THE FEASTS OF GOD:

This article deals with the progressive nature of God's revelation of himself as witnessed in the fulfillment of the Three Feasts of God. The author is a sinner, saved by grace through faith, and that a gift from God. In their efforts to "rightly divide the word", many men have divided it wrongly. In their desires to hold to a clear distinction between Israel and the Church, they have taken their sharp scalpel of foredrawn conclusions and have diligently worked to slice away Israel from the Church. They have worked so hard to bring out this distinction they have refused to see how Israel and the Church are obviously connected. They violate the very word of God so as to present the church as God's "new thing". It is as though things just didn't work out for God so he had to develop a better plan. This thinking reduces God to the level of men, which in truth is all the higher these men are willing to place Him. Others want to blend Israel and the Church so completely that they speak of the Old Testament Church and the New Testament Church. While I would find this more acceptable than the previously described mindset, this thinking can also contain many of the same elements in thinking as the previous group. They tend to want to universalize the offering of salvation in the Old Testament - which in its strictest sense was not, and to present a God whose first efforts just didn't quite get the job done so He had to up the ante. These folks fail to appreciate God's progressive revelation of Himself and overlook the obvious connections between what He has done, is doing, and will do. They also blur the true distinctions God has placed between Israel and the Church, being unable to see that two things, like husband and wife, while having differening functions and roles can at the same time have a measure of equality. I think the more biblical perspective is to view the distinctions between Israel and the Church as distinct where clearly revealed in terms of role and function as they relate to God's eternal plan,

while at the same time realizing that in terms of salvation God has but one means. In terms of this salvation, if there is but one means and one effect, there must be one progressive unbroken chain of its revelation throughout scripture - a revelation of God Himself as a Ssavior, of His means of salvation, of the effects on man of His salvation, and of the final estate of the saved. But before we are able to look to the future with proper appreciation, awe, and hopeful anticipation of what is yet to be, it behooves man to rightfully and fully comprehend with equal awe and appreciation what has gone before, and what is now. We must see all of the scriptures as God's revelation of Himself, and not as just stories about men. There are those, steeped in the wisdom of men, who would take issue with what I am about to present - it concerns me not. I am not about pleasing men here, but pleasing God. In light of God's progressive revelation of Himself seen in Scripture, I can draw but one conclusion - God has revealed himself in more ways in the Word than my feeble mind is able to comprehend. It seems apparent, that much of His revelation of Himself, at the time the revelation was given, was hidden to those through whom it was revealed. (Luke 24:44-47; Luke 16:29; I Cor. 1:17; John 5:45&46; I Cor. 2:616; Eph. 3:2-12) But was this hidden information - these mysteries of God, for no ones benefit? Was there no purpose in it? On the contrary. In truth, a mystery can not even be called a mystery except by those to whom its secrets have been revealed. And what is a mystery unless it be information that has been shrouded in darkness - always there but never brought together - never understood until One comes with the wisdom to unlock the mystery so that what once seemed so unclear now becomes clear and open to our vision. The Lord Jesus Christ did this for us. It is in this realm of revelation that we will spend our time. Much of God's revelation of Himself recorded in the Old Testament was hidden to those through which it came, and to whom it came. (1 Peter 1:10-12) What amazes me about some of

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the Old Testament scriptures is that the Jews would have preserved them at all. Obviously God sovereignly provided that these accounts be carried forward to the days in which their mysteries would be revealed, so that those for whom they were for might look up to the heavens and believe. This happened in a glorious way at and followling Pentecost with the Church, and it will happen again during the tribulation period. At times like these, as with Paul, the scales fall from the eyes of men when for the first time they truly can see and believe that which before their sin blinded minds could not see. In the Old Testament, God prescribed for the nation of Israel (God's chosen nation that contained God's chosen people) three feasts that were to be observed each year by all the men of Israel. (Deut. 16:1-17) These feasts were to be a lasting ordinance, meaning they would not pass away. We can see from the Scriptures that these feasts were not observed very faithfully. They appear to have ceased to be observed from the time of Samuel as judge, onward - with the exception of the reign of king Josiah who turned to the Lord like no one else ever had. Ezekiel speaks of the feasts but these appear to be in reference to some future time when the boundaries of Israel would be redefined, with the tribes once again in the land. (II Kings 23:21-23; Eze. 45:21) And lastly, we see the most unholy observance of the feast by the nation of Israel at the time of Christ when the feasts come forth in a most holy fulfillment in and through Christ Jesus. What the Israelites had observed in the physical, with much of the spiritual still veiled by God, God brought forth in the spiritual through Jesus Christ. What had been long hidden in God was made plain to those who had eyes to see and ears to hear. Let us look at how what had been for so long proclaimed by God and physically observed by the Israelites, was made complete in Christ. What God has proclaimed (commanded) would and should be done, will eventually come in all of its completeness and purity, just as He has prescribed it. THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER Let us first look at the Passover. Almost everyone who calls himself Christian has some understanding of the connection of the Passover with Jesus Christ. What I wish to center our attention on is not a defense of Christ being a fulfillment of the Passover, but rather, to look at the description of how the feasts of God were to be observed by the Israelites and compare them

