The Old Testament lists feasts of Israel that were set up by the Lord. There were seven main feasts. As we’ve covered in other posts, the number seven represents perfection and completeness. These seven are symbolic of the complete work that God has accomplished on our behalf. Let’s look at each of the seven feats and what they represent to the New Testament believer. We will find that the prophetic symbolism of the first four has been fulfilled, and the final three have yet to be fulfilled.

Passover

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. Leviticus 23:5 (KJV)

Passover is a celebration to remember how God delivered Israel out of Egyptian bondage by slaying the firstborn of the Egyptians but passed over the houses where the blood of a lamb had been applied (Exodus 12:1-14). For the Christian, we celebrate Christ as our Passover Lamb because we have been delivered by His shed blood (Matthew 26:1-2, 17-29, I Corinthians 5:7 ).

Unleavened Bread

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. Leviticus 23:6-8 (KJV)

This feast also came from their deliverance from Egypt. They were to be ready to leave at the Lord’s command, so He commanded the Israelites to eat bread that had not been leavened (Exodus 12:15-20). Jesus, then, ate unleavened bread with His disciples at what we call the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17). It speaks of being set apart for God. We have left the old life and live a new life in Christ, free of anything that contaminates (I Corinthians 5:6-8)

First Fruits

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. Leviticus 23:9-14 (KJV)

This was to honor and thank God for the harvest, presenting the first fruit of the harvest to Him as a wave offering before the Lord. Christ is the first fruit of those raised from the dead. After His resurrection, more fruit, in the form of souls saved- including us, comes forth. The first fruit, Jesus Christ, guarantees more fruit (I Corinthians 5:20-23). The souls that are saved as a result of our sharing Christ can be presented to God as a wave offering.

Weeks/ Pentecost

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. Leviticus 23:15-21 (KJV)

This feast was to be celebrated at the end of seven weeks from Passover, on the 50th day, which is why it is called Pentecost. This feast was a celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. It spoke of a greater harvest to come. The Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost gives us power to be witnesses to bring more souls into the Kingdom. It is the promise of a greater harvest. Three thousand souls were saved on Pentecost, and many more have been saved since- and many more will be saved (Acts 2:1-41).

These four feasts took place in Spring and have been fulfilled. The remaining three feasts are Fall feasts and will be fulfilled. We’ll cover those in the next post.