The Prophetic Significance of the Old Testament Festivals - Back to the list of articles

The Prophetic Significance of the Old Testament Festivals
Excerpts from a Sermon by Richard M. Davidson

I invite us to look more closely at the festivals set forth in Leviticus 23.  As one studies the yearly round of festivals and their gospel antitypes, it becomes apparent that the Jewish religious year foreshadowed the whole plan of salvation, the whole sweep of salvation history.

In fact, if I had only one sermon to preach, and in this sermon I wished to take only one passage of Scripture, one page of the Bible at the most, and cover in detail the whole plan of God for this world–including Creation/Sabbath, Christ’s life and death and resurrection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the start of the Christian church, the Great Advent Movement, the investigative judgment starting in 1844, the second coming of Christ, the millennium, and the New Earth–there is only one passage or page of Scripture that I know of which covers it all! That is Leviticus 23.

Leviticus 23 has two introductions.  Vs. 2 introduces the festivals: “The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”  Then in vs. 3 is the reference to the weekly Sabbath: “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.  You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.”  Then in vs. 4 we have a second introduction: “These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.”

Why two introductions?  By means of these introductions God separates between the weekly sabbaths and the yearly (ceremonial) sabbaths/festivals.  Why this separation?  The conclusion to the chapter underscores this separation gives us the reason.  Vs. 37 reads: “These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, in order to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, everything on its day.”   Then vs. 38 adds: “Besides [in addition to] the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord.”   Note the ultimate purpose given for the annual festivals of vs. 37 was “in order to [lamed of purpose]offer an offering made by fire. . .”  The annual festivals are intricately linked to the sacrificial system; their main purpose was to provide a time for the offering of sacrifices.  On the other hand, vs. 38 describes the weekly Sabbaths, and other activities like vows and freewill offerings that were NOT inextricably linked to the sacrificial system.  The weekly Sabbath and other activities not linked to the sacrificial system continue in force still today, and the weekly Sabbath, rooted in Creation and not a ceremonial “type,” thus still is mandatory for the Christian.  But the ceremonial annual festivals, inextricably linked to the ceremonial sacrificial system, had a built-in statute of limitations.  When the sacrificial (ceremonial) system of types began to meet their fulfillment when Type met Antitype in the sacrifice of Christ, the annual festivals rooted in this sacrificial system no longer were mandatory.  Type gave way to Reality–the Fulfillment of all these types.   Since the death of Christ we have now been living in the era of that antitypical fulfillment. 

While it is not mandatory to keep the OT ceremonial festivals today, at the same time it is very beneficial for us to look at the compacted prophecy of the plan of salvation typified in those OT festivals, and marvel at how they have been, or are being, fulfilled in NT times.   Let’s review the sweep of salvation history contained in these annual festivals of Lev 23.

The first festival, Passover (Pesach), coming on the 14th day of the first month (Nisan), pointed forward  to Christ the antitypical Passover Lamb, and this festival was fulfilled as Christ died (in A.D. 31) at the very hour of the slaying of the Passover lamb.  On the third day after Passover, according to Leviticus 23 (vs. 11), the priest was to wave the wave sheaf of barley as the first fruits of the harvest.  And on the third day, after the Lamb of God died on Calvary, he arose as the first-fruits of them that sleep (1 Cor 15:2, 3).  (See my article in Shabbat Shalom, the recent issue on Passover, for more details.)

Fifty days later (3rd month, Sivan, 6th day) came the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), or Pentecost, also called Feast of Harvest.  What did this foreshadow?  Yes, in the year A.D. 31--fifty days after Christ's resurrection, when Pentecost had “fully come” (Acts 2:1), when the 50th day had been reached--the seed which Jesus had sown in His earthly ministry witnessed a mighty harvest, as He poured out His Spirit on His waiting disciples and thousands were converted in a day. 

In Lev 23:17 there is the reference to the waving of two loaves of bread at Pentecost time in Old Testament times.   Note that this is leavened bread, in contrast to the unleavened bread of Passover.  Christ’s sacrifice was without fermentation or sin, a perfect, unblemished offering.  But our offerings to God, our lives of sanctification through the Holy Spirit, as the loaves of bread were made by human hands, even with fine flour (vs. 17), still are corrupted with the leaven of sin and cannot be acceptable to God by themselves.  But according to vss. 19-20, these two loaves are waved together with two lambs!  Even our best offering, our “finest work of sanctification,” is only acceptable on the basis of the Lamb of God!

