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WHERE DO WE KEEP THE FEASTS TODAY ?
by Keith Hunt A question has been posed, and an answer desired. The question: "Another reason for keeping the Feast is to know where is 'the place which He shall choose to place His name,' Deuteronomy 14:23. In Samuel's day it was Shiloh, 1 Samuel 1:3; Judges 18:31. God later chose Jerusalem, Deut.12:5; Ps.78:68; 2 Chron.7:12; but Christ prophesied of a time when Jerusalem would not be the place of worship, John 4:20-21. In the future, Jerusalem will again be chosen, Zech.2:12...... So where is God's place today for keeping the Feast?....." It has also been wondered what the implication of this statement is: "The Feast forces us to prove.....which group is the true Church......for only they will be keeping the Feast at 'the place which He shall choose to place His name there.' " Then it has also been posed: "If a woman at a well this year would ask Jesus where God had 'placed His name,' I wonder what He would tell her." Ah, GOOD QUESTIONS, many may have wondered, many may still be wondering. These questions need to be answered, they can be answered. We shall first notice from what is given above, God can and has decided to CHANGE locations as to where to place His name from time to time. Under the OLD Covenant we see the Lord chose TWO locations - Shiloh and Jerusalem after Israel entered the land of promise. Before that, and as Israel moved around in the desert for 40 years, God placed His name in many different places as the tabernacle tent moved and was pitched along the 40 year journey. We need to keep in mind the Old Testament(OT) is the Old Testament or Covenant, not the New Testament(NT). Now that should be simple enough, but many get into sticky mud because they carry questions from the OT over into the NT, believing they should still apply, without asking the question "does the NT show the question does not apply?" Take the example of physical circumcision. If we apply the law of the OT without noting the teaching of the NT on the matter, we could believe circumcision is "a must" as it was under the OT. So it is with the question of "where today has God placed His name for keeping the Feast." We need to remember also that under the OT it was not just ONE feast that God placed His name in a certain location, but ALL THREE FESTIVAL SEASONS! Remember Deut.16 and note verse 16. See also Exodus 23:14-17. The questions above want to zero in on the Feast, namely, feast of Tabernacles, but God had THREE pilgrim festival seasons under the OT, not just one. God placed His name at a certain location for the people of Israel to come and worship Him during THREE feast seasons, not just Tabernacles. Our question is a little off centre to begin with if we are trying to use a law under the OT to apply under the NT. Does the majority of the Leviticus 23 festival observing Churches of God today, observe the Passover and Pentecost feasts (even Trumpets and Atonement) in specially called feast sites, like they practice with Tabernacles? NO THEY DO NOT! It is rather poor theology to try and claim the festival observing Churches of God are obeying the Old Covenant law regarding "where God has placed His name" for in truth they are not, or they are only obeying it by ONE THIRD. And how can you obey only one third of a law and still be within the law? How do I obey only a third of the law "thou shalt not commit adultery." So when it comes right down to it, most Churches of God who observe the festivals of the Lord, have never practiced and believed the law we are discussing from the OT is meant to be carried over into and under the NT, for most have never established special centres for THREE pilgrim festival seasons, where at least the males are to attend. UNDER THE NEW TESTAMENT The NT shows quite clearly that from the time of the start of the Spirit begotten Church of God on the Day of Pentecost(Acts 2), this law of the OT was CHANGED! It was not a law to be observed as dogma and doctrine under the New Covenant. Paul wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth to correct them in many areas. In chapter 11 beginning with verse 17 he corrects them on HOW to observe the Passover or Lord's death. You will notice he says NOTHING about getting to Jerusalem, or any words such as: Do you not know this is a pilgrim festival and you should have all been in Jerusalem the only place at present where God has placed His name. No such words are found anywhere in the NT concerning the keeping of God's feasts because all knew it was correct under the New Covenant to observe the festivals of the Lord ANYWHERE God's people were living. Notice 1 Cor.16 and verse 8. Paul and company were going to stay at Ephesus, not Jerusalem, for the celebration of the feast of Pentecost. They knew