Feasts of the Lord, mo-ed (a set time), feast of unleavened bread, Khag (a holy feast).
Note the Sabbath, passover and unleavened bread were not dependent on their coming into the land.
9. Introduces a new ground of the feast.
10-14. This is an offering of obligation, and connected with the whole people-one of the regular feasts of the Lord, Christ's resurrection, to which Pentecost was subsidiary, though one of the great feasts, while that in chapter 2: 14-16, seems a personal free-will offering. It was not in itself a mo-ed (set time) feast; but it comes under a "the Lord spake unto Moses saying"; in verse 15 (chap. 23) Pentecost is attached to it, so to speak. Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles were gathering feasts; the Sheaf, the new Moon, and the day of Atonement were not. They were actings of God of whatever character, the basis of gathering perhaps, or leading to it, but not the gathering itself; Christ's lifting up did gather—"draw all men"—Pentecost was the actual power that did it. Tabernacles, not yet fulfilled, will be the great congregation when all Israel will be brought home from their wanderings—for us the heavenly assembly of all saints. But then resurrection presented the accepted sheaf in resurrection to God—it was Christ, first fruits of them that slept.
In the new moon Israel re-appears. The great day of atonement was not only the Lord's lot for His glory, but the actual putting away of the people's sins, and their knowing it through the appropriation of it in confession-so of us anticipatively by faith through the Holy Ghost.
The Sabbath, God's rest, stands by itself—the great Promise that overrides all.
Then the Passover, the basis of all, founded on which we have the feast of unleavened bread, the general result also in the sinless character of our association with God; verse 4, therefore begins afresh as the grand basis of all, unleavened bread being connected with it. The rest are special and actual dealings of God, and states and terms of relationship with Him; hence verse 9 starts with a new "the Lord spake," and that begins the ways of the Lord in the resurrection of Christ, first fruits from the dead presented to Him. SabbathPassover-and Unleaven are the general great truth of our being assembled to God, verses 1-8.
Then I get resurrection of Christ—the gift of the Holy Ghost-present dealings-then Israel recalled-their humiliation, and owning of sins, and the atonement made (Isa. 53), which we anticipate as first fruits of His creatures-and finally the feast of tabernacles, which comes after the fruit of the land is gathered in, and the fulfillment of all promise is celebrated in blessing. The divisions are thus thus marked by " the Lord spake," verses 1, 9, 23, 26, 33.
As to the offerings, some points are to be observed. The Lord's Passover we know—it is the grand basis; hence in the feast of unleavened bread, the sacrificial worship is commanded, but there are no special sacrifices. In Pentecost, a full perfect sacrifice is introduced of perfect satisfaction to God, also a bullock and two rams—consecration or failure in it—and, leaven being in the cakes, a sin-offering, and two lambs for a heave-offering. All kinds were introduced with the Spirit, the full knowledge of what Christ's sacrifice is in every form, seven being full worship in Christ acceptable to God. In Tabernacles none but the general sacrificial worship. They are all really connected with the Passover. In the Sheaf of first fruits only a burnt-offering—it was Christ; with the two cakes a sin-offering (only here) there was leaven. In the blowing of trumpets, only the usual sacrificial worship, on which all is based, i.e., Christ's sacrifice, blessing being only in connection with this; it is calling God to remembrance in Israel, when they reappear. On the day of atonement also, only the usual sacrificial worship—it is Israel's confession of their sin, afflicting their souls. There were, we know, offerings showing the whole work of Christ for sin, but here it is the historical aspect, so to speak—whoever of Israel does not humble himself and mourn, recognizing what Christ's Cross (now come in glory) was, will be cut off—fullness expressed, as I have said, in Isa. 53 Verse 22, I suppose, presents the remnant called out and, as sacrificed by the beast, belonging to the Spirit's time of work, but only exceptionally left, but not the offering up of the Gentiles, but not the bread of the first fruits yet gathered in an inferior way, so to speak.
11, is not rat-zon, " for your acceptance? " The wave-sheaf and the first fruits go together, and are connected with the land—resurrection and the Holy Ghost—and these with the non-riddance of the corners of the land form a complete whole. The offerings which were complete are spoken of elsewhere.
18. This seems to be a special offering, "with the bread." Num. 28:2424After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. (Numbers 28:24) on the Passover, the then prescribed offering was daily, it seems, implied in verses 26-31, but it is not said. Here it is specially with the bread, for otherwise the number of offerings is not prescribed. Compare Josephus, Ant., chap. 3:10. The seven lambs-a perfect sacrifice; the one bullock-the plain measure of the worth of Christ's sacrifice, without question of its estimation by piety, or in its effect on the heart; the rams-always consecration; two-full witness of it. The sin-offering as meeting the leaven, and two lambs for communion; hence two, as adequately witnessed- it was here in its natural completeness and simply itself.
