Overview of the Holy Days

All the understanding of God's purpose and plan
is gradually unfolded to us throughout God's Word

Fred R. Coulter—August 22, 2020

 - Video |  - PDF | Audio | [Up]

Greetings, brethren! Welcome to Sabbath services!

With all the exciting things going on in the world, we have rest on the Sabbath, and we're going to look at God's purpose for us today, and analyze a little bit more about the Holy Days, since they're coming up real soon.

I would like to mention that we have all the material in this booklet Rome's Challenge to the Protestants, by Cardinal Gibbon of Baltimore in 1893. We also have it in Appendix N in The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version. Let me suggest that you read the commentaries before and the appendices after are very vital for your overall understanding about the Bible and the Word of God. It will assist greatly in your study. One of the most important appendices that we have is Appendix Z: Understanding Paul's Difficult Scriptures Concerning the Law and the Commandments of God.

You will see that if you're still using an old King James Version or a New King James Version, or any other version, they carry through all the errors plus adding new ones that were in the KJV. In The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version those have all been corrected.

Let's see what we're to do on the Sabbath, and see about the purpose of God.

Psalm 78:1: "Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will speak dark sayings of old" (vs 1-2)—because they're all hidden in the Bible!

I want to mention something else, we have the DVD—True Fellowship with God. I want you to get that and really listen to it, especially if you're discouraged or down in the dumps, because when we come to Sabbath services God wants us to look at His purpose over all, in our lives and be encouraged that regardless of what's going on God is with us, in us and working with us! Keep that in mind!

2-Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness"—which comes from using the Word of God written in our heart and mind by God's Holy Spirit to think correctly!

There are many things out in the world to lead us astray! This is why this good that we come every Sabbath, because it helps us keep our thoughts oriented on God's way.

Verse 8: "Therefore, you should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but jointly suffer with me for the sake of the Gospel, according to the power of God."

Don't worry about the circumstances that are happening even right now, because a lot of us are alone, or maybe two, three or four. There is a Church of God down near Pasadena who was served an arrest warrant to the pastors, saying they couldn't have any meetings. So, be sure and keep that in mind. That's Rock Church of God. All the authorities that are closing down meetings are:

• against God
• against the Constitution, which they have taken an oath to uphold

So, we're perfectly all right meeting in small groups or even larger groups, because all the political people believe that the protests are okay, that is if you belong to a certain political party.

Verse 9: "Who has saved us…"

• we've been saved from our sins
• we're constantly in a state of being saved
• we shall be saved at the resurrection

"…and called us with a Holy calling…" (v 9). And that's directly from God Himself to each one of us! We always need to keep that in mind.

"—not according to our works…" (v 9)—because our own works are not motivated by God's Spirit! But all of the works of God… When you real Rev. 2 & 3 with the churches, what's the first thing that Jesus said? I know your works! IF you have faith, you will have works!

But God's works, that we love Him, keep His commandments, obey His laws—keep His Sabbath and Holy days—those are the most important things that we do. Where would we be without that Sabbath every single week? On the Sabbath Day, regardless of where you are, if you are there to worship and serve God and study His Word, He is there with you!

Think about this: Someone is going to say, 'I'm all alone!' No you're not, because Paul wrote that 'where two or three are gathered together, quoting Christ, there I [Christ] am in the midst of you!

If you are there alone, and you have the Spirit of God, you have the Father and the Son with you, so you're not alone!

"…but according to His own purpose and grace…" (v 9). God has His purpose! We are part of something so great and far reaching and fantastic that it's awesome to even contemplate it.

"…which was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages of time" (v 9). Think about that!

Little ole us! And all of God's people down through time, a Holy calling from God Himself!

• Who was the One Who drew us to Himself? The Father!
• Who was the One Who redeemed us from our sins? Jesus Christ through His sacrifice!

That was all planned!

Now then, to understand the plan of God, we have the Sabbath and Holy Days. Let's talk a little bit more about the purpose of God.

Isa. 14 is where it's recorded that Satan rebelled to takeover the Throne of God. Of course, Rev. 12 tells us that a third of the angels joined in the rebellion. Isa. 14 talks about the Assyrian to be destroyed on the mountains of Israel. There are two fulfillments of that:

• During the days of King Hezekiah, which was during the lifetime of Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 37-39). The whole army of the Assyrians came to conquer Judea and Jerusalem. God fought very cleverly. While they were all sleeping to get a good night's rest before the battle, God sent a powerful angel and they all died, 180,000!
• At the return of Christ with the King of the North and all the other kings of the nations gathered around. That's all within this Isa. 14.

