The Biblical Fall Festivals of 2021

You’ve have heard about Jewish holidays, the Fall Festivals, Biblical Feasts, or the Feasts of the Lord. Perhaps a friend has brought them up and sparked your curiosity. What are these days? As a Christian, you may wonder, why should I care about the Jewish feasts?

For Christians, understanding the Jewish feasts can deepen our understanding of the Bible and God’s plan for humanity. These feasts were established by God in the Old Testament and are rich in symbolism that points to Jesus and the redemption that He offers. The feasts also remind us of the importance of rest, reflection, and community. By learning about the feasts and their significance that are detailed in https://kurtuhlir.com/definitive-guide-to-servant-leadership/ site, we can gain a greater appreciation for our shared heritage with the Jewish people and a deeper understanding of the connection between the Old and New Testaments.

Join me today as we take a brief look at the feasts that occur in the fall and what we as Christians can discover about them.

What Does ‘Feast’ Mean in the Bible?

For Christians (and English speakers generally), the word feast can be confusing because in our vocabulary it means a large, festive meal. But what did it mean to the people living in biblical times?

In the Old Testament, according to Strong’s Concordance (#4150),  feast in Hebrew means:

Feasts: an appointment, that is, a fixed time or season; specifically a festival; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose)

In the New Testament, according to Strong’s Concordance (#1859), feast in Greek means:

A festival
A holy day

So, when we see a biblical reference to a “feast,” we can understand this to mean a special timely gathering, in the form of an annual holy observance or festival.

Where Do We Find the Feasts or Jewish holidays in the Bible?

The first mention of feasts in the Bible is in Genesis 1:14. The same Hebrew word which translates in this verse as seasons is later translated as feasts.

Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;” Genesis 1:14 NKJV

This helps us to see that from the beginning of time, the Lord had planned for regular times for assemblies or holy days. It is not until Exodus that the Lord lays out the biblical holy days or biblical feasts.

Before delivering the children of Israel out of Egypt, God gives them a new calendar.

Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” Exodus 12:1-2 NKJV

Once the biblical calendar was in place, each month began with a new moon. From the new moon, the days are counted to mark the start of the holy day. Each biblical holiday began and ended at sunset.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month’” Leviticus 23:23-24 NKJV

In addition to the new calendar, the Lord also gave instructions for times of assembly or the feasts. In Leviticus 23, we see eight holy days set up which take place throughout the year.

Where Do We Find the Jewish Feasts (holidays) in the New Testament

In the New Testament, we see that Jesus celebrated the Jewish (biblical) holidays.

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. Luke 2:41-42 NKJV

Later in the New Testament, we see Paul keeping the feasts.

…but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus. Acts 18:21 NKJV

Today, we follow the Gregorian calendar not the Hebrew calendar found in the Bible. The biblical calendar is a lunar/solar calendar having 365 days, and periodic leap months, so the holidays will be on different dates each year from our modern solar calendar.

When Are the Fall Biblical Holidays (Festivals) in 2021?

Based on the biblical calendar outlined above, we can see that three of the biblical festivals take place in the fall. Let’s look at when will these feasts be celebrated in 2020, and what is being commemorated for each holy day.

Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) 2021

September 7-8,2020

The Feast of Trumpets is the first of the fall feasts and is a time in which trumpets are blown during the celebration. This is a two-day celebration and begins the ten-day count down to the Day of Atonement. Today many people use these ten days to repair broken relationships and repent before the Lord.

Is there a relationship in your life that could use some repair? Use these upcoming days to move toward restoring those relationships.

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) 2021  

September 16, 2021

The Day of Atonement was the one day of the year the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for himself and the people. Today, many fast on this day and remember the mighty work Jesus did as our High Priest. Leviticus 23:26-32 Hebrews 9:11-12

One can only be thankful for what Jesus has done for us. I am prompted to repent of the sins I have committed and thank the Lord for His atonement as I look at this day each year.

Feasts of Tabernacles or Booths (Sukkot) 2021

September 21-28

The last of the fall festivals is the Feast of Tabernacles. During this seven-day celebration, families eat their meals in temporary tents or tabernacles to remember how the children of Israel lived in tents after leaving Egypt. Part of this celebration involves gathering branches and fruit to celebrate the end of the harvest. Leviticus 23:33-36

The Lord has taken us all on a journey from bondage to sin (like Egypt) to freedom! How can we remember and celebrate this wonderful deliverance?

Why should Christians learn about Jewish (biblical) festivals?

The study of the biblical feasts and holy days will help us understand many passages in the Bible and it is worth the time invested to learn about them.

God set aside the biblical feasts and holy days to meet with His people. Each feast has a two-fold purpose:

• First, to remember the past and how God moved on behalf of His people. This is a great way to teach the next generation the biblical stories.
• Second, it is a chance to grow in our faith, to look at people from history and learn from them.

Today, as Christians, we can look at these holidays also as a time to remember God’s mighty works of the past, and as a time to grow in our faith.

• Be encouraged that one day the last trumpet will sound and the dead will rise. I Corinthians 15:52
• Be thankful that Jesus is our High Priest and gave His blood as an atonement for us. Hebrews 9:11-12
• Look forward to the day when God will once again tabernacle among His people. Revelation 21:3

Want to learn more?

If you want to learn more about the feasts, I recommend our Biblical Feasts and Holy Days study that will introduce you to each feast and Jewish holiday.

Watch the video on the Timeline of the Biblical Feasts today!

Read a brief overview of all the Holidays in the Bible.

What questions do you have about the feasts?

Finally, will you celebrated one of the Jewish holidays, and if so, what is one thing you look forward to discovering?