My brief verse by verse study of 2Thessalonians 2:1-12 (KJV)
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Verse 1, it as at the second advent of Jehoshua that His saints will be gathered unto Him.
Verse 2, certain things were to precede the second advent of our King. The 1st century believers had not yet seen the two main signs that would preced the coming of Messiah.
Verse 3, Paul then says that prior to the Lord's return, there will be a falling away from the true faith of the visible Church and then the man of sin i.e. the anti-Messiah will be revealed. While futurists see this as happnening before a seven year peace treaty is signed by the man of sin and the Geo- political nation of Israel, history shows us that this great falling away already took place as early as the 2nd century.
The writings of the so called early Church fathers show that the Church had already fallen away from the apostolic faith in a number of areas namely the keeping of God's commandments. The following verses show that the apostasy and revealing of the man of sin were to happen shortly after Paul writing this.
Verse 4, the man of sin would oppose God and exalt himself as God in the temple. We must remember that the physical temple in Jerusalem had ceased being Jehovah's legitimate temple and was now Ichabod i.e. the glory of God had left it once Messiah was crucified. The Church is the new covenant temple (Eph 2) and the man of sin was to arise out of the Messianic Church and proclaim himself to be God. The man of sin was to be a professed believer.
Verses 5 and 6, Paul states that there was something that was withholding the revealing of the man of sin. Some in the early Church believed this to be the Roman emperor that withheld the future man of sin from being revealed since the future man of sin would eventually replace the Roman emperor in terms of ultimate leadership in the world. Some say the restrainer is Michael the archangel or the Holy Spirit. It could be the apostles themselves as the restrainer as Paul warns of savage wolves would not spare the flock after he was gone. For Paul, the seeds of apostasy were already in the Church and would get significantly worse once he was gone. This proved true historically as the 2nd century Church apostasized.
Verse 7, Paul identifies a key characteristic of the man of sin i.e. the anti-Messiah and that is he will be a worker of lawlessness. The anti-Messiah is called the man of sin because he promotes a lawless doctrine within the Church as sin is the transgession of the law (1 John 3:4). The Nicene Church fathers did exactly that, promote lawless doctrines withon the Church such as doing away with the Sabbath and instituting Sunday as the Lord's day. Also, the changing of the shema of Israel i.e. the 1st commandment from one person who is God to two and then three i.e. the trinity doctrine.
One of the early Roman Popes Anicetus tried changing the passover and firstfruits holy days to good friday and Easter Sunday (mid 100's). Roman Pope Victor followed him in the 190's by pronouncing anathema's on the asian churches for following the tradition of the apostles (passover and firstfruits) and not the tradition of the Roman Church (easter Sunday). This could be said to be the National Easter Sunday law. Pope Victor's thundering of excommunications over a group of churches and instituting a national religious law was the first time a Bishop of the Church did such a thing.
Remember the book of Daniel says that the little horn anti-Messiah shall think to change the times and the law (Daniel 7:25).
Verse 8, the Son of God Jehoshua will slay the anti-Messiah with the breath of His mouth and the brightness of His coming echoing Daniel 7:11 where it says the body of the little horn will be given to the burning flame.
Verse 9, the establishment and rise to power of the Roman Papacy is a work of Satan and it is accompanied by lying signs and wonders. The Roman Catholic Church is known for its claim of miracles and visions most notably having to do with the virgin Mary. Also, the rise of the the Catholic charismatics attests to the mystical nature of the Church that the Pope has headship over.
Verse 10, this is a staggering verse that is a rebuke to the mainstream Church system as they have been deceived with all unrighteousness that God's 10 commandments are done away with notably the 1st and the 4th as the trinity and Sunday observance has replaced the Father as the one true God and the Sabbath as the holy day. Those who are decieved are the ones perishing spiritually. The devil has thrown everything including the kitchen sink at professed Christians into believing that God's law is done away with. This includes the various Church councils, writings of the Church fathers, seminarys and denominations. All of these have been used by Satan to decieve professed Christians that God's law has been done away with or that some of the 10 commandments have been changed.
Why are these professed Christians perishing? Because they received not the love of the truth that they might have salvation. What is the truth? It is the very opposite of what describes the man of sin i.e. lawlessness. Therefore the truth is the law of Jehovah summed up in the 10 commandments. Modern Christians reject and refuse to acknowledge the continuance of God's commandments and infact label those that teach them as heretics. Again, the man of sin is characterized by lawlessness and is said in the book of Daniel to think to change the times and the law. Obviously the law of God is in veiw as civil/secular law changes all the time. Those who reject the truth are decieved by all decieveableness of unrighteousness by the man of sin who teaches a lawlesss doctrine. Most denominations are products of the Papal Roman Catholic Church. Even so called Independent churches believe in many of the same doctrines as the Papal church and these doctrines are usually ones that compromise the law of Jehovah.
Sunday, Xmas, Easter, trinity and immortal soul doctrine are all examples of doctrines that even so called Independent anti-Catholic Churches hold to showing that they too have been decieved by the Papal man of sin.
Verse 11, it is for the cause of the rejection of God's commandments by the mainstream Christian Church that He (Jehovah) sends them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. The strong delusion is that they (Orthodoxy =Catholic-Protestant-Evangelical, Eastern Orthodox) are the true Church and the keepers of the truth and the lie that God makes them believe is that His commandments are done away with or changed most notably the 1st and the 4th.
Verse 12, all who believe not the truth that God's 10 commandments still apply will be damned because they had pleasure in the unrighteousness of worshipping a trinity god and keeping Sunday as the holy day instead of the Sabbath.
Revelation 22:14-15 (KJV)
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Maketh a lie that God is a trinity and that the Sabbath is done away with for Sunday.
The Three Angels' of Revelation 14:6-12
Fear Jehovah, and give glory to him!
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Part 2 of my study on the feasts
Part 2 of my study on the feasts
Acts 3:20-21 (KJV)
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
We are told in Acts 3:21 that the restitution of all things will take place prior to the Messiah's return. This is how we can know that we are in the last days because the divine institutions of Jehovah's appointed feasts have been restored to the Christian Congregation. Also, the truth about Jehovah's only begotten Son Jesus Christ being a literal Son.
