Often translated as 'feast,' the Hebrew word mo'ed is best translated 'appointed time.' (The plural is
mo'edim.) The word also carries the idea of 'rehearsal,' or 'practice.' Each of God's mo'edim serves
two purposes: one purpose is to remember a past event in the lives of God's people where we were
blessed (memorial) and a second purpose is to rehearse or practice for an event yet to come
(prophetic). The chart below lists the seven annual mo'edim, each with its' memorial and prophetic
meanings.
Feasts
When
Memorial Meanings
Prophetic Meanings
Spring
1
Passover Pesach
14-15 Nisan Abib
Passover lamb sacrificed
Salvation from angel of death
Yeshua crucified
Salvation from sin
2
Unleavened Bread Hag Hamatzot
15-21 Nisan Abib
Delivery from Egypt / slavery
Holiness, separation from sin
Yeshua's sinlessness
Yeshua, Bread of Life sin
3
Firstfruits Bikkurim
Day following Sabbath during Passover week
Firstfruits of barley harvest
Begin counting the omer
Yeshua's resurrection, the firstfruits of the redeemed
Summer
4
Weeks Shavu'ot
Fifty days after Firstfruits
Firstfruits of wheat harvest
Torah given at Mt.Sinai
Believers first filled with Holy Spirit
Autumn
5
Trumpets Yom Teru'ah
1st of Tishri
General harvest
Military victories
Yeshua's return
6
Day of Atonement Yom Kippur
10th of Tishri
Fasting, repentance
Sacrifice of Atonement
Judgement of God
7
Tabernacles Sukkot Leviticus 23:33-44
15th-22nd of Tishri
Thanksgiving for harvest
God's provision in the desert
Millennial Kingdom
Marriage of the Lamb
Notice that the prophetic meanings of the first four mo'dim were fulfilled at Yeshua's first coming.
However, the last three mo'edim have yet to be fulfilled. Do you think that the time for the fulfillment
of these final feasts is near?
For many believers, when they first come into an understanding of the Hebrew roots of their faith, they
begin to walk out this new understanding by observing God's mo'edim as laid out in this section of
Leviticus. This often leads to passionate discussions with relatives and acquaintances. While it's
always good to work to improve our walk with our heavenly father, it's important to remember that the
commandment to love one another is a key aspect of that walk.