Fulfilling the Holy Days

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="04dd4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> We find the apostle Paul using lessons from the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 in his epistles. </div> <bR> <div> Is there a spiritual implementation of the Holy Days of the Law of Moses?</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="05894943.jpg"> <div> <B>Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa</B><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Brotherly Love"><U>Brotherly Love</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Covenant Theology"><U>Covenant Theology</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Food Laws"><U>Food Laws</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Annual Holy Days?"><U>Annual Holy Days?</U></A>   |   <B>Fulfilling the Holy Days</B>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Kingdom of God"><U>The Kingdom of God</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Law of Moses"><U>Law of Moses</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Nature of God"><U>Nature of God</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Sabbath"><U>The Sabbath</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Which Law?"><U>Which Law?</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Speaking in Tongues"><U>Speaking in Tongues</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vegetarianism and the Bible"><U>Vegetarianism and the Bible</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The New Jerusalem"><U>The New Jerusalem</U></A></div> <div> Fulfilling the Holy Days</div> <div> The Law of Moses gives us further guidance into the worship of God through Christ, our Heavenly Priest, and His saving Work in the Heavenly Sanctuary.</div> <bR> <div> The Holy Days of Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16 and Number 28 to 29 gives us further insight into our walk towards eternal life.</div> <bR> <div> Whereas the earthly high priest had to repeat the sequence of sanctification on an annual basis due to continual sin, starting with the dedication of the temple at the first new moon of Nisan every year, from the Christian more perfection is required. We can not be rebaptised every year, rededicating ourselves, getting rid of the leaven of malice and deceit every year, after a lapse towards the end of the previous year.</div> <bR> <div> "24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, <I>which are </I>the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." </div> <div> (Hebrews 9:24-28, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> So how do we allow Christ our High Priest to sanctify us and purify us towards salvation? For us as Christians the journey is one way. We can not lapse to repent and redo our relationship on an annual basis. We must repent and stay in a repentant attitude, and build our relationship through successive stages in a permanent way. We may slip and sin from time to time, but we will immediately repent, seek forgiveness, stand up and continue the walk with Christ. We can not fall into a lapse, thinking that we can be rededicated next year, rebaptised and start again. We can not do this on an annual basis.</div> <bR> <div> What is our walk with Christ, our perfect High Priest? </div> <bR> <div> The annual sequence of the Law of Moses gives us guidance in our permanent walk with Christ towards the Kingdom of God, of which the first phase is the spiritual implementation in our lives now.</div> <bR> <div> "23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into <I>his </I>lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and <I>out of </I>the prophets, from morning till evening." </div> <div> (Acts 28:23, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Lets see what we can learn from the Law of Moses. </div> <bR> <div> The first guiding light comes from the Apostle Paul, who told us that we are the Temple of God</div> <bR> <div> "16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and <I>that </I>the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"</div> <div> (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Therefor the activities in the physical temple guides us to what should be happening in the mind, heart and spirit of the believer.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The first new moon</B></div> <bR> <div> First is the dedication of the temple. From the beginning days of the tabernacle in the desert this was the case.</div> <bR> <div> "1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation."</div> <div> (Exodus 40:1-2, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> When a new king was ordained over Israel, the temple was reopened and the work of preparing for the worship of God started on the first new moon day.</div> <bR> <div> "17 Now they began on the first <I>day </I>of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end." </div> <div> (2 Chronicles 29:17, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> So it is with us as Christians. Firstly we need to understand our calling. We need to understand the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God, and we need to dedicate ourselves towards setting up our minds as the dwelling place of the Spirit of God.</div> <bR> <div> " 4 <I>There is </I>one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,"</div> <div> (Ephesians 4:4-5, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We need to consider our lives, and be prepared to rid ourselves of sin, and prepare for obedience of the Commandments. We need to sanctify ourselves. This is the sequence.</div> <bR> <div> "2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. "</div> <div> (1 Peter 1:2, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Passover</B></div> <bR> <div> "5 In the fourteenth <I>day </I>of the first month at even <I>is </I>the LORD'S passover." </div> <div> (Leviticus 23:5, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We find that Christ has fulfilled this law and has become our Passover.</div> <bR> <div> "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:"</div> <div> (1 Corinthians 5:7, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Once a Christian is called by the message of the Gospel, and has prepared for the Covenant, for the keeping of the Commandments, having set our hearts and mind to please the Father in following Christ, we are ready to be passed over, to come to Calvary, to the event that shows the result of our sin, and through the experience of the crucifixion, to die to our sin, and so establish the new Covenant. We need to come to Jesus.