Overview of the Biblical Feasts

If you had to sum up the entire message of the Bible in one word what would it be? Probably words such as love, hope, salvation, eternal life or heaven are coming to your mind. But I challenge you to find a better word than the following: r-e-c-o-n-c-i-l-i-a-t-i-o-n. The dictionary defines reconciliation as “to restore to friendship or harmony, to settle or resolve a quarrel, to make consistent or congruous.” When man chose to rebel against YHVH and to give in to sin at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil at the very beginning he chose the path of separation from his Heavenly Father. Sin causes man to be separated from a totally holy, righteous and sinless Creator. Since that time YHVH has been endeavoring to reconcile man to himself. He has laid out criteria for man to follow for this to occur—for man to once again have a friendly, loving and intimate relationship with his Heavenly Father as did Adam before he sinned.

The set-apart appointed times (moedim) or divine rehearsals/gatherings (miqra kodesh) of YHVH are prophetic shadow-pictures or symbols of the steps man must take to be reconciled to his Heavenly Father. They are the complete plan of salvation or redemption rolled up into seven easy-to-understand steps. Though a child can understand these steps, the truths contained therein can at the same time be expanded and unfolded until one literally has rolled out before oneself the entire message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation—a message that to the human comprehension is staggering, deep and rich beyond understanding. These feast days are literally the skeletal structure upon which the truths of the entire Bible hang. The message of redemption, sanctification, salvation, the atonement, glorification, eschatology, the history of Israel, the entire Gospel message, the covenants, the marriage of the Lamb, the bride of Messiah and Yeshua the Messiah are all prefigured within the glorious spiritual container of YHVH’s set apart feasts contained in seven steps—seven being the biblical number of divine perfection and completion.

Quite assuredly, without a deep, walking-it-out comprehension of the feast days of YHVH, no matter how learned one is in biblical understanding, or how academically astute and mentally acute in biblical erudition one may be, one will not have a deep understanding of those scriptural subjects listed above. How can one understand end-time events such as the second coming, the great tribulation and the rapture unless one understands the feast days from a deep Hebraic perspective? One simply cannot have just a knowledge of Greek, the Gospels, the Apostolic Scriptures along with a surface understanding (i.e. traditional Christian perspective) of the prophecies of the “Old Testament” and expect to understand eschatology (the study of end-time events) unless one immerses themselves in understanding and keeping the feast days of YHVH. One cannot throw out the foundation or the skeletal structure and expect to have a body of understanding that amounts to anything at all. Simple logic and common sense and the very truth and character of YHVH Elohim demands and dictates this so.

At Mount Sinai, YHVH gave to his people Israel what is commonly called the “Ten Commandments.” These words from the mouth of YHVH himself were and are literally the foundation and cornerstone to the rest of the 613 commandments from YHVH given to man through Moses contained in the Torah or Pentateuch. The Jewish rabbis have understood this for thousands of years. For example, the prohibition against adultery includes not only marital infidelity, but all manner of sexual sin, for the cornerstone of sexual holiness is a righteous and undefiled marital union. The same can be said of all the other commands. From these ten statements or foundational principles are prefigured and spring forth all 613. Similarly, within the confines of the fourth ­commandment, the seventh-day Sabbath, are contained all the high Sabbath set-apart feasts of YHVH as well as the land Sabbaths, sabbatical and jubilee years. This is Hebraic thought. The point is, the feast days are embodied in the very “Ten Commandments” themselves. These Sabbaths were so vital in YHVH’s eyes and so fundamental to his relationship with his people that he said that they would be, in essence, the wedding ring that he and Israel would wear around their respective fingers symbolic of their covenantal (marital) agreement, for we read the following in Exodus 31:13, 

Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am YHVH that does sanctify you.

Please note that the word Sabbaths is in the plural. It refers not only to the weekly, seventh-day Sabbath, but to all the Sabbaths of YHVH, including his set-apart feasts. These days are so important that they would actually form the basis for his reconciliatory relationship with his people throughout their generations, which means forever!

