Contrary to what most Seveneth-day Adventist have been taught by their religious teachers, Christ and the apostles not only continued celebrating the seventh-day sabbath after the cross of Calvary but they likewise continued celebrating all of the annual festivals listed in Leviticus 23 as well. Also, it is worthy to note that none of Messiah's feasts have such a strong and repetitive emphasis in the New Testaments era as the feast of Passover and the the feast of unleavened bread. I find it to be eerily strange how the very festival that most of us Adventists believe was done away with in Christ is the very feast that the apostle Paul teaches to continue celebrating. (1Corinthians 5:8)
This article will focus our attention upon several pre and post resurrection passages of Scripture that deal directly with Passover, the Messiah's last supper and the feast of unleavened bread. It will also demonstrate that the feast of unleavened bread was celebrated long before Israel's Exodus from Egypt by Abraham and Lot. This article will also demonstrate that the feast of Passover and unleavened bread are repeatedly commented upon by the apostle Paul throughout his writings to the exclusion of other feasts because Paul understood that in order to experience the peace of God we must observe the feast of unleavened bread in spirit and in truth, not as men pleasers who try to impress each other with religious pretences but as new creatures in Christ who live in accordance with God's moral standard as pictured by the blameless, unleavened life of Messiah.
High Points of This Article
1. The annual festivals are part of God's eternal moral code and preexist the exodus from Egypt.
2. Jesus kept the feast of unleavened bread both before and after the cross.
3.
Paul kept the feast of Passover and unleavened bread with his gentile converts after his conversion.
4. We need to be willing to suffer with Messiah for standing for the feast days if we expect to enter the kingdom of God.
5. The sacrificial cult of dead animal sacrifices offered in the temple in Jerusalem have been replaced by the reasonable service of offering our bodies a living sacrifice in our home countries with the heavenly temple in view.
6. God promises to forget the children of those who forget to observe His holy appointments in time which are a critical facet of God's eternal moral government.
7. Colossians 2:16 clarified
8. People that hate God's appointed feast days hate God. They despise identity with the spiritual fathers that observed the feast days and will receive the curse of God spoken of in Malachi 4:6. They will also receive the plagues of Revelation 16.
PASSOVER HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED YET
To start with I would like to call your attention to the words of Christ Himself.
"For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Luke 22:16
This passages proves that contrary to what most theologians and Bible teachers teach, Jesus here tells us in very plain language that Passover and the feast of unleavened bread will not be **fulfilled** until he celebrates it with us in the kingdom of heaven. So according to Christ's own words there is no wiggle room to conclude otherwise than that Passover has NOT been fulfilled yet.
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body." Matthew 26:26
"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."
1 Corinthians 11:24
In these two verses we see that unleavened bred symbolizes the sinless body of Messiah and throughout the week of the feast of unleavened bread we have the privilege and duty of eating this symbolic bread which is to remind us that Messiah came to set us free from the burden of sin through the power of His precious blood. Also, we can and should have meetings during this feast and praise and worship gatherings together where we study deeply the word of God expecting Messiah to dwell with us through His Spirit guiding us into all truth.
Yahuwah knows that we all desperately need Him to feed us unleavened loaves of the purest doctrine of sincerity and truth throughout the entire week. This unleavened doctrine is necessary and not an optional diet for those that are marching in Yahuwah's army! We must eat this unleavened food in order to be fortified for the arduous task of marching decidedly out of the great darkness of spiritual Babylon. Each day of the feast of unleavened bread we should all be partaking of healthy portions of the unadulterated truth of God's word without any leavening of the modern Pharisees that would have us believe either
1. That Christ came to abolish His holy feast days entirely or
2. That Christ never came to die for our sins in the first place.
Either way, if Satan succeeds in getting us to believe either of these lies we will be on the broad path that leads to eternal death and destruction rather than on the narrow path that leads us to eternal life. Any amount of leavening of the Pharisees doctrine will take us away from the simplicity of the Gospel and eventually, if not surrendered and completely forsaken will work in our souls as a deadly venom stealing the eternal life force that only Christ can give us freely when we walk with Him in humble obedience.