Now let's see something about God. The only thing that can change God's mind; there's only one thing that can change God's mind to defer something for a time. Repentance! That is the only thing!

Isaiah 14:24: "The LORD of hosts has sworn… [when He swears by Himself there is no wiggle-room] …saying, 'Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass; and as I have purposed, so it shall stand.'"

Think about that! Everything that God has, we read it and it was proposed before the ages of time. Think about how all that planning had to go in to effect to create the Earth. The Earth doesn't sit out here by itself. You've got the sun and then Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and on out into outer space and the universe.

God is preparing the universe for His people. Think about your calling. You need to think with the Spirit of God how great, broad and fantastic that is.

Verse 26: "This is the purpose that is purposed upon all the earth… [everything here] …and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations"—and we know through the Holy Days everyone who has ever lived and died! Amazing! Think of that!

Verse 27: "For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who shall reverse it?…. [no one] …And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" No one! The purpose of God is going to be done!

Let's add something very interesting to understanding the Scriptures before we begin looking at the Holy Days and what they mean. We're going to add just a little bit to what we covered in the sermon last week: Current Events & Bible Prophecy

Psa. 119 is the longest Psalm in the book of Psalms, and all the Levitical singers were required to memorize it. To help them memorize it, each verse began with the Hebrew letter that is directly over each eight-verse section.

Psalm 119:159: "Consider how I love Your precepts… [an operation that God is going to do or is doing] …O LORD, according to Your loving kindness give me life. Your Word is true from the beginning, and every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever" (vs 159-160).

What are the Holy Days? Ordinances of God! Think about that!

Verse 128: "Therefore, I esteem all Your precepts concerning all things to be right… [if they're right, then they're true] …and I hate every false way."

Let's put this together with Isa. 28. Since God's Word is true from the beginning, and there's no lie in it, and all His precepts are right or true, when it says in:

Isaiah 28:13: "So then, the Word of the LORD was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept… [Truth upon Truth, because everything that God says is Truth] …line upon line, line upon line… [showing how we study and put it together] …here a little, there a little…"

For those who don't know the Truth, they will fall away and go backward!

Lev. 23 on first appearance when someone would pickup the Bible to read it, they would not know the significance of what it's telling them. They would not have a clue! It's also interesting, and here's a precept of God:

Lev. 23 is the only place in the entire Bible that gives the Holy Days listed in chronological and calendrical order, which is the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

A person not knowing anything about the Hebrew calendar ask—and I get letters like this every once in a while—is the Passover Day of the 14th day of January? That's the first month of the Roman calendar! So, you can tell that this is a newbee!

Another interesting thing that is an operation by faith. God gave to the Levitical priesthood the calculations of the calendar, calculations that He established. He did not put it in the Bible, so those are the oracles of God given to the priesthood.

In spite of all the sins of the Jews and the priesthood, they have preserved the Old Testament and they have preserved the calendar. Why? Because God determined that through them He would preserved it and we can have absolute faith in that!

Leviticus 23:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying."

As we all know, the three most important words—obey My voice—and it's written down. So, when we read the Bible it's like God talking to us. Think of that! He had it preserved for all time until the return of Christ. In it is preserved the outline of His whole purpose. A lot of people don't believe in God because they don't know what He's doing, and they are not willing to take the very first step, which is listed right here in Lev. 23.

Verse 2: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, 'Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts'"—or times!

Think of it this way: if you have an appointment with someone, you're expected to be there, and you're expected to the one who wants you to come to that appointment to be there, as well. God is always there! So, you are required to come to His appointment, the Sabbath Day!

Verse 3: "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a Holy convocation. You shall not do any work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings."

That is an appointed time every week! God has preserved the knowledge of the seven-day week, even though during the French Revolution they tried to have a ten-day week. That didn't workout so well!

Tie in New Testament doctrine on the Sabbath: Jesus said that 'the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath, therefore, the Son of man is the Lord of the Sabbath Day.' Even in the New Testament the Sabbath is required, and Christ is the Lord of it. He always has been and always will be.

There's more to it; v 4: "These are the appointed Feasts of the LORD, Holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings… [after sunset and before dark] …is the LORD'S Passover" (vs 4-5).

It's not the Jews' Passover! What Passover is the Jews' Passover? The next day, which is actually the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

This goes always the way back to Gen. 3 with the sin of Adam and Eve. It's interesting about their sin. After God created them, what was the first thing that was brought to their attention? The Sabbath Day! Just like the first thing of the Feasts of God here is the Sabbath Day.

How long they were in the Garden of Eden before they sinned, we don't know. But it had to be plenty long enough for them to know everything they needed to know, and to have enough knowledge to think that IF they decided to choose their own way they could make it succeed. Therefore, the serpent could not have entered into the garden the very next day. They would not have had enough knowledge about what God wanted and what they should do. How long that was we don't know.

