G-d's Feasts & Gentile Christian Holidays
The Feasts of the L-rd found in Leviticus 23 prove to be an in-depth, independent study, revealing that the physical commands within the Tanak are spiritually fulfilled in the Brit Chadasha. Discussion here is limited for the purpose of this booklet. (Origins of gentile Christian holidays also qualify as an independent study.)
Leviticus 23:1,4 The L-rd said to Moses, Announce to the people of Israel that they are to celebrate several annual festivals of the L-rd, times when all Israel will assemble and worship Me. ...These are the holy festivals which are to be observed each year.
The seven Feasts of Israel are the L-rds Feasts which He commanded His people to celebrate annually so that they would remember what He had done for them. The first season of feasts begins with the Pesach (Passover) celebration, a time that commemorates HaShem's miraculous deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt. In making the connection between the physical Passover of the Old and the spiritual Passover of the New, G-d's plan of salvation is readily evident: Just as the Jewish people were set free from physical slavery in Egypt, they can also be set free from the slavery of sin through the atoning blood sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua.
Exodus 23:14-17 There are three annual religious pilgrimages you must make. The first is the Pilgrimage of Unleavened Bread ..then there is the Harvest Pilgrimage ...And finally the Pilgrimage of Ingathering at the end of the harvest season. At these three times each year, every man in Israel shall appear before the L-rd G-d.
Immediately following Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins and lasts for seven days. During this seven day period the Feast of First Fruits occurs. It is in the coming together of these three Feasts that the Messiah is made known.
Passover: Yeshua became our Passover Lamb; His blood sacrifice being the acceptable atonement for our sin (Leviticus 1:1-8, 17:11) opened the gates of heaven to ALL who believe in Him (John 3:16).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Leaven is used to represent the concept of sin throughout scripture; it is this feast that at first pointed to, and now celebrates, the fact that Yeshua was without sin or blemish.
The Feast of First Fruits: Yeshua is the first man to be permanently resurrected; as the Messiah, He is the first fruit of all who will follow. (Isaiah 53:11)
The last of the spring feasts is known as The Harvest Pilgrimage: This pilgrimage is also known as Shavuot or Pentecost. The description of this Feast found in Leviticus 23:15-19 correlates precisely with its spiritual fulfillment in Acts 2. The promised Comforter, spoken of in John 14:15-17, is revealed through the arrival of the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit).
The season of fall holidays begins with Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah), followed by Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and finally, The Pilgrimage of Ingathering: This pilgrimage is also known as Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles.
Within the three Pilgrim Feasts (Unleavened Bread, Harvest/Shavuot, and Ingathering/Sukkot) the Tri-unity of G-d is revealed: HaShem, Yeshua, and the Ruach haKodesh are the three who make up Adonai Echad. As the Brit Chadasha illustrates, the first two feasts have been fulfilled. In accordance with scripture, it is during the last Pilgrim Feast when the L-rd will return to dwell among (or "tabernacle" with) His people.
Anyone refusing to be in Jerusalem during these three moedim (appointed times) would miss that which G-d gave. Likewise, gentile Christians who do not understand
G-ds purposes in the Feasts miss the complete picture and richness of who G-d is. Gentile Christians who are confined to the New Covenant are as incomplete as Jewish people who are confined to the Old Covenant.
Isaiah 66:3-4 But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed. ...for when I called them, they refused to answer, and when I spoke to them, they would not hear. Instead, they did wrong before my eyes, and chose what they knew I despised.
Matthew 15:3, 8-9 [Yeshua] replied, And why do your traditions violate the direct commandments of G-d? ...these people say they honor me, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from G-d."
There is room for variety of expression while maintaining Biblical teachings. However, One in Spirit does not mean that we are free to practice any way we wish; rather, faith in the Word of G-d should guide practices according to the word of G-d. Scripture tells us that the L-rds Feasts are a commandment to be celebrated every year; that the King of the Jews is also the King of the Gentiles; that Gentiles CONVERT, being grafted into the Hebrew faith. Which holidays, then, should gentile Christians be celebrating? Through which holidays are the Jewish people most likely to see Messiah, wanting for themselves what gentile Christians have? In speaking of how His people would know the truth of His Messiahship, Yeshua said: ...but no further proof will be given except the miracle that has happened to Jonah. -Matthew 16:4
Today, gentile Christians celebrate the Messiah's sacrifice under the title "Easter," the name of a pagan goddess. Is there any justification in celebrating our Savior's death and resurrection under that kind of title, or in such a way? Jonah spent three days and three nights inside the whale. Are there three days and three nights from Good Friday to Easter Sunday? It is impossible, then, for Jewish people to see Messiah in the Easter holiday. In celebrating the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah, gentile Christians are actually celebrating a fulfilled Passover. The Easter holiday does not attest to this.
Deuteronomy 32:21 ...Now I in turn will make them jealous by giving my affections to the foolish gentile nations of the world.
Romans 10:19 ...G-d had said that He would make His people jealous and try to wake them up by giving His salvation to the foolish heathen nations.
While the Great Commission of sharing the Good News with the world is being carried out with much success, the Jewish people have, for the most part, been set aside. Too much from pagan culture has been adapted and plays a significant role in gentile Christian holidays. Messiah cannot be seen in these things, therefore, the Jewish people have not been "provoked to jealousy" according to scripture. Again, practice of faith as instructed in the Book is a key element in accomplishing what G-d intends.
