Common Traditions or Biblical Holy Days; truth or tradition?; holidays or holy days; should we observe pagan holidays

Common Traditions or Biblical Holy Days?

It’s a few weeks before December 25. You are confronted with a common inquiry everywhere you go: “Have you done your Xmas shopping yet?” People automatically assume that everyone they meet is participating in this annual spendfest.

It is also the first day of the week. In communities across our land people know that their local bank, Post Office, barbershop, repair garage, insurance agent, government, and the majority of other establishments will be closed. Everyone knows that Sunday means “nonbusiness” as usual.

Both of these– the Xmas celebration and Sunday rest– are religious celebrations or observances that have influenced the secular world. These observances are firmly embedded in our culture after centuries, even millennia, of tradition. Both are taken for granted and observed automatically by the majority in religious and secular society alike.

If someone were to challenge you to show in Scripture where specific instructions are given to cease from work on Sunday and to observe the Yuletide season, as well as other popular “religious” holidays, could you produce even one Biblical command? After all, with centuries of tradition supporting them, surely there must also be voluminous scriptural support for these observances…right? Therefore, we challenge you to find, if you can, even one of those Bible passage that tell us to honor either of these popular observances. Show just one verse that directs us to keep the first day of the week holy and to honor annually thebirthday of the Savior.

Biblical Feasts for Today and the Kingdom  

Here’s another challenge.

What if you could find in the Bible specifically named holidays that are expressly mandated by the Creator Himself to be observed by mankind forever? What if there were dozens of such commands? And suppose you could find not only these mandates in the Old Testament but also such holidays being observed in the New, even by the Savior Himself and His disciples. Don’t you think, then, that whatever holidays mentioned are important enough for serious investigation?

We’re talking not just one or two verses, but dozens exist in both Old and New testaments.

But let’s not stop there. Suppose you could find in the pages of Scripture where these same observances that are found throughout the Bible will also be kept in the future Kingdom that will come to earth during the reign of Yahshua the Messiah?

Now, which should be our desire – to keep man-made holidays without even a shred of Scriptural support, or specific observances explicitly commanded by our Creator Himself for His people today and for the future Kingdom? Mark 7:8-9 warns about following man-made traditions over the commands of Yahweh.

We find in the Scriptures that Biblical laws, including seven annual observances that are given  in great detail, will be enforced everywhere by the greatest Power in the universe – Almighty Yahweh Himself. The prophet Zechariah said this of the Millennial or Kingdom reign of our Savior Yahshua: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16).

The prophet Isaiah makes it clear that immediately after the return of Yahshua, after the Savior subdues the earth and establishes His Kingdom, that people will start keeping the Feasts at Jerusalem. Notice, it all begins right after Yahshua conquers this earth by the blade of His righteous sword:

“For by fire and by his sword will Yahweh plead with all flesh: and the slain of Yahweh shall be many,” Isaiah 66:16. Farther down in the passage we read, “For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory” (v. 18).

And where will they come? We continue: “And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto Yahweh out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of Yahweh.” (v. 20). Further we find,

“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says Yahweh. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isa. 66:23-24).

A Time of Shocking Realization Coming  

People everywhere will finally obey! All the scoffers, including those who strenuously resist the keeping of those “Old Testament” observances, are going to be stunned – and humbled – to find themselves preparing to go to Jerusalem to keep the Feasts in the Kingdom of Almighty Yahweh. They will contritely admit that today’s Truth Seekers were right when they kept His appointed observances. Many will be ashamed and sorry for having assailed the commands of Almighty Yahweh. The prophet Ezekiel foretold, “Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations” (Ezek. 36:31).

Many more will wish they had taken the teaching of the Feasts to heart back when keeping the Feasts and other laws was a free choice, with associated blessings, that only a handful took seriously. Had they done so their positions of authority would have been far greater in the Kingdom (Rev. 20:12-13; 22:12, 14; 1Pet. 1:17). How many times have you heard someone say, “Oh if I could just turn back time and do it all over again, I would do it so differently.” Now is the time to do it differently. Now is the time to humbly accept what Yahweh has commanded and get in line with His ways.

