Should we keep the Feast Days?
The Official Website Of The Seventh Day Remnant Movement
Should we keep the feast days? Is there only one name for God?
Should we keep the Feast Days?
1 Corinthians 5:7-8, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
Truth is, we no longer need to sacrifice a Passover lamb according to this passage. This is actually common knowledge among most Christians of today. The exact same principle therefore applies to all the Jewish feasts as they are indeed fulfilled already, just as the sacrifice of the Passover lamb was fulfilled.
As for those who feel they are convicted to keep these feasts, I am not seeking to change your minds. At the same time, I feel I stand justified in that I see no reason for you to seek to change mine. For it is also written...
By the way.. the "sabbath days" mentioned here are ceremonial feast days, and not the weekly Sabbath. See Leviticus 23:23-38 on this. Specifically verse 38 where it declares these "sabbath days" are BESIDES the Sabbath of the Lord. Another easy to see reality in this passage is. MANY like to claim that this passage is speaking of the "Ten Commandments" because the "sabbath days" is mentioned. But when looking at the ENTIRE verse, one realizes that it is impossible for these "sabbath days" to be the same as the weekly Sabbath day. Why? This passage is lumping both the "sabbath days" together along with the "meat, drink, holy days, and new moons." Where in the Ten Commandments does it speak of meat, drink, holy days, and new moons?
The Jewish feast days were a shadow of things to come. They pointed forward in a prophetic manner as to what Christ would do when He came to this Earth for us. I ask, why should we embrace or seek to keep feast days that speak of things already done? My faith alone in the "Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" [John 1:29] already proclaims that which the feast days looked forward to as fulfilled at Calvary.
In fact, some of the feast days required the believer to offer sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple did they not? How is that possible today? How was that possible in fact since 70ad when the Jerusalem Temple was completely destroyed by Rome?
Scriptures openly declare these feast days "nailed to the cross" in the following passage...
These feast days / laws of Moses were ORDINANCES penned on paper by Moses himself. Unlike the Law of God written in STONE by His very finger. And notice this...
The ripping of the temple veil in Matthew 27:51 declares in mountainous tones that these feast days were indeed no longer needed. The Temple itself was no longer the residence of the Shekinah glory of the Lord's presence when that Temple veil ripped. Before the rip, no man could enter into the Most Holy Place but the High priest. Anyone else walking in there would most assuredly DIE. Now however, any man can come before the Lord, for the Temple is now YOU, the Christian!
Want it prophetically BLUNT? Daniel the Prophet declares the Feast Days as something that was to STOP the moment Christ died on the cross...
Prophecy itself confirms the feast days CEASED at the time of the cross. In the "midst of the week" (3.5 yrs after Jesus was baptised) the Temple veil RIPPED completely in two. At the exact moment the "Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world" spoke from His very lips, "IT IS FINISHED"-John 19:30
Picture this... You are looking for your friend who is said to be behind your house working on your car. You look outside and all you see is your friends shadow protruding from behind the house. You can see your friend working on the car by watching the shadow. So you wait patiently for him to finish. Suddenly your friend cry's out that, it is finished. You then walk to the back of the house, and follow the shadow to your friend that eventually leads directly to him. The feast days are no different. They illustrated to the believers a glimpse of that which Christ was to do in the future, and when He cried out, "it is finished" on Calvary, IT WAS!
Think about this as well...
There were no Jewish feast days before the Exodus from Egyptian bondage. And according to prophecy as well as Scripture speaking of the time of fulfillment, they ended perfectly when Jesus "finished" what He came to do for you and me, as well as all those that kept those feast days in faith before Calvary.
Is it not being "prophesied" all over the world by false prophets that a "third temple" must be rebuilt? Has it not already been reported that the Roman Catholic church is performing "animal sacrifices" on their altars in Africa?Are we to start offering sacrifices again regardless of the fact that prophecy as well as the reality of Calvary declares it is finished? Does not the "keeping of the feast days" denote a "possibility" that Christ has NOT yet arrived, therefore we need to look for another? Will this be used by Antichrist to gather some of the flock into his camp? That I believe is the main issue here. All I can see coming from keeping the feast days is a faith that may eventually learn to embrace the "old leaven" of the Pharisee's. All the world knows, they do indeed proclaim with boldness that Messiah has not yet come. And all of Christendom can read for themselves...
One last thing before going further. For those that claim Christ Lord and still can't see the Feast Days abolished at His cross. Please look upon this passage with open eyes...
