A Calendar For Eternity

Feature 3 – March 2014 — Grace & Truth Magazine

THE FEASTS OF THE LORD
A Calendar For Eternity

In Scripture seven is the number of finality or completeness and it is always associated with the work of God. We read that God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:1-3). This day of the week is brought before us again in Leviticus 23 preceding a series of festivals, or Feasts of the Lord. The first Sabbath, in relation to Creation, was not kept. The Lord Jesus explained, “My Father works hitherto, and I work” (Jn. 5:17 KJV ). The second Sabbath is associated with the deliverance of God’s people from slavery in Egypt (See Ex. 20:11; Dt. 5:15). In disobedience, this day was not kept by Israel (Ezek. 20:16). Thus the scene is set for the calendar of festivals given by God – a panoramic view of His work to transform a creation spoiled by sin into a new one created through redemption. This mighty work of God is revealed in the teachings of Leviticus 23.

Passover
This is the first festival and the beginning of redemption’s story. “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Ex. 12:2). The sacrificial lamb was to be kept from the tenth to the fourteenth day to be sure that it was without blemish (Ex. 12:3,5,6). The number ten is about human responsibility. In this passage it was not a question of the people doing something for their salvation but of their obedience to God who is the only Savior. The lamb was kept to the fourteenth day. Fourteen is two, the number of witness, times seven. So, we have full witness to the perfection of the lamb – a picture of the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

This lamb was killed, the blood applied to the doorposts and lintel, and the lamb eaten with everyone dressed to travel. God said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you” (Ex. 12:13). “For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). We are reminded that people need to shelter under the blood of the Lamb for salvation and from that moment believers are pilgrims on a great journey to the Promised Land with the joy of eternity with God.

Unleavened Bread
This is bread without yeast. Yeast, or leaven, is always associated with evil and the way it corrupts (Mt. 16:6,11-12). Having been set free we are to feed on the heavenly bread, avoiding the evil and defilement of this wilderness world.

Paul wrote: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened ... Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:7-8). The Lord Jesus declared to the Jews, “For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” – affirming that He was the true, unleavened bread. The Lord continued, “He that comes to Me shall never hunger and he that believes on Me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6:33-35).

Firstfruits
This festival could only be celebrated in the land at the beginning of harvest (Dt. 26:1-2). However, during the wilderness journey we see that the “first of the fleece of thy sheep” was to be given to the priests (Dt. 18:4). There is a principle here that the first of everything is to be God’s – and God is to be first in everything. Matthew wrote: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33).

Undoubtedly, the main focus is on the Lord Jesus. Paul wrote: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” He then goes on to stress the supremacy of the Lord Jesus: “But every man in his own order; Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:20,23).

Believers today are included: “Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (Jas. 1:18). Paul adds that we have a foretaste of heaven already in us by the presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:23). In the future the Lord will return to take us to our heavenly home before He comes to judge the earth and save Israel.

If we remember to put God first in everything – giving Him our time, wealth and energy – a rich and bountiful harvest will follow for Him and us. We need to take note of the proverb: “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Prov. 10:5). Even if the sowing of the Word is accompanied with danger and sorrow, the harvest will be a time of joy: “He that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:6). We shall rejoice one day soon.

Pentecost
This feast was the day after the seventh Sabbath after the offering of firstfruits (50 days). As to this feast we usually think of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) – a very important event. It was prophesied for Israel but applicable to this age of grace. Ezekiel wrote of God bringing Israel to their land and what He would do: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ... A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:24-27). Certainly this is connected to the Lord’s teaching on new birth (Jn. 3).

There is something else that is special, although seemingly contradictory. We read of the banning of leaven from all offerings (Lev. 2:11, 6:17) but in this feast we see leaven used. Why? We see God in grace at work in the world, sinful as it is, to give a new beginning. Look at the two “wave loaves.” They are waved before God to show that He sees everything about them. We see that both the Jew and Gentile are saved from sin (leaven) by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and are witnesses of His perfect work on the cross. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Also, “Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6), and the Lord Himself said, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mt. 9:13).

A Verse About Harvest
In the midst of our chapter, Leviticus 23, it seems as if a verse were out of place, but we know that cannot be. It speaks of the “gleaning of thy harvest” (v.22) and takes us to the Book of Ruth and God’s care for the poor and the stranger. This is only a hint of the blessing to come for believers – but what a hint! Ruth and Naomi returned home at harvest time and Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz, the immensely rich kinsman. Ruth, the poor widow, then married the rich man and became the mother to a line of kings, including the King of Kings!

Mary’s words add to the picture: “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away” (Lk. 1:52-53). “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

Trumpets
We are then brought to the seventh month when on the first day the trumpet sounded – a call of God for the people. For Israel, the trumpet sound was used for calling an assembly, moving the camp and going into battle. In the New Testament, concerning the trumpet sound, John wrote: “I ... heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet saying, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last’” (Rev. 1:10-11, see also 4:1). Writing to the Thessalonians Paul said, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God” (1 Th. 4:16). This particular passage speaks about the end of the Church age, when the Lord Jesus calls us up to be with Him forever. This event will warn those left behind that the judgments of God are about to fall on a sinful world as the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to reign!

Day Of Atonement
Yom Kippur is a day “to afflict your souls” (Lev. 23:27). Only the high priest works on this day, entering the Holy of Holies with the blood of sacrifice to make atonement for the sins of the nation and then releasing the scapegoat into the wilderness. “We have such an High Priest, Who is sat on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched” (Heb. 8:1-2). The high priest was only a picture illustrating the office and work of our true High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Everyone was in deep mourning on this solemn day. Isaiah captures the contrition and repentance: “Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4-5). “Our transgressions” include the sins of every believer and those of the remnant of Israel when at last they cry to God and “look upon [the Lord Jesus] whom they have pierced, and ... mourn for Him as one mourneth for his only son” (Zech. 12:10). Taking place on the tenth day, we are reminded of human responsibility – not to work, but to repent.

Tabernacles
The last festival began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasted seven days. The seven days signify a time of rest. The people were to live in booths in the City of Peace, the place chosen by God for His Name. At that time, Israel will be the head and not the tail of the nations (Dt. 28:13), and the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains (See Isa. 2; Mic. 4). But that will only be for a thousand years. Then we read: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4). How great is the fulfillment of Lord’s work of redemption!

By Roger Penney