The 7 Feasts of Leviticus and You
(Leviticus 23)
1. The church board wanted a truly special speaker for today. So they decided to ask the man considered the best preacher in the state, but he said “no.” Then they decided to ask the most academically acclaimed speaker, but he said “no.” Then they decided to ask the most handsome pastor in the state, but he said, “no.”
2. So then one of the board members said, “Let’s ask Ed.”
3. And what could I say? I had already said “no” three times!
4. In all seriousness – I have a love and a deep respect for Lockport Church for many reasons. I do consider it an honor to be here, and I am praying that God will guide you into finding your next pastor.
5. Since you have a number of men filling the pulpit, I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be preaching on the same text as your other guests, so I figured I would be safe in Leviticus. But the truth is, I very much enjoy preaching on the subject before us.
6. Do you ever have doubts that God is in control? Some of our nation’s forefathers were Deists – God created the world and then went away. I have sometimes been tempted to think this. But God’s Word gives us much to anchor our belief in a God Who cares, Who has all power, has a plan, and Who is ultimately good.
MAIN IDEA: God has a plan, a long-range intricate plan. He does not improvise as things move along, for He moves things along at His pace in His way.
TS---------------? The 7 Feasts of Leviticus evidence that God is in control and has a plan for the history – and for us. But first we need the big picture.
I. This Begins with Understanding the TYPES of Bible Prophecy.
A. DIRECT prophecy
1. Stated in plain language (Luke 9:22)
2. Poetic (Isaiah 9:6, for example)
3. Symbolic (example: Revelation, John 2:18-23)
B. SHADOWS (our current study about the Feasts)
• particularly the case with the Law (Torah, first 5 books)
Hebrews 10:1 reads, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming–not the realities themselves.”
Colossians 2:16-17 “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
Hebrews 8:3-5 “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.”
C. Providential PATTERNS
• The numbers 3 (God’s number), 7 and multiples of 7 (the number of God’s perfect work), and 40 (the number of testing and stressing)
• Twelve, the number of God’s people: twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles, 144,000 end-time Jewish evangelists, etc.
• Repeated patterns: Temple Destroyed on same day of year in 586 B.C. and 70 A.D., etc.
• The Jews fast every year of the 9th of the month of Av (a summer month).
Application: When Pastor Nord announced his retirement, it was rough. When the Lord called Christy home when He did, it was a chaotic time for you and more so Nord and the family. Those things can shake us. But God is still on the throne. We know God loves us not because of how life goes, but because of the cross. And we know He has a plan, partly because of things like the Feasts of Israel.
II. What A Study of The Levitical Festivals Can Do For YOU
Most of us believe the first part of 2 Timothy 3:16, that all Scripture is inspired, but we don’t the next portion that tells us that all Scripture is profitable. Many passages that seem horribly boring and unrelevant when read can become fascinating when studies.
A. It nurtures our trust in the Bible as we move beyond COINCIDENCE.
B. It nurtures our belief that God has an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC plan.
C. It highlights the Person and Work of Messiah JESUS.
2 Peter 1:16, “ We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
• If what we believe is a hoax, it is a hoax orchestrated over a 1500 year period!
D. It provides us with a basis for witnessing to Jewish FRIENDS.
• Chuck F. and Doug A. witnessed to Orthodox Jewish men
E. It REAFFIRMS that Christianity has JEWISH roots and that God has a future plan for the literal nation of ISRAEL.
God has a plan, a long-range plan. He is a big God. He does not improvise as things move along, for every detail is taken into account beforehand
III. Our Main Course: the Seven Levitical FEASTS Themselves (Leviticus 23)! [see handout]
A. The Fests spell out God’s plan for mankind’s REDEMPTION.
B. The seven ANNUAL and original feasts
1. PASSOVER (4-5) “Christ died for our sins”
2. Unleavened BREAD [matzoh] (6-8) “…to make us holy”
3. FIRSTFRUITS (9-14) “…and He rose again” “...the first fruits of them that sleep...”
4. PENTECOST (weeks) (15-22) The Spirit’s empowerment for the harvest
5. TRUMPETS (23-25) “….with the Sound of the Trumpet”
6. ATONEMENT (26-32) “…And we look forward to the time when all Israel will be saved”
7. TABERNACLES (Booths) (33-43) “And the people will celebrate God dwelling on the earth during the Millennial Kingdom Age which melds into the Age of the New Heavens and New Earth”
Conclusion
1. Have you been reconciled to God, and are you know aligned with His program?
2. Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Let us all get to know Him – and His program for history – better. It makes a difference in our day to day lives.
