Leviticus Chapter 23

The Feasts of the LORD
A. The Sabbath

1. (Leviticus 23:1–2) Introduction to the feasts of the LORD.

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”

The Lord introduced a series of sacred celebrations known as the feasts of the LORD. These were not man-made holidays or national festivals; they were appointed times ordained by God Himself. The instruction to “speak to the children of Israel” reminds us that these commands were given specifically to the covenant nation of Israel. Although Christians today may learn from their symbolism and prophetic meaning, the observance of these feasts was originally commanded only for Israel.

The expression “the feasts of the LORD” emphasizes that they belonged to God, not to man. They were His appointed times, holy convocations in which His people were to gather for worship, reflection, and thanksgiving. These feasts reflected the nature, character, and redemptive plan of God. They also pointed prophetically to the work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the meaning of each feast in His person and work.

The major theme woven throughout the feasts is gratitude. Each celebration served as a reminder of God’s mercy, kindness, and providential care. The people were to remember His past deliverance, His continual provision, and His promises yet to be fulfilled. A heart that neglects to give thanks grows cold toward God. As Adam Clarke noted, an ungrateful heart is “unfeeling, unloving, unbelieving, and disobedient.” Gratitude is the believer’s rightful response to grace.

The phrase “holy convocations” means sacred assemblies. These were days set apart for worship and the public reading of God’s Word. The people of Israel were to assemble in reverence before their covenant God. As Matthew Poole explained, they were “days for your assembling together to my worship and service in a special manner.”

It is important to note that two later Jewish holidays—Purim and Hanukkah—are not mentioned here because they commemorate events that took place long after the time of Moses.

2. (Leviticus 23:3) The Sabbath.

‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.’

Before listing the annual feasts, God began with the weekly Sabbath. Though not counted among the seven annual feasts, the Sabbath shared the same principle of sacred rest and holy convocation. It was a day of cessation from labor and a time set apart for worship and renewal.

The Sabbath was instituted by God at creation, when He rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2–3). It reminded Israel that God is the Creator and that man, made in His image, is dependent on Him. The phrase “a Sabbath of solemn rest” conveys more than relaxation; it was a day sanctified for communion with God. It was both rest from work and rest unto God.

The command “six days shall work be done” reinforces the biblical balance between labor and rest. God honors diligence and condemns idleness just as much as He forbids neglecting rest. Adam Clarke observed that the one who wastes the six days in idleness is as guilty before God as the one who works on the seventh.

Over time, the Sabbath also became a day of gathering. After Israel’s exile, when sacrifices could no longer be made in Jerusalem, synagogues developed as places of assembly and instruction. Even before that time, Israelites likely gathered locally to worship, pray, and hear the Law read aloud.

For the Christian, the principle of sacred assembly continues though the day has changed. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, believers began meeting on the first day of the week, called “the Lord’s Day,” to commemorate His victory over death (John 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). These gatherings, like Israel’s convocations, are set apart for worship, prayer, and the teaching of God’s Word.

The Hebrew words for “Sabbath” and “rest” share the same root, emphasizing the idea of ceasing. The word for “seventh” also sounds similar, showing how deeply rest was embedded in the rhythm of creation and covenant life.

Ultimately, the Sabbath pointed beyond itself to a greater reality fulfilled in Christ. The writer of Hebrews declared, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:9–10). Jesus Christ is our true Sabbath. In Him, believers rest from striving for salvation by works, trusting instead in His finished work on the cross.

The apostle Paul taught clearly that under the New Covenant, Christians are not bound to observe the Sabbath as Israel did: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17). Likewise, “You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” (Galatians 4:10–11).

Therefore, the Sabbath was a shadow whose substance is Christ. The believer now lives in continual Sabbath rest—resting daily in the grace of God, secure in the finished work of Christ. This does not eliminate the value of setting apart a day for worship and renewal, but it does free the believer from the legal requirement of the Mosaic Sabbath. In Christ, every day is holy because His Spirit dwells within us.

B. The First Four Feasts, Celebrated in the Spring

1. (Leviticus 23:4–5) The First Feast: Passover

“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.”

After the introduction and reminder of the weekly Sabbath, the Lord began listing the seven appointed feasts that Israel was to observe each year. These were sacred gatherings—holy convocations—appointed by divine authority and designed to keep the nation mindful of God’s redemptive plan and covenant relationship. The phrase “at their appointed times” emphasizes that these feasts were not random or man-made but divinely scheduled appointments between God and His people.