Luke 1:13-17 (KJV)
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Notice, that part of John's ministry was in turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. The disobedient are the children, the just are the fathers. In these last days, God is using a faithful few, who in the power of Elijah, are turning the disobedient children to the wisdom of the just, the patriarchs and prophets of old who upheld Jehovah's law. More people than ever in Christianity have forsaken the traditions of the church and are returning to the law of Jehovah including the feast days.
Some may scoff at the feasts being part of the restitution of all things but let's go to the pen of Jehovah's messenger Ellen White:
"In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored. The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired. God’s remnant people, standing before the world as reformers, are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform and that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to stand as a memorial of creation, a constant reminder of the power of God. In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all the precepts of the Decalogue.Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the waste places. They are to be repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in.[PK 678.2, Ellen White]
She says "every divine institution is to be restored". The Seventh-day Sabbath was the primary subject here but remember she says "every divine institution" so there must be more that she is alluding to. With Malachi 4:4 in mind, this must include the statutes (set times) which the feasts are by definition.
Back to 2 Chronicles chapter 30, in verse 7 Hezekiah warns the people not to be like their fathers and like their brethren who have trespassed against Jehovah. The way that people trespass (sin) against Jehovah is by breaking His law.
1 John 3:4 (KJV)
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
We just read in Malachi 4:4 that we are to remember the law of Moses which is also the law of Jehovah. Part of this law was keeping the appointed feasts. In context of 2 Chronicles 30 is the call to keep the passover and feast of unleavened bread.
In verse 7 and 8, the call from Hezekiah is to not be like our fathers who are stiffnecked. Many people have put more trust in their leaders and traditions of their denomination than in Jehovah’s word. Many say "our leaders and church say that we don't need to keep the feasts, so we don't need to". This type of thinking is what caused Israel to fall or stay in apostasy many a day. It is very dangerous thinking. Our trust should not be in the arm of man but rather in the plain word of God. While we have thousands of denominations throughout Christendom all teaching different doctrines the bible plainly teaches that there is only one doctrine. This one singular doctrine is the law of Jehovah. If you don't believe me, read the words of the Son of God:
Matthew 5:17-19 (KJV)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The word "fulfill" is from the greek pleroo meaning to make full, to cause to abound, to render perfect, to carry out. We also fulfill Jehovah's law by obeying it.
Romans 8:4 (KJV)
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We can fulfill the righteousness of the law when we walk after the Spirit. Those who disobey God's law are not walking after the Spirit but rather after the flesh. Walking after the Spirit will cause us to fulfil the law by making it abound and magnifying it. Jesus magnified the law by keeping it the way it supposed to be kept which is in the Spirit. Jesus law keeping blessed those around Him. Jesus kept the Sabbath so those who want to magnify the law like Him must keep the Sabbath. Jesus also kept the feast days so we also must keep them in order to magnify and complete the law the way Jesus did.
Many today where t shirts and wristbands that say "WWJD" yet they don't want to do what Jesus did, which is to keep His and His Father's commandments.
Contrary to what most Churches teach, the gospel of Jesus Christ wasn't a lawless gospel, in others words a gospel that did away with the law.
Romans 3:31 (KJV)
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Paul confirms that faith doesn't make the law void. Paul said him and the other brethren establish the law meaning to make the law stand still, stand erect.
Fulfilling the law doesn't mean the doing away of it but to the contrary the carrying out of it according to it's proper definition.
Back to 2nd Chronicles 30, in verse 9 we find that when we turn to Jehovah He will not turn away from us. By keeping His law which includes His appointed feasts we return to Him. When we return to Jehovah we find compassion.
In verse 10, we see that just like today the call to return to Jehovah by way of His appointed feasts invites scorn and mockery from the professed people of God. There is almost a satanic hatred of Jehovah's feasts and those who keep them. This hatred most of the time comes from those who profess to know God.
In verse 11, we see that nevertheless there was a remnant out of the mocking tribes that heeded the call to keep the passover meal and feast of unleavened bread. The verse says that this remnant "humbled themselves". Today history is repeating itself, while most of Christendom mocks those who keep the feasts there is a faithful remnant that has humbled themselves and have decided to return to Jehovah by way of keeping His appointed feasts.
Verse 12, this verse is powerful for it says that "Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of Jehovah."
Those who turn to the word of Jehovah and thereby keep His commandments are given "ONE HEART". True unity in the faith is only obtained by hearkening unto the call to keep Jehovah's commandments including the set feasts. God's last days remnant are returning to the full truth of Jehovah's word and are being given one heart. This is why you see such beautiful fellowship at the feasts as those who gather have one heart and it is a heart that desires the law of Jehovah. When we accept the call to keep the feasts, it is evidence that the heart that we have to do so was given to us by Jehovah God himself.
Verse 13-14, one of the effects of heeding Jehovah's call to keep His feasts is a stronger desire to have nothing to do with false worship. We see in the two verses (13 and 14), that the people who assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread took away all the altars for incense that were for false gods and cast them into the brook Kidron. Often times when Christians start keeping the feasts they then want nothing to do with the false feast days of the Catholic Church such as Xmas, feast of circumcision (New years day) good friday, Easter, Whit Sunday etc. There is something about returning to true and pure worship that causes one to want nothing to do with the counterfeit.
In verses 15-17, we see the protocols of the passover, the killing of the lamb, the bringing in of burnt offerings into Jehovah's house, the sanctification of the Levites, and the Levites sanctifying the people who were not clean.
This passage below shows the absolute mercy and kindness of Jehovah God
2 Chronicles 30:18-21 (ASV)
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon every one 19 that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20 And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Jehovah.
Here we see the intercession of King Hezekiah for the people who had not cleansed themselves and had eaten the passover other than it was written. This is type of ministration of the Son of God in the most holy place as He pleads for us to the Father. Hezekiah prayed that Jehovah would pardon these people. Although they ate the passover other than it was written, they had prepared their hearts to seek Jehovah God.
Even though we don't always do things according to the letter of the law in our worship of the Father, when we prepare our hearts to seek Him there is pardon and healing that come from that. The Father hearkens to our prayers of intercession for those who prepare their hearts to seek Him. Oftentimes we criticize other people's walk with God yet it is interceding for them that brings pardon and healing. We may criticize others who don't worship God the way we do or who aren't living and worshipping according to the letter of scripture yet we are to love them and intercede for them as Hezekiah did for those unclean ones who ate of the feasts.
