The Biblical Feasts: Pesach, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits

In Leviticus 23 we read about the 7 biblical feasts which Abba instructed the Israelites to keep. These feasts belong to Abba right from Creation!

Lev 23:1-2 is very clear: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts."

Lev 23:4 again states that it's the feasts of the Lord.

Many people think that the biblical feasts are Jewish feasts and that they no longer apply to us. Sadly, that is not the case. Due to our lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6-7) - we miss out on vital spiritual principles! These spiritual principles are some of the very things which will enable us to experience the true depth of the blessing and restoration which Abba has in store for us!

Straight from Genesis all the way through to Revelation, Abba's plan for redemption is evident! His desire for us is to be fruitful in all areas of our lives. However, in order for us to be fruitful, we have to live according to His principles - which include His rhythm of harvest!

Keeping the biblical festivals are not a Jewish custom. These feasts existed from the start of Creation! The Jews did not!

Abba made His covenant with Abraham - he was a Hebrew - the word Hebrew means to “cross over.” He then confirmed His covenant with Isaac - who was also a Hebrew like his father. Abba came and confirmed the covenant again with Isaac’s son, Jacob. God renamed Jacob as Israel (Gen 32:28 & Gen 35:10). That’s where the Israelites come from, literally Jacob / Israel’s offspring. Before that the Israelites haven’t existed because Jacob (Israel) haven’t existed.

Israel (Jacob) had 12 sons (Gen 29-30):

1. Reuben;

2. Simeon;

3. Levi (who became the priests);

4. Judah (from whose lineage king David and later Yeshua was born);

5. Dan;

6. Naphtali;

7. Gad;

8. Asher;

9. Issachar;

10. Zebulun;

11. Joseph;

12. Benjamin.

Joseph’s brother’s sold him to the Egyptians (Gen 37). He had two sons that were born in Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim. During the famine, Israel sent his sons to Egypt to get food. Eventually Israel (Jacob) and Joseph, his beloved son, were reunited. Since Israel understood that Joseph would remain in Egypt, he told Joseph that he is taking Joseph’s two sons to be his own (Gen 48).

Thus, Israel then technically had 13 sons (as mentioned above minus Joseph plus Manasseh and Ephraim):

1. Reuben;

2. Simeon;

3. Levi (who became the priests);

4. Judah (from whose lineage king David and later Yeshua was born);

5. Dan;

6. Naphtali;

7. Gad;

8. Asher;

9. Issachar;

10. Zebulun;

11. Benjamin;

12. Manasseh;

13. Ephraim.

After the Israelites left Egypt (when God sent Moses to set them free), they sojourned in the desert. This is where Abba called the tribe of Levi as His priesthood. Which brought back the total amount of Israel’s sons to 12 again. When the Bible refers to the 12 tribes of Israel, it's referring to Israel's sons - minus Levi and Joseph, but including Manasseh & Ephraim.

The Israelites then settled in the land we know as Israel today (though the original Promised Land was much bigger than current Israel). The tribes grew bigger and bigger and eventually they split into two seperate kingdoms (1 Kings 11).

The Northern kingdom was lead by Ephraim and the Southern kingdom was lead by Judah. The tribe of Benjamin stayed with Judah and the other 9 tribes went with Ephraim. The Levites were divided amongst both kingdoms. Remember that when they entered the Promised Land, the Levites did not inherit land - the priesthood was their inheritance (Deut 18:1-2). The tribes with whom the Levites stayed and performed their priestly services, took care of them. Each of the 12 tribes has Levites who dwelled amongst them.

The Northern kingdom is also known as Israel / House of Israel / House of Ephraim and the Southern kindgom remained known as Judah / House of Judah. From Scripture we know that the Northern kingdom (Ephraim / Israel) were scattered amongst the nations all over the world (Deut 28). Today they are more commonly known as the Gentiles. We as believers are also part of the Gentiles. The Southern kingdom (Judah & Benjamin) remained in Israel and they are who we know today as the Jews.

Retha Venter wrote an amazing book about the kingdoms Judah & Ephraim and how they will be joined back together again like Ezekiel, Isaiah and Romans foretells us it would - before Yeshua returns to fetch His Bride. I can highly recommend this book to each and everyone! You can buy the book here: https://kissthesonministries.co.za/product/the-divine-whistle/

This is proof (incase you needed any) that the biblical feasts belongs to God and not to the Jews! The feasts existed long before the Jews did. Thus, it's literally impossible for the feasts to belong to the them!

The reason why many believe that the feasts belong to the Jews, is because the Jews are the ones in today's day and age who are still keeping these festivals. It does however not mean that it belongs to them! It simply means that they are still walking in obedience. And maybe, just maybe... we are not, because we are walking in dead religion!

The biblical feasts belong to God and not to the Jews. That means that the biblical feasts are important for all God's people. The people with whom God have made a covenant. If we believe in God and say that we are followers of Yeshua, then we are His covenant people as well - regardless if you are a Jew or a Gentile (Rom 11, Eph 2, Heb 8, Ezek 37).

I am a Gentile, and most of you reading this are probably too. Remember that both the Jews and the Gentiles were the descendants of Israel (Jacob) - with whom Abba made the covenant through Abraham, Isaac and then confirmed it with Jacob as well.

In Jer 31:31-33 we read “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah —  not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

 If we call ourselves believers in Yeshua the Messiah, the biblical feasts still apply to us today!

The exciting part however comes in that we no longer have to keep the festivals in a religious and traditional way like the Jews still do to this day!