But after they sinned was the first prophecy of Jesus Christ and likewise that goes clear forward to 30A.D. with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

All of the other prophecies about Christ and His sacrifice are scattered through Psalms, Prophets and the Gospels. Amazing thing, really!

The next one, the day after, v 6: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. You must eat unleavened bread seven days."

Why do we have this? So, that we know that we have to come out of sin and the world!That follows the Passover because Christ is our Passover Who was sacrificed for us, therefore, we're not to be living in sin! The Law of God tells us what sin is, which is the transgression of the Law.

Sidebar: Keep this in mind: Did God authorize anyone to change the words of the Law that He has spoken? No one!

Think about that when you look at fake Christianity in the world.

• they use the Bible, but they don't know the Bible
• they claim the Lord Jesus, but they don't know Him

It's because they live in perpetual sin with:

• Sunday-keeping
• holiday-keeping

They fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah that says to Israel, 'You have made Me to serve with your sins!' Quite an amazing thing! How true is the Bible? Think about everything that you go through.

Verse 7: "On the first day you shall have a Holy convocation…."

This shows us that there is a Satan the devil; he's out there and the author of sin. In our own mind we're not only to change our behavior, but our thoughts with the Spirit of God. Then we have that for seven days.

Verse 8: "…In the seventh day is a Holy convocation…."

What happened on the Passover with Israel when they were in Egypt? They had the sacrifice of the Passover lamb! That Passover lamb was not for the forgiveness of sin. That was for protection of the firstborn.

Go forward to the Passover of Christ: He was the firstborn of Mary and the only Begotten of the Father.

On the Passover night, at midnight, is when God passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt and killed the firstborn of the Egyptians.

Fast forward to the Passover of Jesus, at midnight He was arrested and taken off to be judged and crucified. That comes clear back to Gen. 15.

Just like we read, a precept here, a precept there, here a little and there a little. You don't find any of this in Lev. 23. So, if you just pick it up and read it you think 'that's strange, I wonder what it means.' The rest of the Bible tells us what it means!

Then we have what is called The Wave Sheaf Offering Day!

Verse 9: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying… [these are the words of God] …'Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, "When you have come into the land, which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring the premier sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD to be accepted for you. On the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it" (vs 9-11).

That's the regular Sabbath during Unleavened Bread, or more correctly the first day after the Sabbath during Unleavened Bread! There are times when the Passover falls on the Sabbath Day, and then that becomes the Sabbath and the next day becomes the Wave Sheaf Offering Day.

What does all of that mean? For Israel it was that they could go out and start working and harvesting and bringing in the harvest of the grain.

For the New Testament it is the harvest of God for the first resurrection!

Then t tells all the offerings to bring, to be counted specifically seven full weeks plus one day, which adds up to 50 days. Then they were to all bring two loaves made of finely beaten flour and bring them to the temple. Every other offering to God for sin—and this is not a sin offering—had to have unleavened bread. But these loaves had to be leavened, because that pictures the change of the bread permanently baked. That typifies the change at the resurrection permanently now spirit beings.

Think of this: here's everybody gathered around in the temple area and the tents around there. At a certain moment when the priest gave the signal, they were to take these loaves and wave them. Think if you were on the top of the Mt. Olives looking toward the temple and all the people were there and here are these loaves that they're waving. That pictures the first resurrection because they're raised up! But you don't find any of that here. You have to find that in the rest of the Bible.

Then we come to the next one, which is the Feast of Trumpets. That's a War Feast, and that projects that whenever there is a war Israel was not to go out to battle unless God said to go, and God would be with them and the battle would be the Lord's!

Whenever Israel went out on their own they didn't succeed, so that tells us a pretty long lesson. If we try and do things on our own, without yielding to God, it's not going to work. But if we do what God says, like 'remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy' we'll be blessed. So, this War Feast actually projects toward the conquering of the land with the children of Israel capturing the land from the Canaanites. That's the first fulfillment!

Then subsequent wars that God told them to do and then it comes clear to the end at the return of Christ and the wars at the end, and the final Battle of Armageddon. None of that's here, because it only says:

Verse 24: "Speak to the children of Israel saying, 'In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of ram's horns, a Holy convocation."

The next one is the Day of Atonement, which is interesting. From it you get virtually very little understanding, unless you understand that there's a Satan the devil. What is he called in the New Testament? The god of this world!

That's why one goat is for the Lord to be sacrificed for a sin offering. That's a type of Christ. Then the other one is a type of Satan the devil. That one is not sacrificed, but sent into the wilderness and let go alive symbolizing that Satan is a spirit being and will not die.

