My son asked, "Which is the most important holiday?"
I replied, "I don't understand what you mean son?"
Then he elaborated, "Which holiday is most important to God?"
As I thought about it for a minute, I had to say, "None of them. God doesn't care about these holidays. He cares about how we live every day. Are we obeying Him every day and living for Him every day? These 'holidays' are created by man and for man, based on what he thinks should be commemorated."
"That's not true!" he said. "Thanksgiving is about God and being thankful for God, so that is an important holiday."
"Where did you hear that? At School?" I asked him. "Is Thanksgiving in the Bible? Is Christmas? Is Halloween?" I told him that if he wants to know what is most important to God, then he needs to look to God's word.
I also explained how Thanksgiving came to be; that people from England came here, but the long voyage and subsequent harsh winter caused half of them to die within the first 6 months. I shared how the Native Americans living here taught them how to live off the land and grow crops, which was essential to their survival. So we acknowledge as the first Thanksgiving the autumn harvest feast they had as a result of those crops. I also of course shared how European settlers later branded Native Americans as savages, drove them from their lands, and slaughtered many of them almost to the point of extinction. Happy Turkey Day indeed!
Some might call me Scrooge and say, "Why not just say 'Bah, humbug!'? What is wrong with the boy wanting to incorporate God into the holidays?"
Well, God wouldn't have to be incorporated into something if it was from Him to begin with, right? Doesn't the fact that we have to "put God" into the holiday demonstrate that it is not His 'holy day'? Why do Christians feel the need to Christianize that which is not from God, but from the world?
As for my son, it would be a grave error to let him believe the falsehood that these days are commanded of God or are even for His honor. It would be of great spiritual harm for me to let him think that he is "pleasing God" by observing certain holidays. Such an attitude is the groundwork for a religious mindset; believing that outward performance and adherence to man-made traditions is what God is after. What pleases God is a heart yielded to Him in all things. If such is not the case, then even our holy days set apart to Him become a stench in His nostrils.
"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." Amos 5:21-24
Did we have a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day? Yes we did. We even went around in prayer and discussed what we were each thankful for. But such does not make us Christian nor does such make us acceptable to God. Yet for many, taking part in these days is akin to a patriotic or even religious duty. It is almost like you are unAmerican or unChristian if you do not participate. I have had women at the mall prepared to beat me down because we never lied to our children by saying Santa Clause is real. Even "holidays" can become idols to us.
Just because the world wants to reconstitute worldly celebrations as being 'of God' does not make them so. The world likes to use God when it is convenient so that He can be commercialized. We allow the world to make merchandise of us when we buy into that mindset (Revelation 18:12-13). God doesn't care whether we sit around the table with family once a year to remember why we are thankful. He isn't pleased because we put up lights around the house and decorate a tree. He is not moved because we put on our 'Sunday Best' to go to a Church service on Easter.
This is not about legalism. If you want to set apart a day (or days) in honor unto the Lord, then do so in faith (Romans 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16-17). However, don't be misled into thinking that such is what God is after. God is looking for a broken spirit and a contrite heart every day (Psalm 51:17; Psalm 34:18). It is through such vessels that He can pour in Himself and make His life seen by all. Unlike man, God doesn't look at outward appearance; God looks at the heart.
"Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 1:13-20
"Doesn't the fact that God has to be 'incorporated' into the holiday demonstrate that it is not from Him originally?" Well said.
ReplyDeleteThank you man/woman of God! May the LORD God Almighty continue to bless you greatly....
ReplyDeleteThis post is so on point. I have lost friends because I don't celebrate holidays like they do. I guess they weren't my friends anyway. They somehow, think I'm not a Christian because I don't do as they do. Right about now, I really don't care. All that matters is what God thinks and says.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post!
Evelyn Parham
Good note and true
DeleteGod is unchanging..same yesterday today and forever....the revelations highlight this through the fact of the sealing of the chosen from the tribes and at the same time opens up to gentiles. The Word clearly demonstrates in specific whether in reference to the 'evergreen tree' or 'abomination of nicolaitans' or jezebel
Great post. I just want to take this opportunity to thank you again for sharing on the subjects that you do. I continue to share these posts with other Christians online and off... I'm sorry to say that the results have been mixed at best. Your average Christian just isn't interested in the deeper things of the Spirit. I have a couple of online Catholic friends that your post only offend, though they claim to love Christ as much as any Christian...
ReplyDeleteI understand the frustration that comes from dealing with Christians about their traditions well. It really does become heartbreaking to the point of anger when you realize that your average Christian loves their holiday traditions more than the Truth.
Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles(John 7:10), the Feast of Dedication... also known as the Feast of Lights and Hanukkah(John 10:22), as well as the Passover Feast which includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread(Matthew 26:17). Now their is not much recorded about the early life of Jesus... however being a Jewish child raised in Israel, I think it safe to assume that He celebrated all of the feasts.
