1 Corinthians 5:7-8 “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: 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.”
Truth is, we no longer need to sacrifice a Passover lamb according to this passage. This is actually common knowledge among most Christians of today. The exact same principle therefore applies to all the Jewish feasts as they are indeed fulfilled already, just as the sacrifice of the Passover lamb was fulfilled.
As for those who feel they are convicted to keep these feasts, I am not seeking to change your minds. At the same time, I feel I stand justified in that I see no reason for you to seek to change mine. For it is also written …
Colossians 2:16-17 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
By the way … the “sabbath days” mentioned here are ceremonial feast days, and not the weekly Sabbath. See Leviticus 23:23-38 on this. Specifically, verse 38 where it declares these “sabbath days” are BESIDES the Sabbath of the Lord. Another easy to see reality in this passage is, MANY like to claim that this passage is speaking of the “Ten Commandments” because the “sabbath days” is mentioned. But when looking at the ENTIRE verse, one realizes that it is impossible for these “sabbath days” to be the same as the weekly Sabbath day. Why? This passage is lumping both the “sabbath days” together along with the “meat, drink, holy days, and new moons.” Where in the Ten Commandments does it speak of meat, drink, holy days, and new moons?
Leviticus 23:23-38 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be 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. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 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 is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.”
The Jewish feast days were a shadow of things to come. They pointed forward in a prophetic manner as to what Christ would do when He came to this Earth for us. I ask, why should we embrace or seek to keep feast days that speak of things already done? My faith alone in the “Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world” John 1:29 already proclaims that which the feast days looked forward to as fulfilled at Calvary.
In fact, some of the feast days required the believer to offer sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple did they not? How is that possible today? Moreover, how was that possible since in 70ad the Jerusalem Temple was completely destroyed by Rome?
Scriptures openly declare these feast days “nailed to the cross” in the following passage …
Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”
These feast days / laws of Moses were ORDINANCES penned on paper by Moses himself. Unlike the Law of God written in STONE by His very finger. The ripping of the temple veil in Matthew 27:51 declares in mountainous tones that these feast days were indeed no longer needed. The Temple itself was no longer the residence of the Shekinah glory of the Lord’s presence when that Temple veil ripped. Before the rip, no man could enter into the Most Holy Place but the High priest. Anyone else walking in there would most assuredly DIE. Now however, any man can come before the Lord, for the Temple is now YOU, the Christian!
1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
Want it prophetically BLUNT? Daniel the Prophet declares the Feast Days as something that was to STOP the moment Christ died on the cross …
Daniel 9:27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
Prophecy itself confirms the feast days CEASED at the time of the cross. In the “midst of the week” (3.5 years after Jesus was baptised) the Temple veil RIPPED completely in two. At the exact moment the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world” spoke from His very lips, “IT IS FINISHED“-John 19:30
Picture this … You are looking for your friend who is said to be behind your house working on your car. You look outside and all you see is your friends shadow protruding from behind the house. You can see your friend working on the car by watching the shadow. So, you wait patiently for him to finish. Suddenly your friend cry’s out that, it is finished. You then walk to the back of the house, and follow the shadow to your friend that eventually leads directly to him. The feast days are no different. They illustrated to the believers a glimpse of that which Christ was to do in the future, and when He cried out, “it is finished” on Calvary, IT WAS!
Think about this as well …
There were no Jewish feast days before the Exodus from Egyptian bondage. And according to prophecy as well as Scripture speaking of the time of fulfillment, they ended perfectly when Jesus “finished” what He came to do for you and me, as well as all those that kept those feast days in faith before Calvary.
Could there be prophetic reasoning for such an end time movement?
Is it not being “prophesied” all over the world by false prophets that a “third temple” must be rebuilt? Has it not already been reported that the Roman Catholic church is performing “animal sacrifices” on their altars in Africa? Are we to start offering sacrifices again regardless of the fact that prophecy as well as the reality of Calvary declares it is finished? Does not the “keeping of the feast days” denote a “possibility” that Christ has NOT yet arrived, therefore we need to look for another? Will this be used by Antichrist to gather some of the flock into his camp? That I believe is the main issue here. All I can see coming from keeping the feast days is a faith that may eventually learn to embrace the “old leaven” of the Pharisee’s. All the world knows, they do indeed proclaim with boldness that Messiah has not yet come. And all of Christendom can read for themselves …
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 “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: 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.”