But this shows the fairness of God. In what way? Christ paid for your sins and the sins of the whole world with His sacrifice for every human being! All will have an opportunity for that through the Holy Days and the Last Great Day, but that will have to wait to come.

• In this age, who is the author of sin? Satan!
• Is there an atonement for Satan's sin?
• Is there an atonement for Satan's sin that he makes us sin?

We have our part because we sin, but God would not be just if He didn't lay all the sins on Satan that are pictured by the live goat that is let loose. That's why the goat that was sacrificed for the sins of the children of Israel are covered.

The sins that they sinned instigated by Satan the devil are not covered or forgiven, but are removed, symbolizing that there will never, never, ever be any peace or forgiveness as long as Satan is around. That is unless you come to Christ!

When you read Rev. 20 Satan is bound. What's the first thing that happens when he's loosed? War! That shows that when Satan is around, people sin. But at that time these people would have already rejected Christ, and their war is a war to their own destruction.

After that we have the Feast of Tabernacles that pictures the Millennium, when Satan will be removed, when all people will have an opportunity for salvation. But there have to be other Scriptures brought in just like we read in Isa. 28 to put it together and understand it.

Then the Last Great Day! That's really quite a day!

Everyone that God did not call and did not commit the unpardonable sin will be raised for an opportunity for salvation. Jesus said, 'Anyone.'

• How about all those who lived, died, and were not called?
• How about all of those in the Flood?
• How about all of those who were aborted?
• How about all of those in accidents?

When we watch the news tonight, what are we going to find? Well, there's war here, shooting there, bombing there, riots over here, all instigated by Satan! It won't be then.

We'll do a survey of the Gospel of John and the framework of the Passover and Holy Days, so that people will know and understand the Holy Days are the most significant thing necessary to understand the purpose of what God is doing!

(break)

We're going to do an interesting survey, because if the Holy Days and the Sabbath were done away. The Gospels would not have Christ going into the synagogues on the Sabbath. One of the very first things that Christ made clear

Matthew 5:17: "Do not think…" What happens when someone says don't think? They will think the opposite!In the Greek these are double negatives meaning:

Absolutely, v 17:"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill."

This does not mean not to do it to make it of no value, it means to complete it to make it of greater value!

Verse 18: "For truly I say to you, until the heaven and the earth shall pass away..."

If you're talking to a Protestant, ask him 'What are we standing on? What are we breathing? Heaven and earth are still here!

"…one jot or one tittle shall in no way…" (v 18). There's the double negative: don't think it, it's not going to be a reality, neither one.

"…pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled. Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so… [you won't here this on TBN or in any Sunday-keeping church] …shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall practice and teach them, this one shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven" (vs 18-19).

Think about it, because we're up against that! Then it says:

Verse 20: "For I say to you, unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way… [double negative again] …that you shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." Think about that!

What is the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees? Not the laws and commandments of God, but their own traditions that they hold in higher esteem than they do the laws and commandments of God!

One of the leading rabbis told Roy Assanti when Roy said, 'If you would not keep your traditions you would be just like us, because keep the commandments.' The rabbi replied, 'Oh, if we didn't have our traditions we'd have nothing at all!'

Same thing applies to Catholics and Protestants. They have their traditions and laws, but it's not of God!

Verse 21: "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, 'You shall not commit murder; but whoever commits murder shall be subject to judgment.'" Let's take this, in just a minute, and apply it to the Sabbath!.

Verse 22: But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be subject to judgment. Now, you have heard it said, 'Whoever shall say to his brother, "Raca," shall be subject to the judgment of the council.' But I say to you, whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be subject to the fire of Gehenna." That's pretty strong!

Since Jesus said the He's Lord of the Sabbath, what would have to happen with the Sabbath and Holy Days? We would have to have a command just exactly like He said in:

Matthew5:21: "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times…" that you shall remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy, but I tell you, you shall keep Sunday because I came to change it.'

The only reason that Jesus would have had to do, is because no man can change what God has commanded! Only God can change what He's commanded. So, if God changed it from the seventh day to the first day, you would have to find it in the New Testament. I'll pay anyone $10-million—because I know I'll never have to pay it—because it's not there! This commandment would have to be:

You've heard it said in ancient times that you shall remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy, but I say to you, I came to change the law and change it to Sunday. And you have heard it said in ancient times that you shall keep the Holy Days of God, but I say to you that I came to abolish those and replace them with the pagan holidays of Satan the devil!

That's what Christ would have had to say! So, all if the fake Christians out there—their pastors, their priests—are in violation, walking in sin, rejecting the commandments of God.

