Para-Feast Days

[Gus Foster]

Some commentators list the feast days of Leviticus 23 as five feasts, some six and some seven separate days. For our purpose we shall use seven, as follows;

Passover Unleavened Bread Wavesheafs/Firstfruits Pentecost Trumpets Day of Atonement Tabernacles

The first three, or Passover, represents God for us, while Pentecost represents God with us and the Trumpets represents God in us. Passover was all of God’s work, while Pentecost was God’s work enlisting man’s efforts through the urgings and instruction of the Holy Spirit. The immediate parallel one observes is the furnishings of the Sanctuary of Israel, which, form a chiasm that accentuates Christ’s life and work:

Altar of Sacrifice Laver Lampstand/Candlesticks Showbread Altar of Incense Ark Mercy Seat

As we put these two together in a chiastic structure they paint an incredible picture of so many aspects of the relationship between God and man. # 1 & 7 in the chiasm would be Passover/Altar of Sacrifice and Tabernacle/Mercy Seat which describe delivery and salvation, first for the immediate time, and then eternally. # 2 & 6 would be Unleavened bread/Laver and Day of Atonement/Ark of the Covenant which illuminate purging, cleansing and purifying, again for the immediate time and then again for eternity. # 3 & 5 are Wavesheafs, Firstfruits/Candlesticks and Trumpets/Altar of Incense which indicate thankfulness and penitence, the ‘days of awe,’ (the affliction of the soul) which personifies man’s attitude toward a Holy God and our Caretaker and Savior. # 4, the apex of our dual (or complete) chiasm, represents our King, His coronation, His gift of the Holy spirit, the culmination of the Jubilees, (Jesus 1st year ministry was on Jubilee) Christ and man together, the law (Mt Sinai) and grace waved together, and the total of all covenants, as Noah’s, Abraham’s, Israel’s, and the church’s Pentecost/Presence were all consummated on that occasion.

At Passover the loaves “waved’ were unleavened, totally free of man’s sinful contribution, where at Pentecost the wheat loaves were leavened, and all things came together for those that ‘are in Christ Jesus,’ or looking forward to His fulfillments. Two loaves did represent law and grace, judgment and mercy, and the jubilees of all ages. Christ said, “Build me a sanctuary, that I may dwell (tent0 among you,” and then again, “a place where I will meet you,” and then again, “I will be in you!” It is also notable that Jewish tradition lists the beginning of creation on 1 Tishri, Sabbath on 7 Tishri, and the fall on 10 Tishri, which is the Day of Atonement. Also, those that were not cleansed were ‘cut off;’ Lev 23:29.

There is much more that contributes to this scenario. The parallels continue using this format; the creation in Genesis, the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; the history of Israel, the history of the church, and specifically the history of each life found in eternity’s book, those that reveal the life of Christ ‘in you.’ The prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah follow this format. The one Bible author that uses this more than any other is John. See John chapter one for amplification:

Word 1:1; Life 1:4; Sight 1:7; Son 12:8; Lamb 1:29; Messiah 1:41; Son of Man 1:51. If you were to examine the beginning of Revelation you will find the same type of settings:

John 2-13-3:21 is Passover, including the ‘cleansing;’ (this was the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and Matt 26 records the cleansing near the end, always the cleansing!) John 5 records Jesus fulfillment of the feast of Trumpets---notice it was at the place of refuse, of the cast-offs. Here John reminisces on Isaiah 2:1-14; a call to repentance, to nation, to judgment, to the Gentiles, and a direct call from the Messiah. Further Passovers are in John 6 and of course, in John 12-20; the Real Passover Lamb. The Feast of Tabernacles in John 7-10 ressonates Christ, and Jesus even fulfills the Feast of Dedication in John 10:22-29. (Not included in required feasts of Leviticus)

In Revelation: Rev 4-7 Coronation of Jesus and work of Holy Spirit; Rev 6 birthpains; Rev 8-15 cleansing; Rev 16-18 Days of Wrath; Rev 19-20 Christ Millennial Reign and Rev 21 the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to those being ‘tabernacled.’

Surely there is much to study in this area. One may ask why? It is a clear picture of Christ in every aspect of His life, then and now, and how it impacts our lives. And it disqualifies many modern discussions on why we can become cultural chameleons, changing with every wind, every attraction, every whim. Heaven has laid out irrefutable, uncompromising guidelines for us to communicate with and worship our God, and those standards become solid tangibles as we reveal His will for us, in us.

