Why I have decided to keep the feasts of God.

Pastor, I want to share with you a simple short summary of why I have
decided to keep the feasts. Please pray before you read this and pray
also my family. I do appreciate your understanding, patience and
friendship.
I myself, wrestled for a long time over whether I believed that we as
Christians should keep the feasts of God. All along the way, I saw
evidences that God still cared about His sacred calendar and then I
struggled with teachings that said that these holy days were abolished
There is very much I could get into, but my desire is to make this as
simple as possible; so my purpose is not to try to be exhaustive but to
give an overview of my reasons.
I will address briefly three main points:
1.)Why I believe our SDA teaching that Gods holy days were included
in the ceremonial law and thereby have been done away with, is
wrong.
2.)Important reasons for keeping the feasts drawn from established
SDA doctrine about God Law, which is eternal and perpetual.
3.)Why Sister White didnt keep the feasts days or state plainly that
we should keep them.
Point One: I have come to believe that our SDA position that Gods holy
days (or feasts of the Jehovah) are part of the ceremonial law is
incorrect.
The Bible tells us plainly what was done away when Christ died on the
Cross:
And, behold, *the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom*;
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent Matthew 27:51

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and *in the midst of the
week he shall cause *the sacrifice and the oblation* to cease* Daniel 9:27

So we see that while the services and sacrifices and offerings of the
earthly temple were caused to cease, Paul tells us later that this act of
tearing the veil in the earthly temple was simply an object lesson of the
door that has been opened into the true Holiest of All in the heavenly

temple:

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh. Hebrews 10:19,20

(notice how in this quote from EGW, how it is revealed that the very
things that were caused to cease on earth are taken up by Christ in the
heavenly sanctuary, thus showing probably more continuity to the system
of sacred ceremonies then we ever knew before:
The typical shadows of the Jewish tabernacle no longer possess any virtue. A daily
and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning *sacrifice*
through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin. Jesus
is officiating in the presence of God, offering up His shed blood, as it had been a
lamb slain. Jesus presents the *oblation* offered for every offense and every
shortcoming of the sinner. {1SM 343.4}

*so while He caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease on earth, we

see they are taking place in antitype reality in heaven and if sacrifice
and oblation is taking place in heaven, then why should we understand
that Jehovahs sacred worship times have been abolished? These are the
times when we are to gather and focus our worship at His sanctuary in
heaven: see Revelation 11:1,2)
So there is still a temple in heaven, we have a High Priest there and He
is also as a Lamb as it has been slain. It was the earthly sacrifices and
offerings and the earthly temple that was done away.
But what about all of the statutes and judgments of the Old Testament
that SDAs commonly teach are all part of the law of Moses, or also
called the ceremonial law, and are done away with?
Well, truly, we have not been consistent in this. We still uphold tithing as
binding and Jehovahs dietary laws such distinctions between clean and
unclean and Gods prohibition against eating blood
So why do we say that the feasts of Jehovah are part of the ceremonial
law and have been done away with, but these other things are not?
This teaching is based on thinking that we cannot separate the sacrifices
and services done at the earthly temple on the holy days from the holy
days themselves
But this is disproven by the fact that we were able to separate the weekly

Sabbath from the special sacrifices done on that day in the past:
The preists were to: offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in *the Sabbaths*,
in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order
commanded unto them, continually before the LORD 1 Chronicle 23:31
Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to
him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for
the burnt offerings morning and evening, on *the Sabbaths*, and on the new moons,
and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to
Israel. 2 Chronicles 2:4

So SDAs were able to see that even though there were ordinances of
services in the earthly temple and sacrifices to be done on the weekly
Sabbath, after these earthly services and sacrifices were done away, the
Sabbath still remains. But now also, as Christ does the duties of our
High Priest in heaven in the heavenly sanctuary His holy worship days
remain.
But we may say that, we know the Sabbath is perpetual and eternal
because it is included in the Ten Commandments, not in the Law of
Moses But we see evidence from the Bible that the feasts are
perpetual and eternal as well:
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before
me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to
pass, that *from one new moon to another*, and from *one sabbath to another*,
shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 66:22,23

If we look closer at what the Bible teaches we will see that the Weekly
Sabbath itself is the first feast listed in Leviticus chapter 23 which tells
us about the seven feasts of Jehovah:
Feasts of the Lord
(Exodus 23:14-19)

