Does Galatians Cancel the Biblical Holy Days?
DID THE APOSTLE PAUL CALL THE ANNUAL SABBATHS WEAK AND BEGGARLY?
Some Bible scholars assert that Paul canceled the Old Testament Holy Days for New Covenant believers. Other scholars assert the truth that these Holy Days were observed by the early church. Some say they were in later centuries, replaced by teachers in error. The former scholars use one major verse to make the assertion of such a change. Note this change is not debated anywhere in the New Testament like circumcision was debated and argued over. See Acts 15. Some try and use Gal. 4:9-10 for support for their beliefs.
Galatians 4:9-10 NKJV 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that youturn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years.
Does this verse really condemn the Holy Days, annual Sabbaths and the weekly Sabbath as some contend? Protestants teach that the gentiles were returning to these Old Testament practices. This is impossible as they had never even heard of God's Holy Days or Sabbaths, annual or weekly as pagans gentiles. They could not return to something unknown to them. Further God's word strongly condemns keeping of 'days and times' which are notoriously pagan.
Leviticus 19:26 KJV 26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
God demands that his followers avoid witchcraft and pagan enchantments and pagan times. This is what Paul is referring to in his warning to the Galatians.
Deuteronomy 18:9-10 KJV 9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
The original Apostles had to fight a two front war. They had to battle the Judaizing Party, thunder from the right but also pagan influences, thunder from the worldly left.
Galatians 4:3 DBY 3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;
The context of Gal. 4:9-10 is that of resisting the worldly pagan influences in their society not OT. It is easy for those who fail to check the context and wish to avoid certain Sabbath laws both annual and weekly to misunderstand. Paul was a complete supporter of the Old Testament, the only organized Bible that existed in his day. Paul supported everything written in the law.
Acts 24:14 NKJV 14 "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
Paul believed in all the OT writers. Paul would never call OT days weak and beggarly.
JESUS AND THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH OBSERVED THE HOLY DAYS
Jesus observed the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. He observed the Feast at the risk of his life. See John 7:1-2. 37. Christ is looking forward to keeping the Passover again with his disciples when He returns. See John 13:1-2, Luke 2:41-42, Matt 26:17-18, 26-29.
The Church of God in the first century kept the Holy Days and it is clear that they knew they were holy. No discussion of whether to keep them is found-just a record of them being kept. See Acts 12:3-4, 20:6, 27:9, 18: 21 and I Cor 5:6-8, 16:8. Therefore we ask 'why not keep the Fall Holy Days' coming soon? What spiritual meaning should they have for true believers in the real Jesus? Often overlooked is the fact that the church had to fight a two front war. They also were under doctrinal attack from worldly pagan influences.
Colossians 2:20-22 NKJV 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Pagan asceticism was one of the worldly insidious, dangerous influences attacking the early church in gentile pagan areas. So what can we learn from abandoning our pagan influences today and celebrating the Fall Holy Days in the Bible?
THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS SOUNDS THE BEGINNING OF SALVATION FOR ALL NATIONS
What event is the world really anxiously awaiting? It is the Messiah coming in power to save the nations. Our celebration of this Holy Day is looking forward to this moment in mankind's history. When Jesus, the Messiah, returns at the Last Trump, mentioned in the book of Revelation, and righteousness will prevail. Evil will be crushed like grapes. The Feast of Trumpets is that Holy Day of God.
Revelation 19:11-16 NKJV 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war... 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The first time the Messiah (Christ) came was to sacrifice himself to cover the sins of all mankind, past present and future. When Jesus comes the second time it will be to save us from ourselves. Jesus will save mankind from bad governments, evil, misguided, religious and political leaders.
Jesus will soon return and start to fully administer his work as our King, Messiah and High Priest to start the salvation of all nations. The sound of the Trumpet is the sound of salvation. Those in the first resurrection, who are being converted now, are waiting for that Last Trumpet Call.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 NKJV 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus... 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
OUR WORLD DESPERATELY NEEDS GOOD GOVERNMENT
Planet earth desperately needs godly government, godly religion. Decadence is clearly growing in the world today. Child sex trafficking, evil addictions and brutal governments are thriving in this, Satan's age. This is the age of mans' defiance of God and is reaping the evil rewards. Young men are becoming more and more unstable. Extreme socialist regimes like Communism, murdered, over a 100 million of their own citizens, yet the concepts are still embraced by many leaders today, not to mention all kinds of other evils still rampant. This age of Satan has been led often by various degrees of evil governments. All that will end at the Last Trumpet.
Daniel 2:44-45 NKJV 44 "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 "Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
The stone or rock that will replace mankind's misguided governments with paradise is Jesus, at his second coming. The world will have all the expense of warfare ended. Blessing and prosperity will rain down on earth by the blessings of God and the leadership of Jesus and his saints. Jesus is returning; this time as a conquering king to bring true worship and godly leadership. The saints will be resurrected at the Last Trump to be part of the ruling God family.
Revelation 5:10 NKJV 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."
The earth is waiting for good government that will replenish and serve the people and the planet.
Romans 8:19-21 NKJV 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
True believers will be resurrected at the last trumpet sound to glory and true sonship with God. A paradise of God will follow for all the Earth and we can celebrate this paradise event in this years Fall Holy Days culminating in the Feast of Tabernacles. See you at the Feast !
