Leviticus 23:1 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Leviticus 23:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, `Concerning the feast of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My feasts."

Moses is to go before the children of Israel and tell them about these feast days of the Lord. "Feast" as used here is a "fixed time or season" that all the children of Israel are to come together for these public meetings. In that the Children of Israel had become a nations made up of twelve tribes, it would be not only a religious time or holiday, but a national time of remembrance. In Old Testament time, these days were known as "feast of the Lord", the primal name of these days; but as we read in the New Testament time, the days of Jesus Christ's rejection, these days became known as "feasts of the Jews".

John 5:1 "After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem."

John 6:3, 4 "And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh."

There are many places throughout the New Testament where these feast days are mentioned. These days were considered "Sabbaths" to the Jews. People came together all day as they read the Torah, and considered a holiday.

Leviticus 23:3 "Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings."

So just as the Lord rested on the seventh day after the creation, man is also to rest on the seventh day from his labors.

Genesis 2:1, 2 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." [1] "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made." [2]

The universe was complete, the sun and stars set in their place, Man and animal life was created and placed on the earth by the end of the sixth day.

Genesis 2:3 "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all his work which God created and made."

God is reminding these children of Israel of that day which was set aside, sanctified, and made a day of rest for man and animals. When God said, "ye shall do no work therein", He meant just that. It was a "convocation", "miqra' " in the Hebrew; meaning "a public meeting, something called out, an assembly of all the people." We will see that for the day of atonement, all the cooking had to be done the day prior to the day of Atonement. The people were not even allowed to kindle a fire on that day.

Leviticus 23:4 "These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons."

So these feast days that we will discuss in the rest of this chapter are appointed times of the year that all of the children of Israel must observe and follow. After Christ came to the earth born in the flesh, and arose to ascend into heaven to be at the right hand of the Father; Christians became hung up on whether this day of rest should be on the seventh day of the week or the first day. However in Hebrews 4: details how when we enter into His rest, that only come by the Grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ: we are to remain in That Rest [Christ] every day of the week continually. In verse eleven; "Let us labour there to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." We follow it by remaining in the Word of God daily.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

It is from the Word of God that a Christian become in tune with the Spirit of God, and is allowed to discerning both his or her thoughts and intents of their mind. As you study the Word, that knowledge becomes stored in your mind of your physical body, as well as in your soul and spirit to govern every area for your life. So when we rest in Christ, and His Word, we are resting from the labors of our daily lives and this world around us.

Leviticus 23:5 "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover."

Remember that the first month was established by God at the Spring Vernal Equinox, This started the first month of the Jewish calendar, the month of Abib [green ears], there had been redemption from Egypt, and this also would be the time set aside that our Lord would be crucified. This was the date of the starting of John's preaching, as it was the day our redemption, the day our Lord's death.

So the Passover is established fourteen days into the first month [Abib], which was established at the Spring Vernal Equinox of each year from this day that the children of Israel received it while camped at the base of mount Sinai, some two years after they departed Egypt, on the fifteen day of the month of Abib. The Hebrew day begins actually at dusk or sunset. The actual day of the start of Passover would be the fifteenth day of Abib.

We know however that Christ became our Passover as recorded in I 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:" All the required feast day of sacrifice were fulfilled in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He became the perfect sacrifice for us, for one and all times.

I Corinthians 5:8 "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."

The bread that we feast on, is not the ordinances that were given by Moses to the children of Israel, but the unleavened bread that is Christ and His Word. Passover in the New Testament Church is celebrated with communion. By the taking of the cup, representing the blood of Christ, and the broken cracker or wafer, reminding us of the stripes that our Lord Jesus took for us, and His body that took the spear in His side. When Jesus gave up the Ghost and the life from His flesh body while hanging on the cross. We moved into the New Testament or New Covenant times; for the vail at the holy of holies back in the temple was rent in two, and our mediator no longer was through that little room, but we had the right by faith to go directly to the Father for repentance in Jesus Name.

Exodus 12 gives us the details of the first Passover, for it marks the day that the death angel passed over the children of Israel back in Egypt. The Israelites slayed their lamb, put the blood on the door posts and over the top of the door, and went into their homes, to eat and prepare for their journey that started on the next day. This marked the final night of their captivity to Egypt, and two years later while camped at the base of Mount Sinai, God is giving them these writings through Moses.

