The Feasts of Jehovah 05 of Weeks — John W. Bramhall

I return again tonight to the book of Leviticus chapter 23. We read tonight for our scripture beginning at verse 15 through verse 22. The words of the Spirit of God through Moses saying. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that she brought the sheep of the way offering.

Seven Sabbaths shall be complete even unto the morrow. After the seventh Sabbath shall ye number 50 days. And ye shall offer a new meal offering. And may I suggest you have in your translation of the authorized version meat offering.

And the word really in proper translation has been made meal offering for it was a food offering and pertain to that which is referred to the consistency of fine flour and so on. So it is a meal offering.

And the Spirit of God says ye shall offer a new meal offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitation two wave loaves of two tenth deals they shall be a fine flour. They shall be bacon with leaven.

They are the first fruits unto the Lord. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year and one young bullet in two rams. They shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord with their meal offering and their drink offering even an offering made by fire of sweet flavor unto the Lord.

Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goat for a sin offering and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offering. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruit for a wave offering before the Lord with the two lambs they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.

And ye shall proclaim on the south same day that it may be unholy convocation unto you. Ye shall do no servile work. Therein it shall be a statue forever in all your dwellings throughout your generation.

And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapeth. Neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest. Thou shalt lead them unto the poor and to the stranger.

I am the Lord your God. Shall we turn in our new testament to the book of the acts. Please acts chapter two. Reading only the first four verses in this second chapter of the book of acts which is the new testament complement the great antitype of the feast of pentecost or the feast of weeks.

Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit

And we read in verse one of acts two. And when the day of pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongs light of the fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the holy ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance.

One more scripture. A verse in first corinthians chapter 12. The 13th verse of first corinthians chapter 12 which very briefly but completely describes the formation of that blessed body the body of christ which is the church and records in these words.

Chapter 12. The first corinthians verse 13 saying. For by one spirit or in one spirit are we or were we all baptized into one body whether we be jews or gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit.

May god bless the reading of his word. And may the holy spirit illumine our hearts and our minds for the edification of every believer. And if there be in our midst a friend who knows not christ as his and her savior we pray that the spirit will have a word in season to bring you to the knowledge of your sins forgiven through our lord jesus.

The Seven Feasts and God’s Redemptive Calendar

We come to the feast of weeks tonight upon in the study of our chart and briefly for those who may be with us for the first occasion this week the chart before you is called the feast of jehovah or the feast of the lord.

Seven annual feasts that are recorded in the book of leviticus chapter 23 given by god through his servant moses to be kept by his earthly people israel annually from the first month down through the seventh month.

And these seven feasts were to the holy convocation when a redeemed people who had been brought out of egyptian bondage and from the tyranny of pharaoh and delivered from all that was their portion in that bondage long ago by the blood of the passion lamb and by the power of god they were redeemed to himself.

A redeemed people should always express their appreciation for their redeemer. And these seven annual feasts were occasions that reminded them of what god had done for them. Not only of what god had done for them but as they progress they are reminded of what god was doing for them.

And then they were also reminded by some of these feasts of what god would yet do for them. For the very past and present and future of israel is also implied in these seven feasts. You note on the upper part of the chart the great antitype to these seven feasts if you would say it the new testament teaching which these feasts in type represent.

These feasts like many other old testament scriptures were written for our learning. They were written aforetime that you and i in the present day might have the new testament application. I'm sure that many of my believing friends are in absolute knowledge that the old testament with all of its levitical economy and shadows and types pointed to the reality that reality was focused upon tripe and every type every shadow everything pertaining to the old testament economy pointed to that day when the fullness of divine revelation and divine truth would be presented in the person and by the person and through the work of our lord jesus christ.

These feet point to us some of the most blessed new testament teachings we can find. Now you're not on the chart as we commence tonight we'd like to repeat this whether it be for israel as a nation delivered out of egypt or whether it be for the whole race of mankind from the beginning to the end.

