The Feasts of the LORD
The Feasts of the LORD
Leviticus 23 calls these “the feasts of the LORD” — His appointed times to meet with His people. Many believers see the spring feasts fulfilled in Yeshua’s first coming and the fall feasts pointing to His return.
The Hebrew year
The Hebrew calendar is lunar, so the Gregorian dates change every year.
Every week and every month
שַׁבָּת · Shabbat
The Sabbath — the foundation of the feasts
When Every seventh day
Leviticus 23:3
Leviticus 23 begins with the weekly Sabbath: six days of work, and the seventh a day of rest and holy gathering before the LORD.
In Yeshua“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; Hebrews 4:9–10).
רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ · Rosh Chodesh
New Moon
When The first day of every month
Numbers 10:10; 28:11–15; Isaiah 66:23
Each Hebrew month begins with the new moon. Trumpets were blown and special offerings were made, dedicating the new month to God.
In YeshuaThese are a shadow of things to come, but the substance belongs to Messiah (Colossians 2:16–17).
Spring feasts
פֶּסַח · Pesach Fulfilled
Passover
When Nisan 14 (March–April)
Leviticus 23:5; Exodus 12
Death passed over every house marked with the blood of the lamb, and Israel was redeemed from slavery in Egypt.
In Yeshua“Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” — Yeshua was crucified at Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 19:14).
מַצּוֹת · Chag HaMatzot Fulfilled
Unleavened Bread
When Nisan 15–21
Leviticus 23:6–8
For seven days Israel eats bread without leaven, remembering the haste of leaving Egypt. In Scripture leaven often pictures sin.
In YeshuaThe sinless Yeshua — so we keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7–8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
בִּכּוּרִים · Bikkurim Fulfilled
Firstfruits
When The day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread
Leviticus 23:9–14
The first sheaf of the barley harvest was waved before the LORD, declaring that the whole harvest to come belonged to Him.
In YeshuaYeshua rose from the dead as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20–23).
פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי · Pesach Sheni
Second Passover
When Iyar 14 (April–May)
Numbers 9:9–12
Anyone who was ceremonially unclean or on a distant journey could keep Passover one month later. God opens a second way for those who missed it.
In Yeshua“The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37; Luke 19:10).
שָׁבֻעוֹת · Shavuot Fulfilled
Weeks (Pentecost)
When Fifty days after Firstfruits (May–June)
Leviticus 23:15–21; Exodus 34:22
Two loaves from the first of the wheat harvest were offered to the LORD. Jewish tradition also remembers it as the day the Torah was given at Sinai.
In YeshuaAt Shavuot the Holy Spirit was poured out, and three thousand came to faith in a day (Acts 2:1–4, 41).
Fall feasts
יוֹם תְּרוּעָה · Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah) Awaiting fulfillment
Trumpets
When Tishri 1 (September–October)
Leviticus 23:23–25
A holy gathering announced with the blast of trumpets, opening the fall feasts with a call to repentance and readiness.
In YeshuaWe look for the day the Lord descends from heaven with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52).
יוֹם כִּפּוּר · Yom Kippur Awaiting fulfillment
Day of Atonement
When Tishri 10
Leviticus 23:26–32; Leviticus 16
The holiest day of the year, when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the people — a day of fasting and humbling oneself.
In YeshuaYeshua secured eternal redemption once for all by His own blood. We pray for the day Israel looks on Him whom they pierced and returns (Hebrews 9:11–12; Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26).
סֻכּוֹת · Sukkot Awaiting fulfillment
Tabernacles
When Tishri 15–21, with an eighth-day assembly
Leviticus 23:33–43
For seven days Israel lives in booths, remembering God’s care in the wilderness and rejoicing in the harvest. Solomon’s Temple was dedicated at this feast (1 Kings 8:2).
In YeshuaThe Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among us, and one day God’s dwelling will be with His people. We look for the day the nations go up to Jerusalem to keep Sukkot (John 1:14; Revelation 21:3; Zechariah 14:16).
שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת · Shemini Atzeret · Simchat Torah Awaiting fulfillment
The Eighth Day
When Tishri 22
Leviticus 23:36, 39; Numbers 29:35
A separate holy assembly on the eighth day, after the seven days of Sukkot. Jewish tradition also completes and restarts the yearly Torah reading at this time, celebrating “Joy of the Torah.”
In YeshuaOn the last, great day of the feast Yeshua stood and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37–38).
Other festivals and fasts
תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב · Tisha B’Av
The Fast of the Ninth of Av
When Av 9 (July–August)
2 Kings 25:8–9; Zechariah 7:3; 8:19
A day of fasting and mourning for the destruction of the First Temple by Babylon and the Second Temple by Rome. Zechariah promised that the fast of the fifth month would become a feast of joy and gladness.
In YeshuaYeshua wept over Jerusalem and foretold the Temple’s destruction (Luke 19:41–44; Matthew 24:1–2).
חֲנֻכָּה · Hanukkah
Dedication (Hanukkah)
When Eight days from Kislev 25 (November–December)
John 10:22–23
A festival of lights remembering the rededication of the defiled Temple in the Maccabean era, in the second century BC.
In YeshuaYeshua walked in Solomon’s porch at the Feast of Dedication and revealed that He is the Messiah (John 10:22–30).
פּוּרִים · Purim
Purim
When Adar 14–15 (February–March)
Esther 9:20–32
Remembers how God delivered the Jewish people in Persia from Haman’s plot to destroy them, through Esther and Mordecai.
In YeshuaGod has not cast away His people — His faithfulness to Israel stands (Romans 11:1–2, 29).
Appointed years
שְׁמִטָּה · יוֹבֵל · Shmita · Yovel
The Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee
Leviticus 25:1–17; Luke 4:18–19
Every seventh year the land rested. After seven sabbatical years, the fiftieth year was proclaimed a Jubilee: slaves were set free, debts released, and land returned to its family.
In YeshuaIn the synagogue at Nazareth Yeshua read Isaiah 61 and proclaimed “the acceptable year of the Lord” — true freedom and restoration (Luke 4:18–21).