</div> <bR> <div> "22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than <I>that of </I>Abel."</div> <div> (Hebrews 12"22-24, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> So, we must die in spirit with Christ, and bury the old sinfull self.</div> <bR> <div> "12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with <I>him </I>through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. "</div> <div> (Colossians 2:12, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We must be baptized in Christ, dying to the former self.</div> <bR> <div> "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."</div> <div> (Romans 6:3, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Baptism therefor equates with being passed over, having died with Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Feast of Unleavened Bread</B></div> <bR> <div> " 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month <I>is </I>the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread." </div> <div> (Leviticus 23:6, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> A further aspect of Christian growth is the need to become spiritually deleavened. Following the death of the former sinful self at baptism, we need to deleaven ourselves. Christ often warned against the leaven of deceiving doctrines. One of the most serious forms of spiritual leaven is the deception of the self, trying to please God and follow Christ part-time. We can attend church, but my not have really repented, and may become guilty of malice in the Body of Christ eventually. We glorify in our knowledge, but cause problems through talebearing and other unchristian behavior. </div> <bR> <div> "6 Your glorying <I>is </I>not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? </div> <div>      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 <I>bread </I>of sincerity and truth."</div> <div> (1 Corinthians 5:5-8, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Obviously the Christian will not physically deleaven one week every year as under the old Covenant, but will stay spiritually deleavened under the new Covenant. The whole event of baptism and laying on of hands must occur with the new convert being spiritually deleavened from deceit, and the eventual malice that will occur if repentance was not true and cincere.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Wavesheaf offering</B></div> <bR> <div> "10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. "</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:10-11, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Christ rose from the dead as promised. At the time of the Wavesheaf offering after Christ's crucifixion, certain spiritual events were to happen. Notice Christ's comments to Mary when He talked to her on this morning after the Sabbath.</div> <bR> <div> "15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and <I>to </I>my God, and your God."</div> <div> (John 20:15-17, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Much happened this morning. Christ was risen, and the disciples went back and forth, as the news spread. The precise sequence is not under discussion here, but what is important was Jesus' statement. He mentioned that he must ascend to the Father. Revelation 5 gives us further insight as to what happened at the ascension. However, what is important to note is that the ascension happened at the same time when the Wavesheaf offering was waved by the earthly high priest in the temple that morning.</div> <bR> <div> Christ was indeed waved as our acceptable Wavesheaf offering. </div> <bR> <div> After baptism, we rise with Christ out of the watery grave, and so wave Christ as our offering, accepted on our behalf. We declare Christ as our role model amongst other things, when hands are laid on us. We accept Him as our firstfruit.</div> <bR> <div> "20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, <I>and </I>become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man <I>came </I>death, by man <I>came </I>also the resurrection of the dead."</div> <div> (1 Corinthians 15:20, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> We in effect waive Christ as our perfect example of how we desire to be, and so declare that we seek Him to live in us, to bear fruit worthy of salvation. We demonstrate our faith in His salvation work for us in the Heavenly Sanctuary.</div> <bR> <div> "12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with <I>him </I>through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. "</div> <div> (Colossians 2:12, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> <B>Pentecost, the counting of the omer</B></div> <bR> <div> "15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; <I>they are </I>the firstfruits unto the LORD."</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:15-17, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> In the Talmud a description is given of how to count the fifty days. It is known as the "counting of the Omer".</div> <bR> <div> At baptism hands are laid on us also in the name of the Holy Spirit. Counting the Omer refers to the new converts developing the Spirit in them from the first receipt at baptism.</div> <bR> <div> "21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, <I>is </I>God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."</div> <div> (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> From receipt of the Spirit, we need to stir up the Spirit.</div> <bR> <div> "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."</div> <div> (2 Timothy 1:6, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> This way we fulfill the counting towards Pentecost, which symbolizes the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the formation of the Church of God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Trumpets</B></div> <bR> <div> "23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first <I>day </I>of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation."</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:23-24, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The blowing of trumpets demonstrates the crowning and coming of the King.</div> <bR> <div> " 34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon."</div> <div> (1 Kings 1:34, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> So we also crown Jesus as our Lord and King in our daily lives, when we submit to His way of love. We also pray for His return, to establish the Kingdom of God. We also pool resources to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. So we blow the trumpet in our Christian Work, declaring the coming of our King, and that Jesus is Lord!.