautifully compared and contrasted as to these events. 1. Supernatural Manifestations: As Moses entered the mount of God, supernatural manifestations took place. The presence of God was evidenced by the sound of the trumpet, by thunders, light- nings, thick clouds, fire and a voice. The result was trembling, fear and quaking by Moses as well as the Israelites Ex. 19: 16-19; Deut. 4: 32-40; Heb. 12: 18-21. Elijah experienced similar manifestations at Mt. Horeb when he saw and heard the earth- quake, wind and fire, and then the still small voice. 1 Kings 19: 8-14. On the day of Pentecost, after Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant had entered the heavenly Mt. of God...Mt. Zion Heb. 12: 22-29; Rev. 14: 1-4, there were great manifistations of His Presence in the upper room. The Holy Spirit descended as a mighty rushing wind, the place was filled with His Presence, tongues of fire sat on the heads of the disciples and they all spake with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2: 1-4; 4: 31. When this was noised abroad, thousands of Jews, out of every nation, gathered to hear the Word of the Gospel of grace. So the wind and fire, the sound from heaven, and then the speaking in other tongues were mani- festations of God's Presence, Fear and wonder fell on the hearers as the Gospel was preached. At Sinai we have Moses, fire, darkness, trumpet voice, quaking, thunder and light- ings. This was the Old Testament Pentecost. At Jerusalem (or Mt. Zion), we have Jesus, tongues of fire, rushing mighty wind, shaking and conviction. This was the New Testament Pentecost. 2. The Giving of the Law Covenant: Ex. 19: 16-20; Deut.4: 5; Ex. 31-34. The Jews refer to this day as "The Feast of the Giving of the Law" or the Birthday of Judaism. Date: Friday, January 23, 2004 at 08:19:13 (CST) Page No :5 Study: Study 10 The 7 Feasts of the Lord It is worthy to note that two of the Feast days in the Old Test. by-passed the weekly sabbath and took place on the first day of the week. So then even under the Law Covenant they shadow forth the two foundational events of the New Covenant Church. 1. The Sheaf of Firstfruits was waved on "the morrow after the sabbath" which was the first day of the week. The New Test. antitypical fulfilment is seen in the fact that the Son of God rose from the dead on "the morrow after the sabbath" on the first day of the week. The New Test. believer worships the Lord on this day as the resurrected Christ of God ! 2. The Day of Pentecost took place on "the morrow after the sabbath", on the first day of the new week. The New Testament antitypical fulfilment is seen in the fact that the Blessed Holy Spirit descended from heaven on this day to fill the believers with Himself. So then, two Persons in the eternal Godhead...the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit... by-passed the Old Testament Sabbath day, and acted on the FIRST DAY of the week, or " the morrow after the sabbath". The two foundational events of the church, the Resurrection of Christ, and the outpoured Holy Spirit, both took place on the first day of the week ! It is for this reason that the New Test. believer keeps the Lord's day and not the Old Test. sabbath. The very fact that these two Feast days were kept on the "morrow after the sabbath" actually prophesied an end of sabbath keeping as of the Mosiac Law. It is the fulful- ment of the prophetic word through the prophet Hosea when the Lord said that He would "cause all her merth to cease, her Feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn Feast" Hosea 2: 11. The apostle Paul shows how all these typical things were caused to cease by their fulfilment in Christ, and then spiritually in the church Gal. 4: 10; Rom. 14: 4-7; Col. 2: 16,17. True sabbath rest is in Christ's finished work and in the spirit Matt. 11:28 ? Acts 20:7; 1 Corin.16: 1,2; Heb. 4: 1-11. The Sabbath was the sign and seal of the Old Mosaic Covenant. The New Covenant sign and seal is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. One was a DAY of rest; the other is the SPIRIT of rest. To return to sabbath keeping is to confuse the Covenantal seals. God does not take the sign and seal of the Old Covenant and put it on the New Cove- nant. Once the believer knows which covenant he is under then all confusion ceases as to the keeping of days. Date: Friday, January 16, 2004 at 11:13:47 (CST) Page No :4 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of Pentecost As Israel experienced the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai 50 days after leaving Egypt under the Passover, so the disciples experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit to write His Laws on our hearts 50 days after the completion of Passover by the Resurrection of Christ. And again, as the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits, so the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 50th day after the resurrection of Christ Jesus. Truly a remark- able fulfilment of the Feast of the Fiftieth day in the 3rd month ! C. Significance of the Number Fify The number 50 is used symbolically to represent liberty, freedom or deliverance. This is seen in the fact that every 50th year (or, 7x7 = 49 + 1 = 50) in Israel was called the year of Jubilee. It was a year of release, of liberty and freedom. Slaves were set free, debts were canceled, families were reunited, and liberty was proclaimed throughout the land by the sound of the Jubilee trumpets Lev. 25:8-17. Priests also served the Tabernacle of the Lord from 25-30 years until the age of 50 yrs, then they were at liberty to cease from such service. Num. 4:1-3; 8: 23-26. For the Nation of Israel, the Feast of Pentecost on the 50th day after their deliver- ance from Egypt was a celebration of Liberty from the house of bondage. They were free slaves, now at liberty to serve the true God, the Lord their redeemer. For the New Testament believers, the Day of Pentecost meant liberty and freedom from the Old Covenant bondages of ceremonialism of the Law. It meant freedom in the liberty wherewith Christ had set them free. It meant that they were at liberty to serve the Lord, not in the oldness of the letter but in newness of the Spirit Rom.. 7: 1-6. Liberty however, does not mean license Gal. 5: 1; Rom. 6: 18. Other uses of the number fifty may be seen in Gen. 6: 15; 1 Kings 18: 4,13; 2 Kings 2: 7; Lev. 27: 1-5, 16; Mark 6: 40; Luke 9: 14. D. The Morrow after the Sabbath.. Lev. 23: 15,16 Here again this Feast, as the Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits was celebrated on "The Morrow after the Sabbath", but on this occasion, after the 7th Sabbath. The same truth is applicable here as noted under the Sheaf of Firstfruits The Day of Pentecost took place, NOT on the weekly Sabbath, but on the 1st day of the new week, or "the morrow after the sabbath". Date: Friday, January 09, 2004 at 11:01:44 (CST) Page No :3 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of Pentecost After the exodus they crossed the Red Sea, following the cloudy pillar to Mt. Sinai coming to the mount apparently the first day of the 3rd mo. Ex. 16: 1. Here at Mt. Sinai the Lord spoke to Moses to tell Israel to sanctify themselves against the 3rd day. Then Moses went up again to the mount on this day, and it was on this day that the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone. In all, we have 50 days, which maybe be seen as follows: 1st Mo. 15 days 2nd Mo. 30 days 3rd Mo. 4 days equals 49 days or 7 weeks (7x7=49.) Then we come to the next day which was the 50th day when the Lord wrote with His finger the Ten Commandments of the giving of the Law. b. The Feast of Weeks...Lev. 23: 15,16 The "time element" is set forth more expressly in this passage. It links Passover and Pentecost together. Here the Lord commanded Israel, when they arrived in the land and had harvest time to count from the day of the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits 49 days, or seven sabbaths complete. Then they were to count the day following, which was the 50th day; that which was fulfilled historically in Israel from Passover to Pentecost, and then that which was to find fulfillment when they came into the promised land. 2. The New Testament 50th day..Acts 1: 3; 2: 1. The Lord Jesus came to fulfill all the intricate details of the Law Matt. 5: 17,18; 11-13. The book of Acts shows the fulfilment of this time period of 50 days unto the Feast of Pentecost. After Christ's resurrection at the close of His 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb, He was seen of His disciples for 40 days speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. At the close of this period of 40 days He ascended back to the Father. The disciples tarried in Jerusalem in the upper room for 10 days and then "When the day of Pentecost had fully come" the Holy Spirit was outpoured on the believing and waiting disciples. So then we have: 40 days post-resurrection ministry of Jesus 10 days tarrying of the disciples equals 50 days to Pentecost. Date: Friday, January 02, 2004 at 08:30:40 (CST) Page No :2 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF PENTECOST A. Names of the Feast: This particular Feast day is known by different names, each of which set forth some facet of truth, which will be interpreted as the study proceeds. It was called : 1. The Feast of Harvest..Ex. 23: 16 2. The Feast of Weeks....Ex. 34: 22; Deut. 16: 10,16. 3. The Day of Firstfruits.Num. 28: 26; Ex. 34: 22. 4. The Feast of Weeks of the Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest..Ex. 34: 22. 5. The Feast of Harvest, the Firstfruits of Israel's labours. Ex. 23: 16. 6. The Feast of Pentecost, in the New Testament, Pentecost being the translation of the Greek word for "fifty"..Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corin. 16:8. As mentioned, this was the Feast the Lord wanted them to hold unto Him in the Wilderness Ex. 5:1,3; 7:16; 10:9. It will be seen by these various titles for the Feast that it actually involved a particular 24 hr. day, as well as a period time. So then it is the day of Pentecost, as well as the Feast of Weeks. B. Pentecost in the 3rd Month..Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corin. 16:8; Ex. 19:1,2. The Greek name for this Feast Day is known as "Pentecost", a simply meaning "fiftieth". This word is not used in the Old Testament but it is used 3 times in the New Testament. This Feast took place on the fiftieth day after the waving of the Sheaf of firstfruits. Lev. 23:15,16. This brought Israel into the 3rd month after their exodus from Egypt's bondage. We consider the Old Testament historical..typical fulfilllment and then see how the New Testament fulfills this period of time. Showing us the things to come in the New Testament. John 16:13.. 1. The Old Testament Fiftieth Day.. a. Passover to Pentecost From Passover to Pentecost can be traced the required 50 days. Passover took place on the 14th day of the first month Ex. 12: 18; Num. 28:16; Lev. 23:4,5. Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the same month, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev.23:6; Num.28:17,18; Ex. 12:18. Date: Friday, December 26, 2003 at 08:01:26 (CST) Page No :1 Study: Study 11 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of the 7th Month...Tabernacles We come now to the third and final and most glorious Feast of the Lord.... The Feast of Tabernacles. It is a Feast about which the people of God seem to know or understand very little. It will be found that this Feast is alluded to in the Major and Minor Prophets more than the other Feasts combined. It was, for Israel, the consummation of the sacred year, and was the "Feast of Feasts" as far as the Hebrew mind was concerned. Before studying the Feast of Tabernacles and its integral parts and significant details, some broad observations should be considered.... I. The Feast of Prophecy...Israel or the Church ? A. The Feast of Prophecy: Between Pentecost and Tabernacles there was an interval of time of 3 months, these being the 4th, 5th, and 6th months. Passover and Pentecost were linked together by a few weeks but Tabernacles stood alone at the end of the sacred year, separated from the previous Feasts by several months. These months were dry months, when generally no rain fell. (A condition for the present age the believer is in, and the individual believer also experiences this dry season...)..in their walk with the Lord...).. There were no holy convocations when the nation gathered before the Lord and His Sanctuary. There is a definite significance in the time laps between Pentecost and Tabernacles, the dry months. Hence, this Feast is generally recognized as the Feast of Prophecy.. that is, a Feast which has yet to find fulfilment. II. The Three parts of the final Feasts: a. The Feast of Trumpets: Finds fulfilment in the future regathering of long- dispersed Israel. The interval between Pentecost and Trumpets is likened to the pre- sent dispensation and the work of the Holy Spirit. When the present era is ended and the Church or "Pentecostal" period expires, then the elect of Israel will be re- gathered to keep the Feast of Trumpets in Jerusalem (Matt. 24:31; Rom.11:25; Joel 2:1; 3:21; Lev. 23: 23-25 are used to support this interpretation. It is further held that the Feast of Trumpets finds its fulfilment in the "catching out" of the Church and then the regathering of Israel as the second coming of Christ (their Messiah)... Date: Friday, December 19, 2003 at 10:39:01 (CST) Page No :16 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Passover was "barley" harvest and Pentecost was "wheat" harvest, Ruth 1:22; 2:23; Ex. 34:21,22; Judges 6:11; 1 Sam. 6:13; 2 Sam. 21:9,10. The first harvest of the year, in the beginning of Israel's sacred year was "corn" harvest, which came as the result of the early or the Spring rains. However, the corn harvest pointed to the "fruit" harvest, the harvest in the end of the year Lev. 23:33-44; Deut. 16:6-17; Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Num. 29: 12-40. The final harvest will be considered under the Feast of Tabernacles. Sufficient for the present is to see that the reason why this Feast is called the Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of the Harvest of Firstfruits is because of the corn harvest brought in during this period of time, in these weeks. The Day of Pentecost was actually a "Harvest Festival" or "Thanksgiving Day". The antitype fulfilment of this is seen in the Book of Acts. Under the early outpour- ing of the Holy Spirit as rain there was also a great harvest of souls. Great numbers, great multitudes, came to the Lord. There were 3000 souls, then 5000 souls, and then multitudes of men and women who came in during this harvest period. Acts 4:4; 5:14; 2:41,42. Later on, as the rain of the Holy Spirit continued to be poured out there was a great harvest of Gentile converts reaped. It was the fulfilment of the great harvest which Jesus saw. Matt. 9:37,38; John 4:35. The barley harvest represented the Jewish converts, as barley harvest comes first, and the wheat harvest represented the Gentile converts. To the Jew first came the Gospel, and then to the Gentile. Together they constitute the "corn harvest" of the early Church ingathering period. 3. The Harvest of Firstfruits: Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Num. 28:26. Sufficient has been said concerning the significance of the firstfruits. However, it needs to be noted that the Feast of Weeks was but the firstfruits harvest. The firstfruits always point to more to come. Hence the harvest of Passover and Pentecost pointed to the harvest of the Feast of Tabernacles. (Which has not occurred yet, in our experience; until His Second Coming. As we see Him, NOT attending the Feast of Tabernacles like He did Passover and Pentecost Feasts.) John 7: 8..... 4. Harvest of Freewill Offerings and Rejoicing: Deut. 16:12,16,17; 28:47. With the harvest in, the Lord commanded Israel to bring freewill offerings unto Him, according to the blessing of the Lord upon them. They were to rejoice before the Lord for His Goodness. The freewill offerings were to be given to their sons and daughers, their servants, the strangers, the fatherless, the widow and the Levites..Note also, Deut. 12: 4-12.) The New Testament shows the same spirit of joy and giving upon the early believers, as distribution was made to the needy saints Acts 4:32-34; 6:1; 13:52, 1 Corin. 16:1,2; 2 Corin. 8-9... Thus the believer must experience the glorious Feast of Pentecost, even as Passover. Passover is but the beginning, introducing one to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The believer must continue on in the Feasts of the Lord and enter into Pentecost. Pentecost brings one into the blessed ministry of the Holy Spirit and into the church, the body of Christ. However, this Feast is not the ultimate. There is another Feast into which the believer and the Church must enter. This is the Feast of Tabernacles. Everytime a sinner receives Christ as his own Saviour, he experiences Passover. It is not that the historical Passover is repeated again, but the historical fact and truth becomes experiential truth. The same is true of Pentecost, Pentecost is an historical fact and truth, never to be repeated as such again. However, every time a believer receives the Holy Spirit baptism of fire there is an experiential Pentecost. It is this balance between historical and experiential truth that needs to be kept in mind in studying the Feasts, and especially so as we move on to that glorious Feast , the Feast of Tabernacles....End Of Study 10 Date: Friday, December 12, 2003 at 10:47:40 (CST) Page No :15 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD G. The Feast of Harvest of Firstfruits: Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Deut. 16:1<0; Num. 28:26. As seen earlier this Feast Day was called the "Feast of Weeks", or the "Feast of Harvest", or the "The Feast of the Firstfruits". Thus this Feast not only involved a special and literal 24 hour day, it also involved a period of time. There are several other things therefore of significance involved in this Feast besides the special set day ceremonies. 1. The Early Rains...Deut. 11:10-15; Lev. 26:4; Deut. 28:12; Joel 2:23; Zech.10:1 There can be no harvest without the rains to cause it to grow and mature. The Lord promised Israel that He would bless their land, that He would give the "first rain and the latter rain" in order that they would be able to gather in the corn, wine and oil in the appropriate seasons. Thus under Passover, there was the "Spring Rain", according to the reckoning of the sacred year of Israel. And under Pentecost was the "Latter Rain", this will then produce the "Harvest", as it grows during the hot summer months. Rain in Scripture is symbolical of revival and refreshing. Spiritually speaking it pointed to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the "early and latter rain". The Lord promised that He would come to His people as the rain. Hosea 6: 1-3. The Jews always understood that the outpouring of rain or water was symbolical and prohetical of the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit on their own nation as well as other nations. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and onward was indeed "the first rain" or "the spring rain". The Prophet Joel, who is the Prophet of Pentecost, alluded to this in Joel 2:21-32, where he links the out- pouring of early and latter rains with his prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh. 2. The Harvest Time.. Deut. 16:10; Ex. 23:16; 34:22. With rain comes harvest time. The rains were necessary for both sowing and har- vest periods. As in any agricultural year two harvests take place, so in the land of Canaan. There were two periods of harvest: corn harvest and fruit harvest. Thus: a. Passover and Pentecost: ... "corn" harvest. b. Tabernacles......................."Fruit" Harvest" Date: Friday, December 05, 2003 at 07:57:55 (CST) Page No :14 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 7. A Wave Offering: Lev. 23: 17, 20 The Hebrew word "Tenoofaw" meaning "to wave" has also the thought of "to quiver" . i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro; a brandishing" and specially the official undulation of sacrificial offerings. It is translated "offering, shaking, waveoffering.." On the Day of Pentecost the 120 disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, were God's "Wave Offering", for men thought they were drunk by the way they acted and spoke. Acts 2: 1-15. Jews and Gentiles, baptized by the same Spirit into the same body are indeed God's "Wave Offering". 1Corin. 12:13; Eph. 2:11-22. 8. Holy to the Lord for the Priest: Lev. 23: 20 Even though the two wave loaves were leavened, yet the Lord counted them holy unto Himself for the Priest. So the Lord God counts the Church Holy, separated and sanctified unto Himself, for His Christ, even though at present imperfect. The Church is acceptable to God through Christ. The believer is "holy in Christ" Eph. 1:4; 5:27. 9. A Holy Convocation: Lev. 23: 21. The Day of Pentecost was also a sabbath day, a holy convocation. No servile work was to be done on this day of rest. It prophesied of the fact that "the morrow after the sabbath", or the first day of the new week would become the New Testament "sabbath" or "day of rest". The disciples came through the transition from the Old to the New Covenant and came to keep the first day of the week as these scriptures indicate. Matt. 28:1; Acts 2:38; 20:7; 1 Corin. 16: 1,2; Rev. 1:10. 10. A Statute For Ever: Lev. 23: 21. The keeping of the Feast Day of Pentecost was a law that was to be kept in all gen- erations. This finds its fulfilment in the fact that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell with the believer forever..John 14: 16,17. The believer has a continual "Pentecost Feast" thereby. Date: Friday, November 28, 2003 at 10:43:44 (CST) Page No :14 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 7. A Wave Offering: Lev. 23: 17, 20 The Hebrew word "Tenoofaw" meaning "to wave" has also the thought of "to quiver" . i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro; a brandishing" and specially the official undulation of sacrificial offerings. It is translated "offering, shaking, waveoffering.." On the Day of Pentecost the 120 disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, were God's "Wave Offering", for men thought they were drunk by the way they acted and spoke. Acts 2: 1-15. Jews and Gentiles, baptized by the same Spirit into the same body are indeed God's "Wave Offering". 1Corin. 12:13; Eph. 2:11-22. 8. Holy to the Lord for the Priest: Lev. 23: 20 Even though the two wave loaves were leavened, yet the Lord counted them holy unto Himself for the Priest. So the Lord God counts the Church Holy, separated and sanctified unto Himself, for His Christ, even though at present imperfect. The Church is acceptable to God through Christ. The believer is "holy in Christ" Eph. 1:4; 5:27. 9. A Holy Convocation: Lev. 23: 21. The Day of Pentecost was also a sabbath day, a holy convocation. No servile work was to be done on this day of rest. It prophesied of the fact that "the morrow after the sabbath", or the first day of the new week would become the New Testament "sabbath" or "day of rest". The disciples came through the transition from the Old to the New Covenant and came to keep the first day of the week as these scriptures indicate. Matt. 28:1; Acts 2:38; 20:7; 1 Corin. 16: 1,2; Rev. 1:10. 10. A Statute For Ever: Lev. 23: 21. The keeping of the Feast Day of Pentecost was a law that was to be kept in all gen- erations. This finds its fulfilment in the fact that the Holy Spirit has come to dwell with the believer forever..John 14: 16,17. The believer has a continual "Pentecost Feast" thereby. Date: Friday, November 21, 2003 at 10:46:19 (CST) Page No :13 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Jew and Gentile believers together would experience the crushing process in order to become "one bread". Paul says concerning Christ and the church that they are "bread" ! The Bread which we break, is it not the communion of the "Body" of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread " 1 Corin. 