OVERVIEW of Feasts and Festivals -
Compiled from several Bible dictionaries

The Law of Moses commanded that three times a year all the males among the Covenant People were to appear before the Lord in the place that he should choose (the tabernacle or the Temple) - during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16: 16).

There were daily (Leviticus 23), weekly, monthly, and yearly festivals, and great stress was laid on the regular observance of them in every particular (Numbers 28:1-8; Exodus 29:38-42; Leviticus 6:8-23; Exodus 30:7-9; 27:20).

1. The festivals were -
     a. The weekly Sabbath (Leviticus 23:1-3; Exodus 19:3-30; 20:8-11; 31:12, etc.).
     b. The seventh new moon, or the feast of TrumpeTS (Numbers 28:11-15; 29:1-6).
     c. The Sabbatical year (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:2-7).
     d. The year of jubilee (Leviticus 23:-35; 25: 8-16; 27:16-25).

 2. The three great feasts were -
     a. The Passover.
     b. The feast of Weeks, or Pentecost as called in the New Testament.
     c. The feast of Tabernacles, or of ingathering.
On each of these occasions every male Israelite was commanded "to appear before the Lord" (Deuteronomy 27:7; Nehemiah 8:9-12). The attendance of women was voluntary. (Comp. Luke 2:41; 1 Samuel 1:7; 2:19.) The promise that God would protect their homes (Exodus 34:23, 24) while all the males were absent in Jerusalem at these feasts was always fulfilled. These festivals, besides their religious purpose, had an important bearing on the maintenance among the people of the feeling of a national unity. The times fixed for their observance were arranged so as to interfere as little as possible with the industry of the people. The Passover was kept just before the harvest commenced, Pentecost at the conclusion of the corn harvest and before the vintage, the feast of Tabernacles after all the fruits of the ground had been gathered in.

3. The Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 16:1, 34; 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11). This is the only day of Fasting established by the Law of Moses, although others were added through the centuries.

Of the post-Exile festivals, reference is made to the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22). This feast was appointed by Judas Maccabaeus in commemoration of the purification of the temple after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes. The "feast of Purim", Esther 9:24-32, was also instituted after the Exile.

Time

Every 7th Day

Every 7th & 50th Year