Why Study Jewish Holidays?
Roy Fowler
There have been many Christians recently desiring to know the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. I believe the Holy Spirit is behind this move in these last days as "knowledge increases". The knowledge that is increasing includes the fact that more and more Spirit led believers are getting deliverance from a religious spirit of stupor that has been on the American church since it's inception and all of a sudden they are asking where we get many of our customs in our American holidays. They want to have a pure worship of our God without any idols. Therefore many Christians are questioning everything in their zeal to worship Jesus in a pure way. They are asking questions like: 1) "Where did we get our Christmas customs from?" 2) "Why is Resurrection Day called "Easter" (which is a pagan fertility God)?" 3) "Where do Halloween customs come from and why do many churches have a halloween party?" 4) "Why do most churches think that an Easter egg hunt is a great evangelistic tool?" 5) "Are there any American holidays that are not pagan in meaning and/or customs?" 6) "Are any of our American holidays in the Bible?".
First of all, let's look at holidays
that ARE in the Bible. Why?
Because they still have meaning
for today. Col 2:16-17 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you
by what you eat or drink (Jewish food rules), or with regard to a (Jewish)
religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These
are a shadow (or form or outline or symbol) of the things that were to come;
the reality (or fulfillment), however, is found in Christ." (NIV and
tran.hlps.) You see the Jewish holidays
or holy days are full of symbolic meaning about Jesus. They also have many symbols that teach
principles of spiritual truth for all ages.
And that is why God never intended for the Jewish holy days to cease. Passover is to be celebrated for the generations to come – "a lasting ordinance". (Exod 12:14) The Feast of Unleavened Bread, "You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year." (Exod 13:10 - NIV) The Feast of First Fruits "is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live." (Lev 23:14 -NIV) Pentecost is "to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live." (Lev 23:21 - NIV) The Day of Atonement "is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live." (Lev 23:31 - NIV) The Festival of Tabernacles also "is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. (Lev 23:41 - NIV)
Why are these
not to cease? Because Yahweh God says, "These
are MY appointed feasts, the
appointed feasts of Yahweh, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies."
(Lev 23:2 - NIV) They are God's feasts, not just Jewish festivals. In Zechariah 14:9,16-17 we see that in the
last days (probably the Millenium) all nations of the world will celebrate the
Feast of Tabernacles. "Yahweh will
be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Yahweh, and his
name the only name. Then the survivors
from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to
worship the King, Yahweh Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of
Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of
the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh Lord of Hosts,
they will have no rain." (NIV)
What or who caused these Jewish festivals to cease
in the church? The Roman emperor Constantine is the one who stopped them about 325 AD. Constantine was never a Christian. He was a sun worshipper and he had a vision
of a cross in the sky blocking out the sun.
This was a "sign" to him that Christianity was more powerful
than his sun god, and thereafter he made Christianity the state religion. HOWEVER, the Roman emperors were known to
hate the Jews (among other things, Nero accused them of burning Rome). Consequently, his "state religion"
of Christianity OUTLAWED AND PUNISHED
celebrating any Jewish festival.
Furthermore, a genuine "born again" experience was not a
prerequisite for being a priest in his religion and he personally appointed
whomsoever he chose as the priests and leaders of that church (the Roman
Catholic church). So then we had many
Greek and Roman philosophers as the early church leaders (priests), who had no
understanding of the Jewish roots and who were unregenerated pagans. This caused the Christian church to go into
the darkness and ignorance and violence of the Middle Ages.
So I for one am excited about discovering MY JEWISH
ROOTS. My wife CaroI and I have studied
Reformed, Orthodox and Messianic Judaism (Messianic Judaism is Jews and
Gentiles worshipping Jesus in the Jewish way.)
We have attended Reformed, Orthodox and Messianic synagogues. We have had Shabbat meals with Jewish
people. Also, among other study
materials, Roy has found many insights about Jewish festivals in the book, "God's
Appointed Times" by Barney Kasdan (A leader of a Messianic congregation)
that we highly recommend.
"But", you say, "I'm not Jewish! Why study Jewish roots?" Look at Romans 4:11-12, "So then,
(Abraham) is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised
(Gentiles), in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised (Jews)
who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith
that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised." NIV)
In these last days there is a double anointing
available. The first anointing comes
from those who are Baptized in the Holy Spirit and move in all the gifts of the
Spirit. The second anointing comes from
those who find out their Jewish roots and mix that understanding into their
worship. The joining of these two make a
wonderful and powerful double anointing in worship services. May God prosper you with all the blessings of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel).