What the Levitical Feasts and Festivals
Teach Us About Christ and His Church
( Leviticus 16, 23, 25 )
Holy Days and Assemblies
OT Israelites were to assemble together at certain times throughout the year, and at a certain place (Lev. 23:1-2,4; Ex. 23:14-17; Deut. 16:16-17)
These feasts and festivals are “a shadow of things to come” (Col. 2:16-17)
What do they teach us about Christ and His church today?
Seven Holy DaysLeviticus 23
1. Sabbath Day: Rest (v. 3)
2. Passover: Deliverance (vv. 4-5)
3. Unleavened Bread: Separation (vv. 6-8)
4. First Fruits: Priority (vv. 9-22)
First fruits (vv. 9-14)
Feast of Weeks (vv. 15-22)
5. Trumpets: Calling (vv. 23-25)
6. Day of Atonement: Forgiveness (vv. 26-32)
7. Tabernacles: Remembrance (vv. 33-44)
The Seven Holy DaysLessons for Today
1. Sabbath Day: Rest
We have a sabbath rest awaiting us in heaven (Heb. 4:9-11)
2. Passover: Deliverance
Christ is our Passover sacrifice of deliverance from sin (Jn. 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; see also Lev. 16)
The Seven Holy DaysLessons for Today
3. Unleavend Bread: Separation
We are to separate ourselves from the leaven of sin (1 Cor. 5:6-8; 2 Tim. 2:19)
4. Firstfruits: Priority
We are the first fruits dedicated to the Lord (Acts 2:1; Rom. 8:23; 16:5; 1 Cor. 15:20,23; Jas. 1:18; Rev. 14:4; Mt. 6:33)
The Seven Holy DaysLessons for Today
5. Trumpets: Calling
The church, the “called out,” will be called home to heaven with a trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16; 2 Thess. 2:1)
6. Atonement: Forgiveness
Christ’s blood is our atonement (covering) for sin (Zech. 12:10 – 13:1; Heb. 9:14; 13:11-12)
The Seven Holy DaysLessons for Today
7. Tabernacles: Remembrance
We must remember our divine deliverance from sin and provision through the wilderness of life (Zech. 14:16-21; Jn. 7:37-39; 8:12)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Year of Rest (25:1-7): every 7th year
Year of Release, Return, Restoration, and Redemption (25:8-55) : every 50th yearRepentance (25:9; see 16:29-34)Release (25:10,13)Rest (25:11-25)Restoration (25:13-17)Redemption (25:23-55)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Year of Release, Return, Restoration, and Redemption (25:8-55) : every 50th yearRedemption (25:23-55)
1. Land (25:23-28)
2. Houses (25:29-34
3. The Poor (25:35-55)
a) Bankrupt brother (25:35-38)
b) Slave of a Jew (25:39-46)
c) Slave of a Gentile (25:47-55)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Key Principles
God owned the land (25:2,23-24)
God owned the people (25:55)
God gave the increase of the land (25:21)
God expected the people to treat one another kindly and fairly (25:17,25,35-38)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Key Motivations
Appreciation of blessings (25:4,6,10,14)
Obedience to God (25:5)
Deliverance from bondage (25:38,55)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Key Lessons
Trust and obey (Rom. 10:17; Heb. 5:9)
God is our “land Lord” (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 1 Pet. 2:9)
Release follows repentance (Mt. 5:4; Lk. 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19)
The Year of JubileeLeviticus 25
Key Lessons
Liberty is in Christ (Isa. 61:1-3; Lk. 4:16ff; Gal. 5:1)
Jesus is our “Kinsman – Redeemer” (Heb. 2:5ff)
Care for your fellow-brethren (Acts 2:44ff; 4:34ff; 6:1ff; etc.)
Feasts and Festivals of Jehovah
We are not under the OT, but these feasts and festivals are “a shadow of things to come” (Col. 2:16-17)
The one feast we have, the Lord’s supper, contains many of same principles of the OT feasts: deliverance, separation, priority, calling, forgiveness, remembrance
We must be stirred to greater love for, and obedience to God