Emily Brockhoff examines the life of faith in books, in the home, in church, and in culture with the long view in mind. The pressing question is: how will this impact my children and my children’s children?

A Year of Celebrating Biblically

Emily Brockhoff
way of faith

From the first days of creation, God established rhythms that govern the cosmos. Genesis tells us that the sun, moon, and stars were made "for signs and for seasons" (Genesis 1:14). The Hebrew word for "seasons" is moed, which can also mean feast or appointed time. In other words, God didn’t just design the sky to track time—He designed it for an invitation for communion.

Leviticus 23 outlines these appointed times:

These holy days were not arbitrary. Each held profound meaning for the people of Israel. They remembered real events in their history. But they also pointed forward to Someone greater.

Take Passover. John the Baptizer looked at Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." A clear connection to the Passover lamb.

Or the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life, without sin—what Rabbi Paul would later refer to as leaven.

Then there is Firstfruits. Paul again makes the link: "Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20).

And Shavuot, or Pentecost? The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples fifty days after the resurrection—the same day Israel celebrated the giving of the Law. A new covenant, written not on stone tablets, but on hearts.

These appointed times are not simply historical. They are deeply theological and prophetic.

THESE PHYSICAL FEASTS ARE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS

They are prophecies fulfilled and promises yet to be fulfilled. The calendar of Israel was always meant to be more than a schedule. It was a catechism in time, revealing God's redemptive plan in visible form. Through these stories, symbols, and seasons entrusted to the offspring of Abraham, God gave all His people a framework to understand the Messiah.

He came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them.

And so we remember that the feasts of the Lord point us to Jesus—His redemption, His return, and His renewal of all things.

And perhaps, as we engage these rhythms and holy days, our calendars might become more than busy schedules. They might become something sacred. More like a time-honored walk with God through the garden.


Please note:

I am not advocating for Gentiles to keep Moses’s law. St. Paul is explicit in his speech in Acts 15 that Torah observance is not required for non-Jews.

That being said, the Lord God created the Hebrew calendar. He created the sun and the moon to keep that calendar on track. And on that calendar, He created and organized different dinners and offerings. Why? Why did He do that? The answer is to point to Jesus and foreshadow His plan of redemption and renewal.

And if the reason for the Sabbath and the feasts and the festivals is Jesus, then there is freedom— freedom to study them as an academic endeavor and freedom to study them through experience.

The important takeaway is that the thoughtful study and practice of the Bible should takes us deeper into the Person and work of Jesus.

I want my life to be a life of intimacy with the Lord the whole year through, whether that’s in experiencing the feasts or not.

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