JESUS BLESSED THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD AFTER HIS RESURRECTION
"And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them." Luke 24:30
Here in Luke 24:30 Yahushua/Jesus gave us a wonderful, liberating example in his resurrected body in the new covenant era. Here Jesus made it certain that he did not lie when he said in Matthew 5:17-19 that he did not come "to abolish the law". Jesus here shows us by example that we are to continue celebrating the feast of unleavened bread after we die to self, are baptized and resurrected in newness of life.
Notice in this story that Messiah blessed the unleavened bread that was placed before Him by His hosts rather than cursing it as so many deceived pastors and religious leaders do when we inform them that Jesus did not come to abolish the feast days. AMAZING!
Here is some commentary on this event taken from Ellen G. White's book called Desire of Ages p 800.4.
"The simple evening meal of bread is soon prepared. It is placed before the guest, who has taken His seat at the head of the table. Now He puts forth His hands to bless the food. The disciples start back in astonishment. Their companion spreads forth His hands in exactly the same way as their Master used to do. They look again, and lo, they see in His hands the print of nails. Both exclaim at once, It is the Lord Jesus! He has risen from the dead!"
Oh what an exciting moment that must have been!! The two disciples suddenly realized that the Man whom they had been conversing with all along the road to Emmaus was the very Man that they loved and who they had so recently seen die on the cross!! And how wonderful for us today to realize that this same Man, Yahushua blessed the unleavened bread that his disciples served Him thereby setting an example for all of us to follow in the new covenant era.
I would like to share a couple more paragraphs from Sister White from the periodical called Signs of the Times that gives incredible insights into this event.
"After the crucifixion of our Lord, two of his disciples were traveling towards Emmaus, and as they walked together, they noticed a man toiling along the road with them; but they had no thought that it was their risen Lord. Jesus drew near, and joined himself to them, and asked, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” And they answered: “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and has not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went; and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? ... Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.” – {ST July 25, 1892 Par. 3}
What was it that made their hearts burn within them as they talked by the way?—It was the illumination of the Holy Spirit. When we take hold of the Scriptures as truth, the word will kindle within us the love of God, and our hearts will burn within us. Have we not experienced this when we have studied the word of God? Have we not found out that faith in the word of God brought gladness to the heart? We need to be touched with the enthusiasm that is kindled by love of God in the heart. Why is it that we do not manifest more of this enthusiasm in the service of God?—It is because those who profess to love God do not serve him with undivided heart. – {ST July 25, 1892 Par. 4}
Christ has said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” No man can serve two masters. No matter how long you have been a Christian, if you do not seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, you do not know Christ or the power of God. If you do not make the service of God your first business, you commit robbery toward God. The question you should ask your soul is: “What right have I to rob God of intelligent service? What right have I to take God’s gifts of strength and intellect and devote them simply to advancement of self?” You may have a position of trust and responsibility, and be crowded with work and care, but should you permit yourself to be so burdened that you cannot take time to understand what is your relation to God? Jesus says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” Then of what benefit are you to your fellow-men unless you have a connection with Christ? When you become absorbed in the temporal things of life, eternal things are dropped out of your reckoning, and because of your interest in the fleeting things of earth, you rob God of your ability to serve him in sending the gospel to all the world. “Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up.” {ST July 25, 1892 Par. 5}
Directly related to the Passover is to be celebrated the feast of unleavened bread from Abid 15 to 21. For seven days all Israelites including those gentiles that have been grafted in among Israel are commanded to eat unleavened bread in all their dwellings and no leaven is to be found in their homes (Exodus 12:17-20, 34; Leviticus 23:6-8).
As with the Passover, this feast commemorates the night when the children of Israel left Egypt-in haste. It also commemorates Christ's death on the cross to deliver all mankind from the bondage of sin (leavening). The first and last days of this seven-day period are Sabbaths but not always the seventh-day Sabbath. This is one of the three pilgrimage feasts when the Israelites left their homes and traveled to the sanctuary (Deuteronomy 16:10).
