Jewish Festivals Festivals of the Bible Richard M. Davidson, Ph.D, Names Tse 98 Go | and Dates 7 forthe Chach Dae Shabbat Sabbath, Celebrated weekly | The majoriey of Christians (excep | Every (Grom Friday sunset to Saturday | ceran churches such a Seventh- | Saurday Exod 31:12-17 | sunses) as 4 day of ext, com. | day Adventnts and Seventh Day Ler 233,38. | imemoraing the Creation andthe | Baptists) have abandoned the Sub Deutsazis | Exodus bath (eewern che 2nd and eh cen- Jar 58:13, 14 tures) ro eebrte Sanday a5 sig In 66:22, 23 of the reerection of es Pau — | Passover and Fest of Unlesvened | Easter The Mess, symbolized by | For Jom Nien — | Exod Bread. Thisferixthe ise othe | the paschal lamb Cveho cakes sway | April lt 1421 | Beod 418,25 | anneal fete inthe Hebrew ele | thesins ofthe worl”) did at Pass Lev 234-14 | satel alendar and commemo. | overtime and ror fom the dead at Numn28:16-25 | tates the deliverance from Egyp- | the ime ofthe waving ofthe shea? Deut 16:1-8 | tan bondage. The principal cle. | of barley (asthe firtruits ofthe | For Chinans, rmentisthe Seder" ameal(esten | comingharet 1 Cor15:28) Thus | Apel 57 nthe fist night ofthe fess) with | Good Friday and Easter Sunday are | lamb (ashatkboneafierthe2nd_ | invemembrance of Jes death and Temple times) representing the | resurrection. The countespae ofthe | shin Passover an whose blood | Passovermeal in Christian liuey is tratoprined upon the doorponts | the Euchaiaor Lond Supper with nd lintels so God would pass) thewineandunlesvened bread sy ver withourdesroying ines | bolising the body and Blod ofthe born. Thismealincludesasothe | Mesh, The Lord's supper not biterhetbs and unleavened bread, | only pines backward bur sa the recalling the bieenes of bond | same time a projection into the fi de andthe have ofthe children | tare aaitng Jesu recur which i of alin leaving Egy tobe the monencof ol ieation, veritable "Exodus." Sharuor | fod 25:16 | Fease of Weeks. Comes 50 days | Pentecnt, This commemortes | May 24 Sinan 6 | Exod 3422 | after Passover, This the Feat | the giving ofthe Sprit by God athe Lev 23:15-22 | of Harvest, also named Hag | cme of Penteorrco the believer st Num 28:26-31 | Habbibturin "Feast of | Jerusalem (ets 2) in flllment of Deut 165-12. | Tinie” This is alae the feast | the promise of er31:33, co wrt the of he evlcion and giving of the | Tobin the hears of people. The Tordhto Moss by Yanwehon Me. | outpouring ofthe Sprit point coche Sinai. Modem cestom isto sudy | fis Peoteont a Sinai (och favo Tonal nigh ing fire chunder and sound of rash ing wind), and also wat an earthly ‘ignof the inauguration ofthe Mes sith as Pie Ring in heaven (Heb 15,9; Rev 45), Rove — | Lev23:23.25 | Feat of Trumpets, Fit day of | Forthe churches hararach signif. | Sepe 14 Hashana | Num 29:1-6 | the Jewish cv yee. This isthe | cance to tis fear, the Feart of Tabr't | Neh'8:1-12/ | day'when God was prochimed | ‘Trumpets symbolives che prep King of liacl, Iv is likewise the tion for the day of judgment to preparation forthe judgment of | come (ie the significance of the the world (alluding to Yom Kip- | sounding ofthe erumpetin Rev purh and alo regarded asthefiae | 11) day of Creation week April 1996 / SHABBAT SHALOM 25Names ‘Biblical Significance | 1996 cna and Dater | _ References forthe Church | Dates Yom Lev 161-34 | Day of Atonement. This is a | The high piestisatypeofthe Mes- | Sepe 23 Kippur | Lev 23:26.32 | Shabbar-Shabbaton, the most im- | sah, who makes expiation for the Tubri10 | Lev25:8-17 | portantday oftheyeat. Day when | sins of the people. This day an- Num 2947-11 | “the divine sentence is sealed.” | nounces the final divine judgment Confession and repentance arefun- | coming at the end of the world damental to this day of fasting history (ee Rev 11-20). Subkor | Lev23:33-44 | Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. | This feast caries the message of the Sept 28 - Tishri | Num29:12-39 | The people construct booths | experience of joy which becomes Oct 4 15-21 | Deu 16:13-17 | (rubkod covered with branches to | complete atthe time of the end of Neh 8:14. live in for 7 days, reminiscent of | the existence of evil. At hie final Zech 14:16 | the 40 years of rae’ dwelling in| Fease of Tabernacles on earth, Jesus “booths” in the wildernessfollow- | announced the Messianic fulfillment ing their exodus from Egypt. At | of the “water outpouring” and light the cemple che spectacular “water | ceremonies (John 7:37-38: 8:12) ‘ourpouring” andlight ceremonies | The ultimate celebration ofthis Feat symbolized the water from the | isin the “Earth made new” (in ful rack and pillar of fie during the | fillment ofthe prophecies of Ezek 47, wilderness wandering. Iewas also | Zech 14:16, and Rev 21-22), when | the years crowning agricultural | thessins are gathered inca their har- | feast celebrating the bounties of | vest home, "the tabernacle of God ie the fruit harvest, with men” (Rey 21:3) Simbar | Lev 23:36 Rejoicng in the Law. In biblical] Although many Christians empha- | Oct 5 Torah | Num 29:35-39 | simes called the cighth or “Great” | size the value of Bible study, there Tishri22 | John 7:37 day of the Feast (oF Subto), but | is no celebration paallel to Simhas since the Middle Ages ic has been | Torah with a joyous reveling in the fn independent festival called | Bible. Simbat Torch Rejoicing ofthe To- raf, Modern customs includejoy- us Aablafiror "circuit" around the synagogue carrying the Tondhscalle amid dancing and singing Hanuk- | Joho 10:22 | Feast of Dedication or Feast of | Atthetimeofhis lst Hanubahon | Dec 6-13 hah Lights. Hanutkoh means “dedi- | earth, Jesus announced the Messi Kilov 25- cation.” This eastcommemorares | anic fulfillment ofthis feas in him- Tever2 Judas Maccabees’ purifcationand | self, the antitypical Light and dedication ofthe altar on the third | Temple whom the Father “dedi anniversary of the profanation of | cated" when he came into the world the cemple by Antiochus | (John 10:22, 36; ef. 1:9, 2:19.21). Epiphanes, the 25th of Kilen, 164 | The ultimate Feast of Lights wil B.CE. The Kindling of the 8 | come in the New Earth where “the lamps ar the time ofthis feast e- | Lamb is its lamp" (Rev 21:23) calle che miracle of the oil: the oil, which was only enough for a single day miraculously burned for eight days, Purim | Esth9:17-32 | Beast of Lots or Feast of Esther. | ‘The New Testament implies an | Mar 5-6 ‘Adar Purimisa joyous feast inspired by | eschatological ounterpar of Purim 14 & 1S the atmosphere of jubilation of | in the description ofthe final death the people of Israel atthe time | decree upon God's people, from when God granted the prayer of | which they will be miraculously de- Exther and gave victory over | livered and at which time their en- wicked Haman, who had castlots | emies will be destroyed (Rev 13:15; (Purim) ro decermine the day for | 15:25 19:11-21) the destruction ofthe Jews. ‘The feast recalls the agelong battle of God versus the forces of evil. 26 SHABBAT SHALOM/ April 1996