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NOTE: The numbers in brackets, e.g. (8451-torah) refer
to Strong's Concordance and the word given is the original
Greek or Hebrew word. In this example the word translated
'law' is Strong's reference number 8451 and comes from
the Hebrew word 'torah', which is made up of the first
five books of the old testament.
God's Law
by Rick Drake, age 19,
college student at Weimar College
In this day and age the Law of God is becoming
more and more of an interesting subject. Some state
that all of God’s Laws were nailed to the cross.
Others insist that the Ceremonial Laws were nailed to
the cross. Still others say that nothing was nailed
to the cross. Since there is much confusion on
the subject, this paper is to try to clear up the muddied
waters. But some very important questions need to be
answered. So What? Who cares? The Law of God really
isn’t important anyway! Is it? Well, this subject
is important and it does matter. In order to understand
why the Law of God is important, we need to understand
the purpose of God’s Law.
The Purpose of God’s Law
God’s Law reveals His character. “By
His life and death Christ taught that only in obedience
to God's commandments can man find safety and true greatness.
'The law (8451-torah) of the Lord is perfect, converting
the soul.' Psalm 19:7. God's law is a transcript of
His character. It was given to man in the beginning
as the standard of obedience. In succeeding ages this
law was lost sight of. Hundreds of years after the Flood
Abraham was called, and to him was given the promise
that his descendants should exalt God's law” (8T
pg. 207).
Did you notice that ‘God’s
law is a transcript of His character’? Therefore,
the one who studies the Law of God will gain a knowledge
of the character of God. Would you agree that it is
important to know what God is like? Especially since
we are going to have the same character!
God’s Law defines what sin
is. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law(3551
- nomos) is the knowledge of sin” (Romans
3:20). “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth
also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law”
(1 John 3:4). “Because the law worketh wrath:
for where no law (3551 - nomos) is, there is no
transgression” (Romans 4:15). Notice that ‘by
the law is the knowledge of sin,’ since ‘sin
is the transgression of the law.’ Therefore ‘where
no law is, there is no transgression.’
God’s Law is our manual for
life. It shows us the way in which we need to walk and
is a mirror so we can see the defects in our own character.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer
of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding
his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself,
and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner
of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law
(3551 - nomos) of liberty, and continueth therein, he
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James
1:22-25).
“The first step in reconciliation
to God is the conviction of sin. "Sin is the transgression
of the law." By the law is the knowledge of sin."
1 John 3:4; Romans 3:20. In order to see his guilt,
the sinner must test his character by God's great standard
of righteousness. It is a mirror which shows the perfection
of a righteous character and enables him to discern
the defects in his own” (GCpg 467).
“Many neglect to look at themselves
in the mirror which reveals the defects in the character;
therefore deformity and sin exist, and are apparent
to others, if not understood by those who are in fault.
The hateful sin of selfishness exists to a great degree,
even in some who profess to be devoted to the work of
God. If they would compare their character with His
requirements, especially with the great standard, God's
holy law, they would ascertain, if earnest, honest searchers,
that they are fearfully wanting. But some are not willing
to look far enough or deep enough to see the depravity
of their own hearts. They are wanting in very many respects,
yet they remain in willing ignorance of their guilt”
(GW pg. 275).
Since God’s law shows us where
we are defective, and causes us to realize that we are
‘fearfully wanting,’ it is used by God to
help us realize our need for a Saviour - Christ. Therefore,
“The law(8451-torah) of the LORD is perfect, converting
the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making
wise the simple” (Palms 19:7).
Results of Attacking God’s Law
Since ‘God’s
law is a transcript of His character,’ attacking
God’s law would be attacking the Character of
God. A person who attacks the Character of God is attacking
God. Therefore, those who reject God’s law reject
God Himself! This is serious business, since all who
reject God will be destroyed!
Attacking and changing God’s
law would be attacking and changing the definition of
sin. Changing the definition of sin would cause
people to sin without remorse. People would think that
they were all right and not realize that they were sinful.
This will cost the salvation of many people!
Attacking God’s law would
result in the destruction of the ‘mirror’
that we look into to see our own defects. Therefore,
attacking God’s law blinds people to what sin
is. This in turn blinds people to their need for a Saviour.
People who have no need for a Saviour will be lost!
There really is no way around this fact!
God’s Law – Love
Matthew 22 records men
trying to entrap Jesus. In vs. 36 a lawyer asks the
question “Master, which is the great commandment
in the law (3551 - nomos)?” Jesus answers the
lawyer in vs. 37 saying, “Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.”
Jesus was quoting straight from Deuteronomy 6:5 which
says, “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
might.”
Jesus went on to say in vs. 39, “And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself.” Again Jesus quoted from the Old Testament,
Leviticus 19:18, which says “Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself:” In vs. 40 Jesus wrapped
up His thought saying, “On these two commandments
hang all the law (3551 - nomos) and the prophets.”
Therefore, the whole law falls into two categories;
love to God and love to man. This statement includes
the Ten Commandments. The first 4 commandments tell
us how to love God, and the last 6 commandments tell
us how to love men. But God decided to go even farther,
and made the 10 Commandments even clearer.
“After giving the ten commandments,
the Lord more explicitly enlarged upon them, laying
down the principles that should be carried out in the
practical life. These specifications are called judgments,
or statutes, because the magistrates were to give judgment
according to them. God did not speak them with an audible
voice to the Israelites, but gave them to Moses, who
communicated them to the people” (Sermons and
Talks, Volume 2, p. 185-186).
The statutes were given to Moses, and they
amplified the 10 Commandments. See the pattern? Love
= 10 Commandments = Statutes!
What Ceased At The Cross?
What really ceased at
the cross? Was it the whole law? Was it the Ceremonial
Law? Or did nothing cease at the cross? These questions
are vital, since an incorrect understanding of what
ceased at the cross could lead people to think that
more ceased at the cross than what really ceased. Nailing
more to the cross than what was really nailed will lead
people to attack the law of God and therefore attack
God Himself!