Now with these preliminary statements made we encourage you to read on to further explore the rich truths of these days. You will be blessed. The words and truths of YHVH Elohim, your Creator and Heavenly Father in whose image you were created and who loves you beyond your wildest comprehension—his words are words of life and truth. 

Why Study and Celebrate the Feasts of YHVH?

• The biblical feasts are a prophetic shadow-picture of things to come (Col 2:16–17; Heb 10:1). When they were given to ancient Israel they pointed forward to future events that would occur to the nation of Israel including redeemed believers. The spring feast days, for example, point to Yeshua the Messiah’s first coming, while the fall feast days point to his second coming leading into the Messianic Age (Millennium) and into eternity beyond.
• All the biblical feasts point to Yeshua. Yeshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus and means “salvation.” All the biblical festivals point to the various stages or steps of the path of salvation that believers find themselves on. 
• Many of the feasts point back to and commemorate historical events that occurred in Israel’s history. By studying and celebrating these feasts, we can learn valuable historical spiritual lessons that are, at the same time, representative of our own spiritual journey (1 Cor 10:1–6, 11).
• YHVH Elohim commands his people to keep what the Scriptures calls his appointed times or biblical festivals. They are times when he makes an appointment to meet with his people (Lev 23:1–2, 4). It is at these festivals or commanded assemblies that YHVH teaches his people about his wonderful plan of salvation or the redemption of the world through Yeshua the ­Messiah.
• The feasts are in the Bible and the whole Bible is the inspired word of Elohim (2 Tim 3:16). Yeshua commands his saints to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of Elohim (Matt 4:4) and that not a single jot or tittle of the Torah has been annulled (Matt 5:18). 
• The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Heb 8:1–2, 5; 9:8–9, 23; Exod 25:8–9, 40; 26:30; Num 8:4; Ezek 43:1–6, 10–12), and, therefore, reveal to us spiritual mysteries about things in heaven.
• We as physical beings need physical means and methods to help us understand spiritual mysteries. YHVH gives us the natural to help us to understand the supernatural or the spiritual (1 Cor. 2:9–13). The biblical feasts play an important role in our spiritual growth, development and maturation.
• Yeshua, the apostles and early believers celebrated the biblical feasts. The apostles walked as Yeshua walked, and instructed us to do the same (1 Cor 11:1; 1 John 2:6).
• The biblical feasts will be celebrated during the Millennium.
• Yeshua said that if you love him, you’ll be keeping his commandments (John 14:15). Elsewhere, Yeshua equated the commandments with the Torah (Luke 18:20), of which the biblical feasts are a part.
• If you want to know YHVH, you will be keeping his Torah-commandments of which the feasts are a part (1 John 2:3–6).
• YHVH’s Word commands us to appear before him three times each year at the three aliyot or pilgrimage feasts (Passover/Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, Exod 23:14–17). If we’re going to be obedient to his instructions in righteousness, we must gather together in the place where he has chosen to place his name (Deut 16:2, 6, 11).
• The aliyot or pilgrimage feasts are a time for all Israel to gather together to worship YHVH (Lev 23:2, 4).
• When we obey YHVH’s commands, we are blessed in wonderful and unexpected ways (Deut 28:1–14).
• When we come together at his appointed times (moedim) at the place where he has chosen to place his name, we show YHVH that we love him and want to meet with him. As a result, we will experience a special divine joy (Deut 12:5–7, 18).
• When we come together at his appointed times (moedim) at the place where he has chosen to place his name we show our fellow redeemed Israelites that we love them and want to fellowship with them.
• At the feasts, there is corporate worship, and when YHVH’s people praise him together, he inhabits the praises of Israel (Ps 22:3).
• When redeemed Israel comes together, YHVH camps in the midst of his people (Ps 34:7).
• When the disciples of Yeshua come together, he is in their midsts (Matt 18:20).
• At the aliyot feasts, people from outside of your local congregation gather together for a common purpose: to obey, worship and serve YHVH. This binds all the saints together in a common focus and purpose. In this atmosphere, new and lasting friendships are forged.
• At the aliyot feasts, one has the opportunity to hear new teachers with fresh teachings.
• The aliyot feasts give our young people and adult singles an opportunity to meet prospective spouses.
• The aliyot feasts give one an opportunity to visit new places and provides one with a great (and biblically-based) excuse to take a much needed vacation.
• The aliyot feasts are a place to not only meet new people, but to exchange ideas and to get your Bible questions answered.
• At the aliyot feasts, one is provided with extended times of anointed praise and worship.