And notice this;
Christians that keep the feast days are boldly declaring the promise of the arrival of Messiah has not yet come. They ignore the fact "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:14) So in ignoring this they are bveing set up by Satan himself to accept "another Jesus" as the Messiah. But Galatians 3:16-18, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise."
Christians that demand you keep the feast days openly disannul and literally make the promise of God of no efect and so they will accept Satan as their Messiah because living the lie means they will worship the father of lies. And notice this. In Acts 15:24 it clearly says "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:" The "law" being referred to here is the ceremonial law of the feast days and ordnances that Acts 15:5 is referring to when the Pharisees said "it was was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." Yet the apostle just said they did not teach that the people should "keep the law" of Moses which we all know contained the ordinances.
Notice this...
Mankind obviously messes up when they see the word "forever" and "perpetually." Here we see the Lord telling Solomon He will be in the house he built "forever" and "perpetually", yet we know the temple was destroyed twice and the last time (70AD) it was never reared up again to this day. In short, this passage alone can be used to prove feast days are not "forever" or even "perpetual" as some like to define it today.
Also notice this.
The red heifer is an offering for sin and a “statute for ever” is it not? That being the case, why is it feast day keepers don't kill the red heifer today? It's because they know the word "forever" is not to be applied as they apply it. But like any creed that is placed above the Bible, when the Bible exposes the creed most that write creeds choose to ignore the Bible to keep the creed. And so, when it says to kill the red heifer "forever" they ignore that; but when it says to keep the feast "forever" that they teach.
We need to understand that orthodox Jews to this day still observe the feast days because they refuse to accept the sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus Christ in their behalf. When we echo their observance of these abolished ordinances today, we are doing the exact same thing as those Jews who are not moved by faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. In fact, some of the early Christians continued on with the feast days as well. How did Paul respond to this?
One more thing needs to be realized here as well. At present, we living during anti-typical day of atonement as we wait on that same Messiah Jesus Christ to return. While we wait, we must understand that this waiting time is not to be considered a time of celebration. Just as the Jews of old prepared 10 days before the day of atonement, we too must use this time to afflict our souls so as to prepare to meet our God. During this time we have been given a chance to purify our souls by the putting away of sin. Soon probation will end and that eastern sky will split and we will be called Home. Or.. if we waste this precious time we have been given to get right with our God, we will be left behind dead.
One more thing to realize about the anti-typical day of antonement we presently find ourselves in. Many fail to realize this basic reality in fact. You simply cannot keep any feast days right now because we are in the antitypical day of atonement. Look in your Bibles and you will see that NEVER in the Word of God do we read of anyone keeping two feast days simultaneously. That being the case. How can we keep the feast days while keeping the day of atonement?
In Acts 6:14 we read, "For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us."
One of the main reasons the Jews hated Christians was because they knew how they preached that the law of Moses was done away with at the cross. See this verses that led up to their comment in the previous passage.
This proves the early church was called of God to end the customs of Moses. Feast days are no more. This means those that come against us today for telling others not to keep the feast days have the same hateful spirit of the Pharisees. The leaders in this churches actually hate Jesus in the same way the Pharisees did. They are moving the people to deny Christ just as the Jews still do to this day.
To "suborn" a man is to convince him to make a false testimony against someone. They did this to Christ and now they did this to Stephen because they knew Stephen was "full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." As the Word also declares they knew "they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." And what was it they hated about his message? Besides the fact that he spoke of Jesus as Messiah, it says here that Stephen preached that the message of Jesus was one that "shall change the customs which Moses delivered us." And everyone knows that it was the "law contained in ordinances" that was delivered unto them by Moses. They also know God Himself gave the Decalogue or "ten commandments" that we still keep to this day. The "law contained in ordinances" is defined as such...
As I shared earlier on this page, this passage is speaking of the feast days. And like 2000 years ago, many people hate Christians like us that declare the feast days abolished just as Stephen, all the Apostles and Jesus Himself when He said on the cross "It is FINISHED." -John 19:30 ... This confirms the early church was called of God to end the customs of Moses. Feast days are no more.
Bottom line is this...