10: 16,17. The two Wave loaves being made of fine flour then speak of the oneness of the Jew and the Gentile, blended together by the unifying power and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Remembering that God calls the things that are not, as though they are...so shall it be then. 5. Baken with Leaven: Lev. 23: 17 No one can eat fine flour by itself. In order to make fine flour into bread and make it palatable, it must be baked. The fire and the baking process intensify the unity of the loose fine flour. So the fire of the Holy Spirit Heb. 12:29; Matt.3:11,12 intensifies the unity of Jew and Gentile as the bread of God, suitable to be waved before Him. Luke 3:16; Heb. 9: 14. This also speaks of the fiery trials of faith for all saints to bind them to- gether in one loaf, whether Jew or Gentile. Job 23:10; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:6,7; Prov. 17:3. 6. The Firstfruits unto the Lord: Lev. 23: 17 The truth of the firstfruits has already been considered under the Sheaf of the First- fruits. There it was seen that the firstfruits spoke of of the choicest, the first, and the best. They were peculiarly the Lord's and presented to Him. They were sanctified to His Service. This is true whether it speaks of Christ or His Church. Read Ex. 23:16,19; 34:22,26; Lev. 2:12-14; Num. 18:12; 28:26; Deut. 26:10; 2 Ki.4:42 Neh. 10:35-37; 12:44; Prov. 3:9. The New Testament writers particularly see the early converts, both Jew and Gentile as "a kind of firstfruits" unto the Lord. James 1:18; 1 Corin. 15:20, 23; 16:15; Rev. 14:4. They also realized they had but received "the firstfruits" of the Holy Spirit's operations Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1: 13,14. The firstfruits speaks of more to come; the great harvest yet to be reaped and brought in. Thus as the two wave loaves pre- sented to the Lord were but the firstfruits of a great harvest of corn and bread yet to be harvested, so the early church converts, Jew and Gentile, were but the firstfruits of a great harvest to be reaped during this entire church era. Believers are also called the "church of the firstborn". Heb. 12:23. Date: Friday, November 14, 2003 at 10:58:01 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. The twelve loaves of Shewbread on the golden table were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour Lev. 24:5-7. So again we see the double portion of life and health in the "Bread of His Presence" as the Shewbread literally means. d. The two wave loaves offered here at Pentecost were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour. Lev. 23:17. e. In the two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written we also have thought of two-tenths, for the Ten Command- ments find their fulfilment in the two Commandments of Jesus, as given in the New Testament. Matt. 22:34-40. The two-tenths deal of fine flour find their fulfilment in the double por- tion of the spirit upon both Jew and Gentile, who are of the same body. They also can find fulfilment in the fact that the Old Covenant was stamped with the Ten Commandments on Two Tables of Stone, while the New Covenant shows that the Ten Commandments are fulfilled in the Two Commandments of love. Love to God and love to one's neighbor fulfil the Law of Commandments. It is under the Feast of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit, who is the finger of God, writes the commandments of Jesus on the tables of the heart and mind. Jere. 31: 31-34; 2 Corin. 3 As the New Meal offering, the Jew and Gentile come together in the New Covenant, receive a new name, and speak in new tongues and finally are brought to the new Heavens and New Earth and the New Jerusalem. God makes all things New 2 Corin. 5:17,18; Rev. 21:1-8; Mark 16: 15-20; Matt. 26: 26-28. 4. Of fine flour: Lev. 23:17 The two wave loaves were to be of fine flour. Fine flour originates in the whole wheat. This wheat must be taken and put through the grind- ing and crushing process to become fine flour. Only then can it become suitable to become bread. Fine flour speaks of the trials, testings, temptations and sufferings of the believer, as the corn of wheat, in order to become the bread of God, even as for Jesus Christ. John 12:24; Isa. 28:28; 52:14; 53:1-6; Psa. 147:14; John 6:51-56. Date: Friday, November 14, 2003 at 10:57:50 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. The twelve loaves of Shewbread on the golden table were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour Lev. 24:5-7. So again we see the double portion of life and health in the "Bread of His Presence" as the Shewbread literally means. d. The two wave loaves offered here at Pentecost were also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour. Lev. 23:17. e. In the two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written we also have thought of two-tenths, for the Ten Command- ments find their fulfilment in the two Commandments of Jesus, as given in the New Testament. Matt. 22:34-40. The two-tenths deal of fine flour find their fulfilment in the double por- tion of the spirit upon both Jew and Gentile, who are of the same body. They also can find fulfilment in the fact that the Old Covenant was stamped with the Ten Commandments on Two Tables of Stone, while the New Covenant shows that the Ten Commandments are fulfilled in the Two Commandments of love. Love to God and love to one's neighbor fulfil the Law of Commandments. It is under the Feast of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit, who is the finger of God, writes the commandments of Jesus on the tables of the heart and mind. Jere. 31: 31-34; 2 Corin. 3 As the New Meal offering, the Jew and Gentile come together in the New Covenant, receive a new name, and speak in new tongues and finally are brought to the new Heavens and New Earth and the New Jerusalem. God makes all things New 2 Corin. 5:17,18; Rev. 21:1-8; Mark 16: 15-20; Matt. 26: 26-28. 4. Of fine flour: Lev. 23:17 The two wave loaves were to be of fine flour. Fine flour originates in the whole wheat. This wheat must be taken and put through the grind- ing and crushing process to become fine flour. Only then can it become suitable to become bread. Fine flour speaks of the trials, testings, temptations and sufferings of the believer, as the corn of wheat, in order to become the bread of God, even as for Jesus Christ. John 12:24; Isa. 28:28; 52:14; 53:1-6; Psa. 147:14; John 6:51-56. Date: Friday, November 07, 2003 at 10:45:35 (CST) Page No :11 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD c. Two trumpets of silver were used in the various callings of the camp of Israel and more expecially in the Feast of Trumpets ..Num. 10: 1-10; 29:1. d. Two tables of stone, had the Ten Commandments written on them by the Spirit (Finger) of God. Ex. 20:1-17; 31: 18. e. Two goats were used in the great day of Atonement ceremonies. Lev. 16. When one is with one, making two, then we have agreement and two is therefore the number of witness, the number of testimony. Jesus sent the 12 apostles and the 70 disciples out two by two to witness and testify in every city whither He Himself would come. luke 9:1-6; 10:1,2. The Lord Himself also said that in the mouth of two or three witnesses must every word be established Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16-20. Thus the two wave loaves speak of witness and testimony. The can also be used to symbolize the two ethnic divisions on which the Holy Spirit was poured out in "Pentecostal effusion", make of both "one new man", even the Jew and the Gentile 1 Corin. 12: 13. Both Jew and Gentile testify to the unregenerate world of the Power of the Gospel of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Eph. 2:11-20; Acts 2; Acts 10. They may also be used to symbolize Christ and His Church, who, together declare the same testimony. Although two, yet they are one in witness. God speaks to the World by the testimony of Christ and His Church. Heb. 2: 11; Eph. 5: 31. 3. Two-Tenths Deals of Fine Flour- Lev. 23: 17 Both wave loaves were to be of one and the same measure of fine flour, that is, two tenths deal. The measure of two-tenths deal is found in Israel on several occasions, showing that the Lord had some significant truth in mind when He commanded this measure. a. The Manna which fell in the Wilderness wanderings had two-tenths deal in it, for, on the 6th day Israel was to gather twice as much to carry them over the Sabbath Ex.16:22,36. The two-tenths deal here speak of the "double portion"... b. The Meal Offering presented on the Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits was also to be made of two-tenths deal of fine flour. Lev. 23:13. Date: Friday, October 31, 2003 at 08:12:10 (CST) Page No :10 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The significance of leaven has already been dealt with. It is worth remembering that Paul wrote his epistles to the Corinthian and Galatian believers, as also other Churches, and they certainly were "Pentecostal leavened wave loaves." He wrote to arrest the action of the leaven and also to have it purged out . 1 Corin. 5:6; Gal. 5:9; Mark 8:15; Matt. 16:6-12; Luke 12:1. We may say therefore that leaven in the two Pentecostal wave loaves is God's rec- ognition...and the believer's...that the root of sin has not yet been eradicated, even though the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The coming of the fire of the Holy Spirit is to arrest the action of sin in the believer's life. Rom. 6:11, 16-22; Eph. 4:17-32; 5:3-13; Col. 3:1-13; Rom. 8:1-4. In summary then it may be seen that Passover speaks of Christ, the Lamb of God, and the believer has faith in the blood and stays under its protection and provision. In Unleavened Bread, Israel was to put away leaven and in a practical way feed on the unleavened food. In fulfilment the believer practically puts away all works of the flesh and outworking of sin. In the Sheaf of Firstfruits, Israel and the believer in the church rests in the fact that God has accepted them in the One Sheaf, Christ. In Pentecost, the two wave loaves baked with leaven, speak of the fact that sin has not yet been eradicated from the Church, in spite of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The believer, because of human frailties still renders imperfect service to the Lord. It will be seen however, that NO LEAVEN is found in the Feast of Tabernacles. Under this Feast the church is brought to maturity and perfection by the atoning blood of Jesus, the Word of God, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. You will note in the gospels, that Jesus attended all the feasts except the Feast of Tabernacles, because this has yet to take place in the Church at His 2nd Coming....... 2. Two Wave Loaves There were Two wave loaves offered to the Lord on this Feast Day of Pentecost. It was a dual offering, both loaves being of the same measure before the Lord. The truth of the dual offerings may be seen through the whole of the Levitical system. a. Two loaves were offered on the Day of Pentecost Lev. 23:17-21. b. Two birds were used in the sacrifice and cleansing of the leper Lev. 14: 1-7 with 1:14 and Gen. 15: 9. Date: Friday, October 24, 2003 at 07:44:38 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD F. The Two Leavened Wave Loaves: Lev. 23: 15-21; Num. 28: 26-31 The most peculiar ceremony which took place on the Day of Pentecost was the presentation before the Lord of the two leavened wave loaves. It was a ceremony not fully understood by the Hebrews for it seemed to be a contradiction of the previous Commandments of the Lord. We will consider the pertinent details. 1. A New Meal Offering Baken with Leaven The Lord commanded Israel on this Pentecostal day to "offer a new meal offering unto the Lord". They were to bring out of their dwelling places two wave loaves of two-tenths deals of fine flour. And they were to be baken with leaven ! In the Feast of Passover, leaven was absolutely forbidden on pain of excommuni- cation Ex. 12: 15, 19, 20, 31-34; 13: 3-10. In the regular daily Meal Offering no leaven or honey was permitted. Nothing leavened could be offered with blood sacrifices on the altar of the Lord. Lev. 2. We have seen that leaven is symbolical of evil or sin, or that which is false, corruption in its influence, and pointed to the fact that Jesus Christ was perfect and sinless as our Unleavened Breead, our Meal Offering. But here in Pentecost the Lord commanded the very opposite, saying that Israel should make a New Meal Offering of fine flour and bake it with leaven. Why ? Why is there no leaven to be seen in Passover and yet there is leaven seen in Pentecost ? What truth was God setting forth symbolically here ? The reason is that Passover wholly speaks of Christ and His sinless perfections, while Pentecost has to do with the Church, which has not as yet attained to sin- less perfection. Only two particular offerings were offered with leaven in them; these being the Peace Offering offered with leavened bread Lev. 7: 11-13 , and these two Pente- costal Wave Loaves. Lev. 23: 15-22. Date: Friday, October 17, 2003 at 08:08:09 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 3. The Book of the Covenant: Ex. 24; Heb. Chaps. 8,9 Relative to the Feast of Pentencost was the giving of the Book of the Covenant. The Book of the Covenant contained other civil and cermonial Laws besides the Ten Commandments. This Book was blood-sprinkled, even as were the People. Under Passover the blood was sprinkled on the door. Under Pentecost the blood was sprin- led on the people and the Book. Compare Ex. 24: 8 with Matt. 26: 28. Both Moses and Jesus speak of the "blood of the Covenant". This Book of the Covenant was kept in the side of the Ark of the Covenant Deut. 31: 9-15, 24-26. It was the resposibility of the Priests and Levites to teach the 12 Tribes the Laws of the Lord, as the Church in the Wilderness, or the Old Covenant Church.. Acts 7:38. The New Testament fulfilment is in the writing of the New Testament Books, sub- sequent to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The New Testament Books are blood-sprinled, sprinkled by the blood of Jesus. The New Covenant people are also blood-sprinkled, for it is the Spirit who applies the blood of cleansing. It is also the responsibility and ministry of the church to teach God's people the New Covenant commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ Matt. 26: 26-28; Heb. 9:11-22; Eph. 4: 9-16. 4. The Revelation of the Tabernacle Order: Ex. Chaps. 25-40. Subsequent to the Feast Day of Pentecost was the revelation to Moses of the Taber- nacle of the Lord, and the whole order of approach and worship therein. Here at Mt. Sinai, God established His church. Acts 7: 38, the Aaronic Priesthood, the sacrificial system, the Tabernacle, the sabbath days and the Festival occasions. Here Israel was taught how all must approach God in sacrifice and worship as a redeemed and holy people. The details of these things are enumerable for us in Ex. Chaps. 25-40; Lev. Chaps. 1-27; as well as in certain chapters of the book of Num. The New Testament antitypical fulfilment is seen in the teaching of the Apostles concerning the priesthood of all believers, the spiritual sacrifices offered in a spiri- tual experience of the Feasts of the Lord. The New Testament church, as a redeemed and holy nation approaches God through the perfections of Christ Jesus, by the Spirit 1 Pet. 2: 5-9; Rev. 1:6; 5: 9,10. The Epistles lay out for us the New Testament church order. Date: Friday, October 10, 2003 at 10:21:48 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD On the 50th day it seems that the Lord wrote with His Finger on the two tables of stone the 10 Commandments. Relative to the giving of the Old Covenant commandments, and the people breaking the same by idolatry, 3000 people were slain. When the Tables were renewed, the face of Moses, their mediator, shone with the Glory of God. Events relative to the New Testament Pentecost show the great comparison and contrast to the Old Testament Pentecost. This was the Birthday of the New Covenant Church. The New Covenant commandments are now to be written by the Spirit (the finger of God, Luke 11: 20; Matt. 12: 28, on the fleshly tables of the heart and mind (Jere.31: 31-34; Heb. 8.) At Pentecost, after Peter's preaching, 3000 people were saved unto life by the ministration of the Spirit. Paul tells us that the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is the greater Glory than that of the face of Moses. Jesus is the New Covenant Mediator, The Glory of the Old Covenant is done away, while the Glory of the New Covenant remains. Paul deals with this comparison and contrast relative to the Feast of Pentecost and the Law in 2 Corin. Chap. 3. This may be seen more clearly when columnized: Old Testament Pentecost: The 50th Day Writing of 10 Commandments on 2 Tables of Stone. By the Finger of God 3000 people slain A ministration of death The letter Glory on the face of Moses Face veiled so people could not behold the Glory of God. Glory to be done away with Ministers of Old Covenant Mt. Sinai. New Testament Pentecost: The 50th Day Writing of Commandments of love on Tables of the heart and mind. By the Spirit of God 3000 People live A ministration of life. The Spirit Glory on the face of Jesus Unveiled face so we can be changed into the same Glory. Glory that remains. Ministers of New Covenant Mt. Zion Heb. 12:22-24. Date: Friday, October 03, 2003 at 07:36:50 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD E. What happened at Mt. Sinai ? Although the Feast day took place on the 50th day, there were other important things which happened on and subsequent to this day. The Old Testament and New Testament Pentecosts can be beautifully compared and contrasted as to these events. 1. Supernatural Manifestations: As Moses entered the mount of God, supernatural manifestations took place. The presence of God was evidenced by the sound of the trumpet, by thunders, lightnings, thick clouds, fire and a voice. The result was trembling, fear and quaking by Moses as well as the Israelites Ex. 19: 16-19; Deut. 4: 32-40; Heb. 12: 18-21. Elijah experienced similar manifestations at Mt. Horeb when he saw and heard the earthquake, wind and fire, and then the still small voice. 1 Kings 19: 8-14. On the day of Pentecost, after Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant had entered the heavenly Mt. of God...Mt. Zion Heb. 12: 22-29; Rev. 14: 1-4, there were great manifistations of His Presence in the upper room. The Holy Spirit descended as a mighty rushing wind, the place was filled with His Presence, tongues of fire sat on the heads of the disciples and they all spake with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2: 1-4; 4: 31. When this was noised abroad, thousands of Jews, out of every nation, gathered to hear the Word of the Gospel of grace. So the wind and fire, the sound from heaven, and then the speaking in other tongues were manifestations of God's Presence, Fear and wonder fell on the hearers as the Gospel was preached. At Sinai we have Moses, fire, darkness, trumpet voice, quaking, thunder and lightings. This was the Old Testament Pentecost. At Jerusalem (or Mt. Zion), we have Jesus, tongues of fire, rushing mighty wind, shaking and conviction. This was the New Testament Pentecost. 2. The Giving of the Law Covenant: Ex. 19: 16-20; Deut.4: 5; Ex. 31-34. The Jews refer to this day as "The Feast of the Giving of the Law" or the Birthday of Judaism. Date: Friday, September 26, 2003 at 07:40:43 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 10 The 7 Feasts of the Lord It is worthy to note that two of the Feast days in the Old Test. by-passed the weekly sabbath and took place on the first day of the week. So then even under the Law Covenant they shadow forth the two foundational events of the New Covenant Church. 1. The Sheaf of Firstfruits was waved on "the morrow after the sabbath" which was the first day of the week. The New Test. antitypical fulfilment is seen in the fact that the Son of God rose from the dead on "the morrow after the sabbath" on the first day of the week. The New Test. believer worships the Lord on this day as the resurrected Christ of God ! 2. The Day of Pentecost took place on "the morrow after the sabbath", on the first day of the new week. The New Testament antitypical fulfilment is seen in the fact that the Blessed Holy Spirit descended from heaven on this day to fill the believers with Himself. So then, two Persons in the eternal Godhead...the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit... by-passed the Old Testament Sabbath day, and acted on the FIRST DAY of the week, or " the morrow after the sabbath". The two foundational events of the church, the Resurrection of Christ, and the outpoured Holy Spirit, both took place on the first day of the week ! It is for this reason that the New Test. believer keeps the Lord's day and not the Old Test. sabbath. The very fact that these two Feast days were kept on the "morrow after the sabbath" actually prophesied an end of sabbath keeping as of the Mosiac Law. It is the fulful- ment of the prophetic word through the prophet Hosea when the Lord said that He would "cause all her merth to cease, her Feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn Feast" Hosea 2: 11. The apostle Paul shows how all these typical things were caused to cease by their fulfilment in Christ, and then spiritually in the church Gal. 4: 10; Rom. 14: 4-7; Col. 2: 16,17. True sabbath rest is in Christ's finished work and in the spirit Matt. 11:28 ? Acts 20:7; 1 Corin.16: 1,2; Heb. 4: 1-11. The Sabbath was the sign and seal of the Old Mosaic Covenant. The New Covenant sign and seal is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. One was a DAY of rest; the other is the SPIRIT of rest. To return to sabbath keeping is to confuse the Covenantal seals. God does not take the sign and seal of the Old Covenant and put it on the New Cove- nant. Once the believer knows which covenant he is under then all confusion ceases as to the keeping of days. Date: Friday, September 19, 2003 at 07:56:00 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of Pentecost As Israel experienced the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai 50 days after leaving Egypt under the Passover, so the disciples experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit to write His Laws on our hearts 50 days after the completion of Passover by the Resurrection of Christ. And again, as the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits, so the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 50th day after the resurrection of Christ Jesus. Truly a remark- able fulfilment of the Feast of the Fiftieth day in the 3rd month ! C. Significance of the Number Fify The number 50 is used symbolically to represent liberty, freedom or deliverance. This is seen in the fact that every 50th year (or, 7x7 = 49 + 1 = 50) in Israel was called the year of Jubilee. It was a year of release, of liberty and freedom. Slaves were set free, debts were canceled, families were reunited, and liberty was proclaimed throughout the land by the sound of the Jubilee trumpets Lev. 25:8-17. Priests also served the Tabernacle of the Lord from 25-30 years until the age of 50 yrs, then they were at liberty to cease from such service. Num. 4:1-3; 8: 23-26. For the Nation of Israel, the Feast of Pentecost on the 50th day after their deliver- ance from Egypt was a celebration of Liberty from the house of bondage. They were free slaves, now at liberty to serve the true God, the Lord their redeemer. For the New Testament believers, the Day of Pentecost meant liberty and freedom from the Old Covenant bondages of ceremonialism of the Law. It meant freedom in the liberty wherewith Christ had set them free. It meant that they were at liberty to serve the Lord, not in the oldness of the letter but in newness of the Spirit Rom.. 7: 1-6. Liberty however, does not mean license Gal. 5: 1; Rom. 6: 18. Other uses of the number fifty may be seen in Gen. 6: 15; 1 Kings 18: 4,13; 2 Kings 2: 7; Lev. 27: 1-5, 16; Mark 6: 40; Luke 9: 14. D. The Morrow after the Sabbath.. Lev. 23: 15,16 Here again this Feast, as the Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits was celebrated on "The Morrow after the Sabbath", but on this occasion, after the 7th Sabbath. The same truth is applicable here as noted under the Sheaf of Firstfruits The Day of Pentecost took place, NOT on the weekly Sabbath, but on the 1st day of the new week, or "the morrow after the sabbath". Date: Friday, September 12, 2003 at 07:34:13 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Feast of Pentecost After the exodus they crossed the Red Sea, following the cloudy pillar to Mt. Sinai coming to the mount apparently the first day of the 3rd mo. Ex. 16: 1. Here at Mt. Sinai the Lord spoke to Moses to tell Israel to sanctify themselves against the 3rd day. Then Moses went up again to the mount on this day, and it was on this day that the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone. In all, we have 50 days, which maybe be seen as follows: 1st Mo. 15 days 2nd Mo. 30 days 3rd Mo. 4 days equals 49 days or 7 weeks (7x7=49.) Then we come to the next day which was the 50th day when the Lord wrote with His finger the Ten Commandments of the giving of the Law. b. The Feast of Weeks...Lev. 23: 15,16 The "time element" is set forth more expressly in this passage. It links Passover and Pentecost together. Here the Lord commanded Israel, when they arrived in the land and had harvest time to count from the day of the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits 49 days, or seven sabbaths complete. Then they were to count the day following, which was the 50th day; that which was fulfilled historically in Israel from Passover to Pentecost, and then that which was to find fulfillment when they came into the promised land. 2. The New Testament 50th day..Acts 1: 3; 2: 1. The Lord Jesus came to fulfill all the intricate details of the Law Matt. 5: 17,18; 11-13. The book of Acts shows the fulfilment of this time period of 50 days unto the Feast of Pentecost. After Christ's resurrection at the close of His 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb, He was seen of His disciples for 40 days speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. At the close of this period of 40 days He ascended back to the Father. The disciples tarried in Jerusalem in the upper room for 10 days and then "When the day of Pentecost had fully come" the Holy Spirit was outpoured on the believing and waiting disciples. So then we have: 40 days post-resurrection ministry of Jesus 10 days tarrying of the disciples equals 50 days to Pentecost. Date: Friday, September 05, 2003 at 07:36:02 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF PENTECOST A. Names of the Feast: This particular Feast day is known by different names, each of which set forth some facet of truth, which will be interpreted as the study proceeds. It was called: 1. The Feast of Harvest..Ex. 23: 16 2. The Feast of Weeks....Ex. 34: 22; Deut. 16: 10,16. 