The old covenant Passover is not an annual holy day, it was not an annual sabbath. It fell on the day before the first day of unleavened bread or the 14th day of of the first month on the Hebrew sacred calendar. You could work on the Passover, you could eat leaven on the Passover. The old covenant Passover was a reminder to Israel of how GOD delivered them from slavery in Egypt. The Passover of the new covenant is the remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ until he returns. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Jesus fulfilled the symbolism of the old covenant Passover, Jesus was the true lamb of GOD who has delivered the church from slavery to sin and death, not the entire world, just the church.
Today true Christians can eat the Passover anytime, there is no special day because they don’t keep days and they eat leavened bread and drink wine because the bread symbolizes the body of Christ and the wine symbolizes the blood of Christ. True Christians eat the Passover whenever they have opportunity to come together. This new covenant Passover is the only observance true Christians keep today.
Ancient Israel had seven annual festivals called feast days that are recorded in Leviticus 23. The first are the days of unleavened bread lasting 7 days, the first day immediately after the Passover is the 15th day of the first month and is an annual Sabbath as is the 7th day. During the 7 days the Israelites were forbidden to eat anything that had leaven. This symbolizes the fact that they were not leavened with the Holy Spirit but rather leavened with the spirit of malice and wickedness (2 Corinthians 5:8 in a spiritual way) because they were a carnal unconverted people. Today true Christians are leavened with the Holy Spirit of GOD and thus these days of unleavened bread are fulfilled. Matthew 13:33 The bread and wine of the new covenant Passover replaces the symbolism of the old covenants ritual.
Pentecost always falls on a Sunday, the first day of the week. Along with the weekly Sabbath that always falls from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday and are the only two feast days that remain on their own respective days while all the others can fall on no set days but on whenever days they occur. The ancient Israelites celebrated this day in remembrance of receiving the Ten Commandments . Since Jesus fulfilled the law, which ancient Israel received on Pentecost, Christians are no longer under the law but under grace they do not keep Pentecost today.
The feast of trumpets in ancient Israel was an annual Sabbath and a memorial of the blowing of trumpets to proclaim GOD as king over all the Earth. Christians know that GOD has appointed Jesus as interim king of the Earth until the new Jerusalem when GOD will be all in all and Jesus hands the kingdom over to his FATHER. 1 Corinthians 15:24 The blowing of the the 2 silver trumpets were in the autumn of the year, an approximate time when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The trumpets were to announce the arrival of a great king. Since Jesus has arrived and fulfilled the symbolism of this day true Christians do not keep it.
The day of Atonement was ancient Israel’s fast day where they ate nor drank anything for a full 24 hours. They did this seeking forgiveness of their sins. The law, the Ten Commandments, held carnal Israel in their sins, in a spiritual prison, and neither the blood of bulls and goats or fasting would ever forgive their sins. With Jesus true Christians have received the atonement for their sins and only fast for other spiritual reasons. Romans 5:11 Rather than fast on atonement they eat for this reason. Isaiah 58:3-9 tells of the fulfillment of Israel’s fasting is to share your food with the hungry, verse 7, and love your neighbor as yourself. This is the preaching of Jesus and we do not worship a dead savior but one who lives forever. True Christians do not keep this day.
The feast of Tabernacles was when ancient Israel dwelled in temporary dwellings or booths for 7 days. This symbolizes the Holy Spirit of GOD dwelling in our temporary bodies of flesh. The Only people who have the Holy Spirit are the 7 eras of the church and the saints before Christ , in the book of Revelation the symbolism therefore in the 7 days are these 7 churches that were leavened with GODS spirit and received the atonement. All of them were called the church of GOD. All but 2 of them, Smyrna and Philadelphia, were found approved by Christ while the other 5 had problems. On the last great day of this feast, called the eighth day Jesus gave the call to all people; past, present and future.
John 7:37-38 “On the last greatest day of the feast Jesus stood and said, let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture says, from his inner most being rivers of living water shall flow.”
This 8th day is the kingdom of GOD that comes after the last two eras of the church. After the 7 churches is the kingdom.
All the annual holy days of ancient Israel were only shadows of the true substance or fulfillment of what Jesus Christ did. Jesus said,
“Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
“He said to them, This is what I told you while I was still with you, everything must be FULFILLED that is written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms.” Luke 24:44
Therefore, true Christians do not keep the things which Christ fulfilled because they are fulfilled and to continue keeping them would deny their fulfillment. Jesus Christ gave his life to purchase us out of the Ten Commandments, the old covenant, that was is the ministry of death whereas the new covenant is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. No one can be in both covenants at the same time because this will cancel out both of them.
Hebrews 10:1 “For the law, the Ten Commandments, having a shadow of the good things to come but not the very image of these things can never with these same sacrifices which they offered continually year by year (The annual feast days) make those who approach perfect.”
The annual holy days were the annual sacrifices that end when GOD draws you to HIMSELF through Christ. True Christians are not under any of the law, the Ten Commandments or law of Moses. The total law is yet in full force upon the unconverted people as Paul says;
Romans 3:19 “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that EVERY MOUTH MAY BE STOPPED AND ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.”
This law, the Ten Commandments and law of Moses, has not been abolished except for the true church of GOD that has been purchased out of the old covenant by the blood of Christ and brought into the new covenant. This applies to both Jews and Gentiles;
“What then ? Are we better that they ? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin.” Romans 3:9
“But the scripture has confined ALL UNDER SIN, so that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” Galatians 3:22
The Gentiles never practiced the law but were still under the law else they could not sin and there are scriptures that tell you gentiles are under the law. The law condemns all people to death who have sinned and all have sinned. GOD, through Jesus Christ, has brought the church out of the law covenant and put the church in the new covenant. The church is populated by both former Jews and Gentiles. Only the elect saints have escaped the old covenant and everyone else is still under the law. As GODS plan unfolds even the people still under the law today will in the future have the opportunity of salvation.
Many years ago I kept these ancient Israelite holy days or annual Sabbaths not realizing they were the sacrifices that only symbolized the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Today all true Christians focus on only the things that have to do with salvation.
Hebrews 6:9 “But beloved, we are confident of better things regarding you and the things that have to do with salvation even though we are speaking this way.”
The true church understands all of this and doesn’t keep any of the old covenant Sabbaths; daily, weekly , monthly or annually, as we have received the substance or fulfillment of those shadows in Christ.
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