Christian Holy Days, Festivals and Holidays:
What They Really Mean
by Teresa Carr
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Christian Holy
Days, Festivals and Holidays: What They
Really Mean by Teresa Carr The following is a chronological document of the Holy
Days, Festivals and Holidays, which most American Judeo-Christians observe.
These reflect on the holy days that were set forth by God and his covenant
with Abraham, Moses and the children of Israel, Joshua, the building of the
Temple, the life and sacrifice of Christ Jesus, and the giving of the church
by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. From the beginnings of America’s
founding, Christians have kept these to honor and thanksgiving in the works of
the Lord God and His Son Jesus Christ in faith for God’s provision,
protection and grace for the United States of America. The keeping of these
holy days, feast days and holidays of Passover,
Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles,
National Prayer Day, America’s Independence Day, and Thanksgiving Day guarantees
our freedom and prosperity as a nation. The other holidays mentioned were
signed into law since the independence of America. Other Christian and
non-Christian holidays are observed in other countries as noted. (Holy Days Chart) New Year’s Day, January
1 (U.S.) the beginning of America’s New Year. New Year’s goes back to
the Ancient Rome and is pagan in origin. This is celebrated today with
elaborate parades and firework displays. Epiphany, January
6, or Little Christmas is observed by the Catholic, Anglican,
Eastern and other Christian faith. It celebrates both the birth and baptism
of Jesus. In the 300’s the day was honored for the meeting of the THREE WISE
MEN (Magi) with the infant JESUS in Bethlehem. Epiphany also celebrates the coming of Christ for the GENTILES.
Shrove Tuesday
observed in some countries like England is the day before Ash Wednesday, February-March, the first day of Lent. Shrove or shriven is
called confessing and is a time of rejoicing. It’s the last day of the
festival season of Pancake
Tuesday. On Ash Wednesday ashes from burned palms (in some
countries this can also be laurel, olive, and willow) of the previous year’s
Palm Sunday are blessed. These ashes are placed on the forehead with the mark
of the cross this is a sign of sorrow for sin the passage from Genesis 3:19
is recited. This
reminds us for a need of preparation of a holy death. Lent, holy
week observed from Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Passover. Lent is part of
the regular church year in Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and
Protestant Episcopal churches. Other Protestant churches hold religious
services, meetings or revivals during the Lenten season. Many Christians
perform fasting, prayer, penance, giving alms to the poor and orphans,
abstaining from amusements, or not solemnizing marriages. It is a season of
spiritual preparation in the remembrance of the passion, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also symbolizes the mourning of the Church,
the bride, for the departure of Christ, the bridegroom. During the reign of
Charlemagne, about 800 A.D. it became a 40 day fasting period. This is a
reminder of the 40 days that Jesus Christ fasted in the wilderness.
St. Patrick’s
Day, observes the patron saint of Ireland on March 17 by the Irish and Irish descendents in
the U.S. and Ireland. St. Patrick was born about 389 A.D. at Bannavem
possibly England or near Scotland. He was captured as a young boy by pirates
from Ireland and taken to Celtic Ireland and was made a slave by tending
flocks of the Chieftain in Ulster. Six years of slavery made him a devout
Christian. He escaped to France and became a monk. In 432 A.D., he had a
vision he believed from God to return to Ireland as a missionary and preach
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the primitive Celtic tribes of Ireland.
