The Biblical Holy Days
Posted: 10 Tishrei 5779 / 18-19 September 2018 by C. Read
I began this article on 9 September 2018 / 1 Tishrei 5779, which was the commemoration of a very important Sabbath that is mainly observed by religious Jews, and by those who value the Biblical holy days. This is not your typical view, but as you read the evidence I am presenting, I hope you will have “eyes to see� the truth of what God has shown me. And I will show why I believe the Biblical holy days ordained by God in the Scriptures are of even greater significance for those who love “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews,� than for “observant Jews� who do not know Him.
Leviticus 23:23-25 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of Trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord."
According to Jewish tradition, this High Holy Day called Rosh Hashanah, is the commemoration of the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (18-19 September 2018 / 10 Tishrei 5779), also known as the “Day of Atonement.� When the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing, this special day was the one day of the year when God allowed the “anointed� priest, and only him, to go into the “holy place� to make reconciliation for his sins and the sins of the people.
Just as the “blowing of trumpets� signified a momentous event was about to take place, some two thousand years ago an event that would turn “the world upside down,� was soon to happen. And I believe that it was on this High Holy “Day of Atonement� that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was miraculously conceived, when “the power of the Highest� overshadowed a young virgin named Mary, “within the veil," where no eyes could see, except the holy Father!
I am just amazed at how God ensured that the very day of Jesus' conception would be highly exalted by Jewish people throughout the ages, even though they were not able to understand the true significance! Moreover, it so sad to watch the devout Jewish people praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (via the Kotel Cameras), knowing that most of them do not even know the one and only Saviour who can save their souls from Hell and death!
The next holy day on the Hebrew calendar is The Feast of Tabernacles a.k.a. Sukkot, and it takes place on the seventh month of Tishrei 15-21 (September-October). I am certain that it would have been especially joyous in Heaven, and among the select few on earth who knew that the long awaited Messiah was now in the world, albeit a tiny seed.
It is quite fitting for “the Light of the world� to make His entrance into the Darkness during this very special season! And to highlight the importance that God placed on this Biblical holy day, He mandated that the remnant of all the nations that come against Jerusalem, are to honor these “Feast Days,� or suffer the consequences.
Zechariah 14:16-19 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.�
In order for Jesus' conception to occur at the proper season, it had to be a leap year when the13th month of Adar II is added to the Hebrew calendar. The yearly celebration of the Festival of Purim takes place during the month of Adar, and during leap years certain “traditions� celebrate this Biblical holy day during Adar I (February-March), a.k.a. Purim Katan or "Little Purim," and some celebrate it during Adar II (March-April).
Purim came about after God used a faithful young Jewish girl named Esther, along with her cousin Mordecai, who became her guardian after the loss of her parents. They were instrumental in helping to save the Jewish people from total annihilation, and it is even more memorable that God would send the Saviour of the world during this season!
God said that Purim should be “days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor," and that “all such as joined themselves unto them,� would also keep these two days (14 & 15 Adar), “according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed."
So, if my calculations are correct, the waiting period for the coming of the Messiah would have been during the Jewish observance of Counting the Omer, which “count down� begins the day after the Feast of Passover, and ends fifty days later on the 6th of Sivan, during the Feast of Pentecost a.k.a. Shavuot. This "holy day" is not only special for the Jews, but also for Christians, because it was at Pentecost that God sent the Holy Spirit just as He had promised!
Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.�
Acts 2:16-21 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the LORD come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
The next Holy day on the Hebrew calendar is the Feast of Pentecost (May-June), and I believe it was on that Day that the Holy One of Israel—my Redeemer was born into this world! I have never heard the birth of Jesus Christ presented in this way, and considering that Almighty God also gave Moses the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai during the third Jewish month of Sivan, makes the timing of the wondrous birth of Jesus, even more profound!
All of this is a vivid portrayal of the awesome sovereignty of God, and His “plan of salvation� for mankind! The Word of God, the Son of God, and the Spirit of God were revealed by God at the appointed time! And when God opens the eyes of His people, “O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones,� they will see the truth about Jesus!
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.�
The mission of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, and in light of Christ’s return, that message is still extremely relevant for today when John said, “I Am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the LORD... Repent ye: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.�
John gave his life in service to the LORD God, until he was brutally murdered. Based on my timeline of events, he is the one who would have been born in the winter at the Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights, a.k.a. the Jewish holiday of Hanukah, during the 9th Jewish month of Kislev (December time-frame).
