Festivals in the Bible were times of celebration when no ordinary work was done, special food was eaten, and there were solemn assemblies to worship the Lord and offer special sacrifices to Him. They were appointed by the Lord before the people of Israel had even reached the Promised Land, and while they were still in the wilderness.
There were three pilgrim festivals in Jerusalem. First of all, there was Pesach (The Festival of Unleavened Bread, known as the Passover in English Bibles). Secondly, there was Shavuot, fifty days after Passover, also called the Festival of Weeks, or the First Fruits of the harvest, translated as the day of Pentecost in English Bibles. Last of all, there was Succot, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Ingathering of the Harvest.
The first two festivals have been fulfilled in Jerusalem by our Lord Jesus in God’s Kingdom purposes. The Jewish Passover, Pesach, came to be Good Friday for the Christian Church, the day when Jesus died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. The ceremony on the third day after Passover, when a sheaf of grain was waved as the first fruits of the harvest came to be Easter Day, the day when Jesus rose from the dead. Shavuot became Pentecost Sunday (roughly counting fifty days after Easter Sunday).
The apostle Paul explained that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day is a fulfilment of the ceremony of the First Fruits. ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death’ (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).
But Sukkot, the festival of Tabernacles, or the Ingathering of the Harvest, has not yet been fulfilled by our Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. Many believe that will happen at the second coming when He will return in the same way as His disciples saw Him leave. ‘And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven”’ (Acts 1:10-11).
Our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, has already died on the cross, risen from the dead, ascended to heaven, and fulfilled His promise to baptise His followers with the Holy Spirit. ‘For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 1:5). What a festival we will celebrate in Jerusalem when our Lord Jesus comes again to rule and reign on the earth!
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The Pilgrim Festivals of the Lord
by Liz Griffin
Exodus 23:14, ESV
Festivals in the Bible were times of celebration when no ordinary work was done, special food was eaten, and there were solemn assemblies to worship the Lord and offer special sacrifices to Him. They were appointed by the Lord before the people of Israel had even reached the Promised Land, and while they were still in the wilderness.
There were three pilgrim festivals in Jerusalem. First of all, there was Pesach (The Festival of Unleavened Bread, known as the Passover in English Bibles). Secondly, there was Shavuot, fifty days after Passover, also called the Festival of Weeks, or the First Fruits of the harvest, translated as the day of Pentecost in English Bibles. Last of all, there was Succot, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Ingathering of the Harvest.
The first two festivals have been fulfilled in Jerusalem by our Lord Jesus in God’s Kingdom purposes. The Jewish Passover, Pesach, came to be Good Friday for the Christian Church, the day when Jesus died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. The ceremony on the third day after Passover, when a sheaf of grain was waved as the first fruits of the harvest came to be Easter Day, the day when Jesus rose from the dead. Shavuot became Pentecost Sunday (roughly counting fifty days after Easter Sunday).
The apostle Paul explained that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day is a fulfilment of the ceremony of the First Fruits. ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death’ (1 Corinthians 15:20-26).
But Sukkot, the festival of Tabernacles, or the Ingathering of the Harvest, has not yet been fulfilled by our Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. Many believe that will happen at the second coming when He will return in the same way as His disciples saw Him leave. ‘And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven”’ (Acts 1:10-11).
Our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, has already died on the cross, risen from the dead, ascended to heaven, and fulfilled His promise to baptise His followers with the Holy Spirit. ‘For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 1:5). What a festival we will celebrate in Jerusalem when our Lord Jesus comes again to rule and reign on the earth!
Liz Griffin lived for 20 years as an expatriate in South Africa, Bahrain and Japan, as her husband Paul worked for an international oil company. Paul and Liz became involved with Ellel Ministries in 1991 as part of the ministry team and joined the full-time team at Ellel Grange in 1995. Paul and Liz teach and minister to those seeking healing in their lives and together have written two books, 'Anger - How Do You Handle It' and 'Hope and Healing For The Abused'.
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