The key is to prepare our hearts to seek Jehovah, this is something He honours. Even when our walk with Him is not perfect, if we prepare our hearts to seek Him forgiveness and healing follow.
The sweet fellowship of the brethren keeping the feast of unleavened bread with great gladness and praising Jehovah with loud instruments. Oftentimes, Churches refrain from exuberant worship but we see the importance of music in our worship of the Father. This worship is to exalt and glorify God and Christ. Do you see how these feasts are not just days for sacrificing animals? They were times of worship and times of fellowship. We see this same sweet type of fellowship in the early Congregation. Many today in Christendom reject the feasts on the premise that they were for the express purpose of offering meat, drink and burnt offerings. Yet this passage clearly shows these appointed feasts were also times of worshipping Jehovah by instrument and times of sweet fellowship of the brethren. Let's take a look at Acts Chapter 2 for an example of this sweet fellowship in the early Church.
Acts 2:42-46
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Much like the early Church, those who came to Jerusalem for the celebration of passover and unleavened bread had sweet fellowship with each other and had gladness in their hearts. Those who are keeping the feasts today experience that same sweet fellowship of the brethren that quite honestly is hard to find within the institutional Church system. It's no wonder the devil hates the feasts and inspires many Christians to persecute their brothers and sisters who want to celebrate them. Satan knows that if Christians start keeping these Holy days then the Church would become powerful just like it was in Acts Chapter 2. Remember, it was on a feast that the early rain came (outpouring of the Holy Spirit). It was the feast of weeks (Pentecost) that the early rain fell on the Church.
Those who are simply waiting for the latter rain without striving for it will not get it. Part of this striving for the latter rain is to come together with other brothers and sisters in sweet fellowship. The feasts provide this atmosphere as the brethren abide together for a number of days and partake in meals together. Love not theory will be the precursor to the latter rain falling on the remnant. This is what many feast opposers don't realize about their brethren who partake in these holy days, it is the giving and receiving the love of the brethren that attract many to keep the feasts. The latter rain will not fall on those who are waiting to get it by osmosis. Look at the below passage in Acts 2 and how the brethren were all together in one place and in accord prior to the falling of the early rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The greek word for "accord" is "homothumadon" (Strongs 3661) and means "unanimously: - with one mind"
The outpouring of the latter rain will not fall on a divided Church. It will fall on those who come together in unity and love. I'm not talking about a false ecumenical untiy but a unity based on truth. What truth is this? Let's go to verse 42 of Acts 2
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."
This unity must be based on the truth of the apostles doctrine not the doctrines of institutional Churches. Part of the apostles doctrine was the upholding of Jehovah's law (Acts 7:35-38, Romans 3:31, 1 John 5:1-2). Part of the law are the holy feast days of Jah. The apostles kept the feasts after the cross. Acts Chapter 2 is one example of the feasts being kept by the Church after the cross. Many people falsely claim that the cross nailed the feasts days but yet here the Church is keeping the feast of weeks (Pentecost).
Let's go back to 2 Chronicles chapter 30, in verse 22 we see that part of the feast of unleavened bread is making confession to Jehovah. Many feast opposers say the feast were instituted for the express purpose of animal sacrifices yet we see here that worship was an intricate part of the feasts.
The Hebrew word for "confession" is "yadah" (Strongs 3034) and means "especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensely, to bemoan (by wringing the hands): - cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful,-s, giving)."
The Levites as well as the others at the feast worshipped (confessed) Jehovah, the God of their fathers. The feast days were (are) appointed times to come together and worship Jehovah. That was the main intent of the feast days. The meat, drink and burnt offerings were part of this worship but they were not the whole of it. Since we no longer offer these type of sacrifices (meat, drink and burnt offerings) due to the cross then our feast keeping today is minus these type of offerings. Does that mean we altogether do away with Jehovah's feasts because a change in the law in regard to the sacrifical system? Absolutely not!!! In fact, we are still to offer sacrifices at the feasts however they are no longer animal sacrifices but rather spiritual ones.
1 Peter 2:5
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:1
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
We see from the above two passages that it is possible to offer sacrifices to God without the killing of animals. Our sacrifices are now of a spiritual nature and include the giving of our bodies to righteous living.
Verse 25-26, the feasts, exceptng the day of atonement, are times of rejoicing. Is it any wonder satan hates these days and even uses professing Christians to come against those that keep these holy days. All the congregation of Israel rejoiced and there was great joy in Jerusalem which had not been since the time of King Solomon. This joy was the result of the people heeding Hezekiah's call to come and celebrate the passover meal and the feast of unleavened bread. By celebrating these holy days they were infact worshipping the God of Israel. When we worship Jehovah the result is that we have great joy. As you can see from this passage, that the feasts were not just days to sacrifice animals for the forgiveness of sin but also to worship God and fellowship with each other. The feasts are holy times of worship and fellowship.
Many don't want to acknowledge that the feasts are for today as they consider keeping them an inconvenience. Yet how can we with a straight face call Jehovah's appointed times of worship inconvenient? We wouldn't tell a spouse that spending time with them is an inconvenience, how much more should we not say that to God.
In verse 27 we see that the prayers of the people came up to Jehovah's holy dwelling place in heaven. The beauty of this should strike a cord in us as Christians to honour the Holy appointed times of Jah. It is because of the people's obedience to keep the feasts in honour of The God of Israel that their prayers went up to Jehovah's holy dwelling place. Nothing has changed, when we come together as believers to keep the feasts and offer up our prayers they have a direct path up to the sanctuary in heaven. Our prayers aren't just heard on the feast days but there is something special about offering up worship and prayers on Jehovah's holy days.
Ezekiel 45
21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to Jehovah, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.
25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.
This passage in Ezekiel 45 is in relation to the vision of the new temple. Many believe this is talking about a future temple still to come however the application seems to be more literal and that this new temple was contingent upon Israel having a spiritual reformation after their return from exile. After the expansion of the new covenant promises that include the Israel of Jehovah God, which is made up of both Jew and Gentile who have faith in the Son of God, the vision of the Temple will still be fufilled. It will be in harmony with the outworking of the last day "gathering" promises made to Israel. Ultimately there will be a fufillment of this vision of Ezekiel's temple in the millennium and new earth.