The first concept that needs to be
recognized is that the Bible is to interpret itself!
The second concept that needs to be realized is contained
in Amos 3:7 which says, “Surely the Lord GOD will
do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants
the prophets.” This means that God will tell His
servants the prophets about major events before they
come to pass. It is reasonable to conclude that God
would tell one of his servants the prophets exactly
what ceased at the cross. Since the New Testament prophets
came after Christ, we have to look to the Old Testament
to find out what ceased at the Cross. The answer is
given in Daniel 9:27. “And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation
to cease.” We know that this text is referring
to Christ, who died in the midst of the week. This text
clearly tells us what ceased at the cross. It was the
“sacrifice” and “oblation.”
The word ‘sacrifice’ comes from the Hebrew
word ‘zebach’, which means to “slaughter…an
animal” (Strong’s #2077). The word ‘oblation’
comes from the Hebrew word ‘minchah’ which
means “a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless
and voluntary)” (Strongs # 4503).
From Daniel 9:27 we clearly see that
the only thing that was done away with at the cross
were the sacrifices and the oblations. We must not add
anything else to this list, for in Revelation 22:18
a solemn warning is given. “If any man shall add
unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this book.” This is a quote
from Deuteronomy 4:2 which says, “Ye shall not
add unto the word which I command you, neither shall
ye diminish ought from it.” We must not add to
what God has clearly given us!
The Devil Attacked God’s Law!
So why is the teaching
so widespread that more than just the ‘sacrifice’
and ‘oblation’ were nailed to the cross?
Because the devil has deceived “the whole world”
(Revelation 12:9). In Daniel 7:25 we see that the little
horn power, controlled by Satan, “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.” What are these times and laws?
The word ‘times’ comes
from the Hebrew word ‘zeman’ which means
“an appointed occasion:-season, time.” (Strong’s
# 2166, 2165) Therefore the word ‘times’
can be translated as ‘appointed season’
or ‘appointed time’. The Hebrew word ‘moed’
can also be translated as ‘appointed season’
or ‘appointed time’ (Strong’s # 4150).
The word ‘moed’ can be translated as ‘congregation.’
It makes sense that the devil would indeed change ‘moeds’
for we see God speaking about the devil in Isaiah 14:13
saying, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I
will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of
the congregation (moed - 4150) in the sides of the north.”
Therefore, Satan will think to change God’s moeds,
which are His appointed times!
The word ‘laws’ comes
from the Hebrew word ‘dath’, which can be
translated as “statute:-commandment, commission,
decree, law, manner” (Strong’s # 1882, 1881).
So the statutes, and commandments, which are all contained
in the Torah, were attacked by the devil.
We know that the little horn power
did indeed try to change laws. This power deleted the
second commandment, which deals with graven images (Exodus
20:4). The Sabbath commandment was shortened to “Remember
the sabbath day, to keep it holy,” and the tenth
commandment was split in two.
The little horn power also changed
‘times,’ or ‘moeds’. In Leviticus
23 the first ‘moed’ is listed. “Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning
the feasts (moed - 4150) of the LORD, which ye shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my
feasts (moed - 4150). Six days shall work be done: but
the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation;
ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the
LORD in all your dwelling” (Leviticus 23:2,3).
We know that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. However,
the Catholic Church claims to have done away with more
than just the first moed, the 7th-Day Sabbath.
“The Catholic Church abolished,
not only the Sabbath, but all the other Jewish festivals.”
(T. Enright - 1905) This quote was taken from the same
letter that offers a $1,000 dollar award to anyone who
can prove that keeping Sunday is in the Bible. “The
new law has its own spirit…and its own feasts
which have taken the place of those appointed in the
law of Moses. If we would know the days to be observed…we
must go to the Catholic Church, not to the Mosaic law”
(From a Catholic Catechism as quoted in Signs of the
Times, Nov. 4, 1919). So what did the devil choose to
replace the moeds with?
The Devil’s Substitution For God’s
Moeds
The Following Quote was taken from The Convert’s
Catechism of Catholic Doctrine Pages 55 and 56.
“The First Precept”
“Q. What is the First Precept?
A. The First Precept is: To hear Mass on Sundays and
Holydays of Obligation.
Q. Why did the Church institute Holydays?
A. The Church instituted Holydays to recall to our minds
the great events in the life of our Lord and the Saints.
Q. Which are the Holydays of Obligation in the United
States?
A. The Holydays of Obligation in the United States are:
1. The Circumcision of our Lord, January 1st
2. The Ascension of our Lord, the fortieth day
after Easter Sunday
3. The Assumption of our Lady, August 15th
4. All Saints, November 1st
5. The Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Lady,
December 8th
6. The Birth of our Lord, December 25th
Q. How should we keep Holydays of Obligation?
A. We should keep Holydays of Obligation as we should
keep Sundays.”
Merwin H. Abbott,
Author of Paul the Sabbath-Keeper? And the
National Easter Sunday Law, makes some interesting
statements. “A Holyday is a Sabbath Day - a day
set apart. No servile work is to be performed. How many
SDA’s work on Jan 1st or on Dec. 25th? Don’t
we teach that we pay homage to the power that establishes
a holy day when we acknowledge the day as a holy day?
These days are false Annual Sabbaths!”
The Statutes Are Still Valid
Since the ‘sacrifice’
and ‘oblation’ were the only things that
ceased at the cross, it is reasonable to conclude that
the statutes are still valid. This is in total agreement
with what Ellen White said. “After giving
the ten commandments, the Lord more explicitly enlarged
upon them, laying down the principles that should be
carried out in the practical life. These specifications
are called judgments, or statutes, because the magistrates
were to give judgment according to them. God did not
speak them with an audible voice to the Israelites,
but gave them to Moses, who communicated them to the
people. In several instances difficult cases had arisen
upon which Moses felt incapable of rendering a decision.
He had supplicated the Lord to decide them for him.
The Lord now gave general statutes that would govern
decisions in these particular cases” (Sermons
and Talks, Volume 2, p. 185-186).