According to a legend, Patrick illustrated the Trinity to the Celtic people
by using the three-leaf shamrock (each leaf representing the Father,
Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Today the shamrock is used as a symbol
of the Holy Trinity in remembrance of the patron saint. He came to be known
as one who “found Ireland all heathen and left it all Christian.” He founded
300 churches and baptized over 120,000 people. Contrary to this legend,
according to scholars’ discovery churches in Ireland and Britain already
existed by the time St. Patrick arrived on the Emerald Isle. St. Patrick left
writings of his Confession in crude Latin. A four-sided iron bell said
to be his is kept in the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Dublin. An ancient
stone chair where he sat is on the Rock of Cashel. For more than 1500 years,
each year on the last day of July, people go on an annual pilgrimage to
Croagh Patrick, a mountain above Westport, County Mayo, where St. Patrick
spent 40 days of Lent in 441 A.D. in fasting and prayer. Since there is about
45% of Americans are of Irish descent
many large U.S. cities, especially in New York, Boston, and Chicago celebrate
St. Paddy’s Day with parades and feasting in remembrance of St. Patrick of
bringing the Gospel of Christ to the Celts of Ireland. Before the time of
Christ, Gaelic tribes were originally from Gaul (now France) migrated and
settled in upper Turkey (Asia Minor). These ancient “Irishmen” were the
recipients of the apostle Paul’s letters to the GALATIANS. In the letters to
these Celtic people, Paul defends the gospel of faith over law. Faith sets
men free to enjoy liberty in Christ. Freedom in Christ is freedom to produce
the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle. An important note
in history if it weren’t for God using the Irish monks centuries ago we
wouldn’t have the Holy Bible today. The Book of Kells is a national
treasure of Ireland and shows the elaborate artisan workmanship that the
Irish monks took to preserve our Bible.
Holy Week, observed
in March-April during
the
week of Passover. This
holy week includes Palm Sunday honors the time according to John 12:12-15 Christ
rode on a donkey through the gates of Jerusalem triumphantly which followers
laid palm branches in his path as he rode through the crowd, this is where
His suffering
begins. In most churches the services are simple but the remembrance
of our Savior’s work is honored with rejoicing and praise. Maundy Thursday observes
the time of the our Lord Christ Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and
Last Supper (Eucharist) with them, His betrayal and arrest in the Garden of
Gethsemane. The word Maundy means commandment refers
to Christ’s words to the disciples in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give
unto you: that ye love one another.” Alms are given to the poor. According to
historical accounts, Jesus Christ ate an evening Passover meal at the
beginning of Tuesday of Nisan 14 and instituted the New Covenant symbols
(Matthew 26:26-28). The following day on Wednesday, Jesus was crucified and
died around 3 p.m. (Matthew 27:46-50). This day was the preparation for the
annual Sabbath, which began at sunset (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31).
Jesus was placed in the tomb just before sunset (Matthew 27:57-60). On
Thursday was the high-day Sabbath, the first day of Unleavened Bread (John
19:31; Leviticus 23:4-7). It’s described as the day after the “Day of
Preparation” (Matthew 27:62). Good Friday the day before the Sabbath
mourns the time of Christ’s trial, suffering, death on the cross, and His
body taken down and carried away before sunset of the Sabbath day to the tomb
of Joseph of Arimathaea. According to the historical account, the high-day
Sabbath now past, the women bought and prepared spices for anointing Jesus’
body before resting on the weekly Sabbath day which began at sunset. Saturday
was the weekly Sabbath, according to the Fourth Commandment (Luke 23:56:
Exodus 20:8-11). Jesus rose near sunset on Saturday evening, exactly three
days and three nights after burial, fulfilling the sign of Jonah and
authenticating the sign He gave of His Messiahship. Early Sunday
morning the women brought the prepared spices (Luke 24:1; John 20:1), finding
that Jesus had already risen (Matthew 28:1-6; Luke 24:2-3; John 20:1). Some
churches hold a three-hour service is hold to recall the agony of Christ on
the cross. Some of these services perform the passion play. In some
European countries, bells are tied on Good Friday so they cannot ring.
Easter, is
not and does not in any way relate to or honor the Resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Easter is traced back to a pagan fertility goddess, Astarte
(Eastre) (Teutonic)/Ishtar (Babylonia)/Ashtoreth (Canaanite in Hebrew bible)
(Judges 2:13; 10:6; I Sam. 7:3-4; 12:10; I Kings 11:5, 33; 2 Kings 23:13).