For you did know your bible realize that there was a there was an occasion before time ever began that in the eternal council of the godhead before the very creation existed god the father god the son and god the spirit purpose the redemptive calendar that would bring to pass the purposes of god in redemptive glory until that eternal glory will be reached again.

May i say to my friends here tonight who may be unsane you and i are traveling to eternity. We had a beginning god had no beginning but between an eternity past and an eternity that is yet to come. We have pictured upon this chart the course of time and reminding us of the calendar of god's redemption for the bible is the history of the redemption of the human race and redemption for the human race whether for israel whether for the gentiles is based upon redemption by blood which of course in its great antitype was the death of christ.

As we sang tonight we would say to you my friends have you been to jesus for the cleansing power. Are you washed in the blood of the land. Are you fully trusting in his grace this hour. Are you washed in the blood of the land.

The Feast of Weeks and the Completion of the Harvest

Tonight we look at the feast of pentecost sometimes called and in the scriptures it is called the feast of weeks. But because of the lapse of time between the feast of first groups and the feast of weeks seven weeks of seven days and on the 50th day this feast began.

So it derives its name as the feast of weeks or either as pentecost meaning 50 and it is called the feast of weeks or the feast of pentecost. Now this feast as you will note in the reading that we have followed is not only named in the time name but there's a purpose for that feast.

Now may i repeat that every feast and its purpose before god and in the heart and mind of god to be an occasion an occasion when god and his people could thus enjoy fellowship together. The purpose of this feast was this.

At the feast of first fruits as we saw this morning the priest on the behalf of the people brought into the presence of god a handful or a wave sheep of barley. But the feast of pentecost or the feast of weeks they brought into the presence of god via the priest was brought two loaves and these two loaves were weighed in the presence of god.

The barley signified the commencement of the fruit coming. But the the feast of weeks 50 days later represented the consternation of the harvest and the fruit of it being brought in that basin. Those two basin loaves into the presence of god indicating the termination of the harvest may i point out this and you may have noticed it.

I trust in your reading at the feast of the passover closely linked by the feast of unleavened bread which followed the same evening. They used unleavened bread in the feast of the passover the feast of weeks or pentecost they use leavened bread and there is a significance for that they came out of egypt in haste and unleavened bread was very quickly made as we know could be very quickly made and it was then memorial as they hastily prepared to leave egypt that night.

But when they came into the land of canaan the two baked loaves represented their appreciation and worshiped the jehovah for his provisions that he had brought them into which they now enjoyed in the land of canaan.

Now will you follow with me in your scripture verse 16 and 17. And let us look at the manner of the feast how it was carried out. We read verse 16. Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number 50 days and ye shall offer a new meal offering unto the lord.

Ye shall bring out of your habitation two weighing loaves a two-tenth deal. They shall be a fine flour. They shall be bacon with leaven. They are the first fruit unto the lord. Now will you note the elements of these two loaves.

There were two loaves they consisted of fine flour. They were also bacon with leaven. And this was the evidence. The baked loaves was the where the evidence and the witness to their heart of god's grace and his faithfulness to them in the blessing he had brought them into in the land of canaan the evidences of his blessing the harvest was gathered.

But these two loaves was a witness in the presence of god of his blessings to them. Then follow in verse 18 noted along with this which was called the oblation or meal offering there were burnt offerings.

And may we say again as we did this morning always in association with these feasts were the suitable offerings as required by god. I'd like to commend to you if your desire to i'd like to commend you the reading of number 28 as well as number 29.

You have the feast enumerated there and you have particularly the offerings that were associated with these each feast mentioned and it is a very interesting account. But there was no feast without the approciation of the required offering.

Sacrificial Offerings and Acceptance Before God

Here were the burned offerings as you read in verse 18 as there were seven lambs without blemish of the first year one young bullet two. And these were the burnt offering unto the lord with their meal offering and thus they were associated with the burnt offering.

For shall we not say briefly for the sake of time these burn offerings were the basis of divine acceptance before jehovah. And the basis of their acceptance before jehovah must always be recognized by the value of those offerings in the sight of god now beloved.