“The precious time of probation
is passing, and few realize that it is given them for
the purpose of preparing for eternity. The golden hours
are squandered in worldly pursuits, in pleasure, in
absolute sin. God's law is slighted and forgotten, yet
every statute is nonetheless binding. Every transgression
will bring its punishment” (4T, pg. 147).
"The teaching which has become
so widespread, that the divine statutes are no longer
binding upon men, is the same as idolatry in its effect
upon the morals of the people. Those who seek to lessen
the claims of God's holy law are striking directly at
the foundations of the government of families and nations.
Religious parents, failing to walk in His statutes,
do not command their household to keep the way of the
Lord. The law of God is not made the rule of life....A
reformation in this respect is needed -- a reformation
which shall be deep and broad. Parents need to reform;
ministers need to reform; they need God in their households”
(Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 143).
“The great God has a law by
which to govern His kingdom, and those who trample upon
that law will one day find that they are amenable to
its statutes. The remedy for transgression is not to
be found in declaring that the law is abolished. To
abolish the law would be to dishonor it, and to cast
contempt upon the Lawgiver. The only escape for the
transgressor of law is found in the Lord Jesus Christ;
for through the grace and atonement of the only-begotten
Son of God, the sinner may be saved and the law vindicated.
The men who parade before the world as wonderful specimens
of greatness, and at the same time trample down the
revealed will of God, robe man with honor and talk of
the perfection of nature. They paint a very fine picture,
but it is an illusion, a flattering deception; for they
walk in the sparks of their own kindling”
(Fundamentals of Christian Education p. 331).
"From the rising of the sun
unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to
be praised" (Ps. 113:3). . . . "All his commandments
are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever" (Ps.
111:7, 8). The sacred statutes which Satan has hated
and sought to destroy, will be honored throughout a
sinless universe” (God’s Amazing Grace p.
370).
“Fathers and mothers who claim
to be Christians, and who have not been doers of the
words of Christ, who have not educated and trained their
children in correct habits, have not brought them up
to love and fear God, as God has directed them to. The
words of Moses to Israel, concerning the statutes and
judgments of the Lord, are also the word of God to us;
he says: "Keep therefore and do them; for this
is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of
the nations, which shall hear all these statutes…”
(The Signs of the Times, 03-21-95).
“In every generation and in
every land the true foundation for character building
has been the same--the principles contained in the word
of God. The only safe and sure rule is to do what God
says. "The statutes of the Lord are right,"
and "he that doeth these things shall never be
moved." Psalms 19:8; 15:5. It was with the word
of God that the apostles met the false theories of their
day, saying, "Other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid." 1 Corinthians 3:11” (Acts
of the Apostles p. 475).
“The Holy One of Israel has
made known to us the statutes and laws which are to
govern all human intelligences. These precepts, which
have been pronounced "holy, and just, and good,"
are to form the standard of action in the home.
There can be no departure from them without sin, for
they are the foundation of the Christian religion”
(Child Guidance p. 506).
“In consequence of continual
transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur
from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts
which were to govern everyday life. These statutes were
explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They
were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of
Christ. They were to be binding upon men in every age
as long as time should last. These commands were enforced
by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and
definitely explained that law” (The Review &
Herald, May 6,1875).
“The apostasy of Israel had
developed gradually. From generation to generation,
Satan had made repeated attempts to cause the chosen
nation to forget "the commandments, the statutes,
and the judgments" that they had promised to keep
forever. Deuteronomy 6:1. He knew that if he could only
lead Israel to forget God, and to "walk after other
gods, and serve them, and worship them," they would
"surely perish." Deuteronomy 8:19” (Prophets
and Kings p. 296).
“The Saviour said nothing to
unsettle faith in the religion and institutions that
had been given through Moses; for every ray of divine
light that Israel's great leader communicated to his
people was received from Christ. While many are saying
in their hearts that He has come to do away with the
law, Jesus in unmistakable language reveals His attitude
toward the divine statutes. "Think not," He
said, "that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets"” ((Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing
pp. 45-48) Reflecting Christ p. 67).
“There must be no withholding
on our part, of our service or our means, if we would
fulfill our covenant with God. “This day the LORD
thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and
judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul”(Deut 26:16).
The purpose of all God’s commandments is to reveal
man’s duty not only to God, but to his fellow
man. In this late age of the world’s history,
we are not, because of the selfishness of our hearts,
to question or dispute the right of God to make these
requirements, or we will deceive ourselves, and rob
our souls of the richest blessings of the grace of God.
Heart and mind and soul are to be merged in the will
of God. Then the covenant, framed from the dictates
of infinite wisdom, and made binding by the power and
authority of the King of kings and Lord of lords, will
be our pleasure. God will have no controversy with us
in regard to these binding precepts. It is enough that
He has said that obedience to His statutes and laws
is the life and prosperity of His people” (MS
67, 1907).
“Men in this age of the world
act as if they were at liberty to question the words
of the Infinite, to review His decisions and statutes,
endorsing, revising, reshaping, and annulling, at their
pleasure. If they cannot misconstrue, misinterpret,
or alter God's plain decision, or bend it to please
the multitude and themselves, they break it. We are
never safe while we are guided by human opinions; but
we are safe when we are guided by a "Thus saith
the Lord." We cannot trust the salvation of our
souls to any lower standard than the decision of an
infallible Judge. Those who make God their guide, and
His Word their counselor, follow the lamp of life. God's
living oracles guide their feet in straight paths”
(Reflecting Christ p. 113).
