By Larry J. Walker

Pastor, United Church of God, Bend

Every year at this time many newspapers, including The Bulletin, contain articles about the celebration of annual Holy Days by members of the Jewish Community. So the names Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) are probably somewhat familiar to many readers. What might come as a surprise is that these days are not exclusive to the Jewish religion. Many Christians celebrate these and other days that are usually considered to be exclusively Jewish. What might be even more surprising is the fact that these Holy Days predate the beginning of the Jewish nation.

Leviticus 23 lists the Holy Days that God calls "My Feasts" for Moses to give to "the children of Israel" (Leviticus:23:2Speak 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.). God instituted His Holy Days, beginning with the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, to serve as perpetual reminder of the historical legacy of the Israelite people (Exodus:12:14And 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., 17; 13:3-10). The historical meaning of the seven day Feast of Tabernacles also relates to the Exodus (Leviticus:23:39-43[39]Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.[40]And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.[41]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.[42]Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:[43]That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.).

At this time Judah was only one of the twelve "tribes" that comprised the one nation of Israel. The separate nation of Judah didn’t begin until after the death of Solomon, several hundred years later. (1 Kings 12). Jereboam, leader of the ten tribes that formed the separate nation of Israel, devised a different time and place for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, contrary to God’s will (1 Kings:12:32-33[32]And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.[33]So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.). This was one of many inappropriate changes that Jereboam made for selfish political reasons. The Bible often refers to these as "the sins of idolatry that Jeroboam … led the people of Israel to commit."

The peoples of the ten-tribe nation of Israel are often referred to as "the lost ten tribes" because they lost their identity after their national captivity. By contrast the nation Judah and its Jewish constituency remain intact to this day. Is there a connection between this fact and the fact that they have preserved and continue to observe these Holy Days?

Jesus kept the Holy Days (Luke:2:41-48[41]Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.[42]And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.[43]And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.[44]But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.[45]And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.[46]And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.[47]And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.[48]And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing., John:7:1-14[1]After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.[2]Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.[3]His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.[4]For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.[5]For neither did his brethren believe in him.[6]Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.[7]The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.[8]Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.[9]When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.[10]But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.[11]Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?[12]And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.[13]Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.[14]Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught., 37-38). So did Paul and the Apostolic Church of God (Acts:18:21But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus., 20:16; 1 Corinthians:5:6-8[6]Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?[7]Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:[8]Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth., 11:23-29). In addition to the historic legacy of these days, the apostles were inspired to glean vital spiritual truths of the plan of God foreshadowed by these days.

As Paul explains in Colossians:2:16-17[16]Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:[17]Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ., The Festivals, new moons and Sabbaths offer "a shadow of things to come." Many Christians see a connection between the Feast of Trumpets and the fact that the return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead in Christ will take place at the blowing of the seventh trumpet (1 Corinthians:15:50-52[50]Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.[51]Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,[52]In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed., 1 Thessalonians:4:13-17[13]But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.[14]For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.[15]For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.[16]For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:[17]Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.). We relate the banishment of the live goat in the Atonement ceremony described in Leviticus 16 to the putting away of Satan to pave the way for the whole world to become at one with God (Revelation:20:1-3). The Feast of Tabernacles foreshadows the great future Exodus of all mankind from the suffering caused by Satan, the coming millennial rule of Jesus Christ on earth.

A growing number of Christians are rediscovering the importance of Christianity’s "Jewish roots," including the weekly Sabbath (which God established at creation—Genesis:2:1-3[1]Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.[2]And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.[3]And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.) and the Holy Days. I have kept these days for more than 40 years and for the past few years have had the privilege of serving as regional coordinator for the annual Feast of Tabernacles here in Central Oregon hosted by the United Church of God. Several hundred people will again be gathering at the Deschutes County Expo Center in Redmond, beginning at 7:30 Friday night, October 10. Daily services will be held the entire week through Saturday, October 18. All messages will focus on Bible-based themes relevant to the meaning of this Festival.

I extend a cordial invitation to you and your family to share in this happy and informative experience. Booklets and other literature relating to the Holy Days will also be available at no cost or obligation at the information table. For more details be sure to check our Web site.

Come and see for yourself what the Holy Days can teach you about the plan of God.