Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Coore
In part one of this study, we looked at each of the Festivals of the Lord, and saw that all of them are significant to Christians, as they each represent some milestone in God’s plan to get man to his ultimate destiny. Most Christians however, including Sabbatarians, are not even familiar with these days. It is sad when celebrations such as Easter and Christmas are universally known, even though the Bible does not endorse either, and the feasts which God enjoined on His people go almost totally unnoticed.
It is a strange and unfortunate phenomenon that those who have come to appreciate the gift of the Sabbath, often tend to reject the other holy days of God, and for reasons which sometimes resemble those used by non-sabbatarians to dismiss Sabbath-keeping. But, as will be shown in this part of our study, if we embrace Sabbath-keeping, then it is only logical and consistent that we embrace these festivals too.
(For non-Sabbatarians, it is recommended that you study the paper Should Christians Keep the Sabbath?)
Tied to Sabbath, Not Sacrifices
One of the major reasons that sabbatarians fail to appreciate the continued validity of the festivals, is that there is a prevailing mindset that insists the festivals are tied to the sanctuary and sacrificial system which are clearly not in effect today. The Sabbath on the other hand is viewed as a creation ordinance, not dependent on the temporary Levitical administration.
It is pointed out that texts like Lev. 23 show that there were specific sacrifices for each of the festivals, and so if you remove the Levitical administration, the festivals cease. But why would this be true for the feasts, but not for the weekly Sabbath? For there were also sacrifices for the Sabbath.
“On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering” (Num. 28:9-10 NIV).
It is understandable for one to think that although there were sacrifices for the Sabbath, the Sabbath is not dependent on them since it came before the temporary Levitical system. However, this is also the case for the festivals. For eg.
“And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you” (Ex. 12:14-16).
Observe that at this time sacrifices are not specified for the observance of the holy days of Unleavened Bread. Without question, the holy days do not rely upon the existence of the earthly sanctuary system to have applicability.
While it is well known that the Sabbath was established from the Creation week, it is much less known that from as early as this, the provision was made for the feasts, certainly before the introduction of the sacrificial system.
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14).
The Hebrew word translated seasons here is moedim. This is the same word used for “appointed feasts” in Lev. 23 (KJV). There are a few translations that actually translate it as such. For eg.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
So from the beginning, God intended for man to have special festivals.
It will most probably come as a surprise to many, that the festivals are actually inextricably linked to the Sabbath rather than the sacrificial system.
Recall that at the head of the list of God’s festivals, in Leviticus 23, is the weekly Sabbath. This is by design. The principle of holy time is established in the weekly Sabbath. From it we can determine what is required of one to avoid profaning any time that is designated holy. Consider the burning bush episode, where God told Moses to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. From this one could deduce that shoes should not be worn on holy ground. We see confirmation of this when Joshua had a similar experience and was given the same instruction, for the same reason (Josh. 5:15).
We can learn from the Sabbath in a similar way. We should not work on this day because it is holy. Also, because it has been sanctified, we are expected to have a holy assembly. From this we could deduce that this is how any time designated as holy should be treated. This is confirmed by the fact that all the holy days God commanded to be observed, are marked by abstaining from work and having a holy convocation. It is natural then for the Sabbath to be placed at the start of the list of God-ordained times, as all the other holy days are based on it.
When we understand the significance of the Sabbath as it pertains to illustrating the plan of salvation, it will become even more evident why it is placed at the forefront of the other festivals. Yes, even the weekly Sabbath is a shadow of things to come. This does not undermine the importance of the day and its literal observance, nor the fact that it is also a memorial. In fact, it makes it even more significant.
It is instructive to consider that baptism and the Lord’s Supper (which really is the Passover) are shadows or symbols. Baptism represents our sharing in the death of Christ, and in His resurrection. Based on the meaning of baptism, we can expect to be raised from the dead just as Christ was (Rom. 6:3-5). Baptism is therefore a shadow or symbol of our resurrection. With respect to the Lord’s Supper, Paul explained that it shows the Lord’s death until He comes (1 Cor. 11:26). So it points to what Jesus has already done, and it anticipates His return. Both baptism and Lord’s Supper are almost universally accepted by Christians as important institutions. Therefore, just because something is a shadow or symbol does not mean it may be disregarded.
