Sir
I have been most interested in the articles on your web site -
especially those relating to how Jesus fulfilled many OT passages. This has been
a subject of great interest to me.
May I ask for your views on one
subject? I can see how the holy days of Leviticus 23 relate to parts of
God's plan for salvation. Yet, it seems that the church era does not need to
observe these days.
Zechariah 14 would seem to suggest that the Feast
of Tabernacles will be observed after the return of Christ. If that is the case,
should we not keep it now? And it cannot be simply for Israel, as we see a
punishment on Egypt for not keeping the feast.
And if the Day of
Trumpets pictures that return, the reality has yet to be fulfilled - so
shouldn't we observe if as a reminder of a future event.
Of course,
I have read Galatians 4 and Colossians 2 which would suggest otherwise, but I am
a little confused.
Any thoughts?
JPN Reply:
Hi,
thanks for the email. You seem to have a good grasp on these things
even if you think you are confused! : )
You are correct that the church
is not asked to observe these feasts. They were never given to the Church but to
the nation of Israel. So no gentile is told to keep or celebrate these feasts.
Col 2 gives us the why - they were shadows of the real thing that was to come -
not the reality themselves. The reality is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
So for example, I have never participated in a Jewish Passover meal. I think it
would be quite interesting to do so and probably would as a one-off when given
the chance. It has lots of symbols and types in it that we can read about in
Exodus 12 and other passages. As a one off it may may useful. But understanding
the reality of what Jesus did on the cross is the reality. It is far better.
In terms of the feast of tabernacles in the Messianic Kingdom age, you
are correct that Zech 14 says it will again be observed. But note where it is
observed - in Jerusalem with the King! In other words, the nations will observe
the feast of tabernacles, yes. But even more important is that they have to do it
in Jerusalem where the King is. They are going to see the reality of what the
feast is about - the person of Jesus Christ who came and "tabernacled"
amongst us.
I saw that on Dr Brown's website (a Jewish believer) he
gives his answer to whether gentiles should participate in these feasts. You can
have a look here:
http://askdrbrown.org/ask-dr-brown/35-ask-dr-brown/85-should-christians-observe-the-biblical-jewish-holidays
I
agree with what he writes - in that we can learn things from the feasts and use
them as a reminder of spiritual truth. BUT from what I have seen from gentile
believers starting to regularly participate in these feasts, they start to think
that it makes them more 'more spiritual' and often take their eyes of
the reality itself - Jesus Christ - and start placing them on these outward
Jewish observances. And that is a really bad mistake - hence the warnings in Gal
4 and Col 2. There are traps a plenty in any action that starts to put the focus
on something other than Jesus Himself!
All the best,