The first of these, the Feast of Passover, was to be observed “on the fourteenth day of the first month”—the month of Nisan (also called Abib). This fell in the early spring, corresponding roughly to March or April on the modern calendar. The celebration took place “at twilight,” marking the transition between one day ending and the next beginning, in keeping with the Hebrew reckoning of days from evening to evening.

Passover commemorated the foundational act of deliverance in Israel’s history: the exodus from Egypt. The full account is found in Exodus 12, where God commanded the Israelites to take a lamb without blemish, sacrifice it, and apply its blood to the lintel and doorposts of their homes. That night, as the angel of death passed through Egypt to execute judgment on the firstborn, the blood marked the homes of God’s covenant people, and the Lord passed over them, sparing them from destruction. “For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.” (Exodus 12:23).

The first Passover was both an act of faith and obedience. Israel’s safety depended entirely upon the blood of the lamb. It was not enough to believe in God’s power; they had to apply the blood as He commanded. The sacrifice, the shedding of blood, and the act of obedience together formed a vivid picture of substitutionary atonement. The innocent lamb died in place of the firstborn.

This memorial feast was to be repeated annually so that future generations would never forget God’s deliverance. The Lord told Moses, “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” (Exodus 12:14). The first generation of Israelites who stood at Sinai still remembered that night vividly, but God knew that their descendants must be taught continually through repetition, remembrance, and ritual.

From that point on, Passover became a yearly reminder that salvation is found only under the blood of the lamb. It symbolized deliverance not only from physical bondage but also from divine judgment. Those who were “under the blood” were safe; those who were not suffered the wrath of God.

In the New Testament, this feast finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is our true Passover Lamb. The apostle Paul wrote, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The very timing of His crucifixion corresponds to the Passover. John records that Jesus was delivered to be crucified during the Passover feast: “Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” (John 18:28).

John the Baptist prophetically identified Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29), and again declared, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Just as the Israelites were saved from physical death by the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, so believers are saved from eternal death by the blood of Christ shed on the cross. The judgment of God passes over all who are under the covering of His sacrifice.

Passover, therefore, stands as the cornerstone of all the feasts, pointing directly to the substitutionary death of the Messiah. It declares that redemption comes not through human effort or merit but through the blood of the Lamb whom God Himself provides. In every generation, this feast called Israel to remember the night they were set free and to look forward to the greater deliverance that would come through Christ.

2. (Leviticus 23:6–8) The Second Feast: The Feast of Unleavened Bread

“And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.”

Following immediately after Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began on the fifteenth day of Nisan and lasted for seven days. Although distinct from Passover, it was intimately connected to it, forming one continuous period of sacred observance. This feast was originally instituted at the first Passover, as recorded in Exodus 12:14–20, where God commanded the people to eat unleavened bread for seven days and to remove all leaven from their homes. It was “to the LORD,” signifying that its observance was an act of worship and devotion directed toward Him.

This feast marked the beginning of Israel’s national existence as a redeemed people. Their deliverance from Egypt was not only physical emancipation but also spiritual birth as God’s covenant nation. As Rooker observed, “The celebration of Passover and Unleavened Bread marks the commencement of Israel’s national existence; thus it corresponds to the celebration of Independence Day in the United States.”

The command, “Seven days you must eat unleavened bread,” originally arose out of necessity. The Israelites departed from Egypt in such haste that they had no time for their dough to rise. “And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.” (Exodus 12:39). What began as an emergency became a perpetual symbol of purity, separation, and obedience. God intended that each generation remember this moment of deliverance by repeating the same practice annually, as a “testimony throughout your generations.” (Exodus 12:14).

Spiritually, the removal of leaven carried a powerful moral and theological meaning. In Scripture, leaven is frequently used as a symbol of sin and corruption because a small amount permeates an entire lump of dough, just as sin spreads through the heart or a community. Leaven also causes the dough to “puff up,” reflecting pride and self-exaltation—traits that God abhors. Thus, after being redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, Israel was called to live in the purity and humility represented by unleavened bread.

For Christians, this feast carries profound spiritual significance. The apostle Paul applied its symbolism directly to believers in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8, saying, “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. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” The believer who has been redeemed by Christ’s blood must now live a life of purity, sincerity, and truth, free from the old corruption of sin and hypocrisy.

