Holiday Chart

Holiday

Date

Purpose

Messianic Significance

Passover – Pesach

Nisan 14

Remembering the  deliverance from Egyptian bondage.  An unblemished firstborn male lamb was sacrificed and its blood poured on the altar.  A lamb was selected for each family, and four days before the lamb was to be slain it was brought into the home for a four-day examination period.

Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who died for our sins.  On Nisan 14 at the exact time the lamb was to be slain, Jesus was slain.  Jesus also had a four day examination period before the religious leaders and was found without blemish

Unleavened Bread

Nisan 15

Leaven symbolizes sin.  Unleavened Bread speaks of sanctification.  God told the Jews to cleanse all leaven from their homes and eat only unleavened bread, matzah, for seven days, symbolizing a holy walk with Him.

Jesus is the “Bread of Life” without sin.  Born in Bethlehem. In Hebrew, Bethlehem means house of bread.  Just as matzah is striped and pierced, so was the Messiah.  This Feast falls on the day Jesus was buried

Day of First Fruits

Nisan 17

The first of the barley harvest was brought as an offering to the priest in the Tabernacle/Temple.  The priest would present the first of the harvest unto the Lord by waving them back and forth.  This reminded the Hebrews that God gave them the land, and the harvest belonged to Him

Jesus is the Firstfruits.  Jesus’ resurrection marked the beginning of the harvest of souls.  John 12.23-24, 32 shows Jesus was likened to a grain of wheat falling to the ground and dying to produce a great harvest.  Jesus arose on First fruits

Feast of Weeks -Pentecost

Fifty days after the Feast of First fruits, two loaves of leavened bread are presented to God.  Also a reminder that the Jews were slaves to Egypt.  The giving of the Torah to Moses on Sinai took place this day.  Three thousand were killed that day.

Fifty days after Jesus arose, a group of Messianic Jews received the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said “Unless I go, The Holy Spirit will not come.  But when I go, I will send The Holy Spirit unto you.”  God wrote the Law on the hearts of the believers.  Three thousand souls were saved.

Feast of Trumpets – Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year begins the high Holy Days in the Jewish month of Tishri (corresponding to September to October period.)  a celebration of the spiritual birthday of the world or creation.  Blowing of the trumpets and coronation of the King.

Possibly depicts the rapture of the church, a re-gathering of believers at the sound of the trumpet and judgment of the wicked.

Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur

The holiest day in the Jewish year is spent in fasting, prayer, and confession.  This was one gracious day a year given by God that each individual could receive forgiveness.  The high priest entered the holy of holies to make atonement for the nation by sacrificing animals including two goats.

Christ our Messiah was displayed as our sacrifice.  We can use this as a time of self-searching, repentance, and recommitment to God.  The goats represent Jews and Gentiles.  Possibly points to the day of the Messiah’s physically returning to earth.

Feast of Tabernacles – sukkoth

Tishri 15

God told the people they should live in booths for seven days so that the generations would know that His people lived in booths when He brought them out of Egypt.  Each Sukkoth, the Jews build and dwell or eat in booths or temporary dwellings for seven days of joy.

Christ is our tabernacle or dwelling place.  Jesus was born in the Fall and this could be the date of his birth