The Feast Days Were Ordained At Creation

And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. (Gen. 1:14 )

Here we see the linking of the heavenly bodies with the sacred seasons and feast days of YHVH Elohim. The word signs (owth, Strong’s H226) means “a distinguishing mark, banner, a remembrance, a proof, an omen, a warning, a token, an ensign, a miracle.” The heavenly bodies were created as signs or signals of something. The word seasons (moed, Strong’s H4150) means “a congregation, feast, season, appointed time, assembly.” What is being taught here is that the sun, moon and stars are signals which set the appointed times, sacred assemblies or feast days of YHVH for his people. In Leviticus 23:4, we see further proof of this point: “These are the feasts of YHVH, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons” (emphasis added). Please note the possessive pronoun their indicating that the feast days “own” or “possess” the seasons and thus predate the seasons which are determined by the astral bodies. In other words, YHVH created the heavenly bodies and seasons for the feast days which are a shadow-picture of his plan of salvation or redemption for the world. It could be said that the entire physical creation was made in order to have a place where in to implement and showcase YHVH’s glorious plan of salvation.

The Feast Days Are Forever

And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to YHVH throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever (Exod 12:14).

[I]t shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings (see also verses 21 and 31; Lev 23:14).

Forever (olam, Strong’s H5769 ) means “everlasting, perpetual, evermore, always, continuous, unending future, for eternity.” Is it possible that Yeshua had the created purpose of the heavenly bodies as well as this earth in mind as well as the eternal nature of the Feast Days contained in the Torah-law of YHVH when he addressed the permanent and inviolate nature of YHVH’s Torah-law, of which the feasts are a part, in Matthew 5:17–19,

Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The Feast Days Were Observed in the Apostolic Period

Acts 18:21, “But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem …” (one of the Pilgrimage Festivals; namely Passover/Days of Unleavened Bread or Pentecost or Feast of Tabernacles)

• Acts 20:6, Unleavened Bread
• Acts 20:16, Pentecost
• 1 Corinthians 5:7–8, “Therefore let us keep [or celebrate] the feast [referring to Pesach and Hag Ha Matzot], not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
• Acts. 27:9, the Day of Atonement
• Acts 21:24, “… you yourself also walk orderly, and keeps the Torah” (which includes observance of YHVH’s annual festivals).

The Feast of YHVH to Be Observed in the Millennium

• Zechariah 14:16,18,19, The Feast of Tabernacles
• Ezekiel 45:17, The Sabbaths (plural, includes the weekly and annual Sabbaths or festivals) and solemnities (moedim) or appointed times (see also verse 9).
• Ezekiel 45:21, Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
• Ezekiel 45:25, The Feast of Tabernacles
• Ezekiel 46:1, The weekly Sabbath
• Ezekiel 45:17 and 21, solemn or appointed times (moedim) and feasts (Strong’s H2282 ; chag meaning “pilgrimage feast, festival, celebration, holy day, time of dancing, cyclical/yearly seasonal event; i.e. the feast days).”
• Leviticus 23:1–44 lists the seven biblical holidays represent YHVH’s seven step plan of salvation for mankind. 

These seven biblical holidays are literally like a parade of seven prophetic dress rehearsals or set-apart convocations or appointed times when YHVH meets with his people. These special occasions all point to the redemptive work of Messiah Yeshua in the life of the redeemed believer. There are three festivals in the spring of the year that are prophetic shadow-pictures of Messiah’s first coming to the earth, and there are four fall feasts, which are prophetic shadow-pictures of his second coming at the end of this age.

