Leviticus 23:23-44

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles

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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The Hebrew Feasts have both a historical aspect and a future aspect.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let everyday be a Rosh Hashanah!

QUESTIONS

  1. What has been the focus of our study of the annual feasts in the Hebrew religious calendar?

  2. Briefly review how the first four annual feasts typified the program of Christ.

  3. What is the distinction between the spring and fall feasts?

  4. What is the difference between the Jewish religious calendar and the Jewish civil calendar?

  5. What was the Day of Atonement?

  6. What was the historical aspect of the Feast of Tabernacles? What was the future aspect?

ANSWERS

  1. The historical and eschatological (future) aspects of the feasts and how they portrayed the redemptive program of the coming Messiah.

  2. Passover foreshadowed Calvary and Christ as the Lamb of God. The Feast of Unleavened Bread portrayed the results of Christ’s work on the cross. The Feast of First Fruits looked forward to the resurrection of Christ. Pentecost typified the coming of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the Church.

  3. The four spring feasts portrayed some aspect of God’s redemptive program in connection with Christ’s first coming. The three fall feasts portray some aspect of God’s redemptive program in connection with Christ’s second coming.

  4. The Jewish religious calendar began in the month of Nisan, as established in the book of Exodus. The Jewish civil calendar began after the Babylonian captivity. For Jewish people now the Feast of Tabernacles is a new year’s celebration called Rosh Hashana, which occurs on the first day of Tishri.

  5. The Day of Atonement was the one day of the year when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the atoning sacrifices in reference to the sins of the nation. You can read more details in Leviticus 16.

  6. The Feast of Tabernacles reminded the people how God took care of them in the wilderness for forty years. The feast looks forward to that time of great blessing for the spiritually restored nation of Israel.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Consider the viewpoint that the Feast of Trumpets concerns the regathering of Israel to the land in view of the future repentance and restoration of the nation. What do you know about the miraculous history of the State of Israel? Keep your eye on the Middle East to see whether the regathering continues in your lifetime.

  2. In Leviticus 23 the description of the Day of Atonement emphasizes repeatedly that no work was to be done on this day. This certainly emphasizes that atonement for our sins in not by works. It is only because of the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the cross. Why is it important to be frequently reminded of this truth?

CHALLENGE

  1. A number of Christians believe that the Rapture of the Church will fall on Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets) because the Church began on the Feast of Pentecost. Some of these Christians tend to walk a more godly life around the time of Rosh Hashanah. We should have that same expectant attitude every day of the year. Maybe the Lord will come back today.

KEY VERSES

  • “These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day— besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord.” Leviticus 23:37-38

Talks, Old Testament, LeviticusRon ReidLEVITICUS 23:23-44