3. The Day of Firstfruits.Num. 28: 26; Ex. 34: 22. 4. The Feast of Weeks of the Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest..Ex. 34: 22. 5. The Feast of Harvest, the Firstfruits of Israel's labours. Ex. 23: 16. 6. The Feast of Pentecost, in the New Testament, Pentecost being the translation of the Greek word for "fifty"..Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corin. 16:8. As mentioned, this was the Feast the Lord wanted them to hold unto Him in the Wilderness Ex. 5:1,3; 7:16; 10:9. It will be seen by these various titles for the Feast that it actually involved a particular 24 hr. day, as well as a period time. So then it is the day of Pentecost, as well as the Feast of Weeks. B. Pentecost in the 3rd Month..Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corin. 16:8; Ex. 19:1,2. The Greek name for this Feast Day is known as "Pentecost", a simply meaning "fiftieth". This word is not used in the Old Testament but it is used 3 times in the New Testament. This Feast took place on the fiftieth day after the waving of the Sheaf of firstfruits. Lev. 23:15,16. This brought Israel into the 3rd month after their exodus from Egypt's bondage. We consider the Old Testament historical..typical fulfilllment and then see how the New Testament fulfills this period of time. Showing us the things to come in the New Testament. John 16:13.. 1. The Old Testament Fiftieth Day.. a. Passover to Pentecost From Passover to Pentecost can be traced the required 50 days. Passover took place on the 14th day of the first month Ex. 12: 18; Num. 28:16; Lev. 23:4,5. Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the same month, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread Lev.23:6; Num.28:17,18; Ex. 12:18. Date: Friday, August 29, 2003 at 06:36:57 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 10 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF PENTECOST The next great Feast that the Lord commanded Israel to keep was the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Pentecost, as the New Testament calls it. It is this Feast which the Lord seemed to have in mind when he told Moses that Pharoah was to let the people go, so that they could "hold a Feast to Me in the Wilderness." Ex. 5: 1; 10: 9. In 19, 20, and 24. Deut. 16: 9-12; Ex. 23: 16,17; 34: 22,23; Lev. 23: 15-21 and Num. 28: 26-31. We should read these scriptures..and familiarize ourselves with the content thereof as the following material is drawn from these passages. The New Testament Scriptures showing the antitypical fulfillment of this Feast are found in Acts 2; 2 Corin. 3; and Heb. 8. A study of this Feast shows that it pointed to the coming of the Holy Spirit to form the church of Jesus Christ, and write upon the hearts and minds of the believers the New Covenant commandments. This will be seen by our consideration of the historical-typical enactment in Israel and then in the historical-antitypical fulfillment in the Church. 1. THE STORY IN BRIEF: The Exodus of Israel from Egypt took place under the Feast of Passover in the 1st month, the month of Abib or Nisan, the spring months. After crossing the Red Sea and being led by the pillar of fire they were brought to the foot of Mt. Sinai. Here at Sinai they experienced the Feast of Pentecost, in the 3rd Month, which was Sivan. At Sinai the Law of 10 Commandments was written and given to the nation. Here the Tabernacle of the Lord, the Aaronic priesthood and the sacrificial system was given. Here the nation was established as "the church in the wilderness" Acts 7: 38. Later on, when Israel entered the promised land, special and peculiar offerings were presented to the Lord as Israel gathered in the Pentecostal harvest amidst great joy and rejoicing. The full significance of this Feast Day can only be understood and appreciated by considering the details laid down in the relevant scriptures. Again we will consider first the natural and then the spiritual; first the type, then the antitype; first the shadow, then the substance; first the temporal under the Old Covenant Israel, then the eternal under the New Covenant Israel. 2 Corin. 4: 18. Date: Friday, August 22, 2003 at 07:19:19 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE PASSOVER SUPPER..............................THE LORDS SUPPER The Old Covenant Feast...................................The New Covenant Feast The Passover Lamb.........................................The Lamb of God The flesh and Unleavened Bread........................The bread which is His Flesh The Bitter herbs..............................................The sufferings of Calvary The blood of the Lamb.....................................The blood of Christ The Sheaf of Firstfruits...................................The Resurrection of Christ Until the Cross................................................After the Cross Until He comes-=first coming............................Until He comes--Second coming Memorial service..............................................Do it in remembrance of me Deliverance and redemption...............................Deliverance and Redemption From Pharoah and Egypt..................................From satan and the world The house of bondage........................................Kingdom of darkness End of Study 9 Date: Friday, August 15, 2003 at 07:01:45 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD J. The Harvest Time: Lev. 23: 10; Matt.13: 39; Rev. 14: 12-14 As noted earlier the one sheaf was representative of the great harvest of sheaves yet to be gathered in. Jesus said that the harvest would be at the end of the age. In the Epitstle to the Corin. Church Paul spoke of the coming resurrection of all saints at the second advent of Christ. He declares that there will be an order in the resurrection. The order he sets forth is as follows: 1. Christ the firstfruits risen from the dead.....The One Sheaf. 2. Those are are Christ's at His coming....The harvest of Sheaves. Christ died and is risen again. The sainbts who have died over the centuries and are still dying today will come to that time when all the dead in Christ shall rise again. The resurrection of the saints is spoken of as the first resurrection, Rev. 20: 1-6. This takes place at the second coming of Christ and it will constitute the Great Harvest of the redeemed and resurrected believers of all ages. All the saints, having died in the faith of the resurrection, will stand in their "lot" in the end of days Dan. 12: 13. The are then referred to a fuller treatment of "the harvest" under the next Feast, the Feast of Pentecost. Which then in the Feast of Passover, which speaks wholly of Christ, we see the foundations of the Christian Faith. We see typified His death, burial, and Resur- rection and ascension to the Father. It is the first Feast, the foundation Feast, and every person who comes to God through Christ must partake of this Feast, ex- periencing the truths therein. II. Conclusion: In concluding our study of this Feast we see how this Feast is set forth in sym- bolic manner in the Lord's Supper, the communion table. It is significant that the Lord's Supper was established at the time of the Passover Supper Luke 22: 1; Matt. 26: 17. The Lord Jesus therefore in fulfilling the Old Covenant Passover and instituting the Lord's Supper of the New Covenant shows that the one pointed to the other, and the latter replaces the former. It is in the Lord's Supper that the three parts of the Feast of Passover are symbolized. A consideration of these Scriptures confirm this fact. 1 Corin. 10:16,17; 11:20; 23:34; Luke 22:1-20; Matt. 26:26-28. The following comparison and contrast brings this truth into sharper focus: Date: Friday, August 08, 2003 at 07:07:25 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD H. Offerings Presented with the Sheaf: Lev. 23:12,13 Besides the daily evening and morning sacrifices there were other specified sacrifices to be offered with this sheaf. These offerings are: 1. A lamb without blemish of the first year to be offered as a burnt offering. So the sacrificial body and blood were involved here. 2. The Meal offering and its accompanying Drink offering also to be offered as a sweet savour to the Lord. Here we see Bread and Wine involved. 3. The Sheaf of the first fruits offered. The thoughts and truths combined here are those which speak of Christ's death (The burnt offering). His resurrection (the sheaf), and the communion that results from both (Meal Offering) in the bread and the wine (John 6: ; 51-58; Matt. 26: 26-28.; 1 Corin. 11: 23-34. It is significant that there was no sin offering presented with this sheaf. All here speaks of Christ Himself in His sinlessness and His resurrection. On that basis death could not hold Him. Acts 2: 24. The death and the resurrection of Christ are brought together for each is inseparable from the other. The Lamb sets forth Christ's deatrh. The sheaf sets forth His Resurrection. The bread and wine sets forth the communion, the Lord's Table in which the believer remembers Christ's death and resurrection. I. A statute Forever: Lev. 23: 14. The Israelites were not to eat bread, corn or parched ears, until the day that the sheaf was presented to the Lord. It was to be a statute forever in all their generations in their dwellings. A statute is an established rule or law. It was symbolic of the fact that the true Israel of God, the church (Gal. 6: 16) could not partake of the food of God, the fruit of the promised land until after the resurrected Christ had been accepted in the Father's house in His ascention. Since Christs death, burial, resurrection, ascension presentation to and acceptance by the Father, the believer can enjoy the fruit of Canaan land Josh. 5: 10-12. The memory of His death and Resurrection will be a statute eternally. Date: Friday, August 08, 2003 at 06:52:38 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD H. Offerings Presented with the Sheaf: Lev. 23:12,13 Besides the daily evening and morning sacrifices there were other specified sacrifices to be offered with this sheaf. These offerings are: 1. A lamb without blemish of the first year to be offered as a burnt offering. So the sacrificial body and blood were involved here. 2. The Meal offering and its accompanying Drink offering also to be offered as a sweet savour to the Lord. Here we see Bread and Wine involved. 3. The Sheaf of the first fruits offered. The thoughts and truths combined here are those which speak of Christ's death (The burnt offering). His resurrection (the sheaf), and the communion that results from both (Meal Offering) in the bread and the wine (John 6: ; 51-58; Matt. 26: 26-28.; 1 Corin. 11: 23-34. It is significant that there was no sin offering presented with this sheaf. All here speaks of Christ Himself in His sinlessness and His resurrection. On that basis death could not hold Him. Acts 2: 24. The death and the resurrection of Christ are brought together for each is inseparable from the other. The Lamb sets forth Christ's deatrh. The sheaf sets forth His Resurrection. The bread and wine sets forth the communion, the Lord's Table in which the believer remembers Christ's death and resurrection. I. A statute Forever: Lev. 23: 14. The Israelites were not to eat bread, corn or parched ears, until the day that the sheaf was presented to the Lord. It was to be a statute forever in all their generations in their dwellings. A statute is an established rule or law. It was symbolic of the fact that the true Israel of God, the church (Gal. 6: 16) could not partake of the food of God, the fruit of the promised land until after the resurrected Christ had been accepted in the Father's house in His ascention. Since Christs death, burial, resurrection, ascension presentation to and acceptance by the Father, the believer can enjoy the fruit of Canaan land Josh. 5: 10-12. The memory of His death and Resurrection will be a statute eternally. Date: Friday, August 01, 2003 at 06:51:36 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD This event remarkably fulfils Christ's own prophetic word that He would be dead for 3 days and 3 nights and then be raised after that Matt. 12: 38-40; Luke 24: 7,46; Matt. 27: 63; Mark 8: 31; 16:9; Matt. 28: 1. From the 14th day to the close of the 17th and beginning of the 18th day we have a time period of 3 days and 3 nights, counting the Hebrew reckoning of time from evening to evening according to God's own words of a day in the Creation Account. Other shadows of the "Three Days and three Nights" bible theme are seen in these Scriptures. Gen. 22: 1-6; Heb. 11:17-19; Ex. 3:18; 5:3; 8:27; 15:22-27; Est. 4: 17; Jonah 1:17. Note: Failure to recognize that there were TWO SABBATHS in the Passover week has brought much confusion and misunderstanding as to the day of Christ's crucifixion, as well as the day of His Resurrection. It has distorted the truth of Christ's statement concerning His being 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth. The Unleavened Bread was a High Holy Day or extra Sabbath, and then there was the weekly Sabbath also, making 2 Sabbaths in the week of the crucifixion. John 19:30,31; Luke 23: 50-56. Each of the Gospels confirm the fact that the resurrection of Christ took place at the close of the weekly Sabbath and early the first day of the new week. The weekly Sabbath ends at sundown on Saturdays. That is to say that the Resurrection took place on "the morrow after the Sabbath". Type and antitype meet together in wonderful fulfilment. So is one of the foundation stones of the Christian faith...The resurrection of the Christ...was established on the first day of the new week, not the sabbath. ! The Christian rejoiced in a new day, the first day of the new week, the ressurrection day. It was for this reason that the early believers gradually moved away from keeping of the Sabbath to the keeping of the first day of the week. John 20: 1; Acts 20: 7; 1 Corin. 16: 2; Rev. 1: 10. The Jews kept a Christless Sabbath ! The keeping of the first day of the week, the Resurrection day, was foreshadowed by Israel while they were keeping weekly Sabbaths. One wonders how many of them ever understood why God instituted this simple ordinance of the sheaf waving to take place on "the morrow after the Sabbath". The New Test. believer rejoices in the knowledge of the truth. Date: Friday, July 25, 2003 at 10:04:04 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 1 1/4 Pages,,,,,,,Word Pad......Bible Script Font.....Size 12 F. To be Accepted for You: Lev. 23: 11 The Sheaf waved before Jehovah was accepted for Israel. Paul told the believers that they were "Accepted in the Beloved" Eph. 1:6. So we may say that as the Sheaf before Jehovah for Israel and Israel was accepted of Jehovah in that sheaf, so Christ is accepted before God for us and we are accepted of God in Christ. It was sin that made man unacceptable to God. The only way man can find and experience acceptance of God is through Christ the resurrected One, the sheaf of firstfruits. The church, which is His body is accepted in the Head which is Christ. G. The Morrow after the Sabbath: Lev. 23: 11; Num. 28: 26. This one sheaf was to be waved in the house of the Lord " on the morrow after the Sabbath". It is a most remarkable prophecy of the resurrection day. No set date is mentioned in Lev. for the waving of the sheaf of firstfruits, under the historical- typical command. However, when we come to the New Testament historical-anti- typical fulfillment we find the dates to be implicit in the Old Testament command. ......If we take the Passover week, or the week of the crucifixion of Jesus we discover the following dates: Saturday.....10th.....(Lamb taken and set aside).....Jesus enters Jerusalem Sunday.......11th.....(Kept for 4 days) Monday......12th...... " Tuesday......13th...... " Wednesday.14th......Passover/Crucifixion day.........Jesus crucified ..............................Luke 23:54; Mark 15:42..........Day of Preparation ..............................John 19:42.............................John 19: 31. Thursday.....15th......Feast of Unleavened Bread ..............................Sabbath or High Holy Day ..............................Luke 23:54;.....Matt. 27:62..........3 nights and 3 days ..............................John 19: 31.........................................Matt. 12: 40 Friday..........16th.....Secular Day/ Spices prepared............... " ......................................by the women ......................................Luke 23: 55,56. Saturday.......17th............Weekly Sabbath/rested .................................according to 4th Commandment. ........................................Luke 23: 56; Matt. 28: 1; ...............................................Ex. 20: 8-11 Sunday..........18th........The "Morrow after the Sabbath"........Jesus Resurrected .........................................or first day of the week ...........................................Day of Resurrection ..................................Day of Sheaf of Firstfruits waving ........................................Matt. 28: 1; Mark 16: 1-6; ..........................................John 20: 1; Luke 24: 1. Date: Friday, July 18, 2003 at 08:07:41 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD It is worthy to note that the gospel of Matt., when recording the message of the Resurrection tells us that "the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves AFTER His Resurrection" Matt. 27: 52,53. Thus Christ was the FIRST here in resurrection life of this resurrected company of saints. It is possible that the sheaf of Firstfruits could be viewed in a double sense. 1. Christ the sheaf of firstfruits in His own personal resurrection. 2. The company of saints raised bodily with Him at His Resurrection could to- gether with Him be looked upon as being "the sheaf". Whichever way it is viewed, Christ Himself is indeed the representative sheaf, the earnest, the firstfruits, the promise, the forerunner of the great harvest of resur- rected ones at the close of this age 1 Corin. 15: 20-23, 51-57; 1 Thess. 4: 13-18; Rom. 8:29. There are more to come exactly like Him, Phil. 3: 20,21. The Apostle James speaks of the early Church believers as "a kind of firstfruits" James 1: 18... The Apostle Paul said that the belivers had "the firstfruits of the Spirit" Rom. 8: 23. Paul also referred to the converts in Achaia as " the firstfruits". 1 Corin. 16: 15. The Apostle John spoke of the 144,000 redeemed Israelites as being "the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. Rev. 14: 4. Jesus Christ therefore is the representative sheat and the saints down through the ages will be the harvest of the end of the age., gathered into the heavenly garner. Matt. 13: 36-43. E. Wave the Sheaf before Jehovah: Lev. 23:11; Ex. 23: 19. This one sheaf was to be taken to the house of the Lord and waved in presentation before Jehovah. It speaks of Christ's ascension to the heavenly Father's house, the true tabernacle and temple. When He was about to ascend after His Resurrection, He told Mary not to touch Him for he had not yet ascended to the Father. John 20: 17. While the Jews kekpt the letter of the law concerning this Feast day, and that before a rent veil, Christ fulfilled the reality and spirit of it as He ascended to the Father's house and presented Himself as the sheaf of the firstfruits in His Resurrection and glorified body. The empty tomb testified to the fact that the sheaf of firstfruits had been reaped and waved before the Lord in His heavenly sanctuary. Date: Friday, July 11, 2003 at 06:45:06 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 9 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 3. The New Testament shows beautifully how the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all that truth typified in the firstfruits and especially here as the Sheaf of first- fruits. a. He is the firstborn of Mary..Matt. 1:23-25. b. He is the first-begotten of the Father..Heb. 1: 6. c. He is the firstborn from the dead. Col. 1: 18. d. He is the first-begotten of the dead. Rev. 1: 5. e. In all things He is the pre-eminent One. Col. 1: 18. f. He is the beginning of the creation of God. Rev. 3: 14. g. He is the firstborn among many bretheran. Rom. 8: 28. h. He is the firstfruits of the the resurrected ones. 1 Corin. 