Leviticus 23:1-22
Q.1. Why was it important for Israel to remember the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as the first Festivals each year? – (Lev.23:1-8)
All the seven festivals were to be celebrated like a Sabbath Day – for six days work may be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation (Lev.23:3). The first two festivals – the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were connected in time, and became the beginning of Israel’s year, because they marked the birth of the nation -2 This month shall be the beginning of months for you … 42 It is a night to be observed for the Lord for having brought them out from the land of Egypt; this night is for the Lord, to be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations (Ex.12:2 & 42). Exodus 12 recorded the foundation of this Festival … (i) Each family was to take a lamb; (ii) The lamb was to be an unblemished male; (iii) The blood of the lamb, when applied to the door posts, would protect the family therein from the angel of death; (iv) Unleavened bread was to be eaten for seven days. That spoke of haste; (v) The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were to be observed throughout their generations; (vi) The feasts symbolized God’s rescue of the nation from slavery in the land of Egypt (c.f. Ex.12:14-17, 23-27). The Passover was celebrated at twilight on the fourteenth day, followed by a holy gathering from the fifteenth day for seven days (Lev.23:5-8).
Q.2. How has the Passover been modified to remind believers of the atoning sacrifice of Christ? – (Lev.23:4-5)
It is clear from the four Gospels, that the Lord’s Supper, celebrated at the Last Supper, was a modified Jewish Passover, and that Christ is the perfect and spotless Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the whole world – For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed (c.f. 1 Cor.5:7). The disciples prepared a Passover celebration that Jesus turned into the memorial of His sacrifice for us (c.f. 1 Cor.11:23-26). Just as the Passover marks a new beginning for the nation of Israel, so the Lord’s Supper reminds us of our new beginning through the victory Christ purchased by His – precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (c.f. 1 Pet.1:19). Comparing all the animal sacrifices with the sacrifice of Jesus, the writer of Hebrews asked – how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb.9:14).
Q.3. How did the offerings at the Feast of Firstfruits and the Feast of Pentecost express faith in God? How did they prefigure the resurrection of believers? – (Lev.23:9-22)
These feasts both related to grain harvests … the First fruits at the beginning of harvest, and the Feast of Weeks at the end of the harvest. The Feast of First fruits involved waving a sheaf at the temple before God, at the beginning of the barley harvest (Lev.23:9-11). It was a faith offering, given before any harvest was safely gathered. The Feast of Weeks (Greek: Pentecost denoting seven sabbaths after First fruits) was a joyous harvest thanksgiving offering, given at the completion of the wheat harvest (Lev.23:15-21). The Feast of First fruits was celebrated three days after the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It signifies the time when Jesus rose from the dead, as the guarantee that death is defeated (c.f. 1 Cor.15:20-23). Then after seven sabbaths i.e. seven times seven = forty-nine weeks, they were to celebrate the Day of Pentecost … a time of celebration for the harvest. It was recorded that God chose to baptize His church with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. On that day, God brought a harvest of three thousand souls – (Acts 2:5-11, 41). At First fruits, the wave offering also required a grain offering – … a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord (Lev.23:12). After the harvest ingathering at Pentecost – along with the bread you shall present seven one-year old male lambs without defect, and a bull from the herd and two rams … as a burnt offering to the Lord … one male goat and two male lambs for a sacrifice of peace offerings (Lev.23:18-20). They had a social obligation to the needy and foreigners (Lev.23:22).