There is a lot to unpack in regard to what we refer to as the “Spring Feasts” which include the Biblical Feasts of Passover, the week of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost) as laid out in Leviticus 23:4-22. While initially you may think that these are irrelevant to our faith as believers, we can see how these feasts overlap with the very events that are the foundation of our Faith in Jesus, and inherently pointed to God’s plan of redemption through Jesus all along.
God is a planner, and loves to add details into his Word and Law to show us that nothing is “coincidence” or “by accident” or “by Chance”. He tells us what He plans to do through His Word. And when it happens, He uses His Word to show us that how He planned it all and that nothing took Him by surprise.
How do the Spring Feasts have to do with our faith in Jesus?
Below is a graphic we have created to illustrate a few of the parallels between the spring Feasts and what Jesus did in his last weeks of ministry. This graphic specifically highlights the last month of Jesus' Life on earth that not only occurred during the Spring Feasts but also fulfilled each Holiday. For me, it’s easier to understand in a visual format, because frankly, it sometimes makes my own head spin with both wonder and confusion! I highly encourage you to look up the scriptures and spend some time meditating on the beauty of God’s divine timing. Links to the scriptures can be found at the end of the article.*
Please keep in mind that Biblical days begin at sunset the night before (in the creation account Genesis 1:5 “and it was evening and it was morning the First day”. Evening came first.)*
*For quicklinks to the scriptures in the graphic scroll to the end.
As shown in the graphic above, we can see that the final major events of Jesus’ time on earth, from the passion week before his death until His ascension and then on to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, aligned beautifully with the very Feasts they were meant to Fulfill. Our security in our salvation Comes from Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. He is the “First Fruit from the Dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20) which is where we have peace in knowing that this world is not all there is and one day we too will die and be resurrected to live with Jesus in eternity. He has called us to share His love and redemptive life to the world (Matthew 28: 18-20). And the Holy Spirit will give us the strength and power to carry out His commission to share His salvation with the world (Mark 16:12-20).
It didn’t all happen in one single day or event. It was rolled out during the two months between His Triumphal entry and the giving of the Holy Spirit overlapping all of the Spring Feasts. Built into the Biblical Holidays and Hebrew culture were these appointed times to prepare their hearts for salvation and now we can celebrate these same appointed times to help prepare our hearts to receive and share God’s work of salvation.
*Links to Scripture references in the graphic.
Old Testament:
The sacrificial Passover lamb is paraded into the City to be cared for and Observed in the Temple, Nisan 10. (First Passover, Exodus 12:3)
There should be no Leaven eaten or found in your homes during the Feast of Unleavened Bread Exodus 12:14-20
The Lord’s Passover, Nisan 14 (First Passover Exodus 12)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, Nisan 15-22 Leviticus 23:4-8
The Feast of First Fruits, The day after the first shabbat of The week of Unleavened Bread: ie. Sunday Leviticus 23:9-14
Counting of the Omer -50 days Leviticus 23: 15-16
The Feast of Weeks, 50 Days after The Feast of First Fruits Leviticus 23: 16
New Testament
Palm Sunday, Jesus comes Riding in on a Donkey
Jesus Cleansed His Home from Sin (The temple from the Money Changers)
Jesus celebrates the Lord’s Passover as his last supper with his disciples, goes out to the garden of Gethsemane, is taken to trial and crucified by around 9 am the following morning of the 14th.
The first day of this Feast is a “holy convocation” where no one is allowed to work, hence the urgency to have those on the cross die, and the urgency to take Jesus’ Body off the cross and bury him in haste before the spices could be purchased and applied.
Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, as the “First Fruits from the Dead.”
Mark 16:1
Luke 24:1
John 20:1
After Jesus rose from the dead he appeared to many (as many as 500 at one time!) to both prove he was alive, bring comfort and assurance, to encourage, edify, affirm vision and calling, and commission to mobilize (after a waiting period for the comforter.) Jesus then ascended into heaven after 40 days and told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Comforter was given (unbeknownst to them 10 days later)--For a more detailed breakdown visit:answers in Genesis: Post Resurrection Timeline
Matthew 28: 16-20 (“The Great Commission”)
The Holy Spirit comes to those in the upper room like tongues of fire.
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