Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17
Monday was Memorial Day, a day in the US where we remember those who have fought in our wars and gone before us. Sunday I mentioned it was Pentecost. That made for a full holiday weekend, but also an enjoyable one.
Perhaps you’ve read on my blog about the various festivals mentioned in the Bible. I’ve now documented all the major ones. However, perhaps you’re wondering or have been told that for Christians these should not be observed. “We’re Christians,” I’ve been told. “Why would we follow those old laws?” Besides, as I quoted above, doesn’t the Apostle Paul say they are shadows of Messiah? Wouldn’t celebrating such things be a step backwards? These are a good questions.
One may say, “They are Jewish festivals, which have nothing to with Christianity.” I would disagree. Instead, it says they are “the appointed feasts of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:2). While they were given to the Israelites thousands of years ago, they were and always have been the Lord’s festivals. To celebrate them is to celebrate something he initiated.
But aren’t these things mere shadows of Jesus (as quoted above)? Why worship a shadow when you’ve got the real thing? I must ask, however: is Paul telling the Colossians to not worry for keeping or not keeping the festivals? This passage is usually interpreted as being judged for not keeping them. Why not the opposite? For instance, “Don’t let anyone judge you because you do these things because they foreshadow what Messiah has done and is going to do.” That is how I have come to understand it.
To celebrate God’s festivals is to enter into the rhythm of God’s calendar.
- We celebrate the weekly Sabbath because we can’t keep going and going without burning out. It also teaches us that we can’t earn our salvation. I’m not defined by what I do but whose I am.
- We celebrate Passover as a remembrance of God redeeming his people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:3) and the greater redemption from slavery to sin (1 Corinthians 5:7).
- We celebrate Firstfruits as a reminder of God’s provisions and the reminder that just as Jesus rose from the dead, so we who trust in him will rise from the dead one day (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
- We celebrate Pentecost to remember God giving us his laws and instructions (at Mt. Sinai – Exodus 20) to live life as he intended as well as the giving of the Spirit to better enable us to keep them (Jeremiah 31:33, Acts 2).
- We celebrate the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hoshanah) as a wake-up call to repent and prepare for the Day of Atonement. It also looks forward to Messiah’s return at “the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
- We celebrate the Day of Atonement to confess our sins and repent for what we have done wrong, and remember that he has paid the price and forgiven us. We also look to the day where Messiah will come to judge all humanity (Revelation 20:4, 12).
- We celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles to remember God’s provision for his people in the wilderness, but also how he “tabernacled” with us (John 1:14) and will one day dwell with us fully (Revelation 21:3).
This isn’t about if we must do these things. Rather, it is an invitation. I feel these are events worth celebrating and remembering throughout the year.