In the new testament we see that Paul taught his converts to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread in their home countries rather than in Jerusalem because he desired that their focus was to remain upon Christ in the heavenly temple in the new Jerusalem instead of focusing upon the earthly temple in old Jerusalem and the earthly priesthood which was only a shadow of good things to come.
The Apostle Paul noted the typological significance of this feast: Leaven in this feast symbolized sin, which Christians are to purge out, thus through the power of Christ's perfect sacrifice and sinless life we symbolically become a "new lump" in Messiah. 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
In Acts 20:6 it is recorded that Paul celebrated the feast of unleavened bread with his Gentile Philippian converts in Philippi rather than in Jerusalem.
Acts 20:6 "And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days."
Sister White's commentary fills in some details about this particular gathering. Below quote was taken from her book Acts of the Apostles.
"At Philippi Paul tarried to keep the Passover. Only Luke remained with him, the other members of the company passing on to Troas to await him there. The Philippians were the most loving and truehearted of the apostle’s converts, and during the eight days of the feast he enjoyed peaceful and happy communion with them." – {AA 390.4}
It is so liberating for me personally to consider that Paul instructed his Gentile believers to observe Passover and the feast of unleavened bread in their own nation rather than in Jerusalem. Some have speculated that Paul only kept the Passover in Philippi because he was trying to influence the Jewish people to accept Christ and to become all things to all men that he might win some but a careful study of ancient Philippi reveals that there was no Jewish presence or synagogue in the city of Philippi. The Truhearted people of Philippi were Gentile believers who met down at the river side for prayer and worship as there was not even a synagogue in that city. Acts 16:13
Later, when Paul wrote to the Philippians to exhort and encourage them in the faith he reminded them to twice to follow his example.
"Brothers and sisters, imitate me, and pay attention to those who live by the example we have given you."
Philippians 3:17
"Practice what you've learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:9
From these passages we understand why Paul celebrated the feast of Passover and unleavened bread with his Gentile converts after the resurrection of Christ. Paul desired that the Philippians would enjoy the peace that only obedience to Messiah can bring.
Now we will dig into some passages from Exodus that explain that celebrating the feast of unleavened bread is not just an ancient celebration for the Jews but is a direct commandment of God not to be forgotten or despised in the new Covenant era as some type of religious relic.
"Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, **as I commanded thee**, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)"
Exodus 23:15
"The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, **as I commanded thee**, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt." Exodus 34:18
The remnant spoken of in Revelation are identified as commandment keepers and seeing as how Paul understood the commandments of God better than just about anyone he must have been familiar with and likely even committed to memory the entire Torah or the book of Moses. Paul understood that the Passover and the feast of unleavened were not only statutes or ceremonial laws to be done away with when Christ died upon the cross but Paul understood through a deep understanding of Moses that the celebration of Passover and the feast of unleavened bread were perpetual commandments of God and were to be celebrated in every generation as long as time should last. This is why Paul instructed his converts to celebrate these commanded, monumental and prophetic celebrations.
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Revelation 12:17
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Revelation 14:12
With these verses in mind how can we as Seventh-day Adventists boast of being the remnant church spoken of in Revelation while we ignore and teach people not to keep the commanded feast of unleavened bread?
FEAST DAYS FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION
Now I want to address a common belief that many Seventh-day Adventists use to oppose the celebrating of God's feast days. Many teach that the feasts and God's holy day calendar did not exist from the beginning of creation as did the weekly sabbath day and that this proves that we no longer need to bother celebrating God's calendar of holy days. This argument might sound good on the surface but it does not take much digging into the book of Genesis to dismantle this belief. We will now demonstrate that the feast days existed from the beginning of time and can be traced all the way back to the throne room of God along with the plan of salvation.
Let's now examine a few passages of Genesis, namely Genesis 1:14, 18:6, 19:3 and 26:5.