Let me give a new testament application to that for you and for me anytime a believer comes into the presence of god there is only one ground of acceptance. May i quote the words of hebrews 10. Verse 19.

Having therefore brembrand's boldness or liberty to enter the holiest house by the blood of jesus by that new and living way which he has consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh and beloved.

We emphasize as these types point out christ and his sacrificial work is the only basis for a sinner and a saint to come into the presence of god. Ye who sometimes were far off have been made nigh by the blood of christ.

And the offerings emphasize the ground of acceptance was only through the value of those sacrificial victims that were given upon the altar. But there was not only burn offerings. We speak of the perfect acceptance of the believer in christ.

But you know the end of verse 17 18. Rather there was their drink offering even an offering made by fire a sweet flavor unto the lord. And the drink offerings were always typical of the expression of the people's joy.

The joy of the people of god of being in covenant relationship with jehovah and in his presence accepted. And the drink offering was the expression of their joy as we saw this morning and mentioned today that jacob when he returned to Bethel and rebuilt the altar at Bethel and called upon the god of the house of god the god of Bethel he poured not only oil upon that altar not only oil upon that pillar but he poured also a drink offering of wine.

This was the expression of his joy to be back in relationship with god. And oh beloved how precious it is for you and for me to realize that when we come into the presence of god on the ground of our acceptance through christ there certainly is an occasion for joy and gratitude and praise to be expressed.

Sin, Advocacy, and Peace Through Christ

Notice 19. And this is unusual different from the offerings we've had before in the other piece as we saw. But in verse 19. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goat for a sin offering associated with this feast was a sin offering.

Now let me point out why you recall that we spoke of the feast of unleavened bread and the contrast that this feast had two loaves which were made of leavened bread. These loaves had the presence of leaven within them.

You that were with us monday night i believe a sunday night raw monday night. And we saw the feast of unleavened bread represented the absence of sin that god requires the separation from evil upon the part of his people.

But you know beloved though god requires a path of separation from evil you know and i know we have sin in dwelling these mortal bodies until the great change comes. Likewise the children of israel. So they were brought to god with divine acceptance through the burn offerings they were brought into acceptance with jehovah.

Yet on the other hand they must bring a sin offering for that leaven within the loaves reminder them that they were a people that certainly had the presence of sin within them. And that's been offering.

Oh beloved may i suggest for you and for me as a believer today you know what he speaks on. Let me quote the words of john first john chapter two one and two. John right. My little children these things lie down to you that you're thinner but any man's sin.

We have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sin and not for ours only but for the whole world. Yes beloved. How typical of that which you and i need today.

The constant reminder thank god our blessed savior is our sin offering still speaks in perfection at the right hand of god on the behalf of even the sins of a believer. Then you know something else at the end of verse 19 and this is important.

There was also two lands of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offering. They must also have peace established between them and jehovah in order to enjoy communion with him as you as you may read in chapter three the wonderful recital of the peace offering.

That peace offering was the basis in which god and the one who approached him could not commune together. And at the table they could be for that peace offering. The offerer as well as the priest could partake of that peace offering.

And part of it was for jehovah. Part of it was for the offerer or even for the priest or even for his family or his friends. And they could mutually share it. And beloved. You and i cannot enjoy peace fellowship with god unless the ground of peace has been established.

And he has made peace through the blood of his cross for you and for me always. You think of the words of paul in romans 5 1. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with god through our logic of christ.

Now note verse 20 please. The opening of verse 20 tells us that the priest must also officiate as the mediator. And the priest shall wave then with the bread of the first fruit for a wave offering before the lord with the two lands they shall be holy for the lord to the lord for the priest.

And as indicated on the picture we have on the chart it was the priest who as mediator for the people presented the two loaves in the presence of jehovah. And oh what a joy as we said this morning how precious to know as this wheel of all could not be represented in the presence of god without a mediator.

Neither can you and i be represented in the presence of god without our great high priest above even our lord jesus christ. Now as a result of this there was to be an holy convocation number 21. You shall proclaim on the south same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you.