I'm pretty sure that we can all agree that not everything in Scripture has been fulfilled yet - otherwise we would have been in eternity with Abba already. Which means that the torah (Hebrew for "law / instructions") still applies and is still just as much valid as it was back in the time of the Israelites (descendants of Jacob).

In Matt 5:17 we read "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

Abba SAVED the Israelites from Egypt before He gave them the law/instructions. Salvation and Law/Instructions are two separate things! One does not replace the other, nor can the order be reversed! Obeying the law cannot save you - just like it couldn't save the Israelites!

Abba saved the Israelites first and secondly; they started living according to His instructions. The same applies to us. Yeshua's completed work on the cross saved us first! Secondly, we choose to start living according to His principles - BECAUSE we are saved, not to get saved. 

Celebrating the biblical feast is not about gaining our salvation, but it's proof of our salvation!

This concept is so often misunderstood, and we end up missing out on so much Truth and hidden blessings.

Yeshua came to be our example of the law in the flesh. He did NOT come to be our excuse to live lawless lives (Matt 5:17-19). If Yeshua came and changed the law, He would have been a false messiah - and that He is NOT! He IS the True Living Messiah Who died on the cross and rose again on the third day, Who kept the instructions of His Father and taught others to do so as well!

We will never be able to understand or make sense of the Bible from a non-biblical perspective.

The feasts of the Bible are all about HARVEST! God bless us when we are obedient to His instructions. He blesses us with a harvest when we live within His commands and statutes.

Keeping the feasts is not about "abiding under the law" or becoming a Jew. It's a First Love principle. When we stand in true relationship with the King of Kings - Yeshua is our First Love. Because we love Him, we freely CHOOSE to follow His instructions - which includes the feasts.

The key to all the festivals is Shabbat. Shabbat is about entering into His rest and fully trusting Him with our lives - from the big things to the smallest little things. In Gen 2:2-3 we read "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."

In the original Hebrew in which the Old Testament was written, we see that God completed His work on the seventh day through resting. All of Creation wasn't created in 6 days and then God decided to take a day off. He created the world in 7 days, the seventh day was part of the Creation process. The work was completed through His rest. Unless we learn how to rest in Him, nothing we will ever do will be "completed."

Abba gave us instructions on how He wants us to worship Him. It's up to us to choose if we will obey!

In Gen 1:14-19 we read "Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

The word which was translated in our Bibles as "seasons" comes from the Hebrew word "moed" (season) or "moedim" (seasons). The definition of the word is: appointed time / place; meeting; sacred season, set feast, appointed season; appointed sign / signal; tent of meeting.

God Himself said that the sun, moon and stars would indicate His appointed times and seasons to us.

In Ps 89:37 we read "It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah."

Abba's feasts, which we read about in Lev 23 are His appointed times - His moedim! In this chapter, we read about 7 feasts which God instructed His people to keep.

The first four feasts are commonly known as the spring feasts. Remember that when it's spring time in Israel, it's fall here in South Africa. The last three feasts are commonly known as the fall feasts - which falls in the South African spring time.

The first 4 feasts were already fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming. The last 3 feasts are yet to be fulfilled by His second coming. In other words, the first 4 feasts we celebrate in remembrance and thankfulness for what Yeshua has already done for us. And the last three feasts we celebrate in anticipation & excitement of what He will still come and do when He returns! There is nothing religious about any of this!

Here's a short summary of the 7 biblical feast, just so that you can form a picture in your mind before we dive in deeper!

The 7 Biblical Feasts:

1. Pesach (Pass Over) - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming.

2. Feast of Unleavened Bread - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming.

3. Feast of First Fruits - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming.

4. Shavuot (Pentecost / Feast of Weeks) - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming.

5. Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming.

6. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming.

7. Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles / Booths) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming.

In this blog post, we will dive into the first three mentioned above: Pesach, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits.

Later in this year, when we get to the time of Shavuot, I'll also do a blog about Shavuot.

And if you missed last years ellaborate blog post about the last three feasts; Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot - you can read it over here: https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/the-biblical-festivals-yom-teruah-yom-kippur-sukkot

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An important thing to clarify before we go any further, is that Pesach and Easter are not two words for the same thing!

For the sake of the length of this blog post, we won't be diving into the origins of Easter this time around. However, I have done an extensive blog post on the difference between Easter and Pesach back in 2022, which you can find here: https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/easter-vs-passover

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There are different opinions as to when the feast of Pesach / Passover should be celebrated - based on different calendars followed by believers. We choose to celebrate the feasts alongside our brothers & sisters in Jerusalem (Rom 11). The Jews have the most accurate records from history on how to calculate these dates as they have been the ones who have continued to keep Abba's feast days from the start all throughout.

We have to keep in mind that the biblical feasts are all based on the rhythm of the agricultural year which was set in place by Abba!

The Gregorian calendar on which the world runs, is based on the sun. Time is made "fixed" according to the sun, giving each month 30/31 days (28/29 in Feb of course). The Gregorian calender was only established and put into use in 1582. The Biblical way of determining time was established right from Creation - long before 1582.

In Gen 1:5 we see for the first time "it was evening and it was morning, it was the first day" and so it continues for the other days of Creation as well. Thus, according to the Bible, a "day" was considered to be from sunset to sunset / a period of darkness followed by a period of light.

Time in the Bible was never divided into 24 hours per day. Hours, minutes and seconds as we know it today, are not even mentioned in the Bible. The concept of 24 hour days comes from the concept of a "solar day" - which is based on the sun once again.

