The Psalms of Ascent

I am revisiting the Beth Moore study I finished, oh, in late February, so let's pretend this is a time warp and go with it as part of the "What I Learned This Week" blog carnival hosted by Jo-Lynne at Musing of a Housewife, OK?

To keep this a little more readable without citing references constantly, I am simply grouping my notes by the weekly video sessions, since many of the references are the fill-in-the-blanks in the viewer's guide. This Bible study on the Psalms of Ascent brought in the history and the meaning of the Feasts to which the pilgrims were traveling.

To the best of my knowledge, I took accurate notes during this study. If you spot any errors, please let me know. If you want to add something you learned on this topic, whether through this particular study or something else, please feel free to leave it in a comment!

Ready?

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Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent

by Beth Moore

Viewer Guide, Introductory Session:
The Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) were sung on the pilgrimages to the Three Great Feasts in Jerusalem:
1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover (Spring)
2. The Feast of Weeks/Pentecost (Early Summer)
3. The Feast of Tabernacles (Fall)


Viewer Guide, Session Two:
Passover pictures the death of the Messiah.
The blood of the Passover lamb was painted on the door frame with the hysop plant (see Exodus 12:7, John 10:11 and Psalm 51:7). The cleansing of sins came through the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

Jesus Christ is our Passover (1 Corithians 5:7).

The Feast of the Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17, Mark 14:1) pictures the burial of the Messiah. Leaven became symbolic of sin (Matthew 16:5-9). Beth quoted The Feasts of the Lord and said, “Ancient rabbis…believed that leaven represents the evil impulses of the heart. This fermentation implied a process of corruption.” The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a week of sanctification to get all of the leaven (sin) out of them.

Jesus Christ is our Unleavened Bread because He is without sin and without corruption.

The Feast of Firstfruits pictures the resurrection of the Messiah.

Jesus Christ is the Firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:20-24).


Viewer Guide, Session Three:
The Feast of Weeks (Hebrew Shavuot) derives its name from the seven weeks separating it from the Feast of Firstfruits. It is also known by the Greek name of Pentecost (for “fiftieth“) as well as the Feast of the Harvest (Exodus 23:16).

The Feast of Weeks was a time of remembering their bondage; therefore, we (present-day believers) should focus on the freedom Christ has given you.

The Feast of Weeks was a time of great generosity: generous grace, and generous giving.


Viewer Guide, Session Four:
The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) has a strong emphasis on the Messiah (Psalm 118:24-26). This is the most Messianic of the Feasts, and there is always a great sense of expectancy with an invitation for God to bring the Messiah.
Palm branches are associated with the Feast of Tabernacles. In Matthew 21, there is an immediate leap forward into the Feast of Tabernacles. The palm branches showed the people’s expectancy that this was the Messiah.

This is also the picture in Matthew 17:4, when Peter asks “Shall I build three tabernacles?” He was thinking, “Is it time for the feast? This has to be the Messiah!”

The pinnacle moment of the celebration was the ceremonial water pouring each day, drawn from the Pool of Siloam and carried back to the temple to be poured out for God. (Beth quoted someone who said, “Those who have never experienced the joy of water drawing have never experienced joy in their lives.“ So…this was big.) The seventh day was the biggest celebration, and this is the setting of John 7:37-39 (see also John 7:2). The Israelite priests are dancing before the procession with torches and music, joyfully singing “Send Messiah now!” (Psalm 118) while the water is being poured out…and then Jesus says, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Jesus Christ is the source of living water (John 4:10, Revelation 7:17).

One of the things Beth said, probably a few times, is "He keeps the Feasts!" or "He keeps the calendar!" As we learned in the Beth Moore Bible study on the tabernacle, the tabernacle was a pattern of the reality in heaven. These Jewish feasts are a pattern of a spiritual reality fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

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If you have the chance to do this Bible study, please do it! And if you cannot do the entire Bible study, consider viewing the video sessions online at www.lifeway.com/women. You will be blessed by what you learn!

Visit Musing of a Housewife to see what others have learned this week.