Reference: Festivals, Religious
Easton
There were daily (Le 23), weekly, monthly, and yearly festivals, and great stress was laid on the regular observance of them in every particular (Nu 28:1-8; Ex 29:38-42; Le 6:8-23; Ex 30:7-9; 27:20).
(1.) The septenary festivals were,
(a) The weekly Sabbath (Le 23:1-3; Ex 19:3-25; 20:8-11; 31:12, etc.).
(b) The seventh new moon, or the feast of Trumpets (Nu 28:11-15; 29:1-6).
(c) The Sabbatical year (Ex 23:10-11; Le 25:2-7).
(d) The year of jubilee (Le 23-27; 25:1; 8-16; 27:16-25).
(2.) The great feasts were,
(a) The Passover. (b) The feast of Pentecost, or of weeks. (c) The feast of Tabernacles, or of ingathering.
On each of these occasions every male Israelite was commanded "to appear before the Lord" (De 27:7; Ne 8:9-12). The attendance of women was voluntary. (Comp. Lu 2:41; 1Sa 1:7; 2:19.) The promise that God would protect their homes (Ex 34:23-24) while all the males were absent in Jerusalem at these feasts was always fulfilled. "During the whole period between Moses and Christ we never read of an enemy invading the land at the time of the three festivals. The first instance on record is thirty-three years after they had withdrawn from themselves the divine protection by imbruing their hands in the Saviour's blood, when Cestius, the Roman general, slew fifty of the people of Lydda while all the rest had gone up to the feast of Tabernacles, A.D. 66."
These festivals, besides their religious purpose, had an important bearing on the maintenance among the people of the feeling of a national unity. The times fixed for their observance were arranged so as to interfere as little as possible with the industry of the people. The Passover was kept just before the harvest commenced, Pentecost at the conclusion of the corn harvest and before the vintage, the feast of Tabernacles after all the fruits of the ground had been gathered in.
(3.) The Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month (Le 16:1,34; 23:26-32; Nu 29:7-11). (See Atonement, Day of.)
Of the post-Exilian festivals reference is made to the feast of Dedication (Joh 10:22). This feast was appointed by Judas Maccabaeus in commemoration of the purification of the temple after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes. The "feast of Purim" (q.v.), Es 9:24-32, was also instituted after the Exile. (Cf. Joh 5:1.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Moses went up unto God. And the LORD called to him out of the mountain saying, "Thus say unto the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel, 'Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I took you up upon Eagles' wings, and have brought you unto myself. read more. Now therefore if ye will hear my voice and keep mine covenant: ye shall be mine own above all nations, for all the earth is mine. Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy people.' These are the words which thou shalt say unto the children of Israel." And Moses came and called for the elders of Israel, and laid before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. And the people answered all together and said, "All that the LORD hath said, we will do." And Moses brought the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses, "Lo, I will come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I talk with thee, and also believe thee forever." And Moses showed the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses, "Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes: that they may be ready against the third day. For the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And set marks round about the people and say, 'Beware that ye go not up into the mount, and that ye touch not the borders of it, for whosoever toucheth the mount, shall surely die. There shall not a hand touch it, but that he shall either be stoned or else shot through: whether it be beast or man, it shall not live.' When the horn bloweth, then let them come up in to the mountain." And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, "Be ready against the third day, and see that ye come not at your wives." And the third day in the morning there was thunder, and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the horn waxed exceeding loud, and all the people that was in the host was afraid. And Moses brought the people out of the tents to meet with God, and they stood under the hill. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke: because the LORD descended down upon it in fire. And the smoke thereof ascended up, as it had been the smoke of a kiln, and all the mount was exceeding fearful. And the voice of the horn blew and waxed louder, and louder. Moses spake, and God answered him and that with a voice. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, even in the top of the hill, and called Moses up into the top of the hill. And Moses went up. And the LORD said unto Moses, "Go down and charge the people that they prease not up unto the LORD for to see him, and so many of them perish. And let the priests also, which come to the LORD's presence, sanctify themselves: lest the LORD smite them." Then Moses said unto the LORD, "The people cannot come up in to mount Sinai, for thou chargedest us saying, 'Set marks about the hill and sanctify it.'" And the LORD said unto him, "Away, and get thee down: and come up both thou and Aaron with thee. But let not the priests and the people presume for to come up unto the LORD: lest he smite them." And Moses went down unto the people and told them.
