Spring Festivals

[A.W. Bowman]

I have been publishing my annual teaching on the Spring festivals established by God for His people to observe. That on-going teaching can be found at A list of related topics on the Anshey Brit Chadasha web site.

However, if anyone is interested,we can discuss the relevance of these festivals to Gentile Christians on these boards.

For example, what is the relationship between the Passover and Jesus? What is the Fast of the First Born and the Feast of First Fruits? How is it that when the girls went to the tomb, it could never have been on a Sunday - ever (The Complete Jewish Bible rendering not withstanding)! How is it that this year the Christian community could celebrate the resurrection of Jesus a full month before He was crucified? (That is a little like celebrating your birthday a month before you were born.) Why should one even consider counting the Omer (a unit measure)? And,what is so hot about celebrating the Festival of Shavu'ot?

All of those holidays are just Jewish festivals, holidays, or holy days, aren't they? Answer: Nope! Only one of these observances is actually a Jewish/Hebrew observance/celebration.

I am late in bringing this subject to this forum - sorry, because today, at sunset we have the start of the Day of Preparation, the 14th of Nissan, which according to tradition is also the Shabbat HaGadol (Joh 19:31). So, if we get off into these discussions, we will most likely be running my usual day late and a dollar short trick.

Post away if you're interested - or, just ignore it if you are not interested.

Hello, HaShaliach! Long time no post (for me anyway, ha!)

We had a wonderful Passover/Lord's Supper this weekend.

I had developed a haggadah. First one. Took me two days to do it. lol

Anyway, it was very interesting. The family really enjoyed it. Even had our son, who usually is quite the reserved type, participating fully.

One thing I noticed though... some of the family members actually liked the maror! Good grief how can that be?????

Anyway, I trust you had a nice Passover/Lord's Supper as well. God bless!

[A.W. Bowman]

Originally Posted by Eliseus

Hello, HaShaliach! Long time no post (for me anyway, ha!)

We had a wonderful Passover/Lord's Supper this weekend.

I had developed a haggadah. First one. Took me two days to do it. lol

Anyway, it was very interesting. The family really enjoyed it. Even had our son, who usually is quite the reserved type, participating fully.

One thing I noticed though... some of the family members actually liked the maror! Good grief how can that be?????

Anyway, I trust you had a nice Passover/Lord's Supper as well. God bless!

I am pleased that all went well. As to your lovely seder plate appetizer - did you soak it in plenty of horseradish? Most folks can eat enything that way - it all tastes same - hot! LOLOL

Tonight, is week one, day one of counting of the Omer. I have to wonder how many brave souls could hold out for the 49 days of that kind of self examination? LOLOL I can usually get through the "personal exam" part, it is the followup practical application that gets to me, the practicing what you profess! Mercy, now that is the kicker!

Now, all we have to get through is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the big feast at the conclusion of the seven days of Passover.

e, springis a busy time of the year. LOLOL

Shalom Aleichem

[Sister Alvear]

I would like your Bible studies on this subject if possible...thanks

[mfblume]

Not to debate (yeah right!) but here are my thoughts:

Gal 4:10-11 says Gentile believers were wrong in keeping Hebrew feasts since they were ELEMENTS or ELEMENTARY SCHOOLINGS for the Hebrews ONLY BEFORE Christ came. After Christ came, Israel was not even under the schoolmaster. These days, months and years were Hebrew holy days and months and years in context of Gal 3:21 through chapter 4.

Paul said they'd get under the same bondage under which they were when in idolatry when they did SERVICE to idols, to go underneath the elementary schooling of Law. Hence, Gal 5:1 associates bondage with Law. Israel was KEPT BACK from faith by law.

Galatians 3:23 KJV But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

but because feasts were ELEMENTARY SCHOOL lessons, they are jam-packed full of spiritual realities we must keep! But in themselves they were ABC building blocks. Showing principles. And the realities in the Spirit are astounding!

Originally Posted by mfblume

Not to debate (yeah right!) but here are my thoughts:

Gal 4:10-11 says Gentile believers were wrong in keeping Hebrew feasts since they were ELEMENTS or ELEMENTARY SCHOOLINGS for the Hebrews ONLY BEFORE Christ came. After Christ came, Israel was not even under the schoolmaster. These days, months and years were Hebrew holy days and months and years in context of Gal 3:21 through chapter 4.

Paul said they'd get under the same bondage under which they were when in idolatry when they did SERVICE to idols, to go underneath the elementary schooling of Law. Hence, Gal 5:1 associates bondage with Law. Israel was KEPT BACK from faith by law.

Galatians 3:23 KJV But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

but because feasts were ELEMENTARY SCHOOL lessons, they are jam-packed full of spiritual realities we must keep! But in themselves they were ABC building blocks. Showing principles. And the realities in the Spirit are astounding!

1Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully;

The feasts were most certainly shadows of Christ and His glorious Work. I don't know any true Christian who would deny that.

That is a far cry, though, from saying 'Gentiles should not celebrate the feasts'. First of all, in the New Covenant, THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GENTILE. So there is no such thing as a 'Gentile Christian' or a 'Jewish Christian' except in reference to what a person was BEFORE they became a Christian. In Christ, ALL things are made new...