One last thing before going further. For those that claim Christ Lord and still can’t see the Feast Days abolished at His cross, please look upon this passage with open eyes …
Act 6:14 “For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.”
Galatians 3:19 “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”
Christians that keep the feast days are boldly declaring the promise of the arrival of Messiah has not yet come. They ignore the fact “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14) So, in ignoring this they are being set up by Satan himself to accept “another Jesus” as the Messiah. But …
Galatians 3:16-18 “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”
Christians that demand you keep the feast days openly disannul and literally make the promise of God of none effect and so they will accept Satan as their Messiah because living the lie means they will worship the father of lies.
The “perpetual” feast days?
Many in the modern-day feast day movement use many out of context passages in the Word of God that appear to say the feast days were “forever” or a “perpetual” covenant. Yet the Bible doesn’t declare such words to mean “eternal.” The devil likes to manipulate languages and change definitions often so as to confuse the truth as it is written. Living in modern times one would think most would realize that. What I mean is, the term “bad” now means “good”, the term “hot” now means “pretty” or “handsome” and the word “gay” now means homosexual.
Notice this …
1 Kings 9:3 “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.”
Mankind obviously messes up when they see the word “forever” and “perpetually.” Here we see the Lord telling Solomon He will be in the house he built “forever” and “perpetually”, yet we know the temple was destroyed twice and the last time (70AD) it was never reared up again to this day. In short, this passage alone can be used to prove feast days are not “forever” or even “perpetual” as some like to define it today.
We need to understand that orthodox Jews to this day still observe the feast days because they refuse to accept the sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus Christ in their behalf. When we echo their observance of these abolished ordinances today, we are doing the exact same thing as those Jews who are not moved by faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. In fact, some of the early Christians continued on with the feast days as well. How did Paul respond to this?
Galatians 4:9-11 “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
One more thing needs to be realized here as well. At present, we are living during anti-typical day of atonement as we wait on that same Messiah Jesus Christ to return. While we wait, we must understand that this waiting time is not to be considered a time of celebration. Just as the Jews of old prepared 10 days before the day of atonement, we too must use this time to afflict our souls so as to prepare to meet our God. During this time, we have been given a chance to purify our souls by the putting away of sin. Soon probation will end and that eastern sky will split and we will be called Home. Or … if we waste this precious time we have been given to get right with our God, we will be left behind dead.
One more thing to realize about the anti-typical day of atonement we presently find ourselves in. Many fail to realize this basic reality in fact. You simply cannot keep any feast days right now because we are in the antitypical day of atonement. Look in your Bibles and you will see that NEVER in the Word of God do we read of anyone keeping two feast days simultaneously. That being the case. How can we keep the feast days while keeping the day of atonement?
NOTICE ~ Jews admit the Feast Days were Abolished!
In Acts 6:14 we read, “For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.”
One of the main reasons the Jews hated Christians was because they knew how they preached that the law of Moses was done away with at the cross. See these verses that led up to their comment in the previous passage.
Acts 6:8-15 “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.”
To “suborn” a man is to convince him to make a false testimony against someone. They did this to Christ and now they did this to Stephen because they knew Stephen was “full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” As the Word also declares they knew “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” And what was it they hated about his message? Besides the fact that he spoke of Jesus as Messiah, it says here that Stephen preached that the message of Jesus was one that “shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.” And everyone knows that it was the “law contained in ordinances” that was delivered unto them by Moses. They also know God Himself gave the Decalogue or “Ten Commandments” that we still keep to this day. The “law contained in ordinances” is defined as such …
Colossians 2:14-17 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
As I shared earlier on this page, this passage is speaking of the feast days. And like 2000 years ago, many people hate Christians like us that declare the feast days abolished just as Stephen, all the Apostles and Jesus Himself when He said on the cross “It is FINISHED.” -John 19:30 … This confirms the early church was called of God to end the customs of Moses. Feast days are no more.
Bottom line is this…
The Feast days pointed to His first coming. The Lord’s Supper points to His second coming. And by the way, Galatians 2:14 clearly says, “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” In other words, if you don’t keep the ceremonial law, why do you want the Gentiles to keep it?
FOR THE SDA …
For the SDA brethren that have been pulled into the feast day movement, what saith the prophet of your church?
“Since the whole ritual economy was symbolical of Christ, it had no value apart from Him. When the Jews sealed their rejection of Christ by delivering Him to death, they rejected all that gave significance to the temple and its services. Its sacredness had departed. It was doomed to destruction. From that day sacrificial offerings and the service connected with them were meaningless. Like the offering of Cain, they did not express faith in the Saviour. In putting Christ to death, the Jews virtually destroyed their temple. When Christ was crucified, the inner veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, signifying that the great final sacrifice had been made, and that the system of sacrificial offerings was forever at an end. {DA 165.4}
“In three days I will raise it up.” In the Saviour’s death the powers of darkness seemed to prevail, and they exulted in their victory. But from the rent sepulcher of Joseph, Jesus came forth a conqueror. “Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them.” Colossians 2:15. By virtue of His death and resurrection He became the minister of the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Hebrews 8:2. Men reared the Jewish tabernacle; men builded the Jewish temple; but the sanctuary above, of which the earthly was a type, was built by no human architect. “Behold the Man whose name is The Branch; . . . He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne.” Zechariah 6:12, 13. {DA 165.5}
The sacrificial service that had pointed to Christ passed away; but the eyes of men were turned to the true sacrifice for the sins of the world. The earthly priesthood ceased; but we look to Jesus, the minister of the new covenant, and “to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” “The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: . . . but Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, . . . by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 12:24; {DA 165.6}
“The interviews between Jesus and his disciples were usually seasons of calm joy, highly prized by all of them. The passover suppers had been scenes of special interest; but upon this occasion Jesus was troubled in spirit, and his disciples sympathized with his grief although they knew not its cause. This was virtually the last passover that was ever to be celebrated; for type was to meet antitype in the slaying of the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Christ was soon to receive his full baptism of suffering; but the few quiet hours between him and Gethsemane were to be spent for the benefit of his disciples.” {3SP 83.3}
In this ordinance, (The Last Supper) Christ discharged His disciples from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue; for type was meeting antitype in Himself, the authority and foundation of all Jewish ordinances that pointed to Him as the great and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. He gave this simple ordinance that it might be a special season when He Himself would always be present, to lead all participating in it to feel the pulse of their own conscience, to awaken them to an understanding of the lessons symbolized, to revive their memory, to convict of sin, and to receive their penitential repentance. He would teach them that brother is not to exalt himself above brother, that the dangers of disunion and strife shall be seen and appreciated; for the health and holy activity of the soul are involved. {5BC 1139.5}
This ordinance does not speak so largely to man’s intellectual capacity as to his heart. His moral and spiritual nature needs it. If His disciples had not needed this, it would not have been left for them as Christ’s last established ordinance in connection with, and including, the last supper. It was Christ’s desire to leave to His disciples an ordinance that would do for them the very thing they needed–that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah. Eating of the body, and drinking of the blood, of Christ, not merely at the sacramental service, but daily partaking of the bread of life to satisfy the soul’s hunger, would be in receiving His Word and doing His will (RH June 14, 1898). {5BC 1139.6}
ANSWERS to the Feast Day Question …
In order to understand why Christians don’t keep these feast days we need to know what they represent and the reasons God had His people keep them.
I’ll present below the five major festivals of the Jewish calendar year. Then I’ll discuss their meanings and the reasons why Christians don’t keep each one.
There were three festivals to which all Israelite men were required to go up to the tabernacle (later to the temple at Jerusalem). These are marked with a ‡. The months are given according to the Hebrew calendar. I deal with each in the order that they came during the yearly calendar.
(1) ‡Unleavened Bread, a week-long event (which immediately followed the Passover supper held the preceding night) in the middle of the 1st month, at the beginning of the barley harvest (Lev 23:5–14) (about the time of our Easter)
Leviticus 23:5-14 “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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: 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. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.”
(2) ‡The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), fifty days after the first sabbath of Unleavened Bread, celebrating the season of the wheat harvest (Lev 23:15–21; Exo 34:22)
Leviticus 23:15-21 “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: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 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; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
Exodus 34:22 “And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.”
(3) The Feast of Trumpets on the 1st day of the 7th month, the civil New Year’s day.
(4) The Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the 7th month, the cleansing of the Temple.
(5) ‡The Feast of Ingathering, or the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, in the middle of the 7th month, at the close of the olive and fruit harvest (Lev 23:34–44; Deu 16:13) (This occurred only a few days after the Day of Atonement which was celebrated on the 10th day)
Leviticus 23:34-44 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 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 is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 16:13 “Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:”
What did these festivals mean and why do Christians feel that we should not keep them?
‡The Feast of Unleavened bread:
The night before this feast every family celebrated the Passover in their homes.