So what does the Sabbath represent? The answer can be deduced from the creation account.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made” (Gen. 2:2-3)
It is clear that God set apart the seventh day to mark the completion of the physical creation. What must be understood at this point is that there is a spiritual creation taking place. This does not only entail the redemption from sin. There are some who believe that God is just trying to get man back to the state Adam was in before he sinned. But that is an erroneous view. For when we compare what man will become, and what Adam was, we see quite clearly that our ultimate state far exceeds anything Adam ever experienced. For example, it will not be possible to sin when we attain this state, and neither will death ever be a threat to us again. God intended Adam to become so much more, but sin interfered with the plan. So the focus of the ongoing spiritual creation is getting man to attain the destiny he was made for, and not just the restoration to the state before sin entered.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual (1 Cor. 15:44-46 NIV).
A spiritual creation is taking place, and it is preceded by the physical. As the Sabbath literally marked the end of the physical creation, so it points to the completion of the spiritual. Each time we celebrate the Sabbath, we are implicitly saying that we anticipate the culmination of all things pertaining to this life, when the purpose of the natural will have been realised, and we enter into the joy and glory of the Lord. (Request the article, The Destiny of Man! to delve more into this subject)
This is why the writer of Hebrews could write:
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their [ie. ancient Israel’s] example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:9-11).
The writer clearly understood that the Sabbath points to the ultimate rest that we all should be striving to attain.
With this understanding of the Sabbath, we can now appreciate even more the reason it is grouped together with, and placed at the head of the other festivals. The Sabbath foreshadows the ultimate rest. Each of the feasts of God pictures a milestone needed to get to the ultimate rest. Therefore it should not be any wonder that every one of the holy days, has the common feature of rest and holy convocation, even though we are not told that God rested on these days as is explicitly stated with respect to the Sabbath.
What should be noted at this point, is how connected the festivals are to the weekly Sabbath. As long as the Sabbath remains applicable, so will the feast days. Another important lesson is that all the festivals should be kept even if a specific feast has found some fulfillment. So although there has been some fulfillment of Pentecost, it should still be kept since it is holy time and it anticipates the same rest which the Sabbath foreshadows. Until the plan of God for the human race finds completion, the package of feast days remain intact.
Colossians 2
Since the Sabbath is a shadow, what should we make of Colossians 2?
“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. ” (vs. 16-17)
Most non-sabbatarians use this to disregard the Sabbath while most sabbatarians use it to dismiss the festivals. The thinking of this latter group is that the weekly Sabbath could not be included in this since Paul calls these days shadows. It is therefore felt that Paul is only talking about the annual Sabbaths. However, as we have already seen, the weekly Sabbath is also a shadow and is rightly grouped with the other festivals of God. Furthermore, Paul distinguishes the annual festivals from the weekly sabbaths, as is evidenced from the fact that he follows the pattern already used in the scriptures, where these special times are consistently listed going from either yearly to monthly to weekly or the reverse (eg. 2 Chr. 2:4, Ez. 45:17). The non-Sabbatarians are more consistent in this instance. If this passage means we can ignore the festivals, then it means we can ignore the Sabbath too.
Is Paul really saying that it doesn’t matter if we don’t celebrate the holy days? If one reads this text without the preconceived bias that holy days are irrelevant, one will see that there is another way of understanding it that fits much better with the broader context.
Let us consider a scenario where a minister of a festival and Sabbath keeping church is addressing the congregation. A problem has arisen in this church where some are telling the members that they ought to curtail their celebrations and abstain from meats and wine on these occasions. The ones stirring up trouble believe that such abstinence at these particular times helps to absolve our sins and makes us closer to God.
The minister upon learning of this development, addresses the congregation and explains to them that Christ nailed our sins recorded against us to the cross. So these regulations that supposedly help in the cleansing of our sins ought to be dismissed; our sins are already forgiven in Christ and so we are complete in Him. The Sabbath and festivals should be kept to celebrate the plan of salvation, and not to obtain cleansing from sin. Therefore the minister tells the congregation to allow no one to impose on them such regulations that would stifle their festivities during the appointed times of God, or in other words, “Let no man therefore judge you in …”
Given such a scenario, no one would think the minister is telling his people that it matters not if they celebrate the Sabbath and festivals. In fact, it is a given that these days be observed. The issue is really pertaining to how and with what motive. This is why Paul’s admonition to the Colossians should not be automatically assumed to mean that God’s feasts have become optional or irrelevant to Christians. It is here submitted that this is actually the sense in which Col. 2 should be understood. While the details in the above scenario might not exactly match the situation Paul is addressing, the essence of it is the same. Helping to clarify the issue are the latter verses:
“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? ” (Col. 2:20-22)
The Sabbath and festivals are not commandments of men. It would be an inconsistent reading of the text if we were to assume the non-sabbatarian outlook of verses 16-17.
