The spring and autumn festival seasons portray different aspects, which have been well-documented, regarding God's plan of salvation. In the spring, the entire plan is jump-started through events portrayed by Passover. Then, in the autumn, the focus shifts to end-time events, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets.

While the many differences are very clear to us, the common ground shared among these two festivals seasons may be less obvious. Let's consider some of this symmetry and the lessons that are reinforced.

The Beginning of a Year

"This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Exodus 12:2). God made the new year very clear to Israel. This became their starting point for reckoning the spring festivals, and the entire calendar. Later God commanded that trumpets were blown "at the beginning of your months" (Numbers 10:10). The first of Nisan was rare in that the trumpets blown on this day signified both a new month and new year.

Now, consider the month in which the autumn festivals occur. "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation" (Leviticus 23:24). This was not a standard blowing of trumpets on the first day of a month. The Feast of Trumpets represents a new age when God's Kingdom will be established on earth.

Notice how the work of Christ is described in regard to this day: "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn" (Isaiah 61:2). The first day of the seventh month is affiliated with the beginning of an acceptable year and day of vengeance in God's plan. And God will make the beginning of this year very clear to all mankind.

The Hebrew Rosh Hashanah means "head of the year." This began the Jewish civil year, for example, the reign of kings began at this time. The autumn festivals portray the reign of the King of kings. Therefore, both the first day of Nisan and the seventh month represent some type of a new year.

The 10th Day of the Month

In preparation for the first spring festival, Passover, God gave the following command: "'On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb..'" (Exodus 12:3). The Passover lambs or goats (verse 5) were not sacrificed until the beginning of the 14th of Nisan. So it's interesting that they were selected on the 10th day of the month.

In the autumn, a very important selection also occurred on the tenth day: "He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD's lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering" (Leviticus 16:7-9).

Later God says, "the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement" (Leviticus 23:27). The Passover and Atonement sacrifices are perhaps the most notable and unique festival sacrifices, with both being selected from the flock on the 10th day of the month.

Lessons of Humility

The "Feast of the Passover" (Exodus 34:25) begins with us bowing down, washing someone's feet. "Jesus..rose from supper and..took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded" (John 13:3-5).

The Word Biblical Commentary discusses the magnitude of Jesus' example: "The menial nature of footwashing in Jewish eyes is seen in its inclusion among works which Jewish slaves should not be required to do..the task was reserved for Gentile slaves and for wives and children."

In the autumn, the following is commanded on the Day of Atonement, "..on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls" (Leviticus 16:29). The Hebrew for "afflict" (anah) means "to be put down, become low, to stoop" (Brown, Driver, and Briggs' Lexicon).

The New English Translation says, "you must humble yourselves." The Day of Atonement is followed, though not immediately, by a seven-day festival. Therefore, both Passover and the Day of Atonement underscore lessons of bowing down, before the commencement of a seven-day festival.

Victory Over Satan

After Adam and Eve sinned, God described Satan's punishments: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15).

This points to the crucifixion on Passover, where the unblemished death of Christ resulted in the crushing of the devil's head: "Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die" (John 12:31-33).

In the autumn, on the Day of Atonement, victory over Satan is illustrated even more descriptively. First, the devil is thrown into a "bottomless pit..so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while" (Revelation 20:1-3).

Then the devil and his fallen angels are "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41). The bruised head, portrayed by Passover, culminates with Satan's eternal banishment into a spiritual wilderness.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Pentecost occurs in late spring (this year on May 27, well before the summer solstice, on June 21). On Pentecost in A.D. 31, God poured out His Spirit more abundantly than any time beforehand (Acts 2:1-4). For the first time, everyone in the ministry and membership (baptized adults) received the Holy Spirit. On this day Peter said, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh" (Acts 2:17).

But did "all flesh" receive God's Spirit? No, this was a forerunner to the primary fulfillment portrayed by the autumn Holy Days, when "the sun shall be turned into darkness..before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD" (verse 20). Then God will again offer His Spirit far more than ever before during the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day.

The Seven-Day Festivals

The spring and autumn both contain seven-day festivals, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles, respectively. Both begin on the 15th day of the month. Both include a daily practice as reminders of spiritual lessons—unleavened bread (spring) and staying in booths (autumn).

A relationship between these two festivals is mentioned in Leviticus 23:42-43: "You shall dwell in booths for seven days..that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt" (Leviticus 23:43).

When did God bring them "out of the land of Egypt"? In the spring, on first day of Unleavened Bread: "It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:42). And in the autumn, the seven-day Feast of Booths pointed back to temporary dwellings that began with the seven-day spring feast.

Bookends

Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are two separate festivals spanning eight consecutive days. Work is forbidden during two of these eight days—the first and last days of Unleavened Bread. Similarly, the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day are two separate festivals spanning eight consecutive days. Work is also forbidden during two of these days—the first day of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day.

In the spring a one-day festival, Passover, precedes a seven-day feast (1 + 7 format). But in the autumn the format is reversed (7 + 1), with a seven-day festival followed by a one-day festival, the Last Great Day. This difference nevertheless offers the symmetry of one-day festival bookends at both the beginning and the end of the yearly festivals. Passover makes it possible for mankind to enter salvation. And when the Last Great Day is fulfilled, all mankind will have had an opportunity to be saved.

This equilibrium can be lost by moving just one day from its position, like tipping a balanced scale by removing one coin. For example, reckoning Passover on the 15th of Nisan, instead of the 14th, removes one of the bookends and tampers with the symmetrical balance of the festivals.

Seven, the Number of Completion

There are seven annual Sabbaths during which work is forbidden: 1) the first day of Unleavened Bread, 2) last day of Unleavened Bread, 3) Pentecost, 4) Trumpets, 5) Atonement, 6) the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and 7) the Last Great Day.

And there are seven appointed festivals, which includes the entirety of all the appointed times that we keep: 1) Passover, 2) Feast of Unleavened Bread, 3) Pentecost, 4) Trumpets, 5) Atonement, 6) Feast of Tabernacles and 7) the Last Great Day. Again, this equilibrium is lost if one item is altered, for example, if the Last Great Day is not understood to be a separate feast.

Therefore Let Us Keep the Festivals

You may have thought of some additional similarities between the spring and autumn festivals. Everything God does has design. "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" (Isaiah 40:12).

The mind of God is infinitely fascinating. His forethought provides many reasons for which we keep the festivals. So let's not just go through the motions when we observe these days, because these days are rich in both design and spiritual significance. UN

Kevin Epps is the pastor of the New York City, New York, and Central New Jersey congregations.