As a Christian, one should rightly point out that believers are not under the yoke of the Law of Moses. In Acts 15, a gathering of the Apostles of Christ and the elders of the Church took place. According to verse 5, a certain group of Christian Jews, prior to conversion, were Pharisees. They responded to the declaration of the conversion of the Gentiles, and said: “That it was needful to circumcise them [the Gentiles], and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
But after Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James spoke on the matter, they agreed, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, this was not necessary for a Gentile follower of Jesus Christ. So they sent an epistle (a letter) and a personal envoy to the Gentiles, to tell them they were NOT UNDER THE YOKE OF THE LAW, as we are taught in verses 24, 28 and 29: “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain [Jewish Christians] which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:” . . . “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”
So then, you may ask, as Gentiles, why burden ourselves with the Jewish Feasts?
As a Christian, do you support Israel? Do you believe what God teaches in the Bible? in Genesis 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee [Israel], and curse him that curseth thee: . . . ” Or in Romans 11:11 where we are taught “ . . . salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy.” Our mission is clear: we are to bless and support Israel with material blessings and with spiritual love – the love of Christ.
God did command those born as Jews to keep the Feasts, with this command found throughout Leviticus concerning all the Feasts, “It shall be a statute forever in your generations:”
So, if the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob commanded the Jews to keep the Feasts, and we tell the Jews that we worship the same God, and that we are adopted into the family of Abraham by faith, they simply don’t believe us. Why? One reason may be that we don’t keep the Feasts. If you want to convince a devout Jew that you have this amazing relationship with the same God, a relationship so intimate that it provokes them to jealousy, so that they seek Jesus Christ as the one and only Jewish Messiah, THEN THINK ABOUT KEEPING THE FEASTS! Especially if you are called to a ministry to support Israel!
PLEASE KNOW THIS: IT IS NOT REQUIRED OF CHRISTIANS TO KEEP THE FEASTS; TO WORSHIP ON SATURDAYS; NOR TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER JEWISH DIETARY, RITUALISTIC, PURIFICATION, CEREMONIAL OR LEGALISTIC TRADITION. IF IT BECOMES BURDENSOME OR WORRISOME IN ANY WAY, LAY IT DOWN! I BELIEVE IT IS SIMPLY A CHIRSTIAN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE AND SOLIDARITY WITH OUR JEWISH BROTHER’S AND SISTERS, THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE !
If you do practice the feasts, even in part, you may well help provoke a Jew to Jealousy, so that, while they are worshiping and honoring the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they might seek and find the One True Messiah. Why do we want that? Did God “cast away” the Jews from a personal relationship with Him forever? No. God forbid! According to scripture, He hardened their hearts and blinded them towards belief in Jesus Christ, because of their rejection of Christ. But this is not permanent. Romans 11:15 reminds us all: ”For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”
OK, IF YOU MISSED IT, WAKE UP! What Paul is telling us here is clear. When the Jews seek and receive Jesus, we get LIFE FROM THE DEAD. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE RESURRECTION! CHRIST RAPTURES THE CHURCH! We Gentiles were gifted faith in Jesus Christ and the salvation of our souls for many reasons. Not the least of which, because of our faith, one clear reason, is to provoke the Jews to jealousy over our relationship with God, only possible through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Jewish Messiah! Romans 11:11
For Christians, keeping the Feasts is not an issue of salvation. It is not a command. To me, it is an awesome way to learnb about our Jewish spiritual roots, and it’s an issue of thanksgiving and of blessing.
I belive the King James version says it best in Romans 11:25 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the “fullness” of the Gentiles be come in.”
Many translations say it’s a “full number” of gentiles that must be reached before Israel awakens. That may be the case, and only God would know that number. I, for one, believe God may also have another meaning for us in this passage of scripture. The word “fullness” in the King James comes from the Textus Receptus’ Greek word, pléróma. The Strong’s definition is fullness, a filling up. “. . . until the filling up of the Gentiles” would be an accurate way to understand it. I personally believe the fullness of the Gentiles may come when we recognize, and embrace, our Jewish spiritual roots, and begin to bless Israel with the love of Christ. How can we bless Israel? Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalms 122:6). Go to Israel during the Feasts. Enjoy the Feasts. Buy Israeli products. Be a blessing to God by being a blessing to Israel. God will bless you. It is His promise!