When was the first Pentecost?  The data in Exod 19:1-11 indicates that 50 days after the first Passover finds the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai with God giving the Law probably on the very day of Pentecost (see Nahum Sarna’s JPS commentary on Exodus for this calculation).  The reference to two loaves of bread in Lev 23:17 provides a hint of the two tables of stone given on Mt. Sinai (cf. Deut 8:3; Mt 4:4; and the continuing living Jewish tradition that links the two loaves of hallah bread eaten on the eve of the Sabbath with God’s law on two tables of stone).  The parallels between the first Pentecost at Sinai and the Upper Room experience of Acts 2 are phenomenal!  Just as at the original Pentecost which was kept at the foot of Mt. Sinai, God organized His church, historical Israel, so in the antitypical Pentecost He (re-) organized His church, Christian Israel.  Just as at Mt. Sinai, in the First Covenant on the first Pentecost there was earthquake, fire, mighty wind, and the finger of God writing the law (Exod 19-20; 32:15-16), so at the New Covenant Pentecost, the house shook, there was the sound of rushing wind, and tongues of fire descended on the waiting disciples (Acts 2:1-4).  And the Holy Spirit (the “Finger of God,” cf. Mt 12:28 with Lk 11:20)  wrote His law in their hearts and minds.

We usually think that the meaning of Pentecost concentrated on the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Christian Church.  But this is not the deepest meaning of Pentecost!  According to Acts 2:33 the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the disciples was the earthly sign that Christ had been inaugurated as priest-king in the heavenly sanctuary!  Heb 1:9 indicates that after Christ’s ascension He was anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions.  Psalm 133 gives us a picture of that anointing service in the Old Testament type.  David in this Psalm is describing the unity of the people of God, and He struggles to find the most wonderful memory in Old Testament history with which to compare this unity.  He finally finds a suitable simile: “It is like the oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, and down off the hems of his garments.”  This was the one-time occasion of the anointing of the high priest when the sanctuary services started up (see Lev 8:12).  It was a time of great rejoicing for Israel, for with the anointing of Aaron the high priest, they now had a mediator to represent them in the sanctuary. 

So is the anointing of Christ as High Priest and King in the heavenly sanctuary a time for great joy.  Following Christ’s ascension on the 40th day after his resurrection, there was a ten day inaugural celebration–the greatest inaugural ball in the history of the universe (see AA 38-39 for amplification of biblical data)!  And as the climax of that celebration, Christ was anointed.  Can you picture it, in the light of Ps 133?   The heavenly anointing oil–symbolizing the Holy Spirit (Zech 4:1-6)–was poured on Jesus’ head, and flowed down upon His beard, and was so abundant that it flowed on down and off the hems of His garments, and as I like to picture it, it kept right on flowing, from heaven to earth, and on the way between heaven and earth that heavenly oil was ignited into tongues of fire!  And the waiting disciples who received that gift of the Holy Spirit, recognized it as the earthly sign of the descending oil!  The Holy Spirit never testifies of Himself, but of Jesus Christ (Jn 15:26).  So the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the sign to the disciples in the upper room that Jesus had been inaugurated as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.  They had a Mediator before the Father!

As Ellen White puts it:
The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished.  According to His promise He has sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people.  (AA 39)

So the spring typical festivals were fulfilled right on time, and in every detail in the events surrounding the First Advent.  And just as surely as the spring typical festivals at the beginning of the Jewish year have been fulfilled, so surely do the fall festivals, at the end of the Jewish year meet their fulfillment in connection with the windup of salvation history.

On the first day of the seventh month, God ordained Israel to keep the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah).  This was a call to judgment, a solemn summons to be prepared for the cleansing of the sanctuary on the tenth day of the month, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).  As in the type, so in the antitype.

The Advent believers from all denominations were stirred by the prophecy of Daniel 8:14:  "Unto 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."  Before the time for the antitypical cleansing of the sanctuary, the trumpets of warning were sounded.  The first angel went forth with the message of the everlasting gospel in the setting of judgment:  "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come."  And then the day came toward which the prophetic time clock had pointed--October 22, 1844.  Just as the disciples of Jesus at His first coming were at first unclear as to His work at the end of the 70 week prophecy, and were at first disappointed, so the Advent believers at first misunderstood the nature of the antitypical cleansing of the sanctuary at the end of the 2300 days.  But God's light of truth shown upon the Advent disciples in 1844 as surely as He did upon the disciples in A.D. 31.  The glorious truth of the investigative judgment was revealed--the great heavenly courtroom session, resulting in vindication of God in the Great Controversy, the vindication of His commandment-keeping faithful people.  That message of present truth stands firm!  It is a solid platform that is rooted and grounded in Scripture.  The most intense investigation of this doctrine in recent years has only made it shine more brightly, and reveal greater depths of significance.  It is a pillar showing clearly where we are in the course of history.

