Annual observances in the Bible refer to the recurring religious festivals and holy days instituted by God for the Israelites. These observances were integral to the spiritual and communal life of the people, serving as reminders of God's covenant, His mighty acts, and His provision. They were also opportunities for worship, reflection, and community gathering.

Passover (Pesach): The Passover is one of the most significant annual observances, commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Instituted in Exodus 12, the Passover involves the sacrifice of a lamb and the eating 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). The Passover foreshadows the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who delivers believers from the bondage of sin.

Feast of Unleavened Bread: Closely linked with Passover, this seven-day feast begins on the 15th day of the first month (Nisan). During this time, the Israelites were to eat unleavened bread, symbolizing the haste of their departure from Egypt and the purging of sin. "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses" (Exodus 12:15).

Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost): Celebrated seven weeks after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, this feast marks the end of the grain harvest. It is a time of thanksgiving for God's provision. "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). In the New Testament, Pentecost is significant as the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles (Acts 2).

Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah): This observance marks the beginning of the civil year and is a call to repentance. "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).

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): The most solemn day in the Jewish calendar, it is a day of fasting and repentance. The high priest would enter 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).

Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot): This week-long festival commemorates the Israelites' wilderness wanderings and God's provision. "On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it continues for seven days" (Leviticus 23:34). It is a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the harvest.

Sabbath Year and Jubilee: Beyond annual observances, the Bible also prescribes a Sabbath year every seventh year, where the land was to rest, and a Jubilee year every fiftieth year, where debts were forgiven, and slaves freed. "But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD" (Leviticus 25:4).

These annual observances were not only historical and agricultural markers but also deeply theological, pointing to God's redemptive plan and His desire for a holy people. They find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who embodies the spiritual truths these feasts represent.