Remember and Celebrate on August 28

Every 6th and 13th lesson, we pause to remember and celebrate, just as God instructed His people to do.

Old Testament Significance
Several times a year the Israelites gathered together for a feast or festival. In Leviticus 23, “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts … which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.’” These seven feasts and festivals are: Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Festival of First Fruits, Feast of Harvest, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). In addition, the Israelites would gather weekly to celebrate the Sabbath. These were times to remember what God had done for His people and to celebrate His goodness. They were a time for the entire faith community to gather together without the burden of work to simply worship and celebrate. During the feasts, the Israelites ate, danced, sang, played instruments, prayed, and offered sacrifices to God.

New Testament Significance
The Feast of Passover was fulfilled by the death of the Messiah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by His sinless sacrifice, and the Festival of First Fruits was fulfilled by the resurrection of the Messiah. The Feast of Harvest began with a great harvest of three thousand souls by the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, who continues to harvest souls today. The Feast of Trumpets will announce Christ’s return, the Day of Atonement anticipated the Messiah’s perfect sacrifice, and finally, the Feast of Tabernacles begins the journey to our new home in a new heaven and new earth.

Festival of Jubilee
This week we are highlighting the festival of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee occurred once every 50 years, after seven Sabbatical years. It was a consecrated year set aside to proclaim liberty and restoration for all of the inhabitants of the land. Debts were forgiven, and those who had sold themselves to settle a debt were set free. God reminds His people that He is their Provider. Therefore, He commands His people to provide for the redemption of land and housing that was lost due to poverty or other circumstances such as these.

For more information on biblical feasts and festivals, visit http://www.shamar.org/articles/
godsplan.php; http://www.maranathalife.com/teaching/jew-hol.htm.