See for more themes.
| Q5: SOP and Scripture understanding of "feasts" HYPOTHESIS: How does SOP view the "feasts" in Scripture? INTRODUCTION: This study looks at "appointed times" which were "love feasts": a special time to meet GOD. Since our Church Scholars say the feast keeping idea was abolished at the Cross, we have to present this theme with as few words as possible, and with "thus saith the Lord" as much as possible. Shalom METHOD: The best and clearest SOP is shown, just to give the reader an unbiased feel for the theme.
CONCLUSION: SOP agrees with Scripture that the "meetings with Jesus at certain times" was not abolished at the Cross, but they were to be renewed as new wine is placed in a new wine skin.
The feasts are "practice runs" of events still in the future. There are plenty of events still in the future for Christians, and even Jesus who is yet to come a Second Time.
Paul says not to judge those who keep the feasts, because many of us will practice their spiritual significance in a variety of ways (Colossians 2:16). And like any Church activity meeting with Jesus,
beware of formalism and legalism, and your home authority that means nothing to GOD (Colossians 2:20-22).
DISCUSSION: The presentation of SOP and comments are below:
A "love feast" ..
(1) God loves us even as He loves His Son, and Christ has given us the assurance, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Let us have many, many love feasts over this assurance, knowing that Christ is ever beside us, to strengthen and to bless.--Ms 139, 1902
A "love feast" is when we come to GOD.
(2) The articles published in our papers should contain pure provender, thoroughly winnowed from chaff. We are living in a most solemn time. Let our editors call for articles giving living experience.... These experiences may be to the readers as a love feast, because the writers have been eating the bread which came down from heaven. {CW 18.1}
A "love feast" are the "words of Jesus" printed as articles for us to eat the bread of heaven.
(3) The next Sunday, at the commencement of love-feast, the presiding elder read off our names, seven in number, as discontinued from the church. {LS80 175.1}
A "love feast" is a people assembly at Church.
(4) From the beginning to the end every camp meeting may be a love feast, because God's presence is with His people. {6T 63.2}
"Camp meeting" is a symbol of a "love feast".
(5) My brethren and sisters, if you would come together for prayer-meetings, if, after confession of sin and humiliation of soul, you would have a love-feast,--every heart filled with true love for his brethren,--you would see the salvation of God. {BTS, February 1, 1910 par. 1}
"Prayer meeting" is a symbol of "love feast".
(6) The camp meeting may be a love feast, because we have the assurance of God's presence. {15MR 3.1}
Why only "may" be a "love feast", rather than "is" a love feast"?
With most of the people in the days of Christ, the observance of this feast had degenerated into formalism. But what was its significance to the Son of God! {DA 77.2}
In Paul's day most feast keeping was done with legalism and formalism.
(7) Upon the occasion of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people who were assembled from all parts of the land to keep the feast, flocked to the Mount of Olives, and as they joined the throng that were escorting Jesus, they caught the inspiration of the hour and helped to swell the shout, �Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!� [Matthew 21:9.] In like manner did unbelievers who flocked to the Adventist meetings �some from curiosity, some merely to ridicule�feel the convincing power attending the message, �Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!� {GC88 402.1}
Notice SOP makes parallels with "love feasts" in Jesus NT time and "Adventist meetings" in our time.
Hang on a minute, SOP terms "love feast" differently to the term "feast". True the terms are different. Read through these first seven SOP again, and ask yourself, why does SOP term feast sometimes as "love feast" and sometimes as "feast"?
The answer is found in her {DA 77.2} statement. Notice why SOP terms a feast as a "love feast".
So far we have learned from SOP, a "love feast" is a gathering of people at certain times to meet with GOD.
How does Scripture see this theme?
Zec 8:19 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
Only recently have scientists found that fastings makes our biological cells young again, and is good for us. Fasting also controls appetite, a Satanic weapon that leads many to sinning.
And these four annual fastings are meant to be cheerful ones, as we love truth and peace.
The first thing people will notice in the OT, the keeping of feasts is not a Hebrew word. There are Hebrew words for "feast", but not the "keeping of feasts". Wow !
So what English term do you suppose SOP could use ? "Appointed times" perhaps? "annual meetings" perhaps? Not really uplifting this theme?
The Hebrew word for "keeping feasts" is "mow'ed" which really means "appointed times".
In Ancient Hebrew this word (Strong's 4150) in pictograph reads "The flow secure sees through the door".
The "active hands see through the door" is the verb to "meet"(Strong's 3259) . So these Hebrew words are related to each other.
Jeff Benner says the word means "appointment" or to "meet at certain times".
So Scripture says "we come together at certain times to meet with GOD".
Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. (KJV)
And translated along Ancient Hebrew lines:-
Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the appointments of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my appointments. (Ancient Hebrew)
And translated into SOP
Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the love feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my love feasts. (SOP)
Can the reader see what SOP is trying to say?
Where in Scripture does the SOP term "love feast" come from?
2Pe 2:13 (WNT)(Weymouth's New Translation) being doomed to receive a requital for their guilt. They reckon it pleasure to feast daintily in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, while feeding luxuriously at their love-feasts, and banqueting with you.