Ye shall do no servile work therein. It should be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generation. And oh beloved the joy of knowing. This is time of holy enjoyment. Holy enjoyment.

What an expression. Holy enjoyment. To have joy in god. To rejoice in the presence of god. To enjoy the redeemer who is born as with his blood. To enjoy the relationship that god has brought his redeemed people into with himself.

May i ask a question. I'd like to interject this thought my beloved believer. May i ask. Do you and i enjoy that intimate relationship and fellowship with our god as we should. And may i suggest it in this way.

That intimate relationship of the believer today is far greater than it ever was in the days of israel. You may name the blessed occasions that even with joy may have been experienced in israel on occasion.

But the occasions of holy joy and privilege in the old testament are cannot be equal to the great privilege of the new testament. You ask what do you mean. May i quote the words of the lord jesus. May i remind you of his words in john chapter 20 saying as he spoke to mary go to my brethren tell them that i ascend unto my father and your father to my god and your god.

And following his death his burial his resurrection. The lord jesus stated what he had never been able to say before i ascend unto my father. But my father is now your father. Beloved believer i'd like to emphasize the intimacy that god has brought his redeemed people into with himself today you and i knowing you and i acknowledging our father now let me repeat you'll not find such an expression of relationship and intimacy in the old testament.

Now i know that the word father is found five or six occasions in the old testament. And wherever you find it it's not meaning the intimacy of relationship but it's usually on a creatorial basis. He's the father of us all by creation and the mention of it even with the creation of israel as a nation.

It's not with the intimacy that you have in the new text said the lord jesus. You recall i said when he told his disciples he was going away in my father's house the many mansions. And when he revealed it someday he would bring them there.

You remember thomas said lord or philip said unto him lord show us the father. And it's a fight for fun. And jesus must have so with still with tackles and still with disappointment must have said till it have i been so long time with you.

Yet say it down to me. Show us the father. He then hath seen me hath seen the father. My fellow believer this is one thought i'd like to leave with you if you forget everything else i'd like to force upon your heart and conscience.

You and i have an intimacy of relationship with god that we call him our father my father. For god has sent forth the spirit of his son into your heart whereby ye cry father father. Oh beloved they have their holy convocation.

You don't mind me saying this i hope. But you know i'm grateful to god that i live in this dispensation grateful to god that of all the periods of time in which men and women have lived. You and i live in a time which our lesson tonight indicates the present age the age of the formation of the church.

And i repeat with emphasis you and i have a relationship of intimacy with god that is far beyond what was the intimacy in the days of israel to call him father. May i point out something else. It's already been suggested in our study.

No one but the priest could enter the presence of the divine sanctuary upon the earth whether the tabernacle or whether the temple. You may recall in the book of kings there was one by the name of king usiah who when god blessed him so richly when he was thus so greatly blessed and prospering his heart was lifted up with pride.

And usiah entered into the sanctuary and attempted to offer incense upon the altar. And the priest withstood him to the face. And all the priests saying usiah it's none of your business it appertaineth none unto thee.

It was not his office to officiate in the temple. No king none but the sons of aaron of the tribe of levi and the high priest alone could come into the sanctuary of the holiest of all once a year which we shall see when we plunder the day of atonement.

My fellow believer listen carefully. Every other israelite was outside the sanctuary. But today it's not so. Every one of us are believers. We are priests who can enter into the presence of god. What an honor.

Which to god we valued it as we should. And i say it reverently and i say it to my conscience and my heart. Oh what an honor. And if god could have a holy convocation long ago with his people on this basis as they brought the wave offing of the two loaves what should it be today in the new testament character of truth that we have now.

The Holy Spirit and the Formation of the Church

You're known on the upper part of the chart that the feast of weeks or pentecost in its great anti-type brings before is a new testament teaching the descent of the holy spirit. You that have read the new testament carefully i'm sure that i can state this to be a fact that we all would consent.

