Leviticus 23:4-5
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
These aren't just holidays; they are "appointed feasts" of the LORD, meaning they were divinely scheduled and intentional. More than just days off, they were "holy convocations," calling the people together for sacred, set-apart gatherings at specific, God-ordained times.
“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse acts as a heading, introducing a list of specific holy days that God is about to reveal. It bridges the general command to observe the Sabbath in the previous verses and the detailed instructions for Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and other appointed times that will follow, setting the stage for a structured calendar of worship for Israel.
Have you ever felt like your schedule is completely dictated by others? God’s Word introduces us to a different kind of scheduling – one of sacred appointments.
Leviticus 23:2 kicks off this chapter by reminding us that the Sabbath is already a special, set-apart time with the LORD. But verse 4 expands on this, calling the following feasts "the appointed feasts of the LORD, holy convocations."
Divine Timing
The Hebrew word for "appointed" here is moed, which signifies an appointed time, a designated meeting, or a fixed season. It wasn't just about when these feasts happened, but that they were divinely ordained times for God's people to gather. Think of it like a calendar marked with crucial, unmissable appointments with the Almighty.
Purposeful Gathering
These weren't casual hangouts. The phrase "holy convocations" means these were set-apart gatherings, intended for worship and remembrance. They were opportunities for the Israelites to pause their daily lives, acknowledge God's sovereignty, and participate in specific acts of worship that He ordained. It was a rhythm of life intentionally designed by God to keep His people focused on Him.
It wasn't enough for these feasts to simply exist; they had to be announced! What does this tell us about how God wants His people to engage with His plans?
Verse 4 concludes by saying these feasts are "which you shall proclaim in their seasons." This act of proclamation is crucial.
Ask a follow-up
Announcing God's Schedule
The Hebrew word for "proclaim" (qara) means to call out, to announce, or to summon. This wasn't a private affair; it was a public declaration. The priests were responsible for sounding trumpets to signal the start of these sacred times. This ensured that everyone in the community knew when to prepare and participate.
Communal Participation
This proclamation highlights that these feasts were meant for the whole community. God desired His people to gather together, to worship Him collectively, and to remember His works as a unified body. The announcement was an invitation and a command, ensuring no one missed out on these vital encounters with God.
Understand the original words
pecach · Hebrew Noun
The commemorative feast celebrating the Lord’s sparing of the firstborn of Israel during the final plague in Egypt. It serves as a profound typology of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, who delivers His people from judgment.
This verse introduces the Passover, the first of the appointed feasts, highlighting the importance of remembering God's redemptive acts through their appointed times.
Nehemiah 8:18This passage shows how the appointed feasts, specifically the Feast of Booths, were a time of public proclamation and joyful gathering, echoing the 'holy convocations' mentioned in Leviticus.
Psalm 81:3This psalm calls for the blowing of trumpets and the observance of appointed feasts, underscoring the connection between these times and communal worship and praise to God.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8The Apostle Paul connects the Passover feast to Christ, showing how these appointed times pointed to greater realities fulfilled in Him, urging believers to live in the light of His sacrifice.
Colossians 2:16-17Paul explains that the festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths were a 'shadow of things to come,' with Christ being the reality, demonstrating the ultimate purpose behind these divinely appointed observances.
calvinLeviticus 23:1-44: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Alloquere filios Israel, et dic eis, Quum ingressi fueritis terrain quam ego do vobis, et messueritis messem ejus, tunc offeretis omnes primitias messis vestrae ad sacerdotem.
And he shall wave the shea…
pooleLeviticus 23:4: "These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons."
In their appointed and proper times, as the word is used Genesis 1:14 Psalm 104:19 .
These aren't just holidays; they are "appointed feasts" of the LORD, meaning they were divinely scheduled and intentional. More than just days off, they were "holy convocations," calling the people together for sacred, set-apart gatherings at specific, God-ordained times.
This verse acts as a heading, introducing a list of specific holy days that God is about to reveal. It bridges the general command to observe the Sabbath in the previous verses and the detailed instructions for Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and other appointed times that will follow, setting the stage for a structured calendar of worship for Israel.
This verse acts as a heading, introducing a list of specific holy days that God is about to reveal. It bridges the general command to observe the Sabbath in the previous verses and the detailed instructions for Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and other appointed times that will follow, setting the stage for a structured calendar of worship for Israel.
"“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover." — These aren't just holidays; they are "appointed feasts" of the LORD, meaning they were divinely scheduled and intentional. More than just days off, they were "holy convocations," calling the people t…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
