Festivals & Holy Days — Shalom Shelley

…And you gentiles, being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree. Romans 11:17

Leviticus 23 lists the festivals with the Sabbath mentioned first. Therefore it is called the Queen of the festivals.

The Sabbath is the only festival mentioned in the 10 Commandments. — The Sabbath is the only festival mentioned in the 10 Commandments.

The Hebrew word for Sabbath is Shabbat. We are so grateful to the Jews for saving, preserving, and keeping God’s word through the ages. The Sabbath is so important to God that is is mentioned in Genesis and in the 10 Commandments which were kept in the holy Ark of the Covenant. We greet each other, “Shabbat Shalom!” It means to have a peaceful, healthy Sabbath. It has also been called the wedding ring of our faith. I’m learning what to do on the Sabbath. It is a time for you and your household to be in prayer and fellowship, a time to have fun with family; and a time to avoid work, commerce, and cooking.

Purim is the blessed story of Queen Esther. — Purim is the blessed story of Queen Esther.

Purim is the Hebrew word for lots, like dice, which is what Haman used to decide when to annihilate the Jews! It is celebrated as a holy day because it is not mentioned in Leviticus but important because the Jews were rescued by the bravery of Queen Esther and her father figure, her uncle Mordecai. God has also planned bravery and excitement for us to walk in, if we choose to listen to Him.

What happened on Passover is also known as Good Friday. — What happened on Passover is also known as Good Friday.

The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach, pronounced, “pay-sock.” There were so many astounding miracles. This is our God who wants to help us by giving us supernatural events and miracles as we cry out and seek him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. God instructed Moses to begin the new year, from then on, with this Hebrew month of Nissan.

Unleavened Bread is without leaven or “sinless.” — Unleavened Bread is without leaven or “sinless.”

In Hebrew, Unleavened Bread is Hag Ha Matzah, as in matzah crackers. Getting ready to leave Egypt, they didn’t have time to make bread with yeast and wait for it to rise. A little bit of yeast or sin can multiply. When we repent from our sins and accept Jesus (Yeshua) as our Lord, our old nature dies, and He wipes away all our sin as if it had never happened! Wow! Jesus, being sinless, paid the price and suffered for our sins. On this very Jewish festival day Jesus was laid in the tomb.

First Fruits is Easter.

First Fruits or Reishit, is the first harvest of the year; and the counting of 50 days to Pentecost begins. Sifrat Ha Omer is Hebrew for “counting the days.” Just after the Hebews left Goshen in Egypt, the Red Sea was parted, saving the Hebrews from the Egyptians. As the First Fruits lamb was sacrificed in the temple, God simultaneously rose Jesus from he tomb on this particular festival day.

Pentecost celebrates the delivery of the Torah and the Holy Spirit! — Pentecost celebrates the delivery of the Torah and the Holy Spirit!

“Penta” in Greek is 5, as in pentagon or Pentecost which is 50. Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets and instructions which are the first 5 books of our Old Testament. The Hebrew word Torah stands for Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. From Passover to Pentecost, there are 7 weeks plus one day. Pentecost is sometimes called the festival of Weeks: the Hebrew word is Shavuot. On the same day that Jews (and the disciples) were celebrating Moses giving these instructions, the Holy Spirit, our comforter, arrived!

Trumpets celebrates creation and the new year from days of old. — Trumpets celebrates creation and the new year from days of old.

This is the first of the fall festivals also called Yom Teruah. In Hebrew, yom means day, and teruah means blowing, as in blowing trumpets and shofars. For the month prior, as an announcement to get right with God for the new year, shofars have been blown every day except on Sabbaths. On this day of Trumpets there is a lot of blowing. This festival is also called Rosh Hashanah, the ancient Jewish head of the year celebrating the anniversary of creation including Adam and Eve. Many think the rapture might happen during this festival at the blowing of the “Last Trumpet call.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Yom Kippur is a very different festival day. — Yom Kippur is a very different festival day.

9 Days after Trumpets is Yom Kippur, the Hebrew word for the Day of Atonement. This is the one and only day of the year that the high priest, dressed in special adornments, would enter the Holy of Holies. On this festival day, Zachariah was ministering in the Holy of Holies when he saw an angel who told him he would have a son and should name him John. Zachariah and his wife, Elizabeth were very old, and she had been barren. This is the one day of the year to pray and fast until sunset and is the only solemn festival.

Tabernacles in Hebrew is Sukkot celebrates when Yeshua (Jesus) will come to live with us. — Tabernacles in Hebrew is Sukkot celebrates when Yeshua (Jesus) will come to live with us.

Sukkot is the Hebrew word for Tabernacles. The children of Israel camped in tabernacles or tents in the desert for 40 years. The oldest generation who left Egypt died in the desert because of their unbelief. We build small structures in our yards and patios imagining what it must have been like, remembering how God provided for their needs, knowing He will also provide for ours. Some believe that Jesus was born on this 8 day festival. It could be a foreshadow of when he comes to live with us on earth.

Hanukkah is not in Leviticus 23, so is considered a holy day. — Hanukkah is not in Leviticus 23, so is considered a holy day.

The story of Hanukkah, the Day of Dedication, happened in-between the Old and the New Testament times. After getting kicked out of their temple, the Hebrew “Maccabees” succeeded in getting it back around the time of the festival of Tabernacles. With only one day’s worth of oil, the menorah miraculously stayed lit for all 8 festival days! Over the years, to celebrate this, they designed a 9 stemmed menorah called a hanukkiah. The menorah mentioned in Exodus and depicted in the arch of Titus, the Greek has 7 stems.