Leviticus 23
-This important chapter covers the LORD’s appointed times
for festivals and holidays in the Jewish community. He speaks again through
Moses to the sons of Israel these “holy convocations” designed to help them
remember their past and look forward to the fulfillment of His magnificent
promises through the Messiah. He starts with the weekly observance of Shabbat.
This day of complete rest in all their dwellings was designed to help the
people reflect and repose with the congregation and their families.
-Next, the LORD presents, again (Exodus 12:11-51), Passover
as an appointed festival beginning at twilight on the fourteenth day of the
first month (Leviticus 23:5). This was accompanied by the Feast of Unleavened
Bread on the following day (Leviticus 23:6-8). This observance lasted seven
days with no laborious work and no leaven to be eaten in their bread. They were
instructed to present an offering by fire to the LORD and then have a holy
convocation on the first and last days. Passover reminded the people of God’s
deliverance, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread reminded the people that they
were leaving the old life of sin behind and entering a new reality with the
LORD. It was during this time period thousands of years later when Jesus Christ
offered His life on the cross for the redemption of all mankind, which makes
this particular holiday ultra-important in many senses (Matthew 26:2, 17, Mark
14:1, 12, Luke 22:1, 7-8, John 13:1).
-The festival of First Fruits is then prescribed by God to
Moses for the people of Israel (Leviticus 23:9-14). As they enter the Promised
Land they were commanded to reap the harvest that the LORD will give them and
bring in the sheaf (omer- newly cut
ears of grain) of the first fruits to
present them thankfully before the LORD for His acceptance. These were to be
given to the priest for a wave offering on the day after the Sabbath. On that
day the priest would then offer a male lamb, one year old and without defect, for
a burnt offering to the LORD. A grain offering is also instituted of two-tenths
of an ephah (approximately a bushel in our English measurement system) of fine
flour mixed with oil presented as a soothing aroma by fire unto God. Along with
that, a drink offering was to be offered consisting of approximately a forth of
a gallon of wine. The people were not allowed to eat any of the new bread nor
roasted grain until they had first honored the LORD with His provision. It was
to be a perpetual statute throughout their generations in all their dwelling
places as a reminder of the goodness of God to endow.
-Further, after seven complete Sabbaths, 50 days to the day
after the seventh Sabbath, a new grain offering was to be presented to the LORD
(Leviticus 23:15-22). This was the celebration of Pentecost (50), or otherwise
known as Weeks. This one day event marked the end of the barley harvest and the
beginning of the wheat harvest as summer was ensuing. It once again represented
the joy and thanksgiving of God’s bountiful harvest provision. This coincides
exactly with when the Holy Spirit came upon the earth in the New Covenant
fulfillment of promise to indwell believers after Christ’s ascension (Acts
1:4-5; 2:1-47). The instructions for this feast included the bringing in of two
loaves of bread for a wave offering baked with leaven this time as the “first
fruits” to present to the LORD. Along with the bread, seven lambs a year old
without defect, a bull from the herd, and two rams were to be given as burnt
offerings to the Sovereign God. With their grain offering and drink offering
they were to present a soothing aroma by fire unto the LORD. Additionally, a
male goat was required to be offered as a sin payment and two lambs, both a
year old, were to be sacrificed as a peace offering. The priest would wave them
with the bread of the first fruits with two lambs before the LORD; “they are to
be holy to the LORD for the priest (Leviticus 23:20).” On the very same day a
proclamation was to be made to have another “holy convocation.” No laborious
work was to be done, and this feast was also to be “a perpetual statute in all
your dwelling places throughout your generations (Leviticus 23:21).” A final
provision for the needy and the alien was given because they were expected to
be courteous and generous since the kind and giving LORD was their God.
-In verse 23 the text picks up with the fall feasts, which
starts with the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25). This one day event at
the beginning of the seventh month, or the civil Jewish New Year, was
instituted to express joy and thanksgiving once again to their Maker and
Sustainer. This is a time of rest for the citizens and another “holy
convocation” marked with the sounding of trumpets across the land. An offering
by fire to the LORD was the only other requirement here beside the break from
laborious work. Many scholars have noted that this ties in with the return of
Messiah in the last days because of all the trumpet themes associated with this
event (Joel 2:1, Zechariah 9:14-17, Matthew 24:31, I Thessalonians 4:16, 1
Corinthians 15:51-52, Revelation 8:13).
-The Day of Atonement (Yom
Kippur) is once again delineated with the stress on humbling their souls
before the LORD (Leviticus 23:26-32). No work at all was to be done during this
most solemn occasion that was for the cleansing of the people and the restoring
of fellowship with their God.
-Finally, and aren’t you glad at this point J,
the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles) is covered in this seven day event
representing God’s protection and guidance through the wilderness journey with
a commitment to further faith in the future (Leviticus 23:33-43). Another “holy
convocation” began the ceremony on the fifteenth of the seventh month with no
laborious work mandated. Offerings by fire were required each day with a
culmination assembly, sacrifice, and rest on the eighth day. They were required
to live in booths, or basically shanty huts, to remind them of their wilderness
journey on the way to the Promised Land. It was to be a time of celebration
using beautiful foliage of the trees as they rejoiced before the LORD their God
as a perpetual statute throughout their generations.
-*Application* Recognizing the hermeneutic principle of
typology will help us draw some correlations from these commands to the
Christian life. The Passover represents our coming to Christ out of darkness
and slavery into a new life of freedom and light. The blood applied means that
we have redemption (Ephesians 1:7). Unleavened bread represents a new holiness
that has been accomplished through Jesus’ righteousness given graciously to us
that cleanses and restores a right relationship with the Father (Philippians 1:11).
The first fruits reminds us that God expects are best in the areas of
priorities and using our gifts, talents, and abilities for His supreme glory.
We are new creations in Christ as well being His first fruits (1 Corinthians
15:20-23). Pentecost represents our Spirit-filled life in Christ as we yield to
His power working through us to accomplish His Kingdom on this earth. The trumpets
remind us of the coming storm in this world and our ultimate victory being on
the side of God. His second coming is fundamental to our hope. The Day of
Atonement delivers us with confidence in the Day of Judgment (1 John 4:14-19,
Revelation 20:11-15). And finally, the Feast of Booths (or Weeks) helps us see
the provision of God all throughout our Christian journey with the faith for
completion in eschaton (Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 12:1-2).
Verses to Memorize:
Leviticus 23:3, 5-6, 10, 16, 24, 27, 44
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