Study Guide: The Feasts God Gave, and What They Point To
Quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB); please check each one in your own Bible.
The Big Idea
The big idea: God gave Israel his set feasts, and Scripture calls them “a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.” (Colossians 2:17).
Read Aloud
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The set feasts of Yahweh, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts. “‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no kind of work. It is a Sabbath to Yahweh in all your dwellings. “‘These are the set feasts of Yahweh, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahweh’s Passover. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahweh. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work.’”
— Leviticus 23:1–8
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh. The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are. When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be a memorial for you. You shall keep it as a feast to Yahweh. You shall keep it as a feast throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.
— Exodus 12:12–14
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump? Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place. Therefore let’s keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
— 1 Corinthians 5:6–8
When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles. He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in God’s Kingdom.” He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves, for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.” He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
— Luke 22:14–20
Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.
— Colossians 2:16–17
Where We Stand
Scripture says
- God called the feasts of Leviticus 23 “my set feasts.” (Leviticus 23:2), and Moses declared them “to the children of Israel” (Leviticus 23:44).
- The pilgrim feasts were kept “in the place which he chooses” (Deuteronomy 16:16).
- “For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
- Christ “became the first fruit of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
- Christ “through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12).
- “Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.” (Colossians 2:16–17).
- “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Romans 14:6).
- Jesus said of the bread, “Do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19), and of the cup, “Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25).
We conclude
- Our conclusion: the feasts were given through Moses as part of the Law given at Sinai (Leviticus 23:44; 26:46; 27:34).
- Our conclusion: forever in the Law does not by itself keep a command binding after Christ (Exodus 29:9; Hebrews 7:11–12; 8:13).
- Our conclusion: the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits and the Day of Atonement point to Christ’s death, rising and entering before God (Leviticus 23:10; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 15:20; Hebrews 9:7, 12, 24).
- Our conclusion: Pentecost is the feast of weeks, which Numbers calls “the day of the first fruits” (Numbers 28:26), and the Spirit’s coming on it fits that pattern (Acts 2:1–4).
- Our conclusion: a believer may keep a day to the Lord freely, as Romans 14:6 describes, but no one may require it (Romans 14:5–6; Colossians 2:16; Acts 15:28–29; 21:25).
- Our conclusion: days kept as law, to be made right with God, are the bondage Paul warns against (Galatians 4:9–10; 5:4).
- Our conclusion: believers keep the feast “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8), and remember the Lord at his table until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).
The Hard Questions
- Doesn’t Leviticus 23 call the feasts “a statute forever” (Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, 41)? See The strongest objection under God Gave Israel His Set Feasts.
- Must Gentile believers keep the Passover (Exodus 12:48; Acts 15:28–29)? See the answer under God Gave Israel His Set Feasts.
- Didn’t Jesus and the apostles keep the feasts (Luke 2:41; Acts 18:21; 20:16; 21:20–26)? See The strongest objection under Christ, Our Passover, Has Been Sacrificed.
- Doesn’t Acts 15:21 mean the Gentiles would keep the rest of the Law? See the answer under Christ, Our Passover, Has Been Sacrificed.
- Won’t the nations keep the feast of booths in days to come (Zechariah 14:16; Ezekiel 45:21–25; Isaiah 66:23)? See The strongest objection under Feast Days Are a Shadow; the Body Is Christ’s.
- Doesn’t Paul say, “let’s keep the feast” (1 Corinthians 5:8)? See the answer under Feast Days Are a Shadow; the Body Is Christ’s.
- Doesn’t “a shadow of the things to come” (Colossians 2:17) mean the feasts still apply, or that the church should judge (Colossians 2:16)? See the answer under Feast Days Are a Shadow; the Body Is Christ’s.
- Which commands bind believers, and the weekly Sabbath? See The Sabbath, and which commands bind believers under Questions Answered.
- What about days Scripture does not command, such as Christmas and Halloween? See Days Scripture does not command, such as Christmas and Halloween under Questions Answered.
- Does salvation depend on settling every one of these questions? See Whether salvation depends on these questions under Questions Answered.
Discussion Questions
- What did God tell Israel he would do when he saw the blood on the doorposts? (See the opening.)
- How does Hebrews 7:12 help you read a statute forever in Leviticus 23? (See the answer under God Gave Israel His Set Feasts.)
- What does Paul call Christ in 1 Corinthians 5:7 and 15:20, and whom does Hebrews 9:7–12 set him beside? (See Christ, Our Passover, Has Been Sacrificed.)
- How do Paul’s words in Galatians 4:10–11 and in Romans 14:6 fit together? (See Feast Days Are a Shadow; the Body Is Christ’s.)
- What does Zechariah 14:16 promise, and why does it not bind believers now? (See the answer under Feast Days Are a Shadow; the Body Is Christ’s.)
- What meal did Jesus say he would eat anew, and what does that promise mean to you? (See Hope.)
Hope
Christ was “offered once to bear the sins of many,” (Hebrews 9:28), and he “will appear a second time,” (Hebrews 9:28). And John heard the words, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9).
For the Leader
Allow about 45 minutes for one session. Read Leviticus 23:1–8 first, then Exodus 12:12–14, 1 Corinthians 5:6–8, Luke 22:14–20 and Colossians 2:16–17. Invite everyone to open and check each verse in their own Bible.
© 2026 Elvis Lucas, Open the Text. Original: https://openthetext.com/series/days-and-feasts/01-the-feasts-god-gave-study-guide/
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