MOEDIM – APPOINTED TIMES by Beth Piepenburg

If the Hebrew word, moed(im), is used in Gen 1:14[1] to mean appointed times, which is translated as seasons, then what are the appointed times that are mentioned in Scripture? By the way, the pictograph symbols for moed are the eye and the door. Together, they may mean “to see the door”. The word can mean to come and enter the tent of meeting, or it can mean a time that is to be repeated. So, what events bring us toward the tent of meeting or to a time that is repeated?

SPRING:

 The first one is Rosh HaShanah, which means “head of the year”. God had instituted that this New Year start after the aviv, the green barley, was seen in the fields. Once the new moon was sighted, then Rosh HaShanah would begin. Not only would the barley soon be harvested at this time, but springtime does represent the newness of life. Besides the beginning of the year, several important events began on Rosh HaShanah: Creation, Noah opened the ark because the waters were dried up from off the earth (Gen 8:13), and the Tabernacle was erected (Ex. 40:2). [Ex. 9:31, 12:2, 13:4; Num. 28:11-15; Deut. 16:1]

The Passover Lamb
Courtesy to C. Malcolm Powers

The second one is Pesach, which means to “pass over”. The Passover Lamb was sacrificed on the fourteenth day of the first month, and was eaten at twilight between the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month. Although the story in Exodus of the first Passover is about the death angel passing over the homes that had the lamb’s blood on the lintel and doorposts of their homes, the Passover is really centered upon the sacrifice. [Ex. 23:18, 34:25; Lev. 23:5; Num. 28:16]

The third one is the Chag HaMatzah, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Celebrated from the fifteenth day of the first month until the twenty-first day, the Israelites ate the first unleavened bread along with the Passover Lamb at twilight. Remember, the new day began at sunset for the Israelites. So, Passover was ending and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was beginning.  [Ex. 12:17, 13:6, 23:15, 34:18; Lev. 23:6; Num. 28:17-25; Deut. 16:16]

The fourth one is the Reishit Katzir, the Firstfruits of Harvest. Celebrated on the day after the Sabbath during the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the firstfruit of the barley harvest was dedicated and waved in praise to God. [Ex. 34:26; Lev. 23:9]

The fifth one is the Chag Shabua, the Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of Harvest. The Hellenistic Jews called it Pentecost. Counting seven Sabbaths or fifty days from the Sabbath after Passover, the celebration pertained to the wheat harvest with the waving of two leavened loaves of bread before the Lord. [Ex. 23:16, 34:22; Lev. 23:15, 17, 20; Num. 28:26-31; Deut. 16:10, 16]

END OF SUMMER:

The sixth one is Yom Teruah, the Day of Trumpets. Celebrated on the first day of the seventh month, the trumpet signaled for those working in the field to come to the Tabernacle to worship the Lord. [Lev. 23:23; Num. 29:1-6]

The seventh one is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month, the day was dedicated to afflicting one’s soul, confession, and prayer in the form of personal and national repentance. Crying, wearing sackcloth and ashes, or fasting were ways to afflict one’s soul. [Lev. 23:26-32; Num. 29:7-11]

The eighth one is Chag Sukkah, the Feast of Tents (Tabernacles or Booths) and is also known as the Feast of Ingathering. Celebrated from the fifteenth day of the seventh month for eight days, the Israelites lived in booths to remember how their ancestors had lived in booths after leaving Egypt. Not only was the Torah read, the feast was a time of rejoicing and thankfulness of the final harvests. [Ex. 23:16, 34:22; Lev. 23:33-36, 39-43; Num. 29:12-38; Deut. 16:13, 16:16, 31:10]

TWO OTHERS:

Sabbath, is to stop activity to rest, and was observed on the seventh day every week. The purpose is to rest in the Lord, yet not to make the day an idol in itself. In Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:11, God gives us an example of God resting in Himself. From thence, God blessed and made holy the Sabbath. [Num. 28:9-10]

Chodesh, is the new moon, and was observed once a month after the moon was barely sighted. Its purpose is to help keep the timing of the special appointed times on track. [Ex. 12:2; Num. 28:11-15; Ps. 81:3]

SUMMARY:

Although much more information is available and many questions to ask and discuss about each appointed time mentioned, this brief summary should give an overall idea of when each moed took place and its significance.

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[1] Gen 1:14-19 ¹⁴ Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; ¹⁵ and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. ¹⁶ Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. ¹⁷ God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, ¹⁸ and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. (NKJV)