The Feast days pointed to His first coming. The Lord's Supper points to His second coming. And by the way, Galatians 2:14 clearly says, "But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" In other words, if you don't keep the ceremonial law, why do you want the Gentiles to keep it?For the SDA brethren that have been pulled into the feast day movement, what saith the one you rightly admit to be a prophet? Notice how your walk emulates that of the Galatians who were in sin for doing as you do. Paul said in Galatians 1:6-7 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Sister White said:
"In almost every church there were some members who were Jews by birth. To these converts the Jewish teachers found ready access, and through them gained a foothold in the churches. It was impossible, by scriptural arguments, to overthrow the doctrines taught by Paul; hence they resorted to the most unscrupulous measures to counteract his influence and weaken his authority. They declared that he had not been a disciple of Jesus, and had received no commission from Him; yet he had presumed to teach doctrines directly opposed to those held by Peter, James, and the other apostles. Thus the emissaries of Judaism succeeded in alienating many of the Christian converts from their teacher in the gospel. Having gained this point, they induced them to return to the observance of the ceremonial law as essential to salvation. Faith in Christ, and obedience to the law of ten commandments, were regarded as of minor importance. Division, heresy, and sensualism were rapidly gaining ground among the believers in Galatia.
Paul's soul was stirred as he saw the evils that threatened speedily to destroy these churches. He immediately wrote to the Galatians, exposing their false theories, and with great severity rebuking those who had departed from the faith." (LP 188, 189).
NOTICE...
It says... "they induced them to return to the observance of the ceremonial law as essential to salvation" This is what some separated SDA's do today!!
"These words were uttered by one who knew not their significance. He had lost the sense of the sacredness of the sacrifices and offerings. But his words meant more than he or those connected with him knew. By them he bore testimony that the time had come for the Aaronic priesthood to cease forever. He was condemning One who had been prefigured in every sacrifice made, but One whose death would end the need of types and shadows. Unknowingly he was declaring that Christ was about to fulfill that for which the system of sacrifices and offerings had been instituted. (RH June 12, 1900).
"The Lord instructed Moses definitely in regard to the ceremonial sacrifices, which were to cease at the death of Christ. The system of sacrifices foreshadowed the offering of Christ as a Lamb without blemish." {1SP 266.3}
"Christ was the foundation and life of that temple. His crucifixion would virtually destroy it, because its services were typical of the future sacrifice of the Son of God. They pointed to the great antitype, which was Christ himself. When the Jews should accomplish their wicked purpose, and do unto him what they listed, from that day forth sacrificial offerings, and the services connected with them, would be valueless in the sight of God, for type would have met antitype in the perfect offering of the Son of God. {2SP 122.2}
The whole priesthood was established to represent the mediatorial character and work of Christ; and the entire plan of sacrificial worship was a foreshadowing of the death of the Saviour to redeem the world from sin. There would be no more need of burnt-offerings and the blood of beasts when the great event toward which they had pointed for ages was consummated. The temple was Christ's; its services and ceremonies referred directly to him. What then must have been his feelings when he found it polluted by the spirit of avarice and extortion, a place of merchandise and traffic! {2SP 123.1}
When Christ was crucified, the inner vail of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom, which event signified that the ceremonial system of the sacrificial offerings was at an end forever, that the one great and final sacrifice was made in the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world." {2SP 123.2}
"At the crucifixion, as Jesus died on Calvary, he cried, It is finished, and the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom. This was to show that the services of the earthly Sanctuary were forever finished, and that God would no more meet with them in their earthly temple, to accept their sacrifices. The blood of Jesus was then shed, which was to be ministered by himself in the heavenly Sanctuary. As the priests in the earthly Sanctuary entered the Most Holy once a year to cleanse the Sanctuary, Jesus entered the Most Holy of the heavenly, at the end of the 2300 days of Dan, viii, in 1844, to make a final atonement for all who could be benefited by his mediation, and to cleanse the Sanctuary." {1SG p161,162} (1858 GC)
"The interviews between Jesus and his disciples were usually seasons of calm joy, highly prized by all of them. The passover suppers had been scenes of special interest; but upon this occasion Jesus was troubled in spirit, and his disciples sympathized with his grief although they knew not its cause. This was virtually the last passover that was ever to be celebrated; for type was to meet antitype in the slaying of the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Christ was soon to receive his full baptism of suffering; but the few quiet hours between him and Gethsemane were to be spent for the benefit of his disciples." {3SP 83.3}
In this ordinance, (The Last Supper) Christ discharged His disciples from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue; for type was meeting antitype in Himself, the authority and foundation of all Jewish ordinances that pointed to Him as the great and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. He gave this simple ordinance that it might be a special season when He Himself would always be present, to lead all participating in it to feel the pulse of their own conscience, to awaken them to an understanding of the lessons symbolized, to revive their memory, to convict of sin, and to receive their penitential repentance. He would teach them that brother is not to exalt himself above brother, that the dangers of disunion and strife shall be seen and appreciated; for the health and holy activity of the soul are involved.
