Leviticus 23
OGCLeviticus 23:1-3
**C. SANCTIFICATION OF FEASTS 23:1-25:55
- SABBATHS AND ANNUAL FEASTS 23:1-44 a. THE SABBATH 23:1-3 TEXT 23:1-3**
1
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, The set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.
3
Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work: it is a sabbath unto Jehovah in all your dwellings.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:1-3
In what way can we call the sabbath a feast?
What is the meaning of the term convocation?
Notice the difference in the text and the paraphrase in Leviticus 23:3. Do you agree with the implied thought?
Do we have any form of sabbath today?
Was the sabbath observed in the days of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob?
PARAPHRASE 23:1-3
The Lord said to Moses, Announce to the people of Israel that they are to celebrate several annual festivals of the Lordtimes when all Israel will assemble and worship Me. (These are in addition to your Sabbathsthe seventh day of every weekwhich are always days of solemn rest in every home, times for assembling to worship, and for resting from the normal business of the week.)
COMMENT 23:1-3
Leviticus 23:1-3 We like the words of C. H. MacKintosh: One of the most profound and comprehensive Chapter s in the inspired volume now lies before us, and claims our prayerful study. It contains the record of the seven great feasts or periodical solemnities into which Israel’s year was divided. In other words, it furnishes us with a perfect view of God’s dealings with Israel during the entire period of their most eventful history.
Looking at the feasts separately, we have the Sabbath, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the first-fruits, Pentecost, the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles. This would make eight altogether; but it is very obvious that the Sabbath occupies quite a unique and independent place. Some years ago we prepared a short study on the subject of The Sabbath. We believe it would be appropriate to include it just here:
SPECIAL STUDY THE JEWISH SABBATH
Question: When was the sabbath first made known to man? Answer: At Mt. Sinai. Read this reference very carefully: Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law by Moses, thy servant. Nehemiah 9:13-14
Someone will immediately recall that the seventh day is mentioned in Genesis 2:1-3. Note carefully, please, that it is not referred to in rest. At Sinai, Moses set aside the seventh day (under God’s direction) for man’s rest because in the creation of the earth the seventh day was God’s day of rest. Consider carefully the total circumstances of Gen 2:1-3. No command is given here to man. No example is found here of the seventh day observance by man. There is one other reference to examine in connection:
But the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah, thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:10-11.
It was not the sabbath day when God rested, but it was so called when Moses wrote this account in Exodus. The use of the word sabbath as found here is called a literary prolapse. To illustrate, we say that on February 22 we remember the birth of the first president, George Washington. In reality, on February 22, 1732, a baby named George Washington was born, but not at that time, President George Washington. If a historian were to describe the actual event of his birth as of 1732 he would not call him president; if the same historian were to look back on his birth from our day, he could very well call him President George Washington when speaking of his birth. Washington became president years after his birth. The seventh day became the sabbath years after God rested on that day.
In Genesis 3:20 we have an example of a literary prolapse. Note: And the man (Adam) called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. At the time that Adam called his wife Eve, she had not so much as one child, but from the time that Moses wrote this he could see very well how the name Eve found its fulfillment.
Question: Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that the sabbath was kept prior to Exodus?
Answer: None. No evidence has been presented that shows sabbath observance prior to Exodus 16:23.
Question: If the sabbath was made known at Mount Sinai, how is it that instructions for the use of manna for the sabbath were given before the giving of the law? (Cf. Exodus 16:23.)
Answer: This must have been a preparatory measure. The nation of Israel was being prepared for the sabbath observance by this means. Without preparation there could have been a terrible destruction of sabbath breakers inasmuch as the penalty for not keeping the sabbath was death. (Cf. Exodus 31:14.)
John the Baptist came preaching and practicing a baptism of repentance. John’s baptism was in preparation of the baptism of our Lord (Acts 19:1-6). The baptism of Christ was so very important that preparation of the minds and hearts of the people was very necessary. When Jesus commanded His apostles to go into all the world and baptize, the apostles knew what baptism was and so did the people to whom the apostles spoke. John’s baptism prepared them for the baptism of Jesus.
Just so in the wilderness, when the seventh day began to be observed by the nation of Israel in connection with the gathering of the manna, they were preparing for the giving of the law when it was going to be observed in a new fashion.
You will note some interesting features about the observance of the seventh day in Exodus 16:1-36 that are different than the later observance of the sabbath.
(1)
There was no punishment given for the violation of the day.
(2)
When it was violated there was no punishment of the violator.
(3)
No specific instructions for its observance other than the manna is given.
Can we say a law has been given when no punishment has been specified for violators? If not, then no law for sabbath observance was given before the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Question: If we were to observe the sabbath today as it was observed in the days of Moses or Jesus, what would be required of us? Answer:
(1)
No cooking to be done on the sabbath. Exodus 16:23.
(2)
No fires to be built. Exodus 35:3.
(3)
Two lambs to be offered. Numbers 28:9-11.
(4)
Not to pick up sticks. Numbers 15:32-36.
(5)
To be kept according to Jewish timesunset Friday to sunset Saturday.
(6)
Violators put to death. Exodus 31:14.
Question: Why do you not observe the sabbath today?
Answer: There are seven very adequate reasons. Here they are:
(1) The sabbath was given to the Jews only. Read these references: Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Deuteronomy 5:3. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm, therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15. (Cf. Exodus 20:1-2; Exodus 24:8.)
There is no example of any Gentile observing the sabbath day at any time, anywhere. If the covenant which contained the sabbath law was made with the Jews as a nation and we are not a part of that nation, what reason do we have for observing the sabbath day? It might be well to explain just here the thought that Sunday is the Christian sabbath. The word sabbath means rest. Sunday, or the first day of the week, is not portrayed in the New Testament as a day of rest, but rather a day of worship. The sabbath has always been on the seventh day and could not therefore fall on the first day, even in the Christian dispensation.
(2) The sabbath has no commemorative value for any other than the Jew. Deuteronomy 15:5. We were never in Egypt as slaves. We were never led out.
(3) Note, please, that the reference to the creation is for the purpose of showing why the seventh day was chosen as a day of rest; i.e. God rested, so you rest. The sabbath was a sign between God and Israel.
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily, ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed. Exodus 31:12-13 a, 17. (Cf. Ezekiel 20:12-20.)
Let us understand again why a reference is made to the creation. The purpose is to point out why God chose the seventh day for rest. God rested on the seventh day and was refreshed, you rest and be refreshed on the seventh day.