The rabbit and the colored eggs are pagan symbols of rebirth in ancient pagan
celebrations that began in ancient Babylon. This began with Nimrod and his
mother Queen Semiramis of mystery Babylon also known as the ‘queen of heaven’
an abomination condemned by God to Israel (Jeremiah 44:17, 25). It was the
week of the Passover when Jesus was to be betrayed, put on trial,
suffered and crucified. On the third day after the crucifixion, Christ rose
from the tomb. All this is witnessed in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John), Acts 1:3, and I Corinthians 15:6. Resurrection Day
observed in March or April on the Sabbath the Lord rose from the tomb
according to where Passover (see following) may fall on the Jewish calendar. Jesus
was crucified on the week of the Passover April 7, 31 A.D. Christ rose after
sunset on the third day. Easter stems from the Passover celebration. The name
Easter in some languages comes from the Hebrew Pasach (Passover). This
has been mistranslated from the Greek word, Pascha that is actually
the Passover. The Italians celebrate Pasqua, Spain celebrate Pascua,
and the French, Paques. All these derive from the Passover in their
respective languages. Observance of the day, which Jesus rose from the tomb
on the third day after His crucifixion. On this day some churches and other
groups in the U.S. hold sunrise services outdoors. The cross is the symbol of
our Lord who suffered, died and rose again for all mankind. The lamb is
another figure as a symbol for Jesus. The lamb comes from the Jewish Pasach.
Passover begins on the 10th of the Hebrew month of Nisan was commanded in Leviticus 23:5 lasts 8
days and was observed by Jesus Christ, the apostles and church of the New
Testament (The Paschal Supper or Seder which took place on the 14th
of Nisan, was recorded in Matthew 26:2, 17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 2:41-42;
22:1, 7-20; John 2:13, 23; 6:4; 13:1-30; I Corinthians 11:23-29 records the
purpose of the Paschal Supper of the Holy Lamb, Christ Jesus). This Seder
meal consists of the roasted shank bone of lamb, a hard-boiled egg, bitter
herbs (parsley, horseradish, celery, romaine lettuce), and a mixture of
chopped apples, dates, nuts, and cinnamon mixed with red wine or grape juice
called Haroseth (Charoses).
Other items include matzoh bread, wine in a goblet or glass and a filled wine
decanter in the center of the table. The Cup of Elijah, a large goblet is
filled with wine and place near the center of the table. A pillow is placed
on the left arm of the leader’s chair or on another chair close to it.
Christian believers recall when Jesus gave a new covenant to His disciples
that evening of the Passover supper, this is to be the communion to all
believers in remembrance of the Lord’s sacrifice and His return. People in
many parts of the world eat special cakes called hot cross buns.
Passover symbolizes freedom. When Christ was crucified He set us all free
from sin. For Christians, Christ is our Passover (Paschal) Lamb (I
Corinthians 5:7). (The days of the beginning of Passover for the
next 8 years are as follows: 2007-April 2; 2008-April 19; 2009-April
8; 2010-March 29; 2011-April 18; 2012-April
6; 2013-March 25; 2014-April 14). The Feast
of Unleavened Bread is 7 days following Passover for the next 8 years
are: 2007-April 3-9; 2008-April 20-26; 2009-April
9-15; 2010-March 30-April 5; 2011-April 19-25; 2012-April
7-13; 2013-March 26-April 1; 2014-April 15-21.
**SEE NOTE. Colossians 2:16 shows Gentile Christians kept the Holy
Days. As with God’s command the weekly Sabbath day to be kept as one of the
Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). Six days shall you work but on the Sabbath
day you shall rest. In the beginning of the creation of the world, God rested
from His work on the seventh day, on that day he blessed and sanctified it
(Genesis 2:2-3). National Day of Prayer is observed one
day out of the year on May 1. This day was
signed into law under the administration of U. S. President Harry S. Truman.
This day is set aside for a time of reflection of God’s Word (Psalm 5:3),
thanksgiving and worship to the Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ
for their blessings upon the United States of America and to proclaim the
Gospel to the world.