Mark 2:27: "And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath"—which means that man cannot tell God that he's changing the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day, because it's more convenient for people!

Verse 28: "Therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

• Who is the Son of man? Jesus Christ!
• Who is Lord of the Sabbath? Jesus Christ!

He is the Lord of Passover and all the Holy Days. In those and the meaning of them all the understanding of God's purpose and plan is gradually unfolded to us so that we have understanding! But how many are willing to do that?

We will see that the Gospel of John has three Passover seasons. We find the fourth one in Luke 6. We find a great fulfillment of Pentecost. Also, the Gospel of John talk more about God the Father, coupled with 1st, 2nd & 3rd John—than all of the other parts of the Bible put together. John was the one whom Jesus loved; furthermore he was descendant of the priests. So important was John that he was the only one to receive the revelation of Jesus Christ contained in the book of Revelation, which came from God the Father. No one else!

One other thing about John, because he was of the priestly family. In Rev. 4 he hears a trumpet and it says, 'Come up here!' He comes up and sees the Throne of the Father, the only man to ever do that!

Everything that is written by John in his Gospel and three epistles are absolutely essential for understanding:

• what we are to do
• what days that we keep
• how we develop the love of God

John 2—this all took place after He had His temptation in the wilderness with Satan the devil and recuperated.

John 2:13: "Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem."

Why did John write it "…the Passover of the Jews…"? Because during the days of Jesus the majority of the people kept the 14th Passover, which was the 14th day of the 1st month!

The priests (John 19) kept the wrong day, calling it Passover on the 15th. {Our book The Christian Passover answers every argument!} John was writing this so that it was going to go out to all the Gentiles.

Jesus went to Jerusalem, v 14: "And He found in the temple…" Here's a fulfillment of a Scripture, a particular one by the last prophet who was Malachi: the Lord shall suddenly come His temple!

"…those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money exchangers sitting there" (v 14).

Money exchangers: the Jews in the Diaspora would come from whatever country they were in, and the local currency they had could not be used at the temple, because they were living in Gentile lands and was technically unclean. However, quite clean enough for the money exchangers to take it!

So, in order to buy a sacrifice, they would first have to go to the money exchangers and receive temple coins and then buy the sacrifice. But they were all cheating and so forth. Notice what Jesus did in His sudden appearance.

Verse 15: "And after making a scourge of cords, He drove them all out of the temple… [not just scare them and chase them away] …with both the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money exchangers, and overturned the tables. And to those who were selling the doves, He said, 'Take these things out of here!…. [that was to be done outside the confines of the temple area] …Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise'" (vs 15-16).

That's very important for all ministers and Protestants, you merchandise the people like crazy! Those who are faithful will pay their tithes and offerings. You don't have to 'beat them over the head'! If someone is not wanting to give it, beating them over the head will make them give with resentment.

So, on this Passover He cleaned it up and they couldn't understand why He was doing this; they said, 'By what authority do you do this?' He didn't tell them! He also did it before His last Passover.

Verse 18: "As a result, the Jews answered and said to Him, 'What sign do You show to us, seeing that You do these things?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' Then the Jews said, 'This temple was forty-six years in building, and You will raise it up in three days?'" (vs 18-20).

Verse 23: "Now, when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the Feast…" You have the Passover and the Feast. Passover is one day (Lev. 23) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days.

"…many believed on His name, as they observed the miracles that He was doing"—healing the sick, the blind, restoring people who were lame, etc.

Verse 24: "But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them…" When they thought that He was That Prophet they wanted to take him and make Him king.

Verse 25: "And He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man."

• What is in man? Carnal nature!
• What is that like? Jer. 17!

In John 4 Jesus is on His way back to Galilee. I won't go into about the woman at the well, if you want to know about that, go to the latest Church at Home {churchathome.org} and I go through and explain that God is looking for those to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

When Jesus didn't want to eat what they brought, His disciples didn't know what to think.

John 4:33: "Then the disciples said to one another, 'Did anyone bring Him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My meat is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His work.'"

Here's an allusion to Pentecost and the harvest; v 35: "Do not say that there are yet four months, and then the harvest comes. I say to you, look around. Lift up your eyes and see the fields, for they are already white to harvest."

Tie in Matt. 13 about the sowing of the seed and the harvest, and all of that. The harvest represents the resurrection at the end of the age on Pentecost.

Verse 36: "And the one who reaps receives a reward, and gathers fruit unto eternal life; so that the one who is sowing and the one who is reaping may both rejoice together. For in this the saying is true, that one sows and another reaps" (vs 36-37).