And what about those who stubbornly refuse to obey and keep His Feasts even during the Millennial rule of Yahshua? The prophet Zechariah warns:  “And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zech. 14:17, 19). Plague! One will either keep the true seventh-day Sabbath and the Feasts of Leviticus 23 or one will suffer the vengeance of Yahweh. Those who stubbornly resist will also feel the sting of the rod of iron administered by those who rule with Yahshua, as we have seen.

A Planet Once Again to Be in Harmony with Scripture

In keeping the Feasts, which revolve around the agricultural harvest seasons, we rejoice in the abundance of Yahweh’s blessings. In the Feasts we find a parallel pointing to the “harvest” of human souls for the Kingdom.

Anyone refusing to come before Yahweh in observance of these days during the Millennial reign will suffer just the opposite – starvation resulting from drought.

The seven annual Feast days put into perspective the whole plan of redemption.  The entire world will be in harmony with Yahweh once more. All of nature will return to its Edenic accord and beauty. People of the earth will once again submit to their Creator in a way not seen since Adam and Eve lived and obeyed in paradise before their rebellion.

It will be His way or no way. None of our excuses will be acceptable either then or now. No questioning. No compromising. No promises of “some other time” or “maybe next year.”

Yahweh will accept nothing short of immediate, complete obedience from everyone. One will either submit or suffer the wrath of the Mighty One of the universe!

The important question is, what are you doing about it now, knowing that the Biblical holy days will soon be enforced around the globe? Do you desire to be a priest in that Kingdom reign, or receive no rain as Yahweh forces all people on earth to learn of His ways?

These Days Not Limited to Jews

Those who underestimate the Bible’s clear command to keep the seven annual observances, as well as the weekly Sabbath, may counter the Bible’s mandate with the rationale, “I’m not a Jew. Those observances are only for Jews.”

First, realize that the Feast days were given to Moses on Mount Sinai to pass on to all Israel. The beginning of the Book of Leviticus, along with the last verse, reveals that Moses was given all the law to pass on ultimately to all people, not just the Ten Commandments to Jews.

A common mistake is in not realizing that Israel was composed of 12 tribes, only one of those tribes was known as the Jews– the tribe of Judah. The 11 other tribes were not Jews, but rather Hebrews who were collectively known as Israel. All 12 tribes stood at the base of Mt. Sinai. Yahweh’s laws were given to them all, not just to the tribe of Judah. These statutes applied to the entire 12-tribed nation of Israel.

Scripture makes it clear that we are to become spiritual Israelites. That means we do what Israel did and live by the same laws Israel did. Paul wrote, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of Yahweh, and the promises” (Rom. 9:4).

Why is this necessary? Because the covenant was made with all of Israel. What most fail to understand is that Yahweh is still working with and through Israel. The covenant and its promises were not given to any other group of people but Israel. Others can have a part in the promises only by special adoption through repentance and immersion into Yahshua’s saving Name.

Yahshua’s disciples understood this fact. Just before His ascension they approached Him and asked, “Master, will you at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)

They did not comprehend His timetable, but they did understand that He was working with those known as Israel. Others who seek a part in the salvation promise must become spiritual Israelites (Rom. 9 and 11) and abide by the same covenant agreement Israel made with Yahweh. That agreement included obedience to all of Yahweh’s laws given at Sinai – including the Ten Commandments and Feast days.

Whether to keep the Feasts is a choice set before each of us now. Today it is our decision. Tomorrow it will be Yahweh’s rod of iron that will convince the unwilling or the procrastinator to follow Him. Don’t you prefer to please the One you worship now and not wait for the rod of correction to make the choice for you? Wouldn’t you rather have His blessings today, including a position in the Kingdom based on your willing obedience?

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