Day of Pentecost, also called Whitsunday observed one day out of the year between last weeks of May to first week of June on the 50th day after the Passover. It is known as the Jewish Harvest Festival that Israel was first commanded to observe in the Torah, as described in Leviticus 23:15-22 (Exodus 23:16). Pentecost meaning “fifty” in Greek because the festival occurs on the fiftieth day after Passover represents the first fruits (Numbers 28:26) gathered as the result of the labor of those who complete the spring grain harvests in ancient Israel. It’s also known as Shavuot, or Feast of Weeks, since it’s celebrated seven complete weeks after Passover (Deuteronomy 16:9-10). In ancient times, sheaves of barley were brought to the temple, starting on Passover, until Pentecost the beginning of the harvest period fifty days later. When the Pentecost arrived they would bring their “first fruit” to the Temple. There was rejoicing and thanksgiving for their material blessings. Christians celebrate the first fruits of God’s Harvest through the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit on that first day of Pentecost and His works (Acts 1:15; Acts 2:1-17; Joel 2:28). This is the holiest day for Christians because this was the day that the Holy Spirit gave the church to the world (Acts 2). This is a day of fasting, prayer and worship.(The days of Pentecost dates for the next 8 years are as
follows: 2007-May 27; 2008-June 8; 2009-May
31; 2010-May 23; 2011-June 12; 2012-May
27; 2013-May 19; 2014-June 8). Memorial Day, original date May 30, observed in remembrance of loved ones who
have gone on into eternity and those who gave their lives in wars for our
freedom. It’s a day of remembrance of our Savior Jesus Christ who died for
our sins and conquered death and hell, so we may have eternal life in Him. In
May which time begins on the Sabbath after
the Lord’s resurrection the week of the Passover and ends 40 days later. This
is known as Ascension Day. Jesus Himself dwelt on the earth 40 days
before His ascension into Heaven to the Father in glory, which was witnessed
by 500 followers including His disciples (Acts 1:3; 1Cor 15:6). This is the
blessed hope that He will come for His church one day in the near future. He
will come in like manner when He left. Just 10 days later He sent the Holy
Spirit on the 50th day of Pentecost, the first day of the
beginning of the church. As Apostle Paul recorded in I Thessalonians 4:14-18
the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout and the trump of God will
sound. The dead shall rise first, and believers who are left alive will be
taken up with them to meet the Lord in the air. We will ever be with the
Lord. This is a day of fasting, rejoicing, remembering the lost in prayer,
and the blessed hope of the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
to bring peace to the earth (Rev. 12:5). W.H. Griffith Thomas writes in The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: The ascension is not only a great
fact of the New Testament, but a great factor is the life of Christ and
Christians (Hebrews 4:9-16), and no complete view of Jesus Christ is possible
unless the ascension and its consequences are included, “It means to the
believer it speaks of accomplished redemption (Hebrews 8:1), the Savior’s
high priestly work (Hebrews 4:14), his lordship over the church (Ephesians
1:22), His intercession for us with His Heavenly Father (I Tim. 2:5), the
coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:33), the Lord’s presence with
us today (Matt. 28:20), and the expectation of His return to this earth (I
Thess. 4:16). Independence Day, July
4 (U.S.), observed to commemorate the independence of the United
States of America from Great Britain (Galatians 5:1; 2Cor 3:17). By the grace
of our Sovereign God who has blessed us to be a great nation we live in
freedom and liberty of our great faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our covenant
began on April 29, 1607 on the shores of Cape Henry along the Chesapeake in
Virginia by the Rev. Robert Hunt and a group of men from the Virginia Company
who sailed from England to the new land. When they landed on the shores
Hunt’s prayer was “From these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not
only this New World, but the entire world.” By this covenant he dedicated
