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BACKGROUND
THE FEASTS
EASTON
FEAST; FESTIVALS - RELIGIOUS; ATONEMENT; ATONEMENT, DAY OF; AZAZEL; PASSOVER; PENTECOST; TABERNACLES, FEAST OF:
NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY
PASSOVER; PENTECOST, FEAST OF; TABERNACLES, FEAST OF:
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
THE FEASTS - BIBLE DICTIONARIES
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| SPRING FEASTS
THE PATTERN OF THINGS PAST |
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Descriptions from Scripture follow:
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| FEAST OF PASSOVER |
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 “These are the Lords appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times. The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.” (Leviticus 23:4-5)
“Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, ……………Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until morning.” (Deuteronomy 16:1-4)
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| FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD |
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 “ On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an offering made to the Lord by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.” (Leviticus 23:6-8)
Reapers and Gleaners
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| FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS |
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 “The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheath, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil – an offering made to the Lord by fire, a pleasing aroma – and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” (Leviticus 23:9-14)
The basket of first-fruits.
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| FEAST OF WEEKS (Pentecost) |
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 “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings – an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” (Leviticus 23:15-21)
Winnowing the Wheat
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| FEAST OF PASSOVER |
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 This is the most important feast of all. For without a beginning there cannot be an end. Without the death of Jesus on that terrible yet glorious cross, there would be no way to be reconciled to God, other than through the Law, which we all know through practical experience, is impossible to keep, 100% of the time. (Let’s stop and give Him thanks)
The Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread can be considered to be but one feast as Passover commences the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover though, does have some special characteristics, warranting its separation. For example, in regard to the furniture of the Outer Court of Moses Tabernacle where Passover pictures the Brazen Altar and Unleavened Bread the Washing Basin.
Picture of Brazen Altar and Washing Basin in Moses Tabernacle
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| THE FEAST ITSELF |
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 This feast was designed by God to memorialise forever His dramatic rescue of His people from the clutches of the apparently invincible Egyptians. It was to be an annual action replay of the events leading up to their deliverance, on that amazing night. For the Passover represents the starting point in the relationship of the Israelites with their God, just as the death of Jesus is the starting point in the Christian faith. It represents a new beginning. Therefore it is no mistake that it is celebrated in the first month of the Religious Year, in the spring, natures time of promise and hope.
The Passover Instituted, by C.F. Vos.
Not on the first day of the year though, but the tenth. In the Bible, the number ten stands for ‘trial and testing’. That is certainly what the people had been through during their time in Egypt! So on the tenth day of the first month, in remembrance of their great escape, a firstborn male lamb was put aside, ready to be slaughtered on the evening of the fourteenth day. It had to be perfect. None of its bones were to be broken during the killing process. As in Egypt, it was to be roasted with bitter herbs and eaten in haste with unleavened bread. Any that was not eaten had to be burned. All heads of households were required to meet together at House of God for this Feast, as representatives of their families. So the celebration was carried out symbolically for all Israel, firstly in the Tabernacle and later in Solomon’s Temple built in Jerusalem. Representation by family heads avoided a major logistics problem.
Only Jews, as defined by circumcision, were allowed to participate in the feast. Interestingly, this feast was not celebrated during the forty years wandering in the wilderness. For the people who left Egypt were punished for their disobedience in the desert, all but two of the adults dying there. The feast was not effectively instituted until the people entered the Promised Land when, in their eyes, they really had something to celebrate. Like us today, wandering around in the desert was not seen as a desirable experience. A very necessary one though for their, and our own, spiritual development!
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| PASSOVER PARTICULARS and
<i>THEIR FULLFILLMENT IN JESUS</i>
(1st of 3) |
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It is absolutely amazing how precisely Jesus was the fulfilment of the Feast of Passover. To prove this, we will look at the Passover elements individually, seeing how the ministry of Jesus paralleled them so precisely. (in Italics) I am particularly indebted to Kevin J. Connor and his illuminating book ‘The Feasts of Israel’ for so much of the information on all the feasts. His outstanding, detailed insight and analysis of the feasts is a must for all those who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding. I bear full responsibility for the presentation and interpretation however. Any errors are mine!
For there are an incredible 27 ways in which the Feast of Passover was fulfilled by Jesus. Just by chance? No way! We will look at the first 5 today.
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| 1. Passover - A New Year: |
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 Passover represents a new beginning, the promise of the harvest to come.
Exodus 12:2
Accepting Jesus as the “Lamb of God” represents a new beginning for us too. But it is most important to realise that it is only the beginning of our journey and relationship. All the other feasts need to be experienced as well, to fulfil God’s best plan for us. Unfortunately many Christians either don’t understand or choose to ignore this absolutely foundational truth.
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| 2. Lamb Held For Four Days: |
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 The lamb was taken on the 10th day of the new religious year and held until the 14th day, when it was put to death.
Exodus 12:3-6
Jesus entered Jerusalem on the 10th day and was slaughtered on the 14th day!
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| 3. A Firstborn Lamb: |
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 The firstborn lamb was regarded as the choicest of the flock. The firstborn has always had a special place in Jewish culture.
Shepherd with a lamb
Exodus 12:5
Jesus was the firstborn son of God, the firstborn son of Mary and the firstborn son of the new creation.
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| 4. A Male: |
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 In this particular sacrifice, a male lamb was specified.
(Exodus 12:5)
Adam, a male, was the seed bearer of the human race who fell. Jesus was the second Adam who restored the human race to God.
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| 5. Without Spot or Blemish: |
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 The lamb had to be perfect.
Exodus 12:5
Jesus was perfect.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i>
THE PROPHETIC FEASTS OF THE LORD - Series 1 -
THE SPRING FEASTS - Part 3
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 The relationship between the 'form' of the Feast of Passover and the 'fulfilment' of what Jesus did for you and for me on the Cross never ceases to amaze me.
Next week we will continue to look at a further 12 ways in which the pattern of Passover was revealed that precious day on Calvary's hill.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 Fifteen hundred years before Jesus, in the land of captivity, we had this amazing picture of His coming. As Passover released the Jews from captivity in Egypt, so Jesus releases us today from the captivity of sin and hell. If we accept what he has done for us, that is. For all God's promises are conditional. Those Jews who didn't put the blood on the door post lost their oldest son along with the Egyptians. If we don't accept Jesus today, we are lost too.
New Zealand's most popular summer sport is cricket, a game you cannot understand unless you have a British heritage. Who else could find enjoyment in a game that can be played for 5 days without there being a result! Americans certainly can't, as they continually tell me!
Now there is a 'short' version of the game which only takes 7 hours on 1 day! And you get a result too! Unless it rains, of course! Not to worry!
The game shown here is between the 'NZ Black Caps' and the 'South African Proteas.' NZ is not as good at cricket as they we are at rugby. It took us 45 matches over 20 years before we finally a international 'Test Match'. Everything comes to him who waits! I was only 5 when we first won, so I can't remember the great day! But there have been a few since.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
719. The miracle of the Cross is that the very best could come out of the very worst.
David Tait
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