The Passover ceremony was celebrated in this way:
Each family (or if the family was a small one, several families) slew the Passover lamb and ate it along with bread that was made with no yeast (leaven). Yeast, in Bible times, represented sin because sin, like yeast when put in dough, fills the entire person.
John the Baptist spoke of Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) and Paul points out that “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Cor. 5:7). Since Christ is the Lamb who was sacrificed and His sacrifice has already taken place, then there is no need to celebrate the Passover feast that pointed forward to the coming of God’s Lamb who would take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
In fact, the exact hour that Jesus died was the time for the slaying of the Passover lamb in the Temple. Matthew 27:51 describes how the “curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” Tradition has it that the Passover lamb escaped from the grasp of the priest and ran away.
Matthew 27:51 “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;”
Jesus gave us the communion service of bread and wine to commemorate His death (Matt 26:26-35). For Christians, the Lord’s supper has taken the place of the Passover.
Matthew 26:26-35 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”
The day after the Passover–the very next day–was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The prohibition of the use of yeast, as practiced the night before at the Passover celebration, continued for seven days after the Passover. The first day was a ceremonial sabbath. (When this sabbath fell on the weekly Sabbath, the Pharisees of the time of Christ called it a “high day.”) Just as with the weekly Sabbath, no one was allowed to work on this day.
This sabbath (first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) was a sabbath of rest, pointing forward to the rest that the Lamb of God experienced in the grave on the day following His crucifixion.
On the day after this ceremonial sabbath the priest waved a sheaf of barley–the first fruits–before the Lord. This symbolized the beginning of the harvest season. This action pointed forward to the resurrection of Christ after the Sabbath, and His brief ascension to His Father to receive His approval of the sacrifice of His Son.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
1 Corinthians 15:20 “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
There is no need for Christians to participate in this festival because the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to which it points have already taken place. The feast has become obsolete.
‡The Feast of Weeks, later called Pentecost, took place 50 days after the waving of the sheaf. This festival celebrated the beginning of wheat harvest.
The day of Pentecost, 50 days after Christ’s resurrection, marked the beginning of the harvest of Christ’s work. It was preceded by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-18).
Acts 2:17-18 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:”
There’s no need for Christians to celebrate this feast because the reason for the feast came to pass when the disciples began the harvest of souls in earnest.
The Feast of Trumpets
A feast celebrated on the 1st day of the 7th month (Ethanim, or Tishri), the beginning of the civil year. This 1st day fell on the “new moon” of September or October. This month was always numbered the 7th (see Leviticus 23:24 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”), according to God’s instructions to Moses to begin the year with the Passover month of Abib (Nisan), as the 1st month (see Exodus 12:2 “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”); yet the year was still reckoned as beginning with Tishri for civil matters. Tishri 1 was marked by extra sacrifices in addition to the new-moon sacrifices of the other months (Numbers 29:1-6 “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you. And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.”). It was a ceremonial sabbath, and was celebrated by the blowing of trumpets (Leviticus 23:24-25 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.”). The tradition of the Jews is that on New Year’s Day (celebrated to this day as Rosh Hashana) everyone is judged for his deeds of the past year, but that one’s doom is not settled until the 10th, on the Day of Atonement, apparently after 9 days of grace (Talmud Rosh Hashanah, 16a).1
Christians don’t celebrate the Feast of Trumpets for two reasons: 1) The first day of Tishri is not our New Year’s Day. 2) This day’s intimate attachment to the Day of Atonement.
The Day of Atonement.
This day occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month, the most solemn day of the year. On it, all were not only to refrain from work but also to afflict their souls (make sure that all their sins were confessed) (Leviticus 23:27-32 “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be 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. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”). This probably included fasting, since in NT times it is evidently this day that is referred to as “the fast” (Acts 27:9 “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,”). On the Day of Atonement all the sins of the preceding year were finally disposed of in the ceremony of cleansing the sanctuary (Leviticus 16). All who did not afflict their souls on that day were cut off from Israel (Leviticus 23:29 “Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.”). The Day of Atonement was to the Jews a day of judgment.1
On this day two goats were brought before the High Priest. He cast lots over them to choose which one would be the Lord’s goat. The other goat was called the scape goat and was put aside. The Lord’s Goat was killed and sacrificed on the altar. Some of its blood was taken into the innermost room, called the Most Holy Place. The High Priest sprinkled some of the blood on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant and some on the ground in front it.
