Thread: Why Christians Celebrate Biblical Memorial Days
Admin
Why Christians Celebrate Biblical Memorial Days
Posted : 25 May, 2012 11:24 AM
Why Christians Celebrate Biblical Memorial Days
In our celebration of traditional Christian holidays, the Biblical Holydays should not be excluded. The motive for the Christian to celebrate Biblical holidays is neither to masquerade as quasi -Jews nor to plunder Jewish customs and traditions, but to honor what our Lord has instituted.
"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts." (Lev 23:1-2)
Notice, He did not say these were the feast of the Jews or the feasts of the Christians but "the feast of the Lord". They are memorial days that both Christians and Jews have good cause to celebrate. These festivals were institute by our Father God (Yahweh) in the first Testament and reaffirmed by Jesus (Yeshua) in the New Testament.
Sense the apostle Paul tells us that "Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:11), these feast days find their deepest meaning in Jesus the Messiah. Here is perhaps the most compelling statement in the New Testament as to the continued influence and recognition of the Biblical Holydays by the body of Christ in the first century, even among the Gentile Christian churches.
"For even Christ our PASSOVER is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast" (I Cor. 5:7-8)
It could not be said more clearly, "Therefore, let us keep the feast [of Passover]." Further evidence of first century Christians celebrating the feast days is found in the book of Acts. "I must by all means Keep this FEAST that cometh in Jerusalem" (Acts 18:21 KJV)
"For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of PENTECOST " (Acts 20:16)
"But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost." (1 Cor 16:8)
Nearly thirty years after the death of Jesus (a time when many believe the importance of these celebrations had ceased) the Apostle Paul is still highly motivated with Christian zeal to return to Jerusalem and celebrate the day of PENTECOST. Would he discourage the practice today? Clearly, he would not! The Biblical feast day celebrations were instituted by our God as a system for teaching and served as a liturgical calendar. They identified special times in the year for offering praise, thanksgiving and honor unto our heavenly Father for specific acts on behalf of His people. Every major event in Biblical history occurred on a feast day. The precise dates of Noah's Ark landing on Mt. Ararat, the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai, the dedication of Solomon's Temple, the birth of Jesus, His death, burial and resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, are all prime examples of God's faithfulness to His appointed times and seasons. Proper recognition of these special days of memorial is being restored to the church as a vital part of worship and celebration.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Traditionally, Christians have not given formal recognition to the seven Biblical feast days (Leviticus 23). The preference has been to continue the honoring of such traditional holidays as Christmas, Easter and All Saints Day (Holy Evening or Halloween) etc. Interestingly, these are calendar days for which there is no biblical support even though the events so honored may be biblical. How did this condition come about and who is responsible? There is certainly no record that the first century church ever celebrated the traditional holidays, as we know them. They were an "invention" of the subsequent church leadership. There is, however, abundant evidence to confirm that the early church continued to celebrate the biblical feast days.
The historical record confirms, that the cessation of celebrating biblical Feast Days by the followers of Jesus Christ was, brought on by a growing anti-semitic spirit (resentment of Jews and things Jewish) that invaded the church by the second century. Regrettably, this spirit has resulted in almost total deletion of everything Jewish from the doctrine and liturgy of the church, replacing it with alternative forms and titles adopted from other religions and introduced by various church fathers. By the beginning of the fourth century, Constantine, who had become both head of the church and Emperor of Rome, forbade the recognition of anything that remotely smacked of Jewishness to the point of imprisonment and even death. An example of this can be seen by the actions taken at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Church, which had been commemorating the death and resurrection of Christ on the Passover day, changed the date for observing the resurrection to make it correspond with the pagan carnival Easter instead of what they considered to be the Jewish feast of Passover. Today we are victims of that orchestrated effort and therefore the Christian's sense of value for celebrating Biblical Memorial Day became almost non-existent but that is changing.
RESTORATION ISSUES
A better understanding of the Biblical festivals in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being fully restored to the church. Still the question invariably arises, but what about the New Testament scriptures, which seemingly discourage the practice of observing "special days"? Such conclusions are often drawn as a result of misinformation, faulty interpretation of scripture, unbelief, and fear and with some degree of hypocrisy. For example, the following scripture is often cited as a proof text for non-observance of Biblical feast days:
"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." Gal.4:10-11
Here is a classic example of faulty interpretation of scripture. This reference has nothing to do with Biblical memorial days. Paul's statement to the Galatians is concerning their returning to former pagan or heathen practices. Clearly he is not speaking of the Biblical celebrations. This is borne out in the very structure of the letter itself. Notice, this was something they were reinstituting that they had been practicing when they worshiped false gods (see verse nine). The Galatians had never celebrated Biblical (Jewish) holy days. They were Gentiles, therefore, they could not have been returning to the Jewish festivals as some might claim.