Part of this vision was the keeping of the passover memorial meal and the feast of unleavened bread along with the new moons and the sabbaths as well as the other feasts. If this vision is to have a fufillment in the millennium and the new earth then the feasts will also be kept. We have other scriptures that show the feasts will be kept in New Jerusalem. In regards to the passover, Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 18:22 state that we will drink of the vine with Jesus in the Kingdom of Jehovah. We will keep the passover with Jesus in New Jerusalem. In fact, according to the above scriptures Jesus has not kept the passover since He was here on earth.
This shows that although Ezekiel's vision wasn't fufilled at the time of the return from exile it will be fufilled in ultimately in the millennium and new earth. Again, keeping the feasts were part of this vision. Of course, there won't be a need for animal sacrifices as Jesus was our once and for all sacrifice.
2 Chronicles 35:1-19 (ASV)
1 And Josiah kept a passover unto Jehovah in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Jehovah. 3 And he said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, that were holy unto Jehovah, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders. Now serve Jehovah your God, and his people Israel; 4 and prepare yourselves after your fathers’ houses by your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a father’s house of the Levites. 6 And kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, to do according to the word of Jehovah by Moses.
7 And Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the passover-offerings, unto all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. 8 And his princes gave [c]for a freewill-offering unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover-offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king’s commandment. 11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them. 12 And they removed the burnt-offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people, to offer unto Jehovah, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.14 And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busiedin offering the burnt-offerings and the fat until night: therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters were at every gate: they needed not to depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
16 So all the service of Jehovah was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of Jehovah, according to the commandment of king Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
Here is another passage about a King that made a call for Israel to a return of keeping the passover memorial meal and feast of unleavened bread. It's important to read the previous verses in chapeter 34 to see what prompted Josiah to call Israel back to the feasts.
2 Chronicles 34:22-33 (ASV)
22So Hilkiah, and they whom the king [had commanded], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they spake to her to that effect.23And she said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me,24Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched.26But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard,27because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and hast humbled thyself before me, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith Jehovah.28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they brought back word to the king.29Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.30And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah.31And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.32And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Jehovah their God. All his days they departed not from following Jehovah, the God of their fathers.
This passage in Chapter 34 is important, because it shows how that when Josiah was convicted of keeping God's commandments after reading the book of the law, one of the first things he did was call Israel to a return to keeping the feasts. First Josiah had the abominations removed from the countries that pertained to Israel. Next he called Israel to worship Jehovah and to serve Him (Jehovah).
After the removal of the abominable things, Josiah then callled Israel to return to the feasts which are Jehovah's holy days. Look at the progression:
Reading the word which is the law of Jehovah.
Obedience to the word by removing the abominable things out our life according to the law and testimony.
Then worshipping and serving Jehovah God according to the law and testimony.
As a result of a desire to be obedient to Jehovah's law, is the keeping of His feast days.
Part of worshipping Jehovah is keeping His Set Apart days. The Feasts are worship days not just days to sacrifice animals. Today, many Christians will speak ill of feast keepers and almost show a hatred towards the feast days yet they celebrate unbiblical abominable holidays such as halloween, XMAS, New Years day, Valentines day, good friday and easter. Many of these Christians believe the law is done away with and lawlessness is sin (1 John 3:4). When we have a lawless gospel, the natural consequences are a sanctifying of the unholy and the doing away with the holy.
These Christians can do this with no qualms because they believe that the law is not for today, so unlike Josiah, they will be hard pressed to be convicted to keep Jehovah's commandments which include His feast days. Josiah had a heartfelt desire to serve Jehovah and honour Him. Huldah the prophetess sent word to Josiah that because his heart was tender and humbled himself, due to his desire to serve Jehovah, that he would go to his grave in peace and not see the evil that would fall on the transgressors. Josiah even wept and rent his clothes because of Israel's disobedience to Jehovah.
What a far cry this is from today's professed Christian Churches!! Today's Churches seek every possible loophole from the requirements of the law including the feast days. Men like Josiah will be a witness against those who deny the law of Jehovah and lessen it's requirements in so much as they pertain to the new covenant.
In verse 31 of chapter 34, Josiah made a covenant before Jehovah to walk after Jehovah and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes with ALL his heart and with ALL his soul.
As noted earlier in this study the hebrew word for statutes is "choq" and means " an appointment of time, law, task, set time".
Are we to keep the statutes today? Remember the end time prophecy of Malachi chapter 4? In context, it concerns the advent of our Jehovah Jesus Christ and how we are to remember the law of Moses and keep it prior to the great and terrible day of Jehovah.
Malachi 4:4 (ASV)
4Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.
Josiah, by having a desire and willingness to keep the commandments of Jehovah with all his heart and soul was being obedient to Deuteronomy 6:4-8.
Deuteronomy 6;4-8 (ASV)
4Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:5and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart;7and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes.
When we have a desire to serve Jehovah with all our heart, the natural thing to do is hearken to all His commandments. It goes hand in hand, a desire to serve Jehovah with all ones heart and obeying the commandments. You can't have one without the other. One of the first acts of Josiah was a call for Israel to return to keeping the feasts. This was after removing the abominable things from countries pertaining to Israel.
Acts 3:20-21 (KJV)
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
We are told in Acts 3:21 that the restitution of all things will take place prior to the Messiah's return. This is how we can know that we are in the last days because the divine institutions of Jehovah's appointed feasts have been restored to the Christian Congregation. Also, the truth about Jehovah's only begotten Son Jesus Christ being a literal Son.
Luke 1:13-17 (KJV)
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Notice, that part of John's ministry was in turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. The disobedient are the children, the just are the fathers. In these last days, God is using a faithful few, who in the power of Elijah, are turning the disobedient children to the wisdom of the just, the patriarchs and prophets of old who upheld Jehovah's law. More people than ever in Christianity have forsaken the traditions of the church and are returning to the law of Jehovah including the feast days.
