Ask almost anyone about Easter, Christmas and etc. and they will know what you are talking about. Ask the same people about Pentecost, Atonement and etc. and chances are they will say, “Those are Jewish holidays,” if they know anything about them at all! How did they come to be in the first place? Are these days just for the Jews? Should Christians observe them today? “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations [Sabbath and Holy Days], even these are my feasts” (Lev. 23:1-2).
Faithful Abraham was promised to be the father of a great nation (Gen. 12:1-2). Almost 200 years later the descendants of Abraham numbered about 70 (Gen. 46:1-27). They were forced into Egypt because of drought. And by that time the clan had taken on the title of the patriarch Jacob (Israel) and they were known as Israelites. They dwelt in Egypt for almost 2 ½ centuries in which case they were forced into slavery. Yet, in spite of all the hardships they were a prolific bunch and the population grew into the millions (Ex. 1:13-21). They suffered under the Egyptians, but God had not forgotten them. He prepared Moses to lead His people to the promised land—the story of the exodus—centuries later this story was rehearsed (Acts 7:38)!
God was calling His people out of Egypt. Old Testament Israel was His congregation. Have you ever noticed; when God sent Moses to Pharaoh the first time, it was for permission to keep what—God’s Feast (Ex. 5:1)?
God performed a series of miracles that finally resulted in the Egyptians thrusting the Israelites out of the country. Starting with Exodus 12 covers their preparation for departure, the blood of the lamb, the death angel and God leading them to the Promised Land. “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” (Ex. 12:14). This was not given as a feast to the Jews only. It was for all Israel—for all of God’s people. Judah is only one of twelve tribes. And did you notice God said it was to be an everlasting ordinance. Israel had to leave Egypt on a moment’s notice so they had to take unleavened bread. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were to become the first two of an annual set of festivals the nation of Israel should observe. Several weeks later they came to Mt. Sinai where God gave the Ten Commandments. God’s covenant with Israel, the basis of which is God’s law, was most likely ratified on what later came to be called Pentecost (Ex. 19:1).
There were three festival seasons that included seven High Days and nineteen Feast Days. They were to be observed much as the weekly Sabbath—days of rest and worship—family occasions with food and fellowship. Essentially, the Sabbath and Holy Days were to be the heart-and-core of the Old Testament congregation of God!
After 40 years in the wilderness, God chose Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. They crossed the Jordan River and set up their first camp. God led His people out of Egypt, establishing them as His own nation, during the first Holy Day season (Josh. 5:10-11). Forty years later, they entered the holy land during that same spring Holy Day season. Years past and Israel struggled through many ups/downs. For 400 years they were ruled by judges, but then they wanted a king, which God allowed. First Saul, second David and then Solomon. After Solomon, the kingdom divided into two separate nations—Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Throughout many of these centuries, the Israelites did not diligently apply God’s laws. They brought in pagan idols from surrounding nations. They lost sight of the Sabbath and Holy Days. God sent multiple prophets to warn them, but they did not heed. Few listened! By 721 BC, the northern ten tribes of Israel were defeated and taken into Assyrian captivity. They had given up God’s Sabbath and Holy Days for more than 200 years. They plunged into paganism—never returned to the holy land—in history they became known as the lost ten tribes!
For the most part Judah followed suit with the paganism of her northern sister. Yet, from time to time a zealous king would arise to the throne to lead in religious reform as is seen by the example of Josiah and the Passover (2 Kings 23:21-22).
When God’s people did turn to Him, it was quite often through the Holy Day seasons that they repented from sin and learned. However, the reform was short lived. Judah drifted away from God’s Holy Days again; thus beginning in 604 BC they went into Babylonian captivity! Nearly a century later the Jews were permitted, under the Persians, to return to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Joshua and later Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 8:2, 12-13). The Jewish nation was reconstructed with the Sabbath and Holy Days as the center of worship! The Jews were the only people left keeping those days. And that is why so many today think they are Jewish holidays. But from the time they were first given by God, there were given to His nation—His congregation—to be observed as sacred festivals to worship Him.
By the time Jesus came to establish the New Testament Church, the Sabbath and Holy Days were an integral part of Jewish life. And the Holy Days were to play a very important role in the life of Jesus. When He was about to enter His teen years we read; “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast… And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business” (Luke 2:41-42, 49)?
And it was on the Passover 31 AD that Jesus, our Savior, died for the sins of the world. The lamb was simply a type of His future sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Before He died He told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit—God’s mind, character and power!
Remember Old Testament Israel had been God’s congregation called out of Egypt. All that remained in the holy land of the original twelve tribes was Judah. But when Jesus came to establish His New Testament Church (Matt. 16:18), it was not to be a physical nation (Gal. 6:16). The gospel He brought was to be preached in the entire world. Out of all nations and peoples, god would call a few people into His Church for special purposes. When did this begin—on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1)? Only 120 families really had comprehended what Jesus’ message was. They had followed His instructions. They waited in Jerusalem. On the Holy Day of Pentecost, as those faithful few gathered to worship God, the Holy Spirit imbued them with the power and love of God to carry out the great work to which they had been called. So are the Sabbath and Holy Days Jewish? No! Are they just for the Old Testament? No!
Interestingly, Bible prophecy reveals one of the first orders of business after Christ’s return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth will be a return to the true worship of God—including His Sabbath and Holy Days (Zech. 14:16-19). How important will it be? Pretty important to God! The true Church of God, called out of this world, has been blessed with the truthful doctrines of the Sabbath and Holy Days of God—teaching us His plan of salvation for all mankind.
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