Feast Days of Leviticus 23
Leviticus 23:1 And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying,
23:2 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say
unto them, Concerning the feasts of YHWH,
which ye shall proclaim to be set-apart convocations, even these are my
feasts.
23:3 'Six days shall work be done: but the seventh
day is the Sabbath of rest, a set-apart convocation; ye shall do no
work therein: it is the Sabbath of YHWH
in all your dwellings.
23:4 'These are the feasts of YHWH, even set-apart convocations, which
ye shall proclaim in their seasons."
The weekly Sabbath is the first of YHWH's feasts. In six days YHWH created the heavens and the earth. On the seventh day He rested and was spiritually refreshed...
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were
finished, and all the host of them.
2:2 And on the seventh day Elohim ended his work
which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work
which he had made.
2:3 And Elohim blessed the seventh day, and set
it apart: because that in it he had rested from all his work which
Elohim created and made.
Next is the Passover...
Leviticus 23:5 "In the fourteenth day of the first month between
the evenings is YHWH's
Passover."
The origin of the Passover is found in Exodus 12...
Exodus 12:1 And YHWH spake
unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
12:2 "This month shall be unto you the beginning
of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
12:3 'Speak ye unto all the congregation of
Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them
every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for
an house:
12:4 'And if the household be too little for the
lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according
to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall
make your count for the lamb.
12:5 'Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male
of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the
goats:
12:6 'And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth
day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of
Israel shall kill it in the evening.
12:7 'And they shall take of the blood, and strike
it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses,
wherein they shall eat it.
12:8 'And they shall eat the flesh in that night,
roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall
eat it.
12:9 'Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with
water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the
purtenance thereof.
12:10 'And ye shall let nothing of it remain until
the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall
burn with fire.
12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins
girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye
shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH's passover.
12:12 'For I will pass through the land of Egypt
this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both
man and beast; and against all the elohim of Egypt I will execute
judgment: I am YHWH.
12:13 'And the blood shall be to you for a token
upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass
over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I
smite the land of Egypt.
12:14 'And this day shall be unto you for a
memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH throughout your
generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever."
Next is the Feast of Unleavened Bread...
Leviticus 23:6 "And on the fifteenth day of the same
month is the feast of unleavened bread unto YHWH: seven days ye must
eat unleavened bread.
23:7 'In the first day ye shall have a set-apart
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
23:8 'But ye shall offer an offering made by fire
unto YHWH seven days: in the seventh day is a set-apart convocation:
ye shall do no servile work therein."
The origin of the Feast of Unleavened Bread...
Exodus
12:15 "Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye
shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened
bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut
off from Israel.
12:16 'And in the first day there shall be a set-apart convocation,
and in the seventh day there shall be a set-apart convocation to you;
no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must
eat, that only may be done of you.
12:17 'And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this
selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt:
therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance
for ever."
The reason for Unleavened Bread is explained in verse 39...
12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any food.
The next thing in Leviticus 23 is something that takes place during the Feast of Unleavened Bread; it is the wave sheaf offering...
23:9
And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying,
23:10 "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, 'When ye
be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest
thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest
unto the priest:
23:11 'And he shall wave the sheaf before YHWH, to be accepted for you:
on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
23:12 'And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb
without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto YHWH.
23:13 'And the grain offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine
flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto YHWH for a sweet
savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth
part of an hin.
23:14 'And ye shall eat neither bread, nor roasted grain, nor fresh
grain, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto
your Elohim: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations
in all your dwellings."
The sheaf (omer) of barley was waved before YHWH as an offering on the morrow after the Sabbath. This began the count to Shavuot (the feast of weeks), also known as pentecost...
Leviticus
23:15 "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath,
from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven
Sabbaths shall be complete:
23:16 'Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number
fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto YHWH.
23:17 'Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two
tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with
leaven; they are the firstfruits unto YHWH.
23:18 'And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of
the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for
a burnt offering unto YHWH, with their meat offering, and their drink
offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto YHWH.
23:19 'Then ye shall offer one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and
two lambs of the first year for a slaughter of peace offerings.
23:20 'And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits
for a wave offering before YHWH, with the two lambs: they shall be
set-apart to YHWH for the priest.
23:21 'And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be a
set-apart convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it
shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your
generations."
This feast is not connected with any national event in Israel's history; however, it coincides with the exact time of year that the law was given by YHWH on Mt. Sinai. It is also the day that Yahushua's followers were filled with the Ruach ha Kodesh (the Set-apart Spirit) in Yerushalayim (Acts chapter 2). While Passover was the time of the first fruits of the barley harvest, Pentecost was the time of the first fruits of the wheat harvest.
The next of YHWH's Feasts (found in Leviticus 23), is the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah) which literally means the day of shouting...
Leviticus
23:23 And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying,
23:24 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month,
in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of
blowing of trumpets, a set-apart convocation.
23:25 'Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an
offering made by fire unto YHWH."
The Feast of Trumpets is on the first day of the seventh month. It is a mikra kodesh (a set-apart assembly). It is said that it is the beginning of ten days of self examination and repentance, leading up to the Day of Atonement, which is the next observance found in Leviticus 23...
Leviticus
23:26 And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying,
23:27 "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day
of atonement: it shall be a set-apart convocation unto you; and ye
shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH.
23:28 'And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of
atonement, to make an atonement for you before YHWH your Elohim.
23:29 'For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that
same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
23:30 'And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day,
the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
23:31 'Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever
throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
23:32 'It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict
your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even,
shall ye celebrate your Sabbath."
As on the weekly Sabbath, so also on Yom Kippur, no work is to be done. On the other high days, cooking is allowed. Yom Kippur is a day to afflict our souls, and atonement is made for our sins. Next is the Feast of Tabernacles (Chag Sukkot, literally, Feast of Booths)...
Leviticus
23:33 And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying,
23:34 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, 'The fifteenth day of
this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days
unto YHWH.
23:35 'On the first day shall be a set-apart convocation: ye shall do
no servile work therein.
23:36 'Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH: on
the eighth day shall be a set-apart convocation unto you; and ye shall
offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH: it is a solemn assembly; and
ye shall do no servile work therein.'"
Some believe that the eighth day is a separate feast (the last great day), while others believe that the Feast of Tabernacles is actually an eight day feast. To summerize...
Leviticus
23:37 "These are the feasts of YHWH, which ye shall proclaim to be
set-apart convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto YHWH, a
burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon his day:
23:38 'Beside the Sabbaths of YHWH, and beside your gifts, and beside
all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give
unto YHWH.
23:39 'Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have
gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto YHWH
seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth day
shall be a Sabbath.
23:40 'And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly
trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and
willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before YHWH your Elohim
seven days.
23:41 'And ye shall keep it a feast unto YHWH seven days in the year.
It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate
it in the seventh month.
23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born
shall dwell in booths:
23:43 'That your generations may know that I made the children of
Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of
Egypt: I am YHWH your Elohim."
23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of YHWH.
Of the feasts of YHWH, there are 3 mentioned where all males were to appear before YHWH each year...
Exodus
23:14 "Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
23:15 'Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed
of the month of the aviv; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and
none shall appear before me empty:)
23:16 'And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which
thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in
the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the
field.
23:17 'Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before YHWH
Elohim."
The Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are not mentioned here.
In conclusion...
Isaiah 66:22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," saith YHWH, "so shall your seed and your name remain. 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me," saith YHWH.
Study by YermeYah