The truth is, few Christians actually believe this scripture to be absolute or if they do, their actions are inconsistent with their beliefs. If taken at face value, we would simply have to refrain from celebrating or memorializing any "days" religious or secular. As it now is, we often go to great lengths and great expense both at home and in church to celebrate such times as Christmas, Easter, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, etc. To be sure, we "observe days" and they are often accompanied with great pageantry and extravaganza. The point is that many have somehow concluded that apparently we are free to celebrate any holidays except the Biblical days; these are somehow forbidden and viewed as being strictly Jewish and therefore anti-Christ, non-Christian and indeed dangerous. Yet the ones we have arbitrarily created for ourselves which have little or no Biblical support are somehow "safe" and honorable, even sacred. The intent here is not to denigrate the non-biblical times of celebration but rather to expose the duplicity inherent in the Galatians 4:11 stance for not honoring the Lord's appointed feast days while proceeding to devise our own. Again, Paul's reference here is concerning pagan holidays and not the God ordained memorial days, which the same writer had encouraged the Church to "therefore keep" (1 Corinthians. 5:7-8).
Here is another example of faulty interpretation of scripture concerning special days.
"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:" (Colossians 2:16)
This is not an indictment against feast day celebrations but a caution about judgmental attitudes. One would be hard pressed to find anyone who practices this as is commonly interpreted. The truth is, there are on-going judgmental attitudes manifested in the church about meats, drinks, holydays and Sabbath observance. Those who don't observe such things tend to reflect on those who do as "legalists" (strict adherents to the Law). Those who observe them quite often view those who don't as unrighteous or at best, second-class citizens of the Kingdom. Simply stated, "those who do judge those who don't and those who don't judge those who do" and on it goes. Yet the Christ-like attitude is "Judge not" (Mt. 7:1). The Apostle Paul gives similar advice to the church in Rome.
"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. ...But why dost thou judge thy brother?" (Romans 14:5, 6, 10)
No one's righteousness should be judged on the basis of these issues, any more than one should be judged as to whether or not he is a Christian on the basis of his church attendance. Righteousness is simply not of works. If one is "persuaded" that celebrating feast days enhances his worship of God, he should not be judged for it. All judgment of men's hearts is best left in the hands of God.
There is a third judgmental group who are selective in their interpretation of some aspects of Col. 2: 16. They arbitrarily select the particular things they are for or against and proceed to categorize them as a do or don't. For example: some who would extend liberty for one to eat any and all kinds of meats might well be the first to place restrictions on what is acceptable to drink, then proceed to preach and teach that judgment. In our zeal for righteousness we must guard against the possible distortion of scripture. Paul is simply trying to avoid the pharisaical attitudes of judgment and nothing more.
A MATTER OF WORSHIP
Now, let us establish some proper motivational factors. Out celebration of the Biblical memorial days are not a matter of salvation or acceptance before God. Therefore our motive in celebration should be as God originally intended; remembrance and honor for what He has done. God said his feasts were to be celebrated "forever" (Ex. 12:14, Lev. 23:21, Lev. 23:41). If God never changes, and we have His word on that He does not (Mal. 3:6), it is obvious that He still desires to be worshiped in this manner. The feast days retain a deep abiding meaning for the Christian since their fullness (not termination) is found in Jesus the Messiah. It is safe to say that the Christian has as much reason for celebrating these festivals as does the Jew and perhaps more (1 Corinthians. 5:8). The feast days contain more divine information, spiritual lessons and prophetic reflections than perhaps any subject of scripture. Subsequently, It is through our deliberate recognition and celebration of them that the riches of truth contained in them is released for our understanding.
The things that are done to celebrate these days are not so important as the acknowledgement of the day itself. We need not be concerned with ancient ritualism from which we were liberated in Christ (Heb. 9:10) but focus on the basic principle of their prophetic and spiritual meaning as is revealed under the New Covenant. Since it is not a matter of salvation but one of worship, there is liberty and flexibility in what we can do as a remembrance practice. The spirit of praise and worship simply demands the recognition of the Biblical feast days. No other conclusion can be drawn.
