In Spirit and Truth: The Seven Biblical Feasts

The Seven Biblical Feasts, Appointed Times, or Moedim, are a yearly cycle of Biblical Holy Days.

The Seven Feasts require a physical Temple in Jerusalem to be physically 'kept.'

John 4:24 (TLV) 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God requires us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

In the era of the New Covenant, we understand that our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (TLV): Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that the Ruach Elohim dwells among you?

We can only observe the Feasts physically, but we can keep the Feasts spiritually.

Romans 12:1-2 (TLV) 1 I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy, acceptable to God—which is your spiritual service. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The feasts require sacrifice. When the Temple was in Jerusalem, the sacrifices were physical, but now that we are the spiritual temples of God, the sacrifices are spiritual. Our living sacrifice is to keep ourselves holy unto God. We abstain from this world's self-pleasing sinful (lawless) pleasures, and by doing so, we become acceptable living sacrifices. When the Feasts arrive, we then present ourselves to God at the appointed times and keep the feasts by spiritually sacrificing our carnal desires. We observe the feasts physically by gathering together on the appointed days, by following Torah instructions in the light of the New Covenant, and by recognizing current restrictions (no Temple).

Tradition

Mark 7:5-9 (TLV) 5 The Pharisees and Torah scholars questioned Yeshua, “Why don’t Your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders? Why do they eat bread with unwashed hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 Having left behind the commandment of God, you hold on to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also telling them, “You set aside the commands of God, in order that you may validate your own tradition.
Colossians 2:8 (TLV) See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world, rather than Messiah.

When we observe the feasts, it is very important to examine our motives, methods, and mindsets carefully. We must make sure that man’s traditions do not become more important than God’s instructions. The simplicity of observing the feasts is often overlooked and replaced with an amalgam of tradition, religion, and the wisdom of man. Religious tradition can become a stumbling block to the young in Messiah, holding them back from growing and maturing in Messiah. We must examine ourselves frequently, ensuring that we lift God up as our Savior and King. The feasts must continue to be an act of worship, and we must not twist the feasts into a replacement for relationship.

Warning

Multitudes will stand before Yeshua and declare that they rested on Shabbat, kept the Feasts, and followed the instructions written in the Torah, but then Yeshua will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”1 Faith without action (actionless faith) is dead2, but action without faith (faithless action) is lawlessness3 because we can not please God without faith.4

So, keep the feasts, for it is an act of worship, but remember, don't elevate worship above whom we are worshiping.

1 Matthew 7:21-23 ⇑

2 James 2:20 ⇑

3 1 John 3:4 ⇑

4 Hebrews 11:6 ⇑

Category: Articles Torah Moedim MJ 101