Passover (Pesach) The first festival in YHVH’s glorious seven-step plan of redemption is Pesach or Passover, which occurs in the early spring of the year at the time of the rebirth of the creation after a long and dead winter season. Likewise, it was the time of the birth of the nation of Israel. The children of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for many years, but they could not extricate themselves from the death grip of Pharaoh, a picture of Satan, without divine intervention. YHVH heard their cries of anguish, and he instructed them to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood on the doors of their homes. This they did by faith and YHVH extended his grace and mercy upon them when he spared them from his judgment and passed over their homes. Though sinful and worthy of death, YHVH delivered the Israelites from the wages of their sins, which is death, and at the same time the Egyptians, who were also sinners, received judgment unto death because they were not under the blood of the lamb. The blood of the lamb made it possible for Israel to leave Egypt.

Spiritually one must leave the world (spiritual Egypt), a place of spiritual oppression and slavery, darkness and false religion. This is the realm or kingdom of Satan, the prince of death. One cannot leave the kingdom of darkness on one’s own strength, however. One cannot free oneself from slavery to the strong tyrants and masters of this world, the flesh or the devil. A greater power than these must deliver us from the spiritual slave masters who keep humans in their death grip. Only by the blood of the Lamb of YHVH smeared on the door posts and lintels (representing our actions and thoughts) of our houses (representing our lives) will YHVH’s judgment against sin pass over us. This is because Yeshua the Lamb of YHVH defeated the enemy at the cross and defeated the death sentence or death grip of sin by resurrecting from the grave on the third day after his death (Col 2:12–15). The Israelites, by faith, trusted in the blood of the lamb (a prophetic picture of Yeshua the Lamb to come), and by YHVH’s grace their sins were not credited to their account, but were forgiven them. They were then free to began to leave Egypt.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot) The Israelites left Egypt on the first day of this seven-day long festival. Leaving Egypt was a relatively simple process, but now began the process of “getting Egypt out of them.” Dying to one’s sin nature and overcoming all the sinful habits in our lives is a process. We cannot do this by our own efforts, but we need the help of the Redeemer to deliver us. This is illustrated during Hag HaMatzot when YHVH commands his people to remove all the physical leavening from their homes. Leavening is a biblical picture of sin, pride and bitterness, since yeast is sour and causes bread to rise and puff up. Pride and hypocrisy deceives one into believing that one is righteous when he is not. This is the state of spiritual delusion in which all humans naturally find themselves. 

YHVH has given men six days (or 6000 years) to come to realize his sinfulness. The seventh day of this week-long festival is a high Sabbath day that pictures YHVH’s Messianic Age (Millennium) when humans will be living in harmony with YHVH and resting in the saving work of the blood of Yeshua the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It represents victory over sin (leavening). 

This concept is illustrated when Israel celebrated the Passover in the Promised Land, and then marched around Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho came down! Because of the context of this Scripture passage, it is probable that Israel did this during the seven days of Unleavened Bread and on the seventh day of that festival the walls of Jericho came down (see Josh 6:10–7:1–16). If so, this very well could be a prophetic picture of a similar scenario of what will occur in the near future when the exiled redeemed Israelites return to the land of Israel at the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah. YHVH will have to supernaturally destroy those Canaanite inhabitants of the Promised Land who will be blocking the entry of YHVH’s saints into the land of their promised inheritance.

The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot) This is the third of the seven festivals of YHVH and occurs in the late spring of the year. Humans are not able to remove sin from their own lives by their own efforts anymore than one can pull oneself up by the ­bootstraps. Sin is too much a part of our mind, will and emotions that we need the working and enabling power of YHVH’s Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) in our lives to bring sin to light and to empower us to overcome it. This happens as we begin to feed upon the Word of YHVH-Yeshua (the Bible) and little-by-little our lives come into conformity with that Word and with the life of Yeshua. He is the Word of YHVH made flesh (John 1:14; Rom 8:29). This is pictured by the children of Israel receiving the words and instructions on how to live a set-apart and sanctified life (contained in the Torah-law) of YHVH Elohim at Mount Sinai during the Feast of Weeks. This was repeated during the apostolic era on the Day of Pentecost as Yeshua promised to send the Comforter to live inside of redeemed believers aiding them at arriving at the truth of YHVH (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7,13). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). 