The sabbath was a sign or seal of the covenant God had with Israel. We have no such covenant and no such sign. (4) It is impossible to observe the sabbath universally. In the far north or south it could not be observed. How would you observe the sabbath from sunrise to sunset in the northern part of Alaska? The same question could be asked concerning some of the extreme southern countries. Geographical conditions are such in some countries that sheep could not be raised; hence, no lambs would be available for sacrifice. This reason presupposes that the sabbath is to be observed according to the only instructions we have for keeping of the sabbath, the Jewish law. If there are other directions for sabbath observance, we have failed to read them in the New Testament. Where are the directions for the observance of the sabbath by Christians?
(5) The sabbath was a part of the old covenant and was abolished with that covenant. There are many references to which we should refer in a careful consideration of this important point. Here are some of them:
The sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were a part of the old covenant. Exodus 24:1-8; Exodus 24:12; Deuteronomy 4:13-14; Deuteronomy 9:9; Deuteronomy 9:11; Deuteronomy 9:15; 2 Chronicles 6:11; Hebrews 9:4; 1 Kings 8:9.
For sake of clarity we will reproduce two verses which speak very plainly on this point: Speaking of the house of the Lord, Solomon says: And there have I set the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which He made with the children of Israel. 2 Chronicles 6:11. In I Kings we have these words: There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 1 Kings 8:9.
The old covenant was abolished and done away in Christ:
(1)
Abolished Ephesians 2:14-15.
(2)
Done away 2 Corinthians 3:3-17.
We are not under this law. Galatians 3:16-25; Galatians 5:18.
The old covenant was cast out. Galatians 4:21; Galatians 5:1.
We have been discharged from the law. Romans 7:1-7.
The old covenant was blotted out and taken out of the way. Colossians 2:14.
The old covenant was nigh unto vanishing away almost 1900 years ago. Hebrews 8:13.
The sabbath observance, as a part of the old covenant, was abolished with the old covenant. All of the old covenant was done away in Christ. There is no suggestion in the scriptures to the contrary. It might be pointed out here that the Ten Commandments are set aside from the rest of the law by those who wish to observe the sabbath, as the moral law of God in contrast to the ceremonial laws of the nation of Israel. This is purely an arbitrary distinction that has no warrant in fact or scripture. The following quotation explains this thought:
The term -Moral Law-’ when applied to them is a misnomer, untrue to revelation. They neither include all morality nor exclude all immorality.. Only the last six deal with morals. The first four are ceremonial in their precept.
The -Ceremonial Law-’ as denominated by the Seventh Day advocates has far more moral precepts than the Ten Commandments. Every penalty for breaking the Ten Commandments is to be found only in the so-called Ceremonial Laws, which they say are done away with. A law is null and void without a penalty.
A. Word in The Church Revealed In The Scriptures
(6)
The church as a new and better covenant.
Jesus became the surety of a better covenant. Hebrews 7:22
We have a new and faultless covenant. Hebrews 8:7-13.
Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:18-24.
The new covenant surpasseth the old covenant in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:3-17.
We, who are under the new covenant, are free, whereas those that were under the old covenant were inbondage. Galatians 4:21; Galatians 5:1.
(7) The sabbath was not incorporated in the new covenant. Nine of the ten commandments are embodied in the new covenant.
The ten commandments of the old covenant. Exodus 20:3-17. All but the sabbath are found in the new covenant:
IOther gods. Leviticus 23:3
IIImages, Leviticus 23:4-5
IIIName in vain. Leviticus 23:7
IVSabbath. Leviticus 23:8
Not in New Testament
VFather and Mother. Leviticus 23:12
VIKill. Leviticus 23:13
Ephesians 6:1-2; Colossians 3:20
VIIAdultery. Leviticus 23:14
Romans 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
VIIISteal. Leviticus 23:15
IXFalse witness. Leviticus 23:16
Colossians 3:9; Revelation 22:18
XCovet. Leviticus 23:17
Romans 13:9; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:3
Question: Why did Jesus keep the sabbath?
Answer: Jesus kept the sabbath because He was living under the old covenant of which it was a part. The old covenant lasted until the death of Christ when He nailed it to the cross and took it out of the way. Colossians 2:14. The new covenant was not brought into effect until the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Christ’s death.
Someone will undoubtedly want to know under what covenant or will man was living during the forty days after the resurrection while He made His appearances on earth before He ascended. The simple answer is that no will is in effect until it is read. Until Peter made known the terms of the New Testament or will on the day of Pentecost, man was yet under the former or old covenant.
Question: Why did the Apostle Paul go into the synagogues on the sabbath?
Answer: Paul was preaching Christ to the ignorant and unbelieving Jews. Acts 9:20; Acts 13:5. They needed to know the conditions of the new covenant whereby they could receive redemption for their transgressions under the old covenant. Hebrews 9:15.
FACT QUESTIONS 21:1-3
Name eight feasts. Why not include the sabbath?
When was the sabbath first made known to man?
Doesn-’t Genesis 2:1-3 teach us the sabbath was known at creation? Discuss.
Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that the sabbath was kept prior to Exodus? Discuss.
What about the instructions in Exodus 16:23?
If we were to observe the sabbath today as in the days of Moses, how would we do it?
Why not observe the sabbath today? List all seven answers and discuss.
Discuss the moral and ceremonial laws.
Why did Jesus keep the sabbath?
Leviticus 23:4-14
b. PASSOVER AND THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD 23:4-14 TEXT 23:4-14
4
These are the set feasts of Jehovah, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5
In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, is Jehovah’s passover.
6
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Jehovah: seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
7
In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
8
But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah seven days: in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
9
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
10
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest:
11
and he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12
And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.
13
And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto Jehovah for a sweet savor; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14
And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the oblation of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:4-14
What is involved in the word proclaim in Leviticus 23:4? (Cf. Numbers 10:1-10.)
There seems to be a civil and religious calendar for the Jewish nation, or two methods of counting the months. Research this question in a good Bible Dictionary.
Does the feast of unleavened bread have a direct relationship to the Passover, or is it a separate feast? Cf. Exodus 13:4; Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:1; Nehemiah 2:1; Esther 3:7; John 19:14.
Why eat unleavened bread? What did it symbolize?
Once again: what is a holy convocation?
Some work could be done. What was it?