The church were doing "love feasts", but some NT unholy members corrupted them, much as the OT Jews turned "feasts" in formalism and legalism.
CT.371.001 Shall we not keep holy festivals unto God? Shall we not show that we have some enthusiasm in His service? With the grand, ennobling theme of salvation before us, shall we be as cold as statues of marble? If men can become so excited over a match game of cricket, or a horse race, or over foolish things that bring no good to anyone, shall we be unmoved when the plan of salvation is unfolded before us? Let the school and the church henceforth have festivals of rejoicing unto the Lord.-- Special Testimonies on Education, pages 77-82.
The Hebrew word "shabbathown" is a special resting, a Sabbath holiday, which SOP terms a "festival". Could one think of a better word in English?
Many say the "meetings of Jesus at certain times" ended at the Cross. Is this true? It is true certain activities changed at the Cross.
So lets see what changes Jesus did just before He dies, for changes to cermonial laws have to be made before one dies.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Now let's set the scene:
Mt 26:17 � Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
Notice Jesus kept these "feasts"..
Mt 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Notice Jesus made certain changes to this "feast"..
So the Lord's Odinance is a renewal of Passover, when we point back to the Cross
and forward to the Wedding Feast.
Notice the symbols change, the meanings change...but not the fundamental "meeting at certain times"
And this "feast" was practiced by the early Christian church every Sabbath, not once a year...
so the "meeting as certain times" can be as often as you desire.
Now let's look at some difficult passages of Paul, often used as an excuse to say the feasts were abolished at the Cross.
Notice Paul is not talking about a "sin-offering" but the trespasses one does against the law (the Greek word is written twice, but KJV translate the same word differently).
Paul is speaking about the uncircumsion of flesh...but Jews were all circumcised as Abraham was, so is this ordinance contrary to us? So read the context of Paul's verses before:-
Paul is challenging the Jews why were they circumcised in the first place, when Jesus circumcises us with His circumcision.
Does Scripture write about this ?
So Paul is saying circumcision was an ordinance pointing to Jesus on the Cross, and this ordinance of circumcision was nailed on the Cross.
Notice circumcision itself is not abolished, just the spiritual significance is changed, so we should still practice circumcision of the heart through Jesus.
Legalism and formalism are commndments of men and traditions done in human power, rather than the true attitudes of gratitude for Jesus saving us with His rightousness,
we seek to establish our own righteousness, which means nothing to GOD.
Paul says not to judge those who keep the feasts in whatever way they understand keeping them.
Some say Paul was anti-torah, against the ceremonial laws. No Paul was against formalism and legalism. Some people can practice certain activities in their own human powers,
rather than appreciate the attitudes of love that show gratitude for Jesus saving us.
With most of the people in the days of Christ, the observance of this feast had degenerated into formalism. {DA 77.2}
In Paul's day most feast keeping was done with legalism and formalism
This is especially true with the ordinance of circumcision that was introduced by human hands, but is actually done with Jesus hands on the foreskins of our heart.
Notice verse shown before (Jer 4:4) suggesting human circumcision was introduced by Jesus, "because of the evil of your doings".
2Pe 2:13 (WNT)(Weymouth's New Translation) being doomed to receive a requital for their guilt. They reckon it pleasure to feast daintily in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, while feeding luxuriously at their love-feasts, and banqueting with you.
Written in Peter and Paul's time, many unholy members of the NT churches were spoiling the "love feasts" with sinful practices in broad daylight, causing a corruption of the righteous. These men were clouds without rain, wells without water. They lacked the Holy Spirit's power.
This does not mean "love feasts" is a bad concept, but it does mean we should be aware of formalism and legalism.
Now one could write more, but this is the simple stronger version.
Did the disciples, and Paul, keep the feasts? Yes of course, it's all there in the book of Acts.
Some of our Church scholars point out the Jewish idea of feast keeping was kept because the "spiritual Jews" had not left their older traditions as yet.
Is this true? Legalism and formalism are terrible evils in any Church. Keeping the feasts with Jewish traditions would be terrible formalism. We do not know how
much of the spiritual significance the early Churches had with "meeting at certain times with Jesus".
Perhaps the real issue is HOW do we keep the "meetings with Jesus at certain times"
What was the "keeping of feasts" really for?
The feasts are practice runs for future events.
So have a look at this list of feasts, and see if there are not future events we need to practice.
I hope all the "meetings of Jesus at special times" is covered. Did you catch the way, we must practice certain things before they come over us, or are we like a thief in the night, or sleeping, or unprepared?
Anyone who practices these feasts along formal lines, are returning to legalism and formalism, and this is just another yoke our older Jewish believers would want to burden us with. They did not catch the significance of feast keeping.
For example the Jews were keeping the feast of Tabernacles, while the Christians kept the feast as well by doing what this feast is a practice for....they fled into the mountains...!
At the time of the siege, the Jews were assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to make their escape unmolested. Without delay they fled to a place of safety--the city of Pella, in the land of Perea, beyond Jordan. {GC 30.2}
God bless your reading of Scripture and SOP. Let's be found practicing many things we need to practice before real events come upon us unawares. Let us be sober and watching. Shalom
See further studies about SOP and the feasts.
On the next webpage, we look at how does SOP views the term "surrender".
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