America to our Lord Jesus Christ for His glory and purpose. It was here the
first settlement began at Jamestown, Virginia. It is at this time we honor
our Lord and celebrate our freedom given to us by our forefathers and remember
those men who had sacrificed their lives for freedom and liberty for our
independence and the signing of our Declaration and the Constitution that was
created from God’s Holy Word. By their dependence upon the sacred covenant
upon which our country was founded we celebrate with thanksgiving and praise
to our Lord Jesus Christ. John Quincy Adams said in a speech in July 1837
that the celebration of the birthday of this nation was corresponding to the
birthday of our Savior. 2007 will be our nation’s 400th
anniversary to commemorate its founding of the first dedication and
settlement at Jamestown. To learn more about our Christian heritage and it’s
beginning in America, go to Wallbuilders.com
and see God’s hand at work in our nation. Feast of Trumpets is observed for one day
before the time of the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish calendar it takes
place on the 1st day of Tishri, the 7th month. It is a
holy convocation day where you are to do no servile work. It is a day of
blowing the trumpets (Num. 29:1). It is the day of rejoicing looking to the
day when Christ will return. This is to bring into remembrance of Christ’s
direct intervention in world affairs in the plan of redemption. This
commemorates Christ’s glorious Second Coming. Like the weekly sabbath it is
holy to the Lord (Nehemiah 8:2, 9-12). (The days of the Feast of Trumpets dates for the next 8 years are as follows: 2007-Sept. 13; 2008-Sept. 30; 2009-Sept. 19; 2010-Sept. 9; 2011-Sept. 29; 2012-Sept. 17; 2013-Sept. 5; 2014-Sept. 26). Day of Atonement is observed for one day before the week of the Feast
of Tabernacles in Sept.-Oct. This is the
day we honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as our High Priest and
intercessor for the atonement of our sins. It is also a time where we are
reconciled to God through Christ’s sacrifice. We are to afflict our souls, be
humble and meek and seek the Lord’s will for our lives which are His (we are
brought with a price through His sacrifice), forgive past differences with
others, seek forgiveness with fasting and prayer. This is a vital preparatory
step to God’s Feast of Tabernacles. It is the holiest day of the year and is
kept by Christians and Jews. This is the day of Yom Kippur that the
Six Day War in 1967 when Israel captured all of Jerusalem, putting it under
Jewish rule for the first time since the Roman destruction in 70 AD. This day is a day of blessing and miracle (Joel
2:23-32; Exodus 29:37; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:24; 11:2).
(The days of atonement dates for the next 8 years are as follows: 2007-Sept. 22; 2008-Oct. 9: 2009-Sept. 28: 2010-Sept. 18; 2011-Oct. 8; 2012-Sept. 26; 2013-Sept. 14; 2014-Oct. 4). Feast of Tabernacles, observance falling
into September and
October corresponding to the Jewish calendar on the 15th
day of the 7th month that lasts for seven days. This festival
celebrates and gives thanks to God for all his blessings of abundance and
brings a good harvest and rain to the land according to the Book of Zechariah
of the Old Testament (Zech. 14: 16-18 ref. John 7:2; Isaiah 60:12; Isaiah
19:21; Lev. 23:29; Deut. 11:10). It is important to keep this holy day each
year. This guarantees an abundance of harvest and rain that brings health and
wealth to the land. This feast takes place for 7 days. (The feast dates for the next 8 years are as follows: 2007-Sept.
27-Oct. 3; 2008-Oct. 14-20: 2009-Oct. 3-9: 2010-Sept.
23-29; 2011-Oct. 13-19; 2012-Oct. 1-7; 2013-Sept.
19-25; 2014-Oct. 9-15). Following the Feast of Tabernacles
is the Last Great Day of fasting and prayer looking to the day of
redemption and the kingdom of God. It is recorded in John 7:37-39, that it
was the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water. Christians that believe on Jesus receive the Holy
Ghost which was given on the day of Pentecost; because Jesus was glorified
after his crucifixion and resurrection. (The dates for the next 8 years are
as follows: 2007-Oct. 4; 2008-Oct. 21: 2009-Oct.
10: 2010-Sept. 30; 2011-Oct. 20; 2012-Oct.
