LEVITICUS 56


     We will begin this lesson in Leviticus 23:37 "These [are] the
feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim [to be] holy convocations,
to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and
a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon
his day:"

     We have been studying the Feast of Tabernacles in the previous
lesson, and will continue on with that in this lesson.  We will notice
in all of these feasts, that God's timetable is perfect. We will,
also, see that the One we know as Jesus Christ fulfilled each of these
feasts that we have already studied about, and He will fulfill
everyone of them in God's timetable. These holy convocations were a
time of special prayer of thanks for all of the blessings He had
provided.  From the spiritual stand point, we can see in all of these
feasts, that all of the promises God made Abraham; and through
Abraham, the believers, certainly will all be fulfilled. This
celebration was a time of rejoicing for the bountiful harvest, and in
fact, for all the blessings God had bestowed on this people.
Christians have much to rejoice for, as well. We have been given the
greatest gift that anyone can ever receive. We have received eternal
life in Jesus. These booths that were their dwelling places for a
short time, during the celebration; remind us of how temporary the
dwellings on this earth are. Our habitation is really in heaven with
God. We are only camping here, until our heavenly home is prepared for
us. Just as we have said in a previous lesson, this festival time
was, also, a time of complete rest.  Jesus is our burnt offering, He
is our meat offering, {He is the Bread}, and He is our drink offering.
This offering of rejoicing is a remembrance of God as our provider,
This is very similar to the communion that Jesus spoke of in the next
few verses..  I Corinthians 11:23 "For I have received of the Lord
that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same]
night in which he was betrayed took bread:" I Corinthians 11:24 "And
when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is
my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." I
Corinthians 11:25 "After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when
he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this
do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me." I Corinthians
11:26 "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
shew the Lord's death till he come."

     Leviticus 23:38 "Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your
gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill
offerings, which ye give unto the LORD."

     Gifts and freewill offerings, you remember, were not
requirements, but were done out of love and appreciation for God.
Tithes are requirements. You have not really given anything to God,
until after the tithes are paid. Things over and above 1/10 are gifts
to God. We see, from above, that keeping these special feasts were not
sufficient to do just in themselves, the sabbaths must be kept, also.
This reminds me so much of many Christians today, who come to church
just on special occasions, like Mother's day, and neglect the
gathering together weekly.

     Leviticus 23:39 "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month,
when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast
unto the LORD seven days: on the first day [shall be] a sabbath, and
on the eighth day [shall be] a sabbath."

     Actually this feast lasts 8 days, because of the sabbath on the
beginning and the end of the celebration.  This is the harvest
festival. This symbolizes the harvest when Jesus comes for the
Christians in, Revelation 14:14 "And I looked, and behold a white
cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having
on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle."
Revelation 14:15 "And another angel came out of the temple, crying
with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle,
and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of
the earth is ripe."  Revelation 14:16 "And he that sat on the cloud
thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."
We, also, see in the following verse, Jesus separating the Christians
from the unbelievers. Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather
ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:
but gather the wheat into my barn."  This, 7 days, here, is one thing
that makes some believers think that the Christians will be taken to
heaven before the seven years of tribulation.

     Leviticus 23:40 "And ye shall take you on the first day the
boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of
thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the
LORD your God seven days."

     The branches, in the Scripture above, remind us again, that Jesus
is the vine and we are the branches.  John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in
you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."  This, rejoicing before
the LORD 7 days, speaks of the completed spiritual work.  Truly, at
the harvest of the believers, the work will be completed.

     Leviticus 23:41 "And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven
days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your
generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month."

     It would be the time to take a week of rest and celebration at
the completion of the harvest. This time set aside for the purpose of
reflecting on the past year and thanking God for the bountiful
harvest, is like remembering the perfect work of salvation Jesus did
for us at Calvary.

     Leviticus 23:42 "Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that
are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:"  Leviticus 23:43 "That
your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell
in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I [am] the
LORD your God."

     We see that the LORD explains the reason for this yearly
festival in the verse above. He does not want them to ever forget that
it was the mighty hand of God that brought them out of Egypt.  They
had no permanent dwelling in their wilderness wanderings.  Just as
Abraham had no permanent dwelling place after he left Ur of the
Chaldees. Abraham was looking for a city whose maker was God. These
Israelites, led by Moses, were looking for their promised land. We
Christians are looking for heaven.  It is all the same. We have no
permanent dwelling place here on this earth.  Abraham, believed God,
and it was counted unto him righteousness, These Israelites had to
believe there was a promised land, to receive it.  We must believe
that Jesus is our door to heaven, or we will not go to heaven.

     Leviticus 23:44 "And Moses declared unto the children of Israel
the feasts of the LORD."

     This just reminds us, once again, that Moses declared the message
God had for this people the exact way God gave it to him.

     Let me say one more time, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of
these festivals.
































                             Questions 56

1.  What were they to proclaim the feasts of the LORD to be?
2.  What offerings are mentioned in verse 37 of Leviticus chapter 23?
3.  Who fulfills all of the feasts?
4.  What were these convocations a special time for?
5.  What was the rejoicing in celebration of?
6.  What is the greatest gift anyone can receive?
7.  How is this festival in verse 37 similar to communion for the
    Christians?
8.  What did Jesus say symbolized His body?
9.  When we Christians drink the fruit of the vine and eat the
    communion bread, what are we remembering?
10. Verse 38 says these feasts are to be kept besides what?
11. When can you say you have given to God?
12. When is one special time when those who profess Christianity come
    to church?
13. What day of what month were they to celebrate the completing the
    harvest?
14. How many days did this festival last?
15. What does this harvest festival symbolize for Christians?
16. Where do we find the Scripture that says "Thrust in thy sickle and
    reap"?
17. Where, in Matthew, do we read to let them grow together until the
    harvest?
18. What is typical of the separation of the believers and
    non-believers in the above Scripture?
19. What are these booths to be made of?
20. The branches remind us of what about Jesus and the believers?
21. How many days in a year is this festival to be kept?
22. Who shall dwell in the booths?
23. Why does the LORD want them to celebrate at this festival time?
24. Who declared the festivals to the children of Israel?