Leviticus

The Jewish CalendarLeviticus 23

Bible

This week’s study will examine the annual appointments, celebrations, festivals, and sacred holy days God calls out for his chosen people. In addition to these annual days of celebration and reflection, there will also be other appointed years and events that will surface in later chapters. This week we will focus on the annual feasts.

Read Chapter 23, then answer the following:

  1. List, in order, the events that are to occur in the first month, and those that are to occur in the seventh month, of each Jewish Calendar Year.
  2. The Annual Feasts listed below are contained within this chapter. Can you find them? List the scripture references beside each one that you can locate.
    1. Passover Feast
    2. Feast of Unleavened Bread
    3. Feast of First Fruits
    4. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
    5. Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)
    6. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
    7. Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot)
  3. What does the word "Pentecost" mean?
  4. Beginning in verse 15, the Feast of Pentecost is described; and verse 17 refers to bringing a first fruit offering of leavened bread. This is the first and only time that God allows leavened bread to be offered up to him. Read Acts Chapter 2. Now that you have read both Acts Chapter 2 and Leviticus Chapter 23, what is the significance of Pentecost?
  5. In verse 22, what does the word "gleaning" mean?
  6. How could this principle apply today? Most of us are not farmers, nor do most of us harvest fields. What basic precept is God teaching us in this command?
  7. Bonus Question: Read John 7:37-38. How does our study of the feasts commanded in Leviticus 23 enhance our understanding of these two verses? (It may be of help if you also read Isaiah 12:3, Numbers 20:8-11, and Psalm 78:15-16.)

May God richly bless you this week. Thanks for studying with us.

Yours in Christ,

Wes

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