CHAPTER 16:
Confession: I have stressed over chapter 16. I have avoided it. I have procrastinated. Why? Because in light of God’s kingdom calendar, the festivals mentioned here are very important. While the chapter is about the Israelites and how they should worship the LORD during the required festivals, all the festivals are symbolic representations of what Jesus accomplished in his first coming, as well as what he will accomplish in his second coming. There is a lot to say, and I have prayed that I will include what you need to know in a succinct way.
Let’s start with an overview. God established 7 appointed feasts for Israel. Remember, seven is the number of completion in God’s economy, so this is a complete cycle of feasts. These feasts both recount or remember what God has done for the Israelites, and they offer worship to the LORD for His goodness and provision. There are four feasts in the spring around March and April. There are three feasts in the fall around September and October. (The Jewish calendar is a little different from our calendar.) The first four feasts are Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, and Pentecost.
Read about read the fist three of these feasts in Deuteronomy 16:1-8.
The end of verse 3 tells why they were to hold these feasts. What is the reason?
As a Christian, you might read about these ancient feasts and think it has nothing to do with you. But, oh, it has everything to do with you. Remember that the Israelites are a physical picture of what is happening spiritually. So, we need to look at each of these feasts through the lens of Jesus.
To begin, Passover is a spiritual picture of our bondage to sin. Just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and captive to the rulers, we are slaves to our sin; it is our ruler. When the time came for the Israelites to leave Egypt, God instructed them to sacrifice a perfect lamb, put the blood on their door frames, and the death angel that passed through the land that night to kill every first born would pass them over. The blood would be the sign.
Well, that is exactly what Jesus did at the time of Passover thousands of years later. Jesus was the perfect lamb sacrificed on the cross, and when his blood is symbolically applied to you, final death, which is separation from God’s blessings for all eternity, passes you over. During the Last Supper, Jesus took the broken bread and the cup of wine, and pointed out that these elements of the Passover Seder meal had foreshadowed him all along. The Israelites remembered how God led them to escape Egypt. We must remember how Jesus has redeemed us through his work on the cross.
In fact, all of the festivals foreshadowed what Jesus would accomplish spiritually for us. Take the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for example. Leaven in the bread represents sin. When Jesus died for us on the cross, our sin was removed. The New Testament church is reminded to remain unleavened.
Read 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs after Passover. Who is the Passover lamb?
What is the significance in pointing this out?
The old leaven includes malice and wickedness. What should the new unleavened bread contain?
Isn’t this the truth? A little sin works its way through the whole thing: the whole mind, the whole heart, the whole congregation. I cannot help but think about the present state of our world, of our nation, of the Church. We are in a state of apostasy, fallen away from God’s sincerity and truth, following our own thoughts, pleasing our own hearts. Left sitting, leaven works through the whole lump of dough. Compromising God’s word leads to corruption. Paul’s words should ring in our ears. It’s time to be unleavened for the Passover sacrifice has been made!
The next feast is the Feast of First Fruits, and it came at the conclusion of the Passover week.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
Who is the first fruit offering?
Who will be second?
Are you included in this second fruit? Why or why not?
If you aren't do you know what to do to be included? If not, leave a comment on this post so that I can help you.
Read Deuteronomy 16:9-12.
How many weeks were they to count?
What offering was to be given at this time?
This is the Feast of Pentecost. Originally, it commemorated the giving of the 10 Commandments, but later turned into a wave offering where two loaves are waved before the altar as an offering. For the New Testament believers, this feast was the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Church.
Read Acts 2:1-4.
What noise was heard?
What did the people see descend?
What effect did this have on the people?
The loud noise and descending fire is very similar to the experience the Israelites had in the wilderness when God descended onto Mount Sinai and spoke to them. (Exodus 19:18-25) The people were not allowed to come up to the mountain, though. Their experience with God was one from a distance. This is unlike the believers’ experience when the Holy Spirit descended. The Holy Spirit went to each person individually. Why the difference? Jesus! At Passover, when Jesus was crucified, His blood is now applied to each individual believer. It was Jesus’ work on the cross that allowed the difference. Justified sinners, cleansed by his blood, can now receive the gift of God – His Holy Spirit. This gift is in them, empowering them to go forth into all the earth with His Good News.
Without the Holy Spirit, the Church would not have grown. Jesus told the disciples before he ascended that the Holy Spirit could come. (John 14:15-31 and Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit gave the Church power to go forward and accomplish the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching you to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Ezekiel holds a beautiful picture of what God has done for us. Read his words.
Read Ezekiel 36:26-27.
What will God remove?
What two things will He give?
Whose spirit is given to us?
How will this spirit help people?
What did believers receive at Passover and Pentecost?
This festival is now the wave offering of two loaves, which represents both the Jewish nation and the Church. The 10 Commandments. The giving of the Holy Spirit. The waving of two loaves. God is great at putting it all together.
Now read Deuteronomy 16:13-17.
The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles was designed for the Israelites to remember their time in the wilderness: how they lived in tents (or booths), how the LORD led them, how He provided for them. It is part of the fall festivals and is the last festival of the year, the seventh festival. Jesus has already fulfilled all of the spring festivals in his first coming. He will fulfill the fall festivals in his second coming. The Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled in the Rapture of the Church. The Day of Atonement will be fulfilled in Jesus’ second appearing on earth where he cleanses His people and sets up His throne. This last festival is symbolic of Jesus’ millennial reign on earth. He will rule and people will worship Him. The verses in Ezekiel that we just read have a follow-up picture for us.
Read Ezekiel 36:28.
Finally, the nation of Israel will acknowledge their savior. They too will receive a new heart and His Spirit. He will be their God and they will be His people. That’s what God has wanted all along!
Thank you for sticking with me through all of this. My prayer is that you’ve learned something today that will help you in your walk of faith. We will finish the rest of this chapter tomorrow.
Lesson to Remember: God’s plans prevail.
A Way to Walk: The festivals were a time of remembrance. Take the time to remember your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and worship Him with all your heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.