This feast, therefore, illustrates the believer’s sanctification that follows redemption. Just as Israel was redeemed by the blood of the lamb at Passover and then called to walk in purity during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, so the Christian, once saved by Christ’s sacrifice, is called to a life of holiness and separation from sin. Redemption and sanctification cannot be separated—deliverance from judgment must lead to a transformed life.

There may also have been a practical element in God’s command to remove leaven annually. In the ancient process of breadmaking, leaven was preserved by keeping a small portion of dough from a previous batch to use as a starter for the next. Over time, such starters could harbor harmful bacteria. By removing all leaven once a year, Israel not only obeyed a symbolic act of purification but also reset their breadmaking process for sanitary reasons. God’s laws often carried both spiritual and practical wisdom, intertwining holiness with health.

The Lord also commanded that both the first and seventh days of this feast be treated as sacred assemblies, or holy convocations, during which no customary work was to be done. These days functioned as additional Sabbaths, bookending the week of celebration. The people gathered before God to offer sacrifices and worship Him for His redeeming grace. Each day during the feast, offerings were made by fire to the LORD, demonstrating continual consecration and thanksgiving throughout the entire period.

A consistent message woven through all the feasts is that true rest and holiness are found only in God. The Sabbath rest and the holy convocations all point forward to the greater rest provided in Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews declared, “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:10). The Feast of Unleavened Bread therefore prefigures the believer’s sanctified walk—a life separated from sin, continually resting in the finished work of Christ, and marked by sincerity and truth.

3. (Leviticus 23:9–14) The Third Feast: The Feast of Firstfruits

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”

The Feast of Firstfruits, sometimes called The Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), was the third of the annual feasts and the first of Israel’s agricultural celebrations. It was instituted as an act of thanksgiving and dedication, acknowledging God as the source and sustainer of all provision. The Lord told Israel, “When you come into the land which I give you,” signifying that this feast would not be observed in the wilderness but only once they entered the Promised Land and began to reap its produce. This divine instruction contained an implicit promise: Israel would indeed enter and possess the land. God did not say “if you come into the land,” but “when you come.” His promise was sure, and His appointed feast served as a continual reminder of His faithfulness.

This feast was one of the three occasions each year when every male in Israel was required to appear before the Lord (Exodus 23:17). It followed closely on the heels of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, forming a prophetic trilogy that pointed directly to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

The offering itself consisted of “a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest.” The Hebrew word translated “sheaf” refers to a bundle of stalks, usually of barley—the first grain to ripen in Israel’s spring harvest. The priest would take this sheaf and wave it before the LORD as a symbolic gesture of dedication and thanksgiving, acknowledging that the entire harvest belonged to God. This offering sanctified the rest of the crop and expressed faith that the God who provided the first fruits would also bring in the full harvest.

As commentator Harris notes, “The firstfruits at Passover would be barley, which ripens in the warmer areas as early as March.” Thus, the Feast of Firstfruits celebrated the very beginning of Israel’s agricultural year. It was both a spiritual and practical acknowledgment that God had kept His covenant to bless the land with fruitfulness.

This ceremony took place “on the day after the Sabbath”—that is, the Sunday following Passover. The priest would wave the sheaf before the LORD as the people rejoiced in His provision. The accompanying sacrifices included a one-year-old male lamb without blemish as a burnt offering, symbolizing atonement and dedication, along with a grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil and a drink offering of wine. These represented gratitude, fellowship, and rejoicing in God’s abundance.

The amount of grain required—two-tenths of an ephah (about four pounds or two kilograms)—demonstrated that this was not a token gesture but a meaningful act of worship. The drink offering, amounting to one-fourth of a hin (about one quart or one liter), was poured out before the LORD, as Peter-Contesse observed, “at the base of the altar of sacrifice or on the ground,” representing a life poured out in service and devotion.

The instruction, “You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God,” underscores a principle of firstfruits worship: before enjoying the blessings of the harvest, God must first be honored. The people were forbidden to eat from the new grain until they had publicly acknowledged the Lord as their provider. This principle of putting God first extends beyond agriculture—it applies to every area of life. Believers are to honor the Lord with the firstfruits of their increase (Proverbs 3:9), recognizing that all provision comes from His hand.

This feast also holds profound prophetic significance. Just as the Feast of Firstfruits celebrated the beginning of the harvest, it foreshadowed the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the first to rise from the dead, guaranteeing a greater resurrection harvest to come. The apostle Paul made this connection clear: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Christ rose from the dead on the very day after the Sabbath following Passover—the exact day the Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated.

