"But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Matthew 26:56 KJV

Spanning a period of seven months, the seven feasts (Hebrew - feast means "the appointed time" that the Lord told Israel to observe, truly and ultimately point to what Jesus has done and will do.*

Regarding the first four feasts which occur in the spring, the Old Testiment observances very closely parallel aspects of Christs first advent. All believers and Messianic Jews can now see and appreciate that Jesus has fulfilled these first four of the seven feasts:

1. The Feast of Passover - Just as the Lord passed over each home in Egypt that had the blood of a sacrifaced lamb over the lintel and door posts, the Lord passed over the former sins of those who would believe in Jesus, the Lamb of God whose innocent blood was shed in sacriface for all. Under His blood, the believer is covered by the righteousness of Christ and forgiven - "passed over"

2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread - Just as the lack of any leavening in the home during the days of this feast indicates a family truly observing all holy requirements (free of any fault), so it is that the burial of Jesus signified that His life knew no sin and that His sacriface was truly perfect.

Note: Jesus died just a few hours before the sunset which marked the start of the 15th day of Nisan, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

3. The Feast of Firstfruits - Just as the wave of the sheaf of the firstfruits (a shock of the grains that had ripened first) indicated the first of the fruits of the land, produce and harvests that the Lord had given to His people, the resurrection of Christ was like a wave offering before God that signified that many would follow Him in death and resurrection.

"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

Note: Note: Jesus arose from the dead on the third day, which was the 17th of Nissan, the Feast of the Firstfruits.

4. The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost - Just as the Lord decended up Mt. Sinai with smoke and fire to give Moses and Israel the Law and their place as a nation, the Holy Spirit decended with tounges of fire upon the new believers who were gathered and waiting just as Jesus had told them to. The Holy Spirit decended on the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of Christ on the Feast of Firstfruits, and occured on day of the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost - Greek for "fifty"), and another type nation was started, the Church.

"You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath." Leviticus 23:15 ESV

I hope you have enjoyed reading of how our Lord fulfilled the first four of the Feasts of Israel at his first advent. I hope you will enjoy Part 2 of "Jesus And The Feasts Of Israel" where the discussion will focus on how He will fulfill the last three Feasts of Israel in the future.

* "The Seven Feasts of Israel are Fulfilled in Jesus" by Matthew Ervin - Appleeye.org, 3/24/2014

Rik Charbonneaux is a retired NE Iowan who loves all of God's Word and all of His creatures.