What type of offering is suggested in the expression, an offering made by fire?
Why give regulations for activities that would only happen years later?
Is the feast of the first-fruits separate from the passover and the feast of unleavened bread? If not, what possible connection is there?
What was meant by the feast of the first-fruits?
Waving the sheaf carried what symbolism?
What is involved in the drink offering?
Why not eat until the feast day?
PARAPHRASE 23:4-14
These are the holy festivals which are to be observed each year: The Passover of the Lord: This is to be celebrated at the end of March. The Festival of Unleavened Bread: This is to be celebrated beginning the day following the Passover. On the first day of this festival, you shall gather the people for worship, and all ordinary work shall cease. You shall do the same on the seventh day of the festival. On each of the intervening days you shall make an offering by fire to the Lord. The Festival of First Fruits: When you arrive in the land I will give you and reap your first harvest, bring the first sheaf of the harvest to the priest on the day after the Sabbath. He shall wave it before the Lord in a gesture of offering, and it will be accepted by the Lord as your gift. That same day you shall sacrifice to the Lord a male yearling lamb without defect as a burnt offering. A grain offering shall accompany it, consisting of a fifth of a bushel of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil, to be offered by fire to the Lord; this will be very pleasant to Him. Also offer a drink offering consisting of three pints of wine. Until this is done you must not eat any of the harvest for yourselvesneither fresh kernels nor bread nor parched grain. This is a permanent law throughout your nation.
COMMENT 23:4-14
Leviticus 23:4 The heading is here repeated because the feasts or festivals which follow are separate from the sabbath. The gathering of the people was done by blowing the silver trumpets. Cf. Numbers 10:10.
Leviticus 23:5 A copy of the chart showing the Hebrew calendar is given here because it is important to our understanding just here. We need to add that the two names for the same months come from the two calendarsthe civil and the religious. The second set of names were not given until after the exilic captivity. The civil calendar began numbering with the seventh month of the religious calendar.
HEBREW CALENDAR
Each month (new moon) began with the blowing of trumpets and offering of sacrifices. Numbers 28:11; Numbers 10:10; Psalms 81:3.
We also reproduce our comments on The Passover as they appear in OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY, pages 153-54:
The primary purpose of this festival was to commemorate Jehovah’s passing over the houses of the Israelites when he passed through the land of Egypt to slay the first-born in every house. (Exodus 12:11-12). But just as the history of Israel was typical of the whole pilgrimage of man, and as their rescue from Egypt answers to that crisis in the life of God’s redeemed people, at which they are ransomed by the blood of the atonement from the penalty of sin, to which they also are subject, so we trace this wider and higher meaning in every feature of the institution.
The day, reckoned from sunset to sunset, in the night of which the first-born of Egypt were slain and the Israelites departed, was the fourteenth of the Jewish month Nisan or Abib (March to April), which began about the time of the vernal equinox, and which was now made the first month of the ecclesiastical year. (The civil year began, like that of the Egyptians, about the autumnal equinox, with the month Tishri.) This was the great day of the feast, when the paschal supper was eaten. But the preparations had already been made by the command of God. (Exodus 12:1-27). On the tenth day of the month, each household had chosen a yearling lamb (or kid, for either might be used) (Exodus 12:5), without blemish. This Paschal Lamb was set apart till the evening which began the fourteenth day, and was killed as a sacrifice (Exodus 12:27) at that moment in every family of Israel. But before it was eaten, its blood was sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop on the lintel and door-posts of the house: the divinely-appointed sign, that Jehovah might pass over that house, when He passed through the land to destroy the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:7; Exodus 12:12-13; Exodus 12:22-23). Thus guarded, and forbidden to go out of doors till the morning, the families of Israel ate the lamb, roasted and not boiled, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The bones were not suffered to be broken, but they must be consumed by fire in the morning, with any of the flesh that was left uneaten; The people were to eat in haste, and equipped for their coming journey. For seven days after the feast, from the fourteenth to the twenty-first, they were to eat only unleavened bread, and to have no leaven in their houses, under penalty of death. The fourteenth and twenty-first were to be kept with a holy convocation and Sabbatic rest. The Passover was to be kept to Jehovah throughout their generations, a feast by an ordinance forever. (Exodus 12:14). No stranger might share the feast, unless he were first circumcised; but strangers were bound to observe the days of unleavened. (Exodus 12:18-20; Exodus 12:43-49). To mark more solemnly the perpetual nature and vast importance of the feast, fathers were especially enjoined to instruct their children in its meaning through all future time. (Exodus 12:25-27).
Leviticus 23:6-8 As we have observed, the feast of unleavened bread became a vital part of the passover; indeed it is even called the feast of unleavened breadthe terms are linked in Leviticus 23:5-6. Cf. Exodus 12:15; Exodus 12:18-20. The time of the day for the observance of the passover became quite an issue between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The controversy hinged on the meaning of the phrase, at even in Leviticus 23:5. It literally means between the two evenings. Ginsburg observes on this point: According to the Sadducees it denotes the time between the setting of the sun and the moment when the stars become visible, or when darkness sets in, i.e. between six and seven o-‘clock, a space of about one hour and twenty minutes. According to the Pharisees, however, -between the two evenings-’ means from the afternoon to the disappearing of the sun. The first evening is from the time when the sun begins to decline towards the west, whilst the second is when it goes down and vanishes out of sight. This is the reason why the paschal lamb in the evening sacrifice began to be killed and the blood sprinkled at 12:30 P.M. This is more in harmony with the fact that the large number of sacrifices on this could be offered up in the longer period of time.
The seven days of unleavened bread were intended to be a week-long reminder of the conditions which prevailed in Egypt at the time of deliverance. No work of a gainful purpose was permitted on the first or the seventh days. No building or pulling down edifices, weaving, threshing, winnowing, grinding, etc.while needful work could be done such as killing beasts, kneading dough, baking bread, boiling, roasting, etc. The violators were not stoned but received forty stripes. The offerings on each of these days in addition to the daily sacrifices were: two young bulls, a ram, seven lambs of the first year, along with a meat or meal offering to accompany these burnt offerings, and a goat for a sin offering. Cf. Numbers 28:19-23. During this festive occasion each worshipper was also expected to bring offerings of his own. Cf. Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:16; Deuteronomy 27:7. These offerings were to be given as peace offerings. Cf. Leviticus 3:1-5; Leviticus 7:16-18; Leviticus 7:29-34.
Leviticus 23:9-14 Some commentators wish to separate the offering of the sheaf of the first-fruits from the Passover and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread. They wish to consider it as an independent action. Others like Charles F. Pfeiffer unite it with the feast of unleavened bread. He says: During the Feast of Unleavened Bread -on the morrow after the sabbath-’ a sheaf of first-fruits of barley was offered as a wave-offering before the Lord. Oil and frankincense were mixed with flour and the whole offered as a meal offering. In waving the sacrifice, *i.*e. holding it out toward the altar, and bringing it back again, God was recognized as the author of the entire harvest. The harvest was ceremonially dedicated to Him. It was then received back, symbolizing the fact that the blessing of the harvest had come from Him. A portion was burned on the altar, and the rest was eaten by the worshipper. It was on this day the counting began to complete forty-nine days in establishing the day of Pentecost. Forty-nine days were counted (which included the day on which the first-fruit was offered). The day following the forty-ninth day (seven times seven days) was the Day of Pentecost. The Passover was always on the 14th of Nisan. The first day of the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread, which was called a sabbath (Cf. Leviticus 23:24; Leviticus 23:32; Leviticus 23:34 for such a term) was the 15th of Nisan. On the day following, or on the 16th of Nisan, the sheaf of first-fruits was offered and the counting for Pentecost began. (i.e. according to one point of view.) By a simple reasoning process it becomes apparent that if this interpretation is right we cannot conclude that the day of Pentecost was always on the first day of the week, since the counting did not always begin on the same day of the week. The whole issue is decided on how the term sabbath is used in Leviticus 23:11; Leviticus 23:15.
The provisions here required anticipate occupying the land of Canaan. The eating of the unleavened bread must not begin until after the sheaf of the first fruit has been offered. The grain for the unleavened bread of the first two days was from the harvest of the previous year. The meal used in the bread in the remaining five days came from the new or current harvest. At this time of the year only barley was ripe.
FACT QUESTIONS 23:4-14
Was the Passover held on the fourteenth day of the first month or the fourteenth day of the seventh month?
In what month according to our calendar?
How many days involved in the observance of the Passover?
There are two opinions as to the time for the observance of the Passover. Give them and discuss.
What was the purpose of the seven days of unleavened bread?
What work was unlawful? On what days?
List the offerings on the seven days. What was the grand total of the seven days?
When was the sheaf of the first fruit offered? Why?
Discuss one method of counting the 49 days between the day of the sheaf offering and Pentecost.
Did the counting begin on the seventeenth of Nisan or on the Saturday following the Passover? Discuss.
When did the Israelities begin eating the unleavened bread?
Leviticus 23:15-22
c. THE FEAST OF WEEKS, OR PENTECOST 23:15-22 TEXT 23:15-22
15
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall there be complete:
16
even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meal-offering unto Jehovah.
17
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with leaven, for first-fruits unto Jehovah.
18
And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
19
And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
20
And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before Jehovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Jehovah for the priest.
21
And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Jehovah your God.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:15-22
Is the sabbath in Leviticus 23:15 the same as the day on which the sheaf offering was made?
Are we to count seven Saturdays or just 49 days? If the latter is true we would then count every seventh day from the first day as a sabbath. This seems to be a strange use, of the term sabbath.
It would be a simple matter to say that the sabbath here involved was the nearest Saturday to the fifteenth of Nisan. On the day after that Saturday the sheaf offering was made and the counting of seven more Saturdays began. The day following the seventh Saturday was Pentecost (the 50th day). Which viewpoint appeals to you? Why?
Anything significant about the new grain to be presented on Pentecost?
The two loaves presented on Pentecost could be symbolic. Of what?
The seven lambs, the young bull, the two rams as a burnt offering were given on whose behalf?
A he-goat for a sin offeringany symbolism here?
Two he-lambs a year old for a peace offeringthese were to be waved before the Lord along with the bread of the new harvest. Why?
Does Leviticus 23:21 seem to say that the day of Pentecost is to be regarded as a sabbath?
Why mention the provision for the poor in this context? Cf. Leviticus 23:22.
PARAPHRASE 23:15-22
The Festival of Pentecost: Fifty days later you shall bring to the Lord an offering of a sample of the new grain of your later crops. This shall consist of two loaves of bread from your homes to be waved before the Lord in a gesture of offering. Bake this bread from a fifth of a bushel of fine flour containing yeast. It is an offering to the Lord of the first sampling of your later crops. Along with the bread and the wine, you shall sacrifice as burnt offerings to the Lord seven yearling lambs without defects, one young bull, and two rams. All are fire offerings, very acceptable to Jehovah. And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male yearling lambs for a peace offering. The priests shall wave these offerings before the Lord along with the loaves representing the first sampling of your later crops. They are holy to the Lord, and will be given to the priests as food. That day shall be announced as a time of sacred convocation of all the people; don-’t do any work that day. This is a law to be honored from generation to generation. (When you reap your harvests, you must not thoroughly reap all the corners of the fields, nor pick up the fallen grain; leave it for the poor and for foreigners living among you who have no land of their own; I am Jehovah your God!)
COMMENT 23:15-22
Leviticus 23:15 Either the counting began from the sixteenth of Nisan or on the day after the weekly sabbath in the Passover week. Let us suppose an actual case in hand: the fourteenth of Nisan in a particular year occurred on Tuesday. On this day the Passover was observed. On Wednesday the seven days-’ feast of the unleavened bread began. On the first day of unleavened bread the sheaf of the first-fruit of barley was offered. Do we begin counting seven weeks from this day? If we do, Pentecost will be on Thursday, not Sunday. On the other hand, if the Passover was on Tuesday, the seven day feast of unleavened bread began the day following (and that day was treated as a sabbathLev 23:7) but we wait until Saturday and after the sheaf of first-fruits on the day following, or Sunday, we then begin a count of the seven weeks, or seven Saturdays. Pentecost is by this count always on Sunday. We have presented both sides to this issue. We leave it up to our readers to choose for themselves.
Leviticus 23:16-17* In* whatever way we count the fifty days, we need to understand the events of Pentecost. We want to learn about the origin of the feast and its activities. The name Pentecost refers to the fiftieth day, and is so called in the New Testament Acts 2:1; Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8. It is called the feast of weeks in the Old Testament. Cf. Exodus 34:12; Deuteronomy 16:10; Deuteronomy 16:16; 2 Chronicles 8:13. The particular cereal offering to be presented on this day was two loaves of bread. The preparation of these loaves were from a fifth of a bushel of fine flour, containing yeast. This was symbolic as it was waved before the Lord at the altar. This was but a sampling of the whole harvest that has now been completed. It all came from God and belongs to God.
