p21EAd

All holy days and religious rituals which God commanded Jewish people to observe, had symbolical value and reflected the basic events on the earth and in heaven which should come to pass in the future.

The consecration in priesthood. Before Jesus' mission on the earth His consecration in priesthood above people took place. It happened, as it was showed above, when Abraham brought a ram for the burning sacrifice. Besides the consecration in the priests a ram for burnt offering (Lev.8:18, Ex. 29:18) was brought by a priest in the Day of atonement (Lev.16:3, Num.29:8); in the Day of Trumpets (Num.29:2), at the Feast of Weeks (two rams -Lev.23:18), at the Feast of unleavened bread (Num.28:19), at the Feast of Tabernacles (Num.29:12-38) and in new moon (Num.28:11). As we shall see later, a ram for burnt sacrifice symbolized a certain stage of Jesus’ priest activity.

Daily services (Num.28:3-8) with sacrificing of a lamb together with bread, oil and wine symbolized the hope of people for salvation through the blood of sacrificial lamb-Jesus Who is God’s anointed One (oil), "Living Bread that came down from heaven" (John 6 : 51). Symbols of His sacrifice became bread
and wine (Luke 22:19,20). Thus, a lamb, bread with oil and wine - all symbolized Jesus.

Passover (about the meaning of this feast in details – later).
When the pharaoh didn’t allow Jewish people to leave Egypt,
God warned, that for his disobedience every firstborn in Egypt will die. To His people He commanded to mark their doors by blood of a lamb. To those who obeyed the Divine command, the angel of death has not entered, and their first-borns remained alive. Thus the first Passover ("Hebrew: פסח; transliterated as Pesach or Pesah, means a "leaping" or "skipping" over the houses of the Jews) took place. By the blood of the Passover lamb those who obeyed God were saved from death.

The Passover lamb was just a hint for the biggest sacrifice: the sacrifice of Jesus: «Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us» (1Cor.5:7). When Jesus was crucified the Great Passover took place. Now everyone who believes in Jesus, thanks to His blood sacrifice can be saved from death.

A Passover was killed at the evening of 14 of the first month by
a sunset (Deu.16:6). As the Jews counted days from sunset to sunset (ex.: Gen.1:5,8,13), the next day had began at the night. Thus, at night of 15-th Passover was eaten with unleavened bread (Ex. 12:8,42; Deu.16:3). So the 7 days of the Feast of unleavened bread began (Ex. 12:18). At the same night, which had to be observed by all the children of Israel in their generations (Ex. 12:42), the first sheaf of the Firstfruits (Lev.23:11) was waved before God. It was the Feast of Firstfruits. That night all men should appear before God (Ex. 34:22), and after that night they could come back home in their settlements (Deu.16:7). Up to the feast of Firstfruits it was prohibited to eat any grain (Lev.23:14), therefore the Feast of Unleavened bread began right after the Feast of Firstfruits, when it was permitted to eat unleavened bread with Passover.

Feast of firstfruits or Feast of the first sheaf (the harvest of new grain). As it has already been considered above, prophecies speak about two harvestings: the harvesting of the saints and the harvesting of the wicked. The harvesting of firstfruits - the first harvesting, it is the harvesting of saints. As right after killing of Passover by its blood all Jewish firstborns were saved, and in one tribe – the tribe of Levi, they became priests (saints) of God, same right after Jesus' death (Passover) the first saints were resurrected (Mat.27:52).

After Passover and the Feast of firstfruits there was the Feast of unleavened bread (Jews often named all the days of celebrating of Passover, Feast of firstfruits and Feast of unleavened bread by the one word “Passover”- Luke.22:1; Ezek.45:21).
The holiday lasted for 7 days, and 7 is the number of a completeness, eternity.
In 1 Cor. 5:8, "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old
leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth".

Thus, unleavened bread symbolized an eternal redemption
from the slavery of sin, presented to people by Jesus' sacrifice. As after killing the Passover the Jews came into the desert,
where during 40 years they ate unleavened bread from heaven, so after Jesus’ crucifixion the bread from heavens, i.e. Jesus (John 6: 51), appeared to people during 40 days.

When The Lamb will come to the earth for the Second time the Feast of Firstfruits will happen again: the saints (wheat - Mat.3:12) will be taken into the Kingdom of Heaven. Then – the Feast of Unleavened bread: 40 days the Judgment above the living will have place.

After Jesus' ascension to heaven the Day of Atonement (about this day - later) of mankind begun – the purification of the righteous for Kingdom of heaven. Then there was the heavenly war, the judgment above Satan, and he with his angels was dumped on the earth.

Day of Atonement of the heavenly sanctuary – the purification of the angels for the Kingdom of Heaven - took place in 1850 (see the Prophecy about 2300 days).

The Day of the trumpets (Lev.23:24-25;Num.29:1-5) will take place, when the trumpets of "Revelation" will begin to sound , i.e. before Jesus' Second coming. As we shall see later, Jesus will come before a Jubilee year, therefore 7 trumpets of "Revelation" are seven Jubilee trumpets (Josh.6:3 Lev.25:9,10). When Jews came out from the desert after 40 years of wanderings there, they were baptized in Jordan river and came to the holy land (Josh.5:15). With 7 Jubilee trumpets they marched around it once a day during six days, and on the seventh day priests by blowing in 7 trumpets, marched around it 7 times. After that Jews inherited the land. The same the righteous after 7 seals and 7 Jubilee trumpets, i.e. after the Second coming, will inherit the holy land for themselves.

