STUDY OF THE FEASTS OF THE LORD with respect to the CHRIST
William Akehurst, HSWC
Scriptures: Leviticus 23:1-44, Leviticus 23:5, Exodus 12:1-30, John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, Leviticus 23:6-8, 1 Peter 2:22, Psalm 16:10, Leviticus 23:9-14, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Leviticus 23:15-22, Acts 2:1-4, Jeremiah 31:33, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Leviticus 23:23-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Leviticus 23:26-32, Hebrews 9:11-14, Zechariah 12:10, Romans 11:26, Leviticus 23:33-43, Zechariah 14:16, Revelation 21:3
The Feasts of the LORD (Leviticus 23) are GOD’s appointed times (moedim). They are prophetic in nature, and they reveal GOD’s redemptive plan.
BIG IDEA: Each feast points to JESUS (Yeshua) as Messiah; His conception, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, the sending of the Spirit, and His future return.
• Spring feasts. JESUS fulfilled at His first coming (death, burial, resurrection, Spirit given).
• Fall feasts. Await fulfillment at His second coming (rapture, Israel’s salvation, Messianic reign).
• JESUS is the center and fulfillment of all the Feasts of the LORD; GOD’s prophetic calendar of redemption.
JESUS’ FIRST COMING — FULFILLMENT OF THE SPRING FEASTS
1. Conception – Hanukkah (Festival of Lights / Dedication)
• John 8:12 – “I am the Light of the world.”
• Hanukkah celebrates rededication and the miracle of light.
• Likely time of Jesus’ conception – the Light entered the world.
• FACT: Science has recently proven that at conception, there is light that occurs (between sperm and egg) within the womb.
2. Birth – Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
• John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.”
• Shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:8) fits the autumn season, not December.
• Called the “Season of Our Joy” and “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10).
• Jesus literally dwelt (tabernacled) with His people.
The Spring Feasts (fulfilled in His first coming)
3. Death - Passover (Pesach) – Leviticus 23:5
• Israel remembered the lamb’s blood that saved them from judgment in Egypt (Exodus 12).
• JESUS, the Passover Lamb (John 1:29), was crucified at the very hour lambs were slain (1 Corinthians 5:7). His blood covers us from GOD’s judgment.
• Fulfilled when JESUS was crucified on Passover.
4. Burial - Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) – Leviticus 23:6-8
• Symbolized removing leaven (sin) from the house.
• JESUS, the sinless One (1 Peter 2:22), was buried during this feast. His body did not decay (Psalm 16:10).
5. Resurrection - Firstfruits (Yom HaBikkurim) – Leviticus 23:9-14
• The first of the harvest was offered to GOD.
• JESUS rose from the dead as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
(1 Corinthians 15:20). His resurrection guarantees ours.
6. Spirit given - Pentecost (Shavuot) – Leviticus 23:15-22
• Originally celebrated the giving of the Law at Sinai.
• Fifty days after Firstfruits, the Holy Spirit was poured out (Acts 2).
• Just as at Sinai, the Law was written on stone tablets, the Spirit now writes GOD’s law on hearts
(Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3).
JESUS’ SECOND COMING — FULFILLMENT OF THE FALL FEASTS
The Fall Feasts (to be fulfilled in His second coming)
7. Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah) – Leviticus 23:23-25
• Marked by trumpet blasts, a call to repentance and gathering.
• Foreshadows the rapture / resurrection when the trumpet sounds
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52).
• Points to JESUS’ return for His bride. (the CHURCH)
• Announces the coming of the King.
8. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – Leviticus 23:26-32
• The high priest entered the Holy of Holies with blood for the nation’s sins.
• JESUS is our High Priest (Hebrews 9:11–14), who offered His own blood once for all.
• Prophetically, it points to the future national repentance of Israel
(Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26).
9. Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot / Booths) – Final Fulfillment – Leviticus 23:33-43
• Remembered GOD’s presence with Israel in the wilderness.
• Points to the future when JESUS will dwell (tabernacle) with His people in the Millennial Kingdom (Zechariah 14:16; Revelation 21:3).
• The nations will come to worship the King.
THE BIG PICTURE (SUMMARY)
• Conception – Hanukkah (Light enters the world)
• Birth: Tabernacles (God dwells with us)
• Death: Passover (Lamb slain)
• Burial: Unleavened Bread (Sinless in the grave)
• Resurrection: Firstfruits (Victory over death)
• Spirit Given: Pentecost (Law on hearts)
• Return: Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles (Kingdom reign)
CONCLUSION
The Feasts of the LORD are not just Jewish holidays — they are God’s prophetic calendar, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
• The Spring Feasts were fulfilled in His first coming.
• The Fall Feasts will be fulfilled in His second coming.
• From His conception to His return, Jesus is the center and fulfillment of every feast.
Scriptures referenced:
Leviticus 23:1-44
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Luke 2:8-10 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
Exodus 12:13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
1 Corinthians 5:7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Psalms 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Jeremiah 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:52… in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Leviticus 23:33-43 33 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.
37 These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day— 38 besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD.
39 ‘Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.’ ”
Hebrews 9:11-14 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Bill
