Dake - The Ultimate Study Bible

Biblical Context Studies

We live in a very different world from the ancient Israelites. As a result, it can be difficult at times to keep up with all the events that were a normal part of Jewish culture. Fortunately, The Dake Annotated Reference Bible offers frequent help here, as in the following note from page 144 of the Old Testament:

Feasts of Israel (Lev. 23:2)

Eight Feasts of Jehovah

  1. Weekly sabbath feast (vv. 2-3)
  2. Yearly passover feast (vv. 4-5)
  3. Yearly feast of unleavened bread (vv. 6-8)
  4. Yearly feast of firstfruits (vv. 9-14)
  5. Yearly feast of Pentecost (vv. 15-21)
  6. Yearly feast of trumpets (vv. 23-25)
  7. Yearly feast of atonement (vv. 26-32)
  8. Yearly feast of tabernacles (vv. 33-34)

Three commands--Feasts of Jehovah

  1. Speak to Israel concerning the feasts of Jehovah (v. 2)
  2. Proclaim My feasts to be holy convocations
  3. Proclaim the feasts in their proper seasons (v. 4)

Three Yearly Feast Gatherings for All Males

  1. The feasts of the passover, unleavened bread, and firstfruits were observed in the same season at the same gathering (Ex. 12; 23:14-17)
  2. Feast of Pentecost (vv. 15-21; Ex. 23:16)
  3. Feast of tabernacles (vv. 33-44; Ex. 23:16; 34:18-22). This was preceded by two other feasts which all males attended. By gathering fifteen days earlier they could attend all three which required a total of twenty-one days-the feast of trumpets, the great day of atonement, and feast of tabernacles (vv. 23-44; 2 Chr. 8:13).

Eight Other Feasts of the Jews

  1. A septennial (recurring every seven years) or sabbatical feast (Lev. 25)
  2. Feast of the new moon, the first crescent moon after its transition (1 Chr. 23:31; 2 Chr. 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Ezra 3:5; Neh. 10:33; Isa. 1:13-14; Hos. 2:11; Col. 2:14-17)
  3. Feast of Purim, to celebrate the deliverance from Haman (Esther 9)
  4. Feast of dedication, or restoration of the temple, which was profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes (Jn. 10:22). This was also called the feast of lights.
  5. Feast of branches, to commemorate the taking of Jericho by Joshua. It is not mentioned in Scripture.
  6. Feast for the death of Nicanor (1 Macc. 7:48 of the Apocrypha)
  7. Feast for the discovery of the sacred fire (2 Macc. 1:18)
  8. Feast of carrying wood to the tabernacle, called Xylophory (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, II:17:6)

     

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