Biblical Holidays

Matthew 5:17-18 “Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass.” Luke 16:17 “But it is easier that the heaven and the earth should pass away than that one tittle of the law should fail.” Luke 24:44 “And he said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all that is written concerning me in the law of Moses and prophets and psalms must be

fulfilled.” By these pronouncements, showing both the laws’ eternal validity and that He Himself is bound by it, our Adonay Yah Shua HaMashiach (Lord Jesus Christ) was instructing us to continue to observe the law. But most Christians still do not observe the holidays they are commanded to observe in the Old Testament. These are not merely “Jewish” holidays - the Jews celebrate many other holidays not ordained in the Bible! Unfortunately, most holidays observed by Christians now-a-days are merely pagan holidays in disguise! Christmas, Easter, and Halloween are holidays rooted in the worship of the Roman god Sol Invictus, the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, and the Celtic Samhain “end of the harvest” respectively. Furthermore, a more recent Christmas symbol, the Yule tree, comes to us via the worship of the Norse god Baldur. The Easter symbols, the colored eggs and bunny rabbits, (all symbols of fertility) come to us via the worship of Ishtar (a fertility goddess). After Christianity became the official religion of Western Civilization, the “Church” began adopting the rites and symbols of the pagan religions it was replacing! In spite of decades of knowing the roots of these holidays, most modern Christians still observe them!

So what holidays should observant Christians celebrate? Holidays concerning HaMashiach’s (Christ’s) birth (some time in mid September), death (the day after the Passover supper), and resurrection (three days later) are all optional! The holidays we are required to celebrate are the ones we are commanded by scripture to celebrate. There are seven holidays that Christians, Jews, and Moslems alike are required to observe. They are the following:

Shabbat (“Sabbath”) - Exodus 31:15 “Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is the

Sabbath of rest, holy to Yahu’ah: whoever doeth work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death.” Exodus 35:2 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to Yahu’ah: whoever does work on it shall be put to

death.” Still a point of heated controversy among Christians, the Sabbath was originally observed on Saturday. The Roman Emperor Constantine had it changed to Sunday to accommodate the worshippers of the then popular sun god Sol Invictus (the “unconquerable sun”) smoothing their forced conversion to Christianity. Constantine also ordered the celebration of the birth of Yah Shua (Jesus) to be held on December 25th (the birthday of Sol Invictus) for the same reason! All those who disputed these changes were exiled or put to death as heretics.

Rosh Hashanah ("Head of the Year") or Yom HaZikkaron (“Day of Remembrance”) September - Leviticus 23:25 “And Yahu’ah spoke to Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel,

saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall ye have a rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. No manner of servile work shall ye do; and ye shall

present an offering by fire to Yahu’ah.” A two-day festival observed on the 1st and 2nd days of Tishrei in the Jewish religious calendar [the Jews have two calendars - a religious one (derived from the Babylonian calendar and nonexistent before the Babylonian captivity) and a secular one]. Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the holy New Year. Supposedly the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, Rosh Hashanah is also celebrated as the birthday of mankind, highlighting the special relationship between Yahu’ah and humanity. However, the official Biblical holiday is called Yom HaZikkaron. Charity, prayer, repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness replace the need to present other sacrifices to Yahu’ah (replaced by Yah Shua’s perfect sacrifice); but all other requirements are still in effect!

Yom Kippur (“Day of Atonement”) September/October - Leviticus 16:29-31 “And this shall be an

everlasting statute unto you. In the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, the home-born, and the stranger that sojourneth among you; for on that day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you: from all your sins shall ye be clean before Yahu’ah. A Sabbath of rest shall it be unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls: it is an everlasting statute.” Leviticus 23:26-32 “And Yahu’ah spoke to Moses, saying, Also on the tenth of this seventh month is the day of the atonement: a holy convocation shall it be unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and present an offering by fire to Yahu’ah. And ye shall do no manner of work on that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahu’ah your God. For every soul that is not afflicted on that same day, shall be cut off from among his peoples. And every soul that doeth any manner of work on that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. No manner of work shall ye do: it is an everlasting statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings. A Sabbath of rest shall it be unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls. On the ninth of the month

at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath?” This is a two day holiday in which one is commanded to atone for sins against God. As with all other holy days; charity, prayer,

repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness replace the need to present other sacrifices to Yahu’ah (replaced by Yah Shua’s perfect sacrifice); but all other requirements are still in effect!

Sukkot (“Booths”) September/October - Leviticus 23:33-36 “And Yahu’ah spoke to Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of booths seven days to Yahu’ah. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. Seven days ye shall present an offering by fire to Yahu’ah; on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall present an offering by fire to Yahu’ah: it is a solemn assembly; no manner of servile work shall ye do.” Leviticus 23:39-43 “But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the produce of the land, ye shall celebrate the feast of Yahu’ah seven days: on the first day there shall be rest, and on the eighth day there shall be rest. And ye shall take on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, palm branches and the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Yahu’ah your God seven days. And ye shall celebrate it as a feast to Yahu’ah seven days in the year: it is an everlasting statute throughout your generations; in the seventh month shall ye celebrate it. In booths shall ye dwell seven days; all born in Israel shall dwell in booths; that your generations may know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am

Yahu’ah your God.” Beginning the 5th day (which should be on a full moon) after Yom Kippur, this is a joyous festival in which two days are sabbatical (no work on the first or last days). “Booths” (simple three-walled structures) are constructed of materials resistant to the wind. Health and weather permitting, people celebrating this festival are to eat and sleep in these structures. Although the fruit of trees (apples, nuts, oranges, pears, etc.) are emphasized, this festival also celebrates the harvest and meals are expected to reflect the bounty of that year’s harvest. As with all other holy days, charity, prayer, repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness replace the need to present other sacrifices to Yahu’ah (replaced by Yah Shua’s perfect sacrifice), but all other requirements are still in effect!

