The Bible speaks of certain days that God has set apart as holy. These are special days that God’s people are called to observe in remembrance of Him and His work. Though opinions differ on which days should be kept holy in the present day, examining what the Bible teaches about holy days can help us understand their meaning and purpose.
The Sabbath
The most prominent holy day instituted in the Old Testament is the Sabbath. God established the pattern of observing the seventh day as a day of rest and holy convocation in the creation account:
“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:2-3)
This was later codified as the fourth commandment given through Moses:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11)
The Sabbath was a day set apart to rest from work and to gather for worship and reflection on God’s goodness. Violating the Sabbath by working or failing to observe it was punishable by death (Exodus 31:14-15). This demonstrates how seriously God expected His people to honor the holiness of the Sabbath.
In the New Testament, Jesus clarified that the Sabbath was made for man’s benefit rather than man being made for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). He also demonstrated that doing good and showing mercy were lawful reasons to set aside strict Sabbath observance (Matthew 12:9-14). The early church gathered to worship on the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead, showing a transition away from strict Saturday Sabbath keeping (Acts 20:7). Still, the pattern of setting aside one day in seven for rest and worship remains a biblical principle many follow today.
Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
In addition to the weekly Sabbath, God also instituted annual holy days for Israel to observe. The first of these, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is described in Exodus 12. Passover commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, specifically remembering how the blood of a lamb sprinkled on their doorposts caused the angel of death to “pass over” their homes.
God commanded His people to observe the Passover forever as a perpetual statute and feast:
“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.” (Exodus 12:14)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was connected to Passover and lasted seven days. During this time, God’s people were to eat unleavened bread as a reminder of their haste in leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:39). Removing all leaven symbolized purging malice and evil from among them as a community (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples took place during the Passover festival, memorializing God’s greatest act of deliverance through the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The Feast of Weeks
Also known as Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks took place 50 days after Passover. It commemorated the wheat harvest in Israel and was associated with God giving His law to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:22, Acts 2:1). This feast is still celebrated in Judaism as Shavuot. For Christians, Pentecost marks the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ followers after His ascension. The events of Acts 2 took place during this festival as God established the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31)
Pentecost highlights the harvest of souls brought into God’s kingdom through the redemptive work of Christ and the empowerment of the Spirit.
The Feast of Trumpets
Occurring in the Fall, the Feast of Trumpets was a solemn day of rest marked by the blowing of trumpets. It served as a reminder of God’s provision and an anticipation of the coming Day of Atonement and Festival of Booths (Leviticus 23:23-25). In his vision of the end times in Revelation, the Apostle John ties the blowing of trumpets to the return of Christ and the future redemption of God’s people:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
The Day of Atonement
Taking place 10 days after the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement was the most solemn day on Israel’s calendar. It was a day of fasting and repentance for sin, centering around sacrifices made by the high priest to atone for his sins and the sins of the people (Leviticus 16). Observing the Day of Atonement reminded God’s people of the seriousness of sin while pointing ahead to their ultimate redemption:
“For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins.” (Leviticus 16:30)
As the perfect High Priest and spotless Lamb of God, Jesus’ death fulfilled the Day of Atonement sacrifices once for all (Hebrews 9:11-15). Those who trust in His finished work experience permanent atonement and cleansing from sin.
The Festival of Booths
The Festival of Booths or Tabernacles took place five days after the Day of Atonement. Israelites were commanded to live in temporary booths or tents during this week-long festival to remember God’s provision for Israel after the Exodus as they wandered in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land (Leviticus 23:42-43). It coincided with the grape harvest, making it a time of rejoicing. Ezekiel prophesies that the Festival of Booths will continue to be celebrated during Christ’s millennial reign (Ezekiel 45:25).
The Sabbath Year and Jubilee
Along with the weekly and annual Sabbaths, God also instituted a Sabbath year to take place every seven years. During the Sabbath year, the Israelites were not to prune or harvest their vineyards and fields. The land was to enjoy a year of complete rest (Leviticus 25:3-7). After seven Sabbath years (49 years), the Year of Jubilee would commence the following year. Jubilee involved returning land to its original owners and freeing any Israelites who had sold themselves as slaves. Debts were canceled and the mercies of God were on full display (Leviticus 25:8-55).
Though modern observance differs, these Old Testament holy days remind us of God’s faithfulness, emphasize rest and worship, and point ahead to ultimate spiritual redemption through the saving work of the promised Messiah, Jesus. They remain examples for us today that God desires to set aside sacred times for commemoration, celebration, and worship.
The Lord’s Day
For Christians, Sunday as the Lord’s Day has largely fulfilled the principles of Old Testament holy days. Setting aside the first day of the week to worship Christ in remembrance of His resurrection is the principal Christian holy day. John describes himself as being “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10. Gathering on the first day of the week for communion and preaching became the regular practice of the early church (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
In summary, the holy days described in the Bible were set apart by God for rest, remembrance, and worship. Though some observances have changed for Christians after Christ’s resurrection, the principle of consecrating special times to the Lord remains. As Colossians 2:16-17 states, the holy days served as a shadow of the good things to come which are fulfilled in Christ. They continue to give us a pattern of worshipping God in spirit and truth.