Some may scoff at the feasts being part of the restitution of all things but let's go to the pen of Jehovah's messenger Ellen White:
"In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored. The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired. God’s remnant people, standing before the world as reformers, are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform and that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to stand as a memorial of creation, a constant reminder of the power of God. In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all the precepts of the Decalogue.Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the waste places. They are to be repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in.[PK 678.2, Ellen White]
She says "every divine institution is to be restored". The Seventh-day Sabbath was the primary subject here but remember she says "every divine institution" so there must be more that she is alluding to. With Malachi 4:4 in mind, this must include the statutes (set times) which the feasts are by definition.
Back to 2 Chronicles chapter 30, in verse 7 Hezekiah warns the people not to be like their fathers and like their brethren who have trespassed against Jehovah. The way that people trespass (sin) against Jehovah is by breaking His law.
1 John 3:4 (KJV)
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
We just read in Malachi 4:4 that we are to remember the law of Moses which is also the law of Jehovah. Part of this law was keeping the appointed feasts. In context of 2 Chronicles 30 is the call to keep the passover and feast of unleavened bread.
In verse 7 and 8, the call from Hezekiah is to not be like our fathers who are stiffnecked. Many people have put more trust in their leaders and traditions of their denomination than in Jehovah’s word. Many say "our leaders and church say that we don't need to keep the feasts, so we don't need to". This type of thinking is what caused Israel to fall or stay in apostasy many a day. It is very dangerous thinking. Our trust should not be in the arm of man but rather in the plain word of God. While we have thousands of denominations throughout Christendom all teaching different doctrines the bible plainly teaches that there is only one doctrine. This one singular doctrine is the law of Jehovah. If you don't believe me, read the words of the Son of God:
Matthew 5:17-19 (KJV)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The word "fulfill" is from the greek pleroo meaning to make full, to cause to abound, to render perfect, to carry out. We also fulfill Jehovah's law by obeying it.
Romans 8:4 (KJV)
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We can fulfill the righteousness of the law when we walk after the Spirit. Those who disobey God's law are not walking after the Spirit but rather after the flesh. Walking after the Spirit will cause us to fulfil the law by making it abound and magnifying it. Jesus magnified the law by keeping it the way it supposed to be kept which is in the Spirit. Jesus law keeping blessed those around Him. Jesus kept the Sabbath so those who want to magnify the law like Him must keep the Sabbath. Jesus also kept the feast days so we also must keep them in order to magnify and complete the law the way Jesus did.
Many today where t shirts and wristbands that say "WWJD" yet they don't want to do what Jesus did, which is to keep His and His Father's commandments.
Contrary to what most Churches teach, the gospel of Jesus Christ wasn't a lawless gospel, in others words a gospel that did away with the law.
Romans 3:31 (KJV)
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Paul confirms that faith doesn't make the law void. Paul said him and the other brethren establish the law meaning to make the law stand still, stand erect.
Fulfilling the law doesn't mean the doing away of it but to the contrary the carrying out of it according to it's proper definition.
Back to 2nd Chronicles 30, in verse 9 we find that when we turn to Jehovah He will not turn away from us. By keeping His law which includes His appointed feasts we return to Him. When we return to Jehovah we find compassion.
In verse 10, we see that just like today the call to return to Jehovah by way of His appointed feasts invites scorn and mockery from the professed people of God. There is almost a satanic hatred of Jehovah's feasts and those who keep them. This hatred most of the time comes from those who profess to know God.
In verse 11, we see that nevertheless there was a remnant out of the mocking tribes that heeded the call to keep the passover meal and feast of unleavened bread. The verse says that this remnant "humbled themselves". Today history is repeating itself, while most of Christendom mocks those who keep the feasts there is a faithful remnant that has humbled themselves and have decided to return to Jehovah by way of keeping His appointed feasts.
Verse 12, this verse is powerful for it says that "Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of Jehovah."
Those who turn to the word of Jehovah and thereby keep His commandments are given "ONE HEART". True unity in the faith is only obtained by hearkening unto the call to keep Jehovah's commandments including the set feasts. God's last days remnant are returning to the full truth of Jehovah's word and are being given one heart. This is why you see such beautiful fellowship at the feasts as those who gather have one heart and it is a heart that desires the law of Jehovah. When we accept the call to keep the feasts, it is evidence that the heart that we have to do so was given to us by Jehovah God himself.
Verse 13-14, one of the effects of heeding Jehovah's call to keep His feasts is a stronger desire to have nothing to do with false worship. We see in the two verses (13 and 14), that the people who assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread took away all the altars for incense that were for false gods and cast them into the brook Kidron. Often times when Christians start keeping the feasts they then want nothing to do with the false feast days of the Catholic Church such as Xmas, feast of circumcision (New years day) good friday, Easter, Whit Sunday etc. There is something about returning to true and pure worship that causes one to want nothing to do with the counterfeit.
In verses 15-17, we see the protocols of the passover, the killing of the lamb, the bringing in of burnt offerings into Jehovah's house, the sanctification of the Levites, and the Levites sanctifying the people who were not clean.
This passage below shows the absolute mercy and kindness of Jehovah God
2 Chronicles 30:18-21 (ASV)
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon every one 19 that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20 And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Jehovah.
Here we see the intercession of King Hezekiah for the people who had not cleansed themselves and had eaten the passover other than it was written. This is type of ministration of the Son of God in the most holy place as He pleads for us to the Father. Hezekiah prayed that Jehovah would pardon these people. Although they ate the passover other than it was written, they had prepared their hearts to seek Jehovah God.
Even though we don't always do things according to the letter of the law in our worship of the Father, when we prepare our hearts to seek Him there is pardon and healing that come from that. The Father hearkens to our prayers of intercession for those who prepare their hearts to seek Him. Oftentimes we criticize other people's walk with God yet it is interceding for them that brings pardon and healing. We may criticize others who don't worship God the way we do or who aren't living and worshipping according to the letter of scripture yet we are to love them and intercede for them as Hezekiah did for those unclean ones who ate of the feasts.
The key is to prepare our hearts to seek Jehovah, this is something He honours. Even when our walk with Him is not perfect, if we prepare our hearts to seek Him forgiveness and healing follow.
