Chapter XI: Part THREE: The Sacred Year

I. Among the Is'ra-el-ites certain institutions of worship were observed at regular intervals of time which have been called the =Periodical Institutions=. These were:

1. =The Sabbath=, observed one day in seven; of which the root idea is the giving to God a portion of our time. (See references in the Old Testament: Gen. 2. 3; Exod. 20. 8-11; Isa. 56. 2; 58. 13.) In the New Testament we find the first day of the week gradually taking its place among the early Christians (Acts 20. 7; 1 Cor. 26. 2; Rev. 1. 10).

2. =The New Moon=, which was the opening day of each month; regarded as a sacred day, and celebrated with religious services (Num. 10. 10; 2 Kings 4. 23).

3. =The Seven Annual Solemnities=, the important occasions of the year, six feasts and one fast day.

4. =The Sabbatical Year.= One year in every seven was to be observed as a year of rest, and the ground was not to be tilled (Lev. 25. 2-7).

5. =The Year of Jubilee.= Once in fifty years the Is'ra-el-ites were commanded to give liberty to slaves, freedom to debtors, and general restitution of alienated inheritances (Lev. 25. 9, 10). How far the "Sabbatical Year" and "the Year of Jubilee" were actually kept among the Is'ra-el-ites we have no means of knowing; but the commands concerning them were given in the law.

II. We take for special notice among these periodical institutions the =Seven Annual Solemnities= of the =Sacred Year=. Most of these were instituted in the time of Mo'ses, but two of them arose later. We consider them all, however, in this place, rather than at the closing of the history, where two of the feasts properly belong. These may be classified as:

1. =The Three Great Feasts=: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; all observed at the capital, and requiring the people to make annual pilgrimages to Je-ru'sa-lem.

2. =The Annual Fast=: the Day of Atonement.

3. =The Three Lesser Feasts=: Trumpets, Dedication, Purim. These were observed throughout the land, as well as in Je-ru'sa-lem.

With regard to each of these we will note: 1.) Its time. 2.) The event which it commemorated. 3.) How it was observed.

1. =The Feast of Passover= (Luke 22. 1).

1.) Was held in the spring, on the fourteenth of the
month Abib, or Nisan, corresponding to parts of March
and April (Exod. 12. 18).

2.) Commemorated the exodus from E'gypt (Exod. 12.
42).

3.) Observed with the eating of unleavened bread and
the slain lamb (Exod. 12. 19-21).

2. =The Feast of Pentecost= (Acts 2. 1).

1.) Was held early in the summer, on the fiftieth day
after Passover, in the month Sivan, corresponding to
May and June.

2.) Commemorated the giving of the law.[6] (See Exod.
19. 1, 11.)

3.) Observed by "first fruits" laid on the altar, with
special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 15-21).

3. =The Feast of Tabernacles= (John 7. 2, 10).

1.) Held in the fall, after the ingathering of crops,
from the 15th to the 21st of the seventh month,
Ethanim, corresponding to September and October (Lev.
23. 34).

2.) Commemorated the outdoor life of the wilderness
(Lev. 23. 43).

3.) Observed by living in huts or booths, and by
special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 35-42).

4. =The Day of Atonement=, the only fast required by the Jew'ish law.

1.) Held in the fall, on the tenth day of the month
Ethanim (Lev. 23. 27), five days before the Feast of
Tabernacles.

2.) Showing the sinner's reconciliation with God.

3.) On this day only in the year the high priest
entered the Holy of Holies (Exod. 30. 10).

5. =The Feast of Trumpets.=

1.) Held on the first day of the seventh month,
Ethanim, corresponding to September or October (Lev.
23. 24).

2.) This feast recognized the "New Year Day" of the
civil year.[7]

3.) It was observed with the blowing of trumpets all
through the land.

6. =The Feast of Dedication=, not named in the Old Testament. (See John 10. 22.)

1.) This was held in the winter, on the 25th of the
month Chisleu (December), and for eight days
thereafter.

2.) It commemorated the reconsecration of the Temple
by Ju'das Mac'ca-be'us, B. C. 166, after its
defilement by the Syr'i-ans.

3.) It was observed by a general illumination of
Je-ru'sa-lem; hence often called "the feast of
lights."

7. =The Feast of Purim=, not named in the New Testament, unless it be referred to in John 5. 1.

1.) Held in the early spring, the 14th and 15th of the
month Adar (March) (Esth. 9. 21).

2.) Commemorating Queen Esther's deliverance of the
Jew'ish people (Esth. 9. 22-26).

3.) Observed with general feasting and rejoicing.

Blackboard Outline

I. =Per. Inst=. 1. Sab. 2. Ne. Mo. 3. Sev. Ann. Sol. 4. Sab. Ye.
5. Ye. Jub.

II. =Sac. Yea.=

{1. Pass. spr. ex. Eg. sla. la.
1. Gr. Fe. {2. Pen. sum. giv. la. fir. fru.
{3. Tab. fal. lif. wil. liv. huts.

2. Ann. Fa. 4. Day. At. fal. sin. rec. pr. H. Hol.

{5. Trum. fal. N. Ye. bl. trum.
3. Les. Fe. {6. Ded. win. rec. Tem. ill. Jer.
{7. Pur. spr. Esth. del. fea. rej.

Review Questions

What is meant by "Periodical Institutions"? Name the
five general periodical institutions of the
Is'ra-el-ites. What did the Sabbath commemorate? What
were the new moons? How many times in the year were
observed by the Is'ra-el-ites? What was the Sabbatical
Year? What was the Year of Jubilee? Name the three
great feasts. When was each great feast observed? What
did each feast commemorate? How was each feast
observed? What took place on the Day of Atonement?
What did the Day of Atonement represent? What were the
three lesser feasts? When was each observed? What did
each lesser feast commemorate? How were these feasts
observed?

SIXTH STUDY

The Land of Palestine