Why Celebrate The Holidays?

Why Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. (Eccl. 3:1).

How much would you know about the Pilgrims without the celebration of Thanksgiving? Think about it. Would you remember Plymouth Rock, the Indians, the Mayflower? God gave us instructions to learn about His Story (History) through fun celebrations!

Paul wrote to the Gentile believers in Colossians 2:16-17 that the holidays are a shadow of things to come. Each of the spring holidays is a picture of Christ's first coming. Jesus was sacrificed for our sins on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, and arose on Firstfruits. The fall holidays are a picture of His second coming and the beginning of the Messianic reign.

Blueprints

The Festivals of God are blueprints for the plan of God. When you look at a set of blueprints for a house that is to be built, it is difficult to visualize what the house will look like when it is finished. It is hard to imagine all the details as a whole. But if you look at the blueprints for a house you are familiar with, perhaps the house you live in, then you can relate those plans to your own experience. You can fully visualize the whole of its completion, and the blueprints will help you see where the foundation is laid, where the pipes and cables run, and how the structure supports itself. It is the same with the Holidays of God. When we look at the spring festivals, we can look back at the first century and see how the prophetic elements of those festivals were fulfilled. We can see how the plan of God was carried out in perfection.

Each of the biblical holidays teaches us about our wonderful relationship with God. His whole redemption story is portrayed for us in these festivals. Passover pictures salvation or deliverance from Egypt (flesh or sin). Unleavened Bread shows us that God saved us in order that we may be holy and set apart for Him by putting off the old sin nature. Firstfruits teaches us the purpose of salvation: fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God (John 15:1-5) and putting on the new man, the nature of God (Eph. 4:24). The Feast of Weeks instructs us further concerning the kind of fruit we must bear spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) through the power of the Holy Spirit

Thanks to biblicalholidays.com for this article.