In 1 Thess 5:21 we read "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

The Greek word which was translated to the word "good" in this verse is the word "kalos" - which means "genuine, approved."

The Bible should be our number one source to determine the truth. Whatever goes against the Word, cannot be the Truth - because the Word IS the Truth.

We have established from Scripture that a day according to the Bible is considered to be from sunset to sunset (not form sunrise to sunrise like a solar day).

Months from a biblical perspective are determined by the moon (not the sun), giving each month 29/30 days.

Based on the agricultural year in Israel, some years have 12 months and some have 13. The 2022-2023 agricultural year had 12 months, which placed last years Pesach in early April. This year the agricultural year has 13 months, thus placing Pesach only later in April.

Some people believe that the Hebrew Agricultural Years are all 12 months long regardless. Which is where the agrument for Pesach being end of March in 2024 comes in.

The agricultural year is determined physically by the crops and fruits and when they are ripe. Contrary to how agriculture work in South Africa - when the grapes / wheat / corn / apples, etc is ready to be harvested - it does not affect the Gregorian calendar. Whereas the Hebrew years are fully dependant on the agricultural rhythm.

It was new moon, thus new month on 11 March 2024 in Israel. Therefore if it had been an agricultural year with only 12 months, the month of Abib / Aviv (the month in which Pesach takes place) would have started on 11 March. That would have placed pesach in late  March. Though, the barley was not ripe yet / ready to be harvested after the 12th month this year, and thus a 13th month is added to the Hebrew year.

Since this year has 13 months, Abib/Aviv will only start after the next new moon... pushing Pesach this year to late April 2024.

Tiaan Nel (from Hebrew People / Biblical Answers with Tiaan) did a teaching in Afrikaans on when the biblical feast should be celebrated this year, as it's a year with 13 months. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM4jnlVUVjY

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We have clarified that that these feasts belong to God (and not the Jews). Which means that they are still important to us as believers today.

Pesach is the Hebrew word for passover, and it's the first of the 7 biblical feasts. It lasts only one day, technically only one night (14 Abib; which falls on the afternoon of 22 April 2024).

We read about it for the first time in Ex 12:2 when God spoke to Moses and Aaron and told them "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you."

This was during the time that the Israelites were still living in Egypt. God sent Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not want to let the Israelites go, so God sent the 10 plagues over Egypt. This (Ex 12:2) was after the 9th plague and before the 10th one.

God announced that this would be the start of the new year for them. In the Bible we read about the "first month" of the year. Later on in Hebrew customs, the first month of the year was referred to as the month of Abib / Aviv. The letter for "b" and "v" in Hebrew is the same letter and can thus be used interchangably. The Babyloninans referred to the first month of the year as the month of Nissan. So whenever you read about Abib / Aviv / Nissan - you know that it's referring to the first month of the year according to the Bible.

In Ex 12:3-5 we read "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.  And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats."

Therefore on 1 Abib it was the first day of the new year.

On 10 Abib, they had to select a lamb without spot or blemish. From Ex 12:46 we also know that not a single bone of the lamb were to be broken. We will look into this a bit later again - for now I just want you to take note that it had to be a lamb without spot or blemish and none of it's bones should be broken.

Ex 12:6-8 continues "Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it."

On 14 Abib, they had to slaughter the lamb that was living amongst them since the 10th of Abib.

They had to apply the blood of the lamb to their doorposts and eat the lamb meat with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

In Ex 12:11 we see that God instructed them to remain ready that night - "'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover."

In Ex 12:12-13 God told them why that had to apply the blood to the door posts and remain ready. "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."

This is where the concept of "pass over" (pesach in Hebrew) comes from. God literally passed over the houses of His people - where the blood of the lamb was applied - when He struck the firstborns of the Egyptians.

In Ex 12:14 we read that God instructed them to continue keeping Pesach - "So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance."

God's Word never changes. If He, Himself, said that it should be kept as a feast forever, then it means forever!

In Ex 12:21-28 we see how Moses told the Israelites what Abba had told him and Aaron, and the Israelites did all that the Lord commanded.

The same night after the firsborns were killed, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said the Israelites were free to go (Ex 12:29-42). God knew in advance what would happen and therefore He told them to remain ready (Ex 12:11) - as He knew they would have to leave Egypt in a hurry, before Pharaoh would change his mind again.

The same night that the lamb was slaughtered and the blood was applied to the door posts, was the same night that God set the Israelites free from Egypt (Ex 12:51).

In Ex 12:37 we see that they travelled from Rameses to Succoth. And in Ex 12:41 it's again confirmed that they left Egypt that same night - they did not travel through different parts of Egypt.

From Gen 47 we know that Joseph's family received the land of Goshen in Egypt when his family moved there in the time of the famine. In Ex 8 & 9 we also see that the Israelites were still living in Goshen when the plagues came over Israel.

On this image the route which the Iraelites took is stipulated. The Sinai Peninsula forms part of modern day Egypt. However, back in the day when the Israelites left Egypt - the Sinai Peninsula was an Arabian state on it's own and not part of Egypt.

Thus, it proves that the Word is true which said that God led the Israelites out of Egypt in the same night.

In Ex 12:42 we read "It is a night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations."

What we read in Exodus was the shadow of Pesach. In Lev 23:5 we read about the instruction again.

Earlier we have mentioned that Abba already fulfilled Pesach through Yeshua's first Coming. So how exactly did Yeshua come and fulfill this feast day?

In John 12:1 we read "Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead."