The Day of Trumpets or the Day of the Shofar Blasts or Shouting (Yom Teruah — commonly called Rosh Hoshana) This is the fourth festival of YHVH Elohim and hence the fourth step in his plan of salvation. Yom Teruah occurs in the late summer or early fall season of the year. The spring feast days all relate to the work Yeshua accomplished on the earth at his first coming, while the fall feast days (of which Yom Teruah is the first) picture the work he will do on earth prior to and after his second coming. Specifically, Yom Teruah seems to relates to the beginning of the great tribulation period (see Matt 24:21–28), which occurs just prior to the return of Yeshua the Messiah. 

At this time, YHVH is calling his bride—born-again redeemed believers—to ready themselves spiritually for the return of Yeshua the Bridegroom. The call is now going out for the saints to come out of the world or spiritual Babylon (Rev 18:4), to fill her lamp with spiritual oil (symbolic of Torah and the Spirit of Elohim), and to put on robes of righteousness (Torah-obedience, see Rev 19:7–9 cp. John 14:15) in preparation for the marriage supper of Yeshua the Lamb of Elohim. It is probable that the great tribulation will occur during the ten-day period between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur (the next feast). At this time, many will be saved out of this tribulation (e.g. the great and innumerable multitude, Rev 7:9). After the tribulation period, which terminates with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (in Hebraic thought called the last trumpet), the resurrection of the righteous dead and the catching away of the righteous living occurs (Rev 11:14–18 and 12:10 with Matt 24:29–31). This occurs before the wrath of Elohim (or the bowl judgments of Rev 15–16) is poured out upon the earth.

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) The fifth of the seven festivals of YHVH occurs ten days after the Day of Trumpets. This day pictures the end of the age (man’s 6000 years) coming to a completion. YHVH’s period of grace will terminate. All who are saved to that point will have been saved and removed from this earth as YHVH pours out his final judgment (called the wrath of Elohim, which is different than the great tribulation that occurred just prior to this) upon lukewarm believers and the wicked and godless rebels left upon the earth. This period will culminate with the battle of Armageddon at which time Yeshua the Messiah will return to earth as the Conquering King to defeat his enemies, marry his bride—the righteous saints—and will rule the earth with a rod of iron for 1000 years. At this time, Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot) This fall harvest festival symbolizes the time when many people will submit to the rulership of Yeshua and will find their salvation in him during the 1000 year-long millennium. Because this is a time of great rejoicing, a great feast occurs. King Yeshua will have put down all of his enemies (the beast, the false prophet and all those who are of the spirit of Antichrist, along with Satan and all else who have opposed YHVH Elohim). At this time, Yeshua will marry his bride—redeemed Torah-keeping Israelite believers—and the marriage feast of the Lamb will occur. YHVH commans his people to celebrate Sukkot for seven days. It is a picture of the 1000-year reign of King Yeshua on earth (called the Messianic Age or Millennium) from his headquarters in Jerusalem. This will be a time of relative peace on earth. 

The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret) This is the seventh and final feast of YHVH and occurs the very next day after the last day of Sukkot. Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings and this day pictures what occurs after the Messianic Age and after man’s 7000 years on this earth. It is at this time that eternity in YHVH’s kingdom begins. This is the time of the New Heaven and the New Earth, and the time when New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. We find this time period described in Revelation 21 and 22. Scripture does not give many details about eternity, but just enough to whet our appetites and inspire our hopes to press onward, and to be overcomers with Yeshua so that we may be participants in his glorious and everlasting kingdom.