The sweet fellowship of the brethren keeping the feast of unleavened bread with great gladness and praising Jehovah with loud instruments. Oftentimes, Churches refrain from exuberant worship but we see the importance of music in our worship of the Father. This worship is to exalt and glorify God and Christ. Do you see how these feasts are not just days for sacrificing animals? They were times of worship and times of fellowship. We see this same sweet type of fellowship in the early Congregation. Many today in Christendom reject the feasts on the premise that they were for the express purpose of offering meat, drink and burnt offerings. Yet this passage clearly shows these appointed feasts were also times of worshipping Jehovah by instrument and times of sweet fellowship of the brethren. Let's take a look at Acts Chapter 2 for an example of this sweet fellowship in the early Church.
Acts 2:42-46
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Much like the early Church, those who came to Jerusalem for the celebration of passover and unleavened bread had sweet fellowship with each other and had gladness in their hearts. Those who are keeping the feasts today experience that same sweet fellowship of the brethren that quite honestly is hard to find within the institutional Church system. It's no wonder the devil hates the feasts and inspires many Christians to persecute their brothers and sisters who want to celebrate them. Satan knows that if Christians start keeping these Holy days then the Church would become powerful just like it was in Acts Chapter 2. Remember, it was on a feast that the early rain came (outpouring of the Holy Spirit). It was the feast of weeks (Pentecost) that the early rain fell on the Church.
Those who are simply waiting for the latter rain without striving for it will not get it. Part of this striving for the latter rain is to come together with other brothers and sisters in sweet fellowship. The feasts provide this atmosphere as the brethren abide together for a number of days and partake in meals together. Love not theory will be the precursor to the latter rain falling on the remnant. This is what many feast opposers don't realize about their brethren who partake in these holy days, it is the giving and receiving the love of the brethren that attract many to keep the feasts. The latter rain will not fall on those who are waiting to get it by osmosis. Look at the below passage in Acts 2 and how the brethren were all together in one place and in accord prior to the falling of the early rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The greek word for "accord" is "homothumadon" (Strongs 3661) and means "unanimously: - with one mind"
The outpouring of the latter rain will not fall on a divided Church. It will fall on those who come together in unity and love. I'm not talking about a false ecumenical untiy but a unity based on truth. What truth is this? Let's go to verse 42 of Acts 2
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."
This unity must be based on the truth of the apostles doctrine not the doctrines of institutional Churches. Part of the apostles doctrine was the upholding of Jehovah's law (Acts 7:35-38, Romans 3:31, 1 John 5:1-2). Part of the law are the holy feast days of Jah. The apostles kept the feasts after the cross. Acts Chapter 2 is one example of the feasts being kept by the Church after the cross. Many people falsely claim that the cross nailed the feasts days but yet here the Church is keeping the feast of weeks (Pentecost).
Let's go back to 2 Chronicles chapter 30, in verse 22 we see that part of the feast of unleavened bread is making confession to Jehovah. Many feast opposers say the feast were instituted for the express purpose of animal sacrifices yet we see here that worship was an intricate part of the feasts.
The Hebrew word for "confession" is "yadah" (Strongs 3034) and means "especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensely, to bemoan (by wringing the hands): - cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful,-s, giving)."
The Levites as well as the others at the feast worshipped (confessed) Jehovah, the God of their fathers. The feast days were (are) appointed times to come together and worship Jehovah. That was the main intent of the feast days. The meat, drink and burnt offerings were part of this worship but they were not the whole of it. Since we no longer offer these type of sacrifices (meat, drink and burnt offerings) due to the cross then our feast keeping today is minus these type of offerings. Does that mean we altogether do away with Jehovah's feasts because a change in the law in regard to the sacrifical system? Absolutely not!!! In fact, we are still to offer sacrifices at the feasts however they are no longer animal sacrifices but rather spiritual ones.
1 Peter 2:5
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:1
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
We see from the above two passages that it is possible to offer sacrifices to God without the killing of animals. Our sacrifices are now of a spiritual nature and include the giving of our bodies to righteous living.
Verse 25-26, the feasts, exceptng the day of atonement, are times of rejoicing. Is it any wonder satan hates these days and even uses professing Christians to come against those that keep these holy days. All the congregation of Israel rejoiced and there was great joy in Jerusalem which had not been since the time of King Solomon. This joy was the result of the people heeding Hezekiah's call to come and celebrate the passover meal and the feast of unleavened bread. By celebrating these holy days they were infact worshipping the God of Israel. When we worship Jehovah the result is that we have great joy. As you can see from this passage, that the feasts were not just days to sacrifice animals for the forgiveness of sin but also to worship God and fellowship with each other. The feasts are holy times of worship and fellowship.
Many don't want to acknowledge that the feasts are for today as they consider keeping them an inconvenience. Yet how can we with a straight face call Jehovah's appointed times of worship inconvenient? We wouldn't tell a spouse that spending time with them is an inconvenience, how much more should we not say that to God.
In verse 27 we see that the prayers of the people came up to Jehovah's holy dwelling place in heaven. The beauty of this should strike a cord in us as Christians to honour the Holy appointed times of Jah. It is because of the people's obedience to keep the feasts in honour of The God of Israel that their prayers went up to Jehovah's holy dwelling place. Nothing has changed, when we come together as believers to keep the feasts and offer up our prayers they have a direct path up to the sanctuary in heaven. Our prayers aren't just heard on the feast days but there is something special about offering up worship and prayers on Jehovah's holy days.
Ezekiel 45
21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to Jehovah, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.
25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.
This passage in Ezekiel 45 is in relation to the vision of the new temple. Many believe this is talking about a future temple still to come however the application seems to be more literal and that this new temple was contingent upon Israel having a spiritual reformation after their return from exile. After the expansion of the new covenant promises that include the Israel of Jehovah God, which is made up of both Jew and Gentile who have faith in the Son of God, the vision of the Temple will still be fufilled. It will be in harmony with the outworking of the last day "gathering" promises made to Israel. Ultimately there will be a fufillment of this vision of Ezekiel's temple in the millennium and new earth.
Part of this vision was the keeping of the passover memorial meal and the feast of unleavened bread along with the new moons and the sabbaths as well as the other feasts. If this vision is to have a fufillment in the millennium and the new earth then the feasts will also be kept. We have other scriptures that show the feasts will be kept in New Jerusalem. In regards to the passover, Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 18:22 state that we will drink of the vine with Jesus in the Kingdom of Jehovah. We will keep the passover with Jesus in New Jerusalem. In fact, according to the above scriptures Jesus has not kept the passover since He was here on earth.
