Old Testament Festivals
1. Feast of the Unleavened Bread
includes Passover and First Fruits Offering

2. Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost

3. Feast of Tabernacles, also known as Feast of Booths
includes Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

Feast 1- barley harvest
Feast 2- wheat harvest
Feast 3 – harvest of orchards and vines
The Sabbath was to be considered just as sacred as the seasonal feasts.

Feast 1
Passover- memorial of deliverance from plague of death
Unleavened bread- deliverance from enemies to freedom
First Fruits offering – concept of tithing

Prophetic implications
Passover represents our redemption.
Unleavened bread represents our sanctification.
(I Corinthians 5:7-8)
First Fruits Offering represents the resurrection of Jesus.

Romans 1:1 – called to a vocation
Romans 1:6-7 – called to be saints
Matthew 22:14 - many are called, but few are chosen
Galatians 1:15 – He had set me apart, even from my mother's womb
II Timothy 1:9 – He called us to a holy life

What we are called to do
1. To Be His People
“Church” literally means called-out ones
Colossians 3:15 – you were called into one body

2. To Receive His Promises
Hebrews 9:15 – those who were called may receive the promised eternal inheritance
II Peter 1:3-4 – through promises we may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world.
Ephesians 1:18-19 - “that you may know the hope to which He has called you”

3. To Fulfill His Purpose
​
Romans 8:28 – called according to His purpose
Ephesians 4:1 – to live a live worthy of the calling
I Thessalonians 2:12 – He calls you into His kingdom and glory
II Thessalonians 1:11-12 – We have been called to live lives that will point back to Jesus
II Peter 1:5-10 - We must be serious about the business of bearing fruit.

Every task that is done in the church should in some way be directed at the purpose of the church.

Isaiah's call is like our call
1. The call of God is a spiritual experience. (1)
a. God revealed Himself to Isaiah in a way he could envision and understand.
b. Being a Christian means you've had a spiritual encounter with God.

2. The call of God is a humbling experience. (3-5)
a. Isaiah was stricken with an awareness of his own sinfulness.
b. It is Christ in us that fulfills God's purposes and not we ourselves.

3. The call of God is linked with the salvation experience. (6-7)
a. God declared Isaiah to be guilt free because of his contrite heart.
b. God takes the initiative in forgiveness.

4. The call of God is a decisive experience. (8)
a. There was a moment of decision for Isaiah
b. The call of God involves a personal acceptance of his call.

5. The call of God requires a dedicated experience. (9-11)
a. Isaiah was told to preach God's word to the people, even though they would not listen.
b. We are called to be faithful, knowing full well that most people will reject what we are offering.

6. The call of God is always a hopeful experience. (13)
There will always be a remnant of faithful believers.

The way God worked through Christ and the Holy Spirit is an illustration and an example of His comfort.

1. God identified with our human experience. (John 1:9-14)
empathy- “to feel into”
sympathy - “to feel with”
We usually respond to people in terms of what it means for us to hear it, rather than what it means for them to say it.


2. God took our human experience upon Himself. (II Corinthians 5:21)

The best way you can comfort somebody else is to simply understand what they are feeling.


3. God detached from our human experience. (Matthew 27:46)

car illustration
a. identifying with their experience: getting into the car.
b. taking on their experience: riding in the car
c. detaching from their experience: getting out of the car

What kind of confessions don't bring peace?
1. The Horrified Confession (Ex. 9:27)
When Pharaoh saw the storm had stopped, he sinned again.
A broken vow will harden your heart.

2. The Hypocritical Confession (Numbers 22:34)
Balaam did not mean what he was saying.
Admitting your sin and confessing your sin are really two different things.


3. The Half-hearted Confession (I Samuel 15:24)
Saul always seemed to have an excuse.
What is being taught is that there is no such thing as genuine moral responsibility.


4. The Hedged-in Confession (Joshua 7:20)
Achan waited until he was singled out and then confessed.
One day, even every demon will confess that Jesus is Lord


5. The Haunted Confession (Matthew 27:4)
Judas was crushed by remorse, but he never did repent.
The difference
6. The Healing Confession (Luke 15:21)
A confession marked by genuine sorrow.
He was broken over his sin and forsook his sin.