Why Keep The Feast Days (Or Holy Days)? |
Dates of the Feast Days |
We believe that all of God's law to keep mankind from evil was given after the fall. This law was known but not recorded until Moses. God specified additional statutes to explain in greater detail the observance of the commandments (Malachi 4:4). The most significant statutes were the yearly sabbaths to add to the observance of the weekly sabbath (Leviticus 23:1-2). Yahweh's Annual Sabbaths (Appointed Times or Feast Days). The Appointed Times (Feast Days) are found in Leviticus 23. There are seven annual Appointed Times, each of which were given to Moses by Yahweh. Yahshua and the Apostles all observed them. (Shouldn't we?)The Sacred Festival have been ordained by God at creation week according to Gen. 1:14 and were given to Israel to be as a holy convocation, a memorial of their deliverance from Egypt. These Festivals have been changed and twisted by the Little Horn, according to Daniel 7:25, known as the whore of Revelation 17, that the Festivals that the Little Horn had created are not God's Feasts but they are now Man's Feasts, a counterfeit of what God had ordained. Though these feast had a sacrifice of a lamb the sacrificial system was what was done away with for Yahshua is the true Lamb of God. The Passover symbolizes our acceptance of the body and blood of Yahshua, spilled and broken for us. By searching our hearts and washing one another’s feet, we remember Yahshua’s humble example of service. The Israelites kept Passover and the other Feasts as a commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt and pointing to Yahshua and to the promises of God, then us as the New Testament Israel today keeping the Passover and the other Feasts commemorates our deliverance out of this world of sin into the heavenly Canaan and points to the second coming of Yahshua and to God's promises, keeping these Feasts centered on Yahshua (or Christ-centered). All according to Gen. 1:14; Luke 21:25; Isa. 66:22-23; Luke 21:25; Gen. 1:11-13; Gen. 1:14; Psa. 104:19; Lev. 23; 1 Cor. 5:7; Gen. 15:13-14; Exd. 12:41-42; Luke 22:15-16; John 1:29; Rom. 3:1-2; Gal. 3:16; 1 Cor. 5:7; Luke 22:16; Mark 2:32; Lev. 23:32; Luke 22:15-16; Luke 22:16; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; John 6:53,54; Phil. 1:6; 1 Cor. 15:20-23; John 12:24; Lev. 23:11; Matt 27:52-53; John 20:17-19; Acts 2:1,4; Acts 2:36-39; Acts 5:32; Eze. 36:27; Joel 2:23; Acts 2:16-21; Rev. 11:15; Matt. 12:36; Rev. 22:11-12; Acts 17:30-31; Heb. 9:24-28; Rev. 11:18-19; Rev. 15:5-8; Eze. 28:14-19; Rev. 20:15; Matt. 13:30; Rev. 14:14-20; Rev. 20:9; Zech. 14:16; Lev. 23:39-42; Rev. 21; Rev. 22; Rev. 21:4; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Matt 6:9-10; 1 Cor. 5:7; Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Daniel 7:25.
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When Did We Start Keeping The Feast? |
The Feast Day Chapter |
There is no clear Scripture stating that the festivals were observed since the time of Creation, however there is plenty of evidence to indicate that the festivals were part of God’s original plan. The practice of the festivals most definitely predates the giving of the law to Moses at Sinai. Genesis 1:14 (NKJV): “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” Unless someone points it out to you, it is very unlikely that you will see the significance of this text in terms of the festivals. The word ‘seasons’ in Genesis 1:14 is the Hebrew word moed, which in the Bible refers to feast or festival: periods of time rather than the seasons we know in the nonequatorial world as spring, summer, winter and fall. A deeper meaning of this text now becomes clearer. God’s Word is telling us that He will use the heavenly bodies for signs and moed (festivals). In Luke 21:25, Jesus says “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars…” to indicate the timing of His return. The concept of observing new moons may raise hackles on Christians unfamiliar with this practice in the Bible. In the simplest interpretation, new moons mark the beginning of each Biblical month. We therefore must refer to the new moons to properly mark the dates of the festivals. Isaiah 66:22-23 (NKJV): “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh come to worship before Me, says the Lord.” The following is taken from the margin notes found on the NET Bible (net.bible.org) and clarifies the word ‘signs’ in Luke 21:25: “The text has ‘for signs and for seasons and for days and years.’ It seems likely that ‘signs’ is the main idea, followed by two categories, ‘seasons’, and ‘days and years’. This is the simplest explanation, and one that matches verses 11-13. It could even be rendered ‘signs for the fixed seasons’ [in Hebrew, vav ו [for days and years.’ Let them be for signs. The point is that the sun and the moon were important to fix the days for the seasonal celebrations for the worshiping community.” This quote uses Genesis 1:11-13 to explain the meaning of Genesis 1:14, “Let them be for signs and seasons…” A study of the heavenly bodies reveals that the sun, moon, and stars are God’s jewels in His clock that He set in the heavens at creation. The heavenly bodies are the second, minute, and hour hands on God’s universal timepiece. In fact, this celestial clock is so accurate that we can know the exact time of day by where the sun is on the horizon. We can know the time of the month by the phase of the moon (one complete cycle of the moon equals one Biblical month). We know the time of year by the sun’s angle on the horizon and by the positioning of the different constellations we can see overhead. The waxing and waning of the moon determines the span of the month. The new month begins at the new moon and ends at its disappearance. This is how the timing of the festivals is calculated. Each appointed time is calculated from the new moon. The total number of annual holy days is seven; God’s number for completeness. God has a plan. All of the appointed times (moed; feasts) are timed from the first new moon of the year (Abib) and follow the moon cycle throughout the remainder of the year. Each feast falls on a specified day following a particular new moon. Now we can see why God “appointed the moon for seasons [festivals]…” (Psalm 104:19). It is the second hand on the celestial clock He set in the heavens at creation. Without the new moon it would be very difficult to know the exact timing of the festivals.