For a more detailed explanation of Colossians 2, request the study paper Should Christians Keep the Sabbath?
Law of Moses, Law of God
Another common misconception has to do with the law of Moses. Many, especially among Sabbatarians, hold the view that there is a distinction between the law of God, which is supposedly the ten commandments, and the law of Moses, which is essentially everything else in the law. The position is advanced that the law of Moses came to an end at the cross (ie. the death of Christ), but the law of God, or ten commandments, remains as the righteous standard for God’s people. Therefore, many sabbatarians maintain that the Sabbath remains applicable, but the other festivals have become obsolete.
There are a number of problems with this outlook. The first is that the scriptures do not make such a nice distinction between the two. For example,
“And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
(As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:22-24).
In this instance the law of Moses is equated with the law of the Lord.
A second problem is that Paul uses what would be classified as the law of Moses, as an authority in certain issues. For instance, to show that ministers have a right to be financially recompensed by those they serve, Paul cites the law pertaining to the muzzling of an ox.
“Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn…” (1 Cor. 9:8-9)
What this shows is that even if there is a real distinction between the law of Moses and the law of God, the law of Moses was still held by Paul to be a valid authority in establishing right and wrong.
A third issue is that there are laws outside of the ten commandments that are almost universally accepted by Christians, as still applicable, such as the law against incest. The NT does not specifically address this matter. Incest is not necessarily adultery, lest one argue that it is. For a man could marry his sister. But if one insists that the command against adultery ought to be seen in broader terms that would cover even incestuous relationships, then why can’t we apply this approach with the Sabbath and festivals. The Sabbath command would subsume all the holy days, as the principle of holy time is established in the fourth commandment.
A fourth problem is that even if we were to accept the view that the law of Moses came to an end at the cross, we would have to conclude that the festivals were not tied to this set of laws. For fifty days after the resurrection, we find the disciples celebrating the Feast of Pentecost.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1)
This is not merely a passing reference to the feast. First of all the fact we are told that they were gathered together specifically at this time suggests they were keeping the festival. That Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem does not account for their being together, since they could have been in various places in Jerusalem. Also, the wording “was fully come” indicates that this is something they were looking forward to. Naturally this makes little sense if it was already nailed to the cross. To make matters worse, not only have we caught the disciples observing the feast, but we see God fulfilling the meaning of the day in sending His Spirit. If the feast was given in the first place to foreshadow this particular event in the plan of God, then it is not logical that it becomes an obsolete observance before the fulfillment of the event it pictured. The same can be said of the other festivals.
For the purposes of this article, enough has been presented to illustrate the deficiencies of the law of Moses and law of God theory. Certainly it fails to discount our obligation to keep the Festivals of the Lord.
Continued Observance In The New Testament
We just saw an example of the disciples of Christ celebrating Pentecost, a festival of the Eternal, after the death of Christ. Yet this is not the only instance where it can be demonstrated that the feasts continued to have significance to the early church.
“And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days” (Acts 20:6)
“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. ” (Acts 27:9-10)
The fast mentioned here is universally acknowledged to be the Day of Atonement1.
“But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost” (1 Cor. 16:8)
While it is true that these are passing references to identify the particular timing of the associated events, it is significant that these times were still noted by Paul and his company in Gentile areas outside of Jerusalem. Since the Roman empire was so dominant, Roman festivals would likely have served as a more universal identifier of times, than the festivals that were considered peculiar to Jews. It is therefore noteworthy that never is a pagan festival used to indicate when other events in the book of Acts occurred. (The mention of Easter in King James Version of Acts 12:4 does not qualify, as that is a mistranslation. The actual Greek word that is translated Easter in this instance is pascha which is in all other places translated correctly as Passover. A quick comparison with other versions such as the NIV or RSV will show the error of the KJV).
Also, while we do not know for certain whether Acts was written to a Jew or Gentile, we do know that the letter to the Corinthians was written to a predominantly Gentile church. This means that not only is the mention of Pentecost significant to Paul, but also to this entire congregation.
These references do indeed indicate that the feasts of God continued to be observed even by Gentile Christians.
In addition to the above texts, there are even more telling examples.
“But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.” (Acts 18:21 KJV)
Paul not only wanted to be present in Jerusalem during the feast, but he wanted to celebrate it.
“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” (Col. 2:16)
We saw earlier that a correct understanding of this text reveals that the Colossians were observers of the Sabbath and holy days. In effect Paul encouraged the Colossians to continue celebrating the festivals as representations of the reality to come, and not to allow commandments of men to restrain them.