15: 20, 23. Christ Jesus is indeed the " most Holy One ", The One sanctified by the Father, the first, the choicest, and the pre-eminent One. He is botrh the firstborn and the first- fruits unto God, exclusively belonging to the Father. He is the sheaf of firstfruits. C. The First of the Firstfruits...Ex. 23: 19; 34: 26.. The Sheaf of the firstfruits needs to be distinguished from the harvest of the first- fruits Ex. 23: 16; 34: 22., or that which took place under the Pentecost harvest. This sheaf was a fore-runner sheaf, a sample sheaf of the coming harvest. The harvests of Passover (barley) and Pentecost (wheat) were a kind of firstfruits harvest because the final harvest was to come at the end of the year under Taber- nacles (fruit). Hence this sheaf was but the first of the firstfruits, and the harvest would follow. It is the Father's will that His Son be first and have the pre-eminence in all things in the Church. Col. 1: 18. The believer is to seek First the Kingdom of God as personified in Christ the King Matt. 6: 33. The believer is to maintain first love, first works and first faith in Christ also. Rev. 2:4, 5; 1 Tim. 5: 12. D. A representative Sheaf of the Harvest: Lev. 23: 10 This sheaf was a representative sheaf, typifying the coming harvest. It was not the whole harvest but a part of the whole, yet the whole was represented in that one sheaf. So Christ Jesus in His Resurrection represented the great harvest of resurrected ones yet to come. Date: Friday, July 04, 2003 at 06:57:48 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 9 The 7 Feasts of the Lord A. Bring a Sheaf of the Harvest: Lev. 23: 10 A sheaf in Scripture is generally used to typify persons or a person. 1. Joseph dreamed a dream in which he saw eleven sheaves bow down to his sheaf. The interpretation was clear. It was a prophetic dream which showed that his 11 brothers would bow down to him in the appointed time. Gen. 37: 5-11. This shows that the sheaf was symbolic of a person. 2. The Song of Degrees found in Psa. 126 is also a prophetic Psalm. It speaks of the sower going forth to sow in tears. Then he comes back later in the harvest time bringing his sheaves with him. this prophetic psalm should be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Lord of the Harvest. In His first coming He went forth weep- ing bearing prescious seed. In His second coming He will come rejoicing in the Har- vest time, bring His sheaves with Him. The sheaves in this harvest time are the redeemed souls which come to fruition by the Gospel. 3. The single sheaf, presented to the Lord here on this Feast day speaks of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the sheaf of firstfruits. 1 Corin. 15: 20-23. The first fruit of us all who are in Him. B. The Sheaf of the Firstfruits: Lev. 23: 10 This one sheaf is distinctly called "the sheaf of the firstfruits". The nation of Israel was familiar with the concept of the firstfruits, or the firstborn. Both taught the same truth. The firstfruits were always the choicest, the foremost, the first, the best, the pre-eminent of all that was to to follow. The firstfruits were holy to the Lord. The same truths were also applicable to the firstborn of both man and beast. 1. The firstborn of both man and beast were sanctified and presented to the Lord. They were distinctly and uniquely His. Ex. 13: 2, 11-13; 22: 29. 2. The firstfruits of all the earth were to be presented to the Lord, at His altar in praise and thanksgiving. Sometimes they were presented to the priests and Levites Deut. 26: 1-11; 18: 3-5; Lev. 19: 23-25. Read also Neh. 10: 34-39. Thus, the firstfruits belonged exclusively to Jehovah. They were holy, sanctified and presented to Him. Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 at 06:57:28 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 9 The 7 Feasts of the Lord THE FEAST DAY OF THE SHEAF OF FIRSTFRUITS The final part of the Feast of Passover is spoken of as the Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits. The only specific scripture which deals with this Feast Day is found in Lev. 23: 9-14. The New Testament clearly interprets this simple but beautiful Feast Day in 1 Corin. 15: 20-23, while the Gospels show the fulfilment of the same in the resurrection of Christ. Again Paul in a summary statement in Corin. interprets this ordinance by referring to " Christ the Firstfruits ". The day of the sheaf of Firstfruits is a remarkable prophetic type of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. His ascension to heaven to the Father and also symbolic of the coming resurrection of all saints of all ages. I. THE STORY IN BRIEF: When Israel eventually entered into the promised land, they were commanded to keep this Feast day then. It involved the harvest period under the Passover and Pentecost. It could not be kept in the Wilderness as that was a place of wandering, feeding on the manna from heaven. It was not a place of harvest or feeding on the fruit of the land ..Josh. 5: 10-12. The custom was carried out in this manner. The standing ripe harvest, barley and wheat, would soon be reaped. A person would go to the standing harvest, take one sheaf and bring it unto the priest. The lone sheaf was called " the sheaf of the first- fruits." The priest was then to take this one sheaf and wave it before the Lord in His house. This was to be done on "the morrow after the sabbath." Certain pres- cribed offerings were also to be presented along with this sheaf. None could eat of the bread or roasted grain of the corn harvest until that sheaf had been presented to the Lord and accepted for Israel. It may be asked: How many of the Israelites really understood the symbolic truth and significance of this simple but beautiful ceremony ? The New Testament his- torical fulfilment is that which interprets the ceremony for us and helps the believer to understand and appreciate the Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits. <>< "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." * Matt. 12:37 Date: Friday, June 20, 2003 at 09:12:04 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The sin offering speaks of Christ's substitutionary and atoning work on Calvary. The meal and drink offering speak of Christ's perfect and sinless humanity. His sinless body and blood presented as a sweet savour unto God. God accepted Israel in the perfections of the sacrifice. So God accepts the church in the perfections of Christ. In Him we keep the Feasts. II. Following is an outline of references showing the importance of bread in Israel. Bread is the staff of life. All pointed to Christ as the Bread of Life., unleavened in- deed, for no sin or evil was found in Him. Nothing that puffs up was ever seen in His Holy, perfect and sinless humanity. The believer therefore must feed on the per- fections of Christ as his food. He is the Bread which came down from Heaven, bread that a man can eat and never die. This is true spiritual communion. A. Abraham presented three unleavened cakes to the Lord. Gen. 18. B. Israel fed on the unleavened bread as they left Egypt. Ex. 12-13. C. The Lord fed Israel with Manna from heaven for the 40 years they wandered in the Wilderness ..Ex. 16. D. The Meal Offering was of the fine flour, and leaven and honey were forbidden to be baked therein. Lev. 2. E. The Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle of Moses had 12 loaves of bread there- on as the food for the priests. It was called the Shewbread. Lev. 24: 5-9; Num. 4: 7; II Chron. 2:4. F.A golden pot of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant for a memorial. Heb. 9: 4. G. Abraham received bread and wine from Melchisedek at the time of the covenant. Gen. 14: 18; Heb. 7: 1-12. H. The Angel of the Lord who appeared to Gideon accepted his sacrifice of unleave- ened cakes on the altar. Judges 6: 19-21. I. In the Feast of Pentacost the Lord commanded Israel to offer two wave loaves baked with leaven. This was in direct contrast to that which was commanded under the Feast of Passover and Unleavedned Bread. Lev. 23: 15-17. The significance of this will be considered under the interpretation of that Feast. J. Godly Kings and leaders in Israel always brought the people back to the keeping of the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. 2 Chron. 8:13; 30:13-21; 35:17; Ezra 6:22; Eze. 45: 21. Date: Friday, June 20, 2003 at 09:05:43 (CDT) Page No :9 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The sin offering speaks of Christ's substitutionary and atoning work on Calvary. The meal and drink offering speak of Christ's perfect and sinless humanity. His sinless body and blood presented as a sweet savour unto God. God accepted Israel in the perfections of the sacrifice. So God accepts the church in the perfections of Christ. In Him we keep the Feasts. II. Following is an outline of references showing the importance of bread in Israel. Bread is the staff of life. All pointed to Christ as the Bread of Life., unleavened in- deed, for no sin or evil was found in Him. Nothing that puffs up was ever seen in His Holy, perfect and sinless humanity. The believer therefore must feed on the per- fections of Christ as his food. He is the Bread which came down from Heaven, bread that a man can eat and never die. This is true spiritual communion. A. Abraham presented three unleavened cakes to the Lord. Gen. 18. B. Israel fed on the unleavened bread as they left Egypt. Ex. 12-13. C. The Lord fed Israel with Manna from heaven for the 40 years they wandered in the Wilderness ..Ex. 16. D. The Meal Offering was of the fine flour, and leaven and honey were forbidden to be baked therein. Lev. 2. E. The Table of Shewbread in the Tabernacle of Moses had 12 loaves of bread there- on as the food for the priests. It was called the Shewbread. Lev. 24: 5-9; Num. 4: 7; II Chron. 2:4. F.A golden pot of manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant for a memorial. Heb. 9: 4. G. Abraham received bread and wine from Melchisedek at the time of the covenant. Gen. 14: 18; Heb. 7: 1-12. H. The Angel of the Lord who appeared to Gideon accepted his sacrifice of unleave- ened cakes on the altar. Judges 6: 19-21. I. In the Feast of Pentacost the Lord commanded Israel to offer two wave loaves baked with leaven. This was in direct contrast to that which was commanded under the Feast of Passover and Unleavedned Bread. Lev. 23: 15-17. The significance of this will be considered under the interpretation of that Feast. J. Godly Kings and leaders in Israel always brought the people back to the keeping of the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. 2 Chron. 8:13; 30:13-21; 35:17; Ezra 6:22; Eze. 45: 21. Date: Friday, June 13, 2003 at 09:09:40 (CDT) Page No :8 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD h. A Memorial: Ex. 12: 14; 13: 3,9. The Feast was also celebrated as a memorial of their deliverance and separation from Egypt, (the world)..the House of Bondage. Jesus established the Last Supper also and asked us to remember Him who delivered us from so great a bondage. Luke 22: 19, 20... i. Explanation of the Feast: Ex. 13: 8,9 The Lord commanded the Israelites to explain the Feast to their children. When the sons and daughters would ask what the sign of putting away of leaven meant, the head of the house was to tell them of the law of the Lord. He would explain how God brought Israel out of bondage with a strong hand, separating them from the influences of Egypt. Israel was to be a new lump of dough unto the Lord, unleavened. Rom. 11: 16. So the law of the Lord, the work of sanctification, has to be taught and explained to the spiritual Israel God. The Lord's supper as in the New Testament also needs explanation as it is kept. And we ought to teach our children the way they ought to go...in God's ways... Gal. 6: 16; Eph. 2: 10-12; 1 Corin. 11: 23-34. j. The Additional Offerings: Num. 28: 17-25. As seen previously, each of the Feast days had special offerings besides the regular daily sacrifice. In this Feast of Unleavened Bread additional offerings were presented to the Lord. These were as follows: 1.) Burnt Offerings...2 bullocks, 1 ram and 7 lambs. 2.) Sin Offering...One Goat. 3.) Meal Offerings...Fine flour and oil were to be presented with the burnt offerings totalling 6/10ths deal of the fine flour with oil. 4.) Then the daily sacrifice, which consisted of the morning and evening lamb for the burnt offerings, and its attendant meal and drink offering. The Truth is the same as seen in the whole sacrificial system. The nation of Israel can only be acceptable to God through blood atonement. The burnt offering speaks of the complete and total consecration of Christ to the Father's will. As it is for the saints as well, the burning up of the Chaff (our will) is a burnt offering to the Lord God. The Refining Fires.. <>< "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Rom. 5:9 Thank you Jesus !!!! Date: Friday, June 06, 2003 at 07:06:35 (CDT) Page No :7 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The believer also keeps the Feast in the Lord's Supper, the Holy Communion. There we partake of the bread of Christ, and there we also become part of that one bread, the church, the body of Christ. 1 Corin. 5: 7-11, 10: 15-21; 11: 20-34; Acts 20: 6,7. As we keep ourselves from evil and partake of the Table of the Lord in sincerity and truth, we indeed keep the Feast. Christ is to us the bread of healing and the bread of Life. Psa. 105:37; 2 Chron. 30: 13-20; Mark 7: 24-30. For Israel, the keeping of the Feast meant a complete separation from Egypt's (the world) god's, religion, bondage, food, works and slavery, as well as its glory and wisdom and might. The putting away of leaven therefore is the practical separation from all known evil, and all that has corrupting influence in the life of the believer. This is why the children of Israel took their dough before it was leavened. They could now tarry in Egypt. There was no time to let the leaven get in and work Ex. 12: 34, 39. The believer has no time to tarry in the Egypt of this world but needs to move right on, into separation, the moment we recieve Christ as our Lamb. g. Eating the Lamb, the Bread and the Bitter Herbs: Ex. 12: 8; Num. 9:11. The Lord commanded Israel to keep the Passover Feast eating 3 things in the course of the Feast. 1.) The flesh of the Lamb was to be roasted and eaten. 2.) It must be eaten with unleavened bread. 3.) Both must be eaten along with bitter herbs All is fulfilled in Christ Jesus.... The believer is to partake of Christ the slain Lamb, and the bread which He gives is His Flesh. We do this as we remember the bitterness of Gethsemane and Calvery's sufferings and death John 6: 51-56. Christ is the Lamb John 1:29, 36. Christ is the Bread John 12: 24; Isa. 28: 28; John 6: 51-56. Christ experienced the bitter cup and the bitterness of our sins and bondage to satan, the bitterness of judgement and death. Isa. 53: 8; Luke 22: 42. This bread was called "the bread of affliction" Deut. 16: 3,4,8. Jesus was afflicted for us to become the bread of life for us. Isa. 53: 4; John 6: 30-35. <>< "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine." Isa. 43:1 Date: Friday, May 30, 2003 at 08:15:50 (CDT) Page No :6 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The Galatians having received Christ by faith now sought to go back to the beggerly elements of the Law, hoping to be perfected by legalistic works. The Judaizing teachers of the Law put their "leaven of legality" in all of the churches which Paul planted. Paul warned the believers of the leavening influence of this teaching unless they arrested its action by purging it out and putting away the subtle influences of such. Various groups of believers are influences by this same leaven of the Galatian Church and such needs purging out in order that the church may be a new lump, unleavened by corrupting influences. Jesus and Paul clearly interpret for us the symbol of leaven, both in the Gospels and the Epistles. Although the symbol of leaven was never specifically interpreted for us in the Old Testament, it is in the New Testament. All leaven therefore must be put away in order to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. f. How to keep the Feast- 1 Corin. 5: 7,8 In verse 7 Paul says "Christ our Passover is sacrificed (slain) for us." In verse 8 he exhorts us "to keep the Feast" (holy day)...with the Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth. So then the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread are brought together in his letter to the Corinthian Church. This Feast must be kept : 1.) In Sincerity--that is, in clearness, in purity, the opposite to the corrupting influences of impurity and hypocrisy. 2.) In Truth--that is, truly; the opposite to deceit and lying. These two words are used in contrast to the "leaven of malice and wickedness." The believer keeps this Feast when he puts away all evil doctrine ( man's doctrine) and all evil practices, when he lives a sanctified life. The separated life is the unleavened life; not allowing secret or corrupting influences of evil to puff up the believer or any area of his relationship with Christ, the Passover Lamb of God Gal. 5: 19-26; Eph. 4: 17-32; Col. 3: 1-17. Date: Friday, May 23, 2003 at 06:27:50 (CDT) Page No :5 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD c. The Leaven of the Pharisees: Matt. 16: 6-12; Luke 12: 1. The Lord Jesus also warned His own to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. No mistake could be made here because Jesus interprets the symbol of the leaven of the Pharisees as hypocrisy. Read also, Luke 11: 37-44; 12: 1; Matt. 23: 3. The Pharisees "say and do not". They do not practice what they preach. Although they were religious, fasted, tithed, believed in the supernatural, in the sacred Scriptures, they were as whited sepluchures. Externally clean but inwardly they were rotten, as dead men's bones. Hypocrisy works like leaven in a believer's life unless it is purged out and put away. It causes one to be puffed up. d. The Leaven of Corinth: 1 Corin. 5: 1-13. This Chapter clearly shows that the major leaven in the Corinthians Church was sensuality. The whole epistle shows other forms of leaven at work in the Church also. Note how Paul refers to the action of leaven in which the Corinthians were "puffed up". 1Corin. 4: 18,19; 5: 2; 8:1; 13: 4. To be "puffed up" is also symbolic of pride and inflation. Pride from which the devil himself was cast out of heaven. A study of this Epistle shows that the sin of fornication, along with other sins, had not been dealt with in Corinth. It worked like leaven affecting other members (Compare 2 Corin. 12: 20,21. Paul exhorts the church to "put away" the person who is having such a leavening influence in the church. He told them to "purge out" the old leaven, reminding them that a little leaven would leaven the whole lump. This purging out of the leaven as seen here is the proper exercise of church discipline. Paul spoke of the leaven of malice and wickedness, which was "old leaven" and needed purging out. All churches need to purge out sin and its leavening influence. e. The Leaven of Galatia: Gal. 5: 9 A study of the context of this Epistle to the Galatians Church clearly shows that the leaven of Galatia was Legalism, a mixture of Law and Grace. Having Christ in one hand, and Moses in the other hand. It was a confusion of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant revelation. A mixture of flesh and Spirit, bondage and liberty, works of the Law and Faith in Christ. Date: Friday, May 16, 2003 at 10:28:23 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD So, " a little leaven leavens the whole lump." The "principle of leaven" is used politically and religeously in various forms of propaganda in all nations, per- meating and influencing societies, cultures and concepts either for good or evil. 2. Leaven Spiritually... Almost without exception leaven in scripture is used to be a type of evil, either in doctrine or practice. Both Old and New Testament set this forth. The Old Test- aments use of Leaven is evidently of that which must be "put away". The New Test- ament however, clearly interprets the type for us. So the literal leaven pointed to the spiritual leaven. There are five distinct references to leaven in the New Testament and a consideration of the contextual use of each will show that leaven is indeed evil and that which has be put away. Leaven is seen to be a type of sin, human weaknesses, infirmities, false doctrine or corrupt practices. a. The Leaven of Herod: Mark 8: 15; 6:14-28 A study of the ref. to Herod show that he was a very sinful and worldly man. He feared the Word Of God in John's mouth but was not prepared to repent. He was sly as a fox, sensual, proud and murderous. He was controlled by the spirit of the World. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the Leaven of Herod, the Spirit of Worldliness. b. The Leaven of the Sadducees: Matt. 16: 6-12 Jesus also warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Sadducees. There was no mistaking what the leaven of the Sadducees was. It was their doctrine. The Sadducees did not believe in the supernatural, in spirit, in angels, or in the bodily ressurrection. Matt. 3:7; Mark 12: 18; Acts 5: 17; 23: 6-8. The doctrine of the Sadducees works like leaven leaven, corrupting and influencing all those who receive it. Modernism is the counterpart of the leaven of the Sadducees today. Date: Friday, May 09, 2003 at 07:33:37 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD 1. Unleavened bread was used in the consecration of the Priests to their office and ministry. Lev. 8: 2, 26; Ex. 29: 2, 23. 2. Unleavened bread was also used in the vow of separation of the Nazarite unto the Lord. Num. 6: 1-12. 3. Unleavened Bread was also used in the food of the Priests, especially in the Meal Offering, as well as the Peace Offering. Lev. 2: 4,5; 6:14-18; 7: 11-13. 4. Unleavened Bread was used in all the Feasts of the Lord, except that in Pentacost leavened bread was offered. Ex. 34: 18; Lev. 23: 5-8. 5. Unleavened Bread was used when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon in his call to service. Judges 6: 11-24. 6. Unleavened Bread was to be used in the Passover Feast as Israel was about to be separated from Egypt's life of slavery and bondage ..Ex. 12: 17, 31-34. Thus the Types and Shadows, or Symbolical truths in unleavened bread are : " Consecration " and " Separation " unto the Lord. These speak of the doctrine of santification where the believer is separated from all that would keep them from being IN CHRIST, and consecrated unto the service of the Lord. E. All Leaven to be Put Away : Ex. 12: 15,19, 20.. Every house must put away all leaven. It was a time of great cleansing, of separation, from leavening influences. (Things of the Fleshly desires.).. So we consider the symbol of leaven as to the natural and the spiritual significance. Read also: Ex. 23:18; 34:25; Lev. 2:11; 6:17; 10:12. 