What we have attempted to show so far is that the major feasts of Israel, as set forth in Leviticus 23, have already been, or are in the process of being fulfilled.  That is all but one—the last one of the religious year.  The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), or Feast of Ingathering which still points forward to the final ingathering of God's people into their harvest home after the millennium.  (Zech 14:16)

Now if this feast is still pointing forward, if type has not yet ultimately met antitype in this feast, does it not therefore follow that Christians would gain a blessing to still celebrate at least this particular Old Testament feast?  I'm not suggesting that we still sacrifice the animals as Israel did on this and the other feast days.  Obviously all the Old Testament sacrifices pointed toward the One Great Sacrifice, Jesus Christ.  And this part of Tabernacles is already fulfilled.  But the Feast of Tabernacles itself, still points forward to the New Earth, which is a type that has still not ultimately reached its antitype.  Should it not be the Christian's privilege to take the occasion of this feast to meditate on the meaning and hope its message has for us?  The inspired author of that beautiful book Patriarchs and Prophets wrote a sentence that has been largely overlooked by Seventh-day Adventists.

Patriarch and Prophets, 540-541:  "Well would it be for the people of God at the present time to have a Feast of Tabernacles--a joyous commemoration of the blessings of God to them."  This is the only Old Testament festival thus recommended.  Praise God--another chance to celebrate the goodness of God.  (Note that Ellen White says, "well would it be"--not that we are required to, as with the weekly Sabbath.  Since the ceremonial law met its Antitype at the cross, it is no longer mandatory to keep any of the annual feasts.  But as Christian Israel, we have the privilege to savor our Hebrew roots if we choose.  And the Feast of Tabernacles is particularly inviting, since it still points forward in its ultimate fulfillment.)

The Bible sometimes speaks of Sukkot simply as "The Feast," because it was considered the crowning festival of the whole year.  It was the most popular and most anticipated of all the feasts.  The other festivals involved times of joy, but especially regarding Tabernacles does the Bible command the celebrants to rejoice:

Lev 23:40:  "You shall rejoice before the Lord seven days."

The first thing the pilgrims did as they arrived for the Feast was to construct tabernacles or booths  (Lev 23:40-43). What is the significance of this crucial element of the Feast? The booths first of all pointed backward--they commemorated the pilgrimage of Israel in the wilderness (Lev 23:42-43).  Throughout the long years of wandering, God's protection had continually been manifest. 

The booths in OT times also pointed forward to the Booth that gives every other booth meaning.  In Amos 9:11 God promised to send the Messiah Jesus Christ, Son of David, as the true Booth:  He says, "In that day I will raise up the booth [the same word as for the booth of Sukkot] of David that is fallen."

The true Booth is a person!  Our Savior Jesus Christ.  He is the personal Tabernacle of the Feast of Tabernacles.  John writes in John 1:14:  "And the word became flesh and dwelt [lit. tabernacled] among us."  In His booth we may dwell secure.  (Note also that Christ was possibly born at Feast of Tabernacles time.)

The booths also speak of our present experience.  This earth is a pilgrimage. We are dwelling in the tents of our sinful bodies (2 Cor 5:1), waiting for the transformation and glorification that is to come.  "By faith, like Abraham [Heb 11:9] he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents (booths) looking forward to a city, whose builder and maker is God."  Like the other worthies of Hebrew 11, we "desire a better country, that is a heavenly one."  (Heb 11:16)  Christ, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith, has gone before us to prepare us a place in the lasting city.

Finally, the Feast of Booths points us forward to the ultimate tabernacle.  The voice goes forth after the millennium when the New Jerusalem descends:  "The tabernacle of God is with men.  And He shall tabernacle with them and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them."  (Rev 21:3)

In Jesus' day the most impressive ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles was called the "water of outpouring," in commemoration of God's supplying of water from the rock in the wilderness. At the first dawn of day every day of the feast there was a long blast of trumpets, followed by answering trumpets and shouts from the pilgrims in their booths all over the surrounding hills of Jerusalem.  Then the designated priest led a procession down the steep slope of Mt. Zion to the pool of Siloam, and filled a golden flagon holding three logs (about one and a half pints).  The priest made his way slowly up again toward the Temple Mount, and as he reached the Water Gate they blew on the shofar a sustained, a quavering, and another quavering blast.  The priest lifted the golden flagon on high, and while the trumpets continued sounding, he slowly ascended the fifteen white marble steps of the temple, keeping time with the music and chanting, "Our feet shall sand within thy gates, O Jerusalem."  (Ps 122:2)

Then the priest ascended the altar ramp and turned to the right where there were two silver bowls.  The bowl to the west was for the water and the one to the east for the libation of wine.  The bowls each had a spout at the bottom.  The spout for the wine was narrower than the one for the water, so that the wine, which flowed more slowly would empty out at the same time as the water.