When you read your new testament you have three great lines of truth. There's many other truths many other doctrines. But above all others there are three that are the greatest in my mind and heart. First of all the new testament teaches in matthew martin luke and john that the son of god came into this world.

He lived in it he died upon it and then he went back to the father's house of us. That is the teaching of the gospel together with the opening of the book of acts. The son of god came into this world he lived in it he died upon it and when he had purged our sins by the flat revival itself he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.

Then there's another great teaching the new testament brings before us the great doctrine of the holy spirit. Now may i say. And it's a personal conviction with me. The greatest doctrine in the bible i believe is the doctrine of christ.

The next greatest doctrine is the doctrine of the holy spirit. And it is the greatest doctrine of the new testament. As you begin in the book of the acts the doctrine of the holy spirit teaching us that the holy spirit came to the earth as we have read in act chapter two on the day of pentecost.

The third great teaching of your new testament is this jesus christ the son of god is coming back again. And i think you will agree if the new testament is one that you accept. These are the three outstanding teachings of this blessed new testament book.

The son of god has come lived died upon the earth gone back to heaven having completed redemption for the human race to the satisfaction of god. The holy spirit has come and he is still on the earth. May i give you this thought.

What you do about these two facts will decide your eternal destiny. You either accept the son of god as your savior or you reject him. You either accept the pleading of the holy spirit who seeks in conviction to bring you to christ or you reject him.

And it defines your eternal destiny. The destiny of every man and woman is decided by what they do with christ by what they do with the pleading of the spirit of god. But when you think of the coming again of the son of god it will not be a question.

God today says what have you done with my son. God today says what have you done with my spirit. But when the lord jesus christ comes back the question might be reversed. You might say what will he do with me.

Oh my beloved friend if you are here i'm saying i plead with you to realize you must do something with jesus christ the son of god. You must do something with the spirit of god who in his unseen person the present convict the mind the heart and the conscience of sin and seek to woo you to the lord jesus.

And what you do with the son of god and the pleadings of the spirit of god will define your eternal destiny. I trust that if you never have you'll receive christ as your savior tonight for all the joy of seeing as we went in act two the day of pentecost that great doctrine of the new testament the holy spirit came to the end.

It was in fulfillment of the promise of the lord jesus was in fulfillment of the promise of the father he had told them ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost not many days in. And that came into realization now you know on the chart i want to point it out just at this point.

You know that when we come to the feast of weeks of pentecost the descent of the holy spirit there is a break. It's between these feet. And it seems to be true that in the literal carrying on of these feet these first four a first three particularly were very close together.

The fourth was 50 days after the feast of first fruit. But there was a long interval between the fifth and the sixth or rather the fourth and the fifth the feast of trumpets. And it was not until the seventh month the last three feet came into reality.

And between with that interval and now sitting the interval suggests the interval. You sense the descent of the spirit and the resurrection and glorification of christ. There is the formation of the church which is the body of christ during this present age while israel as a nation has been scattered.

Now let me repeat and i know as we go on in our study we shall insertively prove the fact of this statement. And i say this is a personal confession. I am grateful i belong to the age of the church. May i point out to you that the formation of the church is of a heavenly character.

May i also point out as the latter part of the chart suggests so clearly as we shall touch beginning tomorrow on the last three feet there is a heavenly counterpart to these feet. We shall touch upon things that shall be seen in the heavens and shall take place in the heavens in relation to god's redeemed people that he is taking out of the world during this present age.

And we shall also touch upon the things that are earthly in relation to the nation of israel. And i repeat it is with great praise to god that i acknowledge that during this present age the formation of the bride the formation of the church is taking place.

For that was the purpose of the holy spirit in coming. We read in first corinthians 12. But let me repeat the word chapter 12 verse 13. For by one spirit we have all been that time into one body whether we be jews or gentiles whether bondmen or free.

And have all been given to drink of that one spirit. The one body. Oh beloved you know the chart says it. Please note those words the formation of the church my beloved you cannot start a church. Spirit began it when he came at 10 o 'clock.