Leviticus 23:1,4 The L-rd said to Moses, Announce to the people of Israel that they are to celebrate several annual festivals of the L-rd, times when all Israel will assemble and worship Me. ...These are the holy festivals which are to be observed each year.
The seven Feasts of Israel are the L-rds Feasts which He commanded His people to celebrate annually so that they would remember what He had done for them. The first season of feasts begins with the Pesach (Passover) celebration, a time that commemorates HaShem's miraculous deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt. In making the connection between the physical Passover of the Old and the spiritual Passover of the New, G-d's plan of salvation is readily evident: Just as the Jewish people were set free from physical slavery in Egypt, they can also be set free from the slavery of sin through the atoning blood sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua.
Exodus 23:14-17 There are three annual religious pilgrimages you must make. The first is the Pilgrimage of Unleavened Bread ..then there is the Harvest Pilgrimage ...And finally the Pilgrimage of Ingathering at the end of the harvest season. At these three times each year, every man in Israel shall appear before the L-rd G-d.
Immediately following Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins and lasts for seven days. During this seven day period the Feast of First Fruits occurs. It is in the coming together of these three Feasts that the Messiah is made known.
Passover: Yeshua became our Passover Lamb; His blood sacrifice being the acceptable atonement for our sin (Leviticus 1:1-8, 17:11) opened the gates of heaven to ALL who believe in Him (John 3:16).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread: Leaven is used to represent the concept of sin throughout scripture; it is this feast that at first pointed to, and now celebrates, the fact that Yeshua was without sin or blemish.
The Feast of First Fruits: Yeshua is the first man to be permanently resurrected; as the Messiah, He is the first fruit of all who will follow. (Isaiah 53:11)
The last of the spring feasts is known as The Harvest Pilgrimage: This pilgrimage is also known as Shavuot or Pentecost. The description of this Feast found in Leviticus 23:15-19 correlates precisely with its spiritual fulfillment in Acts 2. The promised Comforter, spoken of in John 14:15-17, is revealed through the arrival of the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit).
The season of fall holidays begins with Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah), followed by Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and finally, The Pilgrimage of Ingathering: This pilgrimage is also known as Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles.
Within the three Pilgrim Feasts (Unleavened Bread, Harvest/Shavuot, and Ingathering/Sukkot) the Tri-unity of G-d is revealed: HaShem, Yeshua, and the Ruach haKodesh are the three who make up Adonai Echad. As the Brit Chadasha illustrates, the first two feasts have been fulfilled. In accordance with scripture, it is during the last Pilgrim Feast when the L-rd will return to dwell among (or "tabernacle" with) His people.
Anyone refusing to be in Jerusalem during these three moedim (appointed times) would miss that which G-d gave. Likewise, gentile Christians who do not understand
G-ds purposes in the Feasts miss the complete picture and richness of who G-d is. Gentile Christians who are confined to the New Covenant are as incomplete as Jewish people who are confined to the Old Covenant.
Isaiah 66:3-4 But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed. ...for when I called them, they refused to answer, and when I spoke to them, they would not hear. Instead, they did wrong before my eyes, and chose what they knew I despised.
Matthew 15:3, 8-9 [Yeshua] replied, And why do your traditions violate the direct commandments of G-d? ...these people say they honor me, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from G-d."
There is room for variety of expression while maintaining Biblical teachings. However, One in Spirit does not mean that we are free to practice any way we wish; rather, faith in the Word of G-d should guide practices according to the word of G-d. Scripture tells us that the L-rds Feasts are a commandment to be celebrated every year; that the King of the Jews is also the King of the Gentiles; that Gentiles CONVERT, being grafted into the Hebrew faith. Which holidays, then, should gentile Christians be celebrating? Through which holidays are the Jewish people most likely to see Messiah, wanting for themselves what gentile Christians have? In speaking of how His people would know the truth of His Messiahship, Yeshua said: ...but no further proof will be given except the miracle that has happened to Jonah. -Matthew 16:4
Today, gentile Christians celebrate the Messiah's sacrifice under the title "Easter," the name of a pagan goddess. Is there any justification in celebrating our Savior's death and resurrection under that kind of title, or in such a way? Jonah spent three days and three nights inside the whale. Are there three days and three nights from Good Friday to Easter Sunday? It is impossible, then, for Jewish people to see Messiah in the Easter holiday. In celebrating the atoning sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah, gentile Christians are actually celebrating a fulfilled Passover. The Easter holiday does not attest to this.
Deuteronomy 32:21 ...Now I in turn will make them jealous by giving my affections to the foolish gentile nations of the world.
Romans 10:19 ...G-d had said that He would make His people jealous and try to wake them up by giving His salvation to the foolish heathen nations.
While the Great Commission of sharing the Good News with the world is being carried out with much success, the Jewish people have, for the most part, been set aside. Too much from pagan culture has been adapted and plays a significant role in gentile Christian holidays. Messiah cannot be seen in these things, therefore, the Jewish people have not been "provoked to jealousy" according to scripture. Again, practice of faith as instructed in the Book is a key element in accomplishing what G-d intends.