the law of three pilgrim festivals to only one place where God had placed His name, a law under the Old Covenant was NOT in effect under the New Covenant - they knew it had been CHANGED! Turn to Acts 20 and read verse 6. Again Paul, Luke(who wrote Acts) and company stayed at Philippi to observe the feast of Unleavened Bread. Paul was personally taught by Christ Himself(Gal.1:11-12) and obviously just from the examples so far seen, Paul knew the law of three pilgrim festivals to Jerusalem was not a law under the New Covenant, but that law had been changed to allowing the feasts to be observed ANYWHERE God's people were living. I guess so, the gospel was to go to the world, how would it be possible for those in the British Isles, to travel three times a year to observe the festivals at Jerusalem? Remember they only had horse and buggy as their fastest means of transportation. Certain CHANGES to old covenant laws regarding the observance of the festivals was necessary under a worldwide era of the calling of God's children from all nations of the earth. Do we teach today that it is still the law of God to be observed by everyone worldwide, that each should keep the feast of Tabernacles LIVING IN BOOTHS OR TENTS made from the branches of trees or the like? No we do not! If we did I think we would all end up observing the feast in Florida, South Texas, or southern California. I would sure pity those up in Alaska if we did. The kids and old people would end up in the main not looking forward to the fall festivals if we could only live in tents in Alaska, and other Northern lands. Galatians is revealing. Notice chapter one and verses 15 through 24. When Paul was called and converted he did not go to Jerusalem FOR THREE YEARS! He was in Arabia and Damascus(verse 17). When he did go to Jerusalem he only stayed a short time, a very short time, then went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. Did Paul observe the festivals of God during those three years? Oh, you bet he did, but obviously NOT in Jerusalem. The law of "the place where God has placed His name" had been changed. Then look at Gal.2:1. It would seem from this that Paul did not go to Jerusalem again until 14 YEARS LATER! Did he observe the festivals of the Lord during all those years? Yes indeed, but not in Jerusalem. He observed them wherever he was with God's people wherever they were. Sure there were times when he wanted to be in Jerusalem to observe a feast of God (Acts 18:21; 20:16), but the contexts show there were also others reasons he wanted to be in Jerusalem. It was a case of killing two birds with one stone. We have clearly seen he felt he was under no "law obligation" to observe a law of the OT that had been changed under the NT. We need also to remember that the Jews themselves were scattered far and wide in the "dispersion." Most of them only got to Jerusalem to observe a festival of God a few times in their life, sure did not make the journey three times a year, or it would have been a full time job for them to have tried. Did those Jews in the far reaches of the Roman Empire observe the feasts of God WHERE THEY WERE LIVING? History proclaims loud and clear - YES THEY DID! Did God rain fire and brimstone down upon their heads for not getting to Jerusalem three times a year, or even once a year at the time of the fall festivals? No, He did not! The truth is the old law under the Old Covenant HAD ALREADY BEEN CHANGED WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE WERE LIVING BEYOND THE LAND OF PALESTINE. And that is why Jesus answered the woman at the well the way He did. Many have missed it. Notice, in the context of whether God was to be worshipped in this mountain or that mountain, this city or that city, Jesus answered the woman with these words: "But the hour comes(sure did in 70 A.D.), AND NOW IS," yes right at the time Jesus was speaking, then at that time, "when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeks such to worship Him"(John 4:23). Aaaahhhh, indeed as someone has already said, God has placed His name to worship Him in His festivals "WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE I AM IN THE MIDST OF THEM"(Mat.18:19,20). The life and examples of the great apostle Paul (a man directly taught by Christ) prove beyond any doubt that God's festivals can be observed under the New Covenant ANYWHERE on this good green earth, ANYWHERE God's people are gathered together to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, for that is the really important matter today, not the physical location. If a woman at a well this year would ask Jesus where God had "placed His name" NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK HE WOULD TELL HER? .................... Written October 1996 |
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