Did you notice in the
preceding quotes that the “statutes” were
not spoken “with an audible voice to the Israelites,”
but were given to “Moses, who communicated them
to the people”? Did you notice that the “statutes”
“more explicitly enlarged” upon the “Ten
Commandments”? Did you notice that the “statutes”
were explicitly given to “guard the Ten Commandments,”
and were “not shadowy types” that ended
at the cross, but were to be “binding upon men
in every age as long as time should last”? Did
you notice that Ellen White says that “every statute
is nonetheless binding”? Did you notice that God's
words to Moses concerning the “statutes and judgments”
are also the “word of God to us”? Did you
notice that there must be “no withholding on our
part” if we would “fulfill our covenant”
with God? Did you notice that the “teaching”
which has become so common, that the “divine statutes”
are no longer “binding upon men” is the
same as “idolatry” in its effect upon the
“morals of the people”? It is very clear
that we are to keep all the statutes!
The Fear Of The Lord
Now how does the Fear of the Lord fit in
to this study on the Law of God? Very simply! “The
fear of the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13).
How do we hate evil? “My son, if thou wilt receive
my words, and hide my commandments with thee…then
shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find
the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1,5). “And
it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all
the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the
LORD his God, to keep all the words of this aw (8451-torah)
and these statutes, to do them:” (Deut 17:19)
The Fear of the Lord is to hate evil. In order to hate
evil, we need to receive God’s words to us, which
is the law. Then we need to memorize the law, so that
we can keep the law when we are tempted to break it.
Notice that the ‘law’ (Deut 17:19--‘Law’
is Strongs # 8451, Torah) is the torah! The Torah is
the first 5 books of the Old Testament and includes
the statutes. “And the LORD commanded us to do
all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our
good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it
is at this day” (Deuteronomy 6:24). Notice that
God commanded the statutes. “That thou mightest
fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and
his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy
son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life;
and that thy days may be prolonged” (Deuteronomy
6:2). Please notice that in these verses the words ‘commandments’
and ‘law’, meaning torah, are interchangeable.
In other words, God commanded the torah to Moses.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the
whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The foundation
for the Fear of the Lord is the keeping of His Torah.
We also know that the Fear of the Lord is part of the
1st Angel's Message. “Saying with a loud voice,
Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his
judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters”
(Revelation 14:7). Makes sense - we need to keep the
Torah, because the ‘hour of his judgment is come’.
This is particularly true for us, since we are living
in the antitypical Day of Atonement!
The Holy Spirit
“During the loud cry…the light
of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere….the
Word declares….'I will put My Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in My statutes.’ This is
the descent of the Holy Spirit, sent from God to do
its office work…
As men, women, and children proclaim the gospel, the
Lord will open the eyes of the blind to see His statutes,
and will write upon the hearts of the truly penitent
His law.” Ellen White, The Review & Herald,
“The Closing Work.” October 13,1904
Ellen White was quoting from Ezekiel
36:26-27 which says “A new heart also will I give
you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will
take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and
ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
Part of the role of the Holy Spirit
in the Time of the End is to take away the people’s
blindness to the statutes. This is clearly an end-time
message! This is why Malachi 4:4 says “Remember
ye the law (8451-torah) of Moses my servant, which I
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the
statutes and judgments.” Malachi 4:4 is clearly
set in the End of Time.
The message to us is that we need to be keeping the
law of Moses! We need to heed the instruction of Malachi
2:6-7, “The law (8451-torah) of truth was in his
mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked
with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away
from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep
knowledge, and they should seek the law (8451-torah)
at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of
hosts.”
It is my prayer that we would not
fall into the category of Malachi 2:8-9 which says,
“But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused
many to stumble at the law (8451-torah); ye have corrupted
the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore
have I also made you contemptible and base before all
the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but
have been partial in the law.” (8451-torah)
It is interesting to note that those
who ‘depart out of the way’ cause ‘many
to stumble at the law’ which is the Torah! God
allows those who depart from the Torah to become ‘contemptible
and base’, or corrupt! Do we see corruption in
the world? How about in the churches? How about in our
church?
Blessings To Statute Keepers
The Bible has recorded
many blessings to those who keep the statutes. Consider
Leviticus 26:3-13, “If ye walk in my statutes,
and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give
you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her
increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their
fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage,
and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and
ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your
land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and
ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and
I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall
the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your
enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred
of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies
shall fall before you by the sword. For I will have
respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply
you, and establish my covenant with you. And ye shall
eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the
new. And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my
soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you,
and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. I am
the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the
land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen;
and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you
go upright.”
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 also includes
some wonderful promises. “And it shall come to
pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice
of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments
which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God
will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake
thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD
thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed
shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit
of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit
of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks
of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed
shalt thou be when thou goest out. The LORD shall cause
thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten
before thy face: they shall come out against thee one
way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall
command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and
in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall
bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto
himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep
the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his
ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou
art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be
afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous
in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit
of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the
land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the
heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season,
and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And
the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail;
and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be
beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments
of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day,
to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside
from any of the words which I command thee this day,
to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other
gods to serve them.”
God has promised to bless us
beyond our imagination if we are just willing to do
what He says! Why don’t we test His promises?
Why don’t we keep His statutes and ALL
of His commandments?
The Judgment
Malachi 4:4 says that
we need to remember the laws of Moses, the Torah. We
are given lots of proof that we need to keep the Torah.
Perhaps that is why Ellen White says that we will be
judged by the statute books! “Where shall we find
laws more noble, pure, and just than are exhibited on
the statute books wherein is recorded the instruction
given to Moses for the children of Israel? From what
other source can we gather such strength or learn such
noble science? What other book will teach men so well
how to love, fear, and obey God? What other book presents
to students more ennobling science, more wonderful history?
It clearly portrays righteousness and foretells the
consequence of disloyalty to the law of Jehovah”
(Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, Page 428).
“After the saints are changed
to immortality and caught up together with Jesus, after
they receive their harps, their robes, and their crowns,
and enter the city, Jesus and the saints sit in judgment.
The books are opened--the book of life and the book
of death. The book of life contains the good deeds of
the saints; and the book of death contains the evil
deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the
statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are
judged.” (Early Writings, Page 52)
Did you notice that the
‘statute books’ record the ‘instruction
given to Moses’ for Israel? Did you notice that
our records are going to be compared to ‘the statute
book’? Do we not claim to be Spiritual Israel?
