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1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." What things serve as an example for those at the end of time? 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." It is those things that occurred between the exodus of Egypt and the entrance into the Promised Land. One of the many things that occurred during that time was the enactment of the feast days. The feast days pointed to real events that would occur in the future. In fact, did you know that the whole plan of salvation was given as object lessons through the feast days? Psalms 77:13 "Thy way, O God, [is] in the sanctuary: who [is so] great a God as [our] God?" If we really want to understand the plan of salvation, a study of these things would be most appropriate.

Hebrews 10:1-10 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year. For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]." In short, the sacrifices and especially the holidays and feast days all pointed to Jesus, in that He would literally fulfill each one ("taketh away the first").

The practices of the Israelites and then the Jewish nation were not to be mere form, though for many it became such, but rather, it was an illustration of what Jesus would come and do for the human race. Reducing the ceremonies to mere form is what caused a lot of the blindness when Jesus came the first time. Unfortunately, the blindness still continues today but more on that later.

~ PASSOVER ~

Leviticus 23:4 "These [are] the feasts of the LORD, [even] holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth [day] of the first month at even [is] the LORD'S passover." The first feast mentioned is Passover.

What was the purpose of it? Exodus 12:11-12 "And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD'S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I [am] the LORD." This feast recalled when the Israelites were in Egypt and an Angel of the Lord passed over each house that sacrificed a lamb and spread the blood on their doorposts. This was in preparation of the journey to the Promised Land. The angel was sent in connection to the tenth plague that came upon Egypt.

How did Jesus fulfill this feast? Matthew 26:2 "Ye know that after two days is [the feast of] the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." Jesus knew exactly what day and hour He was to die. He was to die in place of the Passover lamb. And thanks to the God inspired Daniel, He also knew the year He would die – 31 AD. [We will see that in a future lesson.]

Did any one substantiate the claim that Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled the Passover feast? John 1:29,36 "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"

Not only that but did you know that the Passover lamb was not to have a broken bone? Numbers 9:10-12 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or [be] in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, [and] eat it with unleavened bread and bitter [herbs]. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it." Jesus fulfilled that as well. John 19:36 "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."

And just as the blood on the doorposts saved the souls inside, specifically the first born, Jesus’ blood saves us. 1 Peter 1:18-19 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

How sure are we that Jesus fulfilled the Passover requirements? Matthew 27:50-54 "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." Why else would God tear the curtain while the Passover lamb was about to be sacrificed by the high priest that day? This tearing of the curtain symbolized the end of the sacrificial system.

~ UNLEAVENED BREAD ~

Leviticus 23:6-8 "And on the fifteenth day of the same month [is] the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day [is] an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work [therein]." This was a time to purge out the leaven, which was symbolic of sin.

Did anyone confirm that Jesus fulfilled this feast? 1 Corinthians 5:7 "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."

~ FIRST FRUITS ~

Leviticus 23:9-14 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the meat offering thereof [shall be] two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD [for] a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof [shall be] of wine, the fourth [part] of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings." The Wave Sheaf or First Fruits was the gathering of the first fruits of the field and offering them to the Lord thanking Him for such a bountiful harvest that is to come. It was understood that the Lord who provided the first fruits would also provide for a grand harvest. These items were also to be the best of the field.

Did Jesus fulfill this one? 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." Jesus is the best and first fruits of resurrection pointing to a blessed hope for all, in that there will be a great harvest soon.

~ PENTECOST ~

Leviticus 23:15-22 "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; [they are] the firstfruits unto the LORD. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be [for] a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, [even] an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits [for] a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, [that] it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work [therein: it shall be] a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God." Part of the First Fruits is a special day appearing fifty days later known as Pentecost.

How was this fulfilled? Acts 2:1-4 "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. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Jesus sent the promise of His Spirit.

~ FEAST OF TRUMPETS ~

Leviticus 23:23-25 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work [therein]: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD."

This feast gets its name because trumpets were used to alert the people that in ten days, the feast known as the Day of Atonement or Judgment was about to commence. It provided a grace period to reflect. Did Jesus fulfill this? John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Colossians 1:28 "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." The greatest wake up warning occurred only in the past two hundred years. The time frame has been dubbed "The Second Great Awakening." We will see in a later study the significance of this. But for now it will be stated that this time period was a God ordained movement to wake up the world before the judgment occurs.

