Why We Keep God's Holy Days

Fred R. Coulter—July 20, 2013

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 Track 1 or Download

Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services. Why are we in such desperate trouble today? You watch the news, you see the pundits, you listen to what they say, and everyone is completely missing the point. They don't understand, yet, they are the 'wise' and the 'intelligent.' They run the government, yet, they do not know what is right. The preachers and the ministers do not teach the Word of God, consequently, just like God has said.

Isa. 29 is a very interesting prophecy. We know in Isa. 28 it tells us how we are to learn and study the Bible: 'line upon line; precept upon precept; here a little, there a little.' But that must be accompanied with obedience, because if you don't then you won't understand it at all.

This is quite interesting because this is always true through all times, through all generations. As we have discussed, the two major things that men do, their two greatest sins are:

1. they want to improve on God
2. they want to go their way, live in their sins and still receive the blessings of God

That's not possible! Remember God said in how many places: Don't add to or don't take away!

How do people add to? and How do people take away? Just exactly as they did in ancient Israel! We will see that the people today are doing exactly the same thing. What are the results going to be? Because God is God and God does not change; it's going to be exactly as prophesied in the Word of God.

Isaiah 29:9: "Be stunned and amazed! Blind your eyes and be blind!.… [that's what they do] …They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink, for the LORD has poured out upon you're the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your rulers, and the seers" (vs 9-10).

Everything that is going on in the world today—everything that we see, all the human problems, it does not matter which one that you examine—is because people have rejected God! They have forsaken God. They have come to God and said, 'God, accept us as we are.' God says, 'NO! If you don't repent and if you're not obedient, I won't accept you.'

Verse 11: "And the vision of all has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which they give to one who is learned saying, 'Please read this,' and he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.' And the book is delivered to him who is not learned, saying, 'Please read this,' and he says, 'I am not learned.' And the LORD said, 'Because this people draw near Me… [near to God] …with their mouth, and with their lips honor Me, but their worship of Me is made up of the traditions of men learned by rote, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandments of men" (vs 11-13).

How was it done back in those days? We will see how it is done even today, the exact same thing. Yet, they are held in honor and people look up to them. Yet, everything that they touch is absolutely a catastrophe and it's going to get worse, yes, indeed. You look at those forces and those people who are trying to do what is right and some of them are, but they are so outnumbered by the lawless sinners it is absolutely incredible.

Jer. 5, 6, 7, 19, 23 are all profound and very important for us to understand, especially as we are going into the fall Holy Days. Unless we understand why the world is the way that it is, how are we ever going to understand how to teach them?

God says to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 5:1: "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in her open places, if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks the truth; and I will pardon her." God is not evil, mean, nasty and vengeful without cause. He gives plenty of room for repentance, but how many will take it.

Verse 2: "And though they say, 'As the LORD lives'… ['Oh, yes, we'll rely on God. We're God's people. Yes, indeed, aren't we good.'] …surely they swear falsely. O LORD, are not Your eyes on the Truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved…" (vs 2-3). Look at all the difficulties we've gone through since 9/11 and then all the things before that. But from 9/11 on, the hedge of protection of God has been taken from us. They haven't grieved! They haven't repented!

Oh, yes, some have; some have tried; some have put forth the effort, but not according to knowledge! If you're going to return to God, you have to come all the way to Him. You can't come half way and say, 'Oh, Lord, look what I've done.'

Verse 4: "Therefore, I said, 'Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they do not know the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.'" Yes, they refuse correction. Yes, they have made their hearts hardened. Think about what has happened. Those who have a modicum of understanding still don't know that the underlying problems are rejecting and forsaking God and in particularly His Sabbath, then His Holy Days.

Verse 7, God says: "How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me, and have sworn by them that are not gods… [Isn't that true? Look at what is happening today. Look at how everything is being turned upside down.] …When I had fed them to the full, then they committed adultery, and gathered themselves by troops in a harlot's house." You don't believe that is true and what has happened to this nation, you have no understanding at all.

Verse 8: "'They were like lusty, well-fed stallions in the morning; every one neighing after his neighbor's wife. Shall I not punish for these things?' says the LORD. 'And shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Go up upon her walls and destroy; but do not make a full end; take away her branches, for they are not the LORD'S. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very deceitfully against Me,' says the LORD. They have lied against the LORD and said, 'It is not He…'" (vs 8-12). God doesn't exist or they say, 'You don't need to read the Old Testament because all of that has been fulfilled.

"'…neither shall evil come on us; nor shall we see sword nor famine. And the prophets shall become as wind, for the word is not in them; thus it shall be done to them'" (v 13).