This ordinance does not speak so largely to man's intellectual capacity as to his heart. His moral and spiritual nature needs it. If His disciples had not needed this, it would not have been left for them as Christ's last established ordinance in connection with, and including, the last supper. It was Christ's desire to leave to His disciples an ordinance that would do for them the very thing they needed--that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah. Eating of the body, and drinking of the blood, of Christ, not merely at the sacramental service, but daily partaking of the bread of life to satisfy the soul's hunger, would be in receiving His Word and doing His will (RH June 14, 1898).
Below is an answer to a question I sent "BibleInfo.com" regarding the feast day question. As soon as I received it I felt it would be a good addition to this page as it covers all I shared here and more regarding the Feast days.
In order to understand why Christians don't keep these feast days we need to know what they represent and the reasons God had His people keep them.
I'll present below the five major festivals of the Jewish calendar year. Then I'll discuss their meanings and the reasons why Christians don't keep each one.
There were three festivals to which all Israelite men were required to go up to the tabernacle (later to the temple at Jerusalem). These are marked with a ‡. The months are given according to the Hebrew calendar. I deal with each in the order that they came during the yearly calendar.
(1) Unleavened Bread, a week-long event (which immediately followed the Passover supper held the preceding night) in the middle of the 1st month, at the beginning of the barley harvest (Lev 23:5–14) (about the time of our Easter)(2) The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), fifty days after the first sabbath of Unleavened Bread, celebrating the season of the wheat harvest (Lev 23:15–21; Ex 34:22)
(3) The Feast of Trumpets on the 1st day of the 7th month, the civil New Year's day.
(4) The Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the 7th month, the cleansing of the Temple.
(5) The Feast of Ingathering, or the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, in the middle of the 7th month, at the close of the olive and fruit harvest (Lev 23:34–44; Deut 16:13) (This occured only a few days after the Day of Atonement which was celebrated on the 10th day)
What did these festivals mean and why do Christians feel that we should not keep them.?
The night before this feast every family celebrated the Passover in their homes.
The Passover ceremony was celebrated in this way:
Each family (or if the family was a small one, several families) slew the Passover lamb and ate it along with bread that was made with no yeast (leaven). Yeast, in Bible times, represented sin because sin, like yeast when put in dough, fills the entire person.
John the Baptist spoke of Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) and Paul points out that "Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." (1 Cor. 5:7). Since Christ is the Lamb who was sacrificed and His sacrifice has already taken place, then there is no need to celebrate the Passover feast that pointed forward to the coming of God's Lamb who would take "away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
In fact, the exact hour that Jesus died was the time for the slaying of the Passover lamb in the Temple. Matthew 27:51 describes how the "curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split." Tradition has it that the Passover lamb escaped from the grasp of the priest and ran away.
Jesus gave us the communion service of bread and wine to commemorate His death (Matt. 26:26-35). For Christians, the Lord's supper has taken the place of the Passover.
The day after the Passover–the very next day–was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The prohibition of the use of yeast, as practiced the night before at the Passover celebration, continued for seven days after the Passover. The first day was a ceremonial sabbath. (When this sabbath fell on the weekly Sabbath, the Pharisees of the time of Christ called it a "high day.") Just as with the weekly Sabbath, no one was allowed to work on this day.
This sabbath (first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) was a sabbath of rest, pointing forward to the rest that the Lamb of God experienced in the grave on the day following His crucifixion.
On the day after this ceremonial sabbath the priest waved a sheaf of barley–the first fruits–before the Lord. This symbolized the beginning of the harvest season. This action pointed forward to the resurrection of Christ after the Sabbath, and His brief ascension to His Father to receive His approval of the sacrifice of His Son.
1 Cor 15:3, 4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Cor 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
There is no need for Christians to participate in this festival because the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to which it points have already taken place. The feast has become obsolete.
later called Pentecost, took place 50 days after the waving of the sheaf. This festival celebrated the beginning of wheat harvest.
The day of Pentecost, 50 days after Christ's resurrection, marked the beginning of the harvest of Christ's work. It was preceded by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17, 18). There's no need for Christians to celebrate this feast because the reason for the feast came to pass when the disciples began the harvest of souls in earnest.