The question before us is; should Christians celebrate the feast days? Clearly we should. Why? Because they are Biblical, Christ-centered and God ordained. While feast celebrations may not be essential to salvation, they are certainly essential for a more perfect worship order in the church. Reason simply dictates this conclusion.
REMEMBER
Feast days are not Jewish in an ethnic sense or Christian in a religious sense but they are divine in a Biblical sense and therefore eternal and universal.
THEREFORE, LET US ALSO KEEP THE FEAST!
by: Robert Somerville ~ awarenessministry.org
*** :bouncy:...Have a GOD HolySpirit Filled & Blessed Memorial Day weekend Yall�xo
I did not say that Herodes was celebrating ishtar, that was in the post i put up so you could see the evils in those pagan days you celebrate.
listen you can call it whatever you want, wrapping it in a new box and saying you do it to HIM is not changing the origin and HE hates those days, our FATHER has given you set appointments in the Torah that you are to come to HIM on those days, you are not to follow the way of the nations
Leviticus 18
3After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 4Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
you are not too learn their ways, you say that an xmas tree was not an xmas tree before YESHUA' birth then why are they doing the same exact thing in Yirmeyahu Jerimiah? it was a pagan practice that you are now still following ,you just can't see that you can not keep pagan days and try to make them some thing they are not by saying you are doing it HIM.
this is exact same thing constantine did when he changed the Shabbat to the sun god day worship it is now, you go to sunrise service on ishtar sungod day and do the same thing that is talked about Ezeki'el 8:14 where they were weeping for tammuz that is what that holiday is all about it always has been before YESHUA so how can you say that you can change the meaning ,,this is like if started celebrating april 20 (the day hitler was born) and making it to be about jesus?
it makes no sense you can wrap it in all the traditions you want, you can call it what you want, but it will never change the fact that it was and still is pagan
we have days and Feast we are to follow,,all of us who call on the NAME YEHOVAH,,those days you can find in
Leviticus 23 and other places
<< Leviticus 23 >>
King James Version
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
4These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. 6And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 8But 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.
9And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10Speak 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: 11And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And 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.
15And 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: 16Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 17Ye 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. 18And 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. 19Then 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. 20And 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. 21And 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.
22And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
23And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24Speak 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. 25Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
26And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27Also 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. 28And 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. 29For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32It 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.
33And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34Speak 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. 35On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36Seven 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.
37These 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: 38Beside 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.
39Also 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. 40And 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. 41And 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. 42Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43That 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. 44And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
i have tried to warn you that is all i am doing, i love you sweet sister , come out of babylon and stop celebrating pagan holidays and say you do it to YEHOVAH it is an abomination. i love you i really do and i will not argue this with you any more,,it is wrong learn the Feast of YEHOVAH and serve HIM as HIS SON did ,,you know YESHUA kept all the Feast of HIS FATHER and if you say you follow JESUS then REALLY FOLLOW HIM, do what HE did cause HE did not keep pagan days, HE never told you too either,,HE kept the LAWS and COMMANDS of HIS SWEET FATHER YEHOVAH i suggest you do the same, they are all shadows of things to come, again i am not saying this in anger or hate i am saying this firmly because i know my FATHER hates these days and traditions you are keeping ,,
Context
<< Jeremiah 16 >>
New American Standard Bible
19O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,
And my refuge in the day of distress,
To You the nations will come
From the ends of the earth and say,
�Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood,
Futility and things of no profit.�
20Can man make gods for himself?
Yet they are not gods!
21�Therefore behold, I am going to make them know�
This time I will make them know
My power and My might;
And they shall know that My name is the LORD.�
you have inherited lies now come out of babylon, May YEHOVAH be with you and keep you all your days
i have only tried to tell you now you must ask YEHOVAH i will not go further with this, i love you so much, please sister see with your eyes, hear HIM with you heart!!!! come out of babylon
listen you can call it whatever you want, wrapping it in a new box and saying you do it to HIM is not changing the origin and HE hates those days, our FATHER has given you set appointments in the Torah that you are to come to HIM on those days, you are not to follow the way of the nations
How am I wrapping the Birth of Jesus and the Resurrection in a new box??? That�s like saying we celebrate Presidents Day bc of Obama! ;)
Ok and after the Torah is the rest of the Bible..what about the Gospel and Epistles??? Cant just leave that out can we??