God gives His judgment. Also I need to draw your attention to a very profound fact. What God says to Israel and Judah, God says even to His Church. Have we not seen what God has done in destroying the largest Church in this time because of sin, because of these very things right here? Where have they ended up? Everything is gone! The faithful have been scattered. The unfaithful, those who are religious, have gone back into the world. Those who were not against God have gone to the religions of this world. And where are we?

Yes, we better love and fear God. We need His Truth and righteousness. As we enter into these fall Holy Days, we need to have our hearts in it. We need to realize that if we love God and keep His commandments—yield to Him, live under His grace—God will protect us, God will bless us, even in a wicked world. Remember, not all the blessings are physical.

Verse 14: "Therefore, thus says the LORD God of hosts, 'Because you have spoken this Word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth… [Jeremiah] …fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from afar, O house of Israel,' says the LORD. 'It is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor understand what they say'" (vs 14-15)—and that is going to happen.

This is why we need to understand. What I want you to do, I want every one of you to read two books that you probably have.

1. Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days, Which?
2. God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and His Holy Days

Those are fundamental in having a proper view of what's going on in the world according to the Word of God and a proper view as to what we need to do as God's people.

Remember this: we are in training to take over this world. We are training to rule and run this world. It begins with God the Father and Jesus Christ. History goes in cycles, just like Solomon said, 'There's nothing new under the sun; that which has been is that which shall be. One generation comes, another generation goes, and all is vanity because they don't seek God.'

Jeremiah 6:13: "For everyone from the least of them even to the greatest of them is greedy for gain; and from the prophet even unto the priest everyone deals falsely." They don't go by the Word of God. No, they want their traditions, just like we read.

As a matter of fact, the Catholics believe that you can't just study the Bible alone because the Bible without tradition, oh, no, you can't have that, you must have the tradition. What has happened is, just like we read, they have supplanted the Word of God with tradition. They have supplanted the Word of God with pagan ceremonies, occult holidays, and they have followed Satan the devil, who has led them into Sunday worship and occult-holiday worship and have rejected the Sabbath and the Holy Days of God. Just like where we started. What did Cain do? He came to God to bring to God what he wanted rather than what God wanted. Let's see what happens when that occurs.

Verse 14: "'They have also healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?.... [many abominations that we do today] …No, they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush; therefore, they shall fall among those who fall. At the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down,' says the LORD" (vs 14-15).

God told Jeremiah, look what He said to them, v 16: "Thus says the LORD, 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where the good way is and walk in it.'… [that's what he was to tell them: do God's will] …But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" Try telling any Sunday-keeper that they need to keep the Sabbath, that they need to keep the Holy Days. Will they listen? Rarely, some might!

Verse 17: "Also I set watchmen over you, saying… [many have given warnings] …'Hearken to the sound of the ram's horn.' But they said, 'We will not hearken.' Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them" (vs 17-18).

We are the congregation of God and we have to live through these difficult times. Not only do we have to understand them, but we have to live in these difficult times and love and obey God. We have to preach the warning message for them to know. We have to also preach the warning message for the people of God so that

• we can turn to God
• we can love God
• we will be faithful

All of those things are necessary for us.

God says, v 19: "Hear, O earth… [How many times has God said, 'Heaven and earth…'] …behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkened to My words, nor to My law, but have rejected it." Even though they pretend to be religious; even though they pretend to know God.

Jer. 7 is a very classic chapter because men bring their sins into the churches, just like Israel and Judah brought their sins into the temple. As a matter of fact Manasseh, one of the kings that was so evil—and he reigned for 55-years—dealt with familiar spirits, witchcraft and shed a lot of innocent blood, set up idols within the courts of the temple area and worshipped and served them.

Then Josiah came along, there was a revival, but how long did it last? Not very long! Jeremiah was told, Jeremiah 7:2: "Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this Word, and say, 'Hear the Word of the LORD, all Judah, who enter in at the gates to worship the LORD.' Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place'" (vs 2-3). Again, He offers repentance. How many times did God offer repentance? He gets right down to the heart and core of what they were doing. Remember, He already corrected them concerning the offering children to Moloch. God says, 'I will cause you to dwell in this place if you do.'

Verse 4: "Do not trust in lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.'" This is what we're doing. We have done it as a Church, we are doing it as a nation. We say we are God's Church; we say we are God's people, but what happens? How are our works and actions? God offers repentance—doesn't He? Yes, He does! We need to take it.

That's why in our prayers we are to ask forgiveness every single day. Not only ask forgiveness, but notice what God requires, v 5: "For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor; if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your hurt; then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever" (vs 5-7). That's the proposition. What does this mean? Practical application today:

1. all those in government stop lying
2. all those in Christianity stop lying
3. repent and recognize the Sabbath and the Holy Days and God's Word

Every single one of our problems in the Church and in the world is because we fall short and don't repent of our sins. That's an amazing thing—isn't it?

