The Feasts of Israel TOM notes - stfonline.org

1 1 The Feasts of Israel The revealing of God s plan of redemption and its timeline By Dan Gallagher Opening: The Feasts of Israel and their significance Studying and understanding the Feasts unlocks a huge blessing Number of years ago Gary Theisen first mentioned some of them and their significance. I realized I didn t know much about the Feasts . I have found most Christians don t know or understand them. We Christians have lost connection with their Jewish roots. A. The Feasts are God s Program When you go to a play, opera you get a program. A program tells you what is coming.

2 The acts. Main characters, some of the parts and pieces But not all the details The Feasts of Israel are God s program, depicting the major events that will transpire in His plan of redemption, and the order that things will happen. B. The Feasts are Prophetic Foreshadows Prophetic shadows in the scripture A literary device that an author uses to reveal the aspects of the plot that he wants to emphasis. The Feasts of Israel are one of the most powerful prophetic shadows in Scripture. They reveal a number of things: When the overall timeline of when events in God s plan of redemption.

3 What details about what is going to happen in many of the events Why give us an understanding of why as the events unfold. This is not a comprehensive teaching (that would take days), but an overview touching on many details and significant points. 2 For further study: Unlocking the Secrets of the Feasts , Michael Norten Messiah in the Feasts of Israel , Sam Nadler Celebrating Jesus in the Biblical Feasts , Dr. Richard Booker The Feasts of the Lord, Kevin Howard & Marvin Rosenthal Part One- General Background I. The Feasts of Israel This teaching is concentrating on the Seven original Feasts of Israel not all nine that we have today.

4 Not Purim (Lots) with Esther and Hanukkah (lights or dedication) from the Macabees. Seven Feasts Divided into two: Spring and Fall Spring Feasts 1. Feast of Passover 2. Feast of Unleavened Bread 3. Feast of First Fruits 4. Feast of Weeks Fall Feasts 5. Feast of Trumpets (blowing) 6. Day of Atonement 7. Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) A. Why have Christians have lost connection with our Jewish roots: Intentional action of church leaders in the mid 300 s. They viewed Jews as the enemy; those who killed the messiah. Result was we lost knowledge of our heritage and many great insights into what God is doing.

5 Must have been a demonically influenced action. The Result: Reading or studying the Feasts can be confusing: Why? Each Feast can be referred to in different sections of the Old Testament Exodus, Leviticus, Duet. and Numbers. Multiple types of offerings Blood, grain, burnt, wave, cup Each Feast can have multiple names for the same Feast. Passover (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of first fruits like Christmas) Dates change because of the differences in calenders. (Hebrew vs 3 Western) B. The Feasts are Important To the understanding significant portions of Scripture To understand God s plan of redemption To see His timeline C.

6 Often neglected because people think this is just about the Old Testament But it s not! The Feasts are a Shadow of real time events that are happening in God s plan of redemption. Col 2:16- 17 NIV 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ 1. Evidence that indicates first century Church celebrated the Feasts . Act 12:3 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.

7 This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Act 20:6 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 2. When we understand the Feasts and all they detail we can gain greater insights into sections of Scripture like the following: 1 Cor. 5:7 For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 1Co 15:20- 23 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

8 Why did Jesus tell Mary, touch me not, John 20:17? What is the significance of that? 4 II. Let s begin with a clear understanding the word Feast The word for " Feasts " is mo- ed/moedim (plural)- [Strongs 04150] Actually should be translated appointed times. Genesis 1:14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons [moed] and days and years, Leviticus 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel , and say unto them, Concerning the Feasts [meodim] of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my Feasts [ mo'ed].

9 The Feasts are really referring to God s Appointed Times. They are His Program to His play. The Feasts are annual events but they are events in his- story. The year corresponds to the overall period of God s plan C. Measuring time The Jewish Calendar. A calendar is the way a year is measured. Since the Feasts take place throughout the year we have to understand that there is a difference between the Jewish calendar and our Western calendar. Gregorian calendar solar calendar (aka, the Western calendar, the Christian calendar) Based on the earths travel around the sun (365days).

10 Problem elliptical orbit not a perfect circle= 360 degrees Orbit is really thus every four years (Leap year) has one extra day. Having to do with marking the longest, shortest days of the year rising of the sun Jewish calendar lunisolar calendar ( a luna calendar adjusted to the solar seasonal year.) Primarily based on the rotation of the moon around the earth. ( days) A month begins with the first sighting of the moon the first sliver (a new moon). x 12 = 354 days (problem is it takes 365 days to get around the sun. 5 - this means the Jewish calendar is off by 11 days a year - basically adjusted by adding one extra month every few years (they use a 19 year cycle for corrections) - Some years they have Adar 1 and Adar 2 - Passover was commanded to be celebrated in the Springtime so adjustments to correct must be made Because of the differences between our solar year, and their lunisolar year, Jewish holidays appear to change dates every year.)