Irrespective of the day that the LORD God Almighty sent the “True Light� into this dark and dying world, all Christians who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, should proclaim every day of the year: "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace, good will toward men!" And one thing that is very certain, had Emmanuel, the Messiah, never been born, mankind would be without hope, and “without God,� in this world!
Ephesians 2:11-13 "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
There is no doubt as to when Jesus was crucified by the Romans, because the word of God clearly reveals that it was during the Feast of Passover. Jesus even asked His disciples to remember Him and His great sacrifice when they took part in the Passover meal; but sadly, most Christians do not commemorate this Biblical holy day either.
I Corinthians 11:23-27 “For I have received of the LORD that which also I delivered unto you, That the LORD Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.
After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, [of Passover] ye do shew the LORD'S death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the LORD unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the LORD.�
The resurrection of Jesus is linked to His death at Passover—not the day of the week, nor the lunar calendar, as espoused by the Roman Catholic Church. Conversely, many of their teachings are quite contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and sadly, people have innocently followed doctrines that were setup by Rome, yet they defy the Word of God!
Not only does the leadership of the Roman Church exalt their beliefs and traditions above God’s Word, but they have shunned the observance of Biblical holy days from the beginning. They have cursed those who kept them; and in the past, sanctioned the persecution and murder of those who did not comply with their edicts and commands!
As revealed in this article, the holy days that God has directed His people to remember have great eternal significance, and they all revolve around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah. Satan knows this, which is why the Wicked One has tried so hard to devalue, defile, or diminish God's Word altogether.
I once believed that Catholicism was just another denomination of Christianity, like most people, but I was so wrong. After my mother divorced my father when I was young, she married a Roman Catholic. We started going to the Catholic Church, and I actually have good memories of my time in Catholic grade school, going to Mass every day, and singing in the choir. But the one thing that really bothered me as a child growing up as a Roman Catholic, is when the kids would accuse me of worshiping Mary. I would always deny it, but I have since discovered that the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church does indeed advocate the idolatrous practice of worshiping Mary!
When my family quit going to the Catholic Church many years ago, it was not because I saw the great evil behind this religious organization, it’s just that it was getting too hard, with three little girls under the age of four, to go to Mass and the Baptist Church—the church my husband grew up in. When I told the priest about our decision to leave the Catholic Church he was shocked, but I believe he sensed my sincerity so he did not try to talk me out of it.
It was not until several years later, and after much study, did I understand the truth about the Roman Catholic Church. This religious body actually believes they are the only “true church,� and have deemed that the Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, and other “sacraments� administered by Roman Catholic priests are “necessary for salvation.�
I recently became aware of a very troubling teaching from the Roman Catholic Catechism posted at the Vatican website that clearly exposes the anti-Christian nature of their teachings. Please prayerfully consider the ramifications of such a statement as this: “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God. The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." What absolute blasphemy! That is the exact reason Satan was kicked out of heaven! The Devil wanted to be God, and any religion that teaches that a man will become “God� or even a “god,� must be summarily rejected!
If you are seeing the truth about the Roman Catholic Church for the first time, I know it can be very disheartening, and overwhelming to take in, especially if you are a Catholic, or have family within this denomination. But for the sake of your own soul, and the souls of your loved ones, seriously consider what I have written. I pray that you will “come out from among them, and be ye separate; and touch not the unclean thing;� And God will receive you into His Church!
There was a time when God spared His people from total destruction due to the courageous acts of a young woman, who under threat of death willingly appealed to the King, who by the providence of God happened to be her husband. And if God chose to use a faithful woman such as Esther to help bring down the Enemy back then, He may choose to use a woman (or man) that is faithfully committed to Him, “for such a Time as this!� Amen!
Biblical References: Leviticus 23:-23-32; Leviticus 16; Luke 1: 1-55; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 1:18, 7:14, 12:11; John 1:9; 2 John 2:8; Hebrews 9; Romans 5:8-11; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 4:14; Esther 9:27-28; Joel 2:28; 1 Chronicles 16:8-36; Exodus 30:1-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Acts 17:2-7; Revelation 19:10.