Just like they went to the temple and said, 'If we go to the temple, everything will be all right because that's God's temple.' What do we do today? We say, 'We have the Constitution and we bring God into it.' Yes, that is true, but God is no longer in it unless there is a change, just like it says here in Jeremiah.

Verse 8, Jeremiah says: "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit." Let me read you some of the lying words that the Catholics say concerning the Word of God. It's quite amazing. This is taken from My Catholic Faith. Here I've got the book. This is on page 22:

Divine revelation comes down to us by two means…

Really? What did Jesus say? 'Man shall not live by bread alonebut by every Word of God!'

…through Holy Scripture written down under divine inspiration and through tradition handed down orally from Apostolic times. We read the Bible with great respect, for it is the Word of God. We treat tradition with as great reverence, for God speaks through Tradition as well….

No, He doesn't! This is what Catholics go by and Catholics profess they are Christian. Protestants profess that they are better Christians than Catholics. Really? No, you're following all the same things that they do except some of their rituals that they have at their altars, that's all.

…It is wrong to believe the Bible without Tradition….

Same exact thing. You see the ceremonies, they supposedly have the Bible, but they don't. That's their prayer book. Let's see something also that is very important to understand. On page 28 it says:

It would have been possible for the church to bring the truths of Jesus Christ to all mankind without the Bible.

How can you do that? That's how people like it. They don't like harsh words. They want the bland, sweet nothings that come today out of the pulpits. God holds all of the ministers and priests accountable.

Jeremiah 7:9: "Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know; and them come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'?" (vs 9-10).

• we have the grace of God
• we have the tradition
• we are modern
• we are up to date
• we don't need to walk in the old ways
• after all, that's so harsh and terrible

Why then do you expect the blessings of God?

Then He says, v 11: "'Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it,' says the LORD."

Then He says, 'You go check where I had the tabernacle when we first came into the land in Shiloh and you see what I did to that to destroy it because of the sins of the people and I want you to know that I'm going to do it to this, the temple, that I had Solomon build because you worship other gods.' God told them:

Verse 22: "For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices…. [this is to these false gods] …But this thing I command them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall by My people, and walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, so that it may be well with you'" (vs 22-23).

That's what God wants. That's what we need to do in the Church as well. We find here that they offered to other gods. They served them. Let's see what God says:

Jeremiah 10:1: "Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD, 'Do not learn the way of the heathen, and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are terrified at them'" (vs 1-2). What did they do? They learned the way of the heathen! That's exactly what has happened to Christianity.

Let's see what the Apostle Paul says concerning that. If someone has a wonderful, just thrilling tradition and ceremony and they do it in the name of God, but God never commanded it, don't do it! Paul makes it very clear. Here's why we need to read the Old Testament, because Paul says that these things are examplesfor us that we don't do them.

Notice, 1-Corinthians 10:20, let's see what he says. Consider this and remember the first leaven that leavened the whole lump, which started the cascades of false teachings and doctrines? They changed the Passover to the Lord's Supper, which Paul said in 1-Cor. 11, you cannot eat the Lord's Supper. What happened after that? One step after another because they failed to read this:

1-Corinthians 10:20: "But that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and the table of demons" (vs 20-21). You cannot do it!

That's the same way as saying that you are not to learn the way of the heathen. That's what has happened with the holidays of this world. Just to show you how shallow some people really are and how that maybe there are some people that are longing to go back to these wonderful, oh so great, holidays of this world. When the apostate church, and remember, everything is gone now because of sin, taken away. But when they endorsed Christmas, saying, it's perfectly all right to do that, some people said, 'Oh, I am so glad that we can keep Christmas again. It's so nice to have that evergreen tree in the house and the smell of it. It's just wonderful.' See the deceitfulness of Satan putting God's name on that which the heathen do?

The downfall of Israel and the downfall of the Church was:

• Sabbath/Sunday
• occult holidays/God's Holy Days
• Passover/Communion
• Truth/error

That's what it got down to.

Let's see something that is very important again to understand. Remember, God always offers repentance and look at what God has said to all of the churches in Rev. 2 and 3: repent! Amos 5—let's see what God told them. Even in the letter of the law, if they had done them, these things would not have come upon them. We need to learn from them, as Paul said these are examples.

Amos 5:14: "Seek good and not evil, that you may live, and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as you have spoken…. [What does that require?] …Hate the evil, and love the good…" (vs 14-15). That's how to start solving the problems in society and in the churches of this world and in the Churches of God.

"…and establish judgment in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph" (v 15). What I just said has to be this.

• needs to be repentance of Sunday to keep the Sabbath
• needs to be repentance of all the occult holidays to keep the Holy Days

because here is what God says about those days, v 21: "I hate, I despise your feast days…" And yet, the world makes a great, wonderful celebration out of all of them—don't they? They think they are doing God's will—don't they? Yes!

