Some Christians claim that the cross "did away with" all Yahweh's Holy-Days (except the seventh day Sabbath because it is part of the law written in stone). They claim that the feasts were part of the ordinances "nailed to the cross" (see What Was Nailed to the Cross?). It is obvious from this study what was "nailed to the cross" and what that means to us.
PICK AND CHOOSE
Many Christians want to pick and choose what is still valid and what was nailed to the cross. The study What Was Nailed to the Cross? shows, not only that it isn't possible to pick and choose, but that it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because ALL was nailed to the cross (fulfilled, not destroyed, except for the sacrificial system, which was replaced). Regarding Yahweh's Holy-Days, it especially isn't possible without throwing away the 7th day Sabbath.
Colossians 2:14,16
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath ["days" was not in the original].
If one is going to argue that holydays and new moon days were "nailed to the cross", one has to also accept that the sabbath was too. Instead, it will be argued that this text doesn't refer to the 7th day sabbath of the commandment, but to other (feast) sabbath days. That argument doesn't agree with Yahweh's word for two reasons. (1) Those other sabbath days were already mentioned as "holydays" which would make its mention redundant and (2) The word used for sabbath unmistakenly refers to the 7th day weekly sabbath.
4521 sabbaton sab'-bat-on of Hebrew origin (7676); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths
Next, they will say that the ten commandment law written in stone was permanent and overrides any "nailing". But the study What Was Nailed to the Cross? shows that it too was nailed to the cross, but Yahweh's true people will still observe all Yahweh's laws and ordinances.
Have Their Cake and Eat it Too
Christians want to be spiritual Israel so they can inherit the salvation of Yahweh's people, but they don't want to be Israel when it comes to following the customs given by Yahweh to Israel, "for ever".
Isaiah 24:5
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 58:2
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their Elohim: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to Elohim.
Heavenly Ordinances
Some of the handwritten ordinances are heavenly in nature, which is higher than just earthly. They are Yahweh's everlasting will.
Jeremiah 33:25-26
Thus saith Yahweh; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Jeremiah 31:35-36
Thus saith Yahweh, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Yahweh, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
As long as the sun, moon and stars continue to shine, they witness to the continuation of Yahweh's Holy-Days announced by His ordinances of the heavens.
AFTER THE CROSS
Finally, we will study Yahushua's own instruction regarding future Passovers and how they should continue. Next we, will study the testimony of Yahushua's apostles and followers after the cross to look for clues of continuation or abolishment of His Holy-Days.
Yahushua (Jesus) instructed us through His disciples at His last (Passover) supper.
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Does this sound to you like He abolished Passover? (knowing He would die the next day) Does this sound like He knew that tomorrow, Yahweh's Holy-Day feast of Passover would be nailed to the cross?
All previous Passovers involved a sacrificial lamb. All future Passovers would involve eating the bread that represented His body and drinking the wine that represented His blood. This is celebration and remembrance of the new, better, more perfect sacrifice and Passover. And by Yahushua's own instruction we are to continue to "do in remembrance of me".
Paul continued keeping the feasts after Yahushua had ascended to Heaven.
Acts 18:21
But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if יהוה [Yahweh, our god] will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
Acts 20:6
And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread [following passover], and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Yahushua our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 11:2
Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Does this sound like the ordinances were destroyed or abolished by nailing to the cross? Note - this verse was written AFTER THE CROSS. I don't deny that they were nailed to the cross along with the entire law (see What Was Nailed to the Cross?). But they are still (along with the entire law) a revelation of Yahweh's will and character. The faithful are no longer under them - all the written words are done - finished. But they are now in our hearts and live on, there.
Years later, there was a dispute about Passover. Not whether to keep it or not, but WHEN to keep it. Remember there are two criteria for determining true and counterfeit Holy-Days / holidays - time and authorship. This was an argument over time - Yahweh's time or Rome's.
The great question of dispute between the churches of Asia Minor and the rest of Christendom was whether the paschal communion [passover communion] should be celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan [actually abib on the Biblical calendar], or on the Sunday of the resurrection festival, without regard to Jewish chronology [time]. The Christians of Asian Minor, appealing to the example of the apostles, John and Phillip, and to the uniform practice of the Church, celebrated the Christian passover always on the fourteenth of Nisan [Yahweh's time], whatever day of the [pagan Julian] week that might be. . . . The Roman Church, on the other hand, followed by all the rest of Christendom, celebrated the death of Christ always on Friday, and his resurrection on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. [Satan's Roman time] (Christian Classics Ethereal Library, footnote #1687 to Eusebius, Church History, Ch. XXIII.)
"This controversy lasted almost two centuries, until Constantine intervened in behalf of the Roman bishops and outlawed the other group." [adoption of Satan's time] (R. L. Odom, Sunday in Roman Paganism, p. 188.)
ARGUMENTS
Now, let's analyze some arguments about why Christians believe that Yahweh's Holy-Days are no longer valid. We will specifically discuss Passover (the other Holy-Days have similar arguments). They say that passover signified the start of the Exodus of Yahweh's people from Egypt, so has no validity for us. Next, they say that it was a type, looking forward to the sacrifice of Jesus (Yahushua). Now that it's past, it no longer has validity for us. Then, they say that it was part of the sacrificial system which is no longer valid, so the Passover is no longer valid for us.
In answer:
1. Passover was given to the children of Israel to remember their deliverance from bondage in Egypt. Most Christians will agree that we are Spiritual Israel. We were freed from the bondage of sin by Yahushua's Passover victory over Satan. This was a better Passover and a better and more complete deliverance than that experienced by literal Israel. We have even MORE reason to celebrate and remember Passover than the Hebrews did.
2. Passover was also a type, looking forward to the Messiah's 1st coming and His better sacrifice. That sacrifice has been made, so we no longer are looking for it. This is true. However, it is now more important as a remembrance for what He did, than it previously was as a foreshadow.
3. Yet, Passover STILL is a type looking forward to even more glory. Passover is the Holy-Day looking forward to the final barley harvest, the Messiah's 2nd coming in Glory (see Barley Harvest also see Harvests of Redemption). So, it DOES still have future validity for us.
4. Passover was part of the sacrificial system and it is true that we no longer make those animal sacrifices. But that isn't all it is. It is a festival season, a Holy-Day given us by Yahweh, and never retracted. It is a Sabbath of months (see The Seven Sabbaths) and the beginning of the new year. It is Yahweh's new years celebration. Why do you celebrate New Years day on January 1? Passover is a HolyDay and the celebration of the barley harvest in Israel. We have gotten pretty far from agricultural harvests. Many people have never seen a harvest, but harvest celebrations have been observed for centuries all around the world. We don't think twice about celebrating the pilgrims corn harvest centuries ago in a current holiday called Thanksgiving. Why wouldn't we celebrate Yahweh's barley harvest HolyDay, instead?
5. Christ instructed us to continue keeping Passover, but in a new manner. Instead of sacrificing lambs, He instructed us to drink the cup of His blood and eat the bread of His body. This do in remembrance of me. Catholics do this every mass, some Protestant churches do it every 13th Sabbath. Neither are according to Yahweh's time. He said to do it every Passover, which is once a year in the middle of the first month of His new year. Why would you do it any other time?
There are similar arguments for the other two feasts.
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