Leviticus 23:24
"Speak to the Israelites and say, 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blasts.
Speak to the Israelites and say
This directive is given to Moses, who serves as the mediator between God and the Israelites. The Israelites are the descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel, and are God's chosen people. This phrase emphasizes the importance of communication from God through His appointed leaders, a pattern seen throughout the Old Testament.

On the first day of the seventh month
The seventh month in the Hebrew calendar is Tishri, which typically falls in September or October. This month is significant as it marks the beginning of the civil year in Jewish tradition. The timing underscores the importance of this event in the religious and cultural life of the Israelites, aligning with the agricultural cycle and the end of the harvest.

you are to have a day of rest
This day of rest, or Sabbath, is a recurring theme in the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the need for physical rest and spiritual reflection. It is a cessation from labor, symbolizing trust in God's provision. The concept of rest is also a foreshadowing of the ultimate rest found in Christ, as mentioned in Hebrews 4:9-10.

a sacred assembly
The sacred assembly, or convocation, is a gathering for worship and communal observance. It highlights the communal aspect of worship in Israelite society, where the community comes together to honor God. This assembly is a precursor to the New Testament gatherings of believers, as seen in Acts 2:42-47.

announced by trumpet blasts
The trumpet blasts, or shofar, serve as a call to worship and a reminder of God's presence and sovereignty. Trumpets were used in various contexts in Israel, including warfare and religious ceremonies. The sound of the trumpet is also associated with the return of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, symbolizing divine intervention and the gathering of God's people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The chosen people of God, to whom the laws and festivals were given.

2. Seventh Month
Known as Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar, it is a significant month for Jewish festivals.

3. Day of Rest
A Sabbath-like day, emphasizing rest and spiritual reflection.

4. Sacred Assembly
A gathering for worship and communal observance of God's commands.

5. Trumpet Blasts
The sounding of the shofar, a ram's horn, to announce the holy day and call the people to attention.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Rest
Just as God commanded a day of rest, we are reminded of the necessity of taking time to rest and focus on spiritual matters in our busy lives.

The Call to Worship
The sacred assembly calls us to gather with fellow believers, emphasizing the importance of community in our spiritual journey.

The Significance of the Trumpet
The trumpet blast serves as a reminder of God's call to attention and readiness, urging us to be spiritually alert and prepared.

Reflection and Repentance
This day marks a time for introspection and repentance, encouraging us to examine our lives and align them with God's will.

Anticipation of Christ's Return
The trumpet also points forward to the return of Christ, reminding us to live with an eternal perspective and hope.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of a "day of rest" in Leviticus 23:24 apply to our modern lives, and what practical steps can we take to incorporate rest into our weekly routine?

2. In what ways can the idea of a "sacred assembly" influence our participation in church and community worship today?

3. What is the significance of the trumpet blast in both the Old and New Testaments, and how does it shape our understanding of God's communication with His people?

4. How can we use the themes of reflection and repentance from this passage to evaluate our spiritual health and growth?

5. How does the anticipation of Christ's return, as symbolized by the trumpet, impact our daily decisions and priorities?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 29:1
This verse provides additional details about the offerings and sacrifices associated with this day, emphasizing its importance.

Nehemiah 8:1-12
Describes the observance of this festival during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, highlighting the communal reading of the Law and the people's response.

1 Thessalonians 4:16
The trumpet sound is also significant in the New Testament, symbolizing the return of Christ and the gathering of believers.
The FestivalsR.A. Redford Leviticus 23:1-44
Feasts of the LordW. H. Jellie.Leviticus 23:2-44
God's FestivalsHenry, MatthewLeviticus 23:2-44
God's Holy DaysHenry, MatthewLeviticus 23:2-44
Seven Feasts Mentioned in This ChapterD. C. Hughes, M. A.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Great FeastsJ. C. Gray.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Holy FestivalsJ. A. Seiss, . D. D.Leviticus 23:2-44
The Summons of GodW. Clarkson Leviticus 23:23, 24
Feast of TrumpetsR.M. Edgar Leviticus 23:23-25
The Feast of TrumpetsJ. B. Lowe, B. A.Leviticus 23:23-25
The Feast of TrumpetsJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 23:23-25
The Feast of TrumpetsR.A. Redford Leviticus 23:23-25
The HebdomadJ.A. Macdonald Leviticus 23:23-44
People
Ephah, Israelites, Moses
Places
Teman
Topics
Assembly, Blast, Blasts, Blowing, Commemorated, Convocation, Holy, Horns, Marked, Meeting, Memorial, Memory, Month, Observe, Proclaimed, Reminder, Rest, Sabbath, Sacred, Saying, Seventh, Shouting, Solemn, Sons, Speak, Special, Trumpet, Trumpets, Worship
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Leviticus 23:24