"…and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them…." (vs 21-22). Even if you do some things that are right in the midst of doing the things that are wrong, God doesn't accept it. You can't improve upon God. You can't live in your sins and expect God's blessings.

Verse 23: "Take the noise of your songs away from Me; for I will not hear the melody of your harps. But let judgment roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream" (vs 23-24). No, they haven't offered anything to God. Even in the wilderness their hearts were after their gods.

Verse 25: "Have you offered sacrifices and offerings to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? But now you have carried the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun, your images, the star of your gods, which you made for yourselves. So, I will cause you to go into exile beyond Damascus…" (vs 25-27). Did they go? Yes, they did!

Now we'll look at a couple things that God says concerning mixing the pagan ways with God's ways. This is important to understand. Isa. 42 talks about what Christ will do; after it shows of doing the Truth, doing righteousness, preaching what is good.

Isaiah 42:8: "I am the LORD; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images." Look what has happened in Christianity. Again the two great sins:

1. we can improve on God by adding our traditions
2. we can have greater worship if we have these rituals

We love our sins and God bless us. No, indeed!

Isaiah 43:24: "You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices…" Rather than doing things God's way, here's what they did, just exactly like I said. They want to do it in the name of God, live in their sin, and demand His blessings.

"…but you have made Me serve with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities" (v 24). God says enough is enough. That's why everything in this world is upside down and backward because:

• they reject God
• they reject His Word
• they reject His Truth
• they reject the Sabbath and Holy Days of God

We're going to see how these things are very important for us and that they are things that we need to do, even as in the New Testament.

 Track 2 or Download

Let's see just a survey, because we are going to cover all the Holy Days for the fall festival season. God intended this from the very beginning.

In Gen. 1:14 God says that He gave the sun and the moon and the stars for signs, for seasons, and for appointed times. The appointed times are the Feasts of God and the Sabbath is the first of that appointed times. That's why when we come to Lev. 23, we won't go in depth into it because we're just going to do a survey.

Leviticus 23:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, "Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD…"'" (vs 1-2). All the Feasts that God has given are for His people, Old Testament and New Testament. These are appointed Feasts and appointed times by which God reveals His plan.

"…which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts" (v 2). Then it lists all of them beginning with the

• Sabbath
• Passover
• Unleavened Bread
• Pentecost
• Trumpets
• Atonement
• Tabernacles
• Last Great Day

Each of them giving the time! Just a little word on the calendar: God is the One Who has created time. God is the One Who has given us the Calculated Hebrew Calendar. This is what we are to follow. All other calendar devices by men, trying to pick when the Holy Days would be, are null and void and froth with a lot of problems and difficulties.

We have a complete series on the Calculated Hebrew Calendar; however, if you order it and we send it to you, you better be prepared to put on your thinking cap and to begin to understand.

Just to give you one clue. Don't you suppose that the coordination of the heavens, the moon, and the earth is a complicated thing to keep it on time? Yes, it is! That's why God gave the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

Let's come forward clear to the New Testament, because the excuse given is 'these things were for the Jews.' No, God says they are His days, not for the Jews. These are not the feasts of the Jews. Oh, the Jews would be happy to claim them because they don't want any Gentiles keeping the Holy Days of God.

Let's begin with the Sabbath. Let's understand something very important to realize, which is this. Everyone who keeps Sunday knows which day is Sunday and which day is the Sabbath.

Another thing that's very important to add in with all of these things. Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament. He is the One Who gave the appointed times. He is the One Who set the times to be. These appointed times and Feasts of the Lord, as we cover in the book The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah, God uses to fulfill His plan and His purposes.

The Sabbath is one of those times, every week, every 7th day. There are other calendars out there today, which show Sunday as the 7th day of the week, we need to say the Sabbath, the 7th day of the week, called today Saturday. Let's see what Jesus said after a dispute as to what the disciples were doing in picking some heads of grain and eating them. Here's His answer to the Pharisees who were finding fault:

Mark 2:27: "…'The Sabbath was made for man… [that's what it's all about in Gen. 2] …and not man for the Sabbath.'"

In other words, God is the One Who tells us which day is the Sabbath and what we are to do. With the Church, the Sabbath Day is to assemble together, or as we have because we are so scattered, Church at Home. It is a day of study, a day of prayer, a day of ceasing from our works and our labors to understand about God. God puts His presence in the Sabbath Day where there are those who are keeping the Sabbath Day as He intended. "…The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." Man cannot legislate which day to keep.