I began this article on 9 September 2018 / 1 Tishrei 5779, which was the commemoration of a very important Sabbath that is mainly observed by religious Jews, and by those who value the Biblical holy days. This is not your typical view, but as you read the evidence I am presenting, I hope you will have “eyes to see� the truth of what God has shown me. And I will show why I believe the Biblical holy days ordained by God in the Scriptures are of even greater significance for those who love “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews,� than for “observant Jews� who do not know Him.
Leviticus 23:23-25 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying in the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of Trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord."
According to Jewish tradition, this High Holy Day called Rosh Hashanah, is the commemoration of the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates in the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (18-19 September 2018 / 10 Tishrei 5779), also known as the “Day of Atonement.� When the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing, this special day was the one day of the year when God allowed the “anointed� priest, and only him, to go into the “holy place� to make reconciliation for his sins and the sins of the people.
Just as the “blowing of trumpets� signified a momentous event was about to take place, some two thousand years ago an event that would turn “the world upside down,� was soon to happen. And I believe that it was on this High Holy “Day of Atonement� that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was miraculously conceived, when “the power of the Highest� overshadowed a young virgin named Mary, “within the veil," where no eyes could see, except the holy Father!
I am just amazed at how God ensured that the very day of Jesus' conception would be highly exalted by Jewish people throughout the ages, even though they were not able to understand the true significance! Moreover, it so sad to watch the devout Jewish people praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (via the Kotel Cameras), knowing that most of them do not even know the one and only Saviour who can save their souls from Hell and death!
The next holy day on the Hebrew calendar is The Feast of Tabernacles a.k.a. Sukkot, and it takes place on the seventh month of Tishrei 15-21 (September-October). I am certain that it would have been especially joyous in Heaven, and among the select few on earth who knew that the long awaited Messiah was now in the world, albeit a tiny seed.
It is quite fitting for “the Light of the world� to make His entrance into the Darkness during this very special season! And to highlight the importance that God placed on this Biblical holy day, He mandated that the remnant of all the nations that come against Jerusalem, are to honor these “Feast Days,� or suffer the consequences.
Zechariah 14:16-19 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.�
In order for Jesus' conception to occur at the proper season, it had to be a leap year when the13th month of Adar II is added to the Hebrew calendar. The yearly celebration of the Festival of Purim takes place during the month of Adar, and during leap years certain “traditions� celebrate this Biblical holy day during Adar I (February-March), a.k.a. Purim Katan or "Little Purim," and some celebrate it during Adar II (March-April).
Purim came about after God used a faithful young Jewish girl named Esther, along with her cousin Mordecai, who became her guardian after the loss of her parents. They were instrumental in helping to save the Jewish people from total annihilation, and it is even more memorable that God would send the Saviour of the world during this season!
God said that Purim should be “days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor," and that “all such as joined themselves unto them,� would also keep these two days (14 & 15 Adar), “according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed."
So, if my calculations are correct, the waiting period for the coming of the Messiah would have been during the Jewish observance of Counting the Omer, which “count down� begins the day after the Feast of Passover, and ends fifty days later on the 6th of Sivan, during the Feast of Pentecost a.k.a. Shavuot. This "holy day" is not only special for the Jews, but also for Christians, because it was at Pentecost that God sent the Holy Spirit just as He had promised!
Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.�
Acts 2:16-21 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the LORD come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
The next Holy day on the Hebrew calendar is the Feast of Pentecost (May-June), and I believe it was on that Day that the Holy One of Israel—my Redeemer was born into this world! I have never heard the birth of Jesus Christ presented in this way, and considering that Almighty God also gave Moses the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai during the third Jewish month of Sivan, makes the timing of the wondrous birth of Jesus, even more profound!
All of this is a vivid portrayal of the awesome sovereignty of God, and His “plan of salvation� for mankind! The Word of God, the Son of God, and the Spirit of God were revealed by God at the appointed time! And when God opens the eyes of His people, “O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones,� they will see the truth about Jesus!
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.�
The mission of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, and in light of Christ’s return, that message is still extremely relevant for today when John said, “I Am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the LORD... Repent ye: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.�
John gave his life in service to the LORD God, until he was brutally murdered. Based on my timeline of events, he is the one who would have been born in the winter at the Feast of Dedication / Festival of Lights, a.k.a. the Jewish holiday of Hanukah, during the 9th Jewish month of Kislev (December time-frame).