In His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the spiritual meaning of this feast. He is the sheaf waved before God, accepted on behalf of all believers. His resurrection is the guarantee that all who belong to Him will also be raised to eternal life. Paul continues, “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23). Just as the firstfruits were a pledge of the full harvest to come, Christ’s resurrection is the assurance of ours.

Practically, the Feast of Firstfruits also reinforced a spirit of gratitude and dependence. The Israelites were reminded annually that their blessings were not earned by their labor alone but granted through the covenant faithfulness of God. They learned to put God first in their prosperity, honoring Him before partaking in His provision. Even in modern agricultural societies, remnants of this practice remain. As Clarke observed, “Parched ears of corn and green ears, fried, still constitute a part, and not a disagreeable one, of the food of the Arabs now resident in the Holy Land.”

Thus, the Feast of Firstfruits stands as a powerful picture of thanksgiving, consecration, and resurrection hope. It pointed backward to God’s faithfulness in providing for Israel, and forward to Christ’s triumph over death and the future resurrection of all who belong to Him.

4. (Leviticus 23:15–21) The Fourth Feast: The Feast of Weeks (also called Pentecost)

“And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD. And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the LORD. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”

The Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost or the Feast of Harvest, was celebrated fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits. It marked the completion of the grain harvest, particularly the wheat harvest. Though the name “Feast of Weeks” does not appear in this passage, it is used elsewhere in Scripture—Exodus 34:22, Numbers 28:26, and Deuteronomy 16:9–10. The word “Pentecost” comes from the Greek pentēkostē, meaning “fiftieth.” This festival, therefore, was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Sabbath that followed Passover, making it the only feast consistently observed on a Sunday.

The Lord commanded Israel to “count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath,” beginning from the day the sheaf of firstfruits was offered. This counting period, known as the “counting of the omer,” connected the Feast of Firstfruits (which symbolized resurrection and new life) with the Feast of Weeks (which symbolized the fruitfulness and fullness that followed). Peter-Contesse notes, “According to the Hebrew way of calculating, the beginning and ending days of any given period are counted.”

At Pentecost, the people were to bring a “new grain offering to the LORD.” This new offering represented gratitude for the completed harvest. From their dwellings, they were to bring “two wave loaves” made of fine flour, each containing two-tenths of an ephah—approximately four pounds (two kilograms)—and baked with leaven. These loaves were unique among Israel’s offerings because leaven was usually forbidden in anything presented with blood sacrifices (Exodus 23:18; 34:25). Yet, in this instance, God commanded that the loaves be baked with leaven, then waved before Him as an act of thanksgiving.

The inclusion of leaven here carried deep symbolic meaning. Leaven represents sin and corruption, yet God accepted these loaves as “firstfruits to the LORD.” The two loaves likely symbolized both Israel and the Gentiles, sinful yet accepted by God through the redemptive work of Christ. The waving of leavened bread signified that even though humanity is sinful, God makes us acceptable in His sight through grace. Pentecost thus foreshadowed the birth of the Church, where both Jews and Gentiles were united into one body by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:14–16).

The required sacrifices for this feast were numerous and lavish: seven lambs of the first year without blemish, one young bull, and two rams for burnt offerings, accompanied by grain and drink offerings. These expressed total consecration and thanksgiving to God. Additionally, a goat was sacrificed as a sin offering and two male lambs as peace offerings. The priest waved the two lambs along with the leavened loaves before the LORD. These offerings symbolized reconciliation and fellowship, celebrating both atonement and communion with God.

The entire day was designated as “a holy convocation”—a sacred assembly of worship and rest. Israel was commanded, “You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.” Like the other pilgrimage feasts, this was one of the three occasions each year when all Israelite men were required to appear before the LORD at the sanctuary (Exodus 23:17).

The Feast of Weeks had agricultural, national, and prophetic importance. Agriculturally, it celebrated the provision and bounty of God. Nationally, Jewish tradition holds that Pentecost commemorated the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, fifty days after the Passover in Egypt (Exodus 19:1–20). Prophetically, it pointed forward to the giving of the Holy Spirit fifty days after the resurrection of Christ.