Then Jesus gave them something really important to understand. Here are all of the Law and Prophets up to Christ. God was preparing everything for the ministry of Christ, and God was making it so that He would choose the 12 disciples to become the 12 apostles. There's a lot going on here.

For the first coming of Christ we have all the prophecies from the Prophets and the promises to Abraham.

Verse 38: "I sent you to reap that in which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

That's very important for us today. We have the Word of God because of the labor of all of those honest and faithful preservers of the words of Christ. I have at home a book that is 480-years-old: Stephen's 1550 New Testament Greek. I can tell you from that, the Greek that we translated for the New Testament is exactly the same there as it is in the Received Text.

God is faithful and will preserve His Word! Look at all the laborers who were before us. Look at all of those in the Church in the Piedmonts, which ended up being called the Waldensians. They went into Europe evangelizing.

A little addition to that: Just to show that today we need to look at what other people have done and God has used. So, it's possible for us. Look at all the things we're using technologically. Other people made it and we're using what they made.

Sidebar: John Guenther who is doing historical work of the Church of God has discovered that in the first 300 years after Christ there were times that in the British Isles they were keeping the Passover, the Sabbath and the commandments of God, and he's got the documentation. Amazing!

Quite different from what we first heard if you've been in the Church for a long time. What was one of the first things you heard? The Gospel was not preached in 18-1/2 centuries! Not true! There was a big work in Britain and Europe, and in the mountains of the Piedmonts.

When the Catholic Church sough to crush it, the Protestant Reformation came out of that. Unfortunately, they didn't follow William Tyndale's admonition that 'we are to keep the commandments of God from the bottom ground of our heart'!

Have you read anything of William Tyndale? Amazing! Amazing man!

Here it is, the harvest is white, leading up to Pentecost.

Note our book: A Harmony of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all synchronized with pictures and commentary telling you about the life of Jesus Christ. It's something that will really help you. This is the third edition in its third printing.

• What happened to Jesus next on the Holy Day of Pentecost?
• How do we know?

In the translation, it doesn't show it quite as well as in the Greek, so there's a footnote in The Faithful Version!

Luke 4:16: "And He came to Nazareth… [He was up there in Samaria and now He comes down to Nazareth] …where He had been brought up; and according to His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day…"

Pentecost is a Sabbath Day, but this in the Greek is on the day of the Sabbaths—plural—which means the seven Sabbaths of the seven weeks to Pentecost.

"…and stood up to read. And there was given Him the book of the prophet Isaiah; and when He had unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…'" (vs 16-18).

On what day did God send the Holy Spirit? Pentecost! See how all that ties in?

"…for this reason, He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to proclaim pardon to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (vs 18-19)—which is the first year of the ministry of Jesus Christ!

All of this is in the New Testament. John 6—here again it talks about Passover in very important detailed instructions about the meaning of Passover.

John 6:4: "Now, the Passover a Feast of the Jews, was near." What did He do? He fed the thousands!

Verse 27: "Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give to you; for Him has God the Father sealed."

Verse 28: "Therefore, they said to Him…" This is always true of carnal people; they always want to do what is good to gain favor with God. God wants, first, repentance and doing His commandments,so they asked Jesus:

"…'What shall we do, in order that we ourselves may do the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God: that you believe in Him Whom He has sent.'…. [Himself] …Therefore, they said to Him, 'What sign will You perform, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, as it is written: "He gave them bread to eat that came down from heaven"'" (vs 28-31). They were quoting Scripture! They do that!

This sounds like something all politicians would like, that they would have the key to have bread come down and feed all of their constituents and they would always have a unified vote, that they could never be voted out. I think of that every time I read it.

Verse 32: "Then Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true Bread from heaven.'"

He's talking about Himself, and the symbolism of what the Passover would mean with the bread and the wine. But of course, the Jews here wouldn't understand it.

Verse 33: "'For the Bread of God is He Who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Therefore, they said to Him, 'Lord, give this bread to us always.' Jesus said to them, 'I AM the Bread of Life; the one who comes to Me shall never hunger; and the one who believes in Me shall never thirst at any time'" (vs 33-35).

He was talking on a spiritual level about Himself Who was to become the Passover Lamb of God!

Verse 36: "But as I said to you, you also have seen Me, yet, you do not believe. All whom the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will in no wise cast out" (vs 36-37).

Think about how important this is because He had to have human nature; v 38: "For I did not come down from heaven to do My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me." That's quite a statement!

The whole thing about the Sabbath and the Holy Days is the will of God, and how we are to live.

Verse 39: "And this is the will of the Father Who sent Me: that of all whom He has given Me, I should not lose any, but should raise them up in the last day."

