Scripture:
“These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
—Colossians 2:17
God didn’t just command His people to worship—He commanded them to celebrate. In the Old Testament, three great pilgrimage festivals marked the rhythm of Israel’s year: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Each called God’s people to remember His faithfulness. But each also whispered of a greater fulfillment to come—Jesus.
At Passover, the blood of a lamb shielded Israel’s homes from death. In Christ, we see the Lamb of God whose blood covers our sin and delivers us from eternal death. His sacrifice wasn’t symbolic; it was substitutionary, just as the lamb died in place of the firstborn. Jesus took our place and bore our penalty.
At Pentecost, Israel remembered the giving of the Law at Sinai. But in Acts 2, Pentecost becomes the moment when the Holy Spirit is poured out. God no longer writes His Law on tablets of stone, but on human hearts. Through the Spirit, we are marked as His people—not by what we wear or eat, but by the love of Christ living in us.
And at the Feast of Tabernacles, Israel remembered how God dwelled with them in the wilderness. In Jesus, the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14). Even now, in our wilderness—this in-between life of already and not yet—God provides through His Spirit until the day when He will dwell with us forever (Revelation 21:3).
Reflection:
Which of these three festivals speaks most deeply to your life right now—deliverance, empowerment, or hope in the wilderness?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for fulfilling every promise of the Father. You are my Passover Lamb, my Pentecost fire, and my Tabernacle hope. Help me live today in celebration of Your presence, provision, and love. Amen.
