Here's When the Biblical Holidays Happen in 2023

This is when the Biblical holidays happen in 2023.

What are the Bible holidays? Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles are all days we are told to observe and celebrate in Scripture. They are listed in Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and elaborated on elsewhere in Scripture. Each of these has historic and prophetic significance for Bible believers!

The Bible gives specific dates for each holiday, but since the Gregorian calendar doesn't match up with the Creator's calendar the dates land a little bit differently each year on our modern calendar. There are also a few different ways to calculate the start of the year and because of that some groups will observe them at slightly different times. What I'm sharing here is the most commonly used set of dates. Whether you go by this calendar or another, mark your calendars for these set apart times!

When do the Biblical holidays happen in 2023?

Passover - April 5-6

Unleavened Bread - April 6-13

First Fruits - April 8-9

Shavuot - May 25-27

Feast of Trumpets - September 15-17

Yom Kippur - September 24-25

Feast of Tabernacles - September 29 - October 7

A couple of things about this: according to this calendar, days start in the evening at sundown. This means that Passover starts on the evening of April 5 and goes through the evening of the 6th. This calendar also gives an extra day to both the Feast of Trumpets and Shavuot, even though in the Bible they are both just one day events.

It's also important to note that while all of these are special times, some of these are also considered Sabbath days which means we shouldn't work on them. These Sabbath days are the first and last days of Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the first and last days of Tabernacles.

More on the Biblical holidays:
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

Bible Verses on the Feast of Trumpets

Where is the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible?

The Biblical holiday of the Feast of Trumpets, or Yom Teruah, is found in several places in the Old Testament where directions are given for this special day of blowing shofars and otherwise praising God. There are many other places in the Old and New Testaments where the Feast of Trumpets is mentioned or alluded to.

Here are Bible verses that relate to the Feast of Trumpets and passages of Scripture that are fitting to read on this Biblical holiday.

Scriptures about the Feast of Trumpets:

And YHWH spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them, 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the new moon, you have a rest, a remembrance of teruah, a set-apart gathering. You do no servile work, and you shall bring and offering made by fire to YHWH.'" -Leviticus 23:23-25

And in the seventh new moon, on the first day of the month, you shall have a set-apart gathering. Do no servile work work it is a Day of Soundings for you. -Numbers 29:1

And when the  seventh new month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. All the people gathered together as one in front of the Water Gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Torah of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel.

And Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

And he read from it in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before those who could understand. The ears of all people listened to the Book of the Torah. -Nehemiah 8:1-3

Scriptures related to the Feast of Trumpets:

With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, raise a shout to YHWH the king. -Psalm 98:6

Because the Messiah himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, and with the trumpet of YHWH, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. -1 Thessalonians 4:15

I saw the seven messengers who stand before YHWWH, and to them were given seven trumpets. -Revelation 8:2

I share a secret with you: 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 shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. -1 Corinthians 15:51-52

More on the Feast of Trumpets:
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets
The Meaning of Yom Teruah and Where We See it in Scripture
Significance of the Shofar During the Feast of Tabernacles

The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets

Taking part in the Creator's appointed time of the Feast of Trumpets is an option for you, even if it's not something you have ever done before! The Biblical holidays were given to all believers, regardless of ethnicity or nationality, and they are a joy to take part in. I believe that the Creator communicates much to us through these special times, and that our faith will grow by participating in them. Here's how to get started. 

What you need to know about the Feast of Trumpets:

-It is a one-day holiday that typically happens in very late summer or early fall (in the northern hemisphere).

-It is considered a Sabbath.

-The Hebrew name for this holiday is Yom Teruah and that can be used interchangeably. 

-Yom Teruah means something like, "Day of Sounding," or "Day of Shofar Blasts."

-Shofars are a horn used as a music instrument that are typically made out of a ram's horn. Modern English uses 'trumpets' in place of shofar.

-It is a day filled with joyful noise and verbal expressions of praise to YHWH.

Spiritual significance of the Feast of Trumpets:

-The Messiah is expected to return on the Feast of Trumpets. When he said that no one knew the day or the hour of his return, he was using that as an idiom to mean the Feast of Trumpets!

-Trumpets/shofars have sounded at many weighty historic moments in Scripture, including the Battle of Jericho, the giving of the Torah, the coronation of kings, and to announce the start of Jubilee years. See this post for more.