A feast celebrated on the 1st day of the 7th month (Ethanim, or Tishri), the beginning of the civil year. This 1st day fell on the "new moon" of September or October. This month was always numbered the 7th (see Lev 23:24), according to God’s instructions to Moses to begin the year with the Passover month of Abib (Nisan), as the 1st month (see Ex 12:2); yet the year was still reckoned as beginning with Tishri for civil matters. Tishri 1 was marked by extra sacrifices in addition to the new-moon sacrifices of the other months (Num 29:1–6). It was a ceremonial sabbath, and was celebrated by the blowing of trumpets (Lev 23:24, 25). The tradition of the Jews is that on New Year’s Day (celebrated to this day as Rosh Hashana) everyone is judged for his deeds of the past year, but that one’s doom is not settled until the 10th, on the Day of Atonement, apparently after 9 days of grace (Talmud Rosh Hashanah, 16a).1
Christians don't celebrate the Feast of Trumpets for two reasons: 1) The first day of Tishri is not our New Year's day. 2) This day's intimate attachment to the Day of Atonement.
This day occured on the tenth day of the seventh month, the most solemn day of the year. On it all were not only to refrain from work but also to afflict their souls (make sure that all their sins were confessed) (Lev 23:27–32). This probably included fasting, since in NT times it is evidently this day that is referred to as "the fast" (Acts 27:9). On the Day of Atonement all the sins of the preceding year were finally disposed of in the ceremony of cleansing the sanctuary (Lev. 16). All who did not afflict their souls on that day were cut off from Israel (Lev 23:29). The Day of Atonement was to the Jews a day of judgment.1
On this day two goats were brought before the High Priest. He cast lots over them to chose which one would be the Lord's goat. The other goat was called the scape goat and was put aside. The Lord's Goat was killed and sacrificed on the altar. Some of it's blood was taken into the innermost room, called the Most Holy Place. The High Priest sprinkled some of the blood on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant and some on the ground in front it.
As the High Priest left the Most Holy Place he wiped some of the blood on the horns of the altar of Incense which stood before the curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. In effect, he was taking upon himself all the sins that the Israelites had confessed throughout the year by bringing their animals for sacrifice in the Temple.
Coming out of the Temple, the High Priest placed his hands upon the head of the scape goat and confessed all the sins of Israel upon him. Then the scape goat was led by a strong man out into the wilderness, where he was let go—a fitting symbol of the removal of all sin from the nation.
The Lord's goat represented Christ who died upon the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of everyone who has ever lived. The High Priest represents Christ in His role of our great Intercessor in Heaven. He brings our names before the Father and proclaims that we have accepted Him as our Savior. In effect, just like the Day of Atonement was a day of judgment, so the great Day of Atonement in Heaven is a day of judgment for the people of God (read the judgment scene as depicted in Dan. 7: 13, 14 ff). Christ will decide whom, of all who have professed to be His disciples, has really accepted Him and let Him reign in their hearts.
When the judgment is finished, then Christ will come and reward His servants for their faithfulness.
- Rev 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
This annual "day of judgment" prefigured the cosmic judgment of all of God's people. Whoever refrains from, neglects, or refuses to repent of his/her sins at that time will be cut off from God's people.
The first part of the Day of Atonement has already taken place—the Lord's Goat (Christ) has already been sacrificed for the sins of His people. The second part—Christ, as our High Priest, entering the Most Holy Place of the Temple in heaven, presenting His blood before the Father—is taking place right now in Heaven. Christ is investigating the lives of all who have professed to be His followers. Those who have been true to Him will be marked as His people. Those who have not been faithful will be rejected.
Soon Christ will finish this work and return to reward those who were faithful to Him, by taking them to His eternal Kingom.
So Christians don't celebrate the Mosaic Day of Atonement because we are actually passing through the Great Day of Atonement right now.
celebrated the ingathering at the end of the harvest, particularly of the grain, olive, and grape harvests. It also reminded the Jews of the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
This was the last feast of the religious year and usually came during our month of October, after the autumn harvest was over and the fruit had been gathered in. It was a joyous occasion for all. The Day of Atonement was past; all misunderstandings had been cleared up, all sins confessed and put aside. The Israelites were happy, and their happiness found expression in the Feast of Ingathering (Booths, or Tabernacles)
Since the antitypical* Day of Atonement takes place before the coming of Jesus, then this joyous feast, which comes at the end of the harvest, would most likely represent the joy of God's people as they take their places in the New Jerusalem. Their wandering in the wilderness of sin is past. Eternal life in the heavenly Canaan will be the reward of God's people.