Verse 28: "Therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." He is Lord of all. He was God manifested in the flesh. If Jesus had abolished the Law, which He didn't do, He would have had a perfect time, right here to say, 'Now look, guys, I know what you're saying; however, we're changing it to Sunday because we want to appease all these pagans and bring them in.' No, He didn't say that—did He?

We'll just mention this because you'll find it in When Was Jesus Christ Born (Appendix E, The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version). You'll find it in the Bible; you'll find it in several of our other publications. Jesus was born on the appointed time of the Feast of Trumpets. So we have a very important thing occurring here. His first coming, Feast of Trumpets. His second coming: puts His feet on the earth with all the resurrected saints on the Feast of Trumpets.

These appointed times were set for us. They belong to God. He does what He wants to do on these days to teach us what we need to know.

Let's talk about the Passover. Let's see what Paul said concerning the death of Jesus Christ and it had to occur in a year that was the year of 30A.D., which had the Passover in the middle of the week. Otherwise there's no way to get three days and three nights.

Romans 5:6: "For even when we were without strength, at the appointment times Christ died for the ungodly." So, we have the Passover in the Old Testament foreshadowing the coming of Christ, Who is the Lamb of God, the sacrifice for the New Testament.

The Passover is the key important thing. He died on the appointed day. He died at the appointed time He was supposed to. He went through all of the things that were prophesied concerning His ministry, concerning His life, concerning His death. What do we have? We have this, that one-third of the Gospels are devoted to the Passover and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Let's see something else that is also interesting; we're going to see two things. Jesus was born on the Feast of Trumpets. That's why in the book that you have received—The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah—it can be proven that Jesus began His ministry on the Day of Atonement and that it was also the Atonement which began a Jubilee year, a year of release.

That's why Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and was tempted of Satan the devil. After that, and after He came to the temple and the Passover after that, then He came back to Galilee after John was put in prison on the Feast of Pentecost, another very important Feast.

Pentecost was when He proclaimed that He was the Messiah. Pentecost is also a mini-Jubilee, because you count seven weeks (49 days) and one day. Just like counting 49 years and the next year is the Jubilee. Jesus couldn't have announced that He was the Messiah while He was being tempted by Satan the devil. On the mini-Jubilee, the Feast of Pentecost, here's what He proclaimed when He was given the book of Isaiah.

Luke 4:18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; 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… [of Satan the devil] …and recovery of sight to the blind… [not only physically, but spiritually] …to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (vs 18-19). A Jubilee year to:

• bring the Truth of God
• preach the Gospel
• call His disciples

That's quite a thing when the people heard this. They didn't know what to make of it. They were all looking at Jesus and He said, v 21: "…'Today, this Scripture is being fulfilled in your ears.'" They didn't like that. We won't go into those details.

As I mentioned, one-third of the Gospels are devoted to the Passover. It was the Passover that Jesus kept. The substitutes of the Lord's Supper, Communion or the Eucharist, are the things that we saw that God hates.

Let's come to the book of John. We will just do a survey. John 2:13: "Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem." Why does John write 'the Passover of the Jews'? That is to explain to those who are reading that the substitute ways that the so-called converted pagans were bringing in were not operating according to the Calculated Hebrew Calendar! That's why He let them know it had to be on the time that God had determined. He also let them know, later on, that some of the Jews kept the Passover at the wrong time, on the 15th instead of the 14th. That's why we have the book The Christian Passover. Jesus went to the temple and fulfilled the prophecy of Mal. 3 that the Lord would suddenly come to His temple, which He did.

John 6:4: "Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near." Then Jesus revealed that He was the Bread of Life. He revealed that it was necessary to drink His blood and eat His flesh symbolically, as we know, through the bread and the wine. Nothing about Easter, because that is pagan; Ishtar is a pagan goddess.

How did that get to be for the resurrection of Christ, when the Scriptures show that Jesus was resurrected toward the end of the Sabbath after being in the grave for three days and three nights? Very interesting.

Here we have another Holy Day of God. It is the Feast of Tabernacles, John 7:2: "Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was near." Even today the Jews have the right days for Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles.

Isn't it interesting, in rejecting Jesus as the true Messiah of God, the Lamb of God, they keep the Passover on the wrong day, they keep Unleavened Bread on the wrong days—they are a day off—and they keep Pentecost on the wrong day.

If they would keep those on the right day, they would understand that Jesus was the Messiah. But since they don't and they rejected Him—they say, 'We're waiting for the Messiah.' All the Holy Days in the fall relating to the coming of Jesus Christ, they have the right dates.

We find the Last Great Day v 37: "Now in the last day, the great day of the Feast…" They had the pouring of the water around the altar as the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles was ending and the Last Great Day was beginning. That's why it's called the Last Great Day.

Very interesting as you go along in the book of John, because it is more attune to the Holy Days of God than any of the other Gospels. There are some teachings that fit in symbolically with John 7-9 concerning Israel, but we won't get into those.