</div> <bR> <div> "9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of <I>things </I>in heaven, and <I>things </I>in earth, and <I>things </I>under the earth; 11 And <I>that </I>every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ <I>is </I>Lord, to the glory of God the Father."</div> <div> (Philippians 2:9-11, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> <B>Atonement</B></div> <bR> <div> " 27 Also on the tenth <I>day </I>of this seventh month <I>there shall be </I>a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it <I>is </I>a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God."</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:27-28, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Christ has already made atonement for us.</div> <bR> <div> "10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only <I>so</I>, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. "</div> <div> (Romans 5:10-11, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> When He died at Calvary, the veil that was opened on the day of atonement once a year by the earthly high priest, was torn in two, so we can be atoned through Christ, our High Priest.</div> <bR> <div> "50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; "</div> <div> (Matthew 27:50, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> So we as Christians who have the Holy Spirit and have declared Christ as Lord and King in our lives can attain access to the Father. Our prayers can indeed be carried to the most Holy God and Father of Jesus.</div> <bR> <div> "3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein <I>was </I>the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service <I>of God</I>. 7 But into the second <I>went </I>the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and <I>for </I>the errors of the people: </div> <div>      8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which <I>was </I>a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 <I>Which stood </I>only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed <I>on them </I>until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption <I>for us</I>. "</div> <div> (Hebrews 9:3-12, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> So, we can come to God in boldness now being sure that our prayers will be carried to the holiest God by Christ, who opened the way.</div> <bR> <div> "19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And <I>having </I>an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. "</div> <div> (Hebrews 10:19-22, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We can now be confident to have our prayers heard, and seek to become one with God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tabernacles</B></div> <bR> <div> "33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month <I>shall be </I>the feast of tabernacles <I>for </I>seven days unto the LORD."</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:33, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The apostle Paul indicated that we are the Temple of God, and our bodies are then indeed considered a tabernacle. </div> <bR> <div> "13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting <I>you </I>in remembrance; 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off <I>this </I>my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me."</div> <div> (2 Peter 1:13-14, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we are the Temple of God, then our bodies can become the Tabernacle of God.</div> <bR> <div> The next phase of fulfillment is when Jesus and His Father have found us acceptable as a person, and tabernacles with us.</div> <bR> <div> "23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. "</div> <div> (John 14:23, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> This way we can fulfill the feast of tabernacles.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The last day</B></div> <bR> <div> "36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it <I>is </I>a solemn assembly; <I>and </I>ye shall do no servile work <I>therein</I>. "</div> <div> (Leviticus 23:36, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> After the feast of tabernacles an eighth day was specified. This was the last day, on which Christ had the following to say:</div> <bR> <div> "37  In the last day, that great <I>day </I>of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: ... "</div> <div> (John 7:37-39a, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> When Jesus and His Father tabernacles with us, we will become true Christians, with the love of God flowing through the Holy Spirit in us out to others, in kind deeds and good works bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit richly. Once we experience the love of the Holy Spirit in such measure that we find ourselves manifesting the Love of God for others this way without having to be admonished or feeling forced to do good, we have indeed fulfilled the last day of the feast.</div> <bR> <div> We can consider the meaning of each day of Leviticus 23, and ask ourselves how far have we come. At what point are we in spiritual development.</div> <bR> <div> Are we still deceiving ourselves, merely attending church but forgetting the message by the time we go back to work, not living a changed life? Then we are deceiving ourselves, and have not moved beyond the feast of unleavened bread. </div> <bR> <div> If we are true to our calling, and is stirring up the Holy Spirit in us, have we modified our lifestyles and homes, so that we feel that Christ and His Father can tabernacle with us? If not, then we have not developed to the point of keeping the feast of tabernacles.</div> <bR> <div> So, we can see how the festivals of the old Covenant can be seen as a barometer that will show us how far we have developed spiritually. </div> <bR> <div> Every festival presents it's own message, demonstrating a phase of development. This is a large subject, developed in the sermons of the Church. </div> <bR> <div> We have seen how we can preach Christ out of the Law of Moses, in this case Leviticus 23. Isn't it marvelous how every Word of God guides us towards perfection? There are messages in the ritual of the Law of Moses of the old Covenant of Israel, and it guides us into the Love of God. Blessed be Him who is doing everything for our sakes, to save us, and make us a part of His Kingdom!</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Documents"><U><IMG SRC="0f70e0e0.gif" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Back to document list</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>