There is a lot here and it forms a very rich picture. Who but the unsearchable and all-wise mind of our Creator could have created such a wondrous plan of redemption?

YHVH’s set-apart feast days are prophetic shadow-pictures or symbols of the steps man must take to be reconciled to his Heavenly Father. They are the complete plan of salvation or redemption rolled up into seven easy- to-understand steps. Though a child can understand these steps, the truths contained therein can at the same time be expanded and unfolded until one literally has rolled out before oneself the entire message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation—a message which to the human comprehension is staggering, deep and rich beyond understanding. 

These feast days are literally the skeletal structure upon which the truths of the entire Bible hang. The message of redemption, sanctification, salvation, the atonement, glorification, eschatology, the history of Israel, the entire Gospel message, the covenants, the marriage of the Lamb, the Bride of Messiah and Yeshua the Messiah are all prefigured within the glorious spiritual container of YHVH’s set-apart feast days contained in seven steps—seven being the biblical number of divine perfection and completion.

The Feasts Represent the Seven Steps of YHVH’s Plan of Salvation For Mankind (in more detail)

Passover (Pesach): The first annual festival in YHVH’s glorious lineup in the steps of redemption is Pesach which occurs in the early spring of the year at the time of the rebirth of the creation after a long and dead winter season. Likewise, it was the time of the birth of the nation of Israel. The Children of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for many years, but they could not extricate themselves from the death grip of Pharaoh, a picture of Satan, without some help from above. YHVH heard their cries of anguish, told them to sacrifice a lamb and smear the blood on the doors of their homes. This they did by faith. YHVH extended his grace and mercy upon them, caused the angel of YHVH to pass over their homes so that they were delivered from the wages of their sins which is death. At the same time, the Egyptians received judgment unto death because they were not under the blood of the lamb. Israel was now free to leave Egypt. Spiritually one must leave the world (spiritual Egypt), a place of spiritual oppression and slavery, darkness and false religion. It is the realm or kingdom of Satan, the prince of death. One cannot leave the kingdom of darkness on one’s own strength. One cannot free oneself from slavery to the strong tyrants and masters of this world, the flesh or the devil. A greater power than these must deliver us from these slave masters who maintain humans in their death grip. Only by the blood of the Lamb of YHVH smeared on the door posts and lintels (our actions and thoughts) of our houses (our lives) will the death angel pass over us, for Yeshua the Lamb of YHVH defeated the enemy at the cross and defeated the death sentence or death grip of sin by resurrecting from the grave on the third day after his death (Col 2:12-15). The Israelites, by faith, trusted in the blood of the Lamb and by YHVH’s grace their sins were not credited to their account, but were forgiven causing the death angel to pass over. At that time they physically began to leave Egypt.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot): The Israelites left Egypt on the first day of this seven-day long festival. Leaving Egypt was a relatively simple process, but now began the process of “getting Egypt out of them.” Dying to self and overcoming all the sinful habits in our lives is a process. We cannot do this of our own efforts but need the redeeming work of Messiah. This is illustrated during this feast by YHVH’s command to remove all the physical leavening from our homes. Leavening is a type of sin and pride since yeast causes bread to rise and puff up. The sin of pride and hypocrisy leads one to believe that one is in a better spiritual state than one actually is. This is the state of spiritual delusion in which humans naturally find themselves. YHVH has given men six days (6000 years) to come to realize this. The seventh day of this week-long festival is a high Sabbath day which pictures YHVH’s Messianic Age (Millennium) when humans will be living in harmony with YHVH and resting in the saving work of blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It represents victory over sin (leavening). Israel celebrated the Passover in the promised land then marched around Jericho for six days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho came down!