Pesach (“Passover”) March/April - Leviticus 23:5-8 “In the first month, on the fourteenth of the

month, between the two evenings, is the Passover to Yahu’ah. And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast of unleavened bread to Yahu’ah; seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread. On the first day ye shall have a holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do. And ye shall present to Yahu’ah an offering by fire seven days; on the seventh day is a

holy convocation: no manner of servile work shall ye do.” Always on a full moon, this is by far the most famous of the Biblical holidays. The last supper of our Lord was the Passover seder (which is why “Good Friday” should always be on the second day of Passover! Yah Shua (Jesus) was the “Lamb of God” and so was sacrificed so that Yahu’ah’s wrath would pass over us when judgment was made. The afikomen in the Passover seder represent the Holy Trinity [the first matzo represents the Father, the second (which is broken) represents the Son, and the third represents the Holy Spirit]. Indeed, the Passover seder itself is symbolic of Yah Shua’s anointing! Because of our Lord’s perfect sacrifice, the only offerings we now need to make to Yahu’ah during these holy days are charity, prayer, repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness.

Lag b'Omer (“Counting the Sheaves”) - Leviticus 23:15-16 ”And ye shall count from the morning

after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering, seven weeks; they shall be complete; even unto the morning after the seventh Sabbath shall ye count fifty

days; and ye shall present a new oblation to Yahu’ah. This is a period of partial mourning. During these holy days, every prayer should begin with the count of days since Passover. As with all other holy days, charity, prayer, repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness replace the need to

present other sacrifices to Yahu’ah (replaced by Yah Shua’s perfect sacrifice), but all other requirements are still in effect!

Shavu’ot (“Pentecost“) or Hag HaBikkurim (“Festival of the First Fruits”) May/June - Leviticus

23:17-22 “Out of your dwellings shall ye bring two wave-loaves, of two tenths of fine flour; with leaven shall they be baken; as first-fruits to Yahu’ah. And ye shall present with the bread seven he-lambs without blemish, yearlings, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering to Yahu’ah with their oblation, and their drink-offerings, an offering by fire of a sweet odour to Yahu’ah. And ye shall sacrifice one buck of the goats for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs, yearlings, for a sacrifice of peace-offering. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits as a wave-offering before Yahu’ah, with the two he-lambs; they shall be holy to Yahu’ah, for the priest. And ye shall make proclamation on that same day—a holy convocation shall it be unto you: no manner of servile work shall ye do: it is an everlasting statute in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not in thy harvest entirely reap the corners of thy field, and the gleaning of thy harvest shalt thou not gather: thou shalt leave them unto

the poor and to the stranger: I am Yahu’ah your God. This holiday begins exactly 50 days after the end of Passover. This is a time of giving the Gospel to all that will hear. Just as the Apostles [fired by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Ghost, Spirit)] spoke in tongues unknown to them spreading the Gospel to all the foreigners who heard them (Acts 2:4-13), this is the time when we should all make a greater effort to spread the Gospel to strangers. And as with all of the other holy days, charity, prayer, repentance, and the sacrifices of righteousness replace the need to present other sacrifices to Yahu’ah (replaced by Yah Shua’s perfect sacrifice), but all other requirements are still in effect!

The problem we are all presented with is the exact date on which the last six holidays are to

be observed. Following the Hebrew calendar we can quickly find the correct date. To this extent,

this writer has found Calendar Converter at http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/calendar/ to be

most helpful. Chabad.org and many other websites can give the reader the precise date on any given

year without having to perform a conversion. The web address for Chabad.org is:

http://www.chabad.org/calendar/holidays_cdo/aid/672022/jewish/Holidays.htm. May we all be

blessed and obedient in our Lord Yah Shua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ)!

This writer has been asked, “What is a sacrifice of righteousness?” What first came to mind

was the old saying, “No good deed ever goes unpunished!” Being righteous usually requires some

sort of sacrifice. Standing up for the rights of the oppressed often means receiving punishment

from the oppressor. It may even mean receiving punishment for defending someone you don’t even

like! Even the mere refusal to take part in unjust actions against another person can result in

punishment. Punishment could range from something as mild as a friend or family member’s anger

to severe physical pain, disfigurement, or even death. Indeed, some righteous people have even had

to watch their entire family tortured and murdered before being killed!

Hallelu Yahu'ah Sabaoth!

Hallelu Yah Shua HaMashiach!

Hallelu Ruach HaKodesh!

Hallalu Yah!