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to
be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
3Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy
convocation; ye shall do no worktherein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your
dwellings. Leviticus 23:1-3

But now we come to some most important revelations I have learned that

caused me to come to accept Jehovahs feasts as still binding upon

man.
The main thing I have come to recognize is that what we SDAs have
been teaching as the law of Moses and saying that, the Law of Moses, is
the same as the ceremonial law is a dangerous error.
Yes, the ceremonial law has been done away with. I have discussed
earlier what the ceremonial law is: it is the services of the earthly temple
and the earthly sacrifices and offerings.
But to say that all the statutes and judgments that God gave us and
which Moses wrote, which are not included in the words of the Ten
Commandments to say that all these are part of the ceremonial law,
and therefore done away, with is a grave error indeed.
Listen to this from the pen of Sister White, read this and re-read it many
times in the future until our eyes are opened:
Precepts Given to Guard DecalogueIn consequence of continual transgression,
the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses
religious precepts which were to govern everyday life. These statutes were
explicitly given to *guard* the ten commandments. They were
not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding
upon men in every age as long as time should last. These commands were
enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained
that law. (The Signs of the Times, April 15, 1875[Reprinted in The Review and
Herald, May 6, 1875]) {1BC 1104.6}

The truth taught here is inescapable and this eventually led me to accept
the feasts lest I reject sound counsel. This revelation corrects the SDA
error that the writings of Moses are entirely the ceremonial law is
therefore done away with
Very plainly Sister White shows that there are religious precepts written
by Moses, which are not included in the wording of the Ten
Commandments, that are binding upon men in every age as long as
time shall last, which are given to guard the Ten Commandments and
which are enforced by the power of the moral law and which clearly
and definitely explained that law (the ten commandments).
All of this is saying that many of the religious precepts God gave to us
through Moses are not ceremonial at all, but are indeed moral
requirements that help us understand His law and character more fully
And Sister White calls them commands: These commands were enforced
by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law.

And this makes perfect sense. I said earlier that we still understand
tithing, dietary laws and moral prohibitions written in the law of Moses to
still be binding This is revealing that we have not been consistent with
our teaching about the Law of God (but I will address this more in my
third point God knew this and ordained that light should come to us
before the end of time).
Now after we have fully digested the teaching given above, consider
again that the Seventh Day Sabbath, which is given in the fourth
commandment, is the first feast of the Jehovah listed in Leviticus
chapter 23 These commands are not ceremonial, but moral which is
why they will endure and be kept forever, just as the Bible teaches.
The earthly sacrifices and offerings done on these holy days have been
done away with, but both the Sabbath and the rest of Gods holy days
remain.
Point 2: We have important reasons established for keeping the feasts
which can be drawn from established SDA doctrine about God Law,
which is eternal and perpetual.
Except for the fact that the Sabbath in encoded into the Decalogue of
Ten Commandments, all of the *principles* SDAs give to show that the
Sabbath is still binding these all apply with equal force to Jehovahs
feasts His appointed times of meeting.
Think about it. In addition to saying that the Sabbath is enjoined in the
fourth commandment, we continue to show the perpetual nature of the
Sabbath through other proofs.
- We show that the Sabbath was ordained in Eden.
- We show that Moses wrote that the Sabbath shall be kept an
ordinance *forever*.
- We show that God had respect unto the Holy Day by withholding
the manna on the Sabbath and giving a double portion on the
preparation day.
- We show that Jesus observed the Sabbath.
- We show that the apostles still worshiped on the Sabbath after
Christs death.
- We show that there is no teaching in the New Testament that

states that the Sabbath has been abrogated.

- And lastly we show that the Sabbath will continue and be kept as a
sacred worship day in eternity in the new heavens and new earth.
Now see how all of these reasons which we teach to uphold the truth
that the Sabbath is perpetual and still binding upon men as a holy moral
duty to Jehovah; reasons which when we teach them we expect that
these reasons should be respected as having Biblical authority these
very same reasons listed above as supporting the truth that the Sabbath
is perpetual see now how these same reasons teach also that the
feasts of Jehovah are perpetual in nature and still binding upon the
worshipers of Jehovah.
1.)The feasts of Jehovah were ordained at the creation of the earth,
during the first week!

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day
from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years.
Genesis 1:14 (The Hebrew word here translated as festivals [seasons in the
KJV] is the Hebrew word Moed which means appointed times and is mostly
associated with the appointed times of the sacred festivals of Jehovah.)

