The Biblical Feasts
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Many years ago I attended a seder dinner at a friend’s church, and was fascinated to see how it was done. We ate the traditional goat from a congregant’s small farm and used all the traditional items, including horseradish and matzo.
Still, I did not fully understand the meaning and much less how Jesus had fulfilled many of the feasts of the Bible. It seems many Christians I know are in the same situation.
The Lord seemed to highlight the Biblical Feasts to me in 2020. This was the first year since the first Passover that Israel had to stay in their homes because of a “plague.” That year I celebrated Passover in Japan with Jonathan Cahn, who did a live program on Passover, which you can still watch here.
I hope the following quick overview and scriptures will enlighten you as well.
Passover
Called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Passover or Pesach is the first biblical feast of the biblical calendar year. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Nisan. Nisan is the first night of the full moon after the northern vernal equinox.
A Haggadah is basically the traditional script for the Passover dinner.
Jesus’ last supper took place on the feast of unleavened bread. “Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” (Matthew 26:17).
As instructed in Exodus 12, the Passover lamb that was sacrificed and consumed: “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it” (Exodus 12:8).
Therefore, when Jesus told His disciples to eat His flesh in remembrance of Him (Matthew 26:26-29), He was telling them that He is the Passover lamb, the sacrifice that will save us from death.
Not only can we celebrate the Lord rescuing his people from slavery and death in Egypt (Exodus 12) but more than this, Christ fulfilled the Passover with His death on the cross (Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22), saving us from eternal death from our sins. I am so thankful for Jesus who is our passover lamb – sacrificed for our salvation and freedom (1 Peter 1:19, 1 Corinthians 5:7).
These are some of the elements used in Passover that you may recognize:
Matzo
Matzo refers to unleavened bread, used for the whole week of Passover instead of regular leavened bread. Matzo resembles a cracker. It may be difficult to find Matzo in many US stores, but you can buy it online as well.
“You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shall you eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for you came forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that you may remember the day when you came forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 16:3)
Maror (Bitter Herbs)
A green like lettuce or endive symbolizes the bitterness of the suffering of the Israelites while slaves in Egypt.
Horseradish
Horseradish brings tears to the eyes, so it commemorates the harshness and the tears of enslavement.
(Some have a custom of using both bitter herbs and horseradish, and some use only horseradish for the bitter herbs).
Karpas
Parsley represents the hyssop used by the Israelites while in Egypt, to wipe the lamb’s blood onto the door posts. Saltwater represents the tears of the Israelite slaves in Egypt, in which the parsley is dipped. (My family and I have hung a red handkerchief to represent the lamb’s blood on the door posts).
Beitza
An egg which symbolizes new life.
Charoset (Haroseth)
This is a sweet mixture of fruit and nuts, and is said to represent the mortar the slaves used in Egypt and the sweetness of freedom, but the actual meaning has not (yet) been revealed!
Shank Bone
This commemorates the sacrificial lamb, whose blood saved the lives of the Israelites when the plague hit Egypt.
The Feast of First Fruits
The Feast of First Fruits would be the time when Jesus rose from the tomb. Therefore, Resurrection Sunday or the Sunday after Passover is the celebration time.
The feast was to be celebrated after the Israelites entered the promised land, as per Leviticus 23.
They were to bring the first fruits of their harvest to the priest to offer it to the Lord.
When Jesus rose from the dead, he fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits! His resurrected body was the First Fruit of Heaven’s Kingdom. St. Paul said: “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Corinthians 15:23).
Purim
Based on the book of Esther.
Although not directly mentioned in the Bible, Purim (puh-rim) serves as a reminder of the story of Esther and the Jewish people’s salvation from genocide.
It is very joyful and most festivities today include dressing up in costumes, making cookies, and giving gifts and charity.
Israel still celebrates Purim on the 14th day of Adar (the 12th month after Nisan).
Shavuot
This feast is also called the Feast of Weeks and is celebrated Seven weeks after Passover. The feast was to commemorate the law or the Torah, given to Moses on Mount Sinai as the Ten Commandments.
Many churches do celebrate Pentecost, the day the early church received the Holy Spirit, but many may not know that Pentecost fulfilled the Feast of Shavuot.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:1-2).
This feast was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost and now we can both celebrate the ten commandments being given to Moses, and we can celebrate the new covenant on this day, as the Spirit brought freedom from the law and now we have the law of grace!
– John 1:14, 7:38-39, 8:12, 9:5
– Romans 8
– John 1:7
The Fall Feasts
Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year
Included in the fall feasts are Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles).
– 1 Corinthians 14:8, 15:51-52
Yom Teruah, Feast of Trumpets
The Feast of Trumpets starts the 10 days of Awe (on the first day of the month of Tishri. Tishri is seventh month after Passover).
This feast has not yet been fulfilled, so many believe it will be fulfilled when Christ comes to rapture His bride, the church (Matthew 24:31), Shop hence, the sounding of the trumpet. Interesting food for thought, indeed.
Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur ends the 10 days of Awe. The theme of this day is repentance. Many believe this symbolizes Christ’s return, where he will judge the earth. Therefore, this day is a time of reflection and contemplation and repentance.
Sukkot – the Feast of Tabernacles
The Feast of Tabernacles begins five days after Yom Kippur, and the 15th day of Tishri. This is a weeklong dwelling in a sukkah or tent, and the temporary dwellings in which the Israelites dwelled after leaving Egypt.
To celebrate Sukkot, we combine Lulav – a palm branch, and Etrog – a citron fruit – with a willow and a myrtle branch. “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days” (Leviticus 23:40, KJV).
Another feast not yet fulfilled, many assume this feast represents the marriage feast between Jesus and His bride!
Hanukkah
Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights is celebrated in late November or December. This festival was not commanded by God in Leviticus as it did not come about until the Maccabean revolt of 167–160 BC (the main part of the revolt) where the Jewish culture was saved from eradication by Hellenistic forces, and then Jewish worship at the second temple was restored.
Of Course, we read in John 8:12 and John 9:4-5 that Jesus is “the light of the world,” and therefore, Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of the Festival of Lights!