1. Leaven Naturally-- Leaven (or yeast), is a little bit of sour dough, and when placed in a batch of dough has the action of fermentation. Leaven puffs up. It works silently, secretly and grad- ually, until the whole is leavened. All the dough is affected by its mysterious operation and fermentation. It causes the dough to rise. Its influence permeates the whole until all is leavened, until all becomes like itself. Date: Friday, May 02, 2003 at 08:19:01 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD A. The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Ex. 23: 14,15; 34: 18. The title for this Feast was an integral part of the Passover Feast, so much so, that the titles were used interchangeably or almost synonymously. B. Kept for Seven Days: Ex. 12:15-19 The Feast began on the evening of the fourteenth of the First Month and lasted until the twenty-first day of the same month. In Lev. 23: 6 it states that the Feast began on the fifteenth day as far as Hebrew time was concerned, for Hebrew time was from sunset to sunset or from 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. Num. 28: 17. The number Seven is a type of Fullness and Completion. The number seven is used hundreds of times in Scripture. The first use is at the close of the days of creation, for on the seventh day all work was completed, and thus God rested and made Holy (Sanctified) the seventh day. The believer who keeps this Feast, keeps it fully unto the Lord, and sets himself aside completely to Him. The seven-day Feast speaks of complete separation from all things that are leavened to feed upon Chirst who is the believer's bread. C. A Sabbath Day-- Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:7; Num. 28: 18 As every Feast day was a Sabbath, so was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was a Holy Convocation, or a High Day. This meant that in the Passover month or week that there was an extra Sabbath besides the weekly Sabbath. It is this which explains the Sabbath or High day besides the weekly Sabbath in the week of Christ's Crucifixion. John 19: 31. The Sabbath was a day when no manner of work was to be done. It was a day of rest, a cessation from work, and so the believer ceases from his own works ( our own works of depending on ourselves and man, rather than God); and enters into Spiritual rest in Christ as he keeps the Feast. Heb. 4:3, 9,10. D. Importance and Significance of Unleavened Bread in Israel : The importance and significance of unleavened Bread in Israel may be seen in the various occasions when the Lord commanded it to be used. The Spiritual truth becomes more evident as these Scriptures are considered. Date: Friday, April 25, 2003 at 07:03:10 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 8 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Study 1 Why Study the Feasts " 2 Principles of Interpreatation " 3 The Feasts in Outline " 4 Our Study Approach " 5 Fulfillment--Literal and/ or Spiritual ? " 6 General Observations " 7 The Feast of Passover " 8 The Feast of Unleavened Bread " 9 The Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD The next part of the Feast of Passover, and the main burden of it, is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This in fact became the most common name for the Feast of Passover. Undoubtedly this was because of the duration of the Feast which was to last for seven days. Ex. 23: 14,15. The main portions of scripture dealing with the details of this Feast are found in Ex. 12:8, 15-20; 31-39; 13: 3-10; Deut. 16:1-8; Num. 28: 17-25; Lev. 23: 6-8. The New Testament references which should be read in connection with the Old references are to be found in: Matt. 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-21; Luke 22:1,2; I Corin. 5: 6-8. Paul's interpretpretives verse summarizes the truth for us when he wrote: "Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of Malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincereity and truth" 1 Corin. 5: 8. I. THE STORY IN BRIEF: With the coming of the Passover Feastival, the head of the house must clean his house of all leaven. For seven days no leaven was to be seen in his dwelling. All in the house must eat of unleavened bread from the first day until the seventh day. Anyone found with leavened food in the house would be cut off from the Congregation of Israel, (the body).. This ordinance was to be kept each year in all households.It seems that the full significance of this Feast was never fully understood in Israel as a Nation. However the consideration of the Old Test historical and typical Feast with the New Test. Scriptures, as well as the Old Test. Scriptures, gives us the understanding and interpretation of this Feast. Date: Friday, April 18, 2003 at 09:26:46 (CDT) Page No :15 Study: Study 7 The 7 Feasts of the Lord II. Cont. A. The original Passover, instituted at the Exodus of Israel as a nation from Egypt under Moses at the beginning of the journey to Canaan land. Ex. 12. B. The second Passover, after they were come out of Egypt in the setting up of the Tabernacle of the Lord. Nun. 9: 1-5.. C. The Passover at the end of the wilderness journey, under Joshua and the new generation, as they enter the promised land. Josh. 5:10,11.. D. The Passover in the second month, held under godly King Hezekiah. 2 Chron. 30 with Num. 9: 6-14. E. The great Passover, kept under godly King Josiah 2 Kings 23: 21-23.; 2 Chron. 35: 18,19. F. The Passover restored and kept under Ezra, after the close of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. Ezra 6: 19. G. The Passover seen in the vision of Ezekiel's Temple. Eze. 45: 21. H. The true Passover Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, fulfilling in Himself all the glorious details of the Old Testament type...Matt. 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19; "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." 1 Corin. 5: 6-8. Jesus established the Lord's Supper at the time of the Passover Supper, when He Himself was about to be slain as the true Lamb of God. So He closed off the old ceremony of the body and blood of the Lamb and established the new with the bread and wine of His Communion table. The great tradgedy was that the Jews carried on the old Passover, and missed the true Passover in Christ. Acts 12:4, Note here that "Easter" should be translated by its Greek word as "Passover"---- not " Easter ".. End Study 7 Date: Friday, April 11, 2003 at 06:52:49 (CDT) Page No :14 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Similarly none can sing the song of the redeemed by the Lamb of God from satan's bondage Rev. 5: 9,10. The saints who come out of the great tribulation, and stand on the sea of glass, sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. The New Testament believers sing the song of Jesus who is the Lamb .. John 1: 29, 36. BB. The Church of the Firstborn: Ex.4: 22, 23; Heb. 12: 22-24. The nation of Israel is spoken of as the "church in the wilderness" Acts 7:38. It is also referred to as God's Son. His Firstborn. As seen earlier, the emphasis that God placed on the firstborn is important. The Firstborn lamb must die. Those who re- jected the Firstborn, had their firstborn slain. All Israelites and all Egyptians must face the truth of the firstborn. So the fulfillment is seen in the following: 1. Jesus Christ is God's firstborn lamb, the firstborn of Mary. 2. He is the firstborn from death, the firstborn of the dead, and the firstborn of all new creatures. 3. The first Adam sinned and brought all his unborn race under death. 4. God sets aside the firstborn after the fleshly birth, and brings in His firstborn after the new and second and heavenly birth. 5. God sets aside Egypt as the first of the nations, and brings in Israel as His first- born, the firstborn church. So the writer to the Hebrews speaks of "the church of the firstborn" who have come to the blood of Jesus, which speaks better things than that of Abels. One only becomes a member of the church of the firstborn by accepting Jesus Christ, God's firstborn Lamb, and by the new and spiritual birth. Thus, the details of this glorious Feast find wonderful fulfilment in Christ who is our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us. 1 Corin. 5: 6-8. The historical and actual Feast for Israel becomes typical, and the typical is then prophetical. As the substance is always greater than the shadow, and the antitype greater than the type, so Christ our Passover Lamb supercedes and transcends all Old Testament Passover Lambs. II. In Conclusion of this Feast of Passover: We Note that there are 8 major references to the Passover in Scripture, the 8th being the true Passover, even Christ Himself. Which is listed below to enlarge upon for yourself : The Number 8 is the Number of Jesus..888... Date: Friday, April 04, 2003 at 07:26:07 (CST) Page No :13 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Y. The Exodus on Eagle's Wings: Ex. 12: 40-42; 19: 1-6 Israel as a nation had been preserved through the various plagues which fell on Egypt. Now, at the midnight hour, they experienced the great exodus. Exodus means "going out". this going out was into the wilderness. The Lord reminded them at Mt. Sinai that this delivering power from Egypt was the power of "eagles wings". there He brought them unto Himself in the wilderness. All of this rich types and shadows its ultimate fulfillment in the church of the last days when it is taken out into the "wilderness" on the power of the "wings of a great Eagle". This wilderness is a place of preservation, a place prepared by God. The church in the end times shall know the preserving power of God in the midst of great plagues of wrath on a godless world. Acts 7:38; Rev. 12:6,14. The Lord likens Himself to a great Eagle caring for its own. Deut. 32: 11; Luke 17: 32-37; Isa. 40:31; Psa. 103: 1-4. Z. Healing Power in the Lamb: 2 Chron. 30: 13-20; Psa. 105: 37 As the children of Israel feasted on the body of the slain and roasted lamb, it seems as if there was a great manifistation of the healing power of the Lord. The Psalm- ist tells us that there was not one feeble person among them when He brought them forth. It is wonderful to note also that when Hezekiah restored the Feast of Passover back to the nation (having it in the 2nd Mo., as permitted by the Law on special occasions), that the Lord healed the people. If healing took place under the typical Lamb, how much more shall the people of the Lord find healing in the true Lamb, the Lord Jesus, as they feast upon Him. Ex. 15:26; 3 John 2; Isa. 53. Mark 16: 15-20. AA. The Song of Moses and the Lamb: Ex. 15: 1-19; Rev. 15: 1-4. There is no recorded song in Scripture until we come to the Song of Moses after the deliverance from Egypt by the power of the Passover Lamb. Surely there is some significance in this. Date: Friday, March 28, 2003 at 08:24:16 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD W. Must be Circumcised to Eat the Passover--Ex. 12: 43-51. The Lord laid down prerequisites for all who eat the Passover Lamb. 1. A stranger was not to eat of it. 2. A foreigner was not to eat of it. 3. A hired servant was not to eat of it. 4. An uncircumcised person was not to eat of it. Be they Israelites or foreigner, all must therefore experience the rite of circumcision to partake of the Passover. (Our Communion). Circumcision was the sign and seal of the Abrhamic Covenant Acts 7:8; Gen. 17. If a person was not circumcised, they were not in Covenant relationship with the Lord, and therefore not entitled to the promises, privileges and blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant. The New Testament shows that the person who is in New Covenant relationship with Christ is qualified then to partake of the Lord's Supper. The true circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit; and not of the flesh or after the letter. Matt. 26: 26-28; Rom. 2: 24-29; Gal. 6: 15; Rom. 4: 11,12; Col.2: 11-13. " In Christ " we are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow-citizens of the house- house of faith and of the commonwealth of Israel. Eph. 2: 12-19. One who goes to church and takes communion without being saved reaps heavy consequences with God. X. A Holy Convocation: Ex. 12: 16 The Passover, like the Feast of Unleavened Bread and all other Feast days, was a Holy Convocation or an Extra Sabbath. No manner of work was to be done. All were to Rest in the finished work of the Lamb. The believer finds true rest and spiritual spiritual Sabbath rest in ceasing from our own works and resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ, God's Lamb. Matt. 11: 28-30; Eph. 2: 8,9; John 17: 1-4; 19:30 Date: Friday, March 21, 2003 at 09:20:53 (CST) Page No :11 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Thus the believer's security is to stay inside the blood-sprinled door Christ, John 10: 9, and in the church, which is His House of whom we are. 1 Tim. 3: 15; Eph. 2:18-22; Heb. 3: 1-5. Any disobedience borders on the great sin of presump- tion., and treading under the blood of the covenant Heb. 10:26-29. All must stay under the "covering blood." T. Explanation of the Service: Ex. 12: 25-28 The Lord commanded Israel to keep this service forever and especially when they came into the land of Canaan. (Which is when we get through the wilderness of our testings, and enter into our Rest, and Resurrection Power. After crossing over Spiritual Jordan).. When the children would ask in time "What do you mean by this service? " they were to explain its origin and purpose in keeping it. So it is the responsibility of leadership to explain the New Testament fulfilment of the Old Testament Passover, both as to the work of Christ on the Cross, as well as in the Lord's Table where this service or Feast is commemorated. 1 Corin. 5:6-8; 11:23-34; Matt. 26: 26-28. U. Redemption makes Division and Difference: Ex. 11: 7; 8:23. In the process of delivering Israel from the house of bondage, the Lord said that He would put " a diference" between the Israelites and the Egyptians. This difference is also called "a division" and "a redemption". So it is that redemption makes the difference between the believer and the unbeliever, creating the division in the human race into just two classes..Rom. 3:22; 10:12. V. Spoiling the Egyptians at the Exodus: Ex. 12: 31=36, 40-42. With the death of the firstborn of man and beast, Pharoah called for Moses and Aaron and told them to get quickly out of Egypt. In their haste to get rid of the Israelites, they were spoiled. The Israelites took from the Egyptians jewels of gold and silver, and raiment, and anything else they required. "And they spoiled the Egyptians." This was in fulfilment of the prophetic word given to Abraham over 400 years before Gen. 15: 13-21. It was also Israel's "pay day" for many years of work and slavery. In due time the Israelites would give of this spoil, this substance, to the Lord for the building of the Tabernacle of the Lord Ex. 25:1-9. Date: Friday, March 14, 2003 at 08:09:47 (CST) Page No :10 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Not a Bone Was to be Broken: Ex. 12: 46; Psa. 34: 20. In the eating of the Passover Lamb, God Commanded that no bones were to be broken. Undoubtedly the full significance of this was not understood until the death of Jesus Christ. The soldiers broke the legs of the two theives as was the custom to hasten death. But when they were about to break the legs of Jesus they found that He was already dead, for He had surrendered His Spirit to the Father in death. He was not a disobedient sheep needing His legs to be broken ,as were the two thieves. Thus God watched His Word to fulfil it, both type and prophecy, as in the Law and the Psalms. Men unwittingly fulfilled the same . Acts 13:27; John 19:33-37. Type and Prophecy came together in remarkable fulfillment. R. Unleavened Bread to be Eaten Seven Days --Ex. 12: 15-20, 34,39. The Full significance of this is dealt with fully under the next part of the Feast. For the present it should be noted that all leaven was to be put away. No leaven was to be found in their house or else that person in whose possession it was found, be they Israelites or stranger, would be cut off from the congregation of the Lord. For 7 days they were to be feeding upon unleavened bread, beginning the night of the Passover. The putting away of leaven for 7 days is a type of com- plete separation from all sin, and all evil or leavening influences that work as such in a believer's life. And the 7 days is a type of God's 7,000 yr. plan of completion. Refer to comments on the Feast of Unleavened Bread.. S. Safety in the House inside the door..Ex. 12: 22-24... One of the strong commandments of the Lord was that which pertained to the security of the Israelite or stranger. None were to go outside the door of the house until God commanded it. Thus safety and security were conditional upon obediance, by staying inside the blood- sprinkled door and the household of faith, feeding on the lamb.. (which is feeding on His Word, and in Communion), If any Israelitedared to presume and leave the house, stepping outside that blood-sprinkled door,there was no guarantee of safety. He would undoubtedly have been met by the death angel in the land. Date: Friday, March 07, 2003 at 10:51:12 (CST) Page No :9 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD N. The Midnight Hour: Ex. 11:4-6; 12:29,30. The Feast was to be held just before the midnight hour, for at that time, the death- angel would go through Egypt and smite the firstborns of man and beast if no blood was evident. The "Midnight Hour" is always a type of the end of the age. It is the darkest hour before the dawn of a new day. At midnight there would be a great cry made as the death-angel struck in every house which had rejected the Passover Lamb. Note in these Scriptures what happened at the "Midnight Hour" and see how God works in connection with such. Matt. 25: 6; Job 34:20; Judges 16:3; Mark 13:35; Luke 11:5; Ex. 11:4-6. All point to the end of the age. (Listen well.....to the screaming of your neighbors, and loved one's, that don't know Jesus.) O. At the Going down of the Sun: Deut. 16: 2,6 When the Lord gave further instructions concerning the Passover Feast He stressed that it was to be at the going down of the sun. The Prophet Amos foretold a day when God would cause the sun to go down at Noon, and thus turn their Feasts into mourning Amos 8: 9,10. How remarkably both these Scriptures were fulfilled is evidenced at the Crucifixion. When Jesus died on the Cross, the sun was darkened at midday for three hours; from noon to eve. This turned the Jew's Feast of Passover into mourning for "the only Son" Mark 14:33,34; Matt. 27:45,46. The sun, the natural light of the world, was darkened in connection with the Son, the spiritual light of the world. P. Where His Name was recorded: Deut. 16:2,6; 12: 5-14; 18; 21. The Passover was also to be kept in the place where God would place His Name. This place was the Tabernacle of the Lord once they came into the land of promise. (Get this: We are His Tabernacle, only after we have come into the Promised Land, which is AFTER our testings.....it is here and then that God rents the veil of the Tabernacle.) And puts His name there. Date: Friday, February 28, 2003 at 09:48:46 (CST) Page No :8 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Thus, all was to be done as ready for departure, in a state of readiness: So the believer has his loins girt about with truth, his feet shod with the prepar- ation of the Gospel of peace, and the sword of the Spirit in his hand, against the wiles of the devil, as we partake of Christ... Eph. 6:13-17..Lest that devil steal from us what is rightfully ours, and what Christ died for, for us. Eating the Lamb, the bitter herbs and the unleavened bread in haste made sure that their dough had no time to leaven. Leaven is a type of Sin...There is no time for the believer to play around in the Egypt of this world. The believer is a pilgrim and a stranger en route for the heavenly country and heavenly City of God. Heb. 11:10-16; 13: 14; 1 Peter 1:13; 2:11. L. The Lord's Passover: Ex. 12:11-13,23 The Lord told Israel that He would pass through the land of Egypt and smite all the houses with death if there was no blood seen. He would "pass over" the houses of both Israelites and Egyptians if blood was sprinkled. Hence the title "Passover" for this Feast. ( We are also the "house", His dwelling place.) There is the double truth implicit in this title. The "Pass-over" for the one meant death and judgement on the firstborn. The "Pass-over" for the obediant meant divine protection and life. The destroying angel would not touch any house where the blood was. The covering blood was the token of faith and obediance. The believer in Christ also passes over from death to life through faith in Christ's sacrificial blood, Rom. 3:24,25; 1 John 3:14. Not any plague will come to our dwelling as faith in the blood is excercised. Psa. 91: 1-10. M. A Memorial: Ex. 12: 14 The Passover was to be a memorial and ordinance forever in all their generation. It was to be kept as a Feast unto the Lord. It was a memorial of redemption and deliv- erance from Egypt's life of sin and bondage. (Our old Life)... Jesus instituted the ordinance of the Lord's Supper to replace the Passover Supper. The table of the Lord is a memorial Feast for He asks us to "do this in remembrance of Me" Matt. 26:26-28. Date: Friday, February 21, 2003 at 07:46:24 (CST) Page No :7 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD J. The Body of the Lamb must be Eaten--Ex. 12: 8-10 The Lord God was also particular about the body of the Lamb, even as of the blood. Both the body and blood was a type pointing to the body and blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God..Matt. 26: 26-28 1. It was to be eaten in the one and same night. 2. It was to be eaten with unleavened bread, (leaven represents sin).There was no sin in Jesus.. 3. It was to be eaten with bitter herbs. Calvary was a bitter experience. Sin is a bitter bondage to satan also. 4. It was not to be eaten raw. It was to be roasted with fire. So Jesus must experience the sufferings of the fires of God's Holiness at Calvary. Not His perfect life, but His sacrificial death is what saves. 5. It was not to be sodden with water. So the Gospel of Jesus is not to be "watered down". Water-sodden meat cannot be roasted. 6. Anything remaining over was to be burnt after the Feast. No Egyptian must touch the body of the saving Lamb. The antitypical fulfilment is seen in the fact that Jesus, our Passover Lamb, suffered and died in the same night. He experienced the burning fires of Calvary.. Heb. 12:29. He was without sin, unleavened by any taint of evil. He also experienced the bitter sufferings of the cross. Therefore the Gospel is not to be presented as if Christ was merely a Martyr, or watered down in any manner. It must be exactly as it took place in the sight of God and man. 1 Corin. 5: 7,8; 11:23-30; John 6:53-55; 19:29. The Israelite must feed on the virtues of the Lamb. The head, the legs and the purtenence were to be fed upon. So the believer feeds on Christ's mind (the head), the walk of Christ (the legs) and the inward motives, and affections of Christ (the inward parts). K. How the Lamb was to be Eaten--Ex. 12: 11 The Passover Lamb was not to be eaten in any casual manner or slovenly manner. It was to be eaten in haste, ready for departure from the House of Bondage. 1. Loins were to be girded-- Eph. 6:14; Luke 12: 3-5; 1 Pet. 1:13; Jere. 1:17. 2. Shoes must be on their feet--Eph. 6:15; Isa. 52: 7. 3. Staff must be in their hand--Heb. 11:13; Ex. 12:11. 4. The Lamb must be eaten in haste--Heb. 11:13; Ex. 12:11. Date: Friday, February 14, 2003 at 09:46:27 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Jesus was slain "between the two evenings" in the week of the crucifixion. He was slain the 14th day at evening, as well as on the 4th day of the Lord (Mark 15:33). The hours of crucifixion, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. were the hours which fulfilled " between the 2 evenings". H. The whole Assembly shall kill it-- Ex. 12: 6 The whole congregation of Israel was involved in the death of the Passover Lamb. The gospels shows how the Sanhedrin, the Priests, and the people of Israel all clamoured for the crucifixion of Jesus and for His blood to be shed. Jn. 19:15; Luke 23:23; Mark 15:33.; Matt. 27: 4, 25. I. The blood must be applied to the Lintel and Door Posts: Ex. 12: 7,13,22. The blood was the evidence that death had taken place. Then the blood had to be sprinkled on the lintel across the top of the door, and the two side posts of the door. What was done with the blood was very important to the Lord. 1. The blood must be shed. This was the evidence of death. 2. The blood must be sprinkled. This was the evidence of application. 3. The must be applied in a triune manner; on the lintel, and on the two side posts. It symbolized that the triune God was involved in man's triune salvation..Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:14; 1 Thess. 5:23. And it also symbolized the sign of the Cross. And Salvation is through a triune name: the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The blood was to be the token on the door of every house in order for deliverance to be effective to all of His People. The absence of the blood brought judgement by the death angel. 