I would submit that as a Christian, if these celebrations were important enough for the Lord that we claim to love and serve to celebrate, you would think they would be important to us as well. Unfortunately, I don't think it an exaggeration in stating that 90% of your average Christians are actually are uncomfortable with these celebrations. They will actually get offended and even appalled at the very idea of celebrating them, much less learning about them. The current Church I attend celebrates Advent with days of reflection and the lighting of the advent candles. The Advent celebration is found nowhere in Scripture. I know because I looked for it. I actually researched Advent and traced it all the way back to its pagan roots... yet Christians adore this event. But point out how this is actually a mimicry of the Hanukkah celebration which is actually mentioned in Scripture and was attended by Jesus and the apostles... suggest celebrating and recognizing something that Jesus Himself did... and watch the arguments and offenses start. I've even been accused of trying to be Jewish for wanting to at least learn about the celebrations that God has ordained for His people... rather than celebrate holidays that Jesus has to be injected into.
Don't even get me started on Christmas...
Each feast speaks of Jesus. They are prophetic, full of types and shadows of things to come. The first century Christians observed these feasts and recognized Christ within them. God was angry over these feasts because Israel fell into sin and began to abuse them. But the Lord never did away with these feasts... so why have we?
Hi Evelyn,
ReplyDeleteYes, I have seen that too, especially with family members. They look at you as if you have 2 heads. LOL Yet as you say, are we to be pleasers of men or God? Like you, I choose the latter sister.
God Bless!
Hi Broken Rhyme,
ReplyDeleteI can imagine that my posts might be offensive to some. I am just as sure that I am offensive to some in person. LOL I don't intend to be, but... Even Jesus was a Rock of offense (Isaiah 8:14; Romans 9:33; I Peter 2:8).
Yes, there are many shadows to Jesus in the holy days God gave Israel and even in the law itself (Gal. 3:24-25).
"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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." Colo. 2:16-17
This is why I was saying to let each person set aside holy days as they feel led. While such is not commanded of Christians, there is much beauty to be seen in them when we understand how they typify and point to Christ.
Some years ago, I too began to study more about these things and even started looking into Messianic Judaism. God had to pull me back however because - while it is wonderful to see & appreciate the shadows - we are called now to walk in the fullness of the substance of those shadows, which is Christ. I was starting to get lost in the shadows as the object of my affection instead of Jesus. As Min. David Pawson once stated, why choose the photograph when we have access to the person? :-)
Every thing of beauty in the symbolism of the holy days & the law is magnified and brought to life in Jesus Christ. He is indeed an awesome God!!
God Bless you brother!
let me just put into perspective and throw up the following for thought.
DeleteWould you like someone to come into your house, stay as long as he or she wants and disrupt your entire schedule?
Would you allow your house to be misused? or your time to be misspent?
Would you want someone in your charge be errant and not follow your directions?
Lets look at the above points from what we need to do when we enter in Gods fold and his covering
What would what is the will of the Father? Yashua clearly highlights the necessity to observes the commandments. by your analogy and analysis if observances of time is unimportant what about the observances of the decalogues? The Word clearly highlights Gods commands to observances of Moed or Set times.
What has been stated in Col is so that we do not come under condemnation or judge one another and that's it. nothing more. does it say do not follow Gods commands? does it say do not follow Gods set times? Why then did Yashua follow those times?
Let us not compromise or dilute what is required. It is this spirit of compromise is the same as that of he nicolaitans that was a stumbling block
observances of the commandments helps us in preparations...that is what Gods commands and observances are all about...prepare ourselves
Passover , cleaning of the chametz done symbolically from the houses signifies our search to cleanse our hearts of those hidden compromises or sins
Passover is followed by the days of Omer which is seeking to cleanse our hearts...before we step into Shavuot which is the receiving of the Ten Commandments
And so on....
The knowledge and practice of Gods laws and commandments is essential to our closeness and walk with God. It does not mean you have committed some sort of eternal sin if you miss the commands..but would it not be better to be in tune with God?
The festivals speak of trumpets, would it also not help to understand the significance in relation to the last trumpet spoken in revelations? if there is any?
the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15 and the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52
God laws and commands and their observances help us stay tuned to the master. Just as we would want our radio or TV sets to have the ability to stay perfectly in tune with our favorite stations
Hi Leander Jude,
DeleteJust remember too the following:
"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." Galatians 3:19
"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." Hebrews 8:6
The question is not, "Is there meaning in the Old Testament observances?" There is meaning in them precisely because they are shadows or types of Christ...but the body or substance to which the shadow can only point is still of Christ. Possess Christ and you possess all that is needed to know God and His will.
"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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." Colossians 2:16-17
The only way we cannot be subject to judgment about the holy days is because there is no law for us to observe them. If not observing them was sin, or even against the will of God, then those who didn't would certainly be in judgment for that disobedience.
God is not after our [outward] performance for Him, even in the doing of what might be considered righteous, but He is after us being [inwardly] transformed by Him to reflect His righteousness.