Let's come to the book of Acts. Here's another Holy Day. This is a day that is the day of the sending of the Holy Spirit; this is Pentecost. God gave the Law to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai on the Day of Pentecost. Now on the Feast of Pentecost—the Day of Pentecost, the 50th day—God gave the Holy Spirit, which then gives the power to keep the laws of God and is the day of the resurrection, as well.

Acts 2:1: "And when the day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day, was being fulfilled…" That is the most accurate translation of that verse. It wasn't after, it wasn't when it ended, it was when it was being fulfilled. There are special Greek words and we have a booklet fully explaining that.

What happened? God poured out the Holy Spirit in power and He did it at the temple. Why did He do it at the temple? Because that's where God placed His name! Do you think that any of the Jews would have believed that this was from God if it was in another country or even in the territory of Galilee? No, they wouldn't! That's where the Jews assembled to keep the Feast of Pentecost. That's why God sent the Holy Spirit on that day.

There are a lot of things that we can learn concerning the days of God, the appointed times. Let's come to Acts 12 and we find concerning the Passover and Unleavened Bread

In the King James Version they translate the Greek word 'pascha' as Easter (Acts 12:4). It is the only place in the English version where they have Easter and it is a blatant mistranslation to somehow get Easter into the New Testament. Easter had nothing to do with anything that God was doing or the days that God commanded us to keep.

Acts 12:1: "Now about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to persecute some of those of the Church; And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take Peter also. (Now those were the Days of Unleavened Bread.) And after arresting him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four sets of four soldiers to guard him with the intent of bringing him out to the people after the Passover season." (vs 1-4). Passover and Unleavened Bread are called the Passover season—'pascha'—Passover. That's what it should be translated, not Easter. That's the simple explanation.

Let's come to Acts 16. Here's something very interesting. It says on a Sabbath, which is true, but there is a particular phrase, which means on the day of the weeks, which means the Day of Pentecost.

This is Luke writing about the travels of Paul and those who were with him. Acts 16:12: "And from there we went to Philippi, which is the primary city in that part of Macedonia, and a colony. And we stayed in this city for a number of days. Then on the day of the weeks… [or on a Sabbath Day; either one are appointed times of God, but on the day of the weeks] …we went outside the city by a river, where it was customary for prayer to be made…" (vs 12-13). That is, on the Sabbath Day.

So Paul and his group were keeping it. It's an amazing thing when you really understand how Luke outlined everything in the book of Acts based upon the appointed timesof God, based upon the Feasts of God.

Acts 17:1: "And after journeying through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And as was the custom with Paul, he went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, expounding and demonstrating that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and testifying, 'This Jesus, Whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ'" (vs 1-3)—on the Sabbath Day.

Let's see what happened over here in Acts 18. He came to Corinth and he was there for a long time. He began in the Sabbath Day again, Acts 18:4: "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks." Then he stayed there because God told him that He had many people in the city.

How would that be? Because God sends out the seven eyes to find those who are trying to seek Him! There were a lot of people in Corinth that were there that God had already scouted out to call them. An amazing thing, when you understand it.

Acts 18:19: "And he [Paul] came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. And when they asked him to remain with them for a longer time, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying, 'I must by all means keep the Feast that is coming at Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.'…." (vs 19-21). What Feast was this? Doesn't tell us, but it could very well be the Feast of Tabernacles!

I've explained the three different parties concerning the explanation of Acts 20:6: "But we… [Luke and his party] …sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread…" Why did they sail away after the Days of Unleavened Bread? That tells us they were keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread and wouldn't go against God by doing a lot of extensive traveling until after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. "…and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days" (v 6).

Now speaking of Paul, because Paul went on ahead and then later met them. What was Paul doing? Here is a famous Scripture that the Protestants like to turn to, to show that they are justified in keeping the first day of the week.

A literal translation shows that it is not a first day of the week, but the first day of the weeks, meaning the Wave Sheaf Offering. So this was before the others who stayed behind and kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread before coming along. So, this happened actually before it, though it's written afterwards.

Verse 7: "Now, on the first day of the weeks, when the disciples had assembled to break bread, Paul preached to them; and because he was going to leave in the morning, he continued speaking until midnight." So there it is—first day of the weeks, the Wave Sheaf Offering Day. That is the day that Jesus ascended into heaven to present Himself as the sacrifice and the offering for the sins of all mankind and was accepted of God the Father.

There are some others that we can go to, but let's come to a couple of clear Scriptures. We all know these Scriptures, but we're going to read them into the record to show that nowhere, as you go through the entire Bible, do you ever find references to Sunday-keeping, to holiday-keeping, to Christmas, to Easter, to Halloween, to New Years. Nowhere! Those are all pagan days that the Roman Catholic Church inculcated into their counterfeit Christianity and these days are the days that God says He hates.