GENESIS 1:14 IN FOUR TRANSLATIONS
King James Bible
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons<4150>, and for days, and years:
New International Version
And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years.
GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs and will mark religious festivals, days, and years.
Three of the translations quoted make it plain that the lights in the sky were created to mark religious festivals.
We will now examine the Hebrew word "moed" which is Strong's concordance Hebrew word number <4150> translated in the King James Bible as "seasons".
The KJV translates Strong's H4150 in the following manner:
congregation (150x), feast (23x), season (13x), appointed (12x), time (12x), assembly (4x), solemnity (4x), solemn (2x), days (1x), sign (1x), synagogues (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
appointed place, appointed time, meeting
appointed time
appointed time (general)
sacred season, set feast, appointed season
appointed meeting
appointed place
appointed sign or signal
tent of meeting
Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
מוֹעֵד môwʻêd, mo-ade'; or מֹעֵד môʻêd; or (feminine) מוֹעָדָה môwʻâdâh; (2 Chronicles 8:13), from H3259; properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand):—appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed).
From closely examining the Hebrew word moed <4150> translated as the word "seasons" in the King James Version we see that the "seasons" being referenced here are actually a direct reference to the predetermined appointments in time that God Almighty set for religious feast day gatherings and holy convocations from the beginning of time before the creation week was finished and on the third day of creation week.
ABRAHAM AND LOT OBSERVE THE FEAST OF UNLEVENED BREAD
Next let's examine Genesis 18:6
King James Version
"And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth."
We see here that when the angels visited Abraham, Abraham told Sarah to "make ready quickly three measures of meal". Seeing that leavened bread takes time to ferment and rise we can safely conclude with out any speculation whatsoever that the bread Sarah served the angels was unleavened bread. Please keep this in mind when we consider that Lot likewise fed unleavened bread to the same visiting angels the night before Sodom was destroyed.
Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
It's not a happenstance that both patriarchs Abraham and Lot fed unleavened bread to their angelic visitors. The reason they both served unleavened bread to the visiting angels is because the visit took place during the feast of unleavened bread. In fact, the famous Jewish biblical commentator Rashi tells us that this event occurred during the feast of unleavened bread.
Also we need to consider that Genesis 26:5 tells us that Abraham kept God's "commandments, statutes and laws". Leviticus 23 tells us four times that feast days are statutes. (Lev 23:14, 21, 31, 41) So for us to teach that Abraham kept the statutes except for the feast day statutes is not true.
Genesis 26:5 "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
ANIMAL SACRIFICES NO LONGER REQUIRED
Sadly, many Seventh-day Adventist cherish the misconception that if we are going to observe the festivals of Leviticus 23 that we must begin sacrificing animals as well. But with a little study of God's word this misconception is easily dismantled as it does not stand up to the scrutiny of it's own logic. Let me explain. The sacrifices that were required in the temple worship during the specified appointed times of worship, namely the morning and evening sacrifice, the weekly sabbath sacrifice, the new moon monthly sacrifice and the various annual festival sacrifices are all recorded in the book of Numbers chapter 28. If we are going to stop keeping certain festivals and laws because there were specified animal sacrifices required upon these days or events then we might as well stop celebrating all of the appointed times including the evening and morning devotions and the weekly sabbath celebrations as well as these likewise required animal sacrifice in the temple.
Animal sacrifices were a mandatory part of sanctuary service celebration during the morning and evening appoints in time just as well as the sabbath appointed times. Please read Numbers 28:1-10
28:1 And Yahuwah spake unto Moses, saying,
28:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, [and] my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, [for] a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
28:3 And thou shalt say unto them, This [is] the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto Yahuwah; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, [for] a continual burnt offering.
28:4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;
28:5 And a tenth [part] of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth [part] of an hin of beaten oil.
28:6 [It is] a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto Yahuwah.
28:7 And the drink offering thereof [shall be] the fourth [part] of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy [place] shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto Yahuwah [for] a drink offering.
28:8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer [it], a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto Yahuwah.
