THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S The Seven F easts named here are,— th e Sabbath, Passover, F irs t F ru its, Pentecost, Trumpets, A tonement and Tabernacles. The th ree g rea t feasts were Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, a t which all th e males of Israel were commanded to appear (Deut. 1 6 :1 6 ); “ T h r e e t i m e s in a y e a r s h a l l a l l t h y m a le s a p p e a r b e f o r e t h e L o r d t h y G o d in t h e p la c e w h ic h h e s h a l l c h o o s e ; in t h e f e a s t o f u n le a v e n e d b r e a d , a n d i n t h e f e a s t o f w e e k s , a n d in t h e f e a s t o f t a b e r n a c le s ; a n d t h e y s h a l l n o t a p p e a r b e f o r e t h e L o r d e m p ty .” These gatherings fostered a sp irit of fellowship an d brotherhood. The Is raelites were descended from a com mon fath er— Abraham— and were heirs of th e promises given to him. They were consecrated to th e same God. These feasts also afforded an oppor tu n ity for traffic and the interchange of goods. The g reat w ealth of th e Jews and much of th e glory attached to Je ru salem can be traced to these gatherings. They also had a marked effect upon th e religious life of the people. G reat mul titudes, united in worship, made a deep impression upon th e people. Differ ences werB forgotten. They were one people. The Passover F east commemorated th e deliverance from Egypt and always spoke of th e sheltering blood of th e offerings. Pentecost, the second g reat feast, fol lowed Passover fifty days after, when th e h arvest was ready for th e sickle. According to Jew ish law, nothing would be gathered before th is feast. Here God was to be recognized as th e giver of th e golden harvest and praise to Him was th e key note. The first sheaf was waved before th e Lord. (Lev. 23:15- 21 ). The th ird g reat feast, th a t of Taber nacles, is th e one given us for special study. I t was observed on th e fifteenth day of th e seventh month, a t th e close of th e harvest. This feast pointed to th e cross of Christ, where God’s Lamb was slain. (Isa. 5 3 :7 ):
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“ H e w a s o p p r e s s e d a n d h e w a s a f f lic te d , y e t h e o p e n e d n o t h is m o u t h ; h e i s b r o u g h t a s a la m b to t h e s l a u g h t e r , a n d a s a s h e e p b e f o r e h e r s h e a r e r s is d u m b , s o h e o p e n e th n o t h is m o u th .” (John 1 :2 9 ): “ T h e n e x t d a y J o h n s e e t h J e s u s c o m in g u n t o h im , a n d s a i t h , B e h o ld t h e L a m b o f G o d , w h ic h t a k e t h a w a y t h e s i n o f t h e w o r ld .” (Also 1 Cor. 5 :7 ; 2 Cor. 5 :21 ; Heb. 9:12-14.) The believer in th e atoning blood of Jesus Christ and in God’s unerring Word, is perfectly safe and is entitled to p erfect péace. (Isa. 2 6 :3 ): “ T h o u w i l t k e e p h im in p e r f e c t p e a c e w h o s e 'm in d i s s t a y e d o n t h e e ; b e c a u s e h e t r n s t e t h in th e e .” (Rom. 8:33.) The blood signified the moral judg m ent of God. As a ju st, holy and tru e God He could no t touch one who was sheltered by the blood. The second feast typified th e descent of th e Holy Spirit, fifty days after the resurrection of our Lord,— th e wave sheaf, the first fruits, the prom ise of the coming harvest. The “ harvest field’’ was a figure used by Jesus to repre sent th e coming kingdom. He, Himself, was gathered from th e field (th e world) and received into glory. He 'was ma tu red a n d garnered a t the Passover time. L ifted from the sepulchre, He was waved as th e first fruits,— th e rep resentative, th e forerunner,— of th e h ar vest. He is th e pledge and p attern of th e harvest. In Acts 2:1-4 we have a new people, a new covenant (law w ritten upon th eir h e a rts ); th e beginning of a g reat har vest. The disciples were set ap a rt for a priestly service, th e tongues of fire representing th e power to preach and testify. They were to be th e in stru ments, in God’s hands, for the g ath er ing of a g reat harvest. The Jew ish nation was born a t Sinai. The church was born a t Pentecost. This brings us to th e th ird and last of th e g reat feasts, in th e seventh month, a t the close of th e harvest, when both harvest and vintage were complete. This was a g reat festival— related to
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