Read Leviticus 23
These feasts are for the Jews and so relate to earthly happenings. There are seven of them. The first three are the Sabbath, the Passover, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The last four are all introduced by the expression “and the Lord spake unto Moses saying.” These are the Feast of First-Fruits (also called the Feast of Weeks), the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Sabbath
This was Israel’s great link with God, just as ours is the first day of the week. The Sabbath refers back to God resting in creation on the seventh day. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” Ex. 20:88Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:8). On that day Israel should rest as the type of the rest of God to come in this world in Christ’s millennial kingdom.
The Passover
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
This was a secondary feast, connected with the Passover. It typifies believers feeding on the unleavened (that is sinless) perfection of Christ. Leaven, like yeast in bread, puffs up. We find no leaven of malice and wickedness in Him.
The Feast of First Fruits (or Feast of Weeks)
This is the feast which concerns us most in our study of Acts and we must understand it thoroughly.
On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest was to wave a sheaf of the firstfruits of Israel’s harvest before the Lord Lev. 23:10, 1110Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. (Leviticus 23:10‑11). This is Christ in resurrection, typically. He rose from the dead on “the morrow after the Sabbath.” “Christ the firstfruits” writes the Apostle “afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” —1 Cor. 15:2323But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23). The waving of the sheaf of firstfruits was before the Lord as a figure of Christ risen in resurrection after having perfectly offered Himself to God. In Acts this is the beginning of the forty days the Lord Jesus spent on earth after His resurrection. From this time (in figure the resurrection of Christ) a count must be made “and ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering, seven Sabbaths shall be complete. Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days and ye shall offer a new meal offering unto the Lord.” Now Pentecost means fifty. We know that the Lord Jesus spent forty days on this earth in resurrection 1:3 so that He was ten days in heaven before “the day of Pentecost was fully come.”
Only then could there be a new meal offering, which consisted of two wave loaves of fine flour baked with leaven. This is the Church. “Baked with leaven” is in contrast to the sheaf of firstfruits. “In Him (Christ) is no sin” 1 Jo. 3:55And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. (Joshua 3:5). Not so with us. We are “baked with leaven” that is God notes sin in the Church from its very formation. This recalls a story told to the writer by an old friend. A man once called on his grandfather to tell him that it was possible to live a completely sinless life. “I have never sinned” the man said. My friend’s grandfather replied, “I know nothing about your past life, but I know you are sinning now” and quoted 1 Jo. 1:88This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8) to him.
To summarize, the Feast of First Fruits or Weeks gives us first Christ in resurrection perfect then fifty days after the day of Pentecost the formation of the Church, but a Church in which the workings of leaven (sin) are noted in the type.
The Feast of Trumpets
This is a type of the national awakening of Israel after the Church period. It was upon the re-appearance of the moon (Israel). The trumpet is blown in the new moon, on the solemn feast day cf. Ps. 81:3.
The Day of Atonement
Israel being summoned to repentance and national awakening must afflict their souls and recognize their great guilt in crucifying their Messiah Zech. 12.
The rites to be performed on the Day of Atonement are found in Leviticus 16. While space does not permit comment on them verse 17 should be noted. Aaron is alone in the holy place. He makes atonement for himself, then (as a type of Christ) for His household (the Church) and for all the congregation of Israel. This is our position, identified with the True Aaron. When Aaron goes out it is to take up the question of Israel’s sin in the two goats. But long before this, when Aaron went in, we were identified with the bullock Aaron offered for His house v. 6.
The Feast of Tabernacles
With one exception Deut. 16:88Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. (Deuteronomy 16:8) this alone is called a solemn assembly that is day of restraint. It was the great final feast of the year as indeed it will be for Israel. It was at this feast that the Lord’s brethren prompted Him to show Himself to the world, but His time was not yet come.
Since it was the final assembly of the whole congregation of Israel, all born Israelites were to dwell in booths to commemorate the beginning of their history. They were to remember that they had dwelt in booths as pilgrims in the desert at the beginning of Jehovah’s ways with them. The Feast of Tabernacles awaits its complete fulfillment in a coming day after all God’s ways with His ancient people Israel are over, and they enter into earthly rest.