TOTAL RESTITUTION

So Why Observe the Feast Days?

The reason the statutes in Leviticus 23 are so important for us today is because these holy convocations grant us the necessary time we NEED to investigate and understand the Torah (the five books of Moses) and the statutes and judgments that Malachi 4:4-6 mentions. We have enough curses on us in the world and we need to start learning Moses law if we ever expect the curses to be removed. Deuteronomy chapter 28.

The feast days are Yahuwah's spiritual training opportunities. If we plan to stand in the coming world wide crisis which is approaching with blinding speed,  we need to be preparing for it with a zeal unparalleled in past generations.    

The reason for the strong emphasis on the statutes and the feast days in particular is simply because Satan is making a vigorous campaign and is redoubling his efforts against Messiah, His people and His Holy day system. Satan is working tirelessly against the proclamation of the feast days.

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire. Subtle Lies and Liars -
Can You Trust Your Pastor With Your Soul?

"....all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Rev 21:8

Are you aware of all the books and articles that have been published against the observance of the festivals in recent years by the likes of Dr. Angel M. Rodriguez, Joe Crews, Herbert Douglass (who attended this school http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_School_of_Religion), Vance Ferrell, Danny Vierra, Bob Trefz, Danny Shelton, Shelly Quinn etc., etc., etc.

The feats days are a very essential tool that Yahuwah is using to develop the 144,000 and Satan is fighting this message with ferocious tenacity and serpent like subtlety. Satan is especially using the Seventh-day Adventist leadership to oppose the observance of the annual festivals and to keep the masses of the Seventh-day Adventist lay people in ignorance of the subject of the annual feast days.

Other SDA's that write and preach against the keeping of the feast days include but not limited to Danny Vierra (two books discredit the feast days "The Final Inquisition" and "The Virgin Mary Dead or Alive"), Jan Marcussen "The National Sunday Law" and Danny Shelton and Shelly Quinn's book "The Ten Commandments Twice Removed". The list of books and articles that miseducate people concerning the feast days goes on and on.

Jan Marcussen in his book "National sunday Law" misquotes Colossians 2:17 writes in a subtle/deceitful manner......

""...sabbath days were a "shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.""
Page 41 of his book "National Sunday Law".

We see here that Jan is sneaky and uses the word "were" outside of the quotation marks. This makes most believe that he is actually quoting Scripture when in reality the text reads "which ARE a shadow of things TO COME".

Danny Vierra does the same in his booklet "The Final Inquisition". Page 96, Paragraph 1 reads.....

"The annual festivals and Sabbaths, like all the ordinances of the Levitical service, were shadows of things to come, and found their fulfillment in the great sacrifice of Calvary (Colossians 2:16, 17)."

Then we have Danny Shelton and Shelly Quinn's booklet "Ten Commandments Twice Removed" where on page 49 they are even more subtle than the two previously mentioned booklets. It reads.....

"In this same passage of Scripture, Paul continued to write, "so let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." Col 2:16-17
Col 2:16-17).
All of the ceremonial ordinances, including the special annual sabbaths (not to be confused with the weekly seventh-day sabbath) were merely a shadowy symbol of the ministry of Christ."

Again we see the word "were" instead of the Scripture "are" . This is a subtle attempt by the writers to place a future event into the past. It is deceptive language and needs to be confronted and exposed.

Doug Batchelor regularly teaches on TV that the feast days ""were "Nailed to the cross"" and "were shadows pointing forward to Jesus". The same goes for many, many speakers on 3ABN. I could go on and on and on about how these men and woman misquote Colossians 2:17 repeatedly by subtly using the word "were" instead of accurately quoting Scripture by saying "are a shadow of things to come".

If you watch 3ABN you will hear with determined regularity the speakers and interviewers make the same attack on Paul's writing. This is the same tactic that the Jesuits use. They take things in the past and teach as if they are to take place in the future and they take things the are to take place in the future and teach that they have occurred in the past.

Please Read What Colossians 2:17 Really Says.
"Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Messiah." Colossians 2:17

That is right. The feast days are still pointing to future events!!! No wonder the Devil is working like mad to keep people from observing them. Satan knows that the feast days play a central role in the development of the 144,000 who will DESTROY Satan's power and bring to and end his dominion on earth!!

If the feast days are really a non issue like most SDA's seem to believe, then why do these men and women devote so much time, effort and money to teach against them? Can any of our chosen religious leaders stand between us and the wrath of God on Judgment day? Then we better make sure that our faith and practice can stand the test of Scripture and Scripture alone.

When Yahushua met Ellen White in vision there were many things he could have told her but he did not. I believe it is partially due to the fact that we, in this last generation are supposed to continue with determination where Ellen White left off. We are supposed to continue digging for the gems of truth with all our heart and soul just like the Adventist Pioneers did. This is how we have our characters refined and how we learn to appreciate the truth we have worked and suffered to mine out of the Scripture. When we suffer persecution, ostracism and the hatred of professed Seventh-day Adventists simply because we are teaching the truth that we have diligently mined from the word of Yahuwah we will appreciate it more and it becomes more precious to us.