-Starting in Revelation 8, seven trumpets are sounded by messengers. Significant events of the last days happen in this passage, and the shofars of the Feast of Trumpets remind us to be prepared and serving YHWH when those trumpets are blasted.

How to observe the Feast of Trumpets:

-Take the day off of work, errands, homework, and household chores. Since this holiday is considered a Sabbath, we aren't to do any work on it and treat it as we would the weekly Sabbath. Honor YHWH with your full attention on this day.

-Sound the trumpets. If you have a shofar, blast it on this day! Play praise music, sing to YHWH, or host or attend a worship night with live music.

-Gather with other believers, if possible. Attend congregation if that's an option or think about inviting friends and family over for Bible study, worship, or fellowship time.

-Have a special meal. Good food is an easy way to add fun and festivity to any special occasion, so think about what you'd like to enjoy! If you're getting together with other believers, consider having a potluck. 

-Remember! Leviticus 23 tells us that the Feast of Trumpets is to be a "remembrance of teruah." This is an opportunity to remember all the amazing things that YHWH caused to happen at the sound of a shofar. It is also a chance to recall and share how you have seen him at work in your own life.

More about the Biblical holiday of the Feast of Trumpets:
The Meaning of Yom Teruah and Where We See it in Scripture
Yom Teruah Scripture Reading List
Smoothie Bowls for the Feast of Trumpets

Ways Churches Can Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

These are ways that churches large or small can celebrate the Biblical holidays that the Creator gave to all of his people to enjoy and learn from!

At this time of year I see so many churches having special events from backyard barbecues and apple dumpling fundraisers to worship nights and youth group retreats...why not take part in the Bible holidays by doing something like that during the special times of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles?

Many of us have been told that in order to take part in the Biblical holidays you have to do animal sacrifices or that it's super boring, but that is absolutely not the case! While Scripture does give a few instructions for each holiday, there is plenty of room for creativity and there are different ways to enjoy the holidays that are Biblically appropriate. Because of that, you don't have to worry about 'looking Jewish' with your celebrations. The goal here is to put God's word into practice and honor him at these times, not to try and emulate how someone else does a holiday like the Feast of Trumpets.

The Biblical holidays are a joyful time and there are many ways we can celebrate them and honor the Creator! If your church has worship nights or fellowship meals on random days, it can certainly do something like that on the days appointed as special in the Bible. 

Ways churches can celebrate the Biblical holidays of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Worship night.

-Children's recital.

-Hymn sing.

-Prayer service.

-Churchwide retreat.

-Youth group camp out or lock in.

-Fellowship meal.

-Drive for canned goods, Bibles, winter coats, etc.

-Outdoor games night.

-Movie night.

-Chili cookoff.

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts

The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

This post is an overview of the Biblical holidays from Scripture, explaining what the holidays are according to passages like Leviticus 23, and Deuteronomy 16. These are not traditional Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, but rather set apart times created by the Living God. We will go over the basics of each holiday from Passover to Shavuot to the Feast of Tabernacles, what happened on them historically and what they symbolize.

In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are seven different holidays that we are instructed by Scripture to set apart. These times are special, and not only because we are told to celebrate them. Each holiday has significance historically, prophetically, and in the life of the Messiah. Paul wrote in Colossians that these times are a shadow of things to come. That means we have a lot to learn from these holidays.

The Biblical holidays are:

Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
First Fruits

The Feast of Weeks / Shavuot / Pentecost

Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah

Day of Covering / Day of Atonement / Yom Kippur

Feast of Tabernacles / Sukkot

While specific dates are given in Scripture, the Biblical calendar doesn't mesh perfectly with the Gregorian so the dates move a bit each year. Land of Honey posts the dates for the upcoming holidays at the beginning of each year.

Please note that Bible holidays are for Bible believers. 

Many people are under the mistaken belief that the holidays that YHWH instructed us to keep were somehow only for the Jewish people, but that idea is not supported by Scripture. Deuteronomy 16:14 expressly tells us that foreigners who join the community of YHWH's people should celebrate these days too, so no matter your background, ethnicity, or family traditions the Creator invites you to these times.

When we learn about each Biblical holiday, we learn more about Scripture. It's truly stunning how much meaning is jam-packed into each of these times. And studying these holidays means we remember what YHWH did on these days. The holidays are, as N.T. Wright says, 'kingdom moments' and God has always performed amazing miracles on these days throughout history. Celebrating these holidays is celebrating what God has done.

