For those new to celebrating the Biblical feasts it may seem rather daunting. But in order to really grasp these holidays, one should start from the beginning. Why celebrate the Biblical feasts in the first place? I hope to address that in this blog post.
God laid out instructions that we are bound to for all time such as observing the Sabbath on Saturday, see Exodus 20:8-10. This also applies to the Biblical feasts, see Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29 and Deuteronomy 16. If these verses are not enough we can also look at was the Messiah himself had to say about abiding by the Lord’s instructions in Matthew 5:18, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” While we no longer are to do offerings or sacrifices thanks to Yeshua Hamashiac (Jesus Christ), we are instructed by the Most High to celebrate His feasts. EternalGod.org said it best, “These special days picture the entire plan of God for all of mankind. They give us hope for the future and an understanding of why this world is in constant turmoil, with problems continually mounting and solutions out of reach.“
As we approach a special holiday, Feast of Trumpets, I want to shine a light on WHY it is so important we honor these holy days. So, let’s look at this celebration happening on September 16th.
In Leviticus 23:24 it says, “Speak to the Israelites, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts.” I want to note, the trumpet mentioned in this verse is a rams horn which is also known as a shofar. The people of this time used the horn to signal war, victories, announcements, etc. The word trumpet is also used throughout the Bible and we will have a blog post out Friday showcasing those instances.
In addition to honoring the Feast of Trumpets with a loud horn blast we are also told to do no work in Numbers 29:1, “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets,” We are to abstain from working as rest is a focus on this particular holiday just like the Sabbath.
We can also look at 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 where the Apostles continue to keep Passover, another Feast. And the book of Acts is largely hinged on the fact of the reader having a background on these holidays, see Acts 12:3–4 and Acts 20:6. EternalGod.org states, “When Luke wrote this, he took it for granted that Theophilus—a Christian with a Gentile background—knew about these annual Holy Days. If the Gentiles were not required to keep those days, Luke’s reference to these days in a report to a former Gentile would make little sense. (Imagine, for instance, that you would write to an American about the ‘Bretzelfest’ in Germany. He would not know what you are talking about, since he never kept this local festival. He would understand, however, if you were to write him about the Fourth of July, or Thanksgiving Day.)”
Numbers 10:10 even tells us WHY we are to take part in these feasts, “…they shall serve as a reminder on your behalf before the Lord your God: I am the Lord your God.” They are a memorial to The Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth.
So, why wouldn’t you want to celebrate His appointed times?
If you would like to learn more you can check out the article linked below:
Be blessed!
-Rev. Alex Burchnell, Senior Pastor
