God’s Plan for Man and Eternity Part 3

The Feasts of Jehovah

The Plan of God for Man God created us to have fellowship with Him God created us to reign with Him

The Fall of Man Lost fellowship with God Yielded rulership over creation

God’s Promises Adamic Covenant Noahic Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant The Adamic Covenant The Abrahamic Covenant The Noahic Covenant

Reigning and Delivering King Messiah ben Judah Biblical Prophecies

Suffering Servant Messiah ben Joseph? Reigning King Messiah ben Judah Distinct Biblical Prophecies

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1-2 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate. Matthew 23:37-38

Intervening Church Age 1st Coming Suffering Servant 2nd Coming Reigning King Intervening Church Age Unseen from the OT

The Restoration of the Plan of God Fellowship between God and man was restored through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ The First Coming. Christ comes as Messiah/Savior The reign of man was re-established by the Lord (as the Son of Man and the Son of David) defeating all His enemies and assuming the throne of David The Second Coming. Christ comes as Messiah/King

The Number “7” in the Plan of God A week of days = the Sabbath (the day of rest) A week of weeks (7 weeks) = Pentecost A week of months (7 months) = The Feast of Tabernacles A week of years (7 years) = Freedom for the Jewish slave A week times a week of years (49 years) = the Year of Jubilee The 70 weeks of Daniel = the fulfillment of God’s Messianic Reign A week of God’s days (7 x 1000 years) = the fulfillment of everything

The significance of “7” “7” signifies “perfection” or “to be complete.” “4” is the number of the earth “3” is the number of God Thus oftentimes “7” indicates what God is doing on the earth to bring to fulfillment His plan of redemption

7 composed of 3 and 4 The seven parables of Matthew 13 The seven churches of Revelation The seven seals of Revelation The seven trumpets of Revelation

The Feasts of Jehovah The Feasts of Jehovah were much more significant than a mere series of cultural celebrations. There Feasts had at least four purposes: The Feasts coincided with seasons of the agricultural year and were expressions of gratitude for the Lord’s provision. The Feasts also commemorated the great works of God so that they wouldn’t be forgotten. Most importantly, the Feasts have a prophetic significance and symbolize the entirety of the divine program. Finally, there are aspects to be learned from the Feasts which can be applied to the Christian life.

Passover: The Data Hebrew: Pesach Date: the 14th of Nisan Biblical References: Lev 23:3-5, Exo 12

The Passover: Bible references These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. Lev 23:4-5  Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. Exo 12:3   Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Exo 12:5-7

Relationship of Israel’s History to the Christian Life Passover = Redemption Passing through the Red Sea = Baptism Departure from enslavement in Egypt = New life Receiving the Law = Living by the Word of God 40 years of desert wandering (testing) = Our present lives Crossing the Jordan = Death Entering the Promised Land = Heaven

Salient Points and their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month.

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5)

Christ was examined by: Pilate (Matt 27:11-26) Herod (Luke 23:8-12) Annas (John18:12-13) Caiaphas (Matt 26:57) So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” Luke 23:47

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5) The blood was applied to the doorposts and lintel (Exodus 12:7)

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5) The blood was applied to the doorposts and lintel (Exodus 12:7) A bone was not to be broken (Exodus 12:46)

In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. Exodus 12:46 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. John 19:32-33

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5) The blood was applied to the doorposts and lintel (Exodus 12:7) A bone was not to be broken (Exodus 12:46) The lamb was to be sacrificed between the two evenings.

And it hath become a charge to you, until the fourteenth day of this month, and the whole assembly of the company of Israel have slaughtered it between the evenings. Exodus 12:6 And it was, as it were, the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land till the ninth hour… Luke 23:44

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5) The blood was applied to the doorposts and lintel (Exodus 12:7) A bone was not to be broken (Exodus 12:46) The lamb was to be sacrificed between the two evenings Interestingly, there is no mention of the quantity of blood that had to be applied.

Salient Points and Their Correspondence to Christ The Lamb was chosen and presented on the 10th of the month. The Lamb had to be a male without defect (Exodus 12:5) The blood was applied to the doorposts and lintel (Exodus 12:7) A bone was not to be broken (Exodus 12:46) The lamb was to be sacrificed between the two evenings Interestingly, there is no mention of the quantity of blood that had to be applied. Finally, this was a new month—a new beginning.

What the Feasts Represent Passover = Redemption

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: The Data Hebrew: hag hammasot Date: beginning the 15 of Nisan, continuing for 7 days Biblical reference: Leviticus 23:6-8; Exodus 12

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 1 Corinthians 5:7

Bread as a figure of Christ Christ is the Bread of Life, John 6:51 He was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread His body is given to us for bread, Matt 26:26

What the Feasts Represent Passover = Redemption Unleavened Bread = Sanctification

First Fruits

First Fruits: The Data Hebrew: Bikurim Date: the 17th of Nisan (three days after Passover) Biblical reference: Leviticus 23:9-11

A Key Verse But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15:20

Salient Points Concerning the Feast of First Fruits It was the same day that Noah’s Ark rested on Mount Ararat. It was the same day that the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea. The sheaf was waved between heaven and earth The sheaf was not the harvest itself, nevertheless the harvest to follow was to be of the same type. This feast was not able to be celebrated during the 40 years of desert wandering.

What the Feasts Represent Passover = Redemption Unleavened Bread = Sanctification First Fruits = Resurrection

The First Loaves (Pentecost)

The First Loaves (Pentecost): The Data Hebrew: Shavuot Greek: Pentecost Date: the 6th de Sivan Biblical Reference: Leviticus 23:15-22

A Comparison between OT First Loaves and NT Pentecost OT First Loaves: fifty days NT Pentecost: fifty days OT First Loaves: Moses descends from the mountain NT Pentecost: The Holy Spirit descends from heaven OT First Loaves: written on tablets of stone NT Pentecost: written on the heart OT First Loaves: written by the finger of God NT Pentecost: written by the “Spirit of God”

A Comparison between OT First Loaves and NT Pentecost OT First Loaves: three thousand people die NT Pentecost: three thousand people are saved OT First Loaves: the Law resulted in death NT Pentecost: the Spirit results in life OT First Loaves: the glory disappeared NT Pentecost: the glory will remain OT First Loaves: Mount Sinai NT Pentecost: Mount Zion (Heb 12:22-24)

An interesting note… Pentecost was one of only two feasts to be held on a Sunday.