The Feast of Weeks, Feast of First Fruits or Pentecost (Shavuot): This is the third of the seven festivals of YHVH and occurs in the late spring of the year. Humans are not able to remove sin from their own lives by their own efforts anymore than one can pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps. Sin is too much a part of our mind, will and emotions. We need the working and enabling power of the Spirit of Elohim (Ruach HaKodesh) in our lives to bring sin to light and to help us to overcome it. This happens as we begin to feed upon the Word of YHVH/Yeshua the Messiah and little-by-little our lives come into conformity with that Word or with the life of Yeshua—the Word of YHVH made flesh (John. 1:14; Rom. 8:29). This is pictured by the Children of Israel receiving the words and instructions on how to live a holy and sanctified life (contained in the Torah-law) of YHVH Elohim at Mount Sinai during the Feast of Weeks. This was repeated during the Apostolic Era on the Day of Pentecost as Yeshua promised to send the Comforter to live inside of Believers aiding them at arriving at the truth of YHVH (John 14-16). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). 

The Day of Shofar Blowing/or the Awakening Bast (Yom Teruah or commonly called Rosh Hoshana): This is the fourth annual festival of YHVH Elohim and hence the fourth step in his plan of salvation. Yom Teruah occurs in the late summer or early fall season of the year. The spring feasts all relate to the work Yeshua accomplished on the earth at his first coming while the fall feasts (of which Yom Teruah is the first) picture the work he will do on earth prior to and after his second coming. This day pictures the beginning of the Great Tribulation period just prior to the return of Yeshua the Messiah. This festival also pictures the time when Messiah is calling his bride, born-again Believers, to ready themselves spiritually for the return of Yeshua, the Bridegroom. The call will go out for her to come out of the world, to fill her lamp with the oil of the Spirit of Elohim and to put on robes of righteousness in preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. During the ten-day period between this high Sabbath day, and the one (Yom Kippur) is when the great tribulation occurs and when many will be saved out of this tribulation (the great and innumerable multitude—Rev. 7:9). After the tribulation period, which terminates with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (in Hebraic thought called “the last trumpet”) the resurrection of the righteous dead and the catching away of the righteous living occurs (Rev 11:14-18 and 12:10 with Matt 24:29-31). This occurs before the wrath of Elohim (the bowl judgments of Rev 15-16).

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): This fifth of the seven festivals of YHVH occurs ten days after the Day of Trumpets. This day pictures when the end of the age (man’s 6000 years upon earth to live in sin and rebellion against YHVH) will come to a completion. This period of grace will terminate. All who are saved will have been saved and removed from this earth as YHVH pours out his final judgment (called the wrath of Elohim and which is different than the great tribulation, which occurred just prior to this) upon the wicked and godless rebels left upon the earth. This period will culminate with the battle of Armageddon at which time Yeshua the Messiah will return to earth as the Conquering King to defeat his enemies, marry his bride—the righteous Saints—and rule the earth with a rod of iron for 1000 years. At this time, Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (Sukkot or Succot): This festival represents the time period when the harvest of souls is completed (therefore, it is a harvest festival occurring at the beginning of the fall season when the agricultural harvest of the fruit of the earth is completed, as well) and a great feast occurs called the marriage supper of the Lamb. King Yeshua will have put down his enemies (the Beast, the False Prophet, the Antichrist, Satan and all else who opposed YHVH Elohim). This festival is a time of great rejoicing and merriment and is often referred to simply as “the feast.” YHVH commanded his people to celebrate it for seven days. It is a picture of the 1000 year reign of King Yeshua on earth (called the Messianic Age or Millennium) from his headquarters in Jerusalem. This will be literally a time of paradise on earth.

The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret): This is the seventh and final feast of YHVH and occurs the very next day after the last day of Sukkot. Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings and this day pictures what occurs after the Messianic Age and after man’s 7000 years on this earth. It is at this time that eternity in YHVH’s kingdom occurs. This is the time of the New Heaven and the New Earth; the time when New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. We find this time period described in Revelation 21 and 22. Scripture does not give many details about eternity, but just enough to whet our appetites and inspire our hopes to press onward to be overcomers with Yeshua so that we will be participants in his glorious and everlasting kingdom. The New Jerusalem will be the home and glorious wedding garment of the Saints of YHVH, the bride of Yeshua. It is here that Yeshua and his bride will live spiritually as one for all eternity.