Perhaps we should keep the laws contained in the Torah,
since we love God, and since we are going to be judged
by the laws of Moses!
Read Leviticus 26:14-46 and Deuteronomy
28:15-68. God loves His people so much that He has done
His best to discourage His people from disobeying His
statutes! He has done this since we will be judged by
the statutes, and He does not want us to be lost!
The New Covenant
Christ has made a covenant
with us. This is called the New Covenant. But what is
this covenant? It is very simply explained in Hebrews
10:16,17. “This is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put
my laws(3551 - nomos, which is the Greek word for Torah
or Mosaic law) into their hearts, and in their minds
will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will
I remember no more.”
This new covenant is a beautiful
promise. We know that sin is the transgression
of the law (1 John 3:4). Christ has promised to put
his laws in our hearts and He is going to cause us to
keep them. Therefore Christ is going to keep us from
sinning – if we will let Him!
It is interesting to note that Hebrews
10:16,17 is a quote from the Old Testament. “But
this shall be the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I
will put my law (8451-torah) in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts; and will be their God,
and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).
Since God has promised to write the
Torah in our hearts, both in the New and Old testaments,
it is safe to conclude that He will help us keep the
Torah if we will let Him. The hardest part of the battle
is letting God write his law on our hearts. The rest
is easy!
If a person refuses to allow God
to write the Torah in his heart he is rejecting the
New Covenant. If a person rejects the New Covenant,
then he rejects God Himself! If God is rejected, He
will not be able to cleanse the heart! A person who
rejects God’s laws is in effect allowing the devil
to be his leader. This is why it is VERY crucial that
we do not nail too much to the cross! If we nail to
much to the cross, then we are attacking the law of
God and Satan becomes the leader!
Isaiah 8:20 suddenly makes a lot
of sense. “To the law (8451-torah) and to
the testimony: if they speak not according to this word,
it is because there is no light in them.” A person
who does not speak according to the Torah has no light
in him! This is why God has told us to remember the
Torah in Malachi 4:4. “Remember ye the law (8451-torah)
of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb
for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.”
The New Testament
We know that the New Testament
is in harmony with the Old Testament since both of them
were inspired. Since they are in harmony, we would expect
to see that the New Testament instructs us to keep the
Torah. This is exactly the case. Jesus said, “Think
not that I am come to destroy the law (3551-nomos),
or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law (3551-nomos), till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore
shall break one of these least commandments, (1785-entole)
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least
in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and
teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven”(Matt. 5:17-19).
The word law comes from the Greek
word ‘nomos’ which is the New Testament’s
counterpart to the Hebrew word ‘torah’.
Matthew 5 is teaching us that the ‘nomos’,
or ‘torah’, was not destroyed by Christ,
but fulfilled, or kept. Note that the word ‘commandments’
is referring to the law. It is reasonable to conclude
then that the word ‘commandments’ that originate
from the Greek word ‘entole’ are all referring
to the ‘nomos’, or Torah.
1st John 2:4 says, “He that
saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments
(1785-entole), is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Revelation 14:12 says, “Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
the commandments(1785-entole) of God, and the faith
of Jesus.”
Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed
are they that do his commandments (1785-entole), that
they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter
in through the gates into the city.”
It is clear that we are to keep the
Torah! That is why Malachi 4:4 says “Remember
ye the law (8451-torah) of Moses my servant, which I
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the
statutes and judgments.” Notice that God ‘commanded’
to Moses the Torah, which contains the statutes and
judgments.
Problem Texts?
Some people may be wondering
about Colossians 2 and Ephesians 2:15 right about now.
After all, do they not teach that the law was done away
with? Let’s take a look and find out.
“Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers,
he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them
in it.
16Let 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: 17Which are a shadow of
things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians
2:14-17).
In ancient Israel, when a person
brought charges against another person in court, the
person pressing the charges wrote them down on a piece
of paper and placed it in the middle of the court. Anyone
could then come and look at the charges to see why the
person was being taken to court. The charges that were
written down were called the ‘handwriting of ordinances’.
The word ‘way’ in Colossians 2:14 comes
from the Greek word ‘mesos’ which literally
means ‘middle’ (See Strongs Concordance).
With this information in mind, it
is easy to see that Colossians 2:14 says “Blotting
out the (charges) that was against us, which was contrary
to us, and took it out of the (middle of the court),
nailing it to the cross.”
Colossians 2:16 is simply saying
that we should not let any ‘man’ ‘judge’
us in how we ‘eat’, or ‘drink’,
or for keeping a ‘holyday’, or for keeping
the ‘new moon’, or for keeping the ‘Sabbath.’
It is a popular belief that the ‘sabbath days’
refer to Annual Sabbaths which are holydays. However,
it would not make sense for Paul to say “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
holyday.” Therefore ‘sabbath days’
have to refer to the Seventh Day Sabbath. This makes
sense considering that the word ‘days’ was
added by the translaters!
Colossians 2:17 says “Which
are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
The word shadow is referring to the Annual Sabbaths
and the Weekly Sabbath. Some take this to mean that
the Annual and Weekly Sabbath were shadows that pointed
to the cross, and were therefore done away with at the
cross. This is WRONG! Please notice that Paul is writing
this AFTER the cross. The words ‘are’ and
‘to’ are future tense. It is then reasonable
to conclude that the Weekly and Annual Sabbaths point
forward from the cross into the future. If this were
not so, then Colossians 2:17 would read “Which
were a shadow of things to come.” But it
doesn’t! It says, “Which are a shadow
of things to come.”
Ephesians 2:15 says, “Having
abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law (3551-nomos)
of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make
in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.”
Please notice the italicized words. They were added
by the translators. This text really says “Having
abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law (3551-nomos)
of commandments in ordinances; for to make himself of
twain one new man, making peace.” The word ‘enmity’
comes from the Greek word ‘echthra’ which
means “a reason for opposition:-enmity, hatred”
(Strongs Concordance). This text is really saying “Having
abolished in his flesh the (reason for opposition to;
hatred for) the law(3551-nomos) of commandments in ordinances;
for to make himself of twain one new man, making peace.”
