Congregation T'Shuvat Yisrael
Messianic Jewish Tradition: What does the Word say?
God's Appointed Times, His Feasts
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This page show's the order of God's Feasts and other remembrances in the progression of the Hebrew calendar. It is important to understand the order in which the festivals were given by God to man - for we are to build after the pattern of scripture. The Feasts of God were given for all time and are relevant today for all who endeavor to keep Torah. The first and foremost Feast of God is Shabbat (or Sabbath). When you keep Shabbat, then Shabbat keeps you closest to His Divine Presence; six days to labor and one Day of Rest and Renew in His Presence.
The next festival given was Pesach (Passover) along with Hag HaMatzot (Feast of Un-Leavened Bread). Our Heavenly Father determines in Exodus 12:2, that this is the beginning of a new year. We can see its spiritual significance when we compare that first journey out of the world to the start of our own spiritual journey (out of the world) when we first believed. Every time that God marks time when giving instruction, he counts Pesach as the first month. When man marks time, he characteristically remains true to when man wants the beginning of the year... much the same way as man has changed the celebration of rest.
On the journey to the Promised Land God, at the Mountain of God, reiterated teh commands of Pesach and Yom Hg HaMatzot and further gave us Yom Ha Bikkurim (Feast of First Fruits), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles (or Ingathering)), and Shemini Atzeret (The Eighth Day). Except for Yom Ha Bikkurim, the instructions were immediate. Yom Ha Bikkurim was to be instituted upon entering the Promised land. The Festival of Purim was instituted in the Book of Esther as a remembrance for all Israel for all generations. Chanukah (Festival of Light) is a remembrance based on tradition from when the temple was recaptured during the time of the Maccabees (see our Chanukah page).
These appointed times are gifts. They demonstrate a spiritual journey that we can use to measure ourselves. We can also be blessed by spiritual growth to study, enjoy, and treasure!
Biblical or Hebrew Name
Dates of Observance
Jewish Calendar
(by Date)
Gregorian Calendar
Shabbat
Erev Pesach
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Hag HaMatzot
Yom HaBikkurim
Shavuot
T'Shuvat
Yom Teruah
Tashlich
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
(Feast of
Tabernacles, Feast of Booths, or Feast of Ingathering)
Shemini Atzeret
Chanukah (Traditionally accepted time of
the conception of Yeshua, the Light of the World!)
Purim Fast
Purim
Shushan Purim
7th day of week
15 Nisan
15 Nisan
16 Nisan
17 Nisan
18 Nisan
19 Nisan
20 Nisan
21 Nisan
17 - 22 Nissan
8 - 12 Sivan
1-29 Elul
1 Tishri
2
Tishri
3 Tishri
4
Tishri
5 Tishri
6 Tishri
7
Tishri
8 Tishri
9 Tishri
10 Tishri
15 Tishri
16
Tishri
17 Tishri
18 Tishri
19
Tishri
20 Tishri
21 Tishri
23 Tishri
25 Kislev
26
Kislev
27 Kislev
28 Kislev
29 Kislev
30
Kislev
1 Tevet
2 Tevet
13 Adar
14 Adar
15 Adar
(1)* Sabbath, the Seventh day of the week. The Biblical
day starts at Sundown. In the Gregorian reckoning, Sabbath
begins at sundown Friday through sundown Saturday
Passover Eve Seder Meal, starting at sundown
(14 Nisan is the Day of preparation - the Sacrifice of
the Lamb and the meal preparation)
Falls in the months of March - April
(2)(3)* 1st day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
2nd day of Feast of
Unleavened Bread
3rd day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
4th day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
5th day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
6th day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
* 7th day of Feast of Unleavened Bread
Falls in the months of March - April
First Fruits - Day after the Sabbath after Passover (variable)
Falls in
the months of March - April
*
Feast of Weeks (fiftieth day after First Fruits - always
on the First
day of the week). Also known as
Yom
HaBikkurim, Feast of First Fruits of Wheat Harvest.
Falls in the months of May - June
(8)
Month of Preparation
(Month of Repentance, the King is coming!)
Falls in the months of August - September
(4)* Feast of Trumpets starts the High Holy days
*Feast of Trumpets starts the High Holy days
(Day of Trumpet Blast, Sound of the Shofar)
Falls in the months of September - October
(8)
1st Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
2nd Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
3rd Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
4th Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
5th Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
6th Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
7th Day of Awe, tribulation and soul searching
(5)* Day of Atonement (A day to Afflict one's
soul - a day of fasting)
Falls in the months of September - October
* Feast of Tabernacles (Community celebration)
2nd day of Feast of Tabernacles
3rd day of Feast of Tabernacles
4th day of Feast of Tabernacles
5th day of Feast of Tabernacles
6th day of Feast of Tabernacles
7th day of Feast of Tabernacles
Falls in the months of September - October
*
The Feast of Shemini Atzeret (Great
Eighth Day)
Falls in the months of September - October
(7) Festival of Light (Community celebration)
2nd day of Festival of Light
3rd day of Festival of Light
4th day of Festival of Light
(Family Feast and gift giving to the poor)
5th day of Festival of Light
6th day of Festival of Light
7th day of Festival of Light
8th day of Festival of Light
Falls in the months of November - December
(6)
Traditionally a day of Fasting
Casting of Lots (Community celebration)
Family Feast and gift giving to poor
Falls in
the months of February - March
* Sabbath Day - Day of no work. The Feasts of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot are known as "Holy Convocations". All males of Israel were required by God to present themselves at the Temple.
(1) Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord 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 the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(2) Exodus 12:16-17 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
(3) Leviticus 23:6-11 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the
Sabbath the priest shall wave it. (NOTE: It is also referred to as the beginning of the days of counting the Omer or "Sheaf" to Shavuot.)
Yom Ha Bikkurim is the day after the 7th day Shabbat (Sunday) of this feast of unleavened bread, even though the first day of this feast is a no work rest day... a Shabbat. The failure to recognize Passover and the 1st day of the feast of unleavened bread as Shabbats has lead to another serious misconception regarding the day of execution, the ensuing days and the resurrection of the Anointed Messiah Yeshua. NOTE: When counted correctly, it is easy to see the prophetic fulfillment of 3 full days in the grave. During the year of
crucifixion, Passover began on what we consider Wednesday evening but in the Hebrew tradition, after sundown would be the beginning of Thursday (1st day). Friday (2nd full day) would begin on our Thursday evening and Saturday (3rd full day) would begin sundown Friday until the resurrection just before sundown the next day. But what about Passover's that begin on another day? Which day is Yom
Ha Bikkurim? The Word does not concern itself with those details, suffice it to say "on the morrow after the Sabbath" would normally be the 1st day after the 7th day Shabbat (Sunday), then "the counting of the omer" would always result in Shavuot occurring on
the first day of the week.
(4) Numbers 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.
(5) Leviticus 23:27-32 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that 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 shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
(6) Purim is a Festival of Remembrance - mandated for all Israel at the end of the book of Esther. A joyous time as the destruction of all Israel in Persia was averted.
(7) Traditional remembrance of Chanukah - see our Chanukah page
(8) Traditional remembrances leading up to Feasts ordained by God - a time to prepare and ensure that your heart and life are pure before God.
Congregation T'Shuvat Yisrael
God's Appointed Times, His Feasts