Leviticus 23:18-22 The additional sacrifices for the feast day consisted of two bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs, which were a burnt offering, and a goat for a sin offering (Numbers 28:26-27; Numbers 28:30). Besides these, however, the new meal offering of the two loaves mentioned in the text before us were brought, and with it are to be offered one bullock, two rams, and seven lambs, all for burnt offerings. (Ginsburg)
We should say a word about the drink offering in this chapter introduced for the first time in Leviticus. It was never made independently but always in accompaniment with the cereal offering. It consisted of wine which was poured out upon the ground before the altar. It symbolized thanksgiving and consecration. Sometimes oil was used in the drink offering.
There were also offered a goat for a sin offering and two lambs for a peace offering. Josephus sums up the sacrifices as: fourteen lambs, three young bulls, and three goats. It has been thought that the sacrifices described here and those in Numbers 28:27 were made at two separate times. The ones in Leviticus to accompany the offering of the two loavesthose in Numbers to be offered during the feastial day. It is also thought that those mentioned in Numbers were offered during the wilderness and those in Leviticus offer entrance to the Promised Land.
The action described in the 20th verse happened in the following manner, according to the description of the Temple service at the time of our Lord. The two lambs were brought into the Temple, and waved together or separately by the priest while yet alive. Whereupon they were slain, and the priest took the breast and shoulder of each one (Cf. Leviticus 7:30-32), laid them down by the side of the two loaves, put both his hands under them, and waved them all together or separately towards the east side forwards and backwards, up and down. He then burned the fat of the two lambs, after which the remainder of the flesh, which became the prerequisite of the officiating priest, was eaten by him and his fellow priests. Of the two loaves the high priest took one, and the other was divided between the officiating priests, who had to eat them up within the same day and half the following night, just as the flesh of the most holy things. After these prescribed sacrifices had been offered, each individual brought his free-will offering, which formed the cheerful and hospitable meal of the family, and to which the Levite, the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger were invited. (Ibid)
Traditionally the day of Pentecost was considered the day upon which Moses received the law at Mt. Sinai, i.e. it was 50 days from the Passover in Egypt until God called Moses up to the Mount to give him the law. This is only a tradition; but it became a time of remembrance during the time of Christ and after.
Amid all the rejoicing and thanksgiving for the harvest the poor should be remembered; they too have needs and God has made provision for them. Leave the corners of your fields for them. Cf. Leviticus 19:9.
FACT QUESTIONS 23:15-22
Was Pentecost on Sunday or some other day? Discuss.
What is the meaning of the term Pentecost? Why called the feast of weeks?
What was the form of cereal offering presented on this day? What did it represent?
What was the purpose of the drink offering? Give the total number of sacrifices.
There seems to be two sets of animals for two separate offerings. What were they?
The sacrifice of the two lambs is very meaningful. Describe it in your own words.
Leviticus 23:23-25
d. THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS 23:23-25 TEXT 23:23-25
23
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
24
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25
Ye shall do no servile work; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:23-25
What was the purpose of the feast of the trumpets?
Refer to the calendar and notice what day is to succeed this day. Is there any connection?
The ceasing of work sets this day aside as a sabbath, and yet it is not a sabbath. Discuss the difference.
PARAPHRASE 23:23-25
The Festival of Trumpets: Mid-September is a solemn time for all the people to meet together for worship; it is a time of remembrance, and is to be announced by loud blowing of trumpets. Don-’t do any work on the day of the celebration, but offer a sacrifice by fire to the Lord.
COMMENT 23:23-25
We cannot imagine a more beautifully descriptive comment than that of C. D. Ginsburg. We share it with our readers: Literally, remembrance blowing, for which see Numbers 29:1, the only place in the Old Testament where this festival is named as the day of blessing, i.e., the trumpets. As the first of Ethanium, as the month is called in the Bible (1 Kings 8:2), or Tishri, as the Jews call it, in which this festival occurs, is the commencement of the civil new year, this festival was called the Festival of New Year ever since the time of the second Temple, and has been regarded as preparatory to the great day of Atonement, which is ten days later. The blowing of trumpets, therefore, which was the distinguishing feature of this festival, was designed to summon the Israelites to enter upon the work of sanctification, which will be accounted to them as a merit in the sight of God, and for which they are promised to be especially remembered before the Lord (Numbers 10:9-10). Hence its name, Remembrance blowingthe blowing of trumpets, which will make them to be remembered before the Lord. The synagogue, however, takes the name more in the sense of reminding God of the merits of the patriarchs and his covenant with them, and for this reason has appointed Genesis 21:1-34; Genesis 22:1-24, recording the birth and sacrifice of Isaac, as the lesson for this festival. As the festival is also the new moon, a threefold sacrifice was offered on it, viz. (1) the ordinary daily sacrifice which was offered first; (2) the appointed new moon sacrifice (Numbers 28:11-15); and (3) the sacrifice for this festival, which consisted of a young bullock, a ram, and seven lambs of the first year, with the usual meat offerings, and a kid for a sin offering (Numbers 29:1-6). With the exception, therefore, of there being one bullock instead of two, this sacrifice was simply a repetition of the monthly offering by which it was preceded in the service. During the offering of the drink offering and the burnt offering the Levites engaged in vocal and instrumental music, singing the eighty-first and other psalms, whilst the priests at stated intervals broke forth with awful blasts of the trumpets. After the offering up of the sacrifices, the service was concluded by the priests, who pronounced the benediction (Numbers 6:23-27), which the people received in a prostrate position before the Lord. Having prostrated themselves a second time in the court, the congregation resorted to the adjoining synagogue, where the appointed lessons from the Law and the Prophets were read, consisting of Gen 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6; 1 Samuel 1:1-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Genesis 22:1-24; Jeremiah 31:2-20. Psalms were recited and the festival prayers were offered, beseeching the Lord to pardon the sins of the past year, and to grant the people a happy new year. This concluded the morning service, after which the families resorted to their respective homes, partook of the social and joyous repast, and in the evening went again into the Temple to witness the offering of the evening sacrifices, and to see the candlestick lighted with which the festival concluded, all wishing each other, May you be written down for a happy new year; may the Creator decree for you a happy new year. To which was responded, And you likewise. With the exception of the sacrifices, the Jews keep this festival to the present day. The trumpet which they use on this occasion consists of the curved horn of a ram, in remembrance of the ram which Abraham sacrificed instead of Isaac. This event, as we have seen, is also commemorated in the lesson of the day.