A brief overview of the set apart times:

Passover: In the Biblical year Passover is the very first feast. We see the Israelites keep Passover just before the Egyptian exodus. They were instructed to brush the doors of their homes with blood from a lamb, we are reminded that the Messiah was the perfect sacrificial lamb. That's not just an allegory either, Yahusha was killed on Passover. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This is a week long celebration that starts the day after Passover. Leavened/yeast bread and other products are forbidden this week. As yeast is a very small ingredient that rabidly transforms all the dough, we are reminded that the small things in our life make a huge impact. And this lack of leaven reminds us to purge the sin from our lives, which is made possible through the Messiah's sacrifice.

First Fruits: This day happens the day after the Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread. This is when the first of the barley harvest was to be presented before YHWH. First Fruits is the day the Messiah resurrected from the dead and presented himself to the Father. It is also when we are to start counting fifty days.

Feast of Weeks: Fifty days after First Fruits we are to celebrate Shavuot. This is a day of great significance as the instructions on how to live were given at Mount Sinai and then shortly after the Messiah's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Shavuot. The Feast of Weeks is a celebration of having God's word and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Feast of Trumpets: The first of the fall feasts, Yom Teruah means something like Day of Sounding. All those verses that talk about a trumpet sounding when the Messiah returns? It will happen on that day. Perhaps the most joyous time in history will be on Yom Teruah at the return of the Messiah!

Yom Kippur: Under the Levitical priesthood this was a very significant day because it's the day that the priests made atonement for all of Israel's sin with the two goats. Today we can celebrate that the Messiah has atoned for our sins. Prophetically, it is thought that this will be the day that the earth is judged and the people who have been atoned for by Messiah will be separated from those who have not.

Feast of Tabernacles: This is a beautiful look ahead to when YHWH will dwell or camp with us. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it is believed the Messiah was born during this time. This eight day celebration usually looks like a camping trip, with the commandment being to dwell in tents. Others build a temporary structure on their property and spend time there throughout Sukkot. We reflect on this world being a temporary place for us, while we look forward to the day when the Messiah returns to dwell with his people!

Related posts:
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Holidays

Questions and Answers About the Biblical Holidays of Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles

These are questions I frequently am asked about the Biblical holidays of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles. These are also known as the fall feasts because they happen in early autumn in the northern parts of the world. I am a believer in Messiah and do my best to answer questions based on what the Bible says and not man's traditions.

I'm getting a good understanding of Yom Teruah, but Sukkot still confuses me a bit.Keep learning! During Sukkot/Tabernacles we set up tents or traditional sukkahs as a reminder that one day the Messiah will return and tabernacle with us once again!See this post about what Sukkot is and why we should celebrate it.

Simple beginner ways to acknowledge and celebrate?

Start with putting these holidays on your calendar. Host a dinner party or Bible study to discuss and celebrate these special times. Don't worry about man's traditions - read through Scripture and see what it says.

How do I start? I have never done this and the rest of my family celebrates traditional holidays.

Start with what's doable for you. How about making a plan for a special dinner on the feast days? Make it festive with decorations and music. Light candles or get out your fancy dishes. Talk about the significance of these holidays and what they mean.

What do we eat?

Make things that you enjoy and will look forward to. If there's a time to pull out the stops, and make great food it's during YHWH's feasts!

Apples and honey are traditionally eaten at Yom Teruah and stuffed foods at Sukkot. But these are just traditional and are completely optional. I find myself eating a lot of campfire foods and grilled things during Sukkot. It also makes sense to take advantage of what's in season for you as Sukkot is a harvest festival. Garden vegetables like tomatoes, squash, aubergines, and peppers are great at this time of year.

When you first started celebrating the feasts did you make it grandiose?

Not at all. The first time I celebrated each I felt like I was struggling to get through the basics. I didn't know a single person who kept these holidays and couldn't find so much as a picture online of what these days were supposed to look like. So if that's where you're at know that you aren't alone and that it really does become sooo much easier each year!

What are the traditional fast days?

Yom Kippur is the set apart time where believers traditionally fast.

If you have never fasted before, set yourself up for success with a little practice beforehand. Skip breakfast and see how that goes. Try it a few times to get used to it. It will be significantly easier to fast for a day if you're used to fasting a meal here and there!

What does Yom Kippur look like with three young kids?

Get them involved! Read Bible stories and do crafts together. Talk about the special times and what they mean. Kids are not expected to fast. If you're fasting plan a special meal with them to break your fast with. They will see what you're doing and learn from your example.

