Reasons for Celebrating YHVH’s Biblical Feasts

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The biblical pilgrimage or aliyot (singular: aliyah) festivals are Passover (Pesach) and Unleavened Bread (Chag haMatzot) and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot) in the spring and the Feast Tabernacles (Chag haSukkot) in the fall. At these feasts, the Torah, the Word of Elohim, commands all of YHVH’s his people Israel to come up (or make aliyah) to the place where YHVH has chosen to place his name. There they are to worship and serve him as they fellowship with joy with their Israelite brothers from far and near.

What are the reasons and benefits for YHVH’s people to faithfully and obediently celebrate his holy or set-apart feasts as he has commanded in is Set-Apart Word?

  • The biblical feasts are a prophetic shadow-picture of things to come (Col 2:16–17; Heb 10:1). When they were given to ancient Israel they pointed forward to future events that would occur to the nation of Israel including redeemed believers. The spring feast days, for example, point to Yeshua the Messiah’s first coming, while the fall feast days point to his second coming leading into the Messianic Age (Millennium) and into eternity beyond.
  • All the biblical feasts point to Yeshua. Yeshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus and means “salvation.” All the biblical festivals point to the various stages or steps of the path of salvation that believers find themselves on. 
  • All of the feasts point back to and commemorate historical events that occurred in Israel’s history. By studying and celebrating these feasts, we can learn valuable historical spiritual lessons that are, at the same time, representative of our own spiritual journey (1 Cor 10:1–6, 11). The biblical feasts also point to present spiritual realities in the life of the redeemed believer. The feasts—especially the fall feasts—point to prophet events that are yet to happen. As such, they function as a sort of road map that tell us where we’ve come from, where we’re at, and where we’re going in our spiritual journey.
  • YHVH Elohim commands his people to keep what the Scriptures calls his appointed times or biblical festivals. They are times when he makes an appointment to meet with his people (Lev 23:1–2, 4). It is at these festivals or commanded assemblies that YHVH teaches his people about his wonderful plan of salvation or the redemption of the world through Yeshua the ­Messiah.
  • The feasts are in the Bible and the whole Bible is the inspired word of Elohim (2 Tim 3:16). Yeshua commands his saints to live by every word that comes out of the mouth of Elohim (Matt 4:4). The feasts are in the Bible, and believers need to study and obey the whole Bible, which is the inspired word of Elohim (2 Tim 3:16). 
  • The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Heb 8:1–2, 5; 9:8–9, 23; Exod 25:8–9, 40; 26:30; Num 8:4; Ezek 43:1–6, 10–12), and, therefore, reveal to us spiritual mysteries about things in heaven.
  • As physical human beings, we need physical means and methods to help us understand spiritual mysteries that are above and beyond our intellect. YHVH gives us the natural to help us to understand the supernatural or the spiritual, which would otherwise be beyond our comprehension (1 Cor. 2:9–13). The biblical feasts play an important role in our spiritual growth, development and maturation and bring us higher and closer to Elohim through Yeshua the Messiah. Therefore, Elohim’s feasts act as bridges to help us to transcend the physical and not only to understand the spiritual, but to actually come up to the higher spiritual level. As such, they bring us closer to YHVH Elohim, our Creator and Heavenly Father.
  • Yeshua, the apostles and early believers celebrated the biblical feasts. The apostles walked as Yeshua walked, and instructed us to do the same (1 Cor 11:1; 1 John 2:6).
  • The Bible tells us that YHVH’s feasts will be celebrated during the Millennium, so why shouldn’t we be keeping them now?
  • Yeshua said that if we love him, we will be keeping his commandments (John 14:15). Elsewhere, Yeshua equated the commandments with the Torah (Luke 18:20), of which the biblical feasts are a part.
  • If you want to know YHVH, you will be keeping his Torah-commandments of which the feasts are a part (1 John 2:3–6).
  • YHVH’s Word commands us to appear before him three times each year at the three aliyot or pilgrimage feasts (Passover/Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, Exod 23:14–17). If we’re going to be obedient to his instructions in righteousness, we must gather together in the place where he has chosen to place his name (Deut 16:2, 6, 11).
  • The aliyot feasts are a time for all Israel—including the saints of Elohim, who are “the Israel of Elohim” (Gal 6:16)—to gather together to worship YHVH (Lev 23:2, 4).
  • When we obey YHVH’s commands, we are blessed in wonderful and unexpected ways (Deut 28:1–14).
  • When we come together at his appointed times (moedim) and at the place where he has chosen to place his name, we show YHVH that we love him and want to meet with him. As a result, we will experience a special divine joy (Deut 12:5–7, 18).
  • When we come together at his appointed times (moedim) at the place where he has chosen to place his name we show our fellow redeemed Israelites that we love them and want to fellowship with them. This brings unity and one accordness into the spiritual body of Yeshua.
  • At the feasts, there is corporate worship, and when YHVH’s people praise him together, he inhabits the praises of Israel (Ps 22:3).
  • When redeemed Israel comes together, YHVH camps in the midst of his people (Ps 34:7).
  • When the disciples of Yeshua come together, he is in their midsts (Matt 18:20).
  • At the aliyot feasts, people from outside of one’s local congregation ideally gather together for a common purpose: to obey, worship and serve YHVH. This binds all the saints together in a common focus and purpose. In this atmosphere, new and lasting friendships are forged and the kingdom of Elohim is expanded and he is glorified.
  • At the aliyot feasts, one has the opportunity to hear new teachers with fresh manna or teachings.
  • The aliyot feasts give our young people and adult singles an opportunity to meet prospective spouses.
  • The aliyot feasts give one an opportunity to visit new places and provides one with a great (and biblically-based) excuse to take a much needed vacation.
  • The aliyot feasts are a place to not only meet new people, but to exchange ideas and to get your Bible questions answered.
  • At the aliyot feasts, one is provided with extended times of anointed praise and worship, which brings redeemed Israel together, unites heaven and earth, unites the body of Yeshua and causes everyone to grow spiritually.
 

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