LEVITICUS 23

            The Sacred year is covered in points I., II., III., IV, and V.  The Civil year is covered in points VI., VII., VIII., and IX..

I.   Introduction.  Verse 37,38 - (The seven feasts represent perfection.)

A.     There are eight divisions to this chapter.

1.       The sacred year – verse 4 - 22

a.      Verse 1-3 - This affirms worship on the seventh day.

b.      Verse 4,5 - The celebration of the Passover.

c.      Verse 6-8 - The celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

d.      Verse 9-14 - The celebration of the feast of First Fruits.

e.      Verse 15-22 - The celebration of the Feast of Seven Sabbaths (Feast of Pentecost.)

2.       The civil year – verse 23-36

a.      Verse 23-25 - The celebration of the Feast of Trumpets.

b.      Verse 26-32 - The celebration of the Atonement.

c.      Verse 33-36, 39-44 - The celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles.

B.     These seven feasts mentioned above (#2-#8) are divided into two parts.

1.       The Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits are all celebrated at the same time, and the Feast of Pentecost, all in the beginning of the sacred year.

2.       The Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles are celebrated at the same time, in the beginning of the civil year.

3.       The sacred year is six months long and the civil year is six months long.

C.     The months of the celebrations corresponds to our March, April, and September.  (In the early spring and after harvest.)  Not in winter because the days are short and the weather is often not fit for traveling.  Not in summer because this is a time of harvest and taking care of crops.  God arranges His worship at a time when it will not put an over much hardship on men. God knows the things of this world that hinder His worship, and will gladly arrange worship around this, but let us beware lest we put things in the way of worship.

D.     Purpose of the feasts shown in the proper order.  A picture of a life from salvation to eternity.

1.       Passover - The declaration of salvation. (Christ has "passed over" us.)

2.       Feast of Unleavened Bread - The pure life of the saved person.

3.       Feast of First Fruits - Barley Harvest - The ingathering of a people of the Jews for Christ (God working through Israel).

4.       Feast of Pentecost - Wheat Harvest - The ingathering of a people of Gentiles. (God working through His church.)

5.       Feast of Trumpets - The beginning of the civil year.  This represents the millennial reign of Christ on this earth.  Living in this world can bring rejoicing if God is in us.  (The millennial reign)

6.       Day of Atonement - Our purchase by blood is complete.  Pictures resurrection.

7.       Feast of Tabernacles - Expecting to dwell in eternity.

II.   Verse 1-3 - An affirmation of the Sabbath Day Worship.

A.     Verse 2 - There are feasts to the Lord throughout the year.  These feasts ought to be observed, but do not forsake the weekly assembling together for worship.  Many people desire to attend church services on those "special" occasions, but before we can worship God on those "special" occasions, we must worship on the weekly basis.

B.     Verse 3 - Saturday, or the Sabbath, is a holy day to God and there should be no work done.  No cooking, or ordinary work which would detract from the rest unto the Lord.

III.   Verse 4,5 - The Passover.  Or declaration of the gospel.

A.     This feast is in remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt, when the Lord "passed over" and the tenth plague was put upon Egypt.

1.       This feast was celebrated in Egypt the first time.

2.       It was next celebrated in Gilgal, after the 40 year rebellion, II Peter 1:9.

B.     See the scripture in Ex. 12:6...........(YOM KIPPUR)

IV.   Verse 6-8 - Feast of Unleavened Bread - pictures life after salvation.

A.     Rules for the feast.

1.       Verse 7,8 - No servile work done on first and last day of feast.

2.       Servile work - work necessary to make a living.  Can cook, do chores, etc.

3.       Verse 8 - Make a special offering to the Lord each of these seven days.

B.     Probably like our Sundays should be today.

V.   Verse 9-14 - Feast of First Fruits - Barley harvest - Christ the First Fruits.  This Feast Represents Israel. (March-April)

A.     Verse 10 - Sheaf - The barley gathered together with the stalks.  Wave it back and forth before the Lord.

1.       Offer a lamb without blemish for a burnt offering (remembering salvation).

2.       Meat (meal or grain) offering.

a.      Offer a lamb without blemish for a burnt offering (remembering salvation).

b.      Offer 1/4 hin of wine. (a little over a quart.)

B.     Verse 14 - The Lord receives first before we partake.

1.       Don't eat bread (cooked from crushed grain), parched corn (heated grain, [corn is grain, barley in this case]), or green (right out of the field, raw.)

2.       19:23-25 - The First Fruits of the tree is the Lord's, then we get ours.