[Gus Foster]

THIS IS A MUCH BETTER COPY---------

Para-Feast Days

Some commentators list the feast days of Leviticus 23 as five feasts, some six and some seven separate days. For our purpose we shall use seven, as follows;

Passover Unleavened Bread Wavesheafs/First Fruits Pentecost Trumpets Day of Atonement Tabernacles

The first three, or Passover, represents God for us, while Pentecost represents God with us and the Trumpets represents God in us. Passover was all of God’s work, while Pentecost was God’s work enlisting man’s efforts through the urgings and instruction of the Holy Spirit. The immediate parallel one observes is the furnishings of the Sanctuary of Israel, which, form a chiasm that accentuates Christ’s life and work:

Altar of Sacrifice Laver Lampstand/Candlestics Showbread Altar of Incense Ark Mercy Seat

As we put these two together in a chiastic structure they paint an incredible picture of so many aspects of the relationship between God and man. # 1 & 7 in the chiasm would be Passover/Altar of Sacrifice and Tabernacle/Mercy Seat which describe delivery and salvation, first for the immediate time, and then eternally. # 2 & 6 would be Unleavened bread/Laver and Day of Atonement/Ark of the Covenant which illuminate purging, cleansing and purifying, again for the immediate time and then again for eternity. # 3 & 5 are Wavesheafs, Firstfruits/Candlesticks and Trumpets/Altar of Incense which indicate thankfulness and penitence, the ‘days of awe,’ (the affliction of the soul) which personifies man’s attitude toward a Holy God and our Caretaker and Savior. # 4, the apex of our dual (or complete) chiasm, represents our King, His coronation, His gift of the Holy spirit, the culmination of the Jubilees, (Jesus 1st year ministry was on Jubilee) Christ and man together, the work of the Holy Spirit and man together, the law (Mt Sinai at Pentecost) and grace waved together, putting Jews and Gentiles together, and the total of all covenants, as Noah’s, Abraham’s, Israel’s, and the church’s Pentecost/Presence were all consummated on that occasion.

At Passover the loaves “waved’ were unleavened, totally free of man’s sinful contribution, where at Pentecost the wheat loaves were leavened, and all things came together for those that ‘are in Christ Jesus,’ or looking forward to His fulfillments. Christ said, “Build me a sanctuary, that I may dwell,” (tent among you) and then again, “a place where I will meet you,” and then again, “I will be in you!” It is also notable that Jewish tradition lists the beginning of creation on 1 Tishri, Sabbath on 7 Tishri, and the fall on 10 Tishri, which is the Day of Atonement. Also, those that were not cleansed were ‘cut off;’ Lev 23:29. This same tradition lists Noah’s altar of sacrifice on Passover, which was followed by baptism, the flood, as was Mt Sinai 50 days after baptism by the Red Sea.

There is much more that contributes to this scenario. The parallels continue using this format; the creation in Genesis, the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; the history of Israel, the history of the church, and specifically the history of each life found in eternity’s book, those that reveal the life of Christ ‘in you.’ The prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah follow this format. The one Bible author that uses this more than any other is John. See John chapter one for amplification:

Word 1:1; Life 1:4; Sight 1:7; Son 12:8; Lamb 1:29; Messiah 1:41; Son of Man 1:51. If you were to examine the beginning of Revelation you will find the same type of settings.

John 2-13-3:21 is Passover, including the ‘cleansing;’ (this was the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and Matt 26 records the cleansing near the end, always the cleansing!) John 5 records Jesus fulfillment of the feast of Trumpets---notice it was at the place of refuse, of the cast-offs. Here John reminisces on Isaiah 2:1-14; a call to repentance, to nation, to judgment, to the Gentiles, and a direct call from the Messiah. Further Passovers are in John 6 and of course, in John 12-20; the Real Passover Lamb. The Feast of Tabernacles in John 7-10 resonates Christ, and Jesus even fulfills the Feast of Dedication in John 10:22-29. (Not included in required feasts of Leviticus)

In Revelation: Rev 4-7 Coronation of Jesus and work of Holy Spirit; Rev 6 birthpains; Rev 8-15 cleansing; Rev 16-18 Days of Wrath; Rev 19-20 Christ Millennial Reign and Rev 21 the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to those being ‘tabernacled.’ Have you noticed the 3 ½ time period between the feasts? John refers to this often in Revelation.

Surely there is much to study in this area. One may ask why? It is a clear picture of Christ in every aspect of His life, then and now, and how it impacts our lives. And it disqualifies many modern discussions on why we can become cultural chameleons, changing with every wind, every attraction, every whim. Heaven has laid out irrefutable, uncompromising guidelines for us to communicate with and worship our God, and those standards become solid tangibles as we reveal His will for us, in us.