Leviticus 23:6 "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."

This feast day is the fifteenth day of Abab, when the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord would start. This feast of unleavened bread is to remember that night of preparation before the journey through the wilderness would start.

Exodus 12:7, 8 "And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it." [7] "And they shall eat the flesh in that night roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it." [8]

When the death angel hit every home in Egypt and claim the life of the first born in each, even of the cattle and in the house of Pharaoh. These Egyptians were ready to usher the children of Israel out of their land immediately. There wasn't time to leaven any bread to allow it to rise. No they took their bread unleavened with them on their journey.

Exodus 12:11 "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."

Exodus 12:12 "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."

Exodus 12:13 "And the blood shall be to you a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

Those first days of the journey were critical, and God did not want the children of Israel to ever forget this time of deliverance.

Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever."

This ordinance was fulfilled in Christ, as is written in Hebrews 10:5 - 10. In verses nine and ten we read; "Then said He, Lo I come to do Thy will, O God." He taketh away the first, that He [Jesus Christ] may establish the second." [9] "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [10]

The first Covenant of the sacrificing of animals was fulfilled by the second, the sacrifice of the only pure Sacrifice of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, once for all times and all that would by faith receive this gift from the Lord through repentance in His name.

Exodus 12:15 "Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel."

God told the children of Israel exactly why they were to continue doing this, so that in future generations when your children ask you why we keep these day, you can tell them how God delivered the Children of Israel [us] out of Egypt.

Exodus 12:17 "And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generation by an ordinance for ever."

Leviticus 23:7 "In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein."

In the first day of this seven day period, you shall do no "servile work", which is different than "no work" at all, like on the Sabbaths, as in verse three. The children of Israel could do cooking on this day, but not the normal tasks that you would do to make a living the rest of the week. If you are a builder, you could not do any construction work on that day.

Leviticus 23:8 "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.' "

Again in Exodus 12:17 it states that the only work that could be done was in the preparation of the meals.

Leviticus 23:9 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Leviticus 23:10 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, `When ye be come into the land which I give unto you [land of Canaan], and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: "

The "sheaf" is a measurement of the firstfruits, and it is a type of Christ, the firstfruits of I Corinthians 15:23; "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming."

Leviticus 23:11 "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."

The first day of this seven day period following the Passover, shall be a holy convocation, or Sabbath assembly. Then on that day after this first day, the priests are to wave this "sheaf" offering as a wave offering unto the Lord.

Leviticus 23:12 "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."

This again is pointing to the one perfect sacrificial Lamb and that was Jesus Christ. The bones of this Passover lamb were not to be broken, just as the bones of our Lord Jesus Christ were not broken on the cross. So this lamb offered here would be an accurate type for the sacrifice for Jesus Christ, but they did brake the legs of the two malefactors that died on their crosses on the day Jesus died.

Leviticus 23:13 "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 him."

The normal requirement was for one tenth, however for this meat offering the requirement was doubled. This offering was given in hopes of a good harvest. This "drink offering" in the Hebrew is the "Nesek", and a "hin" is about one gallon; so a fourth part is about one quart, which was to be poured out.

Leviticus 23:14 "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."

So the people could not eat of the corn and crops of their field until they had made this wave offering of first fruits, that was done on the second day of this seven day period following Passover.

Leviticus 23:15 "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: [Pentecost]"

So from that second day after Passover, the day that the wave offering was given, the children of Israel were to count "seven Sabbaths"; seven weeks, a total of forty nine [49] days. This would mark the feast day of Pentecost. This will be "the feast of weeks". So you can not do this calculation by our calendar, or by using the Sabbath as Sunday. You have to mark it off from the start of the year, being the Spring Vernal Equinox [Abib month and new year starts]. Then fourteen days to Passover and two days later before you start the count of forty nine days. Of course Pentecost means fifty.

Leviticus 23:16 "Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord."

The number fifty; the name Pentecost came into being to mark a certain time. Jesus was crucified on Passover, and He ascended into heaven on the fortieth day after His crucifixion. Then ten days later after His ascension we read in Acts 2 that it was the day that the Holy Spirit came to dwell with man.