     1653   numbers, 6-10
     4970   seasons, of year
     5595   trumpet
     7400   New Year, the

Leviticus 23:23-24

     4951   month

Leviticus 23:23-28

     8270   holiness, set apart

Leviticus 23:23-36

     7435   sacrifice, in OT

Leviticus 23:24-25

     5338   holiday
     7359   Feast of Trumpets

Library
The Consecration of Joy
'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 34. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord; on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Of a Private Fast.
That we may rightly perform a private fast, four things are to be observed:--First, The author; Secondly, The time and occasion; Thirdly, The manner; Fourthly, The ends of private fasting. 1. Of the Author. The first that ordained fasting was God himself in paradise; and it was the first law that God made, in commanding Adam to abstain from eating the forbidden fruit. God would not pronounce nor write his law without fasting (Lev. xxiii), and in his law commands all his people to fast. So does our
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast'
IT was the last, the great day of the Feast,' and Jesus was once more in the Temple. We can scarcely doubt that it was the concluding day of the Feast, and not, as most modern writers suppose, its Octave, which, in Rabbinic language, was regarded as a festival by itself.' [3987] [3988] But such solemn interest attaches to the Feast, and this occurrence on its last day, that we must try to realise the scene. We have here the only Old Testament type yet unfilfilled; the only Jewish festival which has
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes - Examination of their Distinctive Doctrines.
APART from the repulsively carnal form which it had taken, there is something absolutely sublime in the continuance and intensity of the Jewish expectation of the Messiah. It outlived not only the delay of long centuries, but the persecutions and scattering of the people; it continued under the disappointment of the Maccabees, the rule of a Herod, the administration of a corrupt and contemptible Priesthood, and, finally, the government of Rome as represented by a Pilate; nay, it grew in intensity
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Chronology
45. The length of the public ministry of Jesus was one of the earliest questions which arose in the study of the four gospels. In the second and third centuries it was not uncommon to find the answer in the passage from Isaiah (lxi. 1, 2), which Jesus declared was fulfilled in himself. "The acceptable year of the Lord" was taken to indicate that the ministry covered little more than a year. The fact that the first three gospels mention but one Passover (that at the end), and but one journey to Jerusalem,
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." It is true the soul is incomparably better than the body, and he is only worthy the name of a man and of a Christian who prefers this more excellent part, and employs his study and time about it, and regards his body only for the noble guest that lodges within it, and therefore it is one of the
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Jesus Living at Nazareth and visiting Jerusalem in his Twelfth Year.
(Nazareth and Jerusalem, a.d. 7 or 8.) ^C Luke II. 40-52. ^c 40 And the child grew [This verse contains the history of thirty years. It describes the growth of our Lord as a natural, human growth (compare Luke i. 80); for, though Jesus was truly divine, he was also perfectly man. To try to distinguish between the divine and human in Jesus, is to waste time upon an impracticable mystery which is too subtle for our dull and finite minds], and waxed strong [His life expanded like other human lives.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Healing Peter's Mother-In-Law and Many Others.
(at Capernaum.) ^A Matt. VIII. 14-17; ^B Mark I. 29-34; ^C Luke IV. 38-41. ^c 38 And he arose out of the synagogue [where he had just healed the demoniac], ^b 29 And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came { ^c entered} ^b into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [Peter and Andrew had dwelt at Bethsaida (John i. 44). They may have removed to Capernaum, or Bethsaida, being near by, may be here counted as a part, or suburb, of Capernaum. Its name does not contradict
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Attends the First Passover of his Ministry.
(Jerusalem, April 9, a.d. 27.) Subdivision A. Jesus Cleanses the Temple. ^D John II. 13-25. ^d 13 And the passover of the Jews was at hand [We get our information as to the length of our Lord's ministry from John's Gospel. He groups his narrative around six Jewish festivals: 1, He here mentions the first passover; 2, another feast, which we take to have been also a passover (v. 1); 3, another passover (vi. 4); 4, the feast of tabernacles (vii. 2); 5, dedication (x. 22); 6, passover (xi. 55). This
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
(from Bethany to Jerusalem and Back, Sunday, April 2, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXI. 1-12, 14-17; ^B Mark XI. 1-11; ^C Luke XIX. 29-44; ^D John XII. 12-19. ^c 29 And ^d 12 On the morrow [after the feast in the house of Simon the leper] ^c it came to pass, when he he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, ^a 1 And when they came nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage unto { ^b at} ^a the mount of Olives [The name, Bethphage, is said to mean house of figs, but the
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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