To live a holy life, we must surrender control of our time to God, centering our lives on His worship rather than work.
To underscore His central role in our lives, God set aside one day a week. Beyond simply offering much-needed rest from work, this day provides an opportunity to meet with God, connect with family, and realign our priorities for the upcoming week.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are the appointed festivals of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals.
Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a Sabbath to the Lord throughout your settlements” (Leviticus 23:1-3).
The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
The Passover celebrates the salvation of the firstborn of Israel when the angel of death passed over Egypt and killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians. (See Exodus 11-12.)
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a Passover offering to the Lord. (Levitics 23:5).
Passover occurs in the first month of the year, the spring month, on the Hebrew calendar as Nisan or by the older Canaanite name, Abib.
On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread (Leviticus 23:6).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was an annual reminder of the Israelites’ hasty departure from slavery in Egypt. When they fled, they didn’t have time for their bread to rise, so they baked unleavened bread.
Leaven represents the presence of sin and corruption. Therefore, observing this feast would surely prompt individuals to a time of introspection, repentance, and a renewed dedication to living according to God’s guidance.
While we might not celebrate this festival ourselves today, Paul’s insights into its relevance for those who follow Jesus still hold a powerful truth.
Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred during the time of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus came to represent the Lamb sacrificed to God for the sins of the world, just as a lamb was offered at the Passover to recall God’s act of redeeming Israel from oppression in Egypt and claiming them as His own.
The Feast of Weeks
The introduction to the Feast of Weeks places it 50 days after the Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
“And from the day after the Sabbath, from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the elevation offering, you shall count seven full weeks.
You shall count until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days; then you shall present an offering of new grain to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:15-16).
The main part of the offering concerns animal sacrifices. Seven lambs, one bull, and two rams serve as a burnt offering of dedication to God.
Verse 22 reminds the farmers to leave something of their harvest for those who are unable to acquire food for themselves.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:22).
God’s concern for the poor must be respected, and His ability to provide for the farmers must be trusted.
Pentecost and Giving of the Law
The Feast of Weeks is identified as Pentecost in the New Testament. Acts 2 details how this festival became the day the Holy Spirit arrived, birthing the church among God’s people.
It’s noteworthy that this day also historically aligns with the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.
Reflection
It’s important to recognize the connection between the Feast of Weeks and the dedication of the harvest to God. What could be more fitting than the spiritual harvest of 3,000 people coming to know Jesus as their Savior at the church’s birth?
In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a day to thank God for the life-giving gift of rain and the Law; in the New Testament, it became a day to thank Him for the life-giving gift of the Holy Spirit.
YouTube Discussion
In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross uses his Jewish roots to help us understand the connection between the festivals and what God has done for us through Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Real Voices 