Impact Discipleship Notes

The Seven Feasts of Yahweh
Portion of Scripture: Leviticus 23:1-44

Foundational questions for this message:
1. What are the feasts of Yahweh and how many are there?
2. Why are the feasts so important/what do they represent?
3. Why do the feasts connect with each other?

Objective of this message: simplify the understanding of each Feast.

Leviticus 23:1 Yahweh said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of Yahshua, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.

The Sabbath
3 “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to Yahweh.

In the beginning of time Yahweh created all things. He formed the heavens and the earth along with all that is in them in six days. On the seventh day Yahweh rested from all His works and set that day aside to be holy. We are commanded to honor Yahweh in all His creation by observing this weekly Feast known as Sabbath. (Genesis 2:3)

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread
4 “‘These are Yahweh’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: 5 Yahshua’s Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month Yahshua’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 8 For seven days present a food offering to Yahweh. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’”

Moses went to Pharaoh on behalf of Yahweh and commanded the Israelites be freed from bondage in the time of Exodus. Pharaoh did not know Yahweh so he did not fear Moses’s words and refused the demand. This caused Pharaoh to be merciless to the enslaved Israelites by forcing hard labor and beating them. Yahweh told Moses He will demonstrate His power and reveal Himself to Pharaoh through plagues until the Israelites were freed:

1. Water of the Nile into blood (Exodus 7:14-25)
2. Frogs (Exodus 7:26-8:11)
3. Lice (Exodus 8:12-15)
4. Flies (Exodus 8:16-28)
5. Cattle disease (Exodus 9:1-7)
6. Boils (Exodus 9:8-12)
7. Hail and fire (Exodus 9:13-35)
8. Locust (Exodus 10:1-20)
9. Darkness (Exodus 10:21-29)
10. The angel of death to kill all firstborns (Exodus 11:1-12:36)

During the tenth plague, Yahweh killed all of the firstborns of Egypt, but passed over (Passover) the homes of the Israelites who had the blood of a sacrificed lamb applied on the doorpost of their home. This led to the freedom, redemption, and the beginning of Israel’s journey into the wilderness. It also signifies the separation of firstborns with the blood and firstborns without the blood from all who aren’t firstborns. They had very little time to pack all of their things and go, without the ability to wait for their bread, they had to make unleavened bread (matzah) (hence the feast of unleavened bread) and escape quickly.

Passover occurs in a literal moment of time during twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month (Nissan) of the jewish calendar. The reason we keep this Feast today is because Yahweh later commanded the Israelites to forever celebrate and remember the tribulations of enslavement. We recognize the deliverance of Israel out of captivity through the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and the blood of a lamb that saved from death. The blood of that lamb which saved those Israelite firstborns from death is symbolic for the very blood of Yahshua that saves us as his children from eternal death. Do you see the image? Yahshua is our very own Passover sacrifice.

On the fifteenth of the same month (moon) (right after Passover) is the seven day festival known as “Unleavened Bread”. It is a time we remove all yeast from the house and do not eat any foods with yeast in it. In a biblical context, yeast is symbolic for sin. This is why we do not eat yeast, it is a time to reflect on the last year and repent of sin. Yahshua later demonstrates a partial fulfillment of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the upper room with his disciples. Yahshua is having dinner with the twelve when he says “this bread is my body and this wine is my blood” as he divides the food and drink amongst his followers. This speaks in reference to his own body which would soon be crucified with the shedding of his blood. ( Exodus 12:1-2; Leviticus 17:11; John 1:29, 36; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 1 Peter 1:19; Romans 5:8; Galatians 1:3-4; Hebrews 9:24-27, 1 John 2:2 Revelation 7:10; 21:22)

Offering the First Fruits
9 Yahweh said to Moses, 10 “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. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before Me so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to Yahweh a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to Yahweh, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. 14 You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your Father. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

The Feast of First Fruits is celebrated on the day after the Sabbath that followed Passover. First Fruits celebrated the “first fruits” of the barley harvest (the first harvest of the year). The people were to offer up the first fruits of their barley harvest as an acknowledgement that it was Yahweh who had given them the land and the harvest and as a demonstration of trust that He would provide more. The Israelites also offered a lamb, flour, and wine, all representing Yahweh’s provisions of spiritual and physical food and drink for His people.