This shows that although Ezekiel's vision wasn't fufilled at the time of the return from exile it will be fufilled in ultimately in the millennium and new earth. Again, keeping the feasts were part of this vision. Of course, there won't be a need for animal sacrifices as Jesus was our once and for all sacrifice.
2 Chronicles 35:1-19 (ASV)
1 And Josiah kept a passover unto Jehovah in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Jehovah. 3 And he said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, that were holy unto Jehovah, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders. Now serve Jehovah your God, and his people Israel; 4 and prepare yourselves after your fathers’ houses by your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the children of the people, and let there be for each a portion of a father’s house of the Levites. 6 And kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, to do according to the word of Jehovah by Moses.
7 And Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all of them for the passover-offerings, unto all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. 8 And his princes gave [c]for a freewill-offering unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover-offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover-offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.
10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites by their courses, according to the king’s commandment. 11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of their hand, and the Levites flayed them. 12 And they removed the burnt-offerings, that they might give them according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the children of the people, to offer unto Jehovah, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: and the holy offerings boiled they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the children of the people.14 And afterward they prepared for themselves, and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busiedin offering the burnt-offerings and the fat until night: therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters were at every gate: they needed not to depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
16 So all the service of Jehovah was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt-offerings upon the altar of Jehovah, according to the commandment of king Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did any of the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.
Here is another passage about a King that made a call for Israel to a return of keeping the passover memorial meal and feast of unleavened bread. It's important to read the previous verses in chapeter 34 to see what prompted Josiah to call Israel back to the feasts.
2 Chronicles 34:22-33 (ASV)
22So Hilkiah, and they whom the king [had commanded], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the second quarter;) and they spake to her to that effect.23And she said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me,24Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.25Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out upon this place, and it shall not be quenched.26But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Jehovah, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard,27because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and hast humbled thyself before me, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith Jehovah.28Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. And they brought back word to the king.29Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.30And the king went up to the house of Jehovah, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Jehovah.31And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.32And he caused all that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Jehovah their God. All his days they departed not from following Jehovah, the God of their fathers.
This passage in Chapter 34 is important, because it shows how that when Josiah was convicted of keeping God's commandments after reading the book of the law, one of the first things he did was call Israel to a return to keeping the feasts. First Josiah had the abominations removed from the countries that pertained to Israel. Next he called Israel to worship Jehovah and to serve Him (Jehovah).
After the removal of the abominable things, Josiah then callled Israel to return to the feasts which are Jehovah's holy days. Look at the progression:
Reading the word which is the law of Jehovah.
Obedience to the word by removing the abominable things out our life according to the law and testimony.
Then worshipping and serving Jehovah God according to the law and testimony.
As a result of a desire to be obedient to Jehovah's law, is the keeping of His feast days.
Part of worshipping Jehovah is keeping His Set Apart days. The Feasts are worship days not just days to sacrifice animals. Today, many Christians will speak ill of feast keepers and almost show a hatred towards the feast days yet they celebrate unbiblical abominable holidays such as halloween, XMAS, New Years day, Valentines day, good friday and easter. Many of these Christians believe the law is done away with and lawlessness is sin (1 John 3:4). When we have a lawless gospel, the natural consequences are a sanctifying of the unholy and the doing away with the holy.
These Christians can do this with no qualms because they believe that the law is not for today, so unlike Josiah, they will be hard pressed to be convicted to keep Jehovah's commandments which include His feast days. Josiah had a heartfelt desire to serve Jehovah and honour Him. Huldah the prophetess sent word to Josiah that because his heart was tender and humbled himself, due to his desire to serve Jehovah, that he would go to his grave in peace and not see the evil that would fall on the transgressors. Josiah even wept and rent his clothes because of Israel's disobedience to Jehovah.
What a far cry this is from today's professed Christian Churches!! Today's Churches seek every possible loophole from the requirements of the law including the feast days. Men like Josiah will be a witness against those who deny the law of Jehovah and lessen it's requirements in so much as they pertain to the new covenant.
In verse 31 of chapter 34, Josiah made a covenant before Jehovah to walk after Jehovah and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes with ALL his heart and with ALL his soul.
As noted earlier in this study the hebrew word for statutes is "choq" and means " an appointment of time, law, task, set time".
Are we to keep the statutes today? Remember the end time prophecy of Malachi chapter 4? In context, it concerns the advent of our Jehovah Jesus Christ and how we are to remember the law of Moses and keep it prior to the great and terrible day of Jehovah.
Malachi 4:4 (ASV)
4Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.
Josiah, by having a desire and willingness to keep the commandments of Jehovah with all his heart and soul was being obedient to Deuteronomy 6:4-8.
Deuteronomy 6;4-8 (ASV)
4Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:5and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart;7and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes.
When we have a desire to serve Jehovah with all our heart, the natural thing to do is hearken to all His commandments. It goes hand in hand, a desire to serve Jehovah with all ones heart and obeying the commandments. You can't have one without the other. One of the first acts of Josiah was a call for Israel to return to keeping the feasts. This was after removing the abominable things from countries pertaining to Israel.
Psalm 19:15
Psalm 19:1-14 (ASV)
The works and the Word of God.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament showeth his handiwork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
And his circuit unto the ends of it;
And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7 The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul:
The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever:
The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Clear thou me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me:
Then shall I be upright,
And I shall be clear from great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in thy sight,
O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
Verse 1-5, The atheist has all the evidence he needs, the heavens declare the glory of Jah. The stars, the sun and the moon show the craftmanship of the Father and Son. The work of the Father's hands go throughout all the earth. He placed everything in the firmament of space perfectly. He set these things in the firmament to be a tabernacle for the sun.
When the Sun of Righteousness, Jehovah Jesus Christ, comes out His Chamber (the Most holy place) it's as the light that shines from the sun. The Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings for those that fear the name of Jehovah. The firmament is the tabernacle of the sun and as the brightness of the sun leaves the tabernacle of the firmament to shine it's light on the earth, the Son of God will leave His tabernacle in heaven to shine the glory of the Father upon the earth. This will be when the day of atonement (judgment hour) is over.
Verse 6, the eyes of Jehovah go throughout all the earth, the Father and Son are everywhere present by their representative the Holy Spirit. Nothing is hid from Jehovah's presence.
