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(Created page with "'''The Festivals of Israel and their Spiritual Meaning''' '''Introduction''' Feasts and festivals are a feature of all major religions. Most people who call themselves Christ...")
 
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Feasts  and festivals are a feature of all major religions. Most people who call  themselves Christians observe Christmas and Easter. Some keep various other  holy days as well. Hindus have large numbers of festivals, and Buddhists and  Muslims certainly have a few.<br>
 
Feasts  and festivals are a feature of all major religions. Most people who call  themselves Christians observe Christmas and Easter. Some keep various other  holy days as well. Hindus have large numbers of festivals, and Buddhists and  Muslims certainly have a few.<br>
  
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When  we turn to the Bible we find plenty of material on the subject of Jewish  festivals and absolutely nothing on the so called Christian ones. This is  because Christmas and Easter are not really Christian festivals at all, but  pagan festivals in disguise. For a discussion of this subject read <a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/churchfe.htm">Church Festivals</a>.<br>
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When  we turn to the Bible we find plenty of material on the subject of Jewish  festivals and absolutely nothing on the so called Christian ones. This is  because Christmas and Easter are not really Christian festivals at all, but  pagan festivals in disguise. For a discussion of this subject read Church Festivals.<br>
  
 
I  have decided to use the word&nbsp;<em>festival</em>&nbsp;rather  than the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>.  Most Bible translations use the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>&nbsp;for  the Jewish celebrations. However in modern English usage the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>&nbsp;implies  a few people getting together for a big meal, whereas&nbsp;<em>festival</em><em>&nbsp;</em>means a large gathering of people often from all  over the country, not particularly for eating. The word&nbsp;<em>festival</em><em>&nbsp;</em>is therefore a much better description of what  happened at the various Jewish celebration times. They were not primarily times  of eating, but were times of national assembly to celebrate great events in their  history and times in the agricultural year.<br>
 
I  have decided to use the word&nbsp;<em>festival</em>&nbsp;rather  than the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>.  Most Bible translations use the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>&nbsp;for  the Jewish celebrations. However in modern English usage the word&nbsp;<em>feast</em>&nbsp;implies  a few people getting together for a big meal, whereas&nbsp;<em>festival</em><em>&nbsp;</em>means a large gathering of people often from all  over the country, not particularly for eating. The word&nbsp;<em>festival</em><em>&nbsp;</em>is therefore a much better description of what  happened at the various Jewish celebration times. They were not primarily times  of eating, but were times of national assembly to celebrate great events in their  history and times in the agricultural year.<br>
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The  seven festivals of the Jewish law are as follows:
 
The  seven festivals of the Jewish law are as follows:
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<div align="center">
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  <table border="1" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0">
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    <tr>
 +
      <td><br>
 +
        <strong>Festival</strong></td>
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      <td><p align="center"><strong>Month</strong></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center"><strong>Dates</strong></p></td>
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    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Passover">Passover</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">1</p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">14</p></td>
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    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Unleavened">Unleavened Bread</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">1</p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">15-21</p></td>
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    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Waving">Waving of first    sheaf</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">1</p></td>
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      <td><p>&nbsp;</p></td>
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      <td></td>
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    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Pentecost">Weeks (Pentecost)</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">3</p></td>
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      <td><p>&nbsp;</p></td>
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      <td></td>
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    </tr>
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    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Trumpets">Trumpets</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">7</p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">1</p></td>
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      <td></td>
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    </tr>
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    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Atonement">Day of Atonement</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">7</p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">10</p></td>
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      <td></td>
 +
    </tr>
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    <tr>
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      <td><p><a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Tabernacles">Tabernacles (Booths)</a></p></td>
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      <td><p align="center">7</p></td>
 +
      <td><p align="center">15-22</p></td>
 +
      <td></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
  </table>
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</div>
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Other  festivals were added later, such as Purim at the time of Esther  and Hanukkah at the time of the Maccabees. These seven however were the  original festivals of the&nbsp;<em>torah</em>&nbsp;or  law of Moses.<br>
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The  main scriptural references to the festivals are:</p>
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<div align="center">
 +
  <table border="1" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0">
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><br>
 +
        <strong>Reference</strong></td>
 +
      <td><p><strong>Festival</strong></p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Exodus    12</p></td>
 +
      <td><p>Passover</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Exodus    23: 14-17</p></td>
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      <td><p>Summary</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Leviticus    16</p></td>
 +
      <td><p>Day of    Atonement</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Leviticus    23</p></td>
 +
      <td><p>All the    festivals</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Numbers    28:11-29:40</p></td>
 +
      <td><p>All the    festivals</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
    <tr>
 +
      <td><p>Deuteronomy    16:1-17</p></td>
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      <td><p>All the    festivals</p></td>
 +
    </tr>
 +
  </table>
 +
</div>

Revision as of 22:32, 2 July 2012

The Festivals of Israel and their Spiritual Meaning

Introduction

Feasts and festivals are a feature of all major religions. Most people who call themselves Christians observe Christmas and Easter. Some keep various other holy days as well. Hindus have large numbers of festivals, and Buddhists and Muslims certainly have a few.

When we turn to the Bible we find plenty of material on the subject of Jewish festivals and absolutely nothing on the so called Christian ones. This is because Christmas and Easter are not really Christian festivals at all, but pagan festivals in disguise. For a discussion of this subject read Church Festivals.

I have decided to use the word festival rather than the word feast. Most Bible translations use the word feast for the Jewish celebrations. However in modern English usage the word feast implies a few people getting together for a big meal, whereas festival means a large gathering of people often from all over the country, not particularly for eating. The word festival is therefore a much better description of what happened at the various Jewish celebration times. They were not primarily times of eating, but were times of national assembly to celebrate great events in their history and times in the agricultural year.

Before we consider individual festivals, we must ask why we need to study the festivals at all. The same question can be asked about many other passages of Scripture. Why study the tabernacle? Or the Levitical offerings? Or why study the long history of the people of Israel? The apostle Paul gives us a direct answer: 'these things happened as pictures for us' (1 Cor 10:6). The festivals and ceremonies of the old covenant, as well as the history of the Jewish people, are all pictures for us of spiritual truth. The whole scripture points firstly to Jesus himself, and secondly to our own lives and experiences as we seek to follow and become like him.

The seven festivals of the Jewish law are as follows:


Festival

Month

Dates

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Passover">Passover</a>

1

14

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Unleavened">Unleavened Bread</a>

1

15-21

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Waving">Waving of first sheaf</a>

1

 

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Pentecost">Weeks (Pentecost)</a>

3

 

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Trumpets">Trumpets</a>

7

1

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Atonement">Day of Atonement</a>

7

10

<a href="http://www.growthingod.org.uk/festival.htm#Tabernacles">Tabernacles (Booths)</a>

7

15-22

Other festivals were added later, such as Purim at the time of Esther and Hanukkah at the time of the Maccabees. These seven however were the original festivals of the torah or law of Moses.

The main scriptural references to the festivals are:</p>


Reference

Festival

Exodus 12

Passover

Exodus 23: 14-17

Summary

Leviticus 16

Day of Atonement

Leviticus 23

All the festivals

Numbers 28:11-29:40

All the festivals

Deuteronomy 16:1-17

All the festivals
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