Page 130 - Advanced Biblical Backgrounds Revised

#3 Feast of First Fruits — Leviticus 23:10
The Feast of First Fruits is one of three Jewish harvest feasts to
thank and honor God for all he provided. Although they didn’t
know it at the time, the children of Israel were celebrating
what would become a very important day.

The priests sacrificed Passover lambs on the 14th day of the
month of Nisan, and the first day of Passover was the 15th. The
Feast of First Fruits was celebrated on the third day, the 16th of
Nisan. This “third-day” celebration was the same day that Jesus
was resurrected from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Paul
refers to Jesus as the first fruits of the dead. He represents the
first of the great harvest of souls — including you — that will resurrect to eternal life because of the new
covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20).

#4 Feast of Weeks or Pentecost — Leviticus 23:16
This feast is the second of the three harvest feasts. It occurs exactly seven weeks after the Feast of First
Fruits, so it’s also called Pentecost, which means “50 days.” Traditionally, people were expected to bring
the first harvest of grain to the Lord, including two leavened loaves of bread.

God’s plan to save souls included more than the Jews.
Through Jesus, this plan was revealed. In Matthew 9:37, Jesus
tells his disciples that “the harvest is great, but the workers
are few.” Then he put the plan into place: In Acts 1:4, he tells
them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.

That arrival was the day the Church was born — Pentecost —
and the harvest began with 3,000 souls. The message spread
to both Jews and Gentiles (the two leavened loaves of bread),
extending the harvest to us!

#5 Feast of Trumpets — Leviticus 23:23-27
In a beautiful declaration, God commands his people to rest. During this time, all regular work is
prohibited, and men and women present a food offering to God.

In Leviticus 23:24, God commands his people to gather and commemorate the decree with trumpet
blasts. What was the purpose of this feast? What extremely significant event involving the blowing of
trumpets took place in the national life of Israel? What spiritual event was of such great importance that
God commanded the people to remember it every year? Let’s find the answer in Exodus 19:16-19.

16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain
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and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the
people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the
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mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The
smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as
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the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder.

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