Verse 7, the law of Jehovah is perfect and restores the soul. Man's wisdom denigrates Jehovah's Royal Law and minimizes it's importance, however the word of the psalmist exalts the law of God and says it's "PERFECT". The testimony (commandments) of Jehovah is "SURE", they are unmovable, fixed, solid as a rock. Man can attempt to change them but Jah's word Stands "STILL".
The wisdom of man is foolishness and makes learned and wise men foolish. The law and the testimony of Jehovah make the simple wise. The simple man who loves God's law confounds the learned philosopher of this age.
Verse 8, The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart. Truly those who are sons and daughters of God rejoice at the reading and hearing of Jehovah's precepts. His law is to bring gladness to our hearts. The unregenerated bristle at the hearing and reading of the law of Jehovah. We know we are in right communion with the Father when we are glad at the hearing of His law.
Verse 9, the fear of Jehovah is clean and it is the beginning of wisdom. When we fear God it shows we have a clean heart. This clean heart can only be given to us by the new birth experience. Even Jesus had the fear of His Father Jehovah (Isaiah 11).
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The fear of God leads one to keep His commandments.
Many people don't like to talk about the fear of God but the text here says that the fear of Jehovah is clean (pure). The ordinances of Jehovah are true and righteous altogether.
Romans 3:4 (KJV)
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Man in his arrogance has thought to change the law of God. This has most notably manifested itself in the Churches of Christendom. In Daniel 7:25, we read
"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time."
Jehovah's law is eternal and stands upright. His law is a law of love (1 John 5:2). In fact according to verse 10, we are to desire the ordinances of Jehovah more than riches of gold and silver. We are to desire them more than position in this life. How many in Christendom today can say this about themselves? Most Christians make every excuse in the world to not keep Jehovah's commandments and statutes.
Verse 11, the law serves as a warning to us as keeping it brings blessings and not keeping it brings curses. There are rewards for those who keep the law of God. The ultimate reward is everlasting life and eating of the tree of life (Revelation 22:14).
Verse 12 and 13, our sins are blotted out in the most holy place as we go to the Father in the name of Jesus. Christ is our High Preist and mediator and blots out the record of our sins as He advocates for us to the Father. Christ can keep us from falling (Jude 24).
Verse 14 and 15, our prayer should be to have a pure heart before our God and to mediate on His law. Our words need to be edifying in order to be acceptable before Jah. Our words need to express God's love. A right spirit within us should be our desire, the heart of a child should be in us. Let's be like little children in our innocence and simplicity in the things of God. Lets think on lovely things.
Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The works and the Word of God.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament showeth his handiwork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech,
And night unto night showeth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens,
And his circuit unto the ends of it;
And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7 The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul:
The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart:
The commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever:
The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Clear thou me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me:
Then shall I be upright,
And I shall be clear from great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in thy sight,
O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
Verse 1-5, The atheist has all the evidence he needs, the heavens declare the glory of Jah. The stars, the sun and the moon show the craftmanship of the Father and Son. The work of the Father's hands go throughout all the earth. He placed everything in the firmament of space perfectly. He set these things in the firmament to be a tabernacle for the sun.
When the Sun of Righteousness, Jehovah Jesus Christ, comes out His Chamber (the Most holy place) it's as the light that shines from the sun. The Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings for those that fear the name of Jehovah. The firmament is the tabernacle of the sun and as the brightness of the sun leaves the tabernacle of the firmament to shine it's light on the earth, the Son of God will leave His tabernacle in heaven to shine the glory of the Father upon the earth. This will be when the day of atonement (judgment hour) is over.
Verse 6, the eyes of Jehovah go throughout all the earth, the Father and Son are everywhere present by their representative the Holy Spirit. Nothing is hid from Jehovah's presence.
Verse 7, the law of Jehovah is perfect and restores the soul. Man's wisdom denigrates Jehovah's Royal Law and minimizes it's importance, however the word of the psalmist exalts the law of God and says it's "PERFECT". The testimony (commandments) of Jehovah is "SURE", they are unmovable, fixed, solid as a rock. Man can attempt to change them but Jah's word Stands "STILL".
The wisdom of man is foolishness and makes learned and wise men foolish. The law and the testimony of Jehovah make the simple wise. The simple man who loves God's law confounds the learned philosopher of this age.
Verse 8, The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart. Truly those who are sons and daughters of God rejoice at the reading and hearing of Jehovah's precepts. His law is to bring gladness to our hearts. The unregenerated bristle at the hearing and reading of the law of Jehovah. We know we are in right communion with the Father when we are glad at the hearing of His law.
Verse 9, the fear of Jehovah is clean and it is the beginning of wisdom. When we fear God it shows we have a clean heart. This clean heart can only be given to us by the new birth experience. Even Jesus had the fear of His Father Jehovah (Isaiah 11).
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
The fear of God leads one to keep His commandments.
Many people don't like to talk about the fear of God but the text here says that the fear of Jehovah is clean (pure). The ordinances of Jehovah are true and righteous altogether.
Romans 3:4 (KJV)
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Man in his arrogance has thought to change the law of God. This has most notably manifested itself in the Churches of Christendom. In Daniel 7:25, we read
"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time."
Jehovah's law is eternal and stands upright. His law is a law of love (1 John 5:2). In fact according to verse 10, we are to desire the ordinances of Jehovah more than riches of gold and silver. We are to desire them more than position in this life. How many in Christendom today can say this about themselves? Most Christians make every excuse in the world to not keep Jehovah's commandments and statutes.
Verse 11, the law serves as a warning to us as keeping it brings blessings and not keeping it brings curses. There are rewards for those who keep the law of God. The ultimate reward is everlasting life and eating of the tree of life (Revelation 22:14).
Verse 12 and 13, our sins are blotted out in the most holy place as we go to the Father in the name of Jesus. Christ is our High Preist and mediator and blots out the record of our sins as He advocates for us to the Father. Christ can keep us from falling (Jude 24).
Verse 14 and 15, our prayer should be to have a pure heart before our God and to mediate on His law. Our words need to be edifying in order to be acceptable before Jah. Our words need to express God's love. A right spirit within us should be our desire, the heart of a child should be in us. Let's be like little children in our innocence and simplicity in the things of God. Lets think on lovely things.
Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
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