Irrespective of the day that the LORD God Almighty sent the “True Light� into this dark and dying world, all Christians who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, should proclaim every day of the year: "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth Peace, good will toward men!" And one thing that is very certain, had Emmanuel, the Messiah, never been born, mankind would be without hope, and “without God,� in this world!
Ephesians 2:11-13 "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
There is no doubt as to when Jesus was crucified by the Romans, because the word of God clearly reveals that it was during the Feast of Passover. Jesus even asked His disciples to remember Him and His great sacrifice when they took part in the Passover meal; but sadly, most Christians do not commemorate this Biblical holy day either.
I Corinthians 11:23-27 “For I have received of the LORD that which also I delivered unto you, That the LORD Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.
After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, [of Passover] ye do shew the LORD'S death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the LORD unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the LORD.�
The resurrection of Jesus is linked to His death at Passover—not the day of the week, nor the lunar calendar, as espoused by the Roman Catholic Church. Conversely, many of their teachings are quite contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and sadly, people have innocently followed doctrines that were setup by Rome, yet they defy the Word of God!
Not only does the leadership of the Roman Church exalt their beliefs and traditions above God’s Word, but they have shunned the observance of Biblical holy days from the beginning. They have cursed those who kept them; and in the past, sanctioned the persecution and murder of those who did not comply with their edicts and commands!
As revealed in this article, the holy days that God has directed His people to remember have great eternal significance, and they all revolve around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah. Satan knows this, which is why the Wicked One has tried so hard to devalue, defile, or diminish God's Word altogether.
I once believed that Catholicism was just another denomination of Christianity, like most people, but I was so wrong. After my mother divorced my father when I was young, she married a Roman Catholic. We started going to the Catholic Church, and I actually have good memories of my time in Catholic grade school, going to Mass every day, and singing in the choir. But the one thing that really bothered me as a child growing up as a Roman Catholic, is when the kids would accuse me of worshiping Mary. I would always deny it, but I have since discovered that the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church does indeed advocate the idolatrous practice of worshiping Mary!
When my family quit going to the Catholic Church many years ago, it was not because I saw the great evil behind this religious organization, it’s just that it was getting too hard, with three little girls under the age of four, to go to Mass and the Baptist Church—the church my husband grew up in. When I told the priest about our decision to leave the Catholic Church he was shocked, but I believe he sensed my sincerity so he did not try to talk me out of it.
It was not until several years later, and after much study, did I understand the truth about the Roman Catholic Church. This religious body actually believes they are the only “true church,� and have deemed that the Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, and other “sacraments� administered by Roman Catholic priests are “necessary for salvation.�
I recently became aware of a very troubling teaching from the Roman Catholic Catechism posted at the Vatican website that clearly exposes the anti-Christian nature of their teachings. Please prayerfully consider the ramifications of such a statement as this: “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God. The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." What absolute blasphemy! That is the exact reason Satan was kicked out of heaven! The Devil wanted to be God, and any religion that teaches that a man will become “God� or even a “god,� must be summarily rejected!
If you are seeing the truth about the Roman Catholic Church for the first time, I know it can be very disheartening, and overwhelming to take in, especially if you are a Catholic, or have family within this denomination. But for the sake of your own soul, and the souls of your loved ones, seriously consider what I have written. I pray that you will “come out from among them, and be ye separate; and touch not the unclean thing;� And God will receive you into His Church!
There was a time when God spared His people from total destruction due to the courageous acts of a young woman, who under threat of death willingly appealed to the King, who by the providence of God happened to be her husband. And if God chose to use a faithful woman such as Esther to help bring down the Enemy back then, He may choose to use a woman (or man) that is faithfully committed to Him, “for such a Time as this!� Amen!
Biblical References: Leviticus 23:-23-32; Leviticus 16; Luke 1: 1-55; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 1:18, 7:14, 12:11; John 1:9; 2 John 2:8; Hebrews 9; Romans 5:8-11; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 4:14; Esther 9:27-28; Joel 2:28; 1 Chronicles 16:8-36; Exodus 30:1-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Acts 17:2-7; Revelation 19:10.
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I am constantly praying for you my Dearest Friend, Sister, Prayer partner and fellow servant of the Most High God.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!
Thank you very much in Jesus.