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Annual Holy Days?
Several churches and groups have sprung up in recent history that considers the keeping of the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 a matter of salvation, like the Jews.
Is this correct? Is it imperative that Christians keep the Holy Days? Is this part of the New Testament Covenant? Will a Christian loose out on salvation if he or she does not attend someone's festival services at their particular festival site?
Let's become sure about this.
New Covenant
Let's start at the beginning. What is the New Covenant of Christianity?
"7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"
(Hebrews 8:7-10, KJV)
The New Covenant entails a new way in which the laws of the Covenant are inscribed in the hearts of Christians.
What are the Laws of the Covenant? They are the Ten Commandments thundered by God when Israel was before God at Mount Sinai.
"28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."
(Ex 34:28, KJV)
This fact was rehearsed to Israel forty years later before they finally entered the Promised Land.
"13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."
(Deuteronomy 4:13, KJV)
The New Covenant entails a new way to have the Ten Commandments inscribed in our hearts, so that we will love them, and by nature keep them. This way involves Christ, and is a huge subject. It cannot be discussed here. The Holy Days were not part of the Ten Commandments, but part of statutes that were ordained for Israel to be kept in the promised land, in Judea, and in particular at Jerusalem. This is shown in the very next verse.
"14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it."
(Deuteronomy 4:14, KJV)
This distinction between the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law with its statutes and judgments is clearly evident throughout the Bible.
Evidence points to the fact that the Holy Days are therefore not part of the New Covenant to be universally implemented by Christians in the current era. More will follow. It is not essential for salvation. Yet if we study the early history of the Church of God, we may find indications that the Apostle Paul was observing the Holy Days. However if we study Acts 21, we find that Paul did so because he was a circumcised Jew, and wanted to maintain citizenship of Judea and have full access to the Temple and its rituals as an Israelite, and not be limited to the Court of the Gentiles as an observer.
The Apostle John's viewpoint
According to commentators, the book of John was most probably written after the fall of Jerusalem in 70CE and the destruction of the Temple. We can clearly see a shift in thinking about the Holy Days.
"4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh."
(John 6:4, KJV)
John seems to limit the continual requirement of the Passover festival to the Jews. John describes another event to which new symbolism was attached, the Lord's Supper. John spends chapter 13 to 17 on the topic. He obviously felt that this event needed expansion and explanation in the new Dispensation. However, we find no Law in the Old Testament specifying the keeping of the Lord's Supper. These are clearly two different festivals, one for the Old Covenant, and one for the New Covenant..
The Lord's Supper
We find the apostle Paul describing the Lord's Supper in his letter to the Corinthians. Let's have a look at that.
"20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper."
(1 Corinthians 11:20, KJV)
The translation can be misleading here. The next verse proves the intent of the previous verse. Paul is saying that they ended up not eating the Lord's Supper. Why?
"21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken."
(1 Corinthians 11:21, KJV)
What happened is that people ate the unleavened bread and finished off the wine or fruit of the vine before the ceremony started, thereby leaving no bread or fruit of the vine for the ceremony. Without due respect and prayer, they had a meal, but it was not the Lord's Supper, for no spiritual meaning and emotion were involved, and the Lord will not regard it at all.
These verses become clearer in other translations.
Paul then continues to discuss the Lord's Supper, which he received from the Lord. But the Holy Day observance he received from Gamaliel. See Acts 22:3.
The observance of the Lord's Supper at the beginning of the 14th of Nisan (the first holy month) on an annual basis is required as a requirement for salvation, as requested by Christ. This single event commemorates the single supreme and sufficient sacrifice, which fulfills all aspects of the sacrifices of the Holy Days. This is the Christian duty.
Selecting the place?
The festivals of the Jews are to be kept at a specific place. Where is this place?
"2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there."
(Deuteronomy 16:2, KJV)
This was written while Israel was still wondering in the desert. But when they entered the promised land, they did find the place.
Where is this place? The Bible tells us clearly. At the inauguration of the Temple in Jerusalem built by King Solomon, the following was declared.
"1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.
4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,
5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:
6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel."
(2 Chron 6:1-6, KJV)
Notice God's comments about Jerusalem.
"3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually."
(1 Kings 9:3, KJV)
The place where the festivals should be kept is clearly Jerusalem. In a prophesy for the restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah, the following is said. It is possible that this prophesy may also be applicable to Christ's second coming. However, notice where the place for the festivals is.
"16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
(Zech 14:16-17, KJV)
There is no other place under heaven.
Breaking the Law?
Those who insist that we as uncircumcised Christians keep the Passover is actually asking us to break the Law!
"48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land, for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.."
(Exodus 12:48, NKJV)
God's Will
What are God's comments on trying to keep the Holy Days in another country, and not in Judea, in Jerusalem?
We find that Israel has been sent away from Judea for the precise reason of preventing them from keeping the Holy Days. While their sin against the Law of Love as demonstrated in the Ten Commandments continued, God had no pleasure in the rituals of the Holy Days.
"11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her [annual] sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts."
(Hosea 2:11, KJV) [parenthesis mine]
This was accomplished by sending Israel away from Judea. While they were finding themselves in gentile countries, they were unable to keep the Holy Days according to the Law of Moses. This was God's Will.
"5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles."
(Hosea 9:5-6, KJV)
This inability to keep the feasts according to the Law of Moses was God's doing. Once the restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah occurred, they could keep the festivals again, in Jerusalem. The festivals were meant to be kept in Jerusalem. It is God's Will that Israel in the dispersion into the gentile world would be unable to keep the festivals according to the Law of Moses.