In the New Testament, Pentecost finds its complete fulfillment in Acts 2. On that day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered disciples in Jerusalem, and the Church was born. The Spirit’s coming represented the firstfruits of the redeemed—God’s new harvest from every nation. The connection between the Old Covenant Feast of Weeks and the New Covenant Pentecost is unmistakable: both celebrated the outpouring of God’s blessing, one upon the soil of Canaan, the other upon the hearts of believers.

The two loaves waved before God, baked with leaven, beautifully prefigured this event. They symbolized sinful mankind redeemed and offered to God through the Spirit. The Spirit’s descent on that Pentecost Sunday was, in effect, God’s acceptance of the “wave offering” of the redeemed Church.

5. (Leviticus 23:22) A Reminder to Be Generous to the Poor and the Stranger

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

Immediately following the instructions for the Feast of Weeks, God inserted a moral command that reflected His compassion and justice. This principle of generosity was first stated in Leviticus 19:9–10 and repeated here as a reminder that abundance must always be accompanied by mercy.

God told Israel not to harvest the corners of their fields or gather every leftover stalk. These remnants were to be left for the poor and for foreigners dwelling among them. This law provided a means for the needy to sustain themselves through honest labor rather than dependence. It was not charity in the modern sense, but a divinely ordained system that preserved human dignity while demonstrating God’s kindness.

This command was given while Israel was still at Mount Sinai—long before they entered the Promised Land. It was therefore an act of faith. By obeying it, the Israelites affirmed their trust that God would provide abundantly enough that they could afford to leave something behind for others. This same principle of stewardship and compassion undergirds Christian giving today. Believers are called to mirror God’s generosity, recognizing that all possessions ultimately belong to Him.

The placement of this verse is intentional. After celebrating the harvest feast of Pentecost—a time of rejoicing in abundance—God reminded His people not to forget the poor. In prosperity, Israel was to remember that their blessings came from the LORD, who expected them to show mercy as He had shown mercy to them.

C. The Last Three Feasts, Celebrated in the Fall

1. (Leviticus 23:23–25) The Fifth Feast: The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.”’”

The Feast of Trumpets marked the beginning of the final season of Israel’s sacred calendar. It fell on the first day of the seventh month, called Tishri (September or October on the modern calendar). The LORD commanded this day to be a sabbath-rest and a memorial of blowing of trumpets—the first mention of this feast in Scripture. It was to be a holy convocation set apart for worship, reflection, and renewed dedication to God.

This feast initiated the most solemn time of Israel’s year, leading into the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. The seventh month was already sacred by reason of its number, seven being the biblical symbol of completion and perfection. The agricultural year was drawing to a close, and it was a time to thank God for His provision and to prepare for the spiritual cleansing that the Day of Atonement would bring.

As Rooker noted, “The fall festivals of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles during the seventh month (September/October) were celebrated in conjunction with the harvest of grapes, figs, and olives.” These festivals, therefore, coincided with the ingathering of the final crops, marking the completion of the harvest season.

The phrase “a memorial of blowing of trumpets” describes the primary ritual act of the day. Trumpets (specifically the ram’s horn or shofar) were blown to gather the people before God, signaling both celebration and solemnity. The trumpet blasts served several purposes in Israel’s worship—they called the people to assemble, announced holy days, and were used as alarms for war or judgment (Numbers 10:1–10). Here, however, the sound of the trumpet called God’s people to rest, worship, and remembrance.

Morgan commented, “The Trumpets called them to cease from servile work in order to worship.” This day reminded Israel that their covenant relationship with God was not merely agricultural or national—it was spiritual. The blowing of trumpets proclaimed the sovereignty of God over His people and His right to summon them into His presence.

Prophetically, the Feast of Trumpets foreshadows the future gathering of God’s people at the sound of the trumpet. The apostle Paul wrote, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Likewise, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52). Just as the trumpet called Israel to assemble before the Lord, so one day the trumpet of God will call all believers to meet Him in the air.

Thus, this feast symbolized both renewal and anticipation. It called Israel to prepare their hearts for the Day of Atonement and, in prophetic scope, it points toward the resurrection and rapture of the Church—when God’s people will be gathered to Him at the sound of the trumpet.

2. (Leviticus 23:26–32) The Sixth Feast: The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.’”

Ten days after the Feast of Trumpets, on the tenth of Tishri, came the most solemn and sacred day of Israel’s year—the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. Unlike the other feasts, which were primarily celebrations, this day was devoted to repentance, confession, and spiritual cleansing. It was not a feast of joy but of humility and reflection. The LORD commanded, “You shall afflict your souls,” a phrase understood to mean fasting, mourning, and sincere self-examination before God.