“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” (1 Cor. 5:7-8)
The feast mentioned here is the Feast of Unleavened bread which we know follows immediately after the Passover. Not only do we have a mention of a God-ordained festival, but we see Paul admonishing the Corinthians to keep it. True, his admonition is primarily to the spiritual application of the feast, but this is still revealing. For what it shows is that the Corinthians were so intimately familiar with these days that Paul could build on this to address the spiritual meaning. Paul wanted the Corinthians to not only celebrate the feast in the ritualistic sense, but also as it pertains to living their entire lives.
The New Testament evidence is enough to conclude that the early church celebrated the Festivals of the Eternal with the understanding of their true significance for the church and ultimately all mankind.
The prophet Daniel anticipated the coming of an evil power that would try to undermine the Feasts of God.
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25)
The word translated “times” is probably best understood as sacred festivals in this context.
The NRSV translates verse 25 as
“He shall speak words against the Most High, shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High, and shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law…”
It was not God’s desire for His people to cease celebrating His feasts. It is the evil power that would have us ignore the Festivals of the Eternal.
Continued Observance In The World To Come
The continuity of the festivals do not only hold for this age before the return of Christ, but like the Sabbath, will also remain as times of communal worship even after Jesus returns. Sabbatarians usually cite Isaiah 66 to establish that the Sabbath will continue to be kept in the age to come.
“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 66:23)
It is ironic that this passage is used to establish Sabbath-keeping by those who have disregarded festival observance. For we see here that new moons (ie. the beginnning of the months) are mentioned. It is important to note that the law does not mandate a holy convocation for the new moons, nor does it ever identify them as holy days. The significance of new moons is that they are essential in determining when the festivals occur.
Although the law does not require an assembly on the beginning of the month (except for the Feast of Trumpets), it became customary in ancient Israel to have such a gathering. One reason for this was so that all would know when the months began. For back then, the start of the month was determined by the actual sighting of the new moon by the officials. They would then proclaim it to all and so everyone would be able to know when the feasts were approaching. Therefore the mention of new moons in the above passage indicates that the festivals will be kept.
An even more explicit reference is Zechariah 14:
“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. ” (Zech. 14:16-19)
How much clearer can it get? The timeframe of this prophecy is undoubtedly the return of Christ and beyond.
“And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” (Zech. 14:5)
So when Christ returns, all nations will be mandated to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It will not be only for Israel, nor will it be optional. Those who refuse to celebrate it will be punished. God certainly places great importance in the observance of this festival. This would be most puzzling if the festivals were really nailed to the cross.
We have now seen that the feasts were kept by the early church, and will be kept in the age to come when Christ returns. Why then should we ignore them?
Joys of Sabbath and Festival Observance
If you have already embraced Sabbath-keeping, you know how joyous it can be when done in the right manner and with the right focus. The article, The Joys of Sabbath-Keeping is recommended for all. In that article, a number of points were highlighted to show the virtues of Sabbath observance. Given the close association of the weekly Sabbath with the other holy days, it should come as no surprise that all the benefits of Sabbath-keeping are also found in festival observance.
Like the Sabbath, the annual holy days remind us that our God is Creator and Redeemer. When we rest on each holy day, we remember that God first rested on the seventh day to celebrate the completion of the physical creation, which set the precedent for all holy days which point to the different stages of the spiritual creation still in progress. Also, as God made the Sabbath a memorial of His redeeming work (Deut. 5), so too the festivals serve to illustrate the redemption of man beginning with the Passover, and culminating in the new heavens and new earth as depicted by the Last Day.
All the holy days are special times of worship, like the Sabbath. As each is observed with a holy convocation, they too afford us the opportunity for fellowship. Also, when we consider the meanings of each festival and how the whole plan of salvation is being worked out, we have much cause to rejoice. Like the Sabbath, the holy days provide ideal times for introspection to see how well we are living according to the purpose of God, as we focus on the specific aspect of salvation that each festival symbolises. This also allows us to have a deeper and reinforced appreciation for what God is doing, and how we fit into the grand scheme of things.
As with the Sabbath, when we celebrate the festivals, we are afforded a foretaste of the eternal rest to come, when we will have attained to the purpose for which God made mankind. Of course, as the holy days are also rest days, we have the added benefit of physical rejuvenation.
Finally, as there are benefits, pleasures and insights of Sabbath-keeping that we realise only through the actual practice, so too there are thrills of festival observance that we will only experience when we start keeping them with the proper motive.