5. The blood must be applied with hyssop. Hyssop comes from a lowly shrub. It is a type of humility and lowliness of faith, which applies the blood of Jesus. Eph. 2:8; Heb. 11:28. 6. The blood must be applied in faith and obediance to the Word of the Lamb through the Gospel given to Moses. In fullfilment, we see that when Jesus died on the Cross, He was both the Lamb and the blood-sprinkled door. In His death He is the Lamb, but in His Resurrection He is the DOOR --the only entrance to the Household of God, the Household of faith, John 10: 9. His Blood must be lifted up, exalted, for the triune God was involved in the work of redemption. Acts 20:28; Matt. 26:26-28; Heb. 9:14. Date: Friday, February 07, 2003 at 09:19:27 (CST) Page No :5 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF ISRAEL 1. Pilate--John 18:28,38; 19:4-6; Matt. 27:1-25. 2. Herod--Luke 23: 8-12. 3. Annas--Luke 3:2; John 18: 13,24. 4. Caiaphas--John 11:49-53; 18: 13,14, 19-24,28. 5. Judas--Matt. 27: 3-10. 6. The Centurion--Matt. 27: 54. 7. The repentant thief--Luke 23: 39-43. All have to confess there is no fault, spot or blemish in Him. Before these men, Jesus was the Lamb of God, slaughtered before His shearers (Isa. 53:7; Acts 32: 32,33; Psa. 38:11-15; 39: 1,2; Matt.26:62,63; 27: 12-14. F. A Lamb for a House -- Ex. 12: 3-5 God's intention was that all come to experience "household salvation". It was "a lamb for a house". Those who know the saving benefits of the Passover lamb could do so by being in and of the household of faith. God promises, on His terms, that salva- tion for a household is also available to New Test. believers in the Lamb of God. Read: Gen. 7:1; Joshua 24:15; Gen. 18:19; John 4:46-54; Acts 16:15,31; 18:3,8; Luke 19:5-10. Note: also the progressive revelation of "the lamb" in Scripture. 1. A lamb for a house--Ex. 12: 3,4. 2. A lamb for a nation--Ex. 29: 38-42. 3. A lamb for the world--John 1: 29,36; Rev. 5:12. Isaac asked his father "where is the lamb?" and John the baptist answers his question "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world" John 1: 29, 36; with Gen. 22: 8. G. Kill it in the evening--Ex. 12:6 Literally "between the 2 evenings". The lamb must be killed in the evening of the 14th day. It was not the spotless life of the lamb that brought deliverance, but its death. The perfect, sinless and spotless and blemishless life of the Lamb of God--Jesus-- only condemns the sinner. It is His substitutionary DEATH that brings salvation.. It is first His saving death, then His saving life. Rom. 5: 8-10. Date: Friday, January 31, 2003 at 08:08:20 (CST) Page No :4 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD C. A Lamb of the First Year: Ex. 12:5; 11:4-7; 12:29,30 set aside and given to God. The Lord gave specific instructions concerning the firstborn of man and beast. Ex. 13:11-13. The theme of the "Firstborn" runs throughout the whole of Scripture. Cain is set aside for Abel; Ishmael is set aside for Isaac; Esau is set aside for Jacob; and here in Egypt is set aside for Israel. God said that Israel was His Firstborn. Ex. 4:22,23. This setting aside of the firstborn after the flesh (after which is the Natural), and the bringing in of God's firstborn (after which is the Spiritual), points to the dis- tinctions in the first or natural birth, and the second or spiritual birth. The first birth constitutes us as sinners; the second birth constitutes us as saints. This setting aside pointed back to the fact that it was the First Adam who brought in sin and death, placing mankind in the house of bondage to Satan. It also pointed forward to the fact that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God would be His First Born Son. Jesus was the first born of Mary, the Firstborn of God's new creation. Matt. 1:21-25; Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15, 18; Rom. 8:29. D. A Male--Ex. 12:5. The lamb must be a male; not, in this case, as sometimes in other sacrifices, a female. The Scriptures declare "By one man sin entered entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men" Rom. 5:12. Adam, as the first male, sinned, and so a male must die for sin. Adam, as the male, was the seed bearer of the whole unborn human race. In him is constituted Federal Headship. When he sinned and fell, all the race as yet in his loins sinned and fell. We did what Adam did, for we were "in Adam" 1 Corin. 15:22; Rom. 5:12-21. E. Without Spot or Blemish--Ex. 12: 5. The Israelites were to inspect the lamb that was to die for them, and see that it came up to God's standard: that it was perfect, and without spot or blemish. 1 Pet. 1:18-20 In wonderful fulfilment we see how all who inspected Jesus Christ--God's Lamb-- found Him to be perfect, without fault, without spot or blemish. It speaks of the perfection of Christ, the sinlessness of the Lamb of God. We note some of those who inspected God's lamb. Date: Friday, January 24, 2003 at 09:17:13 (CST) Page No :3 Study: Study 7 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER So for the believers in Christ...Receiving Christ as the Lamb of God is but the beginning of one's experience in God. It is first, the foundation experience. There is more to follow. New birth is the beginning of New Covenant relationship John 3:5; 2 Corin. 5:17. No believer should stop at this Feast, but move on to the others also. B. The Four Days of the Hidden Lamb-- Ex. 12: 3-6 God commanded Israel to take a Lamb on the 10th day and set it aside until the 14th day of the first month..that is to say, the Lamb was taken and kept aside for death for 4 days. It was ordained to die in due time. One wonders if the children of Israel ever understood the significance of the Lamb being kept aside for those 4 days, from the 10th until the 14th day. However, as the believer sees God's plan of redemption we can see what God had in mind by the antitypical fulfilment. This may be considered in 2 ways; that is, weekly and dispensationally. 1. Weekly: In the events of the week of crucifixion, Jesus entered Jerusalem on the 10th day and was slain on the 14th day, 4 four days later...Luke 19:37; Matt. 22:15-24. 2. Dispensationally: The Scripture shows that " a day unto the Lord is as a 1000 yrs. and a 1000 yrs. is as a day." Psa. 90: 4; Gen. 2:17; 2 Peter 3:8. When Adam sinned, God set His Lamb, Jesus Christ, aside for death. Jesus Christ was foreordained to die. From Adam to Christ we have 4 days of the Lord, or 4000 yrs.: that is, 4 days in the Lord's time. The Scripture speaks of the Lamb of God being set aside to die for man. From Gen. to Christ is 4000 yrs. and from Christ to His 2nd coming is another 3 days, or the 3000th yr. 7 Days total of Creation. " For as much as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without a blemish and without a spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" 1 Pet. 1:18-20. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (the Beast), whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" Rev. 13:8; 17:8. "Behold the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world" John 1:29, 36. Also Eph. 1:3-5; 9-12; 3:10,11. Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 at 06:38:32 (CST) Page No :2 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD At Midnight the death angel would pass through the land and every house that did not have the token of blood on the door and lintel (which is the sign of the Cross) if one would just be looking at the blood.) would suffer judgement. This Judgement was the death of the first born. (Because God put to death His First Born also.)..of man and beast. And the Lord said: "When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the Plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Ex. 12:12. Thus the Feast of Passover originated in the "passing over" of the angel of death over the blood sprinkled doors of the Israelites or any of the Egyptians who cared to believe the Gospel word. The very title (Hebrew " Pesach") translated "Passover" means " a passing over ", or "to pass or hover over". It was the Passover Festival. The Greek title (Pascha) is de- rived from the Heb. title also. Ex. 12:27; Heb. 11:28. A double thought is involved with this word. There is the thought of the "Passing Over" in judgement of the death angel, but also the thought of "Hovering Over" in Divine Protection. Thus Judgement and Mercy are linked in the Passover Feast according to the faith and obediance or the disobediance and unbelief of the persons in each household, be they Israelites or Egyptians. All were forbidden to go outside the door of the house until the Lord brought them forth in the hour of deliverance. The Lord also told them that they were to celebrate this Feast yearly and explain to their children what the whole service meant in its original setting. As we should do with our children about our born again experience, how God delivered us from it all. In order for us as New Testament believers to understand the significance of the Feast of Passover, I'll lay out the details first considering in the historical and the type, and then in fulfilment in the antitype and reality, as in Christ and the Church. A. Passover, The beginning of Months--Ex. 12: 2. The Feast of Passover was the beginning of months for Israel. (Their Religious or sacred Calendar,) they also have a civil calendar, like ours..So here God changed the Calendar for them. The past or previous 6 months were forgotten as God introduced the new calendar for them, in a new beginning..(we have gone from death to life in Christ Jesus)..(All things have become new).. The Feast was therefore the Foundation of their experiecne in God. The very fact that it took place in the first month, the beginning of months, showed that God had more in mind for them in the months that lay ahead. This is seen in the subsequent Feasts. Date: Friday, January 10, 2003 at 09:43:53 (CST) Page No :1 Study: Study 7 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD THE FEAST OF PASSOVER As seen in the outline of the Feasts, Passover had three particular parts to it: 1. The Feast of Passover. 2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread 3. The Feast Day of the Sheaf of Firstfruits Here we will deal in detail with the first part, The Passover itself. The scriptures in the Old Testament where this Feast is dealt with are Ex. 12:1-14, 21-29; Lev. 23:4,5; Num. 33:3; Deut. 16:1-8. The scriptures in the New Testament where this Feast finds fulfillment are Matt. 26:1,2, 17-75; 27:1-66; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19; Heb. 11:28. The Gospel writers record for us the details of the crucifixion of Jesus, therefore the Chapters mentioned above should be read as we approach this particular Feast. Itis there where we see the antitypical fulfillment of the historical and typical Passover in the nation of Israel. History and prohecy parallel each other; type and antitype remarkably correspond together. The antitype is always greater than the type, even as the substance is greater than the shadow. The Apostle Paul, summarized an interpretative verse says: "For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. 1 Corin. 5:7. 1. THE STORY IN BRIEF: When the time came for the deliverance of the nation of Israel out of Egypt, "the house of bondage" Ex. 13:3,14; Josh. 24:17, God gave Moses specific instructions concerning the means of deliverance. It was in the message of the Passover Lamb that Moses actually preached the gospel to the Israelites, and all could either accept or reject the Gospel message. The heads of each household were to take a Lamb of the first year on the tenth day of the first month and set it aside until the fourteenth day. In the evening of the fourteenth day, the lamb was to be killed, and its blood sprinkled on the lintel and 2 side posts of the household door. (This forms a Cross), The household itself was to feast upon the body of the Lamb roasted by fire, with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They were to eat it in haste, and be dressed ready to leave Egypt at the midnight hour. Date: Friday, January 03, 2003 at 08:21:00 (CST) Page No :12 Study: Study 6 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD P>F. Feasts of the Lord or Feasts of the Jews ? The time came, when, because of backsliding and apostasy, the prophets lamented the fact that the Feasts were no longer the Feasts of Jehovah. True, the Israelites kept the external form of the Feasts but " they missed the internal reality of them." They therefore became but hypocritical obesevances and empty ritualism; perfor- mances of a profane people. While keeping the letter of the Feasts they missed the Spirit of the Feasts. The Prophet Isaiah cried...the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of Assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meetings. Your new moon and your appointed Feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them..Isa. 1:13,14. with verses 10-16 and Lam. 2:6. The very things that God ordained, commanded and blessed now become an abomin- ation to Him once His people lapse into external and hypocritical observances of them. Matt. 23. The Gospel of John alludes to the same degeneration which was evident in Messiah's time. He spoke also of the Feasts as having become "A feast of the Jews"-not the Feasts of the Lord as it once had been, and should have been. John 5:1, 16-18; 7:2. The Same applies also today with our baptisms, they are only ritual, if we do not have the inward experience of dying to self, as we go down and rise into newness of life. The times of Christ prove most fully the point. While the Jews were keeping the Letter of the Law, going through the external, the formal, the ritual, they missed the Spirit of the law, the internal, spiritual, and eternal. It is ironical that John records the fact that, while the religious leaders were crying for the unjust crucifixion of Jesus, they would not go into "the judgement hall, lest they be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover". John 18:28. The type of His Crucifixion, the external.. Thus Jewry kept the external Passover and missed the true Passover, Christ Him- Self. They kept the external Pentecost, and missed the true Pentecost in the Upper Room where Christ's disciples were, and the Spirit of God was given. They carried on the empty ritualism of the day of Atonement before a veil which God Himself had rent, and missed entering within the veil through Christ Jesus !!! The practical lesson that all should learn from this is that it is not the external, the formal or the ritual observations of the Feasts that God accepts, but it is the in- ternal, the spiritual and the reality of such that alone pleases God. The believer is to serve God and experience the Feasts in "newness of Spirit" and not in "oldness of the letter"..Rom. 7:6. It is the Spirit which makes alive. The letter kills. The flesh profits nothing..2 Corin. 3:6; John 6:63. End of Study 6 Date: Friday, December 27, 2002 at 10:04:39 (CST) Page No :11 Study: Study 6 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The spiritual truths which the Lord sought to teach Israel was that which pertained to REST. The physical day or days of rest "POINTED TO THE SPIRITUAL DAY OR DAYS OF REST." "Servile work"...spoke of the labors of man, man's efforts to provide for himself what was needed and what needed to be done for his own sustenance. Sabbath REST spoke of man ceasing from his OWN works and entering into and enjoying the work of God, as exemplified in the work of the High Priest on these particular days. For the Israelites it was REST first, then Feasts followed ! There could be no true Feasting without true RESTING. ! So it is with the Believer in Christ, our High Priest. We are called to cease from our own, works of the flesh...Gal. 5:19-21; and works of the law Rom. 3:27,28; 9:30-32; and find REST in Jesus Christ, Jesus Himself called to those who were looking who were laboring, who were weary and heavy laden to come to Him and He would give them rest., and if they would learn of Him they also would find REST. Matt. 11:28-30.. Those who believe cease from their own works and enter into REST..Heb. 4:1-8. Unbelief (disobediance), will not cease from self-effort. FAITH ALONE ENTERS INTO REST... Heb. 4:10,11. The Christian can cease from their own works, believe and enter into rest because of the "finished work" of Christ. John 17:1-3; 19:30. We will know that we are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done but by grace through faith Eph. 2:8-10. Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest, and only His work of redemption brings true rest. There can be no true and complete rest until sin has been dealt with in the atonement.. Thus the believer ceases from all servil, and keeps the Feasts of the Lord. If a Christian is working, he is not resting, and if we are not resting, we are not feasting !! It is first Resting in Christ, and then Feasting on Christ ! This is the beautiful truth symbolized in the relationship between the Sabbath days and the Feast days. 4. SABBATH DAY OFFERINGS--Num. 28: 9,10 Another thought the Lord brings to the attention to His people relative to Sabbath days as well as the Festival Sabbaths is that of the scrificial offerings. The Sabbatical offerings were two lambs for a burnt offering, with a meal offering of two-tenths deal of flour with oil, and also its drink offering of outpoured wine. These were offered besides the daily sacrifice. It taught them once again that rest was only on the basis of sacrifice. For the believer the three aspects of truth are brought together. That is, sacrifice, Rest, and Feast. For the Church, only the perfect sacrifice of Christ makes resting and feasting possible and available. Date: Friday, December 20, 2002 at 07:39:54 (CST) Page No :10 Study: Study 6 "The 7 Feasts of the Lord " 2. The Feast Days-----Lev. 23: 1,2,4 The set Feasts or appointed seasons of the Lord were also known as Holy Convo- cations, or Sabbath days. No work was to be done on these days either. All were to gather together unto the Lord at His Tabernacle and keep the Divine Festivals. The Feasts days as extra Sabbaths are called "Holy Convocations" as seen in vs.s 2,4,7, 8,21,24,27,35,36,37. The Feasts days as extra Sabbaths are called "Sabbaths" as seen in vs.s 24,32,39. The difference between the Sabbath and the Feasts days may be seen in the Following: The Sabbath Days: No servile work to be done Kept Weekly: Rest in their DwellingsWith their families Or, later, attend the Synagogue services. The Feast Days: Kept Annually.Gathering of all Males,At the Appointed Place. or Sancturary of the Lord The thing that connects the Sabbaths and Feast days is that no work was to be done on these occasions. This is especially repeated in Lev. 23. a. vs. 3..No Work was to be done on the weekly sabbaths. b. vs. 7..No servile work was to be done on the first day of Unleavened Bread. c. vs. 8..No servile work was to be done on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread. d. vs. 21..No servile work was to be done on the day of Pentacost. e. vs. 25..No servile work was to be done on the day of Trumpets. f. vs. 28, 30, 31.No manner of work was to be done on the day or else the person would be cut off from God's people. g. vs. 35..No servile work was to be done on the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacles. . vs. 36..No servile work was to be done on the 8th day of Tabernacles either. At least eight times in this Chapter God tells the Israelites that no work was to done on the Sabbath or Feast-Sabbath days. This also meant that sometimes there would be two Sabbaths in the same week; that is, the weekly Sabbath and the Festival Sabbath. It is this which will help the believer to understand the events of the week of Christs crucifixion, which will be considered under the appropriate section in this study.. Date: Friday, December 13, 2002 at 08:05:19 (CST) Page No :9 Study: Study 6 The 7 Feasts of the Lord The Blood of Jesus is the perfect and only one and once-for-all sacrificein the New Testament times which God accepts. It fulfills and abolishes in itself all the untold millions of animal sacrifices and oblations of the Old Testament. His sacrifice is never to be repeated. Christ died once for all never to die again. His one perfect vicarious death fulfills all the multitude of dying victims of the Old Covenant. So all the sacrifices and oblations of the 3 Feasts are all fulfilled in the "one sacrifice and oblation of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. It is upon this foundation of New Covenant blood that all believers can experience and enjoy the Feasts of the Lord (Matt. 26:26-28.); Heb. 9:10-28; 12:24; Col. 1:20; 1John 1:7; 5:6-8; Rev. 12:11. It is for this reason that one can never expect a literal fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles in a rebuilt Temple, and a reinstated Mosaic economy with animal sacrifices and oblations. The body and blood of Jesus, the God-Man, forever abolishes animal body and animal blood. God will never return to that which, though He ordained and commanded, was never ever pleased with. When He saw His only begotten Son declared as "The Lamb which takes away the sins of the World" then He declared from heaven" This My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" John 1:29,36; Matt. 3:15-17. E. THE SABBATH DAYS AND FEAST DAYS It is worthy to note that the Lord, in giving the outline of the Feasts does so in connection with the Sabbath days. The instructions concerning the Feasts are introduced with Sabbath day instruction. Lev. 23 clearly shows this relationship between the Sabbath days and the Feast days, with certain differences, which is defined here. 1. The Sabbath Days: Lev. 23:3, 11, 15, 16, 38. The Israelites worked 6 days but the 7th was the Sabbath of rest. No work was to be done on this day. They were to "Rest In Their Dwellings"..The sabbath days were holy convocations, or holy assemblies. Here the people were summoned to gather and worship the Lord when near His sanctuary. The Sabbath was given to a people in covenant relationship with the Lord for a perpetual covenant. It was the Queen of all Sabbaths and for any person to work on this day meant being put to death. The man who gathered sticks on a Sabbath day was stoned to death and it illustrates the absolute sacredness of the covenant Sabbath Num. 15:32-41. Date: Friday, December 06, 2002 at 10:36:32 (CST) Page No :8 Study: Study 6 The 7 Feasts of the Lord D. THE APPOINTED SACRIFICES AND OBLATIONS: The Feasts were also to be celebrated with specified sacrifices and oblations. Lev. Chaps. 1-7. 1. Specific offerings were to be presented at the Feast of Passover in the 1st Month Num. 28: 11-25. 2. In the Feast of Weeks (Pentacost), specific offerings were also presented to the Lord. Num. 28: 26-31. 