3.       The tithe is the Lord's, then we get ours.

C.     The gospel is pictured in the first three feasts.

1.       Passover - Christ died for our sins.

2.       Feast of Unleavened Bread - Christ buried. (Sin put away.)

3.       Feast of First Fruits - resurrection much fruit from the one that was planted.

VI.   Feast of Pentecost - God working in His Church.  (May, June, July.  Feast of Harvest is found in Ex. 23:16.  The Day of Firstfruits is found in Num. 28:26.)

A.     Pentecost means "fifty".

1.       The first Pentecost after the first Passover is when Moses received the law from God at Mt. Sinai.

2.       The next great Pentecost was in Acts 2 when the church received power from on high.

3.       Verse 15 - The count begins on the next Sabbath (Saturday) following the wave offering of the Feast of First Fruits.  (Links Israel and Gentiles)

a.      Number 7 Sabbaths (seven weeks) and the next day (Sunday) is the Day of Pentecost.

b.      The First Church received the Holy Spirit on Sunday - our day of worship.

B.     The offerings of meat (meal or grain).

1.       Verse 16 - New meat - fresh wheat grain.

2.       Verse 17 - Two wave loaves (waved before the Lord).

3.       Fine flour - pictures the sufferings of Christ.

4.       With leaven (sin)- (Leaven from the preceding barley harvest placed in the lump of wheat dough!!)  The barley was offered without leaven, for Israel had the perfection of religious service, yet they failed.  Now God turns to the Gentiles who do not have the perfect symbols.  We serve with imperfection.

5.       Matt. 13:33 - The Kingdom of God has three measures of leaven mixed in it.

C.     The offering of animals.

1.       Verse 18 - burnt offerings (a picture of salvation).

a.      Seven lambs of the first year - the perfection of Christ.

b.      Young bullock - strength of Christ.

c.      Two rams - majesty of Christ.

d.      Their appropriate meat and drink offerings.

2.       Verse 19 - Sin offering - one kid of the goats.

3.       verse 19 - Peace offering - Two lambs of the first year.

4.       Verse 20 - Waved before the Lord - thus they are holy.

5.       NOTE - The Gentiles are included in the Old Testament sacrifices (like Jews are included in the "New Testament" grace.  (Actually grace is in effect from Adam to the last human on earth.)

D.     Verse 22 - It is appropriate to mention the law concerning gleaning at the end of harvest, and in the midst of instructions for worshipping God.

VII.   Verse 23,25 - Feast of Trumpets - A Time of Rejoicing.

A.     The civil year starts with a day off work. (verse 25).

B.     Religion is brought into secular life. (Even though there are some in government today who don't believe it ought to be so.)

C.     A trumpet is a symbol of things to come.  Therefore a looking forward to the sixth and seventh feast.

VIII.   Verse 26-32 - Day of Atonement - Salvation is Complete -- Resurrection!!

A.     The only day of fasting in these days of feasting.  The only day of sadness in these happy days.

B.     Afflict your souls - think about your standing with God.

1.       Make offering - as described in Leviticus 16.

2.       Verse 28 - Do no work to take your mind off your sinfulness.

3.       Verse 29 - Those not afflicted with their sinfulness shall be cut off.  This shows God doesn't accept unrepentant persons.

4.       Verse 30 - Work and die - that others may examine their hearts.

C.     Verse 32 - Ninth day at even until the tenth day at even.  The day for Israel starts and ends at even.

IX.   Verse 33-36, 39-44 - Feast of Tabernacles - Expecting to Dwell in Eternity.

A.     Verse 34 - A seven day feast.

1.       Verse 34 - Starts on the 15th day of the seventh month.

2.       Verse 35,36 - No servile work on the 1st and 8th day.

B.     Verse 36 - Offering made by fire.  As described in Numbers 29:12-39.

C.     Verse 39-43 - Dwelling in booths at the end of harvest (the end of this life.)

1.       Booths - not living in permanent structures.  Looking to live in mansions in eternity.

2.       Boughs - branches.

3.       Goodly trees - fruit trees. (Israel would eat the fruit, then prune the tree so there would be more fruit the next year.  Then they would use the pruned branches to make the booths.  Nothing would go to waste.)

4.       Palm - royalty.

a.      Christ is royalty.

b.      People threw palm branches during Christ entry into Jerusalem.

5.       Thick - strength - Christ is our strength.

6.       Willow of the brook - fertility - much moisture.  Tree planted by the water.  Ps. 1.

7.       Verse 43 - To remember coming out of Egypt.

D.     Last four feasts.

1.       Feast of Pentecost - Gentiles are brought in.

2.       Feast of Trumpets - Hear the Good News.

3.       Day of Atonement.

4.       Feast of Tabernacles - A permanent home in eternity.