The Strand Study Bible

LEVITICUS

LEVITICUS

276

5, AD 33, which corresponded with the Feast of Firstfruits. Then, fifty days later at the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to baptize and indwell a group of Jewish people who were the initial members of the body of Christ, or the church. Each of the final great events of the earthly ministry of our Lord was fulfilled on the appointed day of the Jewish calendar. God keeps time with perfect precision. 2

For example: 1. Feast of Passover (c. April 14)

This feast (Lev 23:4-5) was set up to remind the people of God what CHRIST did for them concerning their salvation (I Cor 5:7). Depending on how thankful we are for our salvation will determine whether we ‘stay right’ with God or not (Heb 2:1-3). This word ( neglect ) in Hebrews 2:3 does not mean to deny or reject. It means “ to recognize, but ignore; to know, but fail to do; to admit, but fail to administer .” Meaning: If we who are saved fail to be grateful and thankful for our salvation, we shall not escape chastisement at the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (II Cor 5:10-11). Thus the Feast of Passover was set up to help those of us who are grateful and thankful for our salvation to stay faithful. NOTE – There are three ways to say thank you for our salvation : *Understand exactly what salvation is ( Rom 13:11 ) *Stop complaining; you’re saved (Exo 14:10-13,30 & 16:1-3 and Phil 4:11-13) *Start telling others about your salvation (Jere 2:4-7) 2. Feast of Unleavened Bread (c. April 15 -22) This feast (Lev 23:6-8) was set up to remind the people of God what CHRIST did for them concerning their sanctification (I Cor 5:8). Depending on how thankful we are for our sanctification will determine whether we ‘stay right’ with God or not. Thus the Feast of Unleavened Bread was set up to help those of us who are grateful and thankful for our sanctification to stay faithful. NOTE – There are three ways to say thank you for our sanctification : *Understand exactly what sanctification is ( I Thess 4:3,4,7 ) *Stop doubting your salvation (I Jn 2:3 & 3:14 & 5:13) *Start walking in the SPIRIT (Gal 5:16-26 and Rom 7:15-25). 3. Feast of First Fruits (c. April 16) This feast (Lev 23:9-14) was set up to remind the people of God what CHRIST did for them concerning their resurrection (I Cor 15:20-23). Resurrection is all about glorification . The moment we are “raised” we will receive a new body, which will be free of sin, i.e., glorified. Therefore glorification is the process by which God will deliver us from the presence of sin at His coming by “raising” us from the dead or in the Rapture. Depending on how thankful we are for our future resurrection/glorification will determine whether we ‘stay right’ with God or not ( I Jn 3: 2- 3 ). Thus the Feast of First Fruits was set up to help those of us who are grateful and thankful for our future resurrection/glorification to stay faithful. NOTE – There are three ways to say thank you for our future resurrection/glorification : *Understand exactly what resurrection/glorification is; it’s a part of our salvation package ( Rom 8: 28- 30 & 13:11 ) *Stop doubting your salvation (I Jn 2:3 & 3:14 & 5:13) *Take care of the ministers of God (Exo 22:29 and Prov 3:9). The meal offering came from the firstfruits , which depicted the tithes and offerings that provided food and pleasure for God’s ministers (I Cor 9:1-14). 4. Feast of Pentecost (c. June 3-9) This feast (Lev 23:15-22) was set up to remind the people of God what CHRIST did for them through the HOLY SPIRIT concerning the unity they were to share with all (both Jew and Gentile) believers (Acts 1:14 & 2:1,46 & 4:24 & 5:12 and Eph 3:1-6). NOTE – There are three ways to say thank you for the unity : *Understand exactly what unity is (I Cor 12) *Get to know the PERSON who is responsible for unity (Psa 133) *Learn the difference between heaven and non-heaven and hell issues ( I Cor 13:12 ) 5. Feast of Trumpets (c. October 1st) This feast was set up to remind the people of God that God is a God of His Word concerning His promises to the nation of Israel (Gen 12:1-3). Thus this feast was set up to remind God’s people concerning what CHRIST will do for Israel concerning their future regathering as a nation after the Rapture (I Thess 4:13-18). NOTE – There are two schools of thought concerning what the Feast of Trumpets represents. One school of thought believes that the Feast of Trumpets represents the regathering of Israel at the end of the Seven-year Tribulation Period. Mark Hitchcock in Blood Moons Rising notes: My view is that the Feast of Trumpets will find its fulfillment in the regathering of the Jewish people at the end of the Tribulation. This fits the Jewish nature of the feasts. Moreover, a trumpet will sound when the Jews are finally regathered to their land: (Mt 24:29-31). 2 The other school of thought believes that the Feast of Trumpets represents the Rapture of the Church. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, a Messianic Jew, in A Review of Marvin Rosenthal’s Book “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church notes:

The “last trump” refers to the Feast of Trumpets and the Jewish practice of blowing trumpets at this feast each year. During the ceremony, there is a series of short trumpet blasts of various lengths, concluding with the longest blast of all, called the tekiah gedolah : the great, or “last trump.” Judaism connected this last trump