Topical Encyclopedia
The concept of annual events and observances is deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, reflecting the rhythm of life and worship in ancient Israel. The Bible outlines several key annual festivals and practices that were instituted by God for His people, serving as reminders of His covenant, provision, and salvation.
Annual Festivals and Observances1.
Passover (Pesach): One of the most significant annual observances in the Jewish calendar, Passover commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. As described in
Exodus 12, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood, so the angel of death would "pass over" their homes. This event is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the first month (Nisan) and is followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread. "This day is to be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD. You are to celebrate it as a perpetual statute for the generations to come" (
Exodus 12:14).
2.
Feast of Unleavened Bread: Immediately following Passover, this seven-day feast involves the removal of leaven from homes and the consumption of unleavened bread. It serves as a reminder of the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt. "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses" (
Exodus 12:15).
3.
Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost): Celebrated 50 days after the Passover, this feast marks the end of the grain harvest and commemorates the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. "You are to count off seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering" (
Leviticus 23:15).
4.
Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah): This feast marks the beginning of the civil new year and is a time of reflection and repentance. It is observed on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri). "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blasts" (
Leviticus 23:24).
5.
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Occurring on the 10th day of the seventh month, this solemn day is dedicated to atonement and repentance. It is the only day of the year when the high priest enters the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. "This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you must humble yourselves and not do any work" (
Leviticus 16:29).
6.
Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): This week-long festival begins on the 15th day of the seventh month and celebrates the harvest and God's provision during the Israelites' 40 years in the wilderness. "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it continues for seven days" (
Leviticus 23:34).
Sabbatical and Jubilee YearsIn addition to annual festivals, the Bible also prescribes sabbatical and jubilee years, which occur on a larger cyclical scale. Every seventh year is a sabbatical year, a time of rest for the land, during which debts are forgiven, and slaves are freed (
Leviticus 25:1-7). The Jubilee year, occurring every 50th year, is a time of restoration, where property is returned to original owners, and economic balance is restored (
Leviticus 25:8-17).
Significance in the New TestamentThe New Testament reflects on these annual observances, particularly in the context of Jesus Christ's life and ministry. Jesus' crucifixion coincides with Passover, symbolizing Him as the ultimate Passover Lamb (
John 1:29). The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, is the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, marking the birth of the Church (
Acts 2:1-4).
These annual observances underscore the importance of remembering God's acts of salvation and provision, fostering a rhythm of worship and reflection that continues to hold spiritual significance for believers today.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
adv.) Yearly; year by year.
Strong's Hebrew
8141. shanah -- a year... Word Origin from shana Definition a year NASB Word Usage annual* (1),
annually (2),
annually* (4), count (2), every year (2), length (3), life (1), year (318
...3605. kol -- the whole, all
... everything (1), all your to every (1), all your throughout (1), all men (2), all
these (1), all things (11), altogether (1), always* (15),annually* (2), any...
1767. day -- sufficiency, enough
... root Definition sufficiency, enough NASB Word Usage ability (1), according (1),
annually* (2), each time (2), enough (6), had enough (1), nothing* (1), often (8...
Library
Terms of the National Preacher.
... I. Each Monthly Number to contain one long Sermon, or two of moderate length, on
fine paper. The Volume to commenceannually the last week in June. II....
The Epistle to the Hebrews
... Christ has obtained eternal' redemption for us (9:12): not a redemption like that
which wasannually achieved for Israel, and which had to beannually repeated...
Pagans.
... published by the missionaries in China, that there are, in that empire, 1056 temples
dedicated to Confucius, where above 60,000 animals areannually offered....
Works Published by T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh.
... once commenced, will proceed very rapidly; so that, whilst no Subscriber will be
required to take the work more rapidly than four Volumesannually, it is...
Historical Notice of the Church in the United States.
... the reader is referred to "Swords's Pocket Almanack, Churchman's Register, and
Ecclesiastical Calendar," a valuable little manual, publishedannually, and to...
The Woman and Dragon.
... 2. Consular."In BC509, the constitution of Rome was remodelled, and the executive
power committed to two consuls, to be electedannually....
The Recovery and Revival of the Blessed Hope Itself.
... Study railroad statistics and mark the rapid increase in the number of passengers
carried, now numbering hundreds of millionsannually....
An Account of the Several Annual Conferences, and of the General...
... work continually increased and spread over such a large and extended territory,
it was found impracticable for all the preachers to assembleannually in one...
Foreword
... Marmaduke H. Mendenhall, DD, of the North Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, are deliveredannually in De Pauw University to the public...
Introduction.
... University as a maintainer of old ways; he had been appointed cross- bearer to the
University, and elected one of the twelve preachersannually appointed in...
Thesaurus
Annually (6 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) Yearly; year by year. Multi-Version
Concordance
Annually (6 Occurrences). 1 Samuel 7:16 He went
...Annul (10 Occurrences)
Annual (6 Occurrences)
Macedonia (23 Occurrences)
... A tribute was to be paidannually to the Roman treasury, amounting to half
the land tax hitherto exacted by the Macedonian kings....
Yearly (16 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Accomplished in a year; as, the yearly circuit, or revolution, of the earth.
4. (adv.)Annually; once a year to year; as, blessings yearly bestowed....
Vestry (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (n.) A body, composed of wardens and vestrymen, chosenannually by a parish to
manage its temporal concerns. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. VESTRY....
Juttah (3 Occurrences)
... It is supposed to have been the residence of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and the
birthplace of John the Baptist, and on this account isannually visited by...
Gilgal (39 Occurrences)
... Samuel (1 Samuel 7:16) made it one of the three places where heannually held
circuit court, the other places being Bethel and Mizpah....
Fig-tree (33 Occurrences)
... In Palestine and other warm climates the fig yields two cropsannually-an earlier
one, ripe about June, growing from the "old wood," ie from the midsummer...
Feet (2931 Occurrences)
... Each church or congregation is supposed to hold one or two Love Feastsannually.
No specified time of the year is set for these services....
Resources
Why does God not seem to care about the millions of starving children in the world? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the temple tax? | GotQuestions.orgIs The Divine Comedy / Dante's Inferno a biblically accurate description of Heaven and Hell? | GotQuestions.orgAnnually: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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