The people were to cease from all labor: “You shall do no work on that same day.” This emphasized that atonement was not achieved by human effort but through the work of the high priest and the sacrificial system that God Himself ordained. As described earlier in Leviticus 16, this was the one day each year when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sin offering upon the mercy seat, making atonement for the sins of the nation.

Here, in Leviticus 23, the emphasis is not on the priest’s duties but on the people’s response. They were to humble themselves, reflect on their sins, and rest in the provision of atonement made on their behalf. The seriousness of this command is evident in God’s warning: “Any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people.” To neglect this day was to reject God’s mercy and separate oneself from His covenant people.

Peter-Contesse explains that “cut off from his people” was a common expression for excommunication from the community of Israel. God demanded full participation in this sacred day because it represented the heart of His redemptive plan—atonement through substitutionary sacrifice.

The command to “afflict your souls” (Leviticus 16:29) was not intended as self-punishment but as a call to repentance and dependency upon God’s mercy. Fasting, prayer, and confession were expressions of this affliction. The day ended with rest—“a sabbath of solemn rest”—from evening to evening, symbolizing peace restored through forgiveness.

Prophetically, the Day of Atonement points to Israel’s future national repentance and reconciliation with God at the return of the Messiah. Zechariah foresaw this moment: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son.” (Zechariah 12:10). On that day, Israel will recognize her Messiah, and the atonement accomplished at Calvary will be applied to her nationally.

For believers today, Yom Kippur finds its complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is both our High Priest and our sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews declared, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11–12). The yearly sacrifices of Israel were temporary shadows; Christ’s atonement is eternal and complete.

Thus, the Day of Atonement teaches both the seriousness of sin and the sufficiency of God’s grace. It reminds believers that forgiveness is costly—it required blood, substitution, and a mediator. Yet in Christ, the work is finished. Our souls are no longer afflicted in fear but rest in assurance, for “by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14).

3. (Leviticus 23:33–44) The Seventh Feast: The Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth)

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: “The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day; besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD. Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.”

The Feast of Tabernacles, also called Succoth (meaning “booths” or “tents”), was the final and most joyous of the seven feasts of the LORD. It was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tishri, lasting seven days with an additional sacred assembly on the eighth day. This feast marked both the end of the harvest season and the conclusion of Israel’s annual cycle of sacred observances. It was first mentioned here in Scripture, though its meaning would become central to Israel’s worship and identity.

a. The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles

This feast coincided with the completion of the harvest of grapes, figs, and olives, making it a celebration of God’s abundant provision. It was, in essence, a thanksgiving festival, expressing gratitude for the fruitfulness of the land that God had given His people. The feast lasted seven days, with the eighth day serving as a solemn closing assembly (Leviticus 23:36).

The joy of this feast was intensified by the memory of God’s past provision during the wilderness years. The Israelites were commanded to live in temporary shelters to remind them of the time when their ancestors dwelt in makeshift tents in the desert, wholly dependent upon God for food, water, and protection.

b. On the first day… on the eighth day

The Feast of Tabernacles began and ended with a holy convocation—days of sacred rest and worship. Throughout the seven days, offerings were made to the LORD, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings. According to Numbers 29:12–38, the number of sacrifices offered during this week was immense, highlighting the magnitude of the celebration.

The eighth day, called Shemini Atzeret, was both a conclusion to the Feast of Tabernacles and a separate sacred day of assembly. It symbolized lingering in God’s presence, as though the people could not bear to depart after such joyous worship.

c. Besides your gifts, besides all your vows

In addition to the prescribed sacrifices, the people were encouraged to bring voluntary offerings—personal gifts, vows, and freewill sacrifices. This showed that the worship of God was not limited to ritual obedience but included heartfelt generosity. God’s people were to give out of gratitude, celebrating His bounty with open hands.

Alexander Maclaren noted that during the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish Talmud records a beautiful ceremony performed each day of the feast: a priest would draw water from the Pool of Siloam in a golden pitcher and pour it out at the altar while the people sang Psalms 113–118, known as The Great Hallel. This commemorated the miraculous provision of water in the wilderness. It was during this ceremony that Jesus Christ proclaimed, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37–38). In this, Jesus declared Himself to be the fulfillment of the feast—the true source of living water and eternal joy.

d. You shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days

This was the only one of the seven feasts in which rejoicing was expressly commanded. The Feast of Tabernacles was a festival of joy, celebrating God’s goodness and faithfulness. The people were to rejoice not only for the abundance of their crops but also for God’s sustaining presence and redemption.