The passover that's refered to here is the 15th of Abib - the first day of Unleavened Bread (the day after the pass over lamb was slaughtered on the afternoon of 14 Abib). Which means that 6 days before that would have been 9 Abib - when Yeshua came to Bethany. Yeshua spend the day with them and had supper with them (start of 10 Abib, remember a day is from sunset to sunset) in Bethany and the morning (10 Abib) He travelled to Jerusalem.

John 12:12-15 continues with "The next day (thus 10 Abib) a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’The King of Israel!” Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “Fear not, daughter of Zion;Behold, your King is coming,Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

We also see a confirmation of this in Matt 21:4-9.

From the verses above in Exodus we know that the passover lamb without blemish was selected on the 10th of Abib and brought into the home.

Yeshua was the Passover Lamb Who was selected as the Lamb without Blemish. He came riding into Jersualem, the "house" of the Jews. Yeshua was born a Jew and it was the Jews who crucified Him. According to Exodus, the passover lamb was selected from the flock and brought into the family's home (symbolic of Jerusalem) and the family were the ones who slaughtered the lamb on the 14th of Abib (symbolic of the Jews who crucified Yeshua).

Have you made the choice to choose Yeshua as your Passover Lamb? The One Who was the Ultimate & Everlasting Sacrifice and Atonement for our sins? His Blood is freely available to us but not automatically applied!

In Luke 22 we see how the Jews plotted to betray and kill Yeshua. We also see in verse 7 that it refers to 14 Abib where it mentions "Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed." Yeshua instructed Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal so that He could eat it with them before He would have to suffer. Usually the lamb is slaughtered on the afternoon of 14 Abib, at sunset 15 Abib starts and the meal is eaten. Yeshua knew that He would be crucified and therefore asked His disciples to prepare the meal for them (earlier than they would have if they were to eat it the evening).

We read in Luke 22:14- "When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;  for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing."

After Yeshua had the meal with His disciples, we read in Luke 22:39-46 that He went up to the Mountain of Olives to pray. This is where Yeshua asked His disciples to stay awake and in prayer while He also went to pray on His own. He prayed and asked the Father that if it was possible by any means that this cup could be taken from Him, that Abba Father would do so but if it wasn't possible that the Father's will would still be done and not Yeshua's own will. When Yeshua returned to His disciples He found them sleeping.

Still in Luke 22:47-23:12 we also read about Yeshua's capture in Gethsemane. The people who took Him captive all testified against Him, regardless of the fact that He did nothing wrong and was completely sin free.

They brought Him before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71), which was the highest ruling council of the Jews at that time. They accused one of their own (Yeshua was a Jew), not realising that He is the Messiah!

At that stage, Pontius Pilates was the roman govenor who reigned over Judea and was the one who had to give permission that Yeshua might be crucified. In Luke 23:1-16 we read "And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release Him." Pilates did not want to give permission as he knew that Yeshua was innocent. However, he was scared of the people around him and that they would overthrow his reign if he didn't do what they wanted - so he agreed to the crucifixion.

In Luke 23:33 we read "And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left."

The word that's translated to "Calvary" in our modern day Bibles was the original Greek word "kranion" which means "cranium / skull."

Despite everything that Yeshua went through up until this stage, in Luke 23:24 we read that Yeshua said "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

I find the "little" verse of Luke 23:38 to be so profound. Amidst how they mocked Him and said vile things.. We read "And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

Greek, Latin and Hebrew were the languages that were spoken commonly in that time in the world. So the inscription was translated into different languages so that all would be able to understand.

No matter how they mocked Him, or who believed what He said during His time on earth... The Truth didn't change & they actually made a prophetic statement without even realising it. Which reminds me of Phil 2:11 that says "and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

In Luke 23:44-49 we read about Yeshua's death, when He breathed His last breath.

All of these events are also recorded in Matthew 27, Mark 15 and John 19 - but for the sake of the length of this blog post we are only looking at Luke in detail to keep it as simple and easy to understand as possible.

There is however one verse from John 19 which I would like to quote here and it's John 19:30 which says "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit."

How beautiful, Yeshua's last words were that "it is finished!" He was the Ultimate Sacrifice, the Last Blood that had to flow to make atonement for our sins.

In Heb 10:11-15 we read "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But this Man (referring to Yeshua), after He had offered one sacrifice (Himself) for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin."

These verses are often times quoted completely out of context to justify living lukewarm lives. Yeshua didn't say - because I died on the cross I will remember your sins no more. NO!

He said He died on the cross to make a Way for us to be sanctified! He died on the cross so that those who are willing to be sanctified will receive the New Covenant within their hearts and not as a legalistic law on stone tablets. THEN, when we live sanctified and in the new covenant - then He will rememeber our sins no more - as we would be made righteous before Him.

Yeshua is our Great High Priest, the Perfect Lamb without spot or blemish. He was slain so that we could be saved. We cannot save ourselves. Just like the Israelites applied the blood of the lamb to their door posts and the angel of death passed over their houses, in the same way we apply the Lamb Yeshua's Blood to our lives.

Crucifixion was a horrific and lengthy death. From tradition we know that when someone was crucified, the custom was to break the person's legs to speed up their death. When the legs are broken, the person would no longer be able to support their bodies to get breath and the lungs fill with blood which causes the person to suffocate and die. Once the person died, the Roman soldiers had to take the body off the cross and put them in a tomb.

In John 19:33-36 we see a fulfillment of one of the the Old Testament prophecies: "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs: … For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."

Scripture foretold it and Yeshua fulfilled it. The passover lamb that they had to select had to be without blemish (like Yeshua was, sinless) and as we read in Ex 12:46 not a bone of it were to be broken (like Yeshua on the cross).