He formed it. It is not an ecclesiastical organization. This is not a man-made system. This is a organic people who by god's spirit have been placed into one body whether they be believing jews or whether they be believing gentiles.

May i quote the words of ephesians chapter 4 3 where the beloved apostle speaks of it as being this the unity the oneness of the spirit the unity of the spirit. There's only one body. Oh beloved. One of the great truths of the new testament and especially the epistle to the ephesians is the truth of the one body the one body the one body christ made head over all things to the church which is his body.

And what a joy to realize the formation of the church is the work of the holy spirit. He formed it. You and i can't form it. You and i are encouraged and admonished and exhorted to keep what he formed to acknowledge and keep that unity and to give diligence to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

For there is one body and then one spirit called the body. You know i want to say frankly it is a joy in my heart to acknowledge every born again believer in this age belongs with me in the same body the body of christ which is the church.

Now i know there are many organizations i know there are earthly ecclesiastical movements. But beloved you can only be in this blessed unity by the spirit power. And what joy to realize the truth of that one body linked eternally with one who's ahead in heaven and we the members upon the earth.

Unity, the One Body, and the Two Loaves

What a formation. Now let me repeat something in relation to these sacrifices of long ago we saw the basis of israel's unity. May i point out as we said at the beginning that all these feet had this purpose in mind to keep god's people together in fellowship with himself.

It was not only an outward togetherness but it had to be. God wanted it to be an inward togetherness an inward moral unity. Go beloved. The basis all the way through when every seat was set it was on the basis of the value of the sacrifices.

Beloved. You know as well as i do that the basis of unity for the church as we often think the church has one foundation is jesus christ. Her lord and paul said no other foundation can any man lay than that which is laid jesus christ my beloved.

I'm not asking you what church you belong to. I would rather ask do you belong to. Do you belong to christ. Do you belong to that one body. How important. And the basis of the unity in israel was the basis of those offerings that spoke to god of christ and his coming finished work.

And thus there was a burn offering telling of the perfect acceptance of his people in his presence and beloved me. I say look you and i who belong to god saved by his grace redeemed by the blood of the savior and born again by the spirit we are accepted in the beloved you are complete in him.

I am no complete perfection in myself but there in the person of christ ye are complete in him. Right. The beloved apostle paul so subjective or pitified by the burned offerings of long ago. Then you remember there was a sin offering on this occasion.

And as we already quoted from first john chapter two one and two god knows that we're a people who have indwelling sin. But god also has made provision that at the right hand of his majesty we have an advocate with the father.

He not only has brought us into relationship with god he has also he maintains that relationship with the father. Praise god. I don't know how you feel about it but i'm very emphatic in my soul to know and to believe that christ has not only brought me into relationship with the father but he maintains that relationship even if i sin for the blood of jesus christ still speaks in its advocacy and power.

If any man sins we have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins and for the whole world. Which to god they haven't. But i'm sure glad he's mine. I hope you are too.

And then you may remember there was a peace offering here and oh beloved he hath made peace by the blood of his cross. For you and for me peace has been established that you and i might enjoy god and that god might enjoy us.

Bless your heart. What a joy to sit at the peace table huh. This is a lot better than what they have in paris. This is a real peace table where a poor sinner has been brought into fellowship with god.

Oh beloved you and i ought to be jumping for joy to realize oh the peace my savior gives peace i never knew before. And thank god for that peace that you and i can enjoy in fellowship with you. Know i'm glad i'm saved.

I feel as if i could convert myself tonight if i wasn't but the joy of knowing i speak with god. Now look brother look sister this great unity of the church has been formed. But how is it to be expressed now.

We have in the type the expression of this wonderful unity that the spirit of god is formed. There were two loaves at the feast of pentecost and raised the question why two loaves. Would you look with me in ephesians chapter two.

Please. I'd like to read very quickly down the second chapter of ephesians. Why two loaves. Beloved believer may i state our most precious factors revealed that not only the jews but believing gentiles are represented by these two loaves as the body of christ is formed it consists of believing jews and of believing gentiles that make up the body of christ.