Maclaren beautifully observed, “The feast of tabernacles was the consecration of joy. Other religions have had their festivals, in which wild tumult and foul orgies have debased the worshippers to the level of their gods. How different the pure gladness of this feast ‘before the Lord’!” This was holy joy—rejoicing sanctified by gratitude, reverence, and fellowship with God.

Prophetically, the Feast of Tabernacles points forward to the millennial reign of Christ, when all nations will worship the LORD together in peace and joy. Zechariah 14:16–19 reveals that in the coming kingdom, all nations will be required to come to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, acknowledging the Lord’s reign and His dwelling among men.

The Feast also had an educational aspect. Deuteronomy 31:10–13 commanded that every seven years during this feast, the entire Law of Moses be read publicly before all Israel. This ensured that each generation would remember God’s covenant and live according to His Word.

e. You shall dwell in booths for seven days

During this feast, the people of Israel were to live in temporary shelters made of branches from palm, willow, and other leafy trees. These booths served as physical reminders of the forty years Israel spent in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. During that time, they had no permanent homes and relied entirely on God’s provision of manna, water, and guidance by the pillar of cloud and fire.

Rooker notes that although the text does not explicitly say the branches were used to construct the booths, this is clearly implied. The people built their shelters in open areas, such as courtyards, rooftops, or city streets, as described in Nehemiah 8:16: “Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God.”

Poole explains, “Booths were erected in their cities or towns, either in their streets or gardens, or the tops of their houses, which were made flat, and therefore were proper and fit for that use.” This annual practice not only reminded them of their ancestors’ sojourn but also reinforced humility and gratitude for the settled homes and fruitful land they now enjoyed.

f. On the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest

The Feast of Tabernacles both began and ended with rest—an image of perfect peace and completion. It was a time of rejoicing, renewal, and refreshment. God’s design for Israel’s calendar demonstrated His care for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In contrast to the nations around them, Israel enjoyed regular days of rest, national celebrations, and holy seasons of reflection—all centered on the LORD.

God intended these rhythms of worship and rest to promote social health, family unity, and spiritual vitality. Maclaren insightfully remarked that almost every other ancient culture labored without rest or spiritual renewal. God’s commands gave Israel a sacred rhythm of work, rest, and worship that reminded them that life’s ultimate purpose was fellowship with Him.

Prophetically, the Feast of Tabernacles looks forward to the time when God will once again dwell with His people. Revelation 21:3 declares, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.” Just as Israel rejoiced in God’s presence in the wilderness, so believers will one day rejoice eternally in His presence when the promise of Emmanuel—“God with us”—is finally and fully realized.

D. The Prophetic Significance of the Feasts of Leviticus 23

The feasts of Leviticus 23 were not merely ancient national observances for Israel; they are prophetic in nature, forming a divine calendar that reveals God’s redemptive plan for humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ. Together, these seven feasts outline both the first and second comings of Christ, presenting a panoramic view of redemption—from the cross to the millennial kingdom.

1. The Structure of Israel’s Sacred Calendar

On Israel’s ceremonial calendar, the four spring feasts—Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost—were grouped closely together. Likewise, the three fall feasts—Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles—formed another group, separated by an interval of nearly four months. This gap between the spring and fall feasts was not random; it symbolically represents the present Church Age, a divinely appointed season of spiritual harvest before the fulfillment of the remaining prophetic events.

2. The First Four Feasts: Fulfilled in Christ’s First Coming

The first four feasts prophetically depict the work of Jesus Christ in His first advent—His death, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church.

a. The Feast of Passover — The Crucifixion of Christ

The Feast of Passover unmistakably points to Jesus Christ as “our Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7). As the spotless Lamb of God, He was sacrificed so that all who are covered by His blood are spared from God’s judgment. Just as the angel of death passed over the homes of Israel marked with the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12:13), so the wrath of God passes over those who have placed their faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

b. The Feast of Unleavened Bread — The Burial of Christ

The Feast of Unleavened Bread represents the sinless body of Christ lying in the tomb after His perfect sacrifice on the cross. Leaven in Scripture symbolizes sin, yet Jesus was without corruption or decay. As Peter proclaimed in Acts 2:27, quoting the Psalms: “For You will not leave My soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” During this period, Christ’s holy and complete offering was accepted by the Father, fully accomplishing our redemption.