FACT QUESTIONS 23:23-25
This day celebrates the beginning of a new year, but it is the beginning of a civil new year. Explain.
It is also preparatory. For what?
The Lord is to remember as well as the people. What is He to remember?
List the three-fold sacrifices for this day.
What happened during the drink offering and the burnt offering?
The people received the following benediction; Numbers 6:23-27in what posture? Why?
After the Temple service what happened?
What lessons were read from the Old Testament?
What happened at home? At the evening services?
It would seem we are indebted to the Jewish race for our celebration of the new year. Discuss.
Leviticus 23:26-32
e. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT 23:26-32 TEXT 23:26-32
26
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
27
Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
28
And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Jehovah your God.
29
For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day; he shall be cut off from his people.
30
And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.
31
Ye shall do no manner of work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32
It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:26-32
This surely was a distinctive day. Mention the distinctions.
What was the purpose of fasting?
What was the penalty for not properly observing this day?
Is this the only day in the year just like the weekly sabbath?
Please read again our comments on Leviticus 16:1-30. Cf. Leviticus 19:8. Just what is involved in being cut off as Leviticus 23:30?
Just what is meant by afflict your souls?
PARAPHRASE 23:26-32
The Day of Atonement follows nine days later: all the people are to come together before the Lord, saddened by their sin; and they shall offer sacrifices by fire to the Lord. Don-’t do any work that day, for it is a special day for making atonement before the Lord your God. Anyone who does not spend the day in repentance and sorrow for sin shall be excommunicated from his people. And I will put to death anyone who does any kind of work that day. This is a law of Israel from generation to generation. For this is a Sabbath of solemn rest, and in it you shall humble your souls and be filled with remorse; this time for atonement begins on the previous evening and goes on until the next evening.
COMMENT 23:26-32
Leviticus 23:26-32 We covered the Day of Atonement in our comments on chapter sixteen. The emphasis in these verses seems to be upon the fasting of this day. This is the only day in the Hebrew calendar when fasting was required. Since the subject of fasting is almost unkown to the average church member, we feel it would be profitable to here include an outline of the subject:
FASTING: RESOURCE FOR SPIRITUAL POWER
Our Lord’s Teaching and Example:
a.
Please notice that our Lord did not say If you fast, but when you fast. Jesus expected His followers to pray, so He said when you pray in Leviticus 23:5. He expected His disciples to give, so He said when thou doest alms, Leviticus 23:2. In Leviticus 23:16 He uses the same anticipationHe expects us to fast. The wrong motive does not cancel the act.
b.
Jesus said there would come a day when His disciples would fast. When the bridegroom has left then will they fast in that day. We are living in that day awaiting the cry, Behold the bridegroom cometh, come ye forth to meet Him. Fasting is a grand catalyst for bringing the body into subjection. If we do not control the appetites of the body we will be controlled by them.
c.
Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1 ff.
At the beginning of His ministry, our Lord entered a period of fasting and prayer. It could be significant that Jesus was tempted by Satan to eat, but not to drink. Jesus was voluntarily refusing food as a part of His control of the body.
The Example of Paul
a.
Saul of Tarsus became Paul the Apostle, and fasting was a part of his change. This was a three-day absolute fast. The normal fast of only water and no food was superseded by the circumstances.
b.
The list of events here given demonstrate the character of Paul. The use of the term fastings would seem to suggest that Paul was often involved in this practice. In Leviticus 11:23-27 fastings could be involuntary, i.e. because he had no food, but in Leviticus 6:3-10 there is no reason to believe that it is used in any but the ordinary sense of the term: Paul chose to fast often.
The Early Church
a.
As the leaders in the Syrian church at Antioch ministered to the Lord they were fasting. This was a united effort. It was associated with their worship, and was yet apart from it. In this environment the Holy Spirit said, separate unto me Barnabas and Saul. In the action taken by the leaders of the church to set Barnabas and Saul apart fasting was accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands.
b.
Prayer and fasting was practiced in the Gentile churches of Lystra, Derbe and Antioch of Pisidia. Fasting is here a part of the ordination of elders.
Examples of Fasting From the Old Testament
a.
David - Psalms 35:13; Psalms 69:10
The control of ego’s demands as well as the control of the lust of the flesh are here involved.
b.
Jehoshaphat - 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
We face as formidable a foe today as did Jehoshaphat. We need to use the same weapons in our warfare. Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:4.
c.
We sometimes presumptuously commit ourselves and only fasting and prayer can give us the answer.
d.
Esther 4:1 ff.
The whole nation was savedfasting had a part.
e.
Nineveh - Jonah 1:1 ff; Jonah 3:5-9.
Both God’s blessings and His judgments are conditional. Fasting has never been an end in itself (except when hypocrites made it suchCf. Matthew 6:16 ft). It is a grand aid to the goal of buffeting the body and bringing it into subjection. Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27; Cf. Galatians 5:17.
If an act or an attitude is wrong fasting will not make it right. Only prayer and restitution will do that. Fasting is not some type of holy gimmick or cure-all. Fasting is no substitute for any other part of God’s provisions. On the other hand no other provisions of God are a substitute for fasting. The regularity of your prayer life is a pattern for your fasting. Fasting once a week would be a way to give practical value to this spiritual discipline.
FACT QUESTIONS 23:26-32
Discuss the two references to fasting in Matthew 6:1-18 and Mark 2:18-22. What application does this have for us?
Is the fasting and prayer of our Lord an example for us? Discuss.
What shall we say of the example of Paul: Cf. Acts 9:9; 2 Corinthians 6:3-10.
Where did the early church get the thought that they should fast? Cf. Acts 13:1-3.
How do we use fasting today? Discuss.
We have given five examples of fasting in the Old Testament. What lesson is in this for us?
What is the basic purpose of fasting?
How can we incorporate this discipline into our life? Discuss.
Leviticus 23:33-44
THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES 23:33-44 TEXT 23:33-44
33
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
34
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto Jehovah.
35
On the first day shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.
36
Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah: it is a solemn assembly; ye shall do no servile work.