to the events following Christ's imprisonment. We know from scripture that Christ's blood was shed on the day of the Passover Feast, falling also as the day of preparation for a special Sabbath. Volumes have been written concerning this subject. It is obvious that Christ was and is the Lamb that was slain. But the shed blood of the Passover has always been a blood of salvation. Salvation from physical death came to the first borne of the Israelites in Egypt - and salvation from the second death for those who are brought to belief in Christ. The Passover speaks of our being saved. Let us examine the description of the physical observance shown us in the Old Testament, and unite it with the spiritual counterpart as revealed in the New Testament where this mystery unfolds into reality and light. The Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread, was to commemorate the Israelites being brought up out of Egypt by night. Egypt speaks of bondage and slavery. Just as the Israelites were physically led out by night, so we in God's salvation from slavery to sin are moved and quickened by God's initial act while we are yet in darkness. If He had not first moved in our behalf we would have remained slaves. (Rom. 3:11; 10:20) And, in regard to God's moving in our behalf, let us not forget the great miracles performed in the physical so that the Israelites might be brought to the point of movement. What great heavenly battles have been fought so that our salvation would take its place in time? At this we can only wonder. The one battle we have been allowed to observe, that stands as the completion of all battles in regard to our salvation, took place at the cross. The first observance of the Passover was for the firstborn of Israel - observed once in time with a covering of blood. The observance with Jesus Christ was once for all who were destined to be covered by His blood. This feast could only be observed "at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling place for his name". (Deut. 16:1-17) In the physical of the Israelites, this place was first at the tabernacle, then at the temple in Jerusalem - both possessors of the Holy of Holies - the dwelling place of God. In the New Testament, as the veil of this temple was torn at Christ's death. We see now that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit if we have been chosen as a dwelling place for His name. (I Cor. 6:19&20; II Cor. 6:16) The Israelites ate a physical bread made without yeast, hurriedly made, a bread of

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affliction, prepared as they left the land of bondage in haste. (Deut. 16:3) In comparison, we are quickly brought from the bondage of sin as we look upon the sinless body of the Lord Jesus Christ whose flesh and blood we must eat. (John 6:53-58) Just as the food the Israelites ate became a very part of their bodies giving them strength for their journey ahead, when we take in Christ, true life for the first time enters us and becomes a part of us. (John 7:38) Bitter herbs were to be a part of the meal taken by the Israelites, and the yeast removed from their houses. (Ex. 12:8) How darkened we were by the yeast of the world as we were a part of it in our sin, and how bitter we view that sin as with real sorrow we contemplate the consequences wrought through Christs death for what we have done. (Acts 2:37) The Israelites were to eat the physical meal so they would have a remembrance of what God had physically done in bringing them out of Egypt. (Deut. 5:15) Though our sins are recognized as forgiven, we look in shame at our sin as we are reminded of how God has delivered us from that sin. We are brought to sorrow and repentance when we stumble and fall, realizing that we have yearned, again for a time, for the sinful offerings of the Egypt from which we have been brought out and redeemed. The feast was to be observed both with solemnity and thankfulness. During the time of feasting they were to do no work. (Deut. 5:14) As we are brought to Christ it is our most serious time, as we recognize that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags, and our works bring no salvation. (Isaiah 64:6, filthy ragsliterally menstrual cloths, our righteousness is an offering of unclean blood; compare to precious blood of Christ; Eph. 2:9) We can be thankful that it is so, for what manner of salvation could we have formed with corrupted hands. (Matt. 5:20) THE FEAST OF WEEKS If the first of the feasts has found its fulfillment in Christ, we would be surprised if the second of the feasts the Israelites were commanded to observe did not also find its fulfillment in Christ. This second of the great feasts has gone by several titles in the Scriptures and down through time. I will name them here so that there is no misunderstanding as to their being one and the same feast. The Feast of Weeks = the Feast of First Fruits = the Feast of Harvest = the Feast of Pentecost. Actually the Feast of Weeks was composed of two main events. First was the Feast of First Fruits, when a celebration was held to commemorate the first