3. The Feast of Tabernacles especially had sacrifices and offerings presented to the Lord. There were more offerings in the Feast than any other. The details are given in the following Scriptures.. Note: The Feast day of Trumpets Num. 29: 1-6 The Feast day of Atonement Num. 29: 7-11. The Feast day of Tabernacles Num. 29:12-40. The significance of these additional sacrifices which were offered besides the regular "daily sacrifice" will be considered under their respective Feast. Sufficient for the present is to mention the basic truth involved in these sacrifices. The prominent truth that the Lord endeavoured to teach Israel was that of the blood atonement...The approach to God can only be upon the foundation of blood, sacrificial blood. There can be no Feasting with the Lord or His People except on the basis of bloodshed, blood atonement. The principle of Exodus 12:13 is applicable here. "And the blood shall be to you a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the Blood I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you... And again: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood", and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is in the blood that makes atonement for the soul" Lev. 17:11. God has nothing to say to man apart from blood atonement, apart from the blood of Jesus Christ. All of God's communications to the believer in Festival relationship is upon this basis we can celebrate the Feasts of Jehovah. And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of One speaking to him from off the mercyseat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two Cherubims: and he spoke to him. Num. 7:89. Date: Friday, November 29, 2002 at 08:15:35 (CST) Page No :7 Study: Study 6 The Feasts of the Lord C. The Appointed Place: Again we see that the Lord commanded Israel to keep the Feasts in a certain place. The Feasts were not only to be celebrated in their appointed times and seasons but in the place which God appointed. This place was where THE NAME OF THE LORD was recorded. God was very particular about this. The festivals were not to be held in any or every place, or the places where the heathen had celebrated their idolatrous festivals. The Lord said that He would choose a place and that place would be a set place, a place where His redemptive Name would be recorded. We note of these chief Scrip. which confirm this fact: 1. Israel was commanded to utterly destroy ALL PLACES where the idolatrous Canaanites served their gods. Deut. 12:2,3. 2. The Lord said: "But unto THE PLACE which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put HIS NAME there, even unto His habitation shall you seek and there shall you come..Deut. 12:5. 3. And again, "Then there shall be A PLACE which the Lord your God shall choose to cause HIS NAME to dwell there...Deut. 12:11. 4. God links "THE PLACE" and "HIS NAME" together in these verses also Deut. 12:13,14,18, 21. 14:23,24. 5. In Deut. 16 God reiterates that ALL OFFERINGS and WORSHIP must be at the place where HIS NAME was placed. ( Now this is a biggy...let that soak in. When YOU are that Temple..) "But at THE PLACE which the Lord your God shall choose to PLACE HIS NAME in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening,(Communion) at the going down of the sun, at the season that YOU came out of Egypt. (When YOU were born again)..and you shall turn in the morning and go to your tents. Deut. 16: 2,6,7,11,15. ( A time of thanksgiving and rejoicing). THE PLACE where HIS NAME was placed, put, set, dwelt and recorded was THE TABERNACLE, the sanctuary of the Lord. The New Testament clearly shows the fulfilment of the Tabernacle First in Christ and then in His Church. His Body. John 1:14-18; 2:18-21; 1 Corin. 3:16,17; 6:19,20; Eph. 2:19-22; 2 Corin. 6:14-18. THE NAME of the Godhead Bodily dwells in Christ and also now in the Church. The Fulness of the Divine Name is the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the most comprehensive redemptive Name ever to be revealed, in this world and the world to come. Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:36; Col. 1:19; 2:9. It is THIS TEMPLE where we keep the Feasts. Date: Friday, November 22, 2002 at 09:41:06 (CST) Page No :6 Study: Study 6 Feasts of the Lord These Scriptures show the importance of the times and seasons in the mind of the Lord as well as in the history of natural Israel. The Preacher (Solomon, a type of Christ)..said "To every thing , there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven" Ecc. 3:1. God laid out His purposes in the Feasts of the Lord, and this fore shadowed His eternal purpose in Christ and the church (Eph. 3:10,11. Passover was to be kept in the First Month (April) of the sacred year. Pentacost in the 3rd month of that year, and Tabernacles in the 7th of this same year. They were seasons of rain and harvest; corn harvest, new WINE and OIL,and Tabernacles was the season for FRUIT harvest. Times of celebration before the Lord. It will be seen that just as Israel knew the times and seasons of the Lord's appointed Festivals and prepared themselves to enter into them, so the New Testament shows the fulfilment of these Feasts, and in their appointed times. The New Testament believers has the privilege of entering into and enjoying these glorious Feasts of: a. Passover: Saved by the blood of the Lamb... "Communion"... (Wine) b. Pentacost: Receiving the Holy Spirit. (Oil ) c. Tabernacles: The Godhead living in us, in our bodily tabernacle, The Temple that He is building. (Fruit).. A glance at the history of the church from the Gospels and Acts to the present time show the times and the seasons when the Feasts find fulfilment. There is no ex-cuse why any believer need not experience the truths in the Lord's Feasts. It is only as one fails to "discern the signs of the times" (Matt. 16:1-3) that they can fail to enter into the Festival experiences which the Lord has provided for them. i.e. like being a believer, but failing to do what the Word says to do, we can then miss it. We have to ASK Him to come into our hearts to have Passover, which leads to Johns baptism of water, we have to OBEY to receive the Holy Spirit and Fire, which then leads automatically to Tabernacles. It should be the prayer of God's people in these "last days" that they be like the man of Issachar which had "understanding of the times" to know what God's people ought to do 1 Chron. 16:32. Thank God that there are those in the church who discern that it is the time and season of the lord for latter rain outpouring and a keeping of the final Feast, the Feast of Tabernacles. Zech. 10: 1,2. Date: Friday, November 15, 2002 at 08:08:10 (CST) Page No :5 Study: Study 6 The Feasts of the Lord These freewill offerings were in turn distributed to the Levites, the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless, the poor and the needy. So when the New Testament believers gather together, we are also to give to the Lord to His Service, as we are able, according as God has prospered us 2 Corin. 8: 9; 1 Corin. 16:1:2,3. And to minister to the poor and needy in their free will offerings. Acts 4:32-37; 11:27-30. 3. Promise of Inheritance Preservation: Ex. 34: 24 The Lord gave the nation a great promise of preservation if all the people would keep the Feasts, and that He would cast out enemy nations before them (which is what we know to be "The power's of Darkness"..and to enlarge their borders.(Our ability to recieve more spiritually.) That our families would be looked after by the Lord. If we will put God and His Kingdom first, Matt.6:24-34, then all the "necessary" things of life will be added to us. The Lord will perserve us and our families. Our going out and our coming in, as we keep the set Feasts of the Lord our God. Psa.12:1-18; Deut. 28:1-6.(Don't forget He only promised us our "Daily" Bread... B. The Appointed Times and Seasons: Not only did the Lord set out these Feasts for His covenant people, but He aslo ordained the set times and seasons in which they were to be kept. Again, as it is in the natural, so it is in the Spiritual. Times and seasons in creation point to times and seasons in redemption. Let me list a few of these: 1. The Sun, Moon and Stars were given for signs and seasons, for days and years. The Sun and the Moon actually governed the Festival seasons.. Gen. 1:14-19; Psa. 104:19; Jere. 33:20; Psa. 81:3; Deut. 16:6.. 2. There is a "time and a season" for every purpose of God under the Heaven Ecc. 3: 1,17; 8:6. 3. God is the one who arranges and sets in order the "times and seasons" Dan. 2:21. 4. The former and latter rains were given to God's People in their proper times... Jere. 5:24; Eze. 34:26; Lev. 26:4; Deut. 11:14; 28:12; Acts 14:17. 5. Peter also spoke of the "times and seasons" of refreshing which would come from presence of the Lord before Jesus would return the 2nd time Acts 3:19-21; Peter linked these with the "times of restitution" spoken of by the prophets.. 6. Before Jesus' ascension, He told the disciples that it was not for them to know "the times and the seasons" which the Father had put in His own power. Acts 1:7. Date: Friday, November 08, 2002 at 07:25:00 (CST) Page No :4 Study: Study 6 The Feasts of the Lord No one can partake of the Feast of Tabernacles without first partaking of the Feast of Pentacost,which is the giving of the Holy Spirit Feast. That which happened literally in Israel, the Old Covenant people, natural Israel, pointed to that which happens spiritually in the Church, the New Covenant people of God 1 Corin. 10: 6, 11; 15:46; Acts 7:38. Israel shadowed forth as "the church in the wilderness", The New Testament Church is now that 'Holy Nation". 1 Peter 2:5-9. The Lord gave certain instructions concerning these Feasts as well as a tremendous promise to those who would keep them. Note these two instructions and the special promises given to the Obediant Ones. 1. All the males to keep the Feasts--Deut. 16:16; Ex. 23:17; 34:23. Especially those who lived a distance from the Sanctuary of the Lord..Deut. 12:21. Certain Festivals involved the whole family, when the father and mother, the sons and daughters, along with the stranger, the widow, the Levites and the Fatherless, were to rejoice before the Lord. However, on certain Festival occasions, because of the great distance only the males could attend. The "Male" here is used to represent headship, representing the whole family before God. The husband is the head of the wife and children. He symbolizes love and care, protection and provision, authority and responsibility for his family before the Lord. He would come to the Feast, learn the ways of the Lord and in turn take it back to his familly and teach them diligently what he had learned..Deut. 6: 3-15. But also In the spiritual sense "In Christ", there is neither male nor female, and every New Testament believer is to keep the Feasts Gal. 3:28. Yet, in the natural sense there is still the family order. But Christ Himself is teacher of us all. 2. None to Appear before the Lord Empty--Deut. 16: 16,17. All were to give as they were able, as free will offerings. Deut. 16: 10-12. And these were according to the blessings of the Lord. None could be excused for coming empty handed, because all had been blessed by the Lord, some more, some less, and were simply evidences of God's blessings on them Ex. 23: 15; 34: 20. To appear empty handed would be a reproach on the blessing of the Lord or an evidence of selfishness. Date: Friday, November 01, 2002 at 10:06:43 (CST) Page No :3 Study: Study 6 The Feasts of the Lord God's People are the Covenant Nation and as such could enter in and experience the wonderful Feasts of the Lord. (Thats us folks.)... Paul in writing to the Ephesians speaks of the condition of the Gentiles outside of Christ. "Wherefore remember, that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called the Uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of God's People, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world: but now, in Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ". Eph. 2:11-13. It is "in Christ" that both Jew and Gentile may now together enjoy and partake of the Feast of Pentacost with first experiencing the Feast of Passover by havingpartaken of Christ the Lamb of God, followed by Johns baptism of water (the crossing of the Red Sea). then---our testings in the wilderness, followed finally, getting to the promised land..where we then partake of the Feast of Pentacost, His Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. "In Christ" when we become ONE with Him, Is shown "in things to come" in Gen. chap. 24. In the types and shadows of the Bride of Christ, shown as Abraham as the type of God the Father, His Servant as the Holy Spirit, Rebekah as the Bride of the ONLY SON Isaac, the type of Christ. It was only after she agreed to follow the servant, across the wilderness, on the Camels provided (burden bearers), given along the way, little trinkets of Gold, Devine Nature)..as she was obediant to His following, without turning to the left or to the right, that He finally was able to bring her to Isaac where she wentinto His Tent, and became IN Him, as One. This is where she received her Baptism of Fire........she was CHOSEN, not just called into His Tent, because she had completed her journey. Those who do not complete their journey, by getting side tracked back into the World, remain "Called"....By all means then please,Ask God, to bring you where you must go,to be what He wants you to be. And when the Fires get hot, just thank God, Obey, dont give into the devil, stay out of the World and its ways, going through the dark night of the soul, is a bazarre experience, but a necessary one, when your as far down in the pit as you can get, then.......God HIMSELF will reach down in there and pull you out, and set you on a ROCK TO STAY !!!!!!!! You will have then entered into the Promised Land, of Milk and Honey, and enter into your "SABBATH REST" Glory to God....The peace that passes no understanding, yet the storms keep raging round about. Date: Friday, October 25, 2002 at 08:54:23 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 6 "THE FEASTS OF THE LORD" III. The Feasts and their Appointments: The Feasts and their appointments originated with the Lord, not with the children of Israel. It was God's desire to meet with His people, on His terms, and on His grounds of approach. They were His Feasts. The Lord was the Host and Israel was His guest, invited to feast with Him. For this reason the Lord not only gave the intricate details of the Feasts themselves, but also the set times and the place, and the sacrifice which would be involved in the keep of them. All of these appointments were the Lord's appointments. We consider these Festival appointments in relation to the appointed nation, the appointed times and seasons, the appointed place and the appointed sacrifices and offerings. A. The Appointed Covenant Nation: It was to a redeemed people, redeemed from the slavery of Egypt (the world), and separated unto the Lord, that the instructions concerning the Feasts were given. Israel was a people near unto Him Ex. 19:4; Psa. 148:14. These Feasts were not given to any Gentile nation. The only way any Gentile could participate in the Festival was to become a prosellyte to the faith of Israel in the one true God." He could be initiated into the Israel of God by forsaking all sin of idolatry and immorality and by being into covenant relationship with Jehovah through the rite of circumcision." These were the Feasts of the Lord and only by being in covenant relationship with the Lord could these Feasts be enjoyed. So then God enjoined the rite of circumsison upon the Israelites or stranger before they could partake of the Passover Lamb Ex. 12:43-50. (This Lamb being Christ). Circumsision was the sign and seal of the Abrahamic Covenant Gen. 17:1-14, and only as one was in Covenant relationship with the Lord were they entitled to the promises and privileges of the covenant. Date: Friday, October 18, 2002 at 07:50:43 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 6 " The Feasts of the Lord " General Observations: I. DEFINITION OF THE WORD: A.English-"Festival"-"A religious festival of rejoicing as opposed to a fast. B. Hebrew---"Chagag""to dance", indicating occasions of joy and gladness. "To move in a Circle", i.e. (to be giddy)..leaping and dancing in sacred dances. Ex. 5:1; Lev. 23:41, especially of a public assembly, Psa. 42:5. C. Greek----"Heorte"------Feast, Holiday.. Other definitions of the word "Feast" state that it means an appointed day, or assembly, or fixed time or seasons, times of assembly..Isa. 33:20.. These feasts days were occasions when Israel kept Devine appointments; times when assembled before the Lord, times of gladness and joy, and festivity. All their worship centered around these three festivals. So for the believer, The Lord our Redeemer has made some set appoint- ments and He expects His people to keep them. Any believer who loves and desires to serve the their God will not fail to keep these appointments with the Lord. The saints are not to forsake the assemblling of themselves together in keeping the Lord's Feasts (Heb. 10:25; 1 Corin. 1:2, 9,10; 1 John 1:3-6 II. THREE TIMES IN A YEAR: The Lord commanded Israel to keep these set appointments 3 times in the yr. Ex. 23:14,17; 34:23; Deut. 16:,17. Three times in a yr. all were to appear before the Lord and keep His appointments. These 3 festivals, though having various names, were primarily the Feast of Passover, Pentacost, and Tabernacles. All these things ordained in Israel happened to them for "Types and Examples, as we see "First the Natural, then the Spiritual" I Corin. 15:46. Israel experienced the natural fulfillment under the Old covenant whereas the believer will experience the Spiritual fulfilment under the New Covenant. All find their fullest expression in Christ and His Church. Three is the number of the eternal Godhead. It is also the number of a complete or perfect testimony and witness. So in the keeping of the 3 Feasts, the believer will come to have a complete and perfect testimony and witness in the things of God. In these one comes to know the fulness of the Godhead,for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are seen at work in these particular Feasts. Date: Friday, October 11, 2002 at 08:55:04 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 5 The 7 Feasts of the Lord So we have: BEFORE THE CROSS:......AT THE CROSS.......AFTER THE CROSS Old Covenant..........................Picture A......................New Covenant Feasts Historical.......................Cross down the..............Feasts Spiritual ..............................................Middle here in this............... ....................................................Column Typical/Literal..................................^............................Experiential Symbolical/Temporal.........................^..........................Eternal in Christ ________________________________________________________ ..............^............................ Historical..................................^ ....................^..............................Personal ..................................^ ....................^............................Antitypical.................................^ ................... ^................................Actual....................................^ ....................^......................External Form Abolished....................^ Natural Israel........................................................Spiritual Israel First the Natural......................................................Then the Spiritual Take away the First..............................................To establish the second The Shadow.................................................................The Substance Read 1 Corin. 15:46,47; Heb. 10:9... Date: Friday, October 04, 2002 at 07:31:55 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 5 The Feasts of the Lord It is inconsistent, since the Cross, to have the first two Feasts spiritual and the last one literal. The Feast of Tabernacles, for instance, could not be fulfilled literally in the Jewish nation, for it would necessitate a literal rebuilt temple, a restoration of animal sacrifices, and a restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood as well as the whole of the Mosaic economy. To have such would be a violation of the Book of Hebrews. It would be a repudiation of the New Covenant Sanctuary, the Sacrifice of of Christ, and His eternal Priesthood after the order of Melchisedek. It would be a rejection of Jesus Christ Himself. It would be taking one back to the other side of the Cross, and repudiation the New Covenant to reinstate the Old Covenant. It is here that the Covenant Principle of interpretation needs to be applied. So, consistency of Biblical interpretation , demands that the three Feasts BEFORE THE CROSS found their historical and literal fulfilllment in natural Isael under the Old Covenant, while they found their historical and personal fulfillment in Jesus AT THE CROSS under the New Covenant. And again, they find spiritual and experiential fulfillment AFTER THE CROSS in the Church, Spiritual Israel.. Rom. 4:13-16; 9:6-9; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:12-14; 3:3-6; 1 Peter 1:9-12; 2:5-9. Date: Friday, September 27, 2002 at 08:52:01 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 5 The 7 Feasts of the Lord FULFILMENT--LITERAL AND/OR SPIRITUAL: Through times past we've been able to see for ourselves, that what has taken place with the Hebrews in the Natural, takes place with the Church, in the Spiritual as well. We see that the Passover and Pentecost have had a literal fulfilment in the Hebrews, and now have found spiritual fulfilment in the Church, while the Feast of Tabernacles has yet to find literal fulfilment in the land of Israel. This is the only Feast that Jesus did not attend, but only from a distance. The key to understanding this, is the "Cross" of Jesus and the finished work of Calvary in relation to the Old Covenant.Under the old Mosaic Covenant, all that pertained to the Feasts was historical and literal. Actual days, literal animal sacri- fices, literal and material Sanctuary services and ceremonies played their part in the fulfilment of the Feasts. However, the historical and literal were "typical" and "prophetical" of that which was come in the Person of Christ. The actual things used in the Feasts were also symbolical of Christ who was to come, or the church, the Body of Christ. When Christ came, He fulfilled in Himself historically, personally and antitypically all that was shadowed forth historically, typically and symbolically under the Old Covenant. So He fulfilled...and by fulfillment abolished...the temporal, literal and symbolic things used in these Feasts and brought in that which is spiritual and eternal. Christ therefore fulfilled historically and personally the Feasts of Passover, Penta- cost and Tabernacles. The literal aspects have been fulfilled and abolished. The external form is done away with. 2 Corin. 4:18; Heb. 8:13; Rom. 2:20. What then remains ? The things that remain are the spiritual and eternal truths hidden in the previous external forms. These truths are to become "experiential" in the believer's life.It is these which constitute the New Covenant ! The Old Covenant Feasts were fulfilled historically and literally in Israel up to the time of Christ. In the Cross, Christ fulfilled historically and personally the "Types", and "Shadows" in the Feasts. Since the Cross, the Feasts are spiritual and experi- ential in the believer individually, and in the church corporately. So, the Passover, Pentacost and Tabernacles must be experienced spiritually by the believer in Christ. <>< "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." 2nd Timothy 2:15 Date: Friday, September 20, 2002 at 08:09:50 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 4.......The 7 Feasts of the Lord ......OUR STUDY APPROACH Our study approach will be three-fold, as set out in the following questions: 1. What happens in Israel "historically" in these Feasts ? What did it mean to them? Under this we will observe what took place in the literal, Natural, and historical fulfilment of the Feasts. 2. How did Christ fulfil "propetically" that which was foreshadowed in these Feasts? The historical was typical and the typical was therefore prophetical of that which was to find fulfilment in Christ and then in His Church. 