first of all with creation or renewal in Genesis 1. The work of seven days is described and we do not enter here into

the problem whether these are days of 24 hours or longer periods, though it must be pointed out that the periods of

seven we are considering are all days of 24 hours, and the reference to the Sabbath and creation in Exodus 20:10,11

also demands this. When we come to the last book in the Bible, Revelation, which deals with the winding up of

God's purposes, there are so many sevens that it is possible that not all of them have yet been discovered, if we take

into account the occurrence of words and phrases as well.

It is helpful to note how the number seven relates to the economy of Israel in the Old Testament:

Seven days, ending with the Sabbath.

Seven weeks leading to Pentecost.

Seven months completing the nation's religious year.

Seven years, the seventh being the Sabbath in which the land rested and was not cultivated.

Seven times seven years brought one to the Jubilee, to which we have already alluded.

Then there was a span of seventy years captivity for Israel in judgment which was brought about by

Nebuchadnezzar with God's permission.

(7) Lastly we have Daniel's seventy sevens of years which bring to completion God's dealings with Israel.

It is clear that the sabbatical principle underlies God's purpose for Israel. With regard to the feasts of Jehovah,

God started with the Sabbath. Experimentally man had to commence with the truth of Passover which wonderfully

set forth the real Passover, the offering of the Lamb of God for the sin of the world. As with the type, so with the

antitype; He was `without spot or blemish'. Because of this He needed no Saviour and therefore could be the

Saviour of sinners who had this great need.

The word `Sabbath' comes from a Hebrew word which means to cease, to come to an end, to rest. In Genesis 2:2

we are told that God rested on the seventh day, not because He was tired, but because of its typical value in His

purpose. In Hebrews 4:9 we read, `There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God' with the marginal reading

for `rest', `a keeping of the Sabbath'. It is a translation of the Greek sabbatismos.

Now we have seen that the Sabbath day was one of God's wise provisions for adequate physical and mental rest

for His people and the Lord Jesus confirmed this when He said `The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the

sabbath' (Mark. 2:27). Many consider Sunday to be the sabbath day but one would think the reverse was the truth

judging by the way some Christians treat it! God starts with rest and ends with it. When the purpose of the ages is

at last reached, the true Sabbath will then dawn, when all tension, problems, and sin are ended and perfect peace and

joy reign for eternity.

Because `all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23) and this of course included Israel, we

must all start experimentally with Passover, realising the glorious fact that `Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us'

(1 Cor. 5:7), He bearing the punishment for our sins, by dying in our place and stead. He indeed was `made sin, (or

a sin-offering) for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Cor. 5:21) and

trusting Him, and this all-sufficient offering of Himself on the cross, we can have an `exodus' from bondage just like

Israel of old, and enter into freedom, from the slavery of sin and self.

Closely linked with Passover was the feast of unleavened bread which took place the next day (Lev. 23:5,6). As

leaven in the Bible is always a type of sin and is never used with a good meaning - unleavened bread must typify the

opposite, namely righteousness in thought and action and this in experience, is what should immediately follow the

glorious deliverance of Passover in the life of the believer. This is what God is teaching by this `picture', but how

lamentably Israel so often failed to express it and how often we, as believers in Christ, do exactly the same! We are

certainly not saved by good works, but as Ephesians 2:8-10 teaches, we are saved `unto good works' which should

be the outward expression in practice of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Linked with Passover and unleavened bread was `Firstfruits' (Lev. 23:10,11) and the New Testament clearly

interprets this for us: