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When God delivered
the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, He gave
them His Appointed times to keep and to proclaim each in
their season. The weekly Sabbath was the first appointed
time, then he introduced them to His annual Holy Days
and the Festivals of the Lord. Three times a year Israel
was to come before the Lord to keep these Feasts. These
three seasons were associated with three harvests
beginning with the Spring harvest of Barley. The divine
appointments during this time are the Passover service
and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread. Early Summer
brought about the Wheat harvest and the observance of
Pentecost. (called the Feast of Weeks in the O.T.) In
the Fall during the harvest of the Vine and Produce, the
Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of
Tabernacles and Last Great Day were commanded to be
celebrated.
To a non-Christian Israelite, the Passover
commemorates the death Angel passing over every Hebrew
home in Egypt which had the blood of a lamb upon its
doorposts. To a Christian, the Passover commemorates the
death of Jesus, the true Lamb of God which takes away
the sins of the world. To a Jew or Israelite, the Feast
of Unleavened Bread commemorates God delivering them out
of Egypt so quickly that their bread did not have time
to leaven and rise. To a Christian, the Days of
Unleavened Bread is a celebration that the true Passover
Lamb has made the believer unleavened, that is, without
sin. (leavening is used as a symbol for sin) To an
understanding Christian, the seven annual Holy Days of
the Lord reveal God’s great plan of salvation. Are the
Holy Day Festivals of the Lord are still for Christians
today. The early Church observed these Feasts. All the
nations keep these divine appointments during the
millennial reign of Christ.
It is a common
claim by Christians who reject the idea of observing the
annual Biblical Festivals, that they are not a part of
the New Covenant and were “nailed to the cross” with
Jesus. Many Christian teachers say that the Holy Days
were among the Laws “added because of transgressions.”
Not only is this not found in Scripture, it makes no
sense. Would God “add” to Israel celebrations, -times of
rejoicing before the Lord, because they sinned? Isn’t
that like rewarding one of your children with a party
because he did something wrong? The Biblical Feasts of
the Lord were given as blessings to Israel, does it fit
God’s character for Him to add a blessing because of
sin?
Let’s look at one
of the Laws we know was added because of transgressions.
“An eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Why would
God add such a Law? Obviously, because people were
mistreating one another and adding this Law protected
would-be victims and impressed upon people that they
should care as much about their neighbor as themselves.
This Law, which carried a penalty was added because of
transgressions taking place. God was saying, if you harm
someone else, by Law you will suffer likewise. It is
ridiculous to say the Holy Days exist as a penalty for
transgressions.
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