Bible Dictionary

Festivals, Religious

Festivals & Holy Days • Both

Religious festivals in Scripture included the Sabbath, the feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles, the Day of Atonement, and other appointed observances. They ordered Israel’s worship, remembered God’s acts, and reinforced the people’s unity before Him.

Definition

Religious festivals were appointed times for Israel’s worship. They included daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly observances; the Sabbath, Trumpets, the sabbatical year, Jubilee, Passover, Pentecost or Weeks, Tabernacles, and the Day of Atonement. Later observances included Dedication and Purim.

Biblical Usage

The great feasts required every male Israelite to appear before the Lord. Their regular observance ordered worship, offerings, and the remembrance of God’s dealings with Israel. The festivals also strengthened national unity, while the Day of Atonement provided a distinct appointed observance.

Historical Background

The major agricultural festivals were arranged around the yearly work of the land: Passover preceded harvest, Pentecost followed the grain harvest, and Tabernacles followed the gathering of the fruits. Attendance of women was voluntary, and the festivals were arranged to interfere as little as possible with industry.

Scripture References

Leviticus 23 Numbers 28:1-8 Exodus 29:38-42 Leviticus 6:8-23 Exodus 30:7-9 Exodus 27:20 Leviticus 23:1-3 Exodus 19:3-30 Exodus 20:8-11 Exodus 31:12 Numbers 28:11-15 Numbers 29:1-6 Exodus 23:10 Exodus 23:11 Leviticus 25:2-7 Deuteronomy 27:7 Nehemiah 8:9-12 Luke 2:41 1 Samuel 1:7 1 Samuel 2:19 Exodus 34:23 Exodus 34:24 Leviticus 16:1 Leviticus 16:34 Numbers 29:7-11 John 10:22 Esther 9:24-32 John 5:1

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

There were daily (Lev. 23), weekly, monthly, and yearly festivals, and great stress was laid on the regular observance of them in every particular (Num. 28:1-8; Ex. 29:38-42; Lev. 6:8-23; Ex. 30:7-9; 27:20). (1.) The septenary festivals were, (a) The weekly Sabbath (Lev. 23:1-3; Ex. 19:3-30; 20:8-11; 31:12, etc.). (b) The seventh new moon, or the feast of Trumpets (Num. 28:11-15; 29:1-6). (c) The Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:10, 11; Lev. 25:2-7). (d) The year of jubilee (Lev. 23-35; 25: 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” (Deut. 27:7; Neh. 8:9-12). The attendance of women was voluntary. (Comp. Luke 2:41; 1 Sam. 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 (Lev. 16:1, 34; 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11). (See ATONEMENT, DAY OF.) Of the post-Exilian festivals reference is made to the feast of Dedication (John 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.), Esther 9:24-32, was also instituted after the Exile. (Cf. John 5:1.)

Back to Dictionary Search