The flagons of wine and water were poured into the bowls and flowed together into a pipe, down under the temple court, to the Brook Kidron, and finally out into the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth.  The worshippers witnessed this display of consecrated water representing the fountain which at God's commands had gushed from the rock in the wilderness, and spontaneously the jubilant strains rang forth, "The Lord is my strength and my song, therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."  (Isa 12:2, 3)

What joy animated the worshippers who witnessed this scene.  In fact the rabbis said, "He that never has seen the joy of the water of outpouring has never in his life seen joy."

I would add, O the even greater joy that comes from grasping the meaning of this service.  Christ brought just such joy.  It was the Feast of Tabernacles, A.D. 30.  According to John 7:37, it was "On the last day of the feast, the great day."  Jesus had been teaching day by day throughout the Feast, but now this final morning the priest had ascended from the pool of Siloam for the last time that year, and the ceremony reached a grand climax at the pouring out of the water with the wine into the silver bowls.  Just then, as the people were dazzled by the splendor of the ritual and the music, and yet groping to understand the meaning of it all, thirsty for spiritual water to satisfy their souls, just then, Jesus lifted up his voice, and in tones that rang throughout the temple courts, He said, "If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.  He that believes on me, as the Scripture said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living waters."

Jesus is the real fountain of living waters.   On the cross, a few short weeks after celebrating His last Sukkot, He hung upon a cross, and died.  A Roman soldier thrust a spear in His side, and from the hole in His side flowed together water and blood (John 19:34) down, to the “Dead Sea”--to the lowest spot on earth, to the lowest sinner--the most hopeless case--to give life, living waters,--and to make each of us veritable pools of Siloam to share living water with other sinners.  Jesus is the center, the meaning of the water service.

Jesus is also the meaning of the beautiful ceremony of lights that took place every evening during the Feast of Tabernacles.  In the Court of the Women in Jesus' day were two lofty standards, supporting golden lampstands some 75 feet high.  After the evening sacrifice four young boys of priestly line climbed ladders.  Holding in their hands jars each containing 120 logs or about ten gallons of oil, they poured the oil into the bowls at the top of each lampstand.  Then they took huge wicks made from the worn out clothes of the priests and stuck them down into the oil and then set the lampstands alight.  And according to the Mishnah "there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect the light of the lamps."  All night long joyful Jews continued their celebration in the light of the lighted standards.  They danced before the Lord with burning torches in their hands, singing songs and praises.  And countless Levites accompanied them on harps, lyres, cymbals, and trumpets, and other instruments.

The light which brought such joy commemorated the pillar of fire that had guided Israel in the desert.  It was also widely believed among the Jews of Jesus' day that the light pointed to the Messiah who would come to shed His light upon Israel.

Such was the expectation in 30 A.D., when night after night Jesus witnessed the lighting of the great lamps.  The final lighting ceremony took place, but Jesus made no announcement then.  The light of the lamp was impressive, but it was an imperfect symbol of His mission.

So Jesus waited till the final morning of the Feast.  The cock-crowed, and the last ceremony of the Feast began.  Two priests stood at the upper gate (Nicanor Gate) that leads down the fifteen steps from the main Court of the Women, with two trumpets in their hands.  As the cock crowed, they blew a sustained, a quavering, and another sustained blast, and began descending the steps.  On the tenth step they again blew blasts on the trumpets.  When they reached the Court of the Women--more trumpet blasts.  They went on across the court to the gate that leads out to the east.  Then they turned their faces toward the west--toward the temple building, and said, "Our fathers when they were in this place turned with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they worshiped the sun toward the east, but as for us, we are the Lord's; and our eyes are turned to the Lord."

By this climactic point in the morning service, the sun had just risen, and its rays fell with dazzling brightness upon the marble palaces of Jerusalem and lighted up the gold of the temple walls.  Ah, here in the magnificence of the sunrise was the more perfect symbol of the glory of the Messiah's mission!  And at this dramatic hour, with the sunlit splendor before them, and the words on their lips, "our eyes are turned toward the Lord," Jesus, pointing to the scene, speaks in clarion tones, "I am the light of the world."