28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour [for] a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:
28:10 [This is] the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
Now I have a question for you. Did you or your pastor offer a dead animal sacrifice this last sabbath during church services or did you simply offer your bodies as living sacrifice instead of a dead animal sac rice as we are told in Romans 12:1-2?
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
We must also take into consideration that If we are going to follow in the example of the apostles as recorded in the new testament Scripture then we must realize that while the apostles are documented as celebrating the feast of unleavened bread (Acts 20:6) with their gentile converts in Philippi, they are not documented as sacrificing animals. Thus we see that God's calendar of holy days can be celebrated with a new testament understanding and a better Sacrifice as Christ our Passover Lamb was sacrificed for us once and for all. No more earthly temple, no more earthly high priest and absolutely no more dead animal sacrificing!!! In the new covenant we are introduced to an altogether new type of sacrifice and are encouraged to offer our bodies a living sacrifice rather than dead animal sacrifices.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1
"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:" 1 Corinthians 5:7
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
...Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
COLOSSIANS 2:16 CLARIFIED
About this time you might be thinking about the most common passage of Scripture used to persuade people to believe that the feast days were done away with and nailed to the cross. So here are a few quick facts I would like you to consider concerning Colossians 2:16
Let's read the verse first.
Colossians 2:16 "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]:"
The first fact I would like to present is that Shaul (Paul) was a student of the first testament Scriptures. It was his primary point of reference for religious studies and teaching. Where did he receive this terminology "holyday or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]"?
The following six passages will explain exactly where he learned this terminology. Words in parenthesis were added.
1 Chronicles 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto YHWH in the sabbaths (weekly), in the new moons (monthly), and on the set feasts (annually), by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the YHWH:
2 Chronicles 2:4 "Behold, I build an house to the name of YAHUWAH my EL, to dedicate [it] to him, [and] to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths (weekly), and on the new moons (monthly), and on the solemn feasts (annually) of the YAHUWAH our EL. This [is an ordinance] for ever to Israel.
2 Chronicles 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moshe, onthe sabbaths (weekly), and on the new moons (monthly), and on the solemn feasts (annually), three times in the year, [even] in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.
2 Chronicles 31:3 [He appointed] also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, [to wit], for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths (weekly), and for the new moons (monthly), and for the set feasts (annually), as [it is] written in the law of YAHUWAH.
Nehemyahoo 10:33 For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths (weekly), of the new moons (monthly), for the set feasts (annually), and for the holy [things], and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and [for] all the work of the house of our El.
Ezekiel 45:17 And it shall be the prince's part [to give] burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts (annually), and in the new moons (monthly), and in the sabbaths (weekly), in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
Hoseyahoo 2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days (annually), her new moons (monthly), and her sabbaths (weekly), and all her solemn feasts.
We see can clearly see from reading these verses that when we allow the Bible to interpret the Bible the feast days, the new moons and the weekly sabbath are being discussed in Col 2:16. All three types of holy days stand or fall together. Adventists that attempt to do away with the feast days by their misuse of Col 2:16 are ignorant of the true meaning of this passage and if they refuse to give up their current understanding regarding this verse they will eventually give up the weekly sabbath as all of the Biblical Festivals stand or fall together.
In an effort to clarify the phrase "sabbath days" as used in the new testament we will see what the Scripture says concerning this term by exhaustively investigating what the New Testament says in context. This phrase "sabbath days" is used a total of nine times and is always in reference to the seventh day weekly sabbath.
Mattheyahoo 12:5 "Or have ye not read in the Torah, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Mattheyahoo 12:10 "And, behold, there was a man which had [his] hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him."
Mattheyahoo 12:12 "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."
Mark 3:4 "And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace." Luke 4:31 "And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days."
Luke 6:2 "And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?"
Luke 6:9 "Then said Yahushua unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy [it]?
Acts 17:2 "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Colossians 2:16 "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. 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ."
Please notice that the apostle Paul tells us that the holydays, new moons and sabbath ARE (present/future tense) a shadow of things TO COME (future tense). He did not say "The feast days WERE (past tense) shadows of the things THAT CAME (past tense).