3. What spiritual and practical truths can be seen "experientially" in these Feasts, first relative to the believer individually, and then to the church corporately? FULFILMENT OF THE FEASTS OF THE LORD IN ISRAEL....................... IN CHRIST......................IN THE CHURCH Historically......................Historyically...........................Historically In the Natural..........................Personally.............................Spiritually _______________________________________________________ Prophetically.......................Actually...............................Experientially Typically..............................Antitypically.............................Practically ______________________________________________________ What God did What God did What God does in Israel.................................in Christ.........................in the Church _______________________________________________________ Observation.....................Interpretation.......................Application _______________________________________________________ Date: Friday, September 13, 2002 at 08:13:44 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 3...The 7 Feasts of the Lord... In Outline: "Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord, in the place which He shall choose, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Me empty; every man shall give as he is able" Deut. 16:16; and Ex. 23: 14-19. Just as there are three major colors in the rainbow and these three are manifest in seven primary colors, so it is with the Feasts of the Lord of Israel. There are three major feasts, yet these Feasts may be broken up into seven Feasts. As will be seen in detail , "the Feasts are typical and prophetical of that which finds its fullest expression and completion in Christ and His Church, the true Israel of God." 1 Corin. 10:6,11. Gal. 6:16. Israel, the chosen nation, was spoken of as "The Church in the Wilderness" Acts. 7:38. Therefore, the New Testament church can find numerous things in Israel's history and the dealings of God with Israel which find their spiritual counterpart in New Testament times. The 23rd chapter of Lev. sets forth the most suitable outline of the three, yet seven, Feasts. Other corroboration scriptures will be brought in throughout the text. I. (1). The Feast of Passover..Lev. 23:4,5. (2). The Feast of Unleavened Bread.. Lev. 23:6-8. (3). The Feast of the Sheaf of Firstfruits..Lev. 23:9-14. II. (4). The Feast of Weeks (Pentacost)..Lev. 23:15-22. III. (5). The Feast of Trumpets..Lev. 23:23-25. (6). The Feast of the Day of Atonement..Lev. 23:26-32. (7). The Feast of Tabernacles..Lev. 23:33-44. The Feast of Passover took place in the first month; the Feast of Pentecost took place in the third month., and the Feast of Tabernacles found fulfillment in the 7th month. So we have: 1st month...Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits.. 3rd month...Pentecost.. 4th, 5th, 6th Mo.s...Barrenness Interval...(Heat of Summer, No Rain) 7th Mo...Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles...(Harvest Time).... Date: Friday, September 06, 2002 at 10:11:54 (CDT) Page No :3 Study: Study 2 THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Using "The Chronometrical Principle," which has to do with time, will help us to understand and discern "The Times and Seasons" as set forth in the Feasts of the Lord and their respective months and days. Christo-centric Principle: scriptures show that Christ is the central Person of the Bible. The Written Word revolves around Him who is the "Living Word".. He is the hub of the wheel of truth and all truths are as spokes relating to Him. Thus we will see how the Feasts point first to Christ, the hub of Divine revelation, and then to His Church. "In the volume of the book it is written of me" Jesus said. Psa. 40: 6-8. So in "The Christocentric Principle" we will see Christ in the Feasts. The Moral Principle: Moral Principle has to do with the practical lessons or principles which may be applied to a person's life, general conduct and behaviour. In interpreting the Feasts there will be seen many practical lessons and principles which can be appled to the bieliever in Christ, who enjoys these spiritual Feasts in Him. The Figures of Speech Group of Principles: re are several specialized principles which may be grouped together because they have to do with figures of speech or extensions of them. Three of these principles are especially noted here, these being the Symbolic, Numerical and Typical Principles. Feasts abound with symbolic elements and these elements can only be understood by using the SYMBOLIC PRINCIPLE. By use of the Symbol God used one thing to represent another. In discerning the common link between the symbol and that which is symbolized we discover the truth God meant to convey. In the Feasts we have symbolic objects, creatures, actions, etc. All have to be interpreted. Using The Numerical Principle we will discover the truth God has hidden in His use of certain numbers. Numbers belong to symbolic grouping also. So the Feasts of the Lord took place in speicific months, on specific days...all of which set forth treuth which the use of the Numberical Principle will discover. Typical Principle: is also of great importance in helping one to arrive at the truth in the Feasts of Jehovah.For the Festival occasions were types, that is, prophetic foreshadowings of something to come. A type is an anticipative firgure, a prophetic symbol. the Feast there are typiccal person, offices, institutions and events. It is not that docttrined are built on those types, but tuypes are used to illustreate doctrine. The Typical Principle may be used to interpret portions of the Feasts in the form of an extended analogy between the Feast itself and the Person and Work of Christ. This will be seen in the course of this Text. se are the basic principles of Interpretation applied in this Text and we'd do well to keep such in mind as the study continues. End of Study 2 Date: Friday, August 30, 2002 at 08:10:26 (CDT) Page No :2 Study: Study 2 The 7 Feasts of the Lord And in using "The progressive Mention Principle", we will consider God's pro- ressive revelation which God gave in the Feasts. The progressive principle is conveyed to us in the Word of the Lord concerning Israel "precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little there a little". Isa. 28: 13.. By use of "The Complete Mention Principle", we will have considered every direct reference to the Feasts of the Lord in the Bible. By putting all the fragments together we will be able to see more fully the trugh which God scattered about throughout His Word in both Testaments. 2. Theological Principles: There are certain Principles which arise out of Theology, and these pricniples may be grouped together because they have to do with the purpose of God. These priniciples which arise out of Theology, and these principles may be grouped together because they have to do with the purposes of God. These principles are the Election, Covenantal, Ethnic and Chronomentrical Principles. They are especially seen in the Old Testament relative to the Nation of Israel, and then in the New Testament relative to Christ and the Church. In using these principles the interpreter works from part to whole, and whole to the individual parts. The Election Principle: shows how God elected Moses and Israel in the Old Testament and Christ and His Church in the New Testament to fulfil His purposes. The Covenantal Principle: is especially used in this text as it pertains to the two major Testaments: the Old Covenant (Moses), and the New Covenant (Jesus). The Old Covenant economy under which the Feasts were given finds fulfilment spiritually and eternally in the New Covenant economy. In Christ and the Church. It is important to recognize that God takes nothing of the Old Covenant and places it on the New Covenant, but all passes through the cross of Jesus Christ. The Ethnic Principle: is an important principle also. It has to do with God's purposes in the Nations, Hebrew, Gentile and especially in the church composed of Jew and Gentile, which is now God's "Holy Nation" 1 Pet. 2: 5-9. A proper application of this principle will help us to understand that the Feast of the Lord concerned Israel in the Old Testament, but they were Feasts of the Letter, after the external form. The Feasts of the Lord in the New Testament concern the Church, but after the Spirit, and the spiritual and internal form. Date: Friday, August 23, 2002 at 09:56:01 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Study 2......The 7 Feasts of the Lord......Principles of Interpretation Any preacher, teacher or author who sets out to expound the sacred scriptures musts needs be governed, guided and controlled by certain basic principles of interpretation. This is especially so when it comes to interpreting and expounding those portions of scripture that have to do with historical and typical things. If these principles are not followed and used properly, then the Scriptures, and more particularly the types, can be made to say anything the expounder may want them to say. Many times, when exposition if given concerning typical things as under the Mosaic Covenant, such as the Tabernacle, the Priesthood and Offerings, the hearer will ask: "How does the speaker arrive at that conclusion?" The same question is asked concerning the interpretation of the Feasts of the Lord. Hence, because of these honest enquireies, lets set forth some of the basic principles of interpretation which will be used throughout this Text, and by which we will arrive at various conclusions. 1. The Context Group of Principles: The Context Group of Principles involves the First, Comparative, Progressive and Complete Mention Principles. The Context Principle: is that principle by which the interpretation of any verse of scripture is determined upon a consideration its context, either verse, passage, book or Testament context. In studying the Feasts we will note the verses, passages, and the book and Testament in which the Feasts are spoken of. All will be considered in the light of the whole Bible. We will consider the historical setting of the Feasts, where and what was their literal fulfilment in the Nation of Israel. Only by doing this can we then move to the typical and spiritual significances that are to be found in Chirst and the church. In using the "The first mention principle" we will check and see what was meant in the first mention of anything pertaining to the Feasts. Generally the first mention gives the truth in seed form. In using "The Comparative Mention Principle" we will compare scripture with scripture and bring the passages together that may be contrasted or compared, in order to help our undetanding of the Feasts. This will be so especially in the light of the Old Testament and the fulfilment in the New Testament. This is "comparing Spiritual things with spiritual". 1 Corin. 2:13, after seeing "First the natural, then that which is spiritual" 1 Corin. 15:45,46. Date: Friday, August 16, 2002 at 10:37:39 (CDT) Page No :4 Study: The 7 Feasts of the Lord....Why Study The Feasts" 11. The Feasts should be studied because: The truths therein are part of "present truth" which the Holy Spirit is making alive to the Church in these "last days" 2 Pet. 1:12; Matt. 4:4. 12. There has never been a generation who have experienced all three Feasts, but the end-time generation will experience such, even as did that generation under King Solomon's glorious reign (Because he was a type of Christ).. 2Chron. 8:13. This generation will hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Rev. 2:7. The things involved in the Feasts of the Lord pertained to the material, the natural, and the temporal. It is a principal of God's dealings with His people that it is "First the Natural, afterwards that which is Spiritual" 1 Corin. 15:46,47. It is first the animal-lamb, then the Divine-human Lamb of God; first the natural loaves and leaven, then the spiritual loaves and leaven; first the earthly Sanctuary, then the heavenly Sanctuary. When the Lord Jesus Christ came, He came to fulfil and abolish the natural, the ex- ternal and temporal, and bring in the Spiritual, the internal and the external 2Corin. 4:18. The letter of the law was swallowed up in the Spirit of Life. In the Feasts of the Lord, as in the Tabernacle of Moses, and its Priesthood and Offerings, God used the language of Creation as the Language of Redemption. When we know the Creator we will understand the language of creation. When we know the Redeemer we will understand the language of Redemption. Considering the things which are visible, the things which have been made, will help us to understand the invisible things, even His eternal power and Godhead...Rom. 1:20. These then are the scriptural reasons why we should study the Feasts of the Lord. Date: Friday, August 09, 2002 at 08:39:19 (CDT) Page No :3-Fwd. Study: Page 3......Fwd......The 7 Feasts Of The Lord.....WHY STUDY THE FEASTS Many Christians, the moment they hear someone speak of the Feasts of the Lord ask: "Why study the Feasts"?They are like many in Israel, who, as Hosea lamented "I wrote for him the thousand things of My law, but they are counted as a strange thing (as something which does not concern him) Hosea 8:12. The intricate details of theMosaic economy become meaningless unless seen through the Cross in relation to Christ and the Church. The answer to the question is the same answer which is given as to why we study the Tabernacle of Moses, the Tabernacle of David, The Temple of Solomon, the Priesthood and the Offerings. The Scriptures given in answer to this question are applicable to any question as to why New Testament believers should study Old Testament revelation along with the New Testament revelation. I will note a few reasons why.... 1. The Feasts should be Studied because they are a part of the Scriptures given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit which are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness..2 Tim. 3:16,17. 2. They are "A Shadow of things to come" Col. 2:16,17; Heb. 10:1,2. They point to Christ who is the Substance... 3. They were prophetic types and examples, foreshadowing future events. They foreshadowed that which Christ would fulfil in Himself and in the Church, which is His Body 1 Corin. 10:6,11; Matt. 5:17,18; 11:13. They were written for our admonition. Part have found fulfillment, and part are yet to find fulfillment. 4. And because the believer will find that there are things written therein for our learning. Rom. 15:4. 5. Because Christ came to fulfil all that was written of Him in "the law", the Psalms and the Prophets". Luke 24:26,27,44,45; John 5:45,46; Acts 3:22,23. 6. This part of the law was also a "schoolmaster to bring us to Christ". Gal. 3:24. 7. Because Jesus said: "The Volume of this book is written of me". Heb. 10:7; Psa. 40:6-8; 29:9. All the intricate details point to some aspect of the person, work, and glory of the Christ of God. 8. There was knowledge and truth in the external form of the law. We study the external form to discover the internal knowledge and truth that was hidden therein. Rom. 2:20, Heb. 1:1,2. 9. Because they set forth "patterns" of heavenly things on earth. Heb. 8:5; 9:9,23,24. 10. They set forth the total ministry of Christ relative to the plan of redemp- tion. They set forth in their time element the present Dispensation, from the first coming of Christ (Passover), through the Church Age (Pentecost) to the second coming of Christ (Tabernacles). Date: Friday, August 02, 2002 at 07:00:52 (CDT) Page No : 2 Study: ...Study 1....Fwd...The 7 Feasts of Israel Introducing the Feasts It is impossible to read the New Testament scriptures,for so many believers glory in the fact that they are "New Testament believers and not Old Testament oriented", or understand large portions of them without a reasonable knowledge and under- standing of the Old Testament. The New Testament is simply the fulfilment of the Old Testament. Each Testament is incomplete without the other. The Old made way for the New. The New completes the Old. The Old was preparatory to the New. The New is the fulfillment and the answer to the Old, and The Old is where the Holy Spirit can show us the things to come in the New, John 16:13. The New Testament has many quotations, ref., types and shadows, from the Old Testament Feasts of the Lord. It is in the Light of these References that it can be seen how impossible it is to understand such without a working knowledge of the Feasts alluded to. When the Lord brought Israel out of "the house of bondage" unto Himself, He gave them the complete order of appraoch to His Presence. This order was set forth in the Mosaic Covenant. At Mt. Sinai God brought the people into Covenant relationship, this Covenant being more practically called "The Old Covenant" (Heb. 8:13). Read also Ex. 19:1-6; and Ex. 24. There were five major things involved in thisCovenant: 1. The Law, Moral and Civil ...Deut. 4:10-13; 5:1-21. 2. The Tabernacle of Moses...Ex. Chaps. 25-40. 3. The Sacrificial Offerings... Lev Chaps. 1-7. 4. The Aaronic and Levitical Priesthood...Ex. Chap. 28,29; Lev. Chaps. 8,9. 5. The Feasts of the Lord...Lev. 23; Deut. 16. Each of these constitutes a book in itself because of the vastness of the material in the subjects suggested..This is especially true concerning the 5th area belonging to the Mosaic Covenant, which concerns the Feasts of the Lord. So it is with this area that we are concerned with in this Study. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the Light of your countenance." Psa. 89:15.. Date: Friday, July 26, 2002 at 09:49:25 (CDT) Page No : 2 Study: Page 2 Study 1 Fwd. The 7 Feasts of Israel Introducing the Feasts It is impossible to read the New Testament scriptures,for so many believers glory in the fact that they are "New Testament believers and not Old Testament oriented", or understand large portions of them without a reasonable knowledge and under- standing of the Old Testament. The New Testament is simply the fulfilment of the Old Testament. Each Testament is incomplete without the other. The Old made way for the New. The New completes the Old. The Old was preparatory to the New. The New is the fulfillment and the answer to the Old, and The Old is where the Holy Spirit can show us the things to come in the New, John 16:13. The New Testament has many quotations, ref., types and shadows, from the Old Testament Feasts of the Lord. It is in the Light of these References that it can be seen how impossible it is to understand such without a working knowledge of the Feasts alluded to. When the Lord brought Israel out of "the house of bondage" unto Himself, He gave them the complete order of appraoch to His Presence. This order was set forth in the Mosaic Covenant. At Mt. Sinai God brought the people into Covenant relationship, this Covenant being more practically called "The Old Covenant" (Heb. 8:13). Read also Ex. 19:1-6; and Ex. 24. There were five major things involved in thisCovenant: 1. The Law, Moral and Civil ...Deut. 4:10-13; 5:1-21. 2. The Tabernacle of Moses...Ex. Chaps. 25-40. 3. The Sacrificial Offerings... Lev Chaps. 1-7. 4. The Aaronic and Levitical Priesthood...Ex. Chap. 28,29; Lev. Chaps. 8,9. 5. The Feasts of the Lord...Lev. 23; Deut. 16. Each of these constitutes a book in itself because of the vastness of the material in the subjects suggested..This is especially true concerning the 5th area belonging to the Mosaic Covenant, which concerns the Feasts of the Lord. So it is with this area that we are concerned with in this Study. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the Light of your countenance." Psa. 89:15.. Date: Friday, July 19, 2002 at 07:58:54 (CDT) Page No :1-Fwd. Study: Page 1..Study 1..FWD. THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD The more a believer reads and studies the Word of God, the greater the discovery that the Bible is a vast mine of treasures of truth. "Surely there is a vein for the SILVER and a place for the GOLD where they fine (or Refine) it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone." Job 28:1,2. As it is in the natural realm, so it is in the Spiritual Realm. Silver and Gold, iron and brass are not to be found on the surface of the earth but these things are formed under pressure and then dug from beneath the earth's surface. Then they go through the refining process before their beauty and usefulness is seen. So it is with the truths of the Word of God. Many truths of the Scriptures are not to be found by a mere surface reading of the Word, but have to be dug out and brought to the surface in order that their beauty and usefulness may be discovered and so it is with the nature of man. With Silver a shadow of Righteousness, and Gold foreshadowing our Devine Nature. We must allow God to search within us to bring to the surface of our understanding just what lies beneath the outer man, and show us what all must go to the furnace for refining us. Solomon the wise Preacher said: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; but the honour of Kings is to search out the matter." Prov. 25:2. So God's glory is concealed through out His Word but the believer as a king-priest may see His glory revealed by searching out the matter. One of the greatest, richest and deepest Gold and Silver mines is that which pertains to the Feasts of the Lord, outlined more especially in Lev. Chap. 23. It is a mine that has rarely been dug into and many priceless gems are to be found therein. The Church in general has walked over a vast wealth of truth in this subject. This has either been done through ignorance of the wealth therein or through lack of interpretive keys to understand, or else through fear of fanciful or extreme interpretations of the subject or else through plain neglect. Because of these things the Church as a whole, has been robbed of much historical, prophetical,typical and practical truth. Date: Friday, July 12, 2002 at 07:55:29 (CDT) Page No : 2 Study: Page 2-Introduction Cont- THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD A JEWISH FOLK TALE God's world is great and Holy. Among the holy lands in the world is the Holy Land of Israel. In the land of Israel the holiest city is Jerusalem. In Jerusalem the holiest place was the Temple, and in the Temple the holest spot was the Holy of Holies. There are seventy peoples in the World. Among these Holy peoples is the people of Israel . The Holiest of the people of Israel is the tribe of Levi. In the tribe of Levi the Holiest are the Priests. Among the Priests, the holiest was the High Priest. There are 354 days in the year. Among these the holidays are Holy. Higher than these is the holiness of the Sabbath. Among Sabbaths the holiest is the Day of Atonement, the Sabbath of Sabbaths. There are seventy languages in the World. Among the Holy languages is the Holy language of Hebrew. Holier than all else in this language is the Holy Torah, and in the Torah the Holiest part is the Ten Commandments. In the Ten Commandments the holiest of all words is the Name of God. And once during the year, at a certain hour, these four supreme sanctities of the World were joined with one another. That was on the Day of Atonement, when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and there utter the Name of God. And because this hour was beyond measure holy and awesome, it was the time of utmost peril not only for the High Priest but for the whole of Israel. For if, in this hour, there had, God forbid, entered the mind of the High Priest a false or sinful thought the entire world would have been destroyed. Every spot where a man raises his eyes to heaven is a Holy of Holies. Every man, having been created by God in His own image and likeness, is a High Priest. Every day of a man's life is a Day of Atonement, and every word that a man speaks with sincerity is the Name of the Lord. Fork tale adapted from a version in The Dybbuk by Saul An-Ski "The Jewish Catalogue". Date: Friday, July 05, 2002 at 08:33:23 (CDT) Page No :1 Study: Page 1... Introduction...... THE 7 FEASTS OF THE LORD Israel goes through these 7 Feasts in the Natural; The Christian goes through them in the Spiritual Realm. So they are more important to us at the moment than to Israel. "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee". Deut. 16: 16,17. "Blessed...are the people who know the joyful sound; they walk, O Lord, in the light and favour of thy countenance". Psa. 89:15. "What will ye do in the Solemn Day, and in the Day of the Feast of the Lord?"Hosea 9:5.
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