The Feasts of God
The Bible says God dwells in Zion (Isa 8:18), which is characterized by the feasts of God (Isa 33:20-22). Therefore, God is in the church that keeps these feasts.
The Seven Feasts of God
According to the Bible, the feasts, festivals or celebrations that a church must keep in order to be correct in God’s eyes are (Lev 23):
- The Passover
- The Feast of Unleavened Bread
- The Day of Firstfruits (Resurrection Day)
- The Feast of Weeks (Day of Pentecost)
- The Feast of Trumpets
- The Day of Atonement
- The Feast of Tabernacles
The seven annual feasts are also described as three groups (Dt 16:16): the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which includes the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread; the Feast of Weeks, which includes Resurrection Day and the Day of Pentecost; and the Feast of Tabernacles, which includes the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.
The World Mission Society Church of God celebrates all seven annual feasts, as well as the weekly feast of the Sabbath.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The first group of feasts, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, begins with the Passover. God originally commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Passover to lead them out of Egypt and free them from slavery.
. . . “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect . . . Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight . . . This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. . . . The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.”
Later, when God came in human likeness with the name Jesus, He established the New Covenant Passover. Christ took the place of the Passover Lamb (Jn 1:29) and promised His body and blood through this feast.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” . . . So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
When the time came Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins.” . . . He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then be broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.”
Luke 22:14-20 (NLT)
Through this New Covenant Passover celebration, we come to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood. And through this feast, God gives us eternal life.
So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.”
John 6:53 (NLT)
The Passover contains God’s sacrifice, which was actually fulfilled through the Feast of Unleavened Bread—celebrated the day after the Passover. The Feast of Unleavened Bread originally commemorated the sufferings of the Israelites after leaving Egypt.
However, the New Covenant Unleavened Bread commemorates Christ’s suffering on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. And we participate in Christ’s suffering by fasting.
“But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Mark 2:20 (NLT)
The Feast of Weeks
The second group of feasts actually begins with the Day of Firstfruits. This feast originally marked the day when God allowed the Israelites to cross the Red Sea. After that time, the Israelites kept this feast by offering the firstfruits of their grain to God.
The Feast of Firstfruits in the Old Testament was a prophecy, which Jesus fulfilled in the New Testament times through His resurrection.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits on those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20
The second feast within this group is the actual Feast of Weeks, or the Day of Pentecost. This feast takes place on the first day of the week (Sunday) following seven weeks after Resurrection Day.
Originally, Moses went up Mount Sinai forty days after passing through the Red Sea, and then came down and revealed God’s will to the Israelites. Ten days later, the fiftieth day after crossing the Red Sea, Moses went back up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. God commanded the Israelites to commemorate this day as the Feast of Weeks.
In the New Testament times, God poured out His Spirit on the Early Church, which spurred the growth of the gospel.
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. . . . Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Acts 2:1-47 (NLT)
The Feast of Tabernacles
The final set of yearly feasts starts with the Feast of Trumpets. Just as the Israelites blew trumpets for ten days leading up to the Day of Atonement, we participate in the feast by praying earnestly to God for ten days until the Day of Atonement.
On the Day of Atonement, God made atonement with the Israelites for all the sins committed during the year. On this day, we, too, are forgiven of our sins.
The last feast of the year is the Feast of Tabernacles. This is a joyful feast, which commemorates the establishment of the tabernacle in the Old Testament. Israelites brought all kinds of freewill offerings to build the temple for God. In the New Testament times, this feast is kept by gathering the reality to the temple materials, the people of God.
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.
Revelation 3:12 (NKJV)
On the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus also promised the greatest gift: the Holy Spirit.
On the last and most important day of the feast Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart, as the Scripture says.” Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39 (NCV)
When we keep the Feast of Tabernacles, we will receive the Holy Spirit of the latter rain.
Feasts of God at the Church of God
The World Mission Society Church of God keeps all seven annual feasts of God. Visit your nearest Church of God to learn more about each feast, their meaning and keep them to receive God’s abundant blessings.