Why we are to put away leaven and why we keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 1-Corinthians 5:7: "Therefore, purge out the old leaven, so that you may become a new lump… [That's what we are to be—a new creation. That creation is a process of conversion.] …even as you are unleavened…. [because they unleavened their houses] …For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us."

That's why we keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread because the way that we overcome the leaven of human nature is to put in the unleavened Word of God with the Spirit of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ so that we can change and grow and overcome.

Verse 8: "For this reason, let us keep the Feast…" There it is right there; the Apostle Paul.

I don't know how many of you watch Fox News or not. I assume many of you do, but remember when Bill O'Reilly was talking about Christianity. What did he say that it was? He said that it was a philosophy. That is absolutely untrue.

True Christianity is a way of life and it is the way of Jesus Christ, Who said, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' You have to walk in the way of God, which Jesus exemplified. We have to always do everything with the Truth of God, being led by the Spirit of Truth and then we await the resurrection on the final Pentecost so that we will be changed from flesh to spirit.

Colossians 2 is very important for us to understand. We're going to finish this concerning a survey of the Holy Days in the New Testament to show how that chapter two of Colossians is talking about rejecting all of those pagan days and religions of men called philosophy.

Colossians 2:1: "Now, I want you to understand what great concern I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ" (vs 1-2).

That is the secret of God and the mystery, and secret of God is revealed through the Holy Days and through Jesus Christ. Notice why we do not need any philosophy of men, why we cannot and will not and do not incorporate any of the things of the Christianity of this world into our worship of God.

Verse 3 is the reason: "In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." We don't need the pagan philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and the other philosophers.

So he gives a warning, v 4: "Now, this I say so that no one may deceive you by persuasive speech. For though I am indeed absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, be walking in Him" (vs 4-6). That's how we are to live. Christ in us is the hope of glory (Col. 1).

Verse 7: "Being rooted and built up in Him, and being confirmed in the faith… [which includes keeping the commandments of God, the Sabbath, the Passover, the Holy Days of God] …exactly as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

Now then, he cautions everyone. This has to be for us and for all the Churches of God, because Satan the devil likes to come along with all these wonderful schemes and good benefits and these thrilling religious practices.

Verse 8: "Be on guard so that no one takes you captive… [away from Christ] …through philosophy and vain deceit…" That's what the whole Christendom of this world is all about—vain deceit and lies and twisting and turning of the Scriptures and misinterpretations and wrong applications.

"…according to the traditions of men…" Traditions of Protestantism, traditions of Catholicism, regardless of what the traditions of men are, they have no place in the Church of God.

"…according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ" (v 8). We live in the world, but we are not of the world. The Christianity of this world is satanic and deceitful and the philosophy of Satan and men built upon the traditions of men.

Here's why we are to reject all of those things, v 9: "For in Him [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him…" (vs 9-10). Jesus was Lord of the Old Testament. He created the Sabbath; He gave the Holy Days; He gave the Passover. We are in Him.

"…Who is the Head of all principality and power" (v 10). We don't go after these false deceitful religions that come from Satan the devil that are demonic apparitions and things like that. They are not of God.

Verse 11: "In Whom you have also been circumcised with the circumcision not made by hands… [the converting of the mind. The circumcision of the heart] …with the circumcision not made by hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." How does that take place? Through

• repentance
• baptism
• receiving the Holy Spirit of God

Then we are to walk in newness of life and in the grace of God, have a personal relationship with God. We are to keep His Sabbath. We are to keep His Holy Days, because they teach us and tell us the plan of God and what He's doing on the earth.

Verse 12 explains that it's by baptism: "Having been buried with Him in baptism, by which you have also been raised with Him through the inner working of God, Who raised Him from the dead. For you [Colossians] who were once dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has now made alive with Him, having forgiven all your trespasses" (vs 12-13).

The Protestants believe that v 14 says that the commandments were nailed to the cross. Wrong! Wrong translation, wrong interpretation, so we have in the Faithful Version the correct translation:

 Verse 14: "He has blotted out the note of debt against us with the decrees of our sins, which was contrary to us; and He has taken it away, having nailed it to the cross." Our sins were nailed to the cross, not the commandments of God. That's something!

The other interpretation is a lawless interpretation, a twisting and turning and distorting of the Scriptures, which those who do not know the Truth twist and turn so they can create a paganized so-called Christian religion. But notice how the Apostle Paul finishes this chapter, because this is important for us to understand so that we know

• we stand with the Word of God
• we stand with the Truth of God
• we stand with the whole Bible

Old Testament and New Testament. It is put together properly based upon the Truth of God, led by the Truth of the Spirit of God to properly divide the Word of God and put it together for the understanding of what it's teaching us and revealing to us concerning the plan of God.