~ DAY OF ATONEMENT ~

Leviticus 23:26-32 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth [day] of this seventh month [there shall be] a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it [is] a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul [it be] that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul [it be] that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: [it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It [shall be] unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth [day] of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." This is the Day of Atonement or Judgment. We will discover in a future lesson when Jesus fulfilled this one, but for now, we will just read the fulfilling verse. Revelation 14:7, "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

~ FEAST OF TABERNACLES / INGATHERING ~

Leviticus 23:33-44 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month [shall be] the feast of tabernacles [for] seven days unto the LORD. On the first day [shall be] an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work [therein]. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a solemn assembly; [and] ye shall do no servile work [therein]. These [are] the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day [shall be] a sabbath, and on the eighth day [shall be] a sabbath. 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. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD." As the name Ingathering implies, this is a collection of all the fruit of the land.

Mark 13:26-27 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." Revelation 14:14-16 "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." Jesus will soon return to gather the fruit of the land being you and I if we remain faithful. So the fulfillment of this feast will be at the second coming.

The time of rejoicing before the Lord is pictured in Revelation 7:9-10 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."

Notice that in addition to the weekly Sabbath, these feast days were also to be a Sabbath. Notice also that they floated through the days of the week. In addition, we read how the other feast days carried the same rest requirements as the weekly Sabbath. In fact, each feast day was recognized as an additional Sabbath day.

Did you also notice that the judgment and second coming are two separate events (feasts). How can that be? In a couple lessons from now, we will discover the answer.

Interestingly, these feasts were given to Moses in exact order of fulfillment. That was not by chance. It began with Jesus being sacrificed as our Passover Lamb and chronologically moved forward to when Jesus will gather in the elect – the saints!

So all the feasts were illustrating and pointing to the fulfillment of what Jesus would do literally. A common phrase in this reality is that the typical met the anti-typical; the illustrated met the reality of what Jesus is doing for us.

Also note that throughout Leviticus 23, reference was made quite often to Moses. That is because these feasts were recorded in Moses’ book of the law.

Exodus 24:4 "And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel." Notice that Moses wrote the contents of the law. Please remember for the remainder of the lesson that it was Moses’ handwriting that was used to record these things.

What were they written on? Exodus 24:7 "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." They were written in a book. Again, this is a very important item to note.

Where were the laws placed? Deuteronomy 31:24-26 "And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee." Notice that the law was "against the people" and was put into "the side of the ark." Two key phrases to remember for the rest of the lesson.

What did they deal with? Parts of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy deal with ceremonial and ritualistic matters including special offerings such as meat and drink offerings. We definitely saw the detail in Leviticus 23.

In summary, Moses’ Law was written by Moses in a book and placed in the side of the ark. It dealt with ceremonial duties and ordinances. It was known as the Book of the Law. Moses wrote it with his own handwriting and the laws were against the people.

Colossians 2:14-17 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ." Notice that ordinances were nailed to the cross, that is to say, Moses’ ceremonial laws are no longer required. How do we know that this is Moses’ law? Well, Moses law was done by handwriting (as you were asked to remember just a moment ago), was contrary or against the people, was full of meat and drink offerings, contained holy days, new moons, and sabbath days, and pointed to Jesus who would come and fulfill all that the laws prescribed.

Ephesians 2:15 "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace." Again, this identifies the fact that we are no longer required to keep the ordinances prescribed by Moses in his law.

Galatians 3:23-25 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Do you wonder which schoolmaster is under discussion here? Galatians 3:10 "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Again we see we need not keep Moses’ law or what he called the Book of the Law.

It is quite clear that these verses do away with the Law of Moses.

Here is another look at Moses’ law.

1. Moses’ law is called "the law of Moses" (Luke 2:22).
2. Moses’ law is called the "law... contained in ordinances" (Ephesians 2:15).
3. Moses’ law was written by Moses in a book (2 Chronicles 35:12).
4. Moses’ law was placed in the side of the ark (Deuteronomy 31:26).
5. Moses’ law ended at the cross (Ephesians 2:15).
6. Moses’ law was added because of sin (Galatians 3:19).
7. Moses’ law was contrary to or against the people (Colossians 2:14).
8. Moses law judges no one (Colossians 2:14-16).
9. Moses’ law is carnal (Hebrews 7:16).
10. Moses’ law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:19).

Though it is quite clear that Moses’ law has been done away with, there were attempts to revive it. Romans 14:2-6 "For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." The Gentiles who became Christian were eating food sacrificed to idols and trying to get the Jews to eat with them while the Jews tried making the Gentiles keep the ceremonial law. Paul makes it quite clear that one may keep the day, but do not judge another for not keeping it. May we remember these things as we continue these lessons.

May God bless you and keep you, and may your love for Him grow more and more each day so that it is your sole desire to do His will.¤