The Biblical Festivals
An colorful and informative book that provides a concise overview of the Biblical Festivals celebrated over the millennia by God’s people and their roots in Scripture, fulfillment in the Messiah, and hope for the future. A full Passover Seder Haggadah is included.
A Lively and Prophetic Heritage
Why are we carefully examining and honoring something as old, and arguably outdated, as the festivals of ancient Israel? For many Christians the question has to do with the “Law of Moses” (the Torat Moshe or תורה מֹשה in Hebrew) of the Pentateuch, which records God’s instructions about the annual festivals in Leviticus 23 among a host of other teachings. “What do we have to do with the Law?” they ask. Jesus addressed the subject directly during the Sermon on the Mount:<
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-19
It’s crucial to understand that Biblical “Law” (תורה) is not “law” in our modern sense of the word but a set of authoritative instructions and teachings given to us by our loving God to enhance, guide, improve, and safeguard our lives. Only when we shift out of grace mode by turning His “Law” into a legalistic set of rules and regulations do we lose the blessing and get entangled in binding complications. What, then, has God called us to do as we reach out to love and honor Him? Simply listen and seek to understand, follow, and obey Him as cheerfully and gratefully as His Spirit enables us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Then we can reap the blessings! Unfortunately, somewhere along the line we’ve made things very complicated and thrown out a lot of the blessings. One of the big blessings lost was our love for one another, including Christians for their Jewish spiritual forebears. Antisemitism found a home in the separated Gentile church and we lost our heritage and a vital part of our prophetic vision. Click here to read more and purchase copies of our book for yourself and/or fellowship study group.