Jewish families had been steeped in the traditions involving the Passover lamb since the days of the Exodus from Egypt. As the people of God became a nation occupying the Promised Land, God established His Law for them to use to guide and direct their lives. A portion of the Law included remembering and celebrating several festivals. Each of the biblical festivals taught the Israelites – and us – important truths and God and His larger purpose of life with mankind.
The Jewish Law instituted seven annual feasts the people were to keep. In chronological order according to the Jewish Calendar year, the feasts are listed on this chart:
| Date | Feast | Explanation | Scriptures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tishri 1 | Rosh Hashanah Feast of Trumpets | New Year | Leviticus 23:24 |
| Tishri 10 | Yom Kippur Day of Atonement | Atonement for sins | Leviticus 16:30 |
| Tishri 15-22 | Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) | Celebrate God’s provision in the wilderness | Leviticus 23:34 |
| Nisan 14-15 | Pesach Passover Feast of Salvation | Death passed over the houses covered by the blood of the Lamb | Leviticus 23:5 |
| Nisan 15-22 | Unleavened Bread | Seven days eating unleavened bread | Leviticus 23:6 |
| Nisan 16-17 | First fruits | Celebrates God replanting the earth in the spring | Leviticus 23:11 |
| Sivan 6-7 | Shavu’ot Pentecost | Celebrates the summer harvest | Leviticus 23:16 |
The Jewish calendar is based on the phases of the moon. Each month in a lunar calendar begins with a new moon. Pesach falls on the first full moon of Spring. The first three feasts fall in March and April. The fourth feast, Shavu’ot, marked the summer harvest and occurs in late May or early June. The last three feasts happen in September and October.
A lunar calendar “leaps” every 3 years and adds a 29 day month that year.
Let’s talk about three images or object lessons that Jesus would have used for the disciples in the Upper Room (click on the picture to learn about each image).