Deut 11:13 "And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love Yahuwah your Elohim, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, "

The main reason that the feast days are so important is because they, just as the weekly sabbath, are Yah's commands for us to spend time in the study of Yahuwah's word and in encouraging one another and drawing closer and still closer to our Messiah Yahushua who gave Himself a ransom for mankind. Satan hates with a determined hatred that we should spend more time with Yahushua and receive His Spirit. He knows that if we spend the time with our Messiah and with like minded believers that we will be educated as to how he works to overthrow our faith in the law of Heaven. Satan hates that we should take in precious time to spend with the Savior and with the people that can encourage us to stay on the narrow path. He hates that we should spend time in worship, study, fellowship and exhorting one another in the Present Truth.

Present truth is dynamic, not static. Simply because the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church did not observe the annual festivals does not mean that we should not be observing these commanded holy days today.

  "In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began "at Moses and all the prophets "and "expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies the old. He who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old. For him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form."  {COL 127.4} 

"....all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Rev 21:8

The Apostle Paul Kept Passover After The Cross With His Gentile Converts
Follow His Example Anyone?

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."

Ellen White Commentary On Acts 20:6...

"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} 

Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary on Acts 20:6

"Paul seems to have stayed intentionally at Philippi because of the Jewish feast. The Passover season must have continued to be fraught with great religious sentiment for Paul, a Jew and a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). Perhaps also Christians were beginning to think of the Passover time as the anniversary of Christ's death and resurrection." SDA Bible Commentary Vol 6 page 386

It is not a sin to keep Passover even though most Seventh-day Adventist corporate leaders treat other Passover observing Seventh-day Adventists as though it is. If it was a sin to observe Passover then the Apostle Paul would not have celebrated Passover with his gentile converts some 25 years after the cross. We have to keep in mind that the Apostle Paul admonished us to follow his example four times.

"Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." 1 Corinthians 4:16
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1
"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." Phil 3:17
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians 4:9

Clearly the Apostle Paul was inspired to admonish us to follow his example and his example absolutely demonstrates that he observed Passover with the Gentile converts, the Philippians. Keep in mind that the Philippians are documented as being Paul's "Most loving and truhearted of the apostles converts".

The question we should ask ourselves is, are we really following Scripture and the God of Scripture if we are teaching people NOT to observe Passover?
Are we supposed to expel people from our evangelistic teams for observing and teaching others to follow the worthy example that the apostle Paul gave us in observing Passover?

I'll have to let you decide that question for yourself. If you are under the authority of Scripture and the God of Scripture then the answer to these questions is a resounding NO!

"The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the test for this time, and all connected with this great memorial is to be kept before the people."--Undated Manuscript 111. {Ev 213.2}

Does Leviticus 23 make a solid connection between the Sabbath and the annual feat days? Please read Leviticus 23 and let me know what you find out.

Closing Thoughts

In closing I would like you to read the passage I quoted at the beginning of this article. I believe that this statement was written for the purpose of self examination. Are we truly seeking Yahuwah with our whole hearts? Do we really believe that "New truths are constantly unfolding"? I do not know the hearts of the men and women that are reading this article but there is "a Revealer of secrets" that does. I'm thankful that He is the Judge and not any one of us vapors that vanish as a cloud in the noon sun.

My plea to the reader is that he/she will take heed and give serious consideration to what has been presented in this article and that he/she will take a stand for the Present Truth as it is in Yahushua ha Meshiach regardless of the position that your pastor, mother or father may take. There is only One that can save us and our pastors will not be able to deliver our souls on judgment day. We will have to stand and give an account for what we know or could have known.

"New truths are constantly unfolding; new and clearer light is shining upon the pathway of God's people. But the great mass of mankind are satisfied with their present condition, and are unwilling to exchange error for truth.
But we are to be sanctified through obedience to the truth. For want of this Bible sanctification, the soul of many a professed Christian has become a desecrated shrine, the haunt of hollow formalism, of selfishness and hypocrisy, pride and passion."  {ST, January 28, 1886 par. 4} 

"It would seem that I have written enough, that there is no need of my urging this subject upon you further. But I tell you in truth that I clearly understand what I am doing. Sufficient light has been given you. But for several years you have not heeded this light. If you had wished to know what Yahuwah has said, you could have known; for you have the books that have been written under the guidance of His Spirit. You have all the directions that could be asked for to point out the right way. Direct light has been sent you. But you have looked upon this as of less importance than your own plans and devising's...."--Letter 253, 1903, pp. 4-11, 13. {4MR 61.1}

"God is now testing and proving His people. Character is being developed. Angels are weighing moral worth, and keeping a faithful record of all the acts of the children of men. Among God's professed people are corrupt hearts; but they will be tested and proved. That God who reads the hearts of everyone, will bring to light hidden things of darkness where they are often least suspected, that stumbling blocks which have hindered the progress of truth may be removed, and God have a clean and holy people to declare His statutes and judgments.
The Captain of our salvation leads His people on step by step, purifying and fitting them for translation, and leaving in the rear those who are disposed to draw off from the body, who are not willing to be led, and are satisfied with their own righteousness." {1T 332.3}

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

Shalom (destroy chaos) ,
Yahuchanon David
Founder
www.TotalRestitution.com
john@totalrestitution.com