As the High Priest left the Most Holy Place he wiped some of the blood on the horns of the altar of Incense which stood before the curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. In effect, he was taking upon himself all the sins that the Israelites had confessed throughout the year by bringing their animals for sacrifice in the Temple.
Coming out of the Temple, the High Priest placed his hands upon the head of the scape goat and confessed all the sins of Israel upon him. Then the scape goat was led by a strong man out into the wilderness, where he was let go—a fitting symbol of the removal of all sin from the nation.
The Lord’s goat represented Christ who died upon the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of everyone who has ever lived. The High Priest represents Christ in His role of our great Intercessor in Heaven. He brings our names before the Father and proclaims that we have accepted Him as our Savior. In effect, just like the Day of Atonement was a day of judgment, so the great Day of Atonement in Heaven is a day of judgment for the people of God (read the judgment scene as depicted in Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”). Christ will decide whom, of all who have professed to be His disciples, has really accepted Him and let Him reign in their hearts.
When the judgment is finished, then Christ will come and reward His servants for their faithfulness.
Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
This annual “day of judgment” prefigured the cosmic judgment of all of God’s people. Whoever refrains from, neglects, or refuses to repent of his/her sins at that time will be cut off from God’s people.
The first part of the Day of Atonement has already taken place—the Lord’s Goat (Christ) has already been sacrificed for the sins of His people. The second part—Christ, as our High Priest, entering the Most Holy Place of the Temple in heaven, presenting His blood before the Father—is taking place right now in Heaven. Christ is investigating the lives of all who have professed to be His followers. Those who have been true to Him will be marked as His people. Those who have not been faithful will be rejected.
Soon, Christ will finish this work and return to reward those who were faithful to Him, by taking them to His Eternal Kingdom.
So, Christians don’t celebrate the Mosaic Day of Atonement because we are actually passing through the Great Day of Atonement right now.
‡The Feast of Ingathering (the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles) celebrated the ingathering at the end of the harvest, particularly of the grain, olive, and grape harvests. It also reminded the Jews of the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
This was the last feast of the religious year and usually came during our month of October, after the autumn harvest was over and the fruit had been gathered in. It was a joyous occasion for all. The Day of Atonement was past; all misunderstandings had been cleared up, all sins confessed and put aside. The Israelites were happy, and their happiness found expression in the Feast of Ingathering (Booths, or Tabernacles)
Since the antitypical* Day of Atonement takes place before the coming of Jesus, then this joyous feast, which comes at the end of the harvest, would most likely represent the joy of God’s people as they take their places in the New Jerusalem. Their wandering in the wilderness of sin is past. Eternal life in the heavenly Canaan will be the reward of God’s people.
*An object casts a shadow when standing in sunlight. The shadow is the type, the object itself is the antitype. The Day of Atonement in the ceremonial year is the type; the “investigative judgment” that takes place before Jesus comes is the antitype. Another way to say the same thing is: The Day of Atonement prefigured the judgment in the last days.
1Horn, Siegfried H., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association) 1979.
Is there only ONE name for God?
As for the name of God. I have had numerous people approach me from all walks of life regarding this issue. Some declare “Jehovah” is the only name we should use. Others declare “Yahweh” for the Father and “Yashua” for His Son. Some have even gone so far as to declare that the name ‘Jesus’ comes from Zeus, and it is a sin to call our Savior by that name. Fact is, the name ‘Jesus’ comes from ‘Joshua’ meaning, “Jehovah is salvation” as you can see by the Strong’s concordance reference below.
2424 Iesous {ee-ay-sooce’}
of Hebrew origin 03091; TDNT – 3:284,360; n pr m
AV – Jesus 972, Jesus (Joshua) 2, Jesus (Justus) 1; 975
Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”
1) Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor
2) Jesus, son of Eliezer, one of the ancestors of Christ
3) Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind, God incarnate
4) Jesus Barabbas was the captive robber whom the Jews begged Pilate to release instead of Christ
5) Jesus, surnamed Justus, a Jewish Christian, an associate with Paul in the preaching of the gospel
This fanaticism comes from a misunderstanding of a prophecy within Revelation …
Revelation 3:12 “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”
Revelation 7:3 “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”
Revelation 14:1 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.”
Those that declare a sacred name is necessary have clearly misunderstood the prophecy. Nowhere does it say “literally” that the name of our God is written in our foreheads. Just like it doesn’t say anywhere that the name of the beast is literally written in the forehead. It does, however, speak of His CHARACTER being written in the minds and hearts of His children in numerous areas in His Word.