Declaring God’s Faithfulness, Awesomeness and Love
Sometimes those who are just learning of the feasts ask the question, If I understand the meanings of the festivals and how they relate to daily living, why do I need to keep them in the literal ritualistic manner?
It is hoped that enough has been presented thus far to show that the festivals are desirous to celebrate, and not a burden to bear. But to answer the question, let us recap some of the poignant points already covered.
We saw that symbols are important. For example, although we know baptism and the bread and wine of Communion are symbolic of spiritual realities, we also know that we ought to still practice these rituals. We also saw that the principle of holy time as established in the Sabbath, is extended to the other holy days. As people of God, we are expected to treat the holy as holy, and avoid profaning them.
It has been adequately demonstrated that the festivals picture important milestones in the plan of God. If God designed these days to represent these milestones and therefore instructed they be kept, then it makes no sense for the literal observance of these times to come to an end before they have found their fulfillment. We also saw the connectedness between the Sabbath and the annual holy days. So until the ultimate rest foreshadowed by the Sabbath is realised, then the festivals must remain applicable.
We also have the example of the early church to follow, and we saw that even in the age to come when Christ returns, the feasts will be mandatory for all nations. Furthermore let us not be unmindful that there are benefits that come from actual observance that will not come from mere academic study.
While the above points are sufficient to demonstrate that we ought to observe the festivals even though they are symbolic in nature, there is another reason that must not be overlooked. That is, when we celebrate the festivals with the understanding that they represent the plan of salvation (ie. the full gospel, and not just Christ’s death and resurrection which is summed up in Passover), we are declaring the faithfulness, righteousness, magnificence and love of God. To the children of God belong this honour!
The Almighty can point to His people who have celebrated these feasts throughout the ages to show that He had His plan worked out from the beginning. As it unfolds and becomes clearer, His people’s observance of these times becomes an even more powerful witness to His awesomeness and love for all humanity as His faithfulness is proven, and the stupendous nature of His plan as depicted by His festivals, become a reality! And of course, as we celebrate His appointed times, we are expressing our faith in Him to perform according to all that He has purposed and made manifest (even if only dimly) in His festivals.
Conclusion
Does it make sense for us to go to the rubbish heap for food when a great banquet has been prepared for us by God Himself? Would you not rightly conclude that the man is mad who would disregard such a fine platter for what he can pillage from the trash? Yet this is just what is being done when one chooses festivals that have their roots in paganism, such as Christmas, over the festivals that God says are His.
God Has put in us a proclivity for periodic celebrations of special events. This can be witnessed in just about every culture as each has its peculiar observances. God wants us to fulfill this need with the Festivals that He calls His own.
Why not embrace these festivals which declare God’s love to mankind and enrich your lives in the process?
1. For eg. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on this verse states, “when much time was spent-since leaving Cæsarea. But for unforeseen delays they might have reached the Italian coast before the stormy season and when sailing-the navigation of the open sea was now dangerous, because the fast was now past-that of the day of atonement, answering to the end of September and beginning of October, about which time the navigation is pronounced unsafe by writers of authority.” (emphasis added)
Written by: Anthony Coore
Taken From: http://studies.truthunfolding.org/
Comments to: acoore@gmail.com
Holy Day Calendar
Spring Holy Days
| Year | First Day of Sacred Year | Passover | Days of Unleavened Bread | Feast of Pentecost |
| 2008 | April 6 | April 19* | April 20 – 26 | June 8 |
| 2009 | March 26 | April 8* | April 9-15 | May 31 |
| 2010 | March 16 | March 29* | March 30-April 5 | May 23 |
| 2011 | April 5 | April 18* | April 19-25 | June 12 |
| 2012 | March 24 | April 6* | April 7-13 | May 27 |
* Observed at sunset of the previous evening
Fall Holy Days
| Year | Feast of Trumpets | Day of Atonement | Feast of Tabernacles | Last Great Day |
| 2008 | Sept. 30 | Oct. 9 | Oct. 14 – 20 | Oct. 21 |
| 2009 | Sept. 19 | Sept. 28 | Oct. 3-9 | Oct. 10 |
| 2010 | Sept. 9 | Sept. 18 | Sept. 23-29 | Sept. 30 |
| 2011 | Sept. 29 | Oct. 8 | Oct. 13-19 | Oct. 20 |
| 2012 | Sept. 17 | Sept. 26 | Oct. 1-7 | Oct. 8 |
All Holy Days begin evening before
First Day of sacred year is not holy