Feast | Lion Of Judah Messia

Sabbath – Shabbat

When: weekly, the seventh day of the week

How: no work, rest day, to remember

Why: keep it holy and provide rest for God’s people, to gather

Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe, the day G‑d created Adam and Eve, and it’s celebrated as the head.

Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur

How: gather, rest, fasting (afflicting your soul)

Why: during the time of the Tabernacle and Temple, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement before the Lord. Jesus made atonement for us, once for all, in the heavenly Temple.

Reference: Leviticus 23:26-32, Hebrews 9:11-15

Feast of Tabernacles – Succoth

How: gather branches from various types of trees and rejoice before the Lord, gather as a congregation and rest. This holiday is celebrated by building temporary booths (tents) and living in them for seven days.

Why: to remember how the children of Israel lived in booths after they left Egypt.

Reference: Leviticus 23:33-44

Passover

How: during the time of the Tabernacle and Temple, the children of Israel sacrificed a lamb and then shared a special meal with their family.

Why: to remember how God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt through Moses. As believers we also remember how the death of Jesus delivered us from sin.

Reference: Leviticus 23:4-5

Unleavened Bread – Chag HaMatzot

How: eat no bread with leavening (yeast), rest on the first and seventh day

Why: to remember how the children of Israel left Egypt so quickly that they did not have time to let their bread rise and had to make unleavened bread for food.

Reference: Leviticus 23:6-8

Feast of First Fruits

When: First day, after the first Sabbath, after Passover

How: after the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, each year they brought the first fruits of the spring harvest (like barley) to the Lord and offered them along with other offerings at the Temple.

Why: to help the children of Israel remember to give thanks to God for the first fruits of the harvest and to show they trusted Him to bring in the rest of the harvest.

Reference: Leviticus 23:9-14

Pentecost – Shavuot – Feast of Weeks

When: 50 days after the Feast of First Fruits

How: like the celebration of the First Fruits, the children of Israel brought the first fruits of the summer harvest (like wheat) to the Lord and offered them along with other offerings at the Temple. When harvesting the rest of their crops, they were instructed to leave the corners of the field so the poor could harvest them.

Why: to thank the Lord, remember how God had provided for them, and give to the poor. By tradition, this was the day the Lord gave Moses the Law. Pentecost is also a day of rest for the people. As believers, we remember when the Holy Spirit was given to believers after the resurrection of Jesus.

Reference: Leviticus 23:23:14,21,31,41

The holidays in the Bible are ones instituted by God but there are also two other holidays mentioned in Scripture that were instituted and celebrated by God’s people, Purim and Hanukkah.

Hanukkah menorah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight days. Eight of the nine branches hold lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday; on each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until on the final night all eight branches are ignited. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash ("helper" or "servant"), which is used to light the other eight.

Purim

How: feasting, joy, and sending gifts to one another

Why: remember how God delivered His people in Ancient Persia through Esther, the Jewish Queen

Reference: Esther 1-10

Feast of Dedication – Hanukkah – Feast of Lights

How: lighting candles for eight days, adding one candle each day until all eight are lit.