Many of these “sacred name” preachers also adhere heavily upon the modern-day prophet Ellen White. As we can see below, she even relates this truth to all those with ears to hear …
| “The only hope of any man lies through Jesus Christ. . . . The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God’s commandments.” {Sons and Daughters p. 370.2} “Unless the name of God is written in your forehead,– written there because God is the center of your thoughts,–you will not be meet for the inheritance in light.” {Counsels on Stewardship p. 46.2} |
Clearly, she is stating it is not a “literal name.” She IS saying that keeping His commandments is the main issue here. Is it not written in Ezekiel 20:12 “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.” and Ezekiel 20:20 “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.”
This fanaticism is truly designed to get people to once again “FORGET” what the Almighty states is important to remember for that which MAN says is important. Like the priests of old that had the name “Holiness to the Lord” written on the front (forehead) of the miter. (See Exodus 28:36-38) The same goes for the Christian today. We must have the mind of Christ. Doing so will make our characters emulate the “holiness of the Lord.”
There is absolutely nothing “sacred” at all in the literal name of the Creator. It’s just a name. The character is what we need to strive for. To think that “reciting a name” is all you need to do to assure salvation is Catholicism in theology. It is NOT of “works” as the Scripture so amply proves.
My question remains the same. Why would the Almighty ever living God of creation declare we should call Him by one name and one name alone, when this very God is omnipotent and multifaceted? In fact, does not the Word of this very God speak of Him using many different names? So many in fact, that I would be hard pressed to list them all here.
Now it is true that in Exodus 6:3 it says …
Exodus 6:3 “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
Fact is however, in this instance the Almighty Father is simply revealing a NEW name to them. Doing a study on this topic in His Word one can see this is a repetitive characteristic of our Heavenly Father. All through Scripture we see the Lord revealing new names for Himself that speak of His love for us in many different ways. In fact, never have I ever come across a verse in the Old or New Testament that declares by only ONE name we are to call on Him.
Look at this way. All these names He gives us, are actually new ways to learn of Him as well as trust in Him. Every name given in His Word describes yet another facet of His character to us His children. To call Him by only one name, is to limit His glory as well as limit His effectiveness in the lives of those calling upon Him. He has many names because He has many gifts to bestow upon us. Not to mention the fact that He does many things FOR us.
For example. Just listing a few names He has called Himself makes this point very clear.
- I AM
- Jehovah (God, our Lord)
- Jehovah Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts)
- Jehovah Jireh (God, our Provider)
- Jehovah Rophe (God, our Healer)
- Jehovah Nissi (God, our Banner)
- Jehovah M’Kaddesh (God, our Sanctifier)
- Jehovah Shalom (God, our Peace)
- Jehovah Tsidkenu (God, our Righteousness)
- Jehovah Rohi (God, our Shepherd)
- Jehovah Shammah (God, ever present)
- El Shaddai (Almighty God)
- El Elyon (Most High God)
- Adoni (Lord)
- El Olam (Everlasting God)
- Elohim (God our creator and ruler)
Looking to His Son Jesus Christ one can see many names being used to describe Him as well.
- The Lamb of God
- The Firstborn
- Lion of the Tribe of Judah
- Root of David
- The Amen
- Chief Cornerstone
- Chief Shepherd
- “Last Adam”
- Redeemer
- Bright and Morning Star
- King of kings and Lord of lords
- The Living One
- The Son of God
- The Son of Man
- Rabbi
- Wonderful Counselor
- Mighty God
- Everlasting Father
- Prince of Peace
- Alpha and Omega
- Faithful
- True
- Immanuel
- Jesus
- The Messiah
Looking to His many names one can see that He is a Mighty God. One can actually see His love in just reading the names of this God within the very Word of this very same God. So, I ask … Where should we concentrate our efforts? On His name? Or on His Word? You tell me … what does the following passage say to YOU?
Psalms 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
Without His Word, we would have never known of His name.