Yeshua fulfilled the feast of Pesach with His first coming and His crucifixion completely! It is finished!

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is the second of the 7 biblical feasts and the start of it almost overlaps with Pesach. This feast lasts for 7 days (15-21 Abib, which falls on sunset 22 April - sunset on 29 April 2024). The lamb was slaughtered on the 14th of Abib in the afternoon and they ate it for dinner the night (after sunset), thus 15 Abib - which marks the start of the feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Hebrew name for this feast is Chag HaMatzot and we read about it for the first time in Ex 12:15-20, immediately after God instructed them to continue keeping Pesach - "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread."

Here we see once again that God tells them that we have to continue to celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread forever, throughout all generations! We know that all Scripture is still valid to us today. In Matt 5:18 Yeshua Himself said that not a jot nor tittle of the Word would fall away until ALL is fulfilled. If all was fulfilled we would not be here but we'd be spending eternity with Him. Therefore the Word - in it's entirety is still valid and applicable to us today.

From sunset on 15 Abib until sunset 21 Abib, they were not supposed to consume anything with leaven in it.

As mentionened in the pesach section, the Israelites had to leave in a hurry and they had no time to prepare (Ex 12:34 & 39) leavened bread. In Afrikaans "leaven" is called "suurdeeg" thus in English - sour dough, meaning that yeast was present in the dough which caused it to puff up / raise. The Israelites only had unleavened bread with them and that's where the name of the feast of unleavened bread comes from! God is so practical and makes things so easy for us to understand. The only question is if we are willing to really seek Him and His truth!

What we read in Exodus was the shadow of the feast of Unleavened Bread. In Lev 23:6-8 we read about the instruction again.

Just like Pesach has been fulfilled by Yeshua's first Coming, so was the feast of Unleavened Bread. The feast of Unleavened Bread refers to His Body that was pierced (like the unleavened bread was pierced) for our sins.

In Isaiah 53:3 we read "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities (generational sins): the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed."

Here's a picture of what matzah (Hebrew for unleavened) bread looks like. It's a flat bread with holes pierced in it - like a cracker bread.

Remember that when the Israelites left Egypt, they had to do so in a hurry. They had no time to make bread with leaven in it, as it requires resting time to allow the bread to raise.

Egypt is symbolic of our spiritual bondage. Leaven is symbolic of sin in our lives. Sin puffs us up. Yeshua was sinless, the Ultimate example of Unleavend Bread. The matzah / unleavened bread is therefore symbolically seen as a His physical body - which was pierced and hung on a cross for our sins. We read in John 6:35 " And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Yeshua referred to Himself in as the Bread of Life. His body was beaten and bruised just like the brown spots and holes in the matzah represents.

If you've ever baked bread or worked with sourdough / yeast, you would know how much of a difference just a little bit of sourdough / yeast can make. It literally changes the end product completely! How often in life do we go through things that seem so insignificant and we think that it doesn't really matter. Yet, sourdough / yeast is our reminder that no matter how insignificant, the impact it can have on our lives can be huge (good or bad).

In 1 Cor 5:6-8 we read "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

During the first feast of Unleavened Bread we read about in the Bible (Ex 12), the Israelites were in a transition period. They left Egypt, but they were not yet in the Promised Land. We all have an Exodus journey - coming out of spiritual bondage and slavery and growing so that we can enter into the promises which Abba has spoken over our lives.

Abba changed their circumstances of slavery in such an short while that their bread didn't even had time to rise. He never changes! What He did for the Israelites He can still do for us today! That in itself is a reason to celebrate the feast! No matter how dark or hopeless some situations look in the physical, we serve a God Who can turn things around in a blink of an eye!

The feast of Unleavened Bread is our yearly reminder to examine our lives and to search for spiritual leaven, so that we can get rid of it. Sin (spiritual leaven) delayed the Israelites journey to the Promised Land. The longer we allow sin in our lives, the more delays we will also experience on our way to the promises which Abba has in store for us.

Yeshua fulfilled the feast of Unleavened Bread with His first coming and His crucifixion completely! His sinless body was bruised and buried for our sins, so that we could be saved.

The Feast / Day of First Fruits is the third of the 7 biblical feasts. As you cound have guessed from the name, it only lasts one day. This year it will fall on 20 Abib (sunset on 27 April - sunset on 28 April 2024).

The Hebrew name for this feast / day is Yom HaBikkurim and we first read about it in Ex 13:2 where God spoke to Moses again and told him: "Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”

Moses addressed the Israelites, remember that this was just after they left Egypt - still on the same day. Remember that a day according to the Bible is a period of darkness followed by a period of light, thus from sunset to sunset.

Abba gave the instructions for Pesach and Unleavened Bread whilst they were still in Egypt. The instructions regarding the feast of first fruits was only given to the Israelites after they have left Egypt. Abba instructed them to keep Passover and Unleavened Bread from those days just before they left Egypt and to continue doing so whilst they were on their way to the Promised Land. However, the feast of first fruits was slightly different. We see in Ex 13: that Abba gave them the instruction to start celebrating the feast of first fruits only once they have entered the Promised Land (Ex 13)!

He promised them that He would also bring them into the Promised Land / land of milk and honey (Ex 13:5) as Scripture often refers to, in the month of Abib and that they should THEN start to keep the feast of first fruits.

There was no date connected to the feast of first fruits in Scripture. The Israelites were instructed to keep Pesach on 14 Abib and Unleavened Bread on 15-21 Abib. But there is no dat connected to the feast of first fruits, we only see that it will also be in the month of Abib. And from history we know that the Israelites did in fact enter the Promised Land in the month of Abib, like Abba foretold they would.