Passover is celebrated on a specific date of the first month Nisan which usually falls during our month of March or April, and it would fall on a different day of the week with each passing year due to the 10 day deficit between the solar (365 days in a year) and lunar (354 days in a year) calendars. As time elapsed you technically lose 10+ days a year. This is why we have unorganized time glitches like (Sept)ember, (Oct)ober, (Nov)ember, (Dec)ember (meaning seven, eight, nine, and ten) as our 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th months. Its important to note that the Feasts of Yahweh align with the Biblical calendar and not the Gregorian calendar. (*The Gregorian calendar, used in most of the world, is named after Pope Gregory XIlI, who introduced it in October 1582. The calendar spaces leap years every 4th year to accommodate for the 365.2422-day tropical year, determined by the Earth’s revolution around the Sun). In order to know when First Fruits is you must know when Passover happens. In order to know when Passover happens you must know the moon cycles for this is how Yahweh ordained the seasons of the earth to be determined.

Yahshua died on the day of the Passover, and it was three days later that he rose from the dead on the day of First Fruits (not Ester, I mean easter). Thus Yahshua became the “first fruits” from the dead (1 Corinthians. 15:20) with the promise that believers would follow Him into our own resurrection.

The Festival of Weeks
15 “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. 16 Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to Yahweh. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to Yahweh. 18 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 Yahweh, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Father. 19 Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. 20 The priest is to wave the two lambs before Yahweh as a wave offering, together with the bread of the First Fruits . They are a sacred offering to the Father for the priest. 21 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. 22 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am Yahweh your Father.’”

Celebrated at the end of the spring harvest, fifty days after Passover, the day after the seventh sabbath is the Feast of weeks (seven weeks). This signifies the giving of the law at Mount Sinai and more so the baptism of the Holy Spirit into man after Yahshua’s ascension. This Feast was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit fell into the hearts and minds of men. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-32; Ezekiel 11:17-21; Revelation 14:4)

The Festival of Trumpets
23 Yahweh said to Moses, 24 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. 25 Do no regular work, but present a food offering to Me.’” The seventh Jewish month is known as Tishri and this was a Feast where all the Israelites gathered together as a nation and presented themselves to Yahweh for repentance. This was initiated by priests blowing a shophar (ram’s horn). We are told in the new testament a trumpet will blast calling all believers to meet Yahshua in the air. (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

The Day of Atonement
26 Yahweh said to Moses, 27 “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present a food offering to Me. 28 Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before Yahweh your Father. 29 Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people. 30 I will destroy from among their people anyone who does any work on that day. 31 You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. 32 It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.” The Day of Atonement is celebrated on the tenth of Tishri. This was a day of fasting of instead of feasting. On this day, the high priest would cast the sins of the people onto a goat and then lead it into the deep wilderness, where it would become lost representing Israel in their sin. This goat was called a scapegoat. There would then be a second goat sacrificed, its blood collected in a bowl, and that blood poured over the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle. This cleansed Israel once yearly allowing and inviting Yahweh to continue to dwell among them. This Feast was partially fulfilled when the Messiah came, died, and resurrected as our sin offering and atonement. But on the contrary it will not be until Yahshua’s second coming when the final atonement is made for all sins in men. (Hebrews 9:28)

The Feast of Tabernacles
33 Yahweh said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food offerings to Yahweh, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to Yahweh. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work. 37 (“‘These are Yahweh’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to Me—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for Yahshua’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the Father. 39 “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to Yahweh for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before Yahweh your Father for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival Yahweh for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am Yahweh your Father.’” 44 So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of Yahweh.

The Feast of Tabernacles (tents/booths) began on the 15th of Tishri and lasted for one week. The Israelites built tents out of branches and lived in them for seven days as a reminder of their lives in the wilderness. Many offerings were made during this time (Numbers 29:12-38) and there was a special significance about harvesting grapes. This was a day where Israel remembered their affliction and praised Yahweh for freedom, they thanked Yahweh for dwelling among them in a tabernacle and revealing HIs glory through it, and we look forward to the day that Yahweh brings the fulness of HIs kingdom and glory to earth. Yahshua gave a glimpse of this when he dwelt (in Greek means tabernacle) amongst man (John 1:14). He also revealed a soon to come promise of a glorified body on the day of tabernacles in Mathew 17:1-8 and Revelation 21.

These are seven Feasts of Yahweh:
1. Passover
2. Unleavened bread
3. First Fruits
4. Pentecost
5. Trumpets
6. Yom Kippur
7. Tabernacles.

This does not include the weekly Sabbath. The first four Feasts take place in the spring time and the latter three come in the fall. Each Feast is a symbolic-practice in remembrance of what took place in the past and what will soon be fulfilled. Each individual Feast has its own set of values and meanings. It is our job as modern day Christians to uphold the commandments given to the Israelites and fulfill the duties assigned by Yahshua himself.