Follow Christ
Some feel that we must follow Christ in this, and keep the Holy Days for Christ kept them. They feel that Christ gave special meaning to them, and taught in the synagogues on those days. If this is a reason to demand that we keep the Holy Days while we are not in Judea, then for the same reason we should also keep the Jewish Feast of Dedication, which is not from the Law of Moses, but clearly a unique nationalistic Jewish festival.
"22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch."
(John 10:22-23, KJV)
During this Feast of Dedication Christ taught in the temple, as at any of the other Holy Days. Yet there is no command in the Old Testament Law to keep a feast of dedication. It was simply a Jewish festival, and Christ used the opportunity to teach. We should not read more into it.
We therefore cannot say that because Christ attended a festival in Jerusalem, we must keep it in other nations. There is neither logic nor authority in Scriptures for such a statement. Christ was a circumcised Jew with access to the Temple in Jerusalem and under the Law of Moses. We as uncircumcised gentile Christians are not.
The Apostle Paul's opinion.
The Apostle Paul had to carry the Gospel message to the gentile world. People from all nations could become Christians. He knew that we were dealing with a New Covenant, which entails a new way in which to fulfill the Commandments and to gain salvation. Christians that attended the services in the synagogues during the weekly Sabbath and Holy Days in other countries did so in order to gain insight into the workings of the heavenly sanctuary through the rituals they observed from the Jews. But the Pharisees were not happy with that, and tried to draw them into full obedience to the whole Law of Moses as spelled out in Leviticus. This was clearly not required of Christians.
"3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."
(Gal 5:3, KJV)
Gentile Christians are not required to be circumcised, and are not required to do the ritual of the Law of Moses.
The Apostle Paul's viewpoint
The Apostle Paul had another viewpoint on how a Christian fulfills the Holy Day sequence.
"3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
(Romans 6:3-4, KJV)
Paul equates baptism with the Passover. After being raised from the watery grave, the Christian must work to eliminate the leaven of malice and deceit. This needs to begin even before baptism.
"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."
(1 Corinthians 5:7-8, KJV)
This obviously is not supposed to happen for only a week once a year during the feast of unleavened bread. This starts before baptism, and continues afterwards as a permanent state of mind. Then one must stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the counting of the omer towards Pentecost.
"6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."
(2 Timothy 1:6, KJV)
This is a large subject which can only be understood through many sermons and Bible studies done by the Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa, but it is clear that the Christian walk through the spiritual implementation of the Holy Days is not restarted every year, for then we would have to be baptized every year. Our walk through the spiritual symbolism of the Holy Days starts at baptism, and is a single journey to salvation. Members of the Church learn the way of true Christianity from many sermons given by the ministry. The riches of the process of salvation through Christ are marvelous indeed!
Conclusion
We have seen evidence that the festivals were meant to be kept in Jerusalem. We have seen that Christ fulfilled the sacrifices once and for all, and we are not to repeat it any more. We have seen that the new Covenant entails the keeping of the Ten Commandments from the heart, which do not include the Holy Days. Obedience unto salvation in other countries during this age excludes the "keeping" of the Holy Days in other countries.
Court of the Gentiles
However, in the first century Christians could exercise their privilege to attend in the court of the gentiles in the Jewish synagogs during the annual Holy Days. This way they learned extra insight into the road to salvation as the Holy Spirit helps them to understand how the rituals point to Christ's Work of Salvation. The Church may therefor exercise our privilege and "open the doors" to provide extra fellowship opportunities and worship services, preaching what would have been said if we had the opportunity today to attend a Jewish synagogue. We may even repeat the service in the evening to give those who had to fulfill employee contracts the opportunity to attend. However we are not under the Law of Moses in this regard. We don't "keep the Holy Days"! We merely exercise our privilege through the court of the gentiles. We don't partake of any of the rituals, such as deleavening our homes, eating bitter herbs, etc. Neither do we expect members to save a second tithe, nor having to travel long distances to attend "the place where the Lord shall choose"! The place is Jerusalem, and still will be in the future (Zechariah 14:16). Our salvation does not depend on a 100% attendance record.
Most importantly, members are certainly not required to loose their jobs in the process as some groups may suggest. This is not what the New Testament is all about. The apostle John shows us what his hope for the saints is.
"2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
(3 John: 2, KJV)
We are not under bondage to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses. We are made free of the bondage of sin through emotional involvement in Christ's single supreme Sacrifice, not the repetitive annual sacrifices performed on the Holy Days of Israel.
"1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."
(Galatians 4:1-4, KJV)
The Church of God keeps the Lord's Supper, fellowships and worships on the weekly Sabbath instituted in Genesis, and sees the Holy Day sequence instituted at Sinai as pointing to a single journey that we must travel in spiritual phases of development, not as a repeated annual ritual required for salvation.
Christians are required to understand the workings of the heavenly sanctuary and so worship in Spirit. We must also prepare for the New Jerusalem. From this perspective it is valuable to study the Holy Day sequence, and with the help of material from the Church, enter a deeper understanding of the plan of salvation.
We have a wonderful God, who knows His creation, and have made known to His Church how we can be saved from sin, and so inherit eternal life. God truly loves us. Once we understand His salvation, we can truly marvel at His spiritual design. We are saved by Christian love, by the rebirth of a new creature, and growing up in the Spirit to the full stature of Jesus, our Savior, our Role Model.
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