of the harvest being gathered. This was to be observed when the sickle was first put to the standing grain. From that day the Israelites were to count off 7 weeks (49 days), then observe the Feast of Harvest. The latter feast was to commemorate the completion of the harvest. The exact time of this feast was not originally specified by exact month and day. However, at the time of Jesus Christ the Feast of Weeks had become known as the Feast of Pentecost and was observed 7 weeks after the first day of the Passover. With this as our background, let us look again at how what God commanded Israel to do physically was completed in Christ spiritually. The first day of the celebration was determined by when the sickle was first put to the standing grain. Christ was the first fruit of the Father, and beyond that the only begotten Son of the Father. (Rom. 8:29) To Christ the sickle was first put. He was harvested from the Earth as the first fruits so that the day of the appointed Feast of Harvest might be set. If the crucifixion of Christ does indeed set the time for the Feast of Harvest to come, what do the scriptures tell us we should have expected to happen at Pentecost? Let us look at the Old Testament to see the nature of how the feast was to be observed. The first thing we see is that the feast, as commanded by God, was to be observed by the "Giving of a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord has given you". If we look at the events of Pentecost we find that Christ commanded his followers to stay in Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49) And on what day did that power come. It came on the Feast of Harvest on Pentecost. We should not be at all surprised by this since Jesus Christ came for the Jew first. The fact that this took place at Pentecost was for those who would believe when given even further confirmation that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. With this new evidence and the wonders they saw, once explained by Peter, even those who may have stood and cried, "crucify Him", were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brother what shall we do'?" They gave freewill offerings in proportion to the blessing the Lord had given them. The apostles were set appart with authority as Gods spokesmen, they spoke in tongues, Peter proclaimed the Gospel, and 3000 men repented and proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord. And God had given all who responded much, for He had given salvation. But what of those who did not believe? They too gave freewill offerings in proportion to what God had given them. They spewed their condemnation of

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themselves as they saw only drunkards and derelicts, for God had given them nothing. I now find it interesting that for the major part of this century the focus of attention given to these passages in Acts, by those claiming to be believers, has centered on the miraculous manifestations of the day. Volumes and volumes have been written on tongues and the other things witnessed that day, and though while interesting, they should never have been the focus of the church. The focus should have been on what God was doing, and not on what men did who had been moved by God. Men's attention should rather have been on what it was that God was revealing of Himself that day, and not upon the poor earthly vessels through whom it was revealed. What took place that day was miraculous. It was a sign to those who would believe that God was peeling away the darkness that had covered the mystery written of what was written by Moses, and in the Psalms, and by the prophets that through Christ Jesus there was salvation from sin. (Luke 24:44-48) The mystery of Christ's body was revealed as the Church was born that day - the day of God's second feast. What else do the Scriptures tell us regarding this second of God's feasts? We are told the Israelites were to rejoice before the Lord your God at the place He chose as His dwelling place. Returning to Acts we see the condition of the early believers. Those believers rejoiced before God in the place He had chosen to bless them. (Acts 1:1-8) In their rejoicing they sold their possessions, giving to anyone as they had need. They met together daily. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (Acts 2:44-47) And who among the Israelites was to observe the Feast of Harvest, "You, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you." At Pentecost the harvest began first with the Galileans, then with the Jews at the feast, then to all Judea and Samaria, and eventually to all the world. The harvest is made complete in Christ - for there is no other name under heaven whereby men must be saved. All that will be harvested will be harvested by and through Him. (Acts 2:39) The Israelites were also given a solemn warning regarding the observance of the feast. They were to remember that they were slaves in Egypt and they were to follow carefully Gods

decrees. Likewise as Christians we must acknowledge that God has saved us from slavery to sin. This includes both spiritual freedom from sin and the means for resisting temptation and sin. (I Cor. 10:13) THE FEAST OF INGATHERING The Feast of Tabernacles is also known as the Feast of Ingathering. This third of the feasts, like the Feast of Weeks, was to be a time of joy observed by the same persons as observed the other feasts. This feast was to be celebrated once the harvest had been gathered from the threshing floor and the winepress. As we know that at present God's harvest from the Earth is not yet complete, we must also recognize that for the believer this feast is yet future. This feast speaks of a future time when we, as that which has been harvested, are brought into the presence of the Lord. In the previous two feasts the Israelites were to give freewill offerings according to how they had been blessed by God. We saw that through the Lord Jesus Christ these feasts were observed by miraculous signs, repentance, sorrow, confession of sin, salvation from sin, joy, and obedience. These are all expressions in proportion to the blessing the Lord had given. But in the Feast of Tabernacles, we are told that the Lord would bless the Israelites in all their harvest and in all the work of their hands. The spiritual reality of this feast for believers is that they will be judged according to their works - not in terms of salvation but as regarding God's future blessing to them. (II Cor. 5:6-10) Lastly we are told that in this blessing on their works the Israelites' joy would be made complete. Will not the believer experience joy unspeakable at this feast when he then, with glorified body, receives his reward from God for his faithfulness? (Luke 6:23) God commanded of the Israelites that all the men of Israel were to observe these three feasts. No man was to come empty handed, but was to bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord had blessed him. As what was revealed, though hidden in the physical observances of Israel, was a foreshadowing of God's great salvation as fully revealed in Jesus Christ, no redeemed man will appear at the first resurrection empty handed. Each will be properly attired for the wedding. None will be cast out. Each man will possess within himself, through the Lord Jesus Christ, the testimony of the three witnesses of the Feasts of God. For the rest, the second resurrection and

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awful judgement is all that awaits them. Knowing this, I can do nothing but exhort all to seek God in Christ in hope that they too might, in their bodies, become a present dwelling place for His name. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) Scott Glover, January 28, 2013 November 1993, revised

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