Day of Atonement of the Earth will take place in Jesus’ Second coming, when all unrighteous will be eliminated, all righteous
will be purified of sins, and the saints will receive white robes
for the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Feast of Weeks was celebrated in 7 full weeks (49 days)
after The Feast of Firstfruits. It symbolized the event which will occur in 49 days after the saints will be taken to heaven at the Second coming of Jesus. We know, that Jesus will come in 1290 days after the occupation of Jerusalem, however Daniel told, that blessed the one who will live till 1335 days (Dan.12:11,12). The difference between 1290 and 1335 is 45 days. For 40 days the judgment of alive will continue, in 5 days all the wicked on the planet will be destroyed. For 3 days the earth will be absolutely restored. A day will be necessary for the righteous to realize, that all tests are behind, and God gave this beautiful earth to them in possession. After that, on the fifth day (see below), the holiday will be celebrated.

After the 1000 years the Day of Atonement of the earth and heaven will take place. The new earth and new heaven will be created.

The Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Ingathering in the end of year will take place in 1000 years after the Second coming,
when the righteous and saints will be gathered all together on
the new earth. God said: “Live in booths for seven days… so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in
booths when I brought them out of Egypt” (Lev.23:42-43).
The promised land, as we saw it earlier, was a symbol of the
new earth.

Because the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated in the same month after the Feast of Trumpets (trumpets of "Revelation"), after the Day of Atonement (The Second Coming and cleansing the earth off all unrighteous) it also symbolized the restored earth after the Second coming. It symbolized that on the 5-th day (the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated on the 5-th day after the Day of Atonement) after the cleansing the earth off all unrighteous the saved people will celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and The Feast of Weeks at the same time.

Thus, the three most significant feasts symbolized the God’s
plan of salvation of the people: Feast of firstfruits - when saints will be taken to heaven, Feast of Weeks - when the righteous
will inherit the earth, and Feast of Tabernacles - when saints
and the righteous will live on the new earth.

Only in these three feasts all sons of Israel had to appear
before God, in Jerusalem temple. Only these three feasts were celebrated with joy, songs and dancing. Because only these three feasts meant the God’s promise to people to return them their immortality which they lost in the garden of Eden.

What the sacrifices in the given Feasts meant, we will see below.

31. Sacrifices. When and why had they come to existence?

Bible says:

«it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should
take away sins» (Heb.10:4,11) « None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious» (Ps.49:7,8); «The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit» (Ps.51:17); «I will glorify him (God) with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox» (Ps.69:30,31). «To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams» (1Sam.15:22).

That means, that for God sacrifices were only material symbols
of some spiritual realities: hope, faith, fear, respect, love and etc...

Usually, speaking about sacrifices, people think about a sacrifice for sin. However up to the mountain of Sinai sin sacrifices were not executed. Though people did offerings from the fall of Adam and Eve, there were no sin sacrifices: "for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account
when there is no law" (Rom.5:13). Those were sacrifices for gaining a God’s favor, a request for help, for God’s grace
(burnt sacrifice- Lev.1:3) and sacrifice of thanksgiving (peace offering- Lev.7:15; 22:29).

So, we know, the first offerings were made by Adam and Eve. They used skins of those first victims as clothes when they left Eden (Gen.3:21). According to the laws of religious rite, skins of
a sin sacrifices were burnt (Eх.29:14; Lev.4:10,12, 21; Lev.16:27). Skins of burnt sacrifices belonged to a priest (Lev.7:8). Skins of peace offerings belonged to those who made the sacrifice in order to gain a God’s favor (Lev.7:29-34).

Adam was compared with Jesus (1Cor.15:45) and was, like a priest, a mediator between God and a human, i.e. his wife. Thus, Adam and Eve by their "own hands" (Lev.7:30) made the burnt sacrifices with the plead for a favor (Adam as a priest got skins from burnt offerings) and peace offerings of thanksgiving (skins belonged to those who made the offering – to Eve).

Abel remembered, what sacrifices God commanded to his parents to make, and he decided to bring the same offering,
the offering to please the Lord, therefore he brought from his sheep flock a peace offering of thanksgiving or (and) burnt sacrifice (Gen.4:2,4.). Noah brought burnt offerings upon termination of the Flood, as the request for help, for grace, for
a favor (Gen.8:20-22); Abraham brought lambs for burnt
offerings (Gen.22:7). Up to the establishment of Leviticus priesthood and laws of the sacred service Jews made only
burnt and peace offerings (Ex.24:5; 32:6).

By Leviticus laws only burnt and peace offerings were made
with bread, oil, wine and incense. Sin offerings and guilt (or trespass) offerings were made without it (Lev.5:11). A bread
could be offered for a sin offering, but it should be without oil
and incense. Bread with oil, wine and incense as it was shown above, symbolized Jesus.

Hence, not sin offerings, but peace and burnt offerings
pointed to Jesus.

«When Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
Then I said, 'Here I am…I have come to do your will, O God» (Heb.10:5-7). John the Baptist called Jesus «the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!» (John 1:29).

However, by studying closely the rules of sacrificial system,
you will see below, that a lamb (ram) never was sacrificed for
a sin, but only as burnt offering for a God’s favor, as sacrifice
of thanksgiving, of the peace offerings, as sacrifice of
dedication into priests and as guilt offerings.

For better understanding of symbolical meaning of sacrifices
and religious rituals, it is necessary for us to understand the purpose of each subject in the Holy place of God – the Tabernacle.