24. The feast of trumpets is a distinct feast, nor is this directly connected with the land; there was an offering made by fire-God was acknowledged in the sacrifice-but the blowing of trumpets characterizes it;
25. what sacrifice is not said.
27. The day of atonement is again distinct—it is a covering out of God's sight (kippurim atonement);
34. etc., so is the feast of tabernacles.
Note.-While leaven is met in the feast of weeks by the sin-offering, as needed to the actual relationship of the people, in none of the others it is so—we have "an offering made by fire"—not even in the day of atonement is any sin-offering mentioned; in the feast of weeks, the sacrifices are fully noticed, and the wave-sheaf—this is remarkable. When, if not in the Church and by the Holy Ghost, are they known? In the rest there is worship (the Passover speaks for itself by itself) and by an offering made by fire—that is all;
37 and 44, it is the same. It is always the mo-ed in the meetings with God, not the way of reception. So here, in this part of Tabernacles, it is specially characterized as to the character of appointed meeting with God; so as a Khag (holy feast) to the Lord, their former part, wanderings, are celebrated, and in verse 37, in general, worship-offerings are mentioned but not sin-offerings—offerings made by fire, no servile work, and on the tenth of the seventh month afflicting their souls. Then we have, but save the feast of weeks, no sin-offering nor any specified, though in Numbers those of Tabernacles are very remarkable. But in the feast of weeks we have the full intelligent appreciation, in worship, of sin in ourselves (though presented sinless) and of all that Christ has done, and of our presenting before the Lord; enu-phah (waveoffering)-t'ru-mah (heave-offering) seems to me to be more absolutely "offered up," as we say "given up " to God; though enu-phah was "consecrated" in general, t'ru-mah belonged to the priest who offered. The Levites however were a ents-phah, and they were (Num. 8:1616For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. (Numbers 8:16)) n'thunim n'thunim (wholly given; literally given given) to Jehovah; for nuph (offer or wave) see verses to, 13 and 15. Still it was for service as wholly consecrated, and that we all are as a prosphora (offering up, sacrificing), Rom. 15:1616That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:16); but I still doubt this was a t'ru-mah. The enu-phah Aaron and his sons ate,
just as the Levites were given to them-the t'ru-mah was in the intimacy of priestly communion; one was blessedly useful in service, and consecrated to it-the other in the mind of Christ. There were I think three steps, Aaron, sons and daughters, all clean in the house-Aaron and his sons-and the offering priest; but see Num. 18:11-1311And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. 12All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee. 13And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. (Numbers 18:11‑13)—but this hardly abrogates the distinction of Lev. 7:3131And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. (Leviticus 7:31) and 33, certainly not chapter 6: 26. However, here I only refer to them for eru-mah and enu-phah; see Lev. 6:1818All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy. (Leviticus 6:18), also verse 29, and chap. 7: 6-9; there is " the priest's that offereth " (verse 9) and (verse o) distinction, " all the sons of Aaron," or in verse Io merely general, contrasted with the people, and verse 9, appropriative—I mean distinction as to the kind of offering. If so, this would make an interesting difference in Lev. 2-the flour, dry or with oil, generally for the priests, that baked in the oven or pan for the priest that offered it. For the general idea of Aaron and his sons, as contrasted with the people, or burning it, see Lev. 2:3, 103And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire. (Leviticus 2:3)
10And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire. (Leviticus 2:10), and chap. 7: 9. What is "one as much as another" in verse 10? For each one who did it, or for all? See verse 14. Verse 33 seems decisive as to the difference of t'ru-mah, even if daughters ate it, which I doubt,In the court of the tabernacle.
42. The Jews, it appears, hold that none but an Israeliteborn could keep the feast of tabernacles, i.e., dwell in booths, whatever the common joy might be. This has an intelligible reason, Israel having been, as such in the wilderness, as now strangers and wanderers. In Ex. 12:4444But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. (Exodus 12:44), bought servants were to be circumcised and keep the Passover—they were redeemed members of the household, and separated to God by circumcision. Now in Zech. 14:1919This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:19), the Gentiles are to go up and keep the feast of tabernacles. The sin of Jews was they would not own mercy to Gentiles. Gentiles must bow, and join in the joy of mercy to Jews; if they do not, this shall be their sin—they will be dealt with in judgment about it—they would not submit to Israel's grace.