2.)The Lord told Moses that His sacred feasts were to be kept by
believers as sacred ordinances *forever*!
Passover: And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a
feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an
ordinance for ever. Exodus 12:14
Pentecost: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your
generations. Leviticus 23:21
Day of Atonement: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in
all your dwellings. Leviticus 23:31
Tabernacles: And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the
year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the
seventh month. Leviticus 23:41

3.)Jehovah had respect unto His sacred feast day of Pentecost after
Christs death and resurrection!

And when the day of Pentecost was *fully* come, they were all with one
accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And
there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts. 2:1-4

4.)Jesus observed the feasts (and taught there true meaning, even as
He did the Sabbath):

But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly,

staying out of public view. 11The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival
and kept asking if anyone had seen him. John 7:10,11
On the last day, the climax of the festival (this was the Feast of Tabernacles
where the Jews had a ceremony depicting the water flowing from the Rock
during their wilderness sojourn), Jesus stood and shouted to the
crowds, Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!38Anyone who believes in me
may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, Rivers of living water will flow
from his heart. John 7:37,38

5.)The apostle Paul kept the feasts with new gentile converts to
Christianity, outside of Jerusalem and taught the new converts to
do as they have seen him do!

At Philippi Paul tarried to keep the Passover. Only Luke remained with him,
the other members of the company passing on to Troas to await him there. The
Philippians were the most loving and truehearted of the apostles converts, and
during the eight days of the feast he enjoyed peaceful and happy communion
with them. {AA 390.4}

*this shows that Paul kept not only Passover but the feast of
unleavened bread as well.
** Now listen to what Paul wrote to these same Philippians believers
to follow: Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will
be with you. *Philippians 4:9

6.)There is no teaching in the Old or New Testament that shows that

Gods sacred holy days have been abolished.
The commonly misunderstood verse in Colossians 2:14 holds the
seventh day Sabbath in the same regard as the feasts and new
moons: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with
regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or of the Sabbath day.
Colossians 2:14

If in this passage of scripture Paul is teaching that the feasts are

done away with, then we are also agreeing with the false teaching by
many that this verse also disannuls Christians from keeping the
Sabbath but that is not what Paul is teaching here.
7.)The Sabbath and the new moons (and feasts of Jehovah) shall
continue to be kept as sacred worship days in eternity in His
kingdom forever!
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before
me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come
to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another,

shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 66:21,22

Our reasonings are correct in using these principles to teach the

perpetual nature of the seventh day Sabbath these principles are
equally as powerful in showing that the feasts of Jehovah also, ever
since their being ordained in Creation week, have continued and shall
continue forever as sacred times of assembly and worship and Praising
the Lamb for His great plan of Redemption which these sacred festivals
explicitly teach and commemorate.
Point 3: I think it is a very good and fair question to ask why then did
Sister White not teach by precept and example that the feasts of Jehovah
were still to be kept. We might well conclude that if this was indeed truth,
then Jesus would have told Sister White by His Spirit so that she might
communicate this truth to us.
Yes, we might very well conclude that; but that is not a safe final
conclusion to reach because it assumes a false premise. There is
indeed a false premise that must be assumed in order to reach the
conclusion that because Sister White did not teach that we should keep
the feasts, therefore that means anyone keeping the feasts are in error.
The false premise is that the Lord revealed to Sister White everything
that we would ever need to know as Light from heaven until Jesus comes
back again..
It is fairly easy to show that this is not the case. Sister White wrote much
about *new light* which would come to the church and she warned us
that we will need to be ready to investigate that new light and that we
will be tested, even as the church in every generation past has been
tested, as to whether we will recognize Jesus speaking to us and obey
Him.
Sister White taught plainly that light is progressive and that the Light and
revelation from Jesus would continue to grow and illuminate new duties
as long as time shall last.
Of course new light, true light from heaven, would never change the
foundations that have been established, but would always be in accord
with the Light and revelations from the Law and the prophets that have