When you have grown up in church (like I did) and you come from a place of not understanding the feasts, where your mindset is that ofYeshua Who was crucified and in the grave for three days and three nights. So most of us automatically want to assume that the feast of first fruits would then be 3 days and three nights after the crucifiction - on a fixed date of Abib.

However, from Scripture we know that's not the case. We'll dive into that in just a bit so sit tight!

What we read in Exodus was the shadow of the feast of First Fruits. In Lev 23:9-14 we read about the instruction again. Just like Pesach & the Feast of Unleavened Bread have been fulfilled by Yeshua's first Coming, so was the feast of First Fruits.

I always say that the Feast of First Fruits is where things really get exciting for us as believers. Obviously Pesach and Unleavened Bread is super important as well and carries so much spiritual value still to this day. But in essence, if you are a believer - you are aware about the fact that Yeshua was spotless and without any sin (leaven) and that He died on the cross for our sins. But the beauty of it is that that's not where the story ends! It continues with first fruits! Yeshua didn't just die on the cross for our sins, but He also rose again after three days and three nights! There is no other god / deity that can claim to have done the same! Because there is simply no one like Him!

In 1 Cor 15:3-4 we read "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

In 1 Cor 15:20-24 we further read "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

I just love how the New Testament continues to proclaim the valitidty of the Old Testament and that the feasts of the Lord are still applicable to us today!

In Ex 13 we see how Abba gave Moses the instruction regarding the feast of First Fruits and also once again confirms that they have to keep Pesach & Unleavened Bread. In Ex 13:10 we read “You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year." It's almost like Abba knew (obviously He did) how stubborn and set in our own ways mankind would be - that He reiterated the importance of His feast days over and over and over again throughout Scripture.

In Ex 13:11-16 we once again read that "And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites (Promised Land), as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, that you shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the LORD’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

In Ex 16:25-30 as well as Ex 20:8-11 we also see how Abba came to reconfirm His weekly Sabbath day, which falls on Saturday according to the Bible and biblical history, and not on Sunday.

In Ex 23:14 we read "Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year."

The three times referrred to in this verse refers to the three major feasts in which the 7 feasts are divided:

1. Pesach - which includes Pesach, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits

2. Shavuout

3. Sukkot - which includes Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur & Sukkot.

We then continue reading from Ex 23:15-19 "You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty); and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD. You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor shall the fat of My sacrifice remain until morning. The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk."

After this we also read about God's blessing of protection that will follow them all their days as long as they remain obedient to His instructions. His instructions are not set in place to rule and regulate us and take the fun out of things. Quite the opposite. He is a God of order and His desire for us is to live within His rhythm so that we can experience His harvest!

In Ex 31:13-17 we read “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

In order to understand the feasts, we have to understand the Sabbath first. The Sabbath is all about entering into Abba's rest and we can only do that once we surrender and submit to His rhythm - which includes His feasts.

From Romans 11 we know that as born again believers, we are spiritually part of Israel. Thus, whenever Scripture refers to Israel - it means that those words and instructions still applies to us today.

In Ex 34:18-27 and Deut 26:1-11 we once again read how they continued to keep Abba's instructions.

As with the other feasts of the Lord, we know that we see the shadow thereof in Exodus and the instruction can be found in Lev 23. In verse 10-14 we read “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings."

Once again we see that this instruction was only to be kept once they have entered the Promised Land.

I told you to sit tight regarding the timing of the feast of first fruits in the month of Abib. So let's dive in! In Matt 12:40 we read "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Scripture is clear that Yeshua was in the grave for three days and three nights. He died the afternoon and was placed in the grave before sunset. Therefore we have to look at the accuracy of Good Friday & Resurrection Sunday which we grew up with in church.

As established earlier in this blog, days according to Scripture was from sunset to sunset. In other words, a period of darkness followed by a period of light was considered to be a "day." It wasn't necessarily 24 hours like we know "days" in our modern day and age. We can't try to understand the Bible from a non-Biblical perspective. And we should always revert back to Scripture to help us interpret Scripture. If you want to understand a topic in Scripture, you have to look for the first time that topic appeared in Scripture to understand the meaning it carries throughout the rest of Scripture - unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Let's take a look at Resurrection Sunday & Good Friday from the concept of Yeshua being in the grave for three days and three nights, like Scripture says He was:

Therefore if we want to hold onto either Resurrection Sunday or Good Friday - they litterally blow the accuracy of the other out of the water. It's impossible for them to fit together - yet, sadly, we have been celebrating it for years and years because we don't know Scripture. In Matt 22:29 we read "Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God."

From Scripture we know that Yeshua was roughly 30 years of age when He started His ministry (Luk 3:23). When we look at Bible history, we see that Year 30 was the start of Tiberius's 15th year reign. And Yeshua was crucified before Pontius Pilates's reign ended in the Year 36.

We know that the passover lamb was slain on 14 Abib and that Yeshua was also crucified on 14 Abib as the fulfillment of the shadow. What's truely significant to take note of, wat that there were not a single year between the year 30-36, on which 14 Abib fell on a Thursday. Which makes resurrection Sunday impossible to be true - based on the Bible, not my opinion.

The original Scripture in Hebrew, does not refer to the day of resurrection as Sunday, or the first day of the week. It's called "meia shabuton" - Which is the weekly Shabbat (Saturdays as we know it today). The day of resurrection is referred to as the weekly Shabbat that fell in the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:11). We thus know that Yeshua rose from the grave on the weekly Shabbat.