What a beautiful text! Christ took away our hatred for
the Nomos, or Torah!
The Annual Sabbaths
Since the Sacrifice and
Oblation were the only things that were done away with
at the cross, (Daniel 9:27) it is reasonable to conclude
that the Annual Sabbaths were not done away with at
the cross, but are still valid. Is there proof for such
a statement? Yes!
In Leviticus 23 the Feasts, or Annual
Sabbaths, are called statutes. Speaking of Firstfruits,
Leviticus 23:14 says “it shall be a statute for
ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings”
Speaking of Pentecost, Leviticus
23:21 says, “it shall be a statute for ever in
all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
Leviticus 23:31 says that the Day of Atonement “shall
be a statute for ever throughout your generations.”
Tabernacles “shall be a statute for ever in your
generations” – Leviticus 23:41.
Clearly in Leviticus 23 the Annual
Sabbaths are called statutes! Remember what Ellen White
said about statutes? She said that the “statutes”
were explicitly given to “guard the Ten Commandments”
and were “not shadowy types” that ended
at the cross, but were to be “binding upon men
in every age as long as time should last.” Ellen
White said, “every statute is nonetheless binding.”
She also said that God's words to Moses concerning the
“statutes and judgments” are also the “word
of God to us.” She said that there must be “no
withholding on our part” if we would “fulfill
our covenant” with God! She also stated that the
“teaching” which has become so common, that
the “divine statutes” are no longer “binding
upon men” is the same as “idolatry”
in its effect upon the “morals of the people”!
We are to keep all of the statutes! This includes the
Annual Sabbaths!
Another popular misconception is that since special
sacrifices were done on the Annual Sabbaths, they were
part of the ceremonial law that was done away with at
the cross. Please remember that the term ‘ceremonial
sabbaths’ is not a biblical term, but is simply
a term coined by man. The teaching that the Annual Sabbaths
were done away with at the cross because special sacrifices
were done on them does not hold water because the 7th
Day Sabbaths had special sacrifices offered on them.
(See Numbers 28:9,10; 1st Chronicles 23:31; 2nd Chronicles
2:4; 2nd Chronicles 8:13, 31:3; Nehemiah 10:33; Ezekiel
45:17) We wouldn’t want to nail the Sabbath to
the cross, would we? Absolutely not!!!
Genesis 1:14 says, “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.”
The word ‘seasons’ comes from the Hebrew
word Moed (Strongs # 4150). Moed can also be translated
as ‘holydays,’ or ‘feasts.’
This is reasonable, since we know that before the flood
there were no seasons as we know – fall, summer,
winter, spring. So these Moeds have been around since
creation, just like the Sabbath. However, these Moed’s
can be traced before creation! The feasts are clearly
called statutes. We see that "Satan claimed to
be able to present laws which were better than God's
statutes and judgements, and he was expelled from heaven.
He has made a similar attempt upon earth" (Ellen
G. White, The Review and Herald, Volume 2, page 404,
June 17, 1890).
We know that the Sabbath is God’s
seal, and that keeping Sunday will become involved in
the Mark of the Beast. The statutes were given to amplify
the 10 commandments. Which statutes would amplify the
Sabbath?
“Again the people were reminded
of the sacred obligation of the Sabbath. Yearly feasts
were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were
to assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings
of gratitude and the first fruits of His bounties”
(Patriarchs and Prophets pg. 311).
Since the Annual Sabbaths
amplify and guard the Sabbath, we would expect that
the Annual Sabbaths are called signs, as the Sabbath
is a sign. This is the case. Exodus 13:9 states, “And
it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and
for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S
law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath
the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.” This text
is talking about the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vs.
6,7). The Annual Sabbaths are a sign between us and
God – just as the 7th Day Sabbath! Consider Exodus
31:13. “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel,
saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is
a sign between me and you throughout your generations;
that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify
you.” Did you notice that the word “sabbaths”
is plural? Ezekiel 20:12 is plural also. “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.” Perhaps this is why Ellen White
stated that “The mark of the beast is exactly
what it has been proclaimed to be. Not all in regard
to this matter is yet understood, and will not be understood
until the unrolling of the scroll” (8T pg. 159).
The breaking of the Annual Sabbaths are connected with
the Mark of the Beast! This is reasonable because we’ve
always taught that disobedience to the 7th Day Sabbath
will be connected with the Mark of the Beast.
However, there is more to the Sign
of God. Deuteronomy 6:8, which is talking about the
commandments contained in the Torah says, “And
thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and
they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”
The breaking of the Torah is also part of the Mark of
the Beast! So the three parts to the mark of the beast
are (1) Breaking the Sabbath (2) Breaking the Feast
Days (3) Breaking the Torah.
The Feast Days clearly have
future fulfillments. Speaking about Passover, Haskel
said, “The work typified by the Passover extends
on down through the ages, and will not have fully met
its antitype until the children of God are forever freed
from the power of the enemy of all righteousness”
(The Cross and Its Shadow pg. 98). “During the
seven days following the Passover, the people ate unleavened
bread. Seven, denoting a complete number, was a fitting
type of the life that should be lived by the one who
claims Christ as his Passover, and has the blessed assurance
that his sins are covered by the blood of the Saviour.
Leaven is a type of malice and wickedness; unleavened
bread represents sincerity and truth. He whose past
sins are hidden, (Rom. 4:7,8) and who realizes what
it is to have the condemnation of his old life lifted
from him, enters into a new life, and should not return
to his life of sin, but live in all sincerity and truth.
All this was symbolized by the seven days Feast of Unleavened
Bread, following Passover” (The Cross and Its
Shadow pg. 106,107). “Not only was unleavened
bread used in the feast, but no leaven was allowed in
the homes during the entire week following the day of
the Passover.