37
These are the set feasts of Jehovah, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;
38
besides the sabbaths of Jehovah, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto Jehovah.
39
Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of Jehovah seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40
And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
41
And ye shall keep it a feast unto Jehovah seven days in the year: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.
42
Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths;
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 Jehovah your God.
44
And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the set feasts of Jehovah.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 23:33-44
Review again on the chart the feasts in the seventh month. Name them in order. Where does the feast of Jubilee fit?
When we read of an offering made by fire of what do we think?
God is trying to teach us something in the absorption of so much of the time of Israel by the many sacrifices. What is it?
Does Leviticus 23:39 begin a description of another feast or is this a continuation of the feast of tabernacles?
What is the fruit of the trees as mentioned in Leviticus 23:40?
Just what form did these booths take? i.e. what did they look like?
What was the purpose of such strange dwellings?
PARAPHRASE 23:33-44
The Festival of Tabernacles: Five days later, on the last day of September, is the Festival of Shelters to be celebrated before the Lord for seven days. On the first day there will be a sacred assembly of all the people; don-’t do any hard work that day. On each of the seven days of the festival you are to sacrifice an offering by fire to the Lord. The eighth day requires another sacred convocation of all the people, at which time there will again be an offering by fire to the Lord. It is a joyous celebration, and no heavy work is permitted. (These, then, are the regular annual festivalssacred convocations of all peoplewhen offerings to the Lord are to be made by fire. These annual festivals are in addition to your regular giving and normal fulfillment of your vows.) This last day of September, at the end of your harvesting, is the time to celebrate this seven-day festival before the Lord. Remember that the first and last days of the festival are days of solemn rest. On the first day, take boughs of fruit trees laden with fruit, and palm fronds, and the boughs of leafy treessuch as willows that grow by the brooksand (build shelters with them), rejoicing before the Lord your God for seven days. This seven-day annual feast is a law from generation to generation. During those seven days, all of you who are native Israelites are to live in these shelters. The purpose of this is to remind the people of Israel, generation after generation, that I rescued you from Egypt, and caused you to live in shelters. I am Jehovah your God. So Moses announced these annual festivals of the Lord to the people of Israel.
COMMENT 23:33-44
Among the several accounts we have read on this feast, we have found the following of superior worth. We gladly share it with our readers:
How and where these tabernacles are to be erected the law here gives no directions. The details, as in many other enactments, are left to the administrators of the Law. From the account of the first celebration of this festival after the return from Babylon, the Jews, according to the command of Ezra, made themselves booths upon the roofs of houses, in the courts of their dwellings, and of their sanctuary, in the streets of the Water-gate and the gate of Ephraim. These tabernacles they made of olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees (Nehemiah 8:15-18). The construction of these temporary abodes, however, was more minutely defined by Ezra’s successors. It was ordained during the second Temple that the interior of each tabernacle must not be higher than twenty cubits, and not lower than ten palms, it must at least have three walls, with a thatched roof partially open so as to admit a view of the sky and the stars. It must not be under a tree, nor must it be covered with a cloth, or with any material which contracts defilement. Only branches of shrubs which grow out of the ground are to be used for the covering. These booths the Israelites began to erect on the morrow after the Day of Atonement. On the fourteenth, which was the day of preparation, the pilgrims came up to Jerusalem, and on the even of this day the priests proclaimed the approach of the holy convocation by the blasts of trumpets. As on the feasts of Passover and Pentecost, the altar of burnt-offering was cleansed in the first night watch, and the gates of the Temple, as well as those of the inner court, were opened immediately after midnight, for the convenience of the priests who resided in the city, and for the people, who filled the court before the cock crew, to have their sacrifices duly examined by the priests.
On the first day shall be an holy convocation. At daybreak of this day one of the priests, accompanied by a jubilant procession and a band of music, went with a golden pitcher to the pool of Siloam, and having filled it with water, returned with it to the Temple in time to join his brother-priests in the morning sacrifices. He entered from the south through the water-gate, when he was welcomed by three blasts of the trumpets. He then ascended the steps of the altar with another priest, who carried a pitcher of wine for the drink offering. The two priests turned to the left of the altar, where two silver basins were fixed with holes at the bottom, and simultaneously poured into their respective basins the water and the wine in such a manner that both were emptied at the same time upon the base of the altar. This ceremony of drawing the water was repeated every morning during the seven days of the festival. Another jubilant multitude, who went outside Jerusalem at the same time to gather willows, now returned. With great rejoicings and amidst blasts of trumpets they carried the willows into the Temple, and placed them at the altar in such a manner that their tops overhung and formed a kind of canopy.
Seven days ye shall offer. The special sacrifices for this day consisted of a burnt offering of thirteen bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs, with an appropriate meat and drink offering, and a goat for a sin offering (Numbers 29:12-38). Whereupon were offered the peace offerings, the vows and the free-will offerings which constituted the repasts of the people. Whilst these sacrifices were being offered up the Levites chanted the festive Hallel, as on the feasts of Passover and Pentecost. This was repeated every day during the seven days of the festival, only that the number of animals offered as sacrifices diminished daily during the middle days of the festival, according to the prescription in Numbers 29:12-38. On the eve of the second day, or what is called the lesser festival, and on each of the five succeeding nights, was celebrated the Rejoicing of the water-drawing in the court of the Temple. Four huge golden candelabra were lighted in the centre of the court, and the light emanating from them was visible to the whole city. Around these lights pious men danced before the people with lighted flambeaux in their hands, singing hymns and songs of praise, whilst the Levites, who were stationed on the fifteen steps which led into the women’s court, and which corresponded to the fifteen psalms of degrees, i.e., steps (Psalms 120:1-7; Psalms 121:1-8; Psalms 122:1-9; Psalms 123:1-4; Psalms 124:1-8; Psalms 125:1-5; Psalms 126:1-6; Psalms 127:1-5; Psalms 128:1-6; Psalms 129:1-8; Psalms 130:1-8; Psalms 131:1-3; Psalms 132:1-18; Psalms 133:1-3; Psalms 134:1-3), accompanied the songs with instrumental music. It is supposed that on the last evening of the festival, when the splendid light of this grand illumination was to cease, Christ called attention to himself, I am the light of the world (John 8:12), which is to shine for ever, and illuminate not only the Temple and the holy city, but all the world.
