Why celebrate all these Jewish holidays? Haven’t those been done away with?

[Sis Ann Brown]

Why celebrate all these Jewish holidays? Haven’t those been done away with?

There are seven Feasts or Holy Days commanded in the Bible – four in the Spring, and three in the Fall.  It’s true, Jews had been observing these Feasts for 1,400 years before Yeshua’s birth.  But what if God set those dates as days He intends to fulfill specific prophecies in Yeshua’s lifetime and His second coming?  Wouldn’t you want to know which dates those were?  Let’s recount what happened on the Spring Feast dates during Yeshua’s lifetime.

1. Passover – This is the first Feast on God’s calendar.  What happened on this day during Yeshua’s time?  Yeshua was crucified (Matt. 26:19-31).
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread – This begins the night of Passover and extends seven days with the commandment to abstain from eating anything with leaven in it and, instead, eat unleavened bread every day as a symbolic way of consuming Yeshua’s righteousness within us in reverence for His innocent death.
3. Feast of First Fruits – This takes place three days after Passover.  What happened on this day during Yeshua’s time?  Yeshua rose from the dead (Matt. 27:62 – 28:6).
4. Pentecost – This takes place 50 days after Passover.  What happened on this day during Yeshua’s time?  The pouring out of God’s very spirit into the disciples and all those they spoke to, marking the beginning of “The Last Days” foretold by the prophet Joel (Acts 2).

These four make up the Spring Feasts.  Each one was dramatically and literally brought to its prophetic meaning at Yeshua’s first coming.  If I were alive in Yeshua’s time, I surely would’ve wanted to have these dates set aside and understand the meaning of these Feasts, so that I could fully comprehend and participate in what was taking place – as the disciples finally did in Acts 2.

After the Spring Feasts there are 108 days without a holiday.  Then there are three Fall Feasts within 23 days.  They are:

1. Feast of Trumpets – What do the scriptures say will accompany Yeshua’s second coming?  A trumpet (Matt. 24:29-31).
2. Day of Atonement – This Day falls ten days after the Feast of Trumpets.  What will Yeshua do when he comes the second time?  He will judge all mankind and assign to eternal life those who have taken His blood as their atonement, and to eternal punishment those who have not (Matt. 25:31-46).
3. Feast of Tabernacles – This day falls five days after the Day of Atonement and lasts seven days.  What will happen after Yeshua judges the nations during His second coming?  The Wedding Feast of the Lamb where Yeshua dwells/tabernacles with His people (Rev. 19:6-9).  Accordingly this Feast is celebrated during the Millennium by all nations, not just Jews (Zech. 14:16-19).  After seven days of this Feast, the eighth day is also designated as a holy Sabbath.  In scripture, what comes after the Wedding Feast of the Lamb?  The New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21:1-5).  The use of the number eight in the Bible typically symbolizes new life.  The eighth day Sabbath represents the advent of the New Heaven and New Earth.

The Spring Feasts perfectly set the stage and timing for the events of Yeshua’s first coming.  The Fall Feasts perfectly set the stage and timing for the events of Yeshua’s second coming.  The stretch of time between the Spring and Fall Feasts symbolizes “The Last Days,” which we are currently in.

What if God uses the exact Fall Feast dates to fulfill His promises for Yeshua’s second coming, just as He did with the Spring Feasts?  Wouldn’t you like to make sure these dates are on your calendar and that you know what they are about?

These are not Jewish holidays.  These are the exact events in which all Christians (and some Jews) have placed all of our hope, and upon which we completely base our faith.  Leviticus 23:2 tells us, “These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.”  Why would we want to do away with these Feasts?

Mark your calendar with the Lord’s appointed festival dates for 2013 and join Him in celebration and anticipation!

[Andrew Workman]

AMEN! 

Thank you Sister Brown!

[Sis Ann Brown]

Andy:
   If you watch USA religious TV, many main stream ministers are discussing the Fall Feast, Atonement, Tabernacles, but mostly as a ploy to get offerings.   I do believe that the Most High will even use these ministers to get people into investigating these Holy times that still hold a prophetic messages, as Paul says in Colossians 2, these days are (not were) an "outline" of things to come.

Everything major that was done in the Bible regarding man's salvation, was done on a Feast Day.

His return, His destroying Satan, and setting up His kingdom, most likely will occur on one of these feast days...

[Andrew Workman]

Thank You Sister brown for posting this!  It really answered alot of questions I had about the Feasts!  May I use this info/post in part of an upcoming sermon?  

Thank you again!

Andy Workman