"Remember the Sabbath day that thou sanctify it. Six days mayest thou labour and do all that thou hast to do: read more. but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt do no manner work: neither thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, neither thy manservant nor thy maidservant, neither thy cattle neither yet the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made both heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
"Six years thou shalt sow thy land and gather in the fruits thereof: and the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still, that the poor of thy people may eat, and what they leave, the beasts of the field shall eat: In like manner thou shalt do with thy vineyard and thine olive trees.
"And command the children of Israel that they give the pure oil olive beaten for the lights to pour always into the lamps.
This is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs of one year old day by day forever, the one thou shalt offer in the morning and the other at even. read more. And unto the one lamb take a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine, for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering and drink offering in the morning, to be an odour of a sweet savour of the sacrifice of the LORD. And it shall be a continual burnt offering among your children after you, in the door of the tabernacle of witness before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak unto you there.
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet cense every morning when he dresseth the lamps: and likewise at even when he setteth up the lamps he shall burn cense perpetually before the LORD throughout your generations. read more. Ye shall put no strange cense thereon, neither burnt sacrifice nor meat offering, neither pour any drink offering thereon.
Thrice in a year shall all your men children appear before the Lord Jehovah, God of Israel: for I will cast out the nations before thee and will enlarge thy coasts, so that no man shall desire thy land, while thou goest up to appear before the face of the LORD thy God, thrice in the year.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Command Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be upon the hearth of the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall burn therein. read more. And the priest shall put on his linen alb and his linen breeches upon his flesh, and take away the ashes which the fire of the burnt sacrifice in the altar hath made, and put them beside the altar, and then put off his raiment and put on other and carry the ashes out without the host unto a clean place. The fire that is upon the altar shall burn therein and not go out. And the priest shall put wood on the fire every morning, and put the burnt sacrifice upon it, and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. The fire shall ever burn upon the altar, and never go out. "'This is the law of the meat offering: Aaron's sons shall bring it before the LORD, unto the altar: and one of them shall take his handful of the flour of the meat offering and of the oil with all the frankincense which is thereon, and shall burn it unto a remembrance upon the altar to be a sweet savour of the memorial of it unto the LORD. And the rest thereof, Aaron and his sons shall eat: unleavened it shall be eaten in the holy place: even in the court of the tabernacle of witness they shall eat it. Their part which I have given them of my sacrifice, shall not be baken with leaven, for it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and trespass offering. All the males among the children of Aaron, shall eat of it: and it shall be a duty for ever unto your generations of the sacrifices of the LORD, neither shall any man touch it, but he that is hallowed.'" And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons which he shall offer unto the LORD in the day when they are anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of flour, which is a daily meat offering perpetually; half in the morning and half at night: and in the frying pan it shall be made with oil. And when it is fried, thou shalt bring it in as a baken meat offering minced small, and shalt offer it for a sweet savour unto the LORD. And that priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead, shall offer it: and it shall be the LORD's duty forever, and it shall be burnt altogether. For all the meat offerings of the priests shall be burnt altogether, and shall not be eaten."
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had offered before the LORD and died.
And this shall be an everlasting ordinance unto you to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year." And it was done even as the LORD commanded Moses.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, 'These are the feasts of the LORD which ye shall call holy feasts. read more. Six days ye shall work, and the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, a holy feast: so that ye may do no work therein, for it is the Sabbath of the LORD, wheresoever ye dwell.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Also the tenth day of the self seventh month, is a day of atonement, and shall be a holy feast unto you, and ye shall humble your souls and offer sacrifice unto the LORD. read more. Moreover ye shall do no work the same day, for it is a day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that humbleth not himself that day, he shall be destroyed from among his people. And whatsoever soul do any manner work that day, the same I will destroy from among his people. See that ye do no manner work therefore. And it shall be a law forever unto your generations after you in all your dwellings. A Sabbath of rest it shall be unto you, and ye shall humble your souls. The ninth day of the month at evening, and so forth from evening to evening again, ye shall keep your Sabbath."
"Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, 'When ye be come in to the land which I give you, let the land rest a Sabbath unto the LORD. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt cut thy vines and gather in thy fruits. read more. But the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land. The LORD's Sabbath it shall be, and thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor cut thy vines. The corn that groweth by itself thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes that grow without thy dressing: but it shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land. Nevertheless the Sabbath of the land shall be meat for you: even for thee and thy servant and for thy maid and for thy hired servant and for the stranger that dwelleth with thee: and for thy cattle and for the beasts that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Give the children of Israel a charge, and say unto them that they take heed to offer unto me the offering of my bread in the sacrifice of sweet savour, in his due season. read more. And say unto them, "This is the offering which ye shall offer unto the LORD: two lambs of a year old without spot, day by day, to be a burnt offering perpetually. One lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other at even. And thereto the tenth part of an Ephah of flour for a meat offering mingled with beaten oil, the fourth part of a hin: which is a daily offering ordained in the mount Sinai unto a sweet savour in the sacrifice of the LORD. And the drink offering of the same: the fourth part of a hin unto one lamb, and pour the drink offering in the holy place, to be good drink unto the LORD. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, with the meat offering and the drink offering after the manner of the morning: a sacrifice of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
And in the first day of your months, ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD: two young bullocks, and a ram, and seven lambs of a year old without spot, and three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil unto one bullock, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil unto one ram. read more. And evermore, a tenth deal of flour mingled with oil, for a meat offering unto one lamb. That is a burnt offering of a sweet savour in the sacrifice of the LORD. And their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine unto one bullock, and the third part of a hin of wine unto a ram and the fourth part of a hin unto a lamb. This is the burnt offering of every month throughout all the months of the year: and one he-goat for a sin offering unto the LORD, which shall be offered with the daily burnt offering and his drink offering.
Also, the first day of the seventh month shall be a holy feast unto you, and ye shall do no laborious work therein. It shall be a day of trumpet blowing unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one young bullock and one ram and seven lambs of a year old apiece that are pure. read more. And their meat offerings of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals unto the bullock, and two unto the ram, and one tenth deal unto one lamb through the seven lambs. And a he-goat for a sin offering to make an atonement for you, beside the burnt offering of the month and his meat offering and beside the daily burnt offering and his meat offering, and the drink offerings of the same: according unto the manner of them for a savour of sweetness in the sacrifice of the LORD. And the tenth day of that same seventh month shall be a holy feast unto you, and ye shall humble your souls and shall do no manner work therein. And ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD of a sweet savour: one bullock, and a ram, and seven lambs of a year old apiece, without fault, and their meat offerings of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals to a bullock, and two to a ram and always a tenth deal unto a lamb, throughout the seven lambs. And one he-goat for a sin offering, beside the sin offering of atonement and the daily burnt offering, and the meat and drink offerings that long to the same.
And thou shalt offer peace offerings and shalt eat there and rejoice before the LORD thy God.
And Nehemiah - which is Hathirsatha - and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites that caused the people to take heed, said unto all the people, "This day is holy unto the LORD your God: be not ye sorry therefore, and weep not." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Therefore said he unto them, "Go your way, and eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send part unto them also that have not prepared themselves: for this day is holy unto our LORD. Be not ye sorry therefore: for the joy of the LORD is your strength." read more. And the Levites stilled all the people, and said, "Hold your peace, for the day is holy: vex not ye yourselves." And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send part unto others, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
how that Haman, the son of Hammedatha all the Jews' enemy, had devised to destroy all the Jews, and caused to cast Pur, that is lot, for to put them in fear, and to bring them to naught: and how Esther went and spake to the king, that through letters his wicked device - which he imagined against the Jews - might be turned upon his own head, and how he and his sons were hanged on the tree. read more. For the which cause they called this day Purim after the name of Pur, according to all the words of this writing: and what they themselves had seen, and what had happened unto them. And the Jews set it up, and took it upon them and their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, that they would not miss to observe these two days yearly, according as they were written and appointed; how that these days are not to be forgotten, but to be kept of the children's children among all kindreds in all lands and cities. They are the days of Purim, which are not to be overslipped among the Jews, and the memorial of them ought not to perish from their seed. And queen Esther the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority, to confirm this second writing of Purim, and sent the letters unto all the Jews, in the hundred and seven and twenty lands of the empire of Ahasuerus, with friendly and faithful words, to confirm these days of Purim, in their time appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordained concerning them: like as they upon their soul and upon their seed had confirmed the acts of the fasting and of her complaint. And Esther commanded to establish these acts of this Purim, and to write them in a book.
After that there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
And it was at Jerusalem, the feast of the dedication, and it was the winter: