God’s Annual Holy Days
"These are the Lord's appointed feasts,the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times" Leviticus 23:4
Christian Passover/Lord's Supper
"For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Keeping the Passover each year reminds us that God is the forgiver of sin who grants us eternal life in His Kingdom through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Passover. This observance is a memorial of our Creator's continuing role in humanity's salvation. (For information about our observance of this Holy Day, click here.)
Days of Unleavened Bread
"Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:8).
These seven days of self-examination prove invaluable in helping us to devote our lives to God and Jesus Christ. They also also picture our eventual triumph over sin, made possible through the sacrifice and aid of Jesus Christ.
Pentecost
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39).
Pentecost serves as an annual reminder that our Creator still works miracles, granting His Spirit to those called to be the first-fruits of His spiritual harvest, empowering them to carry out His work in this world.
Feast of Trumpets
"Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever'" (Revelation 11:15, ESV).
The Day of Trumpets heralds the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis—a dramatic turning point in world history and the return of Christ to this world.
Day of Atonement
"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:1-3).
The Day of Atonement pictures an essential additional step in God's salvation plan that must take place before humanity can experience true peace on earth. All people suffer the tragic consequences of sin; this Holy Day symbolizes the day when its true source is exposed and removed from humanity.
Feast of Tabernacles
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert" (Isaiah 35:5-6).
God's plan for mankind involves restoration—and the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process. The preceding Holy Days set the stage for this restoration of the creation to peace and harmony with God.
Last Great Day
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life" (Revelation 20:11-12).
This final commanded festival of the year shows how deep and far reaching are the merciful judgments of God. All those who died without understanding God's truths will be at last given their first opportunity to really know their Creator and join His family.
If you are new to an understanding of the Biblical Holy Days or would just like to refresh your knowledge about them, this series of 24 broadcasts from Born to Win by Ronald Dart is an excellent jumping-off point.