The reason I wrote this letter is to help my Brothers and Sisters in Messiah see that Colossians 2:16-17 can not be used to void the observance of the annual feast days without voiding the weekly sabbath as well. Please join me and many others as we proclaim the sabbath more fully. I'm fully aware that it is a challenge to go against the grain of the structured 501c3 vatical controled church and society in general, but keep in mind that Yahuwah's commandments are enablements and protection and sweeter than honey. I challenge you to take hold of the covenant and hang on for dear life, even eternal life.
Mattheyahoo 5:19 "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Yahchanan (John) 4:22 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Yahudim" (Jews).
FORGET THE FEAST DAYS AND GOD PROMISES TO FORGET YOUR CHILDREN
I could go into greater detail explaining the importance of and prophetic significance of the feast of unleavened bread but let's just say that the evidence here presented is sufficient for any honest seeker to accept and begin celebrating God's feast days. Please don't let this opportunity slip by without confessing that you have inherited lies concerning God's holy festivals. Today is the day of your salvation.
In closing I would like to encourage you to take a moment to pray and ask Yahuwah to help you find other Christian believers that desire to walk with Jesus and keep the feast days as He did. Also remember that cherishing the companionship of Christ is what the feast days are really all about.
I beseech you, don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Your eternal destiny is being weighed in the balances.
“The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not lie in any sudden word or deed; it is the firm, determined resistance of truth and evidence.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1093. “No one need look upon the sin against the Holy Ghost as something mysterious and indefinable. The sin against the Holy Ghost is the sin of persistent refusal to respond to the invitation to repent.” Page 1093.
Dear Reader,
Please stop blaspheming the Spirit of God by following your church friends and leaders instead of the Bible and Jesus. Purpose in your heart to follow the Maser even if no one else joins you. The
temporary, shallow social acceptance and peace you are experiencing at church is fleeting and miniscule when compared to the excellency of the eternal life we can have if we fellowship with Messiah through His sufferings of ostracism and hatred He endured because of fake church friends, family and phoney pharisees who sold their soul for a morsel of social ease and acceptance. It's not worth it when compared to the eternal weight of glory we are promised if we endure unto the end.
"Of all the gifts that heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor. {MH 478.2}
"Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Philippians 1:29.
Don't forget that God promises to forget the children of all who chose to forget and make void His eternal moral law. So if you are praying for the conversion and safety of your children while despising and refusing to accept and celebrate God's holy feast days your prayers are worthless, vain and hateful to God and he will not hear them.
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hosea 4:6
"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination." Proverbs 28:9
"The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to Yahuwah: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight." Proverbs 15:8
God will not acknowledge as His shepherds those who speak smooth things.
"In this fearful time, just before Christ is to come the second time, God's faithful preachers will have to bear a still more pointed testimony than was borne by John the Baptist. A responsible, important work is before them; and those who speak smooth things, God will not acknowledge as His shepherds. A fearful woe is upon them." 1T 321, 1, p. 321. {PaM 210.2}
DON'T BE A COWARD
Don't be a modern cowardly spy or join with the rabble of the selfish ease-loving multitudes. Don't exclude yourself from entering the heavenly Cannan by refusing to keep God's holy days!!
Human agencies are to be employed in this work. Zeal and energy must be intensified; talents that are rusting from inaction must be pressed into service. The voice that would say, “Wait; do not allow yourself to have burdens imposed upon you,” is the voice of the cowardly spies. We want Calebs now who will press to the front—chieftains in Israel who with courageous words will make a strong report in favor of immediate action. When the selfish, ease-loving, panic-stricken people, fearing tall giants and inaccessible walls, clamor for retreat, let the voice of the Calebs be heard, even though the cowardly ones stand with stones in their hands, ready to beat them down for their faithful testimony.—Testimonies for the Church 5:383. – {PM 282.1}
Thank you for bearing with me and taking the time to read this article. May you be blessed for doing so. |
