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The feasts of Jehovah, as instituted under the law as given by Moses, partake more of the character of commemorations, or assemblies of the congregation to celebrate special dealings of the Lord, and consequently special seasons in the history of His people, being called 'holy convocations.' A list of the yearly feasts is given in Lev. 23. The first mentioned is the Sabbath, and if this is counted as one, by considering the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread as one there are seven in all — the perfect number. If the Sabbath is not included, as that was a weekly festival, being the rest of God, and on which the others were founded, then the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread may be counted as two, and still there are seven. There can be no doubt that these seven feasts were typical of the ways of blessing from the cross to the millennium. They stand thus:
DATES. LEVITICUS 23. ANTITYPES.
The Sabbath. Lev. 23:. 1-3.
Christ our Passover
Abib 14th. Passover Feast. Lev. 23: 5-8.} is slain: "let us keep " 15th. Feast of Unleavened Bread. } the feast," that is, of unleavened bread.
First Fruits (barley), 'day after the } The Resurrection. Sabbath.' Lev. 23: 9-14. }
Zif. [Seven Sabbaths intervene.]
Sivan. Pentecost: Feast of Weeks: First } Descent of the Holy Fruits (wheat). Lev. 23: 15-22. } Spirit and the Church formed.
Tammuz.
Ab. [The present interval.] Elul.
Israel awakened:
Tisri 1st. Feast of Trumpets. Lev. 23: 23-25.} they afflict their souls, 10th. Day of Atonement. Lev. 23: 26-32.} receive their Messiah, 15th. Feast of Tabernacles: ingathering } and are brought into
of the vintage. Lev. 23: 33-44. } blessing in the millennium.
These seven are called 'the set feasts.' Num. 29: 39; 1 Chr. 23: 31; 2
Chr. 31: 3; Neh. 10: 33. Also 'holy convocations,' when the people assembled together to offer the various offerings, and thus be reminded of their association with the living God, to whom they owed all their blessings. To ensure this at least thrice in the year, it was enjoined that all the males should appear before the Lord three
times in the year, and they must not appear empty. These times were at the Feast of Unleavened Bread (no doubt including the Passover); the Feast of Weeks, or of Harvest; and the Feast of Tabernacles, or 'of Ingathering.' Ex. 23: 14-17; Deut. 16: 16. See PASSOVER, etc.
There are two other Feasts mentioned as yearly which were not apparently ordered of God. The 25th of Chisleu, the Feast of Dedication, instituted by Judas Maccabeus when the temple was re- dedicated after being defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes, B.C. 165. John 10: 22. The other, the Feast of Purim, on the 14th and 15th of Adar, when the Jews were delivered from the threatened destruction plotted by Haman. Esther 9: 21, 26.