Acts 2:1 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place" [1] "When suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they sere sitting." [2]

So we see that these things given us in the books of Exodus and Leviticus are types or ensamples of things that would come much later, that time when God would send His Spirit to dwell with mankind. No Christ does not dwell on earth at this time, but His Holy Spirit was sent to give comfort and guidance to those that believe on His name.

John 14:25, 26 "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you." [25] "But the comforter, Which is the Holy Ghost [Spirit], Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." [26]

The things written of in the Old Testament are ensamples of those things that will happen in the New Testament, even to the point of the end times we are living in today. Those end times were marked by the Jews returning to the land of Palestine and establishing their nations there. The Holy Spirit will open our eyes to the truths we are studying and allow us to see how the plan of God is taking place right before our eyes. When times are hard, and when things take place that would cause us to worry, God's Spirit will give us calm and direction to see how it all fits into this perfect will of God.

Leviticus 23:17 "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."

Notice that in these loaves of bread, they used fine flour, and they baked it with leaven. This indicates that this offering is made up with daily bread, and the whole idea to this offering was to thank the Lord for the harvest and their daily bread. And on a spiritual level, the Lord gives us our daily bread, and that is Jesus Christ and His Word.

Leviticus 23:18 "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."

So these offering are given in thanks for the rich and fruitful life that the people are enjoying, and have enjoyed in the past.

Leviticus 23:19 "Then ye shall sacrifice on kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings."

The sin offering raised the mind of the people that there was sin amongst them, and this peace offering was to offer this lamb for those sins. This was the "Asah" offering, to "make ready or prepare the victim."

Leviticus 23:20 "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."

In Leviticus 7:30 - 32, it was the right shoulder that was the priest's out of this offering. The blood and fat were the Lord's, and the rest of the animal was for the one making the offering.

Leviticus 23:21 "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."

This time of Pentecost would also be a time of no work of your daily livelihood. It is also pointed out that at this time reflecting the wealth and blessing from God, that we should not forget the needy and poor.

Leviticus 23:22 "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of the 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.' "

The instructions were to leave the corners of the field for the poor, and not to go back over the fields a second time, after the harvest, for that belonged to the poor and the stranger, or sojourner.

Leviticus 23:23 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Leviticus 23:24 "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 the trumpets, and holy convocation."

This verse starts the study of the feast of trumpets. This "holy convocation", was a meeting at the tabernacle where all people were to attend.

Leviticus 23:25 "Ye shall do no servile work therein; but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. ' "

Numbers 29 gives the details of this offering that was to be made during this gathering of the children of Israel at the feast of trumpets. It announced that the day and year of the Jubilee was coming.

Leviticus 23:26 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying."

Leviticus 23:27 "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month [Tishri] 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."

This "day of Atonement" is covered in detail in Leviticus chapter 16. When a person would "afflict your soul", it meant that he would fast, and take no food. It was a time to be humble before the Lord. So from the evening of the ninth to the evening of the tenth of the seventh month food wasn't prepared because it was to be a time of fasting, and meditation to the Lord. Then the day of Atonement that would take care of those sins that were not taken care of through the sacrifices, and other sins that were overlooked in the peoples daily lives.

Leviticus 23:28 "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."

So here on this tenth day of the seventh month, the same rule of "no work" applied, that was given for the Sabbath of every week. This "day of Atonement was the great solemn day when the high priest went into the holy of holies in the Temple or Tabernacle. He sacrificed a bullock and the second goat; then he sprinkled the most holy place, the veil, the and the altar, to cleanse them from all defilement. The lots had been cast upon the two goats. The one upon which the lot fell was sacrificed unto the Lord as a sin offering; and the other one the priest was to present before the Lord, laying his hands upon its head and confessing over it the sins of the congregation so that it would bear away, unto a land not inhabited, all the sins of the people. This goat that was released is called the scapegoat, and it was done to make atonement (Kaphar), and thus came the name for that day, "Yom Kippur" precious even to today to all Jewish people.

Leviticus 23:29 "For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people."

All those people in the land that will not observe this day of Atonement and fast, he will be cut off or exterminated from his people.

Leviticus 23:30 "And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people."

God is making the promise here that He will be the one that will destroy the person that sets out to do his daily work on that day.

Leviticus 23:31 "Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

"Throughout your generations in all your dwellings" means that it shall be for ever.

Leviticus 23:32 "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 again is from the evening of the ninth day of the seventh month [Tishri], until the tenth day of that same month. For one day all people will respect this fast day.