Our family has observed PAssover for several years (I think you already knew that, brother Blume...?) This is the first year we actually followed anything remotely approaching a traditional method of doing so.

We kept it for the two purposes given in Scripture - to teach our children, and in remembrance of the Lord.

It served as an excellent opportunity to teach by both word and example (action) the history of Deliverance, Passover, the Lamb, applying the blood, the final sacrifice of Christ, the Lord's Supper and what it connotates (one cup, one loaf - the afikomen - which represents one covenant, one body, one sacrifice of which we all partake, etc etc etc.)

Jesus kept PAssover, and said 'Do this in remembrance of me', which is just what we as a family have tried to do, and will continue to do.

Moses said the Passover was to be kept in remembrance of the deliverance from Egypt. Our Lord said we were to keep that memorial ( the memorial in remembrance of the Exodus) IN MEMORY OF HIM. Paul said that by doing so we show forth His death until His return.

To suggest that 'Gentile Christians should not keep PAssover' is simply to suggest that 'Gentile Christians should not keep the Lord's Supper', because the twain are the same.

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

I am pleased that all went well. As to your lovely seder plate appetizer - did you soak it in plenty of horseradish? Most folks can eat enything that way - it all tastes same - hot! LOLOL

Tonight, is week one, day one of counting of the Omer. I have to wonder how many brave souls could hold out for the 49 days of that kind of self examination? LOLOL I can usually get through the "personal exam" part, it is the followup practical application that gets to me, the practicing what you profess! Mercy, now that is the kicker!

Now, all we have to get through is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the big feast at the conclusion of the seven days of Passover.

e, springis a busy time of the year. LOLOL

Shalom Aleichem

Please explain more about Shavuot/Pentecost. I am finding much conflicting information on the web (primarily with the method of counting and when and such, which I am least interested. I am more interested in the New Covenant applications of the Counting and the 50th day, and ideas on how best to use it as a teaching tool for the family.)

[A.W. Bowman]

Eliseus and Sis. Alvear -

As we are already into the Passover period, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the first day of the first week of counting the Omer, the teaching on the Spring Festivals is abou half complete. Visit the thread Spring Festivals and Counting the Omer for more information. There are a lot of attachments and linked web sites.

Mike - I understand your position and have no difficulty with it. Of course, Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Festival of Weeks , Shavu'ot, etc, are not Jewish holidays or Holy days. And, when Jesus returns to earth and establishes His kingdom, anyone who does not observe the fall harvest festival of Sukkot (the Festival of Booths), will be cursed of God. If we are all going to be required to celebrate this festival, we might as well get some understanding as to what it is all about. Right?

Perhaps, as you have already alluded to, there just might be more to this kind of study than meets the eye. Reading the New Testament from an Apostolic world view puts some of what has been general believed by the Western Gentile thinking Christians in a very different context. It is something akin to translating Shakespeare's works into Chinese and expecting an Asian reader to be able to truly understand and appreciate Shakespeare's works without the benefit of knowing British history, culture, or language. While not impossible to over come, this lack of knowledge does pose some very real interpretation problems for the Asian reader.

For starters, remove the page that is titled "New Testament", think of the four Gospels as one book called 3th Kings, The book of Acts is actually 3ed Chronicles, and Revelation is still Revelation. All of the Epistles then become the God inspired Commentary to the existing Word of God - there is nothing "new" in the New Testament, that has not already been identified in the "old". (Revelation being the promised expansion of the writings of Daniel.)

After the observance of Shavu'ot, I'll pull together some notes on The Law of God and Living under Grace, and start a teaching thread on that subject - unless you or someone else would like to take the lead on that subject now. As a matter of fact, that would lesson some of my current work load.

However, if anyone would like to start that teaching, remember that Abraham, the father of faithful (Ro 4:13 "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.") also lived under the Law of God and kept them all - and that was long before the event at Mt. Sinai. Not exactly what has been taught in Sunday School, right?

Kind of makes studying Romans, Galileans, and Hebrews a little more involved, than just lifting some selected words out of a few books and creating another stand-alone doctrine.

I look forward to reviewing such a teaching.

Shalom.

[A.W. Bowman]

Originally Posted by Eliseus

Please explain more about Shavuot/Pentecost. I am finding much conflicting information on the web (primarily with the method of counting and when and such, which I am least interested. I am more interested in the New Covenant applications of the Counting and the 50th day, and ideas on how best to use it as a teaching tool for the family.)

If interest comes back for the counting of the Omer then this post might be of some help Counting the Omer

We will be investigating Shavu'ot by next week. And, how all of these festivals are then tied together and where/how Jesus fits into all of this.

[A.W. Bowman]

Originally Posted by Eliseus

1Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully;

The feasts were most certainly shadows of Christ and His glorious Work. I don't know any true Christian who would deny that.

That is a far cry, though, from saying 'Gentiles should not celebrate the feasts'.

To suggest that 'Gentile Christians should not keep PAssover' is simply to suggest that 'Gentile Christians should not keep the Lord's Supper', because the twain are the same.

Sorry, I missed this post, but I think you captured the essence quite well.