What a moment!  What a message!  Jesus announces that He is the true light the Jews had been longing for.  The Messiah has come!  The light, the glory of Israel is here; and yes, as the sun shone all over the earth, Jesus is a light also to the Gentiles, (Isa 49:6) the light which lights every man that comes into the world.

We have pictured how the First Advent of Christ gave partial meaning to the symbols of Tabernacles.  But Tabernacles ultimately points beyond Christ's first coming.  His life, death, and resurrection are the provisions, making possible that ultimate Feast of Tabernacles that still lies in the future.  As we saw at the beginning of our study, Tabernacles is the one feast in which type still awaits its ultimate antitypical fulfillment.  After the Great Day of Atonement comes to an end, after the scapegoat (Satan) has been led into the wilderness for a 1000 years, and at the close of the millennium the New Jerusalem descends to earth, and the purifying fire consumes sin and sinner, both root and branch, and the Great Controversy is over, then the saints finally are gathered into their Harvest Home.  The meek finally inherit the earth.  The seed of Abraham finally find rest in the Promised Land.  And the Glorious Ultimate Feast of Tabernacles can begin!

Jesus points us to that ultimate Feast in the book of Revelation.  As one studies the descriptions of the historical Feast of Tabernacles, and then compares with the book of Revelation, it becomes clear that the depictions of the New Earth (especially Revelation 21-22) are largely portraying the Feast of Tabernacles.

Rev 21:(3) begins:  "The Tabernacle of God is with men!"  The New Jerusalem itself, in the shape of a cube (v. 16), constitutes the Holy of Holies of the eternal Tabernacle. And  Tabernacles can begin, because the ultimate Tabernacle (the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb) is present (v. 22)!  And the water festival is there.  Not just a goblet from the pool of Siloam, nor even water gushing from a rock,  but a river of water of life clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1).  The light ceremony is there.  Not lampstands in the Court of Women, nor even a pillar of fire, nor even the dazzling sun; but the Lord God is the Light, and the lamp is the Lamb (Rev 21:23).

The waving of the palm branches is there:  "A great multitude which no man could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."  And singing.  Oh such singing!  The multitude praising God with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb . . . Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might to be our God for ever and ever.  Amen!"  (Rev 7:9-12)

And what a feast is prepared.  Not just the manna provided by God for Israel in the wilderness, though the hidden manna will be part of the fare.  Not just the harvest bounty that can be carried by worshippers coming up to Jerusalem.  God Himself has set the feast!  There's the tree of life with twelve manner of fruit (Rev 22:2).  And from the testimony of one who saw the scene more recently than John, there is a table of pure silver.  Many miles in length, yet our eyes can extend the length of it.  On the table--yes the fruit of the tree of life, and the manna, and almonds, and figs, and grapes, and many kinds of fruit.  And Jesus Himself says to us, "Come, my people, come in to supper; for I will gird myself and serve you."  We all shout Alleluia!  Glory!  (Early Writings, p. 19)

Is there anyone of us that can resist such an invitation!  Can a stronger motivation be given than picturing the glories of that Great Feast?  Is it any wonder that Jesus gives the final invitation of Scripture in the setting of the Feast of Tabernacles?  After the description of Revelation 21-22, we read:  "The Spirit and Bride say, 'come.'  And let him who hears 'come.' And let him who is thirsty, let him who desires take the water of life--the water of that ultimate tabernacles--let him take it without price."  (Rev 22:17)

After the Jewish temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., and the Jews were forced out of Jerusalem into exile, the Feasts were still celebrated at the synagogues, and often amid much suffering and persecution in places other than the synagogue.  But at the conclusion of each feast, the parting greeting of the worshipers was--"Next year in Jerusalem!"  May we not join them and say, “Next year Lord--if you will, next year, very soon, by God’s grace may we celebrate the ultimate Feast of Tabernacles in the New Jerusalem!”  Amen!  Come Lord Jesus!

top

Festivals of the Bible
Richard M. Davidson

top

The Festivals of Leviticus 23:
Typological Aspects in the New Testament
Richard M. Davidson

* Outlined Boxes = Primary fulfillment in the sweep of salvation history.
** In the dates for the feasts, the first number refers to the month and the second number(s) to the day(s) of the month.
*** The numbers indicate the three festivals (Passover/ Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Tabernacles) actually designated as hag "feast" in Scripture.

top