*An object casts a shadow when standing in sunlight. The shadow is the type, the object itself is the antitype. The Day of Atonement in the ceremonial year is the type; the "investigative judgment" that takes place before Jesus comes is the antitype. Another way to say the same thing is: the Day of Atonement prefigured the judgment in the last days.
1Horn, Siegfried H., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association) 1979.
As for the name of God. I have had numerous people approach me from all walks of life regarding this issue. Some declare "Jehovah" is the only name we should use. Others declare "Yahweh" for the Father and "Yashua" for His Son. Some have even gone so far as to declare that the name 'Jesus' comes from Zeus, and it is a sin to call our Savior by that name. Fact is, the name 'Jesus' comes from 'Joshua' meaning, "Jehovah is salvation" as you can see by the Strong's concordance reference below.
2424 Iesous {ee-ay-sooce'}
of Hebrew origin 03091; TDNT - 3:284,360; n pr m
AV - Jesus 972, Jesus (Joshua) 2, Jesus (Justus) 1; 975
Jesus = "Jehovah is salvation"
1) Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses' successor
2) Jesus, son of Eliezer, one of the ancestors of Christ
3) Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind, God incarnate
4) Jesus Barabbas was the captive robber whom the Jews begged Pilate to release instead of Christ
5) Jesus, surnamed Justus, a Jewish Christian, an associate with Paul in the preaching of the gospel
This fanaticism comes from a misunderstanding of a prophecy within Revelation...
Those that declare a sacred name is necessary have clearly misunderstood the prophecy. Nowhere does it say "literally" that the name of our God is written in our foreheads. Just like it doesn't say anywhere that the name of the beast is literally written in the forehead. It does however speak of His CHARACTER being written in the minds and hearts of His children in numerous areas in His Word.
Many of these "sacred name" preachers adhere heavily upon the modern day prophet Ellen White. As we can see below, she even relates this truth to all those with ears to hear...
"The only hope of any man lies through Jesus Christ. . . . The pure and holy garments are not prepared to be put on by any one after he has entered the gate of the city. All who enter will have on the robe of Christ's righteousness, and the name of God will be seen in their foreheads. This name is the symbol which the apostle saw in vision, and signifies the yielding of the mind to intelligent and loyal obedience to all of God's commandments." {Sons and Daughters p. 370.2}
"Unless the name of God is written in your forehead,-- written there because God is the center of your thoughts,--you will not be meet for the inheritance in light." {Counsels on Stewardship p. 46.2}
Clearly she is stating it is not a "literal name." She IS saying that keeping His commandments is the main issue here. Is it not written in Ezekiel 20:12, "Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them." and Ezekiel 20:20, "And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God."
This fanaticism is trult designed to get people to once again "FORGET" what the Almighty states is important to remember for that which MAN says is important. Like the priests of old that had the name "Holiness to the Lord" written on the front (forehead) of the miter. (See Exodus 28:36-38) The same goes for the Christian today. We must have the mind fo Christ. Doing so will make our characters emulate the "holiness of the Lord."
There is absoultely nothing "sacred" at all in the literal name of the Creator. It's just a name. The character is what we need to strive for. To think that "resiting a name" is all you need to do to assure salvation is Catholicism in theology. It is NOT of "works" as the Scripture so amply proves.
My question remains the same. Why would the Almighty ever living God of creation declare we should call Him by one name and one name alone, when this very God is omnipotent and multifaceted? In fact, does not the Word of this very God speak of Him using many different names? So many in fact, that I would be hard pressed to list them all here.
Now it is true that in Exodus 6:3 it says...
Fact is however, in this instance the Almighty Father is simply revealing a NEW name to them. Doing a study on this topic in His Word one can see this is a repetitive characteristic of our Heavenly Father. All through Scripture we see the Lord revealing new names for Himself that speak of His love for us in many different ways. In fact, never have I ever come across a verse in the Old or New Testament that declares by only ONE name we are to call on Him.
Look at this way. All these names He gives us, are actually new ways to learn of Him as well as trust in Him. Every name given in His Word describes yet another facet of His character to us His children. To call Him by only one name, is to limit His glory as well as limit His effectiveness in the lives of those calling upon Him. He has many names because He has many gifts to bestow upon us. Not to mention the fact that He does many things FOR us.