One more fact to consider here. Have you ever noticed how the NAMES OF MAN actually speak of the plans of God Almighty? Notice this …
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE 12 TRIBES
If you translate the meaning of the names of the twelve tribes you will find the story of the Gospel. (Read downwards from the Definition list.)
| NAME | DEFINITION |
| Reuben Simeon Levi Judah Dan Naphtali Gad Asher Issachar Zebulun Joseph Benjamin | Behold a son, Look on Me Hear Him, Hear Me (and) Be Joined, With me Give Him Praise, Now will I praise the Lord Judge (His) Strife (and His) Fortune Happy and Blessed (am I for) He Brings (my) Reward Dwelling with Us He shall Add (For He is) The Son of His Right Hand |
Another example is known as the “Gospel in Genesis”:
If you translate the meaning of the names of the generations of Adam,
you will find the story of the Gospel. (Read downwards from the
Definition list.)
| NAME | DEFINITION |
| Adam Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalele Jared Enoch Methusalah Lamech Noah | Man (is) Appointed Mortal Sorrow (but) The Blessed God Shall come down Teaching His death shall bring The desparing Rest and comfort |
So … my question is … How is it possible that the CREATOR of mankind must have yet ONE NAME and the man He CREATED can actually have numerous names that spell out His Truth? Fact remains … to limit the Almighty to ONE NAME is to declare Him a God of limited capabilities.
“I saw that God’s holy name should be used with reverence and awe. The words God Almighty are coupled together and used by some in prayer in a careless, thoughtless manner, which is displeasing to Him. Such have no realizing sense of God or the truth, or they would not speak so irreverently of the great and dreadful God, who is soon to judge them in the last day. Said the angel, “Couple them not together; for fearful is His name.” Those who realize the greatness and majesty of God, will take His name on their lips with holy awe. He dwelleth in light unapproachable; no man can see Him and live. I saw that these things will have to be understood and corrected before the church can prosper.” -Early Writings page. 122.1
Final note regarding the “name” issue. Upon the cross of Christ was nailed a sign above His head. This is what it said …
Yashua Hanutzrel Velemech Hayehudim
Yashua of Nazareth King of the Jews
Y H V H
It’s no wonder the Pharisees didn’t like that sign. It proves He did indeed come in His Father’s name! Again, am I saying this is the ONLY name we should use? No. In fact, those that claim this IS the only name border on the fringes of a CULT theology. Their main point is that if you use any other name besides Yahweh or Yashua you are evil. They claim to do so is placing a Pagan name for the Creator God.
Yet, look at the name THEY give him. They claim His name = Yahweh, yet the Word says it’s YHVH, YHVH, JHVH, or JHWH. In fact, in Psalm 68:4 the Hebrew name of God is written, JH or YH. There are no VOWELS in that name! Yet the Yahcultist places vowels in it. That is NOT the “true” name at all then. Their theology is so riddled with holes, it’s truly amazing how so many are falling for it. Fact is, since mankind changed the “sacred name” to a different name, is it still sacred now?
PLUS … what of the angel that appears to sister White to say, “Do you wish to see Jesus?” in Early Writings, page 80? Did the Angel say, “Do you wish to see YAHSHUA OR YAHWEH?” No, he did NOT! Fact is, if the name Jesus is good enough for an angel, then it’s truly NOT a name that offends the Lord when His children use it today.
Fact remains, the WORD of God is far more important than even the NAME of God. For it IS written … Psalms 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
Is “YAHWEH” a Pagan inspired name?
As we know the Word of God actually used YHWH for the name of God, and as we also know, many claim Yahweh is the proper way to spell it since YHWH is un-speakable in any language. Consider the following historic facts regarding the use and origin of the name “Yahweh.”
“Pagan leaders used the name Yahweh. The name was inscribed on the Moabite Stone in Jordan about 830 B.C. exactly as it appeared in the Old Testament. The Lachish Letters, written between 589-587 B.C. and discovered in 1935 in the ancient town of Lachish near Jerusalem, frequently used the name Yahweh. ” (Source: http://www.plim.org/Sacred%20Names%20Article.html )
“Yw, Yawu, Yah, Iahu, IeuoYw or Yawu is given as the original name of Yam in the Myth of Ba`al from Ugarit, and is probably the same as Ieuo in Philo of Byblos’ Phoenician History. He is possibly to be identified with Yahweh. Coincidentally, a likely pronunciation of Yod-Heh-Vau-Heh really is Yahuh (Yahoo!).” (Source: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2938/mindei.html)
“The Protoindo European god Yayash, Yaë or Yave, a protective god whose symbol was a tree, signifying possibly ‘”walking”, “going”, “a pilgrim”, has been dated back to the Indus River valley, circa 2900 B.C.E. He has been identified with the Turko Syrian YHVH, a “sacred animal or organization”.
