PART IV . HOLY DAYS AND SEASONS : WEEKLY , MONTHLY , ANNUAL , SEPTENNIAL , AND EVERY HALF - CENTURY . Every religion must have its round of holy days and seasons: 1 . To give occasion for manifesting joyous thankfulness to the Giver of all good things. 2 . To keep alive the memory of past events around which religious associations cling. 3 . To impress upon the hearts of the worshippers those sacred mysteries which are regarded as essential... read more
The festivals. Leviticus 23:1-3 , the sabbath. The three features of it are: the convocation; the rest from all work; the sabbath of the Lord in their dwellings. I. THE PUBLIC WORSHIP of God is the main reason for the sabbath. "Holy convocation.'' Necessity that one day should be appointed. Importance of preserving that day of worship from distraction and disturbance. Influence of public worship on the general interests of religion, and therefore on the individual,... read more
This verse repeats the statement or heading contained in Leviticus 23:2 , with reference to the annual holy day, the sabbath having been disposed of in Leviticus 23:3 . read more
Religious festivals. This chapter has been termed, from its contents, the Calendar of Feasts. Underneath much that has been abolished by the gospel, we can trace principles and truths of permanent application, invested with interest for the Christian as well as the Jewish Church. Surface views are of little worth; if not misleading, they are at best transitory in nature. I. TRUE RELIGION HAS ITS FESTIVALS . The word rendered "feasts" in the text means "fixed times;" but in ... read more
The Passover. cf. Exodus 12:1-51 ; also 1 Corinthians 5:7 , 1 Corinthians 5:8 . In addition to the weekly "offering of rest," there were emphasized offerings of a similar character at select seasons throughout the Jewish year. These were to bring to remembrance great national deliverances, or to celebrate the blessings with which Jehovah crowned the year. The first of these feasts was the Passover. It was to celebrate the deliverance preceding the Exodus. It began with a holy... read more
The influence of sacred recollections. The great festival of the Passover derived all its meaning from one memorable historic scene. It annually recalled one event of surpassing interest, and, by so doing, it impressed all susceptible souls with those leading truths to which God called Israel to bear its living testimony. We look at— I. THE SPECIAL SCENE WHICH THIS FEAST COMMEMORATED , AND THE INFLUENCE IT WAS FITTED TO EXERT . What a night in Hebrew... read more
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This may be regarded as the opening festival of the year, and the closing one was the Feast of Tabernacles; typically representing the life of God's people passing from redemption to restitution. The Jewish sacred year may be taken to represent the progress of Divine grace. The foundation of all is the Passover—redemption, the death of Christ the Paschal Lamb. The main ideas are— I. All true life resting on the true beginning of peace and... read more
The Passover. Under this general title we include the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the offering of the firstfruits which was connected with it. The history of the institution is given in Exodus 12:1-51 . That the Passover was a type of Christ is evident (see 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ). I. THE LAMB TYPIFIED HIS PERSON . ( John 1:36 .) 1 . It was taken from the flock ( Exodus 12:9 ). 2 . It was a male of the first year. 3 . It was without blemish. II. ... read more
In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. The month of Nisan was made the first month of the religious year in consequence of the original Passover having taken place in it ( Exodus 12:2 ). On the occasion of the first, or Egyptian, Passover, all heads of a family, either singly or two or three heads of families in conjunction, provided themselves with a lamb or a kid on the 10th day of Nisan, killed it in the evening of the 14th, and, taking a bunch of... read more
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John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 23:10
Verse 10 10.When ye be come to the land. Moses now lays down rules as to the second day of festival, which was dedicated to the offering of the first-fruits. The ceremony is described that they should deliver a handful into the hand of the priest; though some think that the measure is signified which was the tenth part of an Ephah. The word Omer (345) means both. But in this passage the expression “handful” is most appropriate, since it represented in a lively manner the beginning of the... read more