Therefore, we know the the feast of First Fruits falls within the week of Unleavened Bread. However it's not necesarrily 3 days after Pesach, but on the weekly Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread, as Scripture confirms it.

In John 20:1  we read "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw the stone [already] removed from the [groove across the entrance of the] tomb."

The first day of the week is NOT Monday. It's in fact Sunday. Mary Magdalene found the grave ALREADY empty.

Many want to argue that Yeshua rose on the first day of the week (Sunday) based on John 20:1. But we must always look at Scripture in context. Other Scripture people often use to try and justify a Sunday resurrection are verses like:

Matt 28:1 - "Now after the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.”

Luke 24:1-3 - "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared [to finish anointing the body]. And they found the [large, circular] stone rolled back from the tomb, but when they went inside, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

When we look at Scripture - which should always be our starting point to verify anything - there is NO evidence / indication that Yeshua rose on a Sunday. It merely says that when Mary Magdalene & the other Mary arrived at the tomb on the first day of the week (Sunday) - that the tomb was ALREADY empty. Yeshua had already risen from the grave before they got there.

In Luk 23:56 we read “Then they went back and prepared spices and ointments and sweet-smelling herbs. And on the Sabbath they rested in accordance with the commandment [forbidding work].”

Furthermore in Luk 23:50-55 we read “A man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), a good and honorable man (he had not consented to the Council’s plan and action) a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for and expecting the kingdom of God; this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And [after receiving permission] he took it down and wrapped it in a linen [burial] cloth and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. It was the day of preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning. Now the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed [closely], and saw the tomb and how His body was laid.”

Matt 27:57-60 also confirms it “When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus [so that he might bury Him], and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth (burial wrapping), and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock; and he rolled a large stone over the entrance of the tomb and went away.”

The feasts of Yeshua are all kept with Shabbat's - regardless on what day of the week they fall. The passover lamb was slaughtered on 14 Abib and all preparations were done. 15 Abib is considered to be kept as a Shabbat yearly - regardless on what day of the week it falls. Yeshsua was crucified on 14 Abib.

Joseph, who asked for Yeshua's body - so that he could put Him in the tomb, was a follower of Yeshua according to Scripture. Thus he kept the festivals. Therefore, he wanted to get Yeshua's body into the tomb on the 14th - because 15 Abib was a Shabbat for those keeping Abba's feasts.

Another way to confirm Scripture's accuracy, is to consider the fact that we can all agree that Yeshua's resurrection was done once and for all at the exact same time for each and every person! He didn't rise from the dead for one group of of people on the one day and for the rest of the wolrd on another day. It was done once off, once and for all, for ALL.

How would this make sense on the world time schedule? God is in the detail as per usual! The only time that the entire world is on the same day is roughly the two hours (120 minutes like we know time these days) before sunrise in Jerusalem. Remember a day is a period of darkness followed by a period of light. From sunset to sunset.

Thus if we look at the Sabbath from a Biblical view of a day - it started the Friday night at sunset and continued until the Saturday at sunset. We thus know that Yeshua rose from the grave on Shabbat in the two hours before sunrise in Jerusalem (otherwise His resurrection was not once and for all for everyone).

If Yeshua was resurrected on Saturday, when was He crucified (considering the three days and three nights)?

When considering the three days and three nights which Yeshua was in the grave, and knowing that He was resurrected on the weekly Sabbath - just before sunrise... He had to be crucified on a Wednesday afternoon. Remember that the two hours just before sunrise in Jerusalem are the only time that the entire world is on the same day.

Yeshua's was crucified and resurrected so that we could be redeemed. His redemption work was done for each and every person on the exact same day, on the exact same time! He rose from the grave in the two hours before sunrise in Jerusalem on the weekly Shabbat.

Yeshua rose from the grave on Shabbat so that we, as His Bride, can go into His rest because He has already redeemed us. We can rest in the assurance that we don't have to work out our own redemption. Keeping the feasts of the Lord is not a salvation matter, but a holy-making matter as we grow in our relationship with the King of Kings!

Pesach is a feast about redemption - so that we can grow back into the Image of His Bride. Yeshua rose from the grave on the Feast of First Fruits, He was the Ultimate First Fruit Sheaf Offering that was waved before the Lord!

According to Lev 23:11 the sheaf offering had to be waved before the Lord on the morning after the Shabbat - as no work were to be done on the sabbath. We can rest in Yeshua's complete work on the cross. There is nothing that we have to (nor can) do to earn our own salvation. But because of what He has done, we can apply His Blood to our lives (Pesach), get rid of sin in our lives (Unleavened Bread) and offer our lives to Him as a living sacrifice (First Fruits).

So what does ALL of this mean to us as modern-day born again believers?

We have established without a doubt that these feasts belongs to God and not to the Jews. Eventhough the Jews are the group of people these days who are still keeping it - it never belonged to them.

We should not be celebrating these feasts like the Jews, with all of their added manmade traditions. However, wa are to keep the instructions of the Lord! In other words, we observe these days in rememberance and as a celebration of what He has come and done for us. It's not about traditions and doing specific things - but rather about the spiritual richness that it entails.

Thus, when we celebrate Pesach (Pesach, Unleavened Bread & First Fruits), we don't do it in a traditional way nor out of obligation! We GET TO celebrate it for the glorious and wonderful celebration that it truely is! We GET TO celebrate the fact that we are redeemed by the precious Blood of the Lamb! And because of that we can live life as overcomers!