The last day for those who are converted is not the last day of the Feast—the Last Great Day—but the last day meaning Pentecost, which is the 50th day and the last count of the 50 days!

Verse 40: "'And this is the will of Him Who sent Me: that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.' Then the Jews were complaining against Him, because He said, 'I AM the Bread that came down from heaven'" (vs 40-41).

Then Jesus goes through and explains everything concerning salvation, which depends on the Passover, that last Passover that Jesus took, and His crucifixion! Then He summarizes here:

Verse 53: "Therefore, Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, unless… [if you do not] …you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves.'" Of course, the Jews said, 'How is He going to do that?'

Verse 54: "The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day; for My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink" (vs 54-55).

This shows the complete dedication that God has to us and our dedication back to Him—both!

Verse 56: "The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood is dwelling in Me, and I in him…. [think about all the things that we've read up to this point]: …As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father; so also the one who eats Me shall live by Me" (vs 56-57). Complete dedication to God!

That's the explanation of the Passover where He said that of the bread and the wine: Do this in the remembrance of Me!

John 7—Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus went up there secretly, because He knew they were looking for Him, but what did He do? His brothers came to Him and said, 'Why don't you go up to the Feast, because no man does what You're doing unless He wants to be seen by others.'

Jesus said, 'No, I won't go up at this time, but you go up.'

Now think about this: If the Holy Days were to be done away, He would have said that you don't need to go up because they're all going to be done away, stick around.' But He didn't do that!

He went up secretly. How would He go up secretly? Just change His form a little bit like He did with the two going to Emmaus! Remember that after the resurrection? No one would recognize Him.

Then in the middle of the Feast He gets up and starts preaching and teaching again. Jesus:

• kept the Passover
• kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread
• kept the Feast of Pentecost
• kept the Feast of Tabernacles
• kept the Last Great Day

John 7:37: "Now, in the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and called out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, which those who believed in Him would soon receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified" (vs 37-39). Take these words right here and analyze them:

• anyone—anyone, period!
• the last day—there is a second resurrection—(Rev. 20)

That's when they will have the opportunity! In the world there are three categories of people:

• those who belong to Christ, love God the Father and Jesus Christ, keep the commandments, the Sabbaths and Holy Days
• the people in the world who are out there that are blinded because they have not been given the calling, so their minds have not been opened and they live decent lives and are not committing the unpardonable sin
• those who commit the unpardonable sin—those who reject God the Father and Jesus Christ by being complete Satan-worshippers today

When this last group is resurrected they refuse to repent! They will go into the Lake of Fire!

Everyone gets a first opportunity, so you have the wait for the message on the Last Great Day.

The next Passover, John 13-17 are all the most important words of the New Covenant. The very words of Christ bringing you, in love, with Him and the Father, and for you to know that God has personally chosen you! That's so great! Think about it!

• He's not calling the rich
• He's not calling the wise
• He's not calling the famous

He's calling us so that we can love Him and do the things that's He wants!

Mark 14—This is interesting, a little background on what it was done this way. Who was the one to betray Jesus? Judas! He was looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus. This is why Jesus didn't tell the disciples where they were going to have the Passover, because He didn't want Judas to know.

He sent Peter and John into the city and 'follow a man carrying a pitcher and into whatever house he goes in, go in there and tell the master of the house the Teacher says I want to keep the Passover with My disciples.'

Judas could not betray Him during the Passover service. So, they had the Passover service and then Judas was given the sop and he left. They first had the foot-washing and then they had:

Mark 14:17: "Now after evening had come, He came with the twelve. And as they sat and were eating, Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, one of you shall betray Me, even he who is eating with Me'" (vs 17-18).

So. Judas was right there for the start. He couldn't go before hand and say, 'Hey I know where He's keeping the Passover, you can get Him over here.'

Verse 19: "And they began to be extremely sad… [that one of them was betraying Him] …and said to Him one by one, 'Is it I?' And another, 'Is it I?' But He answered and said to them, 'The one who is dipping a morsel into the dish with Me, he is the one of you twelve. The Son of man indeed goes, just as it has been written of Him…'" (vs 19-21).

That means that all of the Scriptures concerning His crucifixion, every one of the Scriptures that says that Jesus was the Lord God of the Old Testament inspired the Prophets, David and the different ones to write, especially Isaiah about the crucifixion. David about the very words of Christ while He was on the cross, 'as it was written of Him.'

"…but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born" (v 21).

Verse 22: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread; and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to them, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body'"—symbolic of His body!

Our conversion with the Spirit of God the Father and Christ in us is so intimate with God that the covenant is based upon the very sacrifice of Christ. You can't eat that sacrifice, but the symbolism of it is that you're going to live by Christ. The bread pictures every word of God! Jesus was called the Word! He was the Lord God of the Old Testament. All of those things come together!