8; 2013-Sept. 26; 2014-Oct. 16). Thanksgiving Day, the American observance
falls on a Thursday in late November week
of 23rd-26th. Families get together and celebrate and
give thanks to the Lord our God for all His blessings (Psalm 95:2; 100:4;
107:22; Jeremiah 30:19; 2 Corinthians 9:11). We do this in remembrance of
those who first came to America in 1621 for freedom of religion and liberty
from oppression. It is a celebration our forefathers gave thanks of surviving
the first winter in a new land. Without the God’s divine grace in Christ and
help these vigilant Pilgrims wouldn’t have survived. God used Squanto (a born
again Christian!) who was familiar with the white man’s ways, as he knew
about their culture after a journey to England and was educated there. He
returned to his native land to help his people. When the pilgrims came
Squanto and Samoset met them one day and helped them to survive their first
winter. They were surprised by his command of the English language and the
ways of the white man. So God did have a plan for our forefathers to live in
freedom and liberty. All with the help of a peaceful Indian whom God used for
His glory. (I have a link to my blog and an entry on
Thanksgiving including link regarding the document the signified the Pilgrims
to proclaim their freedom in a new land). The first colony settled in America
was Jamestown in 1607. For more information about this event go to The Assembly. Canada celebrates
Thanksgiving on the 2nd Monday of October. Advent, late
November to early December after Thanksgiving Day (see above) 4
consecutive Sundays prepare for the coming Christmas. Celebrated by the
lighting of the advent candle honoring in remembrance of the coming of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His future Second Coming. The Advent Hymns “Light the Advent Candle”
are sung and special devotionals are read during the lighting of the candle
each lighting symbolizes the events leading up to the coming of Christ to
earth. The Advent wreath contains five candles. The four candles are placed
around a ring or wreath with the white candle in the center. Each candle is
lit every Sunday and on Christmas Day the fifth candle is lit. This is called
the Christ candle. The colors of the five candles signify the
character of Christ and of his Second Coming. Two of the candles are purple
which represents royalty in Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The
other two candles are a rose color that represents the Rose of Sharon, as
Christ is the bridegroom of the church, the lily of the valleys, the root and
offspring of David, the bright and morning star. The fifth candle is white,
which represents the purity and sinless life of Christ in that we are
redeemed. There is a traditional Advent wreath of five candles relating to
the first coming of Christ (his birth) with gold representing the prophets,
white represents the angels, green represents the shepherds, blue represents
the Magi (wise men), and the 5th candle red representing the
Savior Jesus. The one used most often in today’s celebration is the one
relating to his Second Coming at the end of the ages. Christmas, December
25, while through the centuries this day celebrates the birth of Jesus
Christ our Lord it does not in any way refer to His First Coming and His
birth. The holiday has pagan origins that began in Babylon (before Christ was
ever born) with Nimrod and his mother and wife Queen Semiramis and centuries
later with the emperor Constantine who converted to Christianity, but
secretly kept pagan traditions to appease others of their pagan religious
practices and his resentment of the Christians’ prosperity eliminating the
true Christian holy days of the year (There are seven: Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Day of
Trumpets, Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, The Last Great Day).
Constantine made an edict that the Jewish calendar be changed to the present
Gregorian calendar. It was probably about this time when the angel Gabriel
visited the Virgin Mary and told her that he was to be the mother of the Son
of God. If this being the case then our Lord would have been born towards the
end of September in the year 4-3 B.C. because Mary’s cousin Elizabeth had
conceived six months before the annunciation to the Virgin. Jesus’ birth
points to autumn being in the northern hemisphere about end of September or
early October after the time of Abijah as recorded in Luke 1:5, 24-36 of the
conception and birth of John the Baptist corresponding to June 13-19 in that
year recorded in Luke 1:8-13, 23-24 after 9 months John was born in March
then 6 months later Jesus was born about September. It is also noted that the
Christmas tree was condemned in Jeremiah 10:3-4 as a pagan custom. Christians
observe the day with worship, hymns of the coming of our Lord and Savior, and
a feast in some churches. The story of the exchanging of gifts recorded in
scripture represents the three wise men that gave the Christ child laying in
the manger the precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Each gift
represents the deity and humanity of our Lord. Gold signified the royalty of
our King. Frankincense signified the holiness and servanthood of our High
Priest. Myrrh signified the sacrificial suffering and death of our Savior.