c. The Feast of Firstfruits — The Resurrection of Christ

The Feast of Firstfruits finds its fulfillment in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this very day, “the day after the Sabbath” following Passover (Leviticus 23:11), Christ rose from the dead as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Paul wrote, “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:23). As the first to rise from the dead, never to die again, Jesus became the guarantee of the future resurrection of all believers.

d. The Feast of Pentecost — The Birth of the Church

Fifty days after Firstfruits came the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, representing the ingathering of souls. On this exact day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and early believers (Acts 2:1–4), and the Church—the body of Christ—was born. In the ritual of Pentecost, two loaves of leavened bread were waved before the LORD, symbolizing the inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles into one spiritual body through faith in Christ. This was the spiritual harvest that began with the first outpouring of the Spirit and continues to this day.

3. The Interval Between the Two Groups of Feasts

Between the Feast of Pentecost and the next feast (Trumpets), there was an interval of about four months—the time of summer harvest in Israel. Prophetically, this gap represents the Church Age, the period in which God is calling out a people for His name from among all nations. It is the ongoing season of spiritual harvest until, as Paul wrote, “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25). When that fullness is reached, God will resume His direct dealings with Israel, beginning with the events foreshadowed by the final three feasts.

4. The Final Three Feasts: To Be Fulfilled at Christ’s Second Coming

The remaining three feasts—the fall festivals—point prophetically to events associated with the second coming of Jesus Christ, the redemption of Israel, and the establishment of His millennial kingdom.

a. The Feast of Trumpets — The Rapture and the Gathering of God’s People

The Feast of Trumpets anticipates the ultimate holy convocation of God’s people at the sound of the trumpet. The apostle Paul described this event in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” This is the rapture of the Church, the moment when believers are gathered into the presence of Christ.

It also prefigures God’s future regathering of Israel for His special purpose in the last days, when the trumpet will call them back to their land and to repentance.

b. The Day of Atonement — Israel’s National Repentance and Cleansing

The Day of Atonement looks beyond Israel’s ancient sacrifices to the ultimate atonement accomplished by Christ on the cross. Yet prophetically, it also points to the time when Israel will experience deep affliction and repentance during the Great Tribulation. This period is described in Jeremiah 30:7: “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”

In that day, the nation will look upon their rejected Messiah and mourn, as foretold in Zechariah 12:10: “Then they will look on Me whom they pierced.” This will lead to Israel’s national salvation, when they recognize Jesus as their Redeemer and are cleansed from their sin.

c. The Feast of Tabernacles — The Millennial Kingdom

The Feast of Tabernacles points to the time when God will dwell among His redeemed people in peace and joy. It foreshadows the millennial reign of Christ, a time of rest, comfort, and divine blessing. Zechariah 14:16–19 reveals that during the Millennium, all nations will come up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

This feast represents the final stage of redemption—God dwelling with His people, His presence bringing everlasting joy and peace. Its prophetic fulfillment finds ultimate expression in Revelation 21:3: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.”

5. The Precision of God’s Prophetic Calendar

Remarkably, there is strong evidence that the first four feasts found their prophetic fulfillment on the exact days of their observance:

• Passover: Jesus was crucified on the very day of Passover (John 19:14).

• Unleavened Bread: His body was buried and His perfect sacrifice accepted by the Father during this feast.

• Firstfruits: He rose from the dead on the day the Feast of Firstfruits was celebrated.

• Pentecost: The Church was born on the actual day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), accompanied by a great harvest of souls.

God’s precise timing underscores the divine orchestration of history and assures us that the remaining feasts will also be fulfilled exactly as appointed.

6. The Anticipation of the Final Fulfillment

Because the first four feasts were fulfilled on their exact days, many believe it is consistent with God’s pattern that the next event in His prophetic calendar—the rapture of the Church—will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 describes this event in vivid terms, as believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air at the sound of the trumpet of God.

Though the day and hour remain unknown, the typology is striking. The Feast of Trumpets marks a call to assembly, a new beginning, and the announcement of God’s intervention in human affairs—all themes that correspond perfectly with the rapture and the beginning of the end-time events.