Verse 23: "And He took the cup; and after giving thanks, He gave it to them; and they all drank of it. And He said to them, 'This is My blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many'" (vs 23-24)—the sins of the whole world, but each one individually!

There has to be the shedding of blood before a covenant can be enacted. A covenant is never valid until both parties have given the sacrifice. Christ gave His; ours is baptism, both signifying death and life! When you're buried under the water, you're burying your old self. That is your sacrifice, because you're telling God, 'I will be faithful to the end!'

Therefore, you're joined to the sacrifice of Christ. That's the symbolic meaning and fulfilling in our lives, because God sends His Spirit to dwell in us. That's what's so absolutely amazing and astonishing that the Great Sovereign of the universe would do that with His people! That is so great.

Verse 25: "Truly I say to you, I will not drink again at all of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."

When will that be? We will all drink it at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb!

• I wonder what it's going to be like to eat spiritual food?
• I wonder what it's going to be like to drink spiritual wine?
• I wonder what it's going to be like to be dressed with spiritual clothes?

What God has done and is doing is fantastic!

When you look at all of these Scriptures and put them together, you see that every single one of the Holy Days marks an important aspect of the plan of God:

• to carry out His purpose
• to keep us informed
• to keep us faithful
• to keep us trusting in Him

We'll see in John 14 why! We know that Jesus said that 'if you love Me keep My commandments.' I wonder how the Protestants view that when they do away with the Sabbath and Holy Days. I wonder how they can say that? I cover John 14 a lot, because it's so important!

John 14:21: "The one who has My commandments and is keeping them… [present tense participle] …that is the one who loves Me, and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father…"

Don't ever think you're not important; you're so important that the father loves you! Think on that, especially the time now with all the difficult things that are around us.

"…and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him" (v 21). Not by an apparition! But by opening your mind to the Truth and calling you!

Verse 22: "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, what has happened that You are about to manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?'" It's done by love and obedience with God's Spirit.

Verse 23—the most important verse in the whole Bible for us in this life now at this time; "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me…'"

How are we to love God? With all our heart, mind, soul and strength! That's a fulltime occupation when you understand it.

"…he will keep My Word…" (v 23).

• not look for a way around it
• not look for a way to sin and justify it as okay

"…and My Father will love him…" (v 23). He said that in v 21!

"…and We will come to him and make Our abode with him'" (v 23)—because the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us! That's why:

• we need study every day
• we need prayer every day
• we need that connection with God spiritually every day

So that we have our minds being constantly converted!

• led by the Holy Spirit of God
• keeping the commandments of God
• keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days
• which is what God created and made for us
• in which God does all the things in His plan so that we can understand

So, here we are in the very last days! How much longer we have, we don't know, but we know one thing: Paul wrote that there would be perilous times and we're seeing how that's sprouting out in many, many different places. This is why it's important that we stay close to God!

All of this shows how important all the Holy Days of God are! We have coming up real quickly, Sept. 19, the Feast of Trumpets. After that we have Atonement and then Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. So, wherever you are, even if the circumstances are that you're alone, God the Father and Christ are with you! You will have a great and a wonderful Feast.

Let's look forward to all the Feasts of God, and remember how important the Sabbath and Holy Days are of God, and that He has given us—through His Word, Spirit, love and grace—the understanding of His plan!

Scriptural References:

• Psalm 78:1-2
• 2 Timothy 1:7-9
• Isaiah 14:23, 26-27
• Psalm 119:159-160, 128
• Isaiah 28:13
• Leviticus 23:1-11, 24
• Matthew 5:17-22, 21
• Mark 2:27-28
• John 2:13-16, 18-20, 23-25
• John 4:33-38
• Luke 4:16-19
• John 6:4, 27-41, 53-57
• John 7:37
• Mark 14:17-25
• John 14:21-23

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 2; 3; 12
• Isaiah 37-39
• Genesis 3; 15
• Revelation 20
• Luke 6
• Epistles of John
• Revelation 4
• John 19
• Jeremiah 17
• Matthew 13
• Revelation 20
• John 13-17

Also referenced:

from: The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version:

• Appendix N: Rome's Challenge to the Protestants{Also available in booklet form—truthofGod.org}
• Appendix Z: Understanding Paul's Difficult Scriptures Concerning the Law and the Commandments of God

DVD—True Fellowship with God

Sermon: Current Events & Bible Prophecy

Books:
The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
A Harmony of the Gospels by Fred R. Coulter

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 8/27/20

Copyright 2020—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.