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Leviticus 23 is best described as, and is often called, the “Holy Day Chapter.” It contains a brief description of each of God’s seven annual Holy Days—also called Feasts or Sabbaths, which we will see are interchangeable terms throughout the chapter. We will later examine the meaning of these days. Notice: “And YAHWEH spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the FEASTS OF YAHWEH, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations [commanded assemblies], even these are MY FEASTS” (vs. 1-2). Verse 3 introduces the weekly Sabbath as one of God’s Feasts: “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the SABBATH of rest, an holy convocation; you shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the YAHWEH in all your dwellings.” Verse 4 introduces the rest of God’s Feasts: “These are the FEASTS OF YAHWEH, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.” With one exception, Feasts and Sabbaths are the same thing. Verse 5 reveals the first of God’s Feasts: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s PASSOVER.” Next, we see that the seven Days of Unleavened Bread are introduced. On these days, beginning the day after the Passover, the Israelites were required to eat unleavened bread: “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD unto the LORD: seven days you must eat unleavened bread…in the SEVENTH DAY is an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein” (vs. 6, 8). The first and seventh days are both Holy Days. Verses 9-22 give a more detailed description of the next Feast Day, called Firstfruits—or Pentecost, because one must count fifty days from the weekly Sabbath during Unleavened Bread to determine when it should be kept. This day was observed in the late spring. Now read: “…it shall be a STATUTE FOREVER throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days…You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the FIRSTFRUITS unto the YAHWEH” (vs. 14-17). Verse 21 explains that the Feast of Firstfruits is a commanded assembly and repeats for emphasis that it was ordained by God forever: “And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a STATUTE FOREVER in all your dwellings throughout your generations.” This passage includes a second emphasis by God about the permanent establishment of these days so that none can misunderstand what “forever” means. Notice that Israel was to keep these days “throughout your generations” (also repeated twice). There are still generations of Israel alive on Earth today. The fall season includes the last four annual Holy Days, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets: “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of TRUMPETS, a holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein” (vs. 24-25). Next comes the Day of Atonement, which is an annual Sabbath, but not a Feast Day. This was because no food or drink was permitted: “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a DAY OF ATONEMENT: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls [go without food or drink]…you shall do no work…for it is a DAY OF ATONEMENT, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God…it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall you celebrate your Sabbath” (vs. 27-28, 31-32). Once again, the Day of Atonement was commanded to be observed “forever” and “throughout your generations.” Five days after the Day of Atonement is the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasts seven days and is followed by the Last Great Day, referred to here as “the eighth day.” Verses 34-36 describe these Feasts: “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the FEAST OF TABERNACLES for seven days unto the YAHWEH. On the FIRST DAY shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein…on the EIGHTH DAY shall be a holy convocation unto you…it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein.” This chapter describes seven Feasts and seven annual Holy Days. Passover is a Feast but not a Holy Day. Atonement is a Holy Day but obviously not a Feast Day, because no food or drink is permitted. Verses 40-43 further describe the Feast of Tabernacles and what God intended Israel to learn from observing it: “And you shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And you shall keep it a Feast unto the YAHWEH seven days in the year. It shall be a STATUTE FOREVER in your generations: you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths [temporary dwellings] seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I [God] made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the YAHWEH your God.” Let’s take a moment to summarize. Including verse 41, God states four times that His Feasts were ordained forever! Twice He declares they were to be observed throughout Israel’s generations. God is most serious about obedience to them, because verses 29-30 state that anyone who did not obey them would be “cut off”—“destroyed”—put to death! Verses 37-38, 44 reiterate, “These are the FEASTS OF YAHWEH” and are “the SABBATHS OF YAHWEH.” (Verse 39 explains that the first day of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day are also “Sabbaths.”) These are not the “Jew’s feasts” or “Israel’s feasts,” as some who are dishonest with the Scriptures assert. Get this firmly in your mind. These Holy Days are GOD’S Sabbaths—they are Feasts of YAHWEH!
