CHART OF THE ANNUAL FEASTS/HOLY DAYS Their Meanings Past, Present, and Future

Passover* Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Killing of Passover lamb, blood spread on doorposts and lintel, death of firstborn plague passed over. Killing of Passover Lamb (Messiah), His blood spread around us, death (second) will pass over. Death is permanently passed over, all are cleansed forever by the blood of the Lamb.

Feast of Unleavened Bread Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Leaving Egypt in haste, going from physical slavery to freedom. Leaving sin, going from spiritual slavery into spiritual freedom. Sin totally gone, all are totally free.

"Wave Sheaf" Offering** Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Firstfruits of spring harvest, marks beginning of new harvest season. Firstfruit (Messiah) cut down and offered to the Father and accepted by Him, marks beginning of His spiritual harvest. Commemorates Messiah's victory over death and sin.

Feast of Weeks/Pentecost Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Celebration of the spring (first) harvest, birth of OT church (giving of 10 commandments at Sinai, old covenant entered). Birth of NT Church, celebration of coming 1st Resurrection (first harvest). Commemorating birth of spiritual Church, 1st Resurrection.

Feast of Trumpets/Shouting Old Testament New Testament Kingdom End of summer harvest. Return of Messiah, end-time war begins. Commemorating Messiah's return and beginning of Kingdom.

Day of Atonement Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Penance, "scapegoat"; forgiveness of debts, return of family lands in Jubilee year. Looking toward perfection and the removal of Satan's influence from our lives. Pictures the end-time war victory, the opening of the Temple, the end of captivity and slavery. Commemorating the removal of Satan, total forgiveness, inheritance of all things.

Feast of Tabernacles Old Testament New Testament Kingdom Remembering wandering, "we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth." We are still strangers and pilgrims on the earth, looking toward Millennium, Kingdom on earth. Pictures the Wedding of the Lamb and the Church followed by six days of festivities. Anniversary of the wedding, humans still pilgrims, looking toward becoming spirit beings.

Eighth Day Feast*** Old Testament New Testament Kingdom A general anticipation of unknown future events. The final institution of the Kingdom, looking toward new heaven and earth, 2nd resurrection period, beyond Millennium. New Heaven and Earth coming, looking beyond Millennium and into 2nd resurrection period.

* - "Passover" is used interchangeably in the scriptures to reference: 1) the special activities of the afternoon prior to the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and into the evening of that Holy Day (the killing of the Passover lamb and the "seder" meal); and 2) the festival period as a whole. In this instance, it refers to the former. ** - The "Wave Sheaf" (actually "sheaves") were cut down immediately following a Sabbath, generally considered to be the one during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In most cases it will occur during the Feast, but in those years when the final day is a Sabbath, it will fall on the day following the Feast. Note: the word "Sabbath" refers to the weekly Sabbath (Heb. shabbat) and not an annual Holy Day (Heb. shabbatown). The only annual Holy Day given the designation "Sabbath" in the Hebrew is the Day of Atonement. The others are never called "shabbat" of and by themselves. The only time one of the other annual Holy Days is a "shabbat" is when it falls on the weekly Sabbath (as it did in Jn 19:31). *** - Unlike the others, this Holy Day is not named in scripture. Many refer to it as the "Last Great Day" but a study into the rituals and practices discloses that the "last day, that great day of the Feast" (Jn 7:37) was actually the seventh and final day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the day prior to this unnamed Holy Day. Since it does not have an "official" name, we call it the Eighth Day Feast.

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