“Yahweh appears to have been originally a sky god – a god of thunder and lightning. He was associated with mountains and was called by the enemies of Israel ‘a god of the hills’. His manifestation was often as fire, as at Mount Sinai and in the burning bush.” – Great Events of Bible Times
“Originally, these four consonants [in YHWH] represented the four members of the Heavenly Family:
Y represented El the Father;
H was Asherah the Mother;
W corresponded to He the Son; and
H was the Daughter Anath.
– Laurence Gardner, Bloodline of the Holy Grail, p. 18
“In accordance with the royal traditions of the time and region, God’s mysterious bride, the Matronit, was also reckoned to be his sister. In the Jewish cult of the Cabbala God’s dual male-female image was perpetuated. Meanwhile other sects perceived the Shekinah or Matronit as the female presence of God on Earth. The divine marital chamber was the sanctuary of the Jerusalem Temple, but from the moment the Temple was destroyed, the Matronit was destined to roam the Earth while the male aspect of Jehovah was left to rule the heavens alone.” – Ibid (Source: Biblical Beginnings in Canaan, Op. Cit.)
“A letter found in a mound northwest of the modern town of Ta’annek written in the fifth century B.C. proves that ‘Yah’ was a deity of the Canaanites. Yah is associated with the Canaanitish Mother-goddess, Ashtart-Anat as seen by the Father-Mother titles of the deity of the Jews at Elephantine. There, the title of Anat-Yaw is seen as well as Ashim-Bethel and Afat-Bethel where the titles of Astarte are combined with the Sun-god, Bethel. At Gaza, Yah appears as a Sun-god on a coin and coins were frequently inscribed with the figure of Ashtart-Yaw, Anat-Yaw, and Anat-Bethel, which corresponds to the Phoenician Melk-Ashtart and Eshmun-Ashtart” – The Mythology Of All Races, Vol. 5, p. 44.
“Yah was identified with the Aramaic Thunder-god, Adad. A coin from the fourth century B.C. in southern Philisti (when the Jews were in subjection to the Persian kings) has the only known representation of the Hebrew Deity. The letters YHW were inscribed just above a bird which the god held on his arm. The most likely identification of the god Yah of Gaza is the Hebrew, Phoenician, and Aramaic Sun-god El or Elohim whom the Hebrews had long since identified with Yah.” (ibid., pp. 42-43).
“The collection of ancient manuscripts found at the Jewish colony of Elephantine demonstrates the use of Canaanite religious terminology in conjunction with the name of Israel’s God Yahu. Such compound names as Anath-Yahu, Anath-Bethel, Ishum-Bethel, and Herem-Bethel are found there. These names all represent the attempt to combine differing philosophies and religious beliefs that were prevalent in the centuries following the Israelite conquest of Canaan. For example, Anath was the ancient Canaanite goddess, the sister of Baal (Bruce, p. 53), and Baal was one of the ancient names for Nimrod.” (Hislop, p. 232).
“It was from the divine name Yah that the Greeks took ‘Ie’ in the invocations of the gods, especially the god Apollo. The name ‘Ie’ was written from right to left and inscribed over the great door of the temple of Apollo at Delphi (Taylor, p. 183). Iao, a variant of the Tetragrammaton, was applied to the Graeco-Egyptian god Harpocrates or Horus. Horus was called Harpocrates by the Greeks. The ancient Greeks had an acclamation similar to Hallelujah (Praise you Yah). They used Hallulujee in the beginning and ending of their hymns in honor of Apollo.” – Taylor, p. 183. Source: http://www.bibleresearch.org/law/sacredname.html
“Many Vedic chants of praise also contain Yah, e.g. Rama-yah, Isha-ya (Yah my Divine Husband), Jai-ya (Yah as joy); Shiva-ya (Yah is purity, holiness, truth); Krishna ya (Yah is the transcendental loving Witness); Vishnu yah (Yah is all pervasive Light); Kali ya (Yah is the creative manifesting force or energy).” etc. etc. Source: http://www.corplink.com.au/~roman/Sacred.html
1 Corinthians 7:18-19 “Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.”
In other words, the ceremonial law (in this case regarding ‘circumcision’) is now considered ‘nothing,’ but the ten commandments are STILL valid. And since the ceremonial law regarding circumcision is ‘nothing’ then the feast days which were also a part of the ceremonial law are now to be considered as ‘nothing.’
This page was copied and pasted by permission from remnantofgod.org
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