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What About Galatians 4:9-10? |
What About Colossians 2:14-16 |
Some opponents of the Holy Days cite this scripture to prove that the Holy Days were condemned by Paul. Here is what he wrote to the Galatians: “But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years.” (Galatians 4:9-10)
Does this passage really condemn keeping the Holy Days and the Sabbath? Many deceived ministers teach that the Galatians were returning to Holy Day and Sabbath observance. This is impossible! The Galatians were Gentiles and had never kept any of God’s days, or even heard of the true God before their calling. They could not return to what they had never known or practiced in the first place! Also, read Leviticus 19:26 and Deuteronomy 18:9-10 to see that God strongly condemned keeping days, times, etc! These were humanly devised “sabbaths” and “holy days.” In Leviticus 23 and Ezekiel 20, God speaks of “My Sabbaths” and “My Feasts.” At the same time, throughout the Old Testament, He consistently condemns Israel for rebellion and for observing “your days,” “your sabbaths” and “your feasts” instead (Isa. 1:13-14; Hos. 2:11; Amos 8:10, etc.). Nowhere does God command the observance of months. Colossians 2:8 and 20-22 show that the “weak and beggarly elements” (also referenced there) are philosophical forms of will-worship and self-denial commonly found in certain parts of the world. The word “rudiments” (Col. 2:8) is the same word translated “elements” here in Galatians, and has nothing to do with God’s Sabbath or Holy Days. Throughout the world, almost all Gentile cultures observe numerous heathen days and times, etc. For example, in Paul’s time, one-third of all Greek and Roman days were designated as “unlawful for judicial and…business [matters]…on which the state expected the citizenry to abstain, as far as possible, from their private business and labor.” They also set aside specific days and months for the purpose of honoring their many gods: April and October were dedicated to Apollo; February and June were dedicated to Zeus; Artemis was also worshipped in April; Bacchus in January. Upon conversion, the Galatians forsook these many festivals, in order to worship the true God “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). In conclusion, the Galatians were forsaking Sabbath and Holy Day keeping and turning back—returning—to pagan festivals, commonly observed in ancient Greece and Rome, where many Gentile converts lived, not the other way around. |
Opponents of the Holy Days invariably justify their position by citing Colossians 2:16-17, which states, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” Does this state that no one can tell Christians whether they are right or wrong regarding clean and unclean meats, Holy Day observance, Sabbath-keeping, etc.? This scripture is quoted by nearly all “churchianity” in an attempt to prove this. But the real meaning of these verses is that Christians should not let people arbitrarily judge their conduct. Only the Church (Col. 1:18)—“the body of Christ” (2:17)—can do this. Notice that the word “is” is italicized. This means that it was not in the original Greek text. By adding it, translators blurred the true meaning of this passage. The phrase “in meat, or in drink” (vs. 16), translated from the Greek phrase en broosei ay en posei, meaning “in eating or in drinking.” Some ascetics in Colosse were teaching that self-denial and will-worship (vs. 20-22) were God’s Way. (See Galatians 4:9-10 inset.) Notice that the first phrase in verse 17 uses the present tense in reference to the Sabbath, Holy Days, etc. It says, in effect, “these days are [not were] a [fore]shadow of things to come.” Christians know that the Sabbath and Holy Days picture the Plan of God, which certainly involves many “things to come.” Verse 18 is a final warning to Christians not to let anyone trick them about these important issues—because it is only the Church that was to judge them (vs. 17, end). Like the Galatians, the Colossians were Gentiles. They had never known God’s Way, and had not previously kept His Holy Days or Sabbath. In no way do these scriptures do away with God’s laws, Sabbaths or Holy Days! In fact, the Colossians were being criticized by unconverted Gentiles because they were keeping His laws—because they were observing God’s Sabbath and Holy Days!
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