How do you celebrate this day in your church?

My church has a potluck dinner for most of the feast days.

During Sukkot we rent a campsite at a state park, etc. We have a message, share a meal, and hangout around the campfire. There's also swimming, hiking, and playgrounds for anyone who wants to enjoy those!

How can I keep them when my husband isn't on board?

Do what YOU can. Take the no-work days off and go somewhere you can pray, worship, and study. See if a friend wants to join in. Look over the instructions for each holiday and incorporate what you can.

Tips for keeping the feast when living at home and parents don't agree?

Invite them to participate with you but don't make it your job to convince them of this. Continue to honor them and be respectful as you set an example of keeping the feasts. Maybe they don't want the living room decorated but can you still decorate in your room? Maybe they wouldn't appreciate a shofar blasting all day long, but can you put on some worship music they like? Focus on what you can do! If you want to invite them to do something with you make sure you are in charge of it (make the food, lead the study, etc.). Make plans for worship, study, and joy during these times. Get out of the house if need be.

Praying they are drawn to more of his truth as they see you honor the Creator in this way!

What's your family doing this year?

Excited for a congregational Yom Teruah celebration at a lake this year! There will be a potluck, message, time to enjoy creation, and discussion of how YHWH is working in everyone's lives right now.

How should I celebrate them if I am alone in my faith?

Find joy in these special times even if it's private. Maybe see about going to a lovely lake or park area for quiet time with YHWH. Have a dance party to worship music by yourself! Make a special meal or dessert. Rest and enjoy this time.

Is the tent on Sukkot optional?

Leviticus 23:42 says that we should dwell in temporary shelters. People handle this verse in a variety of ways. Some go tent camping or stay in an RV or cabin. Others put up some sort of sukkah outside and just eat meals in it.

Pray and see what the Creator is calling you to!

I've always wondered about staying in a camper/RV. It seems a tent may be more appropriate.

I mean a tent is definitely going to be closer to how the Israelites lived in the desert. But I applaud anyone making an effort at a temporary shelter during the Feast of Tabernacles!

Should we still offer sacrifices?

If you are a believer in the Messiah then no animal sacrifice is needed! More on that in this post.

Minimalist supplies on a budget - what can we make or thrift?

Pretty much anything! Greenery from your yard is festive and free. Decorates with apples, pumpkins, etc. and enjoy them later. Thrifted curtains are an inexpensive way to make an unconventional sukkah. Use pretty dishes, candles, and tablecloths that you already have. Inexpensive balloons and streamers add a lot of festivity to a space.

If you have a menorah the feasts are the perfect time to light it up!

Also check out free printables from my blog and Torah Sisters.

Where can I find feast printables?

We fall for the fall feasts.

Happy Yom Teruah!

Yom Teruah printable card.

Ephesians 1:7 Printable for Yom Kippur.

Palm Frond, Myrtle, Citron, and Willow.

Any books you'd recommend for perspectives on how to begin?

Edward Chumney's The Seven Festivals of the Messiah was so eye-opening to me when I was learning about these set apart times. He shares historic and prophetic significance of each feast as well as practical ideas for your celebrations.

Books for kids?

Definitely would recommend The Special Days by Danielle Kerr!

Favorite Messianic resources to teach/involve young kids?

Bible Pathway Adventures has some great stuff for kids!

Do you do traditional prayers and blessings?

I do not. Unfortunately many of the traditional blessings contain Biblical untruths (such as YHWH commanding candles to be lit on the Sabbath and Yom Kippur, no such instruction is found in Scripture). Traditional blessings and prayers can be lovely guidelines, but make sure what you're saying fits with your best understanding of what Scripture says!

I know it's not a feast but do you observe Hanukkah as well?

I personally do not. It's easier for my family and friends to accept that I don't do Christmas because it's not in the Bible, if I'm not doing other holidays that aren't in Scripture. More on that in this post.

How do you share with others about the Biblical holidays?

I find that sharing my experiences with the set apart times and how many faith has grown because of them puts people at ease.

Most people are receptive to the historic and prophetic significance of the feasts, and these topics tend to spark interest rather than debate or offense.

Try starting from these angles, rather than a message of "you're doing faith wrong," or cultural holidays being pagan. Sharing the facts and personal joys offers opportunity for them to learn more, rather than just hearing they are doing something else wrong.

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Honoring Yom Kippur as a Believer in Messiah
8 Things Scripture Says About the Feast of Tabernacles