come beforehand.
But what must be discarded always in order to accept new light from
Jesus, is to remove and discard man-made traditions and errors which
were not from the Lord in the first place. These are hindrances to new
light and revelation and often believers stand and fight to hold onto manmade traditions and errors as though they were the commandments of
God. So I admit that considering, studying, praying about and embracing
what is truly new light is indeed a very difficult undertaking for the human
agent. But, yet plainly, we see that the Lord has seen fit to test us in this
way:
New light will ever be revealed on the word of God to him who is in living connection
with the Sun of Righteousness. Let no one come to the conclusion that there is
no more truth to be revealed. The diligent, prayerful seeker for truth will find
precious rays of light yet to shine forth from the word of God. Many gems are yet
scattered that are to be gathered together to become the property of the remnant
people of God.Counsels on Sabbath School Work, 34 (1892).{CW 35.1}
We must not think, Well, we have all the truth, we understand the main pillars of our
faith, and we may rest on this knowledge. The truth is an advancing truth, and we
must walk in the increasing light.{CW 33.2}
There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more
truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an
error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our
people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth,
and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close
investigation.{CW 35.2}

Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly
obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty
in its sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and
thus it will continue to the end. But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the
tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with
the light already received from Gods word, and discourage any further investigation
of the Scriptures. They become conservative, and seek to avoid discussion. {CW 38.3}
The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among Gods people, should not
be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine.
There is reason to fear that they may not be clearly discriminating between truth and
error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no
difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves,
to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times,
who will hold to tradition, and worship they know not what. {CW 39.1}
Many say, If I had only lived in the days of Christ, I would not have wrested his

words, or falsely interpreted his instruction. I would not have rejected and crucified
him as did the Jews; but that will be proved by the way in which you deal with his
message and his messengers today. The Lord is testing the people of today as
much as he tested the Jews in their day. When he sends his messages of
mercy, the light of his truth, he is sending the spirit of truth to you, and if you
accept the message, you accept of Jesus. Those who declare that if they had
lived in the days of Christ, they would not do as did the rejecters of his mercy, will
today be tested. Those who live in this day are not accountable for the deeds of
those who crucified the Son of God; but if with all the light that shone upon his
ancient people, delineated before us, we travel over the same ground, cherish the
same spirit, refuse to receive reproof and warning, then our guilt will be greatly
augmented, and the condemnation that fell upon them will fall upon us, only it will be
as much greater as our light is greater in this age than was their light in their
age. {1888 1057.7}

Obedience to Jesus is a sufficient and pure enough motive to follow the

Light He sends and to obey His voice. Especially to us who are Sabbath
keepers already, we recognize that Christ always has special blessings in
store for those who follow Him in the path of trust and obedience. And
my family and I have discovered the same concerning keeping the sacred
appointed times of Jehovah: His sacred feast days.
We have been happy and blessed since we have been convicted and are
now observing these sacred times of assembly and worship. What is
more, my children really love keeping the feasts This has given me a
new view on the wonderful statutes of Jehovah His thoughtfulness for
all members of the family!
Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25When
you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this
ceremony. 26And when your children ask you, What does this ceremony mean to
you?27then tell them, It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the
houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the
Egyptians. Then the people bowed down and worshiped. Exodus 12:24-27

These feasts are practical and spiritual ordinances of worship which our
God, in love and thoughtfulness, has given us! They are not heavy
drudgery. The holidays of the world are a weariness and are not blessed
and sanctified by Jesus.
Remember, the Lord reserves and special blessing and favor upon his
trusting obedient children His sheep who know His voice and follow
Him (obey Him). This is an experience the disobedient never know in their
supposed liberty from keeping His ways. The man who loves and keeps

the Law of Jehovah is free in the fullest sense and in this freedom we
find true rest to our souls.
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the
tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it
be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 30For on that day
shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean
from all your sins before the LORD. 31It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye
shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 32And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and
whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall
make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: 33And
he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for
the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for
the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34And this shall be an everlasting
statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a
year. Leviticus 16:29-34
Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations
in all your dwellings. 32It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your
souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate
your sabbath. Leviticus 23:31,32

This cleansing and refreshing REST FROM OUR SINS no earthly, manmade holiday, which we have observed and honored for so long, could
ever provide
I choose to keep and honor Jesus and His holy times set apart for us to
worship Him in a special way, at special seasons of assembly at the
temple which is in heaven (we worship there by faith, see Revelation
11:1,2). These times are also set apart as the times of our Fathers Own
appointment to give us special blessings, which the faithful and obedient
people of God are simply not willing to miss or do without (consider that
another Pentecostal outpouring is promised in these last days, as well as
final cleansing from sin).
Amen.