For example. Just listing a few names He has called Himself makes this point very clear.
Looking to His Son Jesus Christ one can see many names being used to describe Him as well.
Looking to His many names one can see that He is a Mighty God. One can actually see His love in just reading the names of this God within the very Word of this very same God. So I ask... Where should we concentrate our efforts? On His name? Or on His Word? You tell me... what does the following passage say to YOU?
Without His Word, we would have never known of His name.
One more fact to consider here. Have you ever noticed how the NAMES OF MAN actually speak of the plans of God Almighty? Notice this...
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE 12 TRIBES
If you translate the meaning of the names of the twelve tribes you will find the story of the Gospel. (Read downwards from the Definition list.)
| NAME | DEFINITION |
|---|---|
| Reuben | Behold a son, Look on Me |
| Simeon | Hear Him, Hear Me |
| Levi | (and) Be Joined, With me |
| Judah | Give Him Praise, Now will I praise the Lord |
| Dan | Judge |
| Naphtali | (His) Strife |
| Gad | (and His) Fortune |
| Asher | Happy and Blessed |
| Issachar | (am I for) He Brings (my) Reward |
| Zebulun | Dwelling with Us |
| Joseph | He shall Add |
| Benjamin | (For He is) The Son of His Right Hand |
Another example is known as the "Gospel in Genesis":
If you translate the meaning of the names of the generations of Adam you will find the story of the Gospel. (Read downwards from the Definition list.)
| NAME | DEFINITION |
|---|---|
| Adam | Man (is) |
| Seth | Appointed |
| Enosh | Mortal |
| Kenan | Sorrow (but) |
| Mahalele | The Blessed God |
| jared | Shall come down |
| Enoch | Teaching |
| Methusalah | His death shall bring |
| Lamech | The desparing |
| Noah | Rest and comfort |
So... my question is... How is it possible that the CREATOR of mankind must have yet ONE NAME and the man He CREATED can actually have numerous names that spell out His Truth? Fact remains... to limit the Almighty to ONE NAME is to declare Him a God of limited capabilities.
"I saw that God's holy name should be used with reverence and awe. The words God Almighty are coupled together and used by some in prayer in a careless, thoughtless manner, which is displeasing to Him. Such have no realizing sense of God or the truth, or they would not speak so irreverently of the great and dreadful God, who is soon to judge them in the last day. Said the angel, "Couple them not together; for fearful is His name." Those who realize the greatness and majesty of God, will take His name on their lips with holy awe. He dwelleth in light unapproachable; no man can see Him and live. I saw that these things will have to be understood and corrected before the church can prosper." -Early Writings page. 122.1
Final note regarding the "name" issue. Upon the cross of Christ was nailed a sign above His head. This is what it said...
Yashua Hanutzrel Velemech Hayehudim
Yashua of Nazereth King of the Jews
Y H V H
It's no wonder the pharasees didn't like that sign. It proves He did indeed come in His Father's name! Again, am I saying this is the ONLY name we should use? No. In fact, those that claim this IS the only name border on the fringes of a CULT theology. I have a "few" facts regarding this on my "YahCult" page. Just, click here to view some shocking facts about this movement rippling through some Sabbath keeping churches. Their main point is that if you use any other name besides Yahweh or Yashua you are evil. They claim to do so is placing a Pagan name for the Creator God. Yet, look at the name THEY give him. They claim His name = Yahweh, yet the Word says it's YHVH, YHVH, JHVH, or JHWH. In fact in Psalm 68:4 the Hebrew name of God is written, JH or YH. There are no VOWELS in that name! Yet the Yahcultist places vowles in it/ That is NOT the "true" name at all then. Their theology is so riddled with holes, it's truly amazing how so many are falling for it. Fact is, since mankind changed the "sacred name" to a different name, is it still sacred now?
PLUS.. what of the angel that appears to sister White to say, "Do you wish to see Jesus?" in Early Writings, page 80? Did the Angel say, "Do you wish to see YAHSHUA OR YAHWEH?" No he did NOT! Fact is, if the name Jesus is good enough for an angel, then it's truly NOT a name that offends the Lord when His children use it today.
