Hijacking the Holy Days

Why does it seem foreign to most churchgoers to keep the holy days of the Scriptures? For the early followers of Yahshua the Messiah, doing so was the only thing to do. But in just a few hundred years everything changed in one of the most dramatic transformations in history. New Testament Sabbath worship was switched to the first day of the week, while pagan-centric observances (Christmas Ect…) replaced the annual Holy Days and festivals of the Bible. The early converts to the New Testament religion were Jews. Only later did Peter and the Apostle Paul take the Truth to the Gentiles, Acts 2, 9:15.

“Initially, the faith in the Messiah was a completely Jewish faith. All the believers were Jewish: even the writers of the New Testament were Jewish: the Apostle Paul [Heb. Sha’ul] himself being a Jewish rabbi. Both the New Testament and history record that these Messianic Jews continued to be Jews, remaining highly loyal to their land, people, and [G-d]-given laws,” Faith and Doctrines of the Early Church, p. 35. In time, Gentile converts became the majority and they began to influence the new faith. “Eventually, a strong ‘de-Judaizing’ process set in which would not only strip the faith of its Jewish roots but would also lead the majority into an apostate form of Christianity. Until this ‘de-Judaizing’ process set in, both the Hebrew and Gentile Christians had observed the Sabbath and had observed the time of the Passover in memory of the [L-rd’s] suffering and sacrifice. It was at this time, Passover, that the early Christians had observed the L-rd’s Supper, ”ibid., p. 36.

In an effort to distance themselves from the Jews and to gain new converts from paganism, later converts found more affinity in observing a different “Passover” known as Easter. Easter, a Babylonian fertility rite named after the pagan deity Astarte, is just one example of the baggage brought in by converts from paganism. Another is Sunday, the venerable day of sun worship.  Aided by Roman Bishops Sixtus (116-125 CE) and Victor (189-199), as well as Emperor Constantine, replacement observances like Sunday worship and Easter became firmly rooted and continue to overshadow the true biblical Holy Days of worship even today.

The Apostle Paul foretold that this apostasy would happen, Acts 20:29-30. “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” One needs only to look up today’s pseudo-religious holidays like Easter and Christmas in most any encyclopedia to be appalled at their origins and history. Almighty Yahweh calls the seven annual Holy Day observances found in Exodus 12 and Leviticus 23  “My Feasts.” He says they are a “statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwellings,” Leviticus 23:14.

Who is man to change Yahweh’s specifically commanded times and laws? (Dan. 7:25)

More info on Yahweh’s Feast Days >>