On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation. That is, like the first day, since no servile work is to be done on it. As it is not only the finishing of the feast of Tabernacles, but the conclusion of the whole cycle of festivals, the dwelling in tabernacles is to cease on it.
Ye shall offer. For this reason the sacrifices offered on this day are to be distinct, and unlike the sacrifices of the preceding days. The burnt sacrifice is to consist of one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs, with the appropriate meat and drink offerings, and one goat for a sin offering. (Numbers 29:36-38.) Being, however, attached to the feast of Tabernacles, the two festivals are often joined together, and spoken of as one festival of eight days.
These are the feasts of the Lord. That is, the above named six festivals, viz.(1) the Passover (Leviticus 23:4-14), (2) Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-22), (3) New Year (Leviticus 23:23-25), (4) Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32), (5) Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-36 a), and (6) the concluding festival (Leviticus 23:36 b). Thus the list of these festivals concludes with the formula by which they were introduced in Leviticus 23:4.
To offer an offering. On these festivals sacrifices are to be offered as prescribed in Numbers 28:1-31; Numbers 29:1-40.
Beside the sabbaths. By a figure of speech called metonymy, which is frequently used both in the Old and New Testaments, the expression sabbaths stands here for the sacrifices of the sabbaths, just as in chapter Leviticus 25:6 sabbath of the land denotes the produce of the sabbath of the land, or of the sabbatic year, and as the phrase it is written in the prophets (Mark 1:2) is used for it is written in the writings of the prophets. (Comp. also Matthew 5:17; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 22:40, etc.) The meaning, therefore, of the passage before us is that the sacrifices ordered for each of these festivals are to be in addition to the sacrifices appointed to each weekly sabbath in the year; so that when one of these festivals falls on a sabbath, the sacrifices due to the latter are not set aside by the former. Both must be offered in their proper order.
Beside your gifts. Nor are they to interfere with the voluntary offerings which each individual brought privately (Deuteronomy 16:10; Deuteronomy 16:17, 2 Chronicles 25:7-8), or with the performance of vows (Deuteronomy 12:6-12).
Also in the fifteenth day. After the list of festivals discussed in this chapter has been summed up in Leviticus 23:37-38, the next five verses recur to the feast of Tabernacles. The regulations are supplementary to those given before, and embody a separate enactment.
When ye have gathered in the fruit of the land. That is, those productions which ripen in the autumnal season, as wheat, barley, oil, wine, etc.
Ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord. The Israelites are then to keep a festival in which they are to acknowledge the bounties of the Lord and express their gratitude to the Giver of all good things. For this reason this festival is also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16, Exodus 23:22).
On the first day shall be a sabbath. Both on the first and last days of this festival there is to be abstention from all servile work. (See Leviticus 23:35-36.)
And ye shall take you on the first day. The four species of vegetable production here ordered are a distinctive feature of this festival. They have been most minutely defined during the second Temple.
Boughs of goodly trees. Better, the fruit of goodly trees, as the margin rightly renders it. As this phrase is too indefinite, and may simply denote the fruit of any choice fruit-tree, there can hardly be any doubt that in this instance, as in many other cases, the lawgiver left it to the administrators of the Law to define its precise kind. Basing it therefore upon one of the significations of the term here translated goodly, which is to dwell, to rest, the authorities during the second Temple decreed that it means the fruit which permanently rests upon the tree, i.e. the citron, the paradise-apple. If it came from an uncircumcised tree (see chap. Leviticus 19:23), from an unclean heave-offering (comp. Numbers 18:11-12), or exhibited the slightest defect, it was ritually illegal.
Branches of palm trees. During the second Temple this was defined as the shoot of the palm-tree when budding, before the leaves are spread abroad, and whilst it is yet like a rod. It is technically called lulab, which is the expression whereby it is rendered in the ancient Chaldee version. The lulab must at least be three hands tall, and must be tied together with its own kind.
The boughs of thick trees. This, according to the same authorities, denotes the myrtle branch, whose leaves thickly cover the wood. To make it ritually legal it must have three or more shoots round the stem, and on the same level with it. If it is in any way damaged it is illegal. This accounts for the ancient Chaldee version rendering it by myrtle branch.
Willows of the brook. That species, the distinguishing marks of which are dark wood and long leaves with smooth margin. The palm, the myrtle, and the willow, when tied together into one bundle, constitute the Lulab. Whilst the psalms are chanted by the Levites during the sacrifices, the pilgrims, who held the Lulabs or palms, shook them thrice, viz., at the singing of Psa 118:1, then again at Leviticus 23:25, and at Leviticus 23:29. When the chant was finished, the priests in procession went round the altar once, exclaiming, Hosanna, O Lord, give us help, O Lord! Give prosperity! (Psalms 118:25). Whereupon the solemn benediction was pronounced by the priests, and the people dispersed amidst the repeated exclamations, How beautiful art thou, O altar! It is this part of the ritual which explains the welcome that the multitude gave Christ when they went to meet Him with palm branches and shouts of hosanna (Matthew 21:8-9; Matthew 21:15; John 12:12-13).
Seven days in the year. These seven days denote the feast of Tabernacles proper, whilst the eight days in Leviticus 23:39 include the concluding festival of the last day. (See Leviticus 23:36.)
In your generations. Better, throughout your generations, as the Authorized version renders it in Leviticus 23:14; Leviticus 23:21; Leviticus 23:31 of this very chapter. (See chap. Leviticus 3:17.)
Dwell in booths seven days. Because the eighth day was a separate festival, when the booths were no more used. (See Leviticus 23:36.)
That your generations may know. When their posterity are securely occupying the land of Canaan, the temporary dwelling in booths once a year may remind them of the goodness of God vouch-safed to their fathers in delivering them from the land of bondage, and sheltering them in booths in the wilderness.
And Moses declared. In accordance with the command which Moses received (see Leviticus 23:2), he explained to the children of Israel the number and motive of these festivals. This verse therefore forms an appropriate conclusion to the whole chapter.
FACT QUESTIONS 23:33-44
How and where were these tabernacles to be built?
When did the Israelites begin to erect these booths?
When were the gates of the Temple opened for the beginning of the day?
Tell in your own words of the ceremony of the golden pitcher.
There were four huge golden candelabra used. Where and when?
Show how this ceremony related to our Lord and the New Testament.
What was the feast of the ingatherings?
The fruit of some trees was acceptable and some was not. Which was which?
Mention three trees whose branches were used for the booths.