Our church just finished our annual celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. What an incredibly uplifting celebration it was. The Festival is an experience and immersion in God's plan and the fellowship of the Saints over an eight-day period every year.
The Feast of Tabernacles is a Festival that God instituted for Israel, to help them remember that their forefathers wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land, while God travelled with them in the manifestation of the Shekinah Glory in the Tabernacle, where the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant were kept (see Leviticus 23).
Many Christians ask us, "Why do you keep the Feast of Tabernacles? Isn't it irrelevant and 'done away with' by Christ's coming?"
Here's the truth for Christians about the Feast of Tabernacles: We know that the Old Testament Scriptures point to Christ and God's Plan of Salvation in thousands of details. Going through just a few of those details was one of the things the Resurrected Jesus did when He walked with disciples on the "Road to Emmaus" (see Luke 24), opening up (explaining) the Scriptures to them and how those Scriptures pointed to the Christ. The Seven Festivals (eight, if you include the Sabbath) that are chronicled in Leviticus equally point to Jesus Christ and the work of the Father. In fact, they point to God's plan - for Christians and all humanity - for all time.
God Always Has A Plan
You see, God does nothing without a plan (Isaiah 46:10). Here's some of how that plan is reflected in The Festivals of the Lord (their Biblical name):
The Passover was instituted not only for the salvation of Israel, but to point to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all humanity. He IS our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The Days of Unleavened Bread point to the world-changing events after the Crucifixion, the dispersal and reunion of the disciples, the Resurrection and Ascension before the Father of Christ, acceptance of Christ as our Passover and accepting His righteous life into our lives (John 6:30-40; Matthew 26; Mark 14). They were markers and physical reminders for the early Church (Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:8).
Pentecost was the day on which the Holy Spirit came and by whom Christ's Church was formally created and launched (Acts 2:1).
But we know there is still much more to happen in God's Plan of Salvation: Christ needs to Return, the world needs to be reconciled to God, the Kingdom of Christ must by inaugurated, The Great White Throne Judgment must occur, and the heavens and earth must be renewed as Heaven makes its throne on earth.
So, here's how the remaining Festivals picture those things, with some sample Scriptures:
Feast of Trumpets - The Return of Jesus Christ and the First Resurrection of the Saints [who are those Saved by Christ] (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52)
The Day of Atonement - The Reconciliation of the World to Christ and the banishment of Satan (see Revelation early chapters and Revelation 20:1-4).
Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day - A reminder that we are temporarily tabernacling (dwelling) on this earth (see Hebrews 11); a foreshadowing of the thousand years (Millennial) reign of Jesus Christ in peace (Zechariah 14:16, where Scripture also explicitly states that all nations will keep the Feast of Tabernacles in the Millennial Kingdom); the "tabernacling" (dwelling) of God with mankind (Revelation 21:1-4) and the New Heavens and the New Earth, when Jesus will make Living Waters available freely to anyone (John 7:37 cf Revelation 21:6).
These interpretations or applications of the Festivals to God's Plan of Salvation are widely acknowledged amongst conservative evangelical, reformed and other mainstream Biblical theologians, Bible scholars and churches. The applications are not, actually, controversial, even though your Pastor or church may know very little about them and even actively teach against them.
The above verses are only the most extremely slight demonstration of how the Festivals are woven through both the Old and New Testaments.
Ask yourself: If God always has a long-term plan (and He does) and the whole institution of Israel was to make possible the way of Salvation (John 4:22) and the Scriptures are all given by God, point to Christ and are valuable for teaching, learning, correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), then why would God include the Festivals to be kept in memoriam by Israel for all generations and even kept into the Millennium, even celebrated AFTER the New Heavens and the New Earth are created (Isaiah 66:22-23)?
The answer is clear: God instituted them for an eternal reason. He was telling us His Plan from the start in all the details He gave to Israel, including the Festivals!
Their meaning is reflected in sometimes astonishing ways in the Scriptures. For example, throughout the month of October, we studied, preached and worshipped out of Peter's Second Epistle. As we did so in detail, we saw how closely the Biblical Festivals are reflected in and add meaning to Peter's letter. It's amazing when the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see these matters so clearly in the Scriptures.
A Continual Reminder and Celebration of God's Grace, Will and Plan
The Days God instituted serve as tremendous celebrations, rehearsals and reminders of the most consequential and important aspects of God's entire plan of salvation by His grace. They are reminders, just as Peter sought to provide reminders to believers before he died - before he ceased 'tabernacling' on this earth to use his words (2 Peter 1:12-15). They are rehearsals of God's coming Kingdom and His great will. And they help to keep us focused on His will and strengthened in His grace and purpose.
So, when people ask us why we celebrate this Festival, we can give a huge list of reasons that stretch back over a few thousand years of God's history of salvation and look forward into eternity. Because we love God, we celebrate these Festivals with great joy and expectation that God will continue to reveal truth and grace in our lives. And personally, having celebrated them for four decades now, we can point to God's great love and guidance graciously demonstrated in our experiences while observing them.
Some People Are Reticent To Observe the Biblical Festivals as "Un-Christian"
Perhaps you've considered observing these Festivals but fear being labelled un-Christian. Perhaps you've not seen their relevance to Christ before? Or perhaps you've been told, "They're done away with and you shouldn't keep them because they are not commanded."
Having kept these Festivals for decades, I can assure you: observing the Biblical Festivals doesn't somehow make you legalistic or less loving of Christ, any more than observing a Wedding Anniversary makes you less of a loving husband or wife, or celebrating a birthday somehow makes you not love the person for whom you're celebrating. If I observe my Wedding Anniversary every year "religiously", am I a legalist or am I devoted to celebrating our loving marriage? But observing the Anniversary helps keep us on track and reminds us of the importance of our marriage.
It's similar with the Biblical Festivals. I keep them, my family keeps them, and many of our church members keep them because we love God and Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It doesn't MAKE us more loving, but is a token of love that helps keep believers on track.
Is Keeping the Festival A Condition For Attending Your Church?
The quick answer is "No".
If you have been wondering why our Church keeps them and have been shy to attend with us because you didn't know or were concerned about requirements, I hope the above exploration explains the matter for you. You do not have to observe the Festivals in order to be one of our members. In fact, if you come with questions and want to find out more, we ALWAYS welcome genuine questions about anything regarding Jesus Christ and the Bible. We all should have questions if we are to grow. Come. Ask.
You may have also thought that if you don't want to observe them, you would not be welcome. It's totally the opposite case! Not all of our members keep these Festivals. They are just as integral parts of our church family as anyone else.
Keeping the Festivals is not a requirement of attendance or membership at our church. We do not invigilate members keeping them, like some cult. We do not place lower value on any individual or family for not keeping them. The most important thing to us is that our church members grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour (2 Peter 3:18). Our celebrations are invitations to join in the love of God, not to be berated for the days you do or don't observe, in the spirit of Romans 14.
In the early days of the Church, they were called "Feasts of Love". We aim to maintain that same spirit. We would love for you to observe them as you are drawn to keep them by Christ, not because anyone else forced you to do so. Our experience has been that when people are responding to that call as part of their relationship with God, rather than being forced, that the best fruits are demonstrated in their lives and in the church.
Why Would Someone Stop You?
There is one last matter we need to deal with, though. And that is the stance of other Christians and teachers regarding the Biblical Festivals. We have been on the receiving end of both gracious and ungracious attitudes many times over the years.
When it comes to people who object to Christians - perhaps object to you - observing the Festivals which are actually named and recorded in Scripture, which are filled with the history of God and Jesus Christ, which are intimately intertwined through the story of the Bible and of Christ, which are markers and a deep means of teaching lessons and details of Christ's eternal ministry, ask yourself this question: Why are they objecting? Shouldn't you be free to worship God in Spirit and in Truth?
In contrast, we have found many who continue to lovingly share in the fellowship of the Spirit who do not personally wish to observe the Festivals but value the shared commitment to faith in God and Christ, to His Word and to His revelation. And we equally value them!
Looking Forward...
In 2 Peter 3:12-14, Peter tells us 3 times in 3 verses that we are to look forward to the fulfilment of God's promises. That's what we have just done in our celebrations. We will do it again throughout 2025. Peter tells us that, therefore, knowing and looking forward to these things, we are to make every effort to be holy and godly (2 Peter 3:11) and to "be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless" (2 Peter 3:14).
We hope you do that. We hope that in the coming year you may
"grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" - 2 Peter 3:18
We invite you also to join us to hear every Word of God treated seriously and worship God together in Spirit and in Truth.
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If you want to attend a Church that genuinely and honestly teaches from the Word of God and seeks to practise a genuine Christianity, please come to one of our services. You can find out more plus access resources at www.livingwaterschurch.online , where we treat every Word of God seriously.
Turn to God For The Kingdom of God Is Near!
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