Leviticus 23:33 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,"

Leviticus 23:34 " "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."

This feast time is the feast of Tabernacles or Booths which also takes place in the month of Tishri, the seventh month. Remember the tenth day was the feast of Atonement, and now the fifteenth is the feast of Tabernacles. The word "tabernacles" in the Hebrew text is "Sokkoth" and it means booths; call it a lodge in the garden, or a cottage away from the main house. This day is to remember the time when the children of Israel were coming out of Egypt and their bondage there. It also was a reminder of the glory and splendor of that great Feast of Tabernacles to come that is written of in Zachariah's prophecy of Zachariah 14:8 - 16. (a brief review of those verses)

Zachariah 14:8 - 16 "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and inwinter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one....And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited....And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles."

Of course this time has not come yet for it is talking about the time of the Millennium age when Jesus Christ has returned to earth, and all souls are in their incorruptible bodies that they will be living in for the time of the Millennium age. The point to remember here is that these are set times of the Lord, and the feast of Tabernacles is one of those set times, just as the Day of Atonement was. At the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, He fulfilled those times that dealt with blood sacrifices, and the Atonement for sins.

Leviticus 23:35 "On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein."

So just as in the feast of unleavened bread, on the first day was to be called an holy convocation, meaning all the people would assemble for this feast.

Leviticus 23:36 "Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be a 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."

So from the fifteenth day of Tishri, the seventh month and on for the next seven day this holy convocation would continue. The eighth day was not part of this feast time when "servile work" [daily work for income] was not to be done. The eight day was then used to celebrate the feast period of the year.

Leviticus 23:37 "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:"

So we see on the 22nd of Tishri, was a day of restraints, the eighth day following the beginning of the feast of Tabernacles; and God called it a Sabbath. All these offerings, sacrifices, and drink offerings were to remind the people to keep their obligation to make sacrifices to their God.

Leviticus 23:38 "Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside the gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord."

The sacrifices of these Sabbaths are given in Numbers 28:9, 10, and beside all your vows and freewill offerings; you will give them to the Lord.

Leviticus 23:39 "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the first 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."

This is another feast time that done at the same time as the seven day period of the feast of Tabernacles. It is a feast of thanks for the harvest that has been enjoyed. It also starts on the fifteenth day of Tishri, and continues for seven days. So you could say that it become part of the feast of Tabernacles, or booths.

Leviticus 23:40 "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."

In this feast time of seven days, you are to rejoice over the increase that God has bless you with in your crops and livelihood. The first "boughs" mentioned here is "fruit" in the Hebrew text; while the second "boughs" are the flowers of beauty that come on the trees before the fruit comes. It is referring to the fragrance that is enjoyed in that season of the year. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness for the first 38 years after God gave this book to Moses, their booths would be quite primitive compared to later years. In Deuteronomy 16:14, 15 tells us of the rejoicing at the Lord's increase.

Leviticus 23:41 "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."

The time of celebration was in the seventh month, when it was a time of harvest and plenty. This was a time to remind all the people who their provider and protector was. The crops are in, and their is plenty on the table, and it was time to stop and humble yourself before the Lord, and give thanks for those blessing that are enjoyed.

Isaiah 4:5 "And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and upon all the glory shall be a defense."

Isaiah 4:6 "And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."

Leviticus 23:42 "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:"

This are seven days of reminders for the people. Deuteronomy 16:13 - 18 deals with this seven day time of the feast of Booths or Tabernacles.

Deuteronomy 16:15 "Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, there thou shalt surely rejoice."

These are set times to call attention that it is our Lord that gives us all the blessing that we receive, and blesses our work, or shops, our families and all that we have. Have you stopped to thank our Heavenly Father for each of the blessing that He has given you and the members of your family, and ask for protections for them from those things that we cannot control? There is a lot of wickedness in this world, and those that would do us harm, and our Father can control those things when we are in His will. These things that were done through these feast days were for the generations that would come, all the way to our generation, so that each of would be mindful as to where our help comes.

Leviticus 23:43 "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.' "

Leviticus 23:44 "And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts for the Lord."

Moses gave these set times of the feast days to the children of Israel for their future generation, to take with them to where ever thy may be, and pass these things on to their children, so that they may learn to trust and rely on the Lord.