Fact remains. the WORD of God is far more important than even the NAME of God. For it IS written... Psalms 138:2, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
As we know the Word of God actually used YHWH for the name of God, and as we also know, many claim Yahweh is the proper way to spell it since YHWH is un-speakable in any language. Consider the following historic facts regarding the use and origin of the name "Yahweh."
This is something I find shocking today when people who at one moment embrace the truth we preach and declare their love for the Lord and not only leave the church, they attack God’s obedient people claiming we are a cult even though they are unaware those embracing things not found in Scripture are actually the true definition of a cult. But then, due to all the world wondering after the beast in Rome, the confirmed original mother of all cults, this is to be expected. In fact, it’s nothing new as Paul experienced this in his day as well.
“In almost every church there were some members who were Jews by birth. To these converts the Jewish teachers found ready access, and through them gained a foothold in the churches. It was impossible, by scriptural arguments, to overthrow the doctrines taught by Paul; hence they resorted to the most unscrupulous measures to counteract his influence and weaken his authority. They declared that he had not been a disciple of Jesus, and had received no commission from Him; yet he had presumed to teach doctrines directly opposed to those held by Peter, James, and the other apostles. Thus the emissaries of Judaism succeeded in alienating many of the Christian converts from their teacher in the gospel. Having gained this point, they induced them to return to the observance of the ceremonial law as essential to salvation. Faith in Christ, and obedience to the law of ten commandments, were regarded as of minor importance. Division, heresy, and sensualism were rapidly gaining ground among the believers in Galatia.
Paul's soul was stirred as he saw the evils that threatened speedily to destroy these churches. He immediately wrote to the Galatians, exposing their false theories, and with great severity rebuking those who had departed from the faith." (LP 188, 189).
When those claiming we are a cult leave the church you will notice how they will do exactly as those fallen souls 2000 years ago did n Paul’s day. Reading how they too pervert the Gospel to fit their own worldly lusts in Galatians 1:6-10 confirms this hands down.
This verse confirms the feast days have ended in that for them to continue, animal sacrifices would continue. But Paul plainly stated that we must "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
In other words, the ceremonial law (in this case regarding 'circumcision') is now considered 'nothing,' but the ten commandments are STILL valid. And since the ceremonial law regarding circumcision is 'nothing' then the feast days which were also a part of the ceremonial law are now to be considered as 'nothing.'
The Lord took away the “first” method of sacrifice by establishing a more prefect Sacrifice. Christ Jesus the Lord. Since this is declared in the Word of God, those keeping feast days today openly declare Jesus never came to "establish" His long-prophesied offering on Calvary. And I say long-prophesied because again, all the feast days prophesied about what Jesus would do on Calvary.
MODERN DAY FEAST DAYS DOCTRINE IS SAME METHOD OF CONTROL USED BY JEWS 2000 YEARS AGO:
Just as the Jews used their “chosen” claim over the people for centuries, they sought to do the same with the Christians in the early Christian church. Paul had to deal with the Jews seeking to gain control again by demanding the Gentiles needed to be circumcised as well as keep the feast days.
2000 years ago the Jews started denominational schisms by claiming some followed Paul, some Apollos and some Cephas. Splitting them up like this allowed for some to adhere to circumcision and some to keeping ceremonies we know were abolished as the cross. And so Paul had much extra work to do.
Today, same demon's are at work using different players. Today we see many false shepherds are out there bowing to Satan’s lies wherein they get some to declare we must keep feasts or some declare Jesus isn’t God and the Holy Spirit doesn’t exist. All these false doctrines bring about the same one God theology of the Jew back into the church and therefore the Jews can once again stand at the head of the church.
The Jews who hate Christ have seen their lies grow in acceptance all over the world to the point that right now many Christians actually see the need for a third temple. That not only grants the Jews a massive upper hand once again, it declares Jesus was not Messiah. To have a third temple means sacrifices must begin again which then declares what Jesus did 2000 years ago was not THE sacrifice of salvation. And since many believe Jesus isn't God, the Holy Spirit doesn't exist, feast days must be kept and a third temple is needed Satan can now stand as Messiah before billions in the world and with a few thousands false shepherds loyal to satan's lies, they can garner many more deceived people into their camp to accept Satan as Messiah.
And if anyone thinks such lies won’t be embraced, may I remind you of how most Christians today actually believe Sunday is Sabbath, people will live in hellfire for eternity, there is a secret rapture, seven year tribulation and some even believe in a flat earth as well as the trinity lie of Rome without so much as a single in contexct Bible verse to back any of it up.