This time of the year Christians give to the poor and help those in need. It
is more blessed to give than receive, for when we give to the poor we are
receiving the joy of the Lord. It is a celebration of the festival of lights
symbolizing that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. Services in the
church call for praying for the lost and those who are in need of God’s mercy
and salvation. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John
3:16). When I think of this time of year I remember all the church hymns sung
in worship and adoration of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Even the joy of
giving to those in need made the time seem so special and the remembrance of
God’s love and His eternal gift of His Son. The most important thing is when
you live a Christian life you follow and obey the Word of God. God commands
us to keep His Holy Days and Festivals and is understandable and it is his
authority that we shall receive blessings from his holy days. Would any true
Christian that lives a righteous life observe a pagan tradition which God
abhors and dishonors His name and His Holiness? However one celebrates
Christmas we need to remember the gift that God the Father gave to the whole
world his son Jesus Christ. The reason for Jesus coming to earth was to save
us. We should remember his death on the cross and His resurrection that’s the
reason He came to save us from sin and give us eternal life. If we are to
honor the Father and the Son we are to keep his holy days and festivals
forever. This is Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles as He commands
us in His Word. On a significant date of the 24th
day of Chisleu (Kislev) in the time of Chanukah (Hanukkah), the
festival of lights equivalent to the Gregorian month of December this was the
day in the book of Haggai when the Temple was rededicated. In December 9,
1917 during World War I, Christian Lord Edmund Allenby and his British forces
defeated the Turk Moslem forces from a take over of the city of Jerusalem,
Palestine. He was the first Christian conqueror to enter the Holy City in 800
years (In September 1918 he captured the city of Megiddo on the old
battlefield of Armageddon). Palestine and Syria were won for the allies. He
was named Viscount Allenby of Megiddo and Felixstowe. In the future, there
will be a war against Israel and her enemies on this battlefield as recorded
in Ezekiel 38 & 39 (Ezekiel 38:23). Chanukah (Hanukkah), the
festival of lights or feast of dedication is observed in December or the
Jewish month of Kislev and is celebrated for 8 days. It is a wonderful time
when each day gifts are given and contributions are made to the poor. Also on
each evening a candle is lighted on the Menorah. By the last evening, eight
lighted candles stand together. This is in remembrance from the Apocryphal
books of the Maccabees tell the story. In 165 B.C.,
after a three-year struggle, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant
Antiochus. When the temple taken back and cleansed of Syrian idols a
celebration was held in the temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to God.
After the temple was cleansed only one small cruse of oil uses to light the
holy lamps was found. Miraculously the cruse of oil provided light for 8
days. Judas Maccabaeus, the leader proclaimed a festival to be observed by
Jews. Jesus observed this festival in His day. He was present at Jerusalem
during the feast of the dedication, and it was winter (John 10:22). *NOTE: There has been some controversy over the
celebration of Christmas and its origins. Historically it derived from pagan
traditions and actually does not pertain to Christ our Savior at all. The
Christmas Tree was use at one time as a pagan idol and was condemned by the prophet
Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:3-4), and many of the traditions come from myths and
legends. During Jesus’ time Christmas did not exist! Just think for yourself
this question: What would Jesus do? Jesus and His disciples observed
the holy days of their time. You make you own decision. I don’t think God
would want us to celebrate something of pagan origin in His name and His
Holiness. As Paul recorded in Colossians 2:16-17 let no man judge you on the
special holy days and festivals you keep, but do everything in the Lord with
honor to Him and thanksgiving for His grace and gifts of His Word in Jesus
Christ our Lord and Savior. **In the Old Testament, days begin in the evening
(Genesis 1:5), when the sun goes down (Joshua 8:29; 2 Chronicles 18:34; Mark
1:32), and are counted “from evening to evening” (Leviticus 23:32). Thus, all
God’s festivals begin the evening just before the dates listed in this table.
For example, in 2007 Passover is observed Monday evening, April 2, after
sundown, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins Tuesday evening, April 3.
The festivals end in the evening on the dates given. Christian Holy Days © 2007 Teresa Carr. Skyhouse
Communications & Mega Grafx Studio. Last Updated April 7, 2008 |
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