This is a very beautiful emblem of the Christian,
who, while claiming to be sheltered by the blood of
Christ, should not only keep his mouth from speaking
evil, but his heart also should be free from the leaven
of malice and wickedness” (The Cross and Its Shadow
pg. 94-95).
Pentecost follows the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, and has future fulfillments as well. “Pentecost,
so called because it was held fifty days after the waving
of first-fruits, was the last of the annual feasts held
in the first half of the year. This feast was called
the Feast of Weeks, on account of seven weeks intervening
between it and the Passover feast. It was also called
the Feast of Harvest, as it came at the close of the
harvest” (The Cross and Its Shadow pg. 116).
Pentecost was a
joyous occasion, for the harvest had been brought in.
The people had God’s bountiful blessings in their
possession, and at this time they presented gifts to
God. In the parable of the tares and the wheat we find
that wheat represents God’s people. While here
on earth Christ sowed good seed and at Pentecost, after
the crucifixion, a great harvest of people were brought
into the Christian Church as a result of Christ’s
work. However, before the great harvest of people were
brought in, the disciples had to prepare.
“They needed to study
the Scriptures, to put aside every difference, and become
of one accord, that they might receive the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit, which would enable them to know
how to care for the great harvest of three thousand
souls that was awaiting them as the result of the Saviour’s
ministry. They also needed this special outpouring of
the Spirit to prepare them to carry forward the wonderful
work begun on the day of Pentecost, until every creature
under heaven should hear the glad news of salvation”
(The Cross and Its Shadow pg. 118, 119).
This is why Pentecost was connected
with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Haskell also
points out that, “This great harvest of
souls at the antitypical Feast of Harvest was only
a beginning of the greater harvest that will be gathered
before the end of the world” (The Cross and
Its Shadow pg. 119).
Therefore it is reasonable to conclude
that, “Those who enter into the spirit of
the latter rain will, like the early disciples, lay
all upon the altar to be used by the Lord in the great
closing work.
“As the seed sown by
the Son of man during His earthly rain, so the good
seed sown by Christ’s ambassadors who faithfully
scatter the printed page filled with the gospel message,
and by voice and life teach the saving truth, will yield
a bountiful harvest in the time of the latter rain,
when God’s Spirit is poured out upon all flesh.
Then will be gathered the fruit of what each one has
sown in the field. He which soweth sparingly shall reap
also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall
reap also bountifully, (2 Cor. 9:6) is the divine promise”
(The Cross and Its Shadow pg. 119).
Haskell also comments about the Feast
of Trumpets. “God designed that every blast
of the trumpet blown by His people, whether for joy
or for sorrow, for worship or for war, should be a memorial,
or reminder, of the power of God to comfort, sustain,
and protect His people” (The Cross and Its Shadow
pg. 202).
“In the type the trumpets
were blown throughout Israel, warning all of the near
approach of the solemn day of atonement. In the antitype
we should expect some world-wide message to be given
in trumpet tones, announcing the time near when the
great antitypical day of atonement, the investigative
judgment, would convene in the heavens” (The Cross
and Its Shadow pg. 204).
We know that this is
the case, for around 1833-34 the sound was made for
the cleansing of the world in 1844. It was widely proclaimed
that the hour of His judgment is come. It is also
interesting to note that Joel connected the closing
work of the gospel with the blowing of trumpets. For
in Joel 2:1 he writes, “Blow ye the trumpet in
Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all
the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of
the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” It is
my personal belief that God will send the 7 Trumpets
in Revelation 8 & 9 to wake us up to the fact that
the end of the world is here, and that God is about
to begin the judgement of the living. And then when
Jesus comes, “The whole earth will resound with
the tread of the innumerable company of the redeemed,
as the living and the resurrected saints gather to meet
their Lord in answer to the welcome summons of the last
trumpet call that will be given on this sin cursed earth”
(The Cross and Its Shadow pg. 207).
We obviously know that the Day of
Atonement has not been fulfilled. The judgment is still
going on, for probation has not yet closed.
Speaking about the Feast of
Tabernacles, Ellen White states that, “The Feast
of Tabernacles was not only commemorative but typical.
It not only pointed back to the wilderness sojourn but
... it celebrated the ingathering of the fruits of the
earth, and pointed forward to the great day of final
ingathering, when the Lord of the harvest shall send
forth His reapers to gather the tares together in bundles
for the fire, and to gather the wheat into His garner.
At that time the wicked will all be destroyed”
(Patriarchs and Prophets, page 541).
“Well would it be for the people
of God at the present time to have a Feast of Tabernacles”
(Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 540-541).
All of the Feasts have future fulfillments.
Matthew 5:17-18 says, “Think not that I am come
to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in
no wise pass from the law(3551-nomos), till all be fulfilled.”
Since the Feasts have not been fulfilled, they have
not passed away from the law, the ‘nomos’!
We as Adventists often state
that we need to follow Jesus’ example in keeping
the 7th Day Sabbath. Jesus also kept the Feast of Tabernacles
(John 7) as well as the Passover. “Now when he
was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day,
many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles
which he did” (John 2:23). Keeping these days
would be following Christ’s example as well.
In teaching that the Sabbath was
not done away with, we point out that the apostles kept
the Sabbath after the cross. This allows us to state
that since the apostles kept the Sabbath after the cross,
it was not done away with, for the Apostles understood
what was done away with at the cross. It is interesting
to note that the apostles also kept the Feast Days.
Paul “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). There are more places
in Acts where it is recorded that the apostles kept
the feasts – like Pentecost etc… People
are quick to state that Paul was still a Jew and he
was just trying to prove to the Jews that he was still
one of them by keeping their feasts. However, other
churches use the same reasoning for why Paul kept the
Sabbath. Was he really just trying to identify himself
with the Jews? No!
Not only did Paul keep the
feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, but he kept
them with his Gentile converts.
“At Philippi Paul tarried to keep the Passover.
Only Luke remained with him, the other members of the
company passing to Troas to await him there. The Philippians
were the most loving and true hearted of the apostle’s
converts, and during the eight days of the feast he
enjoyed peaceful and happy communion with them”
(AA 390, 391).