Now notice, all these other religions out there in the world, they are all satanic and demonic and they have principalities and powers.

Verse 15: "After stripping the principalities and the powers, He made a public spectacle of them, and has triumphed over them in it." It, through the crucifixion, He conquered Satan the devil, brought the judgment against Him, overcame sin and became the perfect sacrifice for the remission of our sins.

Because of that, notice what Paul says, v 16: "Therefore, do not allow anyone… [outside the Church] …to judge you in eating or in drinking… [Because they no longer ate unclean foods and they were able to partake in alcoholic beverages.] …or with regard to a festival…" The festival, there are seven of them, are of God. These were Gentiles who were never keeping them. Another wrong interpretation is that this is saying you are not to keep the Jewish ones. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! This is saying, don't let anyone judge you in keeping them.

"…or new moon…" (v 16). Psa. 81 shows us we need the new moon for the Calculated Calendar. This doesn't mean we are to celebrate new moons. This has to do with calculating the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

"…or the Sabbaths" (v 16)—plural—weekly, every week, every Sabbath.

Verse 17: "Which are a foreshadow of the things that are coming… [they teach us the plan of God] …but the body of Christ." Don't let anyone outside judge you, but let the body of Christ, the Church, judge you in the keeping of these things.

The rest of it is an appeal to not get involved in bringing in pagan philosophies and commandments of men.

Verse 18: "Do not allow anyone to defraud you of the prize by doing his will in self-abasement and the worship of angels, intruding into things that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his own carnal mind."

You look at all of the things that are going on out there in the world today, how they are chasing after ghosts, chasing after demons, chasing after Satan the devil and that's what this is talking about. All of the Catholics who supposedly worship these saints, they are worshiping fallen angels.

Verse 19: "And not holding fast to the Head [Christ] from Whom all the body, being supplied and knit together by the joints and bands, is increasing with the increase of God." An absolute command to stay away from those things.

Verse 20: "Therefore, if you have died together with Christ… [through baptism] …from the elements of the world…" Of which all these pagan religions and false Christianity are elements of the world. You've already died to that.

So he asks them the question them, "…why are you subjecting yourselves to the decrees of men as if you were living in the world? They say, 'You may not handle! You may not taste! You may not touch!" The use of all such things leads to corruption…" (vs 20-21)—because you had the philosophers who were the stoics. They were the ones you abstained from everything and you beat the flesh.

Notice what he says about that kind of thing, "…according to the commandments and doctrines of men, which indeed have an outward appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship of angels, and self-abasement, and unsparing treatment of the body, not in any respect to the satisfying of the needs of the flesh" (vs 22-23).

Quite a chapter! I know we went through it quite rapidly. We have a whole series going through Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, where we go through and explain in great detail what all of these things mean.

You can search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and nowhere will you find where God approves of taking the pagan days, renaming them with Christian-sounding names and meanings and to observe them. Because all of them, beginning with Halloween, Christmas, New Years, Lent, Easter, are all occult, satanic holidays.

We keep the Holy Days of God!

Scriptural References:

• Isaiah 29:9-13
• Jeremiah 5:1-4, 7-15
• Jeremiah 6:13-19
• Jeremiah 7:2-11, 22-23
• Jeremiah 10: 1-2
• 1-Corinthians 10:20-21
• Amos 5:14-15, 21-27
• Isaiah 42:8
• Isaiah 43:24
• Leviticus 23:1-2
• Mark 2:27-28
• Romans 5:6
• Luke 4:18-19, 21
• John 2:13
• John 6:4
• John 7:2, 37
• Acts 2:1
• Acts 12:1-4
• Acts 16:12-13
• Acts 17:1-3
• Acts 18:4, 19-21
• Acts 20:6-7
• 1-Corinthians 5:7-8
• Colossians 2:1-23

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Isaiah 28
• Jeremiah 19; 23
• 1-Corinthians 11
• Revelation 2; 3
• Genesis 1:14; 2
• Malachi 3
• John 7-9
• Colossians 1
• Psalm 81

Also referenced:

Books/Booklets:

• Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days, Which? by Fred R. Coulter
• God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and His Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter
• My Catholic Faith by L. LaRavoire, S.T.D. Morrow; Emmanuel Marie. Andre  (amazon.com)
• The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah by Fred R. Coulter
• The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
• Count to Pentecost by Fred R. Coulter

Sermon Series:

• Calculated Hebrew Calendar
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians

From The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter:
Appendix E: When Was Jesus Christ Born?

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 8-16-13
Formatted: bo—8-18-13

Copyright 2013—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.