Chag Sameach! Have a blessed Pesach!

At the end of March 2023, I also did a live talk with Tiaan Nel from Hebrew People on Instagram - with the title "A Beginner's Guide to Pesach." In this live we discuss how we as born again believers should and should not be celebrating Abba's feast days!

I can highly recommend that you would go and listen to it as well. You can find the talk here.

Within these 7 feast we can see Abba's Redemption Plan right from the very start of Creation! In this video we can clearly see Abba's plan through Yeshua that was set in place right from the get go - and how it's beautifully intertwined in the feasts of the Lord!

A short summary of the 7 Biblical Feasts:

1. Pesach (Pass Over) - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming: He was the Lamb without blemish, Who was Sacrificed.

2. Feast of Unleavened Bread - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming: The One without leaven (sin) took our sins upon Him so that we could be set free.

3. Feast of First Fruits - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming:  He rose from the grave after three days as the First Fruit Offering.

4. Shavuot (Pentecost / Feast of Weeks) - fulfilled by Yeshua's first coming: When He went back to heaven and poured out His Holy Spirit.

5. Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming: When He will appear on th eclouds to fetch His Bride.

6. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming: When He will come back as a Righteous Judge and the Book of Life will be opened.

7. Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles / Booths) - to be fulfilled by Yeshua's second coming: When we will get to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb before we spend eternity with Him.

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Scripture to study at your own time:

• Exodus 12-13, 23, 31-34

• Leviticus 7-8, 23

• Numbers 9

• Deuteronomy 16 & 26

• Proverbs 24-27

• Isaiah 33-38 & 53

• Ezra 8

• Esther 3

• Malachi 3-4

• Matthew 21-28

• Mark 11-15

• Luke 1-3, 22-24

• John 2, 6, 13, 19-20

• Acts 20 & 23-26

• Romans 11

• 1 Corinthians 5, 11 & 15

• Revelation 17-20

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Links to helpful teachings:

• The Content Authority - Abib vs Nissan: Fundamental Differences Of These Terms: https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/abib-vs-nissan

• Biblical Answer with Tiaan / Tiaan Nel - Biblical Festivals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKkrbjBRwDU 

• Fit Best - Abba's Appointed Times & The Fall Feasts: https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/abba-s-appointed-times-the-fall-feasts

• Fit Best - Do the Biblical Feasts belong to the Jews: https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/does-the-biblical-festivals-belong-to-the-jews

• Fit Best - The Significance of the Ketubah (biblical marriage contract): https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/the-significance-of-the-ketubah-biblical-marriage-contract

• Fit Best - What's the fuss about the Sabbath? Does it really matter on what day we celebrate it?: https://www.fitbesttraining.co.za/post/what-s-the-fuss-about-the-sabbath-does-it-really-matter-on-what-day-we-celebrate-it

• Hebrew 4 Christians - Chag HaMatzot - Festival of Unleavened Bread: https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Unleavened_Bread/unleavened_bread.html#loaded

• Hebrew 4 Christians - Yom HaBikkurim - Messiah as the First of the Harvest: https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/First_Fruits/first_fruits.html#loaded

• Holy Land Site - The Exodus, Red Sea Crossing & Mount Sinai: https://www.holylandsite.com/exodus-redsea-sinai

• Kol Kallah - Hebrew Festivals & My Relationship with the Father: https://kolkallah.com/portfolio-item/the-hebrew-festivals-and-my-relationship-with-god/ 

• Land of Honey - Five Things Every Believer Should Know About Passover: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/five-things-every-believer-should-know.html

• Land of Honey - The Beginner's Guide to Passover: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/beginners-guide-passover.html

• Land of Honey - The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/beginners-guide-to-unleavened-bread.html

• Land of Honey - The differences between Passover and Easter: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/comparing-passover-and-easter.html

• Land of Honey - Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/why-i-started-celebrating-biblical.html 

• Land of Honey - Why The Biblical Holidays are for All Believers: https://landofhoneyblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/why-biblical-holidays-are-for-all-believers.html

• Lev Yeshua Messianic Congregation - Events & Feasts for the Biblical Year of 5784-5785: https://www.levyshua.org/feast-days-events

• Marinda du Preez - Biblical Feasts (Book): https://atavah.com/collections/books/products/marinda-du-preez-the-biblical-feasts 

• Menorah Tabernakel / Frik Weideman - 7 Afgesonderde Feeste (Afsprake) van YHWH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G26YAOHDzAk

• Menorah Tabernakel / Frik Weideman - Feeste van YHVH: https://www.menorahtabernakel.com/feestevanyhwh.html 

• Menorah Tabernakel / Frik Weideman - God se vasgestelde tye en die einde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ruvc87otDB8&list=PL3QALXAHDH-TD3QMn_JmYIVpe290AaCyj&index=14 

• Menorah Tabernakel / Frik Weideman - Pesach 2022 saam met Frik & Amelia Weideman: https://youtu.be/DsAUSDmkCpU

• Menorah Tabernakel / Frik Weideman - Voorbereiding: Pesach 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawHfpSfbDk

• Passion for Truth Ministries / Jim Staley - Let's Talk About Passover with Rabbi Yehuda Glick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v96UDTx4D4

• Passion for Truth Ministries / Jim Staley - Should Christians Celebrate Christmas & Easter: https://youtu.be/S8sKNOxyd8w 

• Tiaan Gildenhuys - Pasga vs Easter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbXYX8Eyiys

• VOJI - What is the feast of Unleavened Bread: https://vojisrael.org/feasts/feast-of-unleavened-bread/