If the only reason for Paul to keep
the Feasts was to identify himself with the Jews, then
why did he keep Passover and Unleavened Bread with the
Philippians, who were Gentile converts?
“Paul did not bind himself
nor his converts to the ceremonies and customs of the
Jews, with their varied forms, types, and sacrifices;
for he recognized that the perfect and final offering
had been made in the death of the Son of God... The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit” (Sketches
From the Life of Paul pg. 105).
Ellen White clearly states that Paul
did not bind himself nor his converts to that which
was done away with at the cross. Therefore, since Paul
kept the Feasts and taught the Phillipians to do so
as well, who were Gentile converts, the Feasts cannot
be done away with! Paul not only taught the Phillipians
to keep the Feasts, he told us to keep them as well!
“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 Corinthians 5:8).
Did the early Christians keep the
Feasts? In the book The History of the Church, Eusebius
quotes Polycrates who was speaking about the apostles.
“All of these (apostles) kept
the fourteenth day of the month as the beginning of
the Paschal Festival, in accordance with the Gospel,
not deviating the least, but following in the rule of
Faith. Last of all I too, Polycrates, the least of you
all, act according to the tradition of my family, some
members of which I have actually followed; for seven
of them were bishops and I am the eighth, and my family
have always kept the day when the people put away the
leaven. So I, my friends, after spending sixty-five
years in the Lord’s service and conversing with
Christians from all parts of the world, and going carefully
through all Holy Scripture, am not scared of threats.
Better people than I have said: ‘We must obey
God rather than men’” (The History of the
Church. Eusebius, pg. 231).
Polycrates clearly kept Passover
and Unleavened Bread, which is when the leaven was put
away. Polycrates was a Bishop in the early Christian
Church, and carefully studied the Scriptures. He was
not convinced that Passover and Unleavened Bread were
done away with, but came to the conclusion that he needed
to continue keeping them. It is interesting to
note that Polycrates stated that all of the apostles
kept the Feast.
Why did the Christian Church stop
keeping these feast days? Because the Catholic Church
abolished the Feast Days at the same time they did away
with the Sabbath. This was clearly prophesied in Daniel
7:25. However, the Catholic Church was not satisfied
with just abolishing the Sabbaths, but substituted other
days to be kept. Sabbath was changed to Sunday. God’s
Feast Days were thrown out, and Christmas, Easter, Halloween,
New Years, and other days were observed.
The Feast Days are going to be a
major issue in the End Times. In Revelation 16:16, we
find the word Armageddon. The word Armageddon is a Hebrew
word (Rev 16:16) and comes from two Hebrew words; ‘HAR’
and ‘MEGEDDON’. The word “HAR”
in Hebrew translates to “MOUNTAIN” (See
Strong’s # 2022). According to the SDA Bible Commentary,
Vol. 7, page 846 the word MEGEDDON is from the word
mo’ed. In Isaiah 14:13-14 we see the same ‘mountain’
of the ‘moed’ used. Speaking of Lucifer,
God says “For thou hast said in thine heart, I
will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of
the congregation (Strongs # 4150 Moed) in the sides
of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds; I will be like the most High.” Har being
‘mountain’ (Strong’s 2022), mo’ed
in this text being interpreted “congregation”
(Strongs’s 4150). Ellen White clearly states that
"Satan claimed to be able to present laws which
were better than God's statutes and judgements, and
he was expelled from heaven. He has made a similar attempt
upon earth." (The Review and Herald, Volume 2,
page 404, June 17, 1890). The Feast Days (moed) are
Statutes (Lev 23). When Satan claimed that he had better
statutes, that included the Feast Days. Isaiah 14 agrees
with this, saying that Satan was going to ‘sit’,
or ‘establish’ (Strongs #3426), his own
Feast Days (moeds). Ellen White said that “He
has made a similar attempt upon earth.” This is
why there is Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc…
Satan was “expelled from heaven” over this
issue. Why would God treat us any differently? He doesn’t!
Psam 119:118 says that God "has trodden down all
them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is
falsehood." (Psalm 119:118) Clearly Armageddon
is going to be over the Feast Days (moed). This includes
the Sabbath vs. Sunday issue. This also includes all
of the other Feast Days! Ellen White saw this battle,
and stated that,
“In seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes,
Satan has perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and
errors have thus become incorporated into the faith
of thousands who profess to believe the Scriptures.
The last great conflict between truth and error is but
the final struggle of the long-standing controversy
concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now
entering--a battle between the laws of men and the precepts
of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the
religion of fable and tradition” (Great
Controversy p. 582).
Which side are you going to choose? Are you
going to keep God’s Feast Days, or the Devil’s
Feast Days? It is my prayer that you will choose God’s
side!!!!!!
This issue about God’s law
and His Feast Days cannot be side stepped! Some state
that Ellen White didn’t keep these Feasts, so
why should they? Ellen White stated that, “Greater
light shines upon us than shone upon our fathers. We
cannot be accepted or honored of God in rendering the
same service, or doing the same works, that our fathers
did. In order to be accepted and blessed of God as they
were, we must imitate their faithfulness and zeal, --
improve our light as they improved theirs, -- and do
as they would have done had they lived in our day. We
must walk in the light which shines upon us, otherwise
that light will become darkness. God requires of us
to exhibit to the world, in our character and works,
that measure of the spirit of union and oneness which
is in accordance with the sacred truths we profess and
with the spirit of those prophecies that are fulfilling
in these last days. The truth which has reached our
understanding, and the light which has shone on the
soul, will judge and condemn us, if we turn away and
refuse to be led by them” (Testimonies for the
Church Volume One, Page 262).
It is my prayer that you will now study this
topic out thoroughly for yourself. It is vital that
every person be convinced in his own mind. God does
not want robots, but rather a people who love Him on
their own free will! Don’t let traditions, or
friends, or anything mold your thinking. Go only on
a “thus saith the Lord!”
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