Tag Archives: feasts of God

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Jesus in the Feast of First Fruits

Leave a comment

Welcome to week three of learning about the feasts and festivals ordained by God! Last week, we moved from Passover to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which Passover initiates. Unleavened Bread is all about removing leaven—yeast—sin from our lives. Jesus came 2,000 years ago to fulfill the feast and make possible a way for us to be free and rejoin the Creator. I’ll introduce the third event (First Fruits) and connect it to the first two feasts and Jesus’ fulfillment.

Passover occurs at twilight (about 6:00 PM) on Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar. At dusk, the date becomes 15 Nisan. The seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread is part of Passover and begins at that time. First Fruits happens the day after the Jewish Sabbath following Unleavened Bread. Sabbath runs from twilight on Friday to the same time Saturday evening. So, First Fruits occurs on Sunday, the day Jesus was raised from the dead. Considering this and what I wrote last week, here’s a snapshot of the week from Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem until First Fruits:

  • Sunday: enter Jerusalem
  • Monday through Thursday: four days of inspection by religious leaders (to fulfill foreshadowing).
  • Thursday day (14 Nisan): Day of Preparation. Crucified when the Passover lambs were slaughtered. In this, Jesus became our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).
  • Thursday night (15 Nisan): Passover; the Feast of Unleavened Bread starts.
  • Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights: three nights in the grave.
  • Friday, Saturday, and Sunday days: three days in the grave; raised on the third (Matthew 28:1-6).
  • Sunday Day (17 Nisan): First Fruits.

First Fruits celebrates what God has provided (Leviticus 23:9-14) and represents resurrection like Passover represents redemption, and Unleavened Bread speaks of being set apart for God. Sheaves of barley are cut just before sunset late Saturday afternoon and ceremoniously waved before God on the first day of the new week (Sunday). Just as the priests presented the first of the barley harvest to God that day, Jesus presented Himself to the Father as the first of those who would also die and be raised to new life (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). The fulfillment heralded a new era of being set apart for purity and good works in Christ Jesus (e.g., Ephesians 2:10).

How can we apply the concept of new life in Jesus as ‘first fruits?’ First, recognize that we have been ‘crucified’ with Christ when we devote ourselves to God through Him (Galatians 2:20). We become a “new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and put on the new self with its likeness to God (Ephesians 4:24). In other words, we can become ‘first fruits’ to God when we devote, stay, and change.

Next week? Let’s continue our journey with Jesus in the Pentecost.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

The Feasts of God, an Introduction

Leave a comment

God appointed certain times for specific things (Leviticus 23:4) and put stars, planets, and constellations in a particular order and position to mark them. (Genesis 1:14). For instance, some seasons and feasts were, and are, dress rehearsals for fulfilling God’s words. Jesus’ first coming in the 1st century AD and his second coming to occur at the end of our current age/world (Colossians 2:16-17) have fulfilled (and will fulfill) them. What about the feasts?

God ordained seven of them. Four occur in springtime: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost. Three more happen in the fall:  Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Atonement, and Tabernacles (Sukkot). The Jews were required to visit the Temple in Jerusalem for three feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Let’s take a brief peek at each of the seven events.

Spring Feasts of the Lord (fulfilled by Jesus’ first coming): Roughly March to May)

Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread: These first two spring feasts commemorate the salvation of the Hebrews from God’s judgment against Pharaoh and their exodus from Egypt in about 1445 BC. Passover commences on the 14th day of the first month at twilight. The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasts for seven days, beginning the day after Passover.

Feast of Firstfruits: This marks the beginning of the harvest period and allows Israel to present the first fruits of that harvest to God in thanksgiving. It occurs 50 days before the Feast of Weeks.

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost): This feast happens 50 days after the feast of Firstfruits to signal the end of the grain harvest and give thanks to God for His provision.

Fall Feasts of the Lord (will be fulfilled by Jesus’ return to earth): September or October

The Feast of Trumpets: This ‘memorial of blowing of trumpets’ happens on the first day of the seventh month (usually September).

The Day of Atonement: The event is meant to be a time of atonement for the Jews and will most likely mark the manifestation of salvation and reconciliation between God and Israel at the end of the ‘time of the gentiles’ (cf. Luke 21:24 and Romans 11:25-27).

The Feast of Tabernacles: Finally, this feast commemorates the Israelites’ time in the desert just before entering the land of Canaan. During the festival, which lasts seven days, Jews are compelled to live in structures (booths) made of branches, twigs, and leaves. The event will most likely be fulfilled when God makes all things new and once again resides with people in combined heaven and earth.

Where will we go next week? Let’s kick off our deep dive into God’s ordained feasts by learning of Jesus in the Passover!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley

Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss

Let the Feasting Begin!

Leave a comment

In His covenant with His bride, Israel, God ordained 7 feasts and festivals: 4 in the spring, and 3 in the fall.  While followers of Jesus aren’t forced to observe them, knowing of the events and their past, present, and future significance will help understand where we’ve come from and God’s covenant with Israel and our Christ’s covenant with the world are related.

~ Spring Feasts of the Lord (fulfilled by Jesus’ first coming) ~

Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread: These first two spring feasts commemorate the salvation of the Hebrews from God’s judgment against Pharaoh and their exodus from Egypt in about 1445 BC. Passover commences on the 14th day of the first month at twilight. The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasts for 7 days beginning on the day after Passover. Jesus fulfilled the role of Passover lamb sacrificed for the choice of salvation (just as with the Hebrews in Egypt), and He represented the removal of leaven (yeast) – sin, as we see in 1Corinthians 5:6-8.

Feast of First fruits: This marks the beginning of the harvest period and gives Israel an opportunity to present the first fruits of that harvest to God in thanksgiving. It occurs 50 days prior to the Feast of Weeks. Jesus fulfilled this event as the first fruits of the resurrected dead presented to the Father (1Corinthians 15:20 & 35-48).

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost): This particular feast occurs 7 weeks and a day (50 days total) after the feast of First Fruits. The purpose is to signal the end of the grain harvest and give thanks to God for His provision. It’s also marked the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Spirit of God to empower His followers for ministry (John 14:16).

~ Fall Feasts of the Lord (will be fulfilled by Jesus’ return to earth) ~

The Feast of Trumpets: This ‘memorial of blowing of trumpets’ is to happen on the first day of the 7th month (usually September) and will most likely signal our Christ’s return to earth and the gathering of His bride at the ‘last trumpet’ (cf. Matthew 24:30-31 and 1Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The Day of Atonement: The event is meant to be a time of atonement for the Jews and will most likely mark the manifestation of salvation and reconciliation between God and Israel at the end of the ‘time of the gentiles’ (cf. Luke 21:24 and Romans 11:25-27).

The Feast of Tabernacles: Finally, this feast commemorates the Israelites’ time in the desert just before entering the land of Canaan. During the festival, which lasts 7 days, Jews are compelled to live in structures – booths – made of branches, twigs, and leaves. This practice most likely also represents the time of Jesus’ kingdom where He will dwell with man and once again be the protector and provider for Israel.

Which will it be for you – feast or famine (spiritually-speaking)?

Foods_(cropped)