The Seven Feasts of Israel fulfilled

All Fulfilled in Messiah

The seven annual feasts were spread over seven months (Deuteronomy 16, Leviticus 23), at set times appointed by God. They foreshadow the set times of God's work of redemption through His Son.

Passover/Pesach

The term "Passover" is to be considered in the sense of "hovering over", i.e. to protect or deliver. God's presence overshadowed His people for their protection. The nation of Israel was transferred from physical slavery leading to death in Egypt, to lifelong service to God. Likewise, the believer in Messiah is delivered from spiritual slavery (bondage to sin) leading to death, to a life of service to Messiah, leading to eternal life. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is our Passover. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

The Feast of Unleavened Bread/Chag Matzah

This was a continuation of the Passover. Yeast (or leaven) promotes fermentation and Scripture uses yeast as a type of sin (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Forgiveness for our sins can be obtained through the intercession of Messiah, our mediator. Entry to this feast is possible only because "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." Both the Passover and the feast without leaven show essentials for the believer. As there were 7 days eating bread without yeast, so for the believer there should be a complete life separate from sin.

The Feast of Firstfruits/Yom HaBikkurim

This prefigured the resurrection of Jesus. The ceremony took place on the third day from the Passover; Jesus rose the third day Matthew 16:21, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.

The Feast of Weeks/Shavuot (or Pentecost / Harvest)

This was held at the beginning of wheat harvesting, seven weeks from the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15-16). In the New Testament it is called Pentecost (Greek 'pente' = fifty). This festival commemorated the giving of the 10 Commandments (the better term is 10 words) which took place 50 days after the Sabbath following the Passover. On the day of Pentecost following Jesus' resurrection (Acts 2), a new revelation was given to the people in the gospel preached by the apostles, with the invitation to all to enter a New Covenant with God through baptism into Messiah. Acts 2:38.

The Feast of Trumpets/Yom Teruah

Almost four months after the Pentecost, though not at a precise interval, the feast of Trumpets was a day of rest celebrated with trumpet blasts and sacrifices when the nation was presented before God. This prefigured the time when Messiah came down from heaven with the trumpet call of God. This was fulfilled in 70 A.D. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52

The Day of Atonement/Yom HaKippurym

On this day the priests offered sacrifices of atonement for themselves and the people. The ordinance of the scape-goat was a figure of the death and resurrection of Messiah, and the atonement thereby made, which pointed forward to the work of redemption accomplished by Messiah. Hebrews 9:7 & 11 and Hebrews 9:24-26.

A Black Stone and A Scarlet Thread? Leviticus 16:8

There is much debate over exactly what kind of objects the lots were. However, the information found in the Babylonian Talmud and the Mishnah indicates that the lots were two stones one white and one black. The white stone had the words “For the Lord” written on it, and the black stone had the words “For Azazal” (i.e., the goat that is sent away or banished) written on it.

These two stones were placed into a container and it was shaken; then, without looking into the container, the high priest would put his right hand into the container and draw out one of the lots.

The Babylonian Talmud shows that, for two hundred years before 30 A.D., the first stone to appear in the right hand of the high priest randomly fluctuated each year between the white and black stone. One would expect this type of randomness, because God selected the more perfect goat to be slain for the sins of the people. But, beginning with the Day of Atonement in 30 A.D. (the year of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ), the black stone appeared in the right hand of the high priest for the next 39 years.

The chances of the black stone (For Azazal) appearing 40 consecutive times in the right hand of the high priest is over a trillion to one according to Pascal's table of numerical odds.

The continual appearance of the black stone in the right hand of the high priest was surely a sign of God's displeasure with the House of Judah and a warning for them to repent.

The fulfillment of the prophetic black stone came after forty years of continuous warning when the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman Empire.

As much as we don't like to use The Talmud, The Jews own writings state:

The Red Ribbon on the Head of the Scapegoat Turned White in 30 C.E

The Talmud states that there was a strip of scarlet-dyed wool tied to the head of the scapegoat which at times would turn white in the presence of the large crowd gathered at the Temple on the Day of Atonement. When this phenomenon occurred, the Jewish people perceived this miraculous transformation as a heavenly sign that their sins were forgiven. The Talmud relates, however, that 40 years before the destruction of the Second Temple the scarlet colored strip of wool did not turn white. The text of the Talmud which missionaries quote states:

"The Rabbis taught that forty years prior to the destruction of the Temple the lot did not come up in the [high priest’s] right hand nor did the tongue of scarlet wool become white…" (Talmud, Tractate Yoma 39b)

The Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkoth (or Booths)

The feast of tabernacles commemorated their wandering forty years in the wilderness, but foreshadowed when they were given a judgment period of 40 years to repent before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. In contrast to the Day of Atonement, during which the Israelites were to afflict themselves, during this festival they are commanded to rejoice. This third great festival held at the end of the harvest prefigured when the redeemed rejoiced before God Revelation 7:9-17. The harvest of faithful ones represented the final ingathering developed out of the waving of the first single sheaf (typifying the Lord Jesus Christ) on the first day of the week following Passover.

Statement concerning the keeping of the feasts

The shift away from keeping the Old Testament feasts (listed in Leviticus 23) after 70 A.D is the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem serving as the final historical marker of this change.

Here is why, according to biblical studies and historical context, believers in Messiah no longer need or are required to keep the feasts:

1. Fulfillment in Messiah ("Shadow vs. Substance")

The New Testament teaches that the feasts were "shadows" or foreshadowings of spiritual realities fulfilled by Jesus Christ, rather than ends in themselves.

Passover: Messiah is the true "Passover Lamb" 1 Corinthians 5:7.

Unleavened Bread: Represents the removal of sin, fulfilled by Christ’s sinless life.

Firstfruits: Fulfilled by Messiah’s resurrection as the "firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep" 1 Corinthians 15:20.

Pentecost (Weeks): Fulfilled by the descent of the Holy Spirit Acts chapter 2.

Day of Atonement: Fulfilled by Messiah’s final, once-for-all sacrifice.

2. The Destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70

The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D made the legal, biblically required observance of many feasts impossible.

No Priesthood/Sacrifice: Many feasts required animal sacrifices performed by Levite priests in the Temple.

End of the Old Covenant System: The 70 A.D event acted as the final termination of the Old Covenant legal system, forcing a transition to a new way of worship.

Significance: Early followers of Messiah did not mourn the Temple's destruction because they recognized that the "true temple" was now the believer as the Apostle Paul told the assemblies in Corinth. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

3. The New Covenant and the Law

With the arrival of the New Covenant, believers are no longer under the ceremonial law (or "the yoke") of the Mosaic covenant.

Liberty in Christ: The New Testament states, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival... which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ" Colossians 2:16-17.

Internal over External: The New Covenant is based on the Torah (Instructions of God) written on the heart by the Holy Spirit, not external, seasonal ritual observances.

For a more indepth understanding of Torah/Law please see our studies: Why was the Law given? and What do we mean by the word 'Turah/Torah'?

Permitted but 'Not Required': Seed of Abraham Apostolic Fellowship believes that if one desires to celebrate, remember or keep the seven feasts as memorial's or anniversaries they have that freedom to do so in Messiah and no one should judge them in doing so as per Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5-12.

We also believe that those who do keep the feasts in the freedom that Messiah has given to them should not judge those who do not keep them as per the above explanation.

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