Feast-Keeping and the Faithful by Ron du Preez review

Feast-Keeping and the Faithful (Should Christians Observe the Annual Feast Days?) Ron du Preez 2nd Edition 2011

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This is a very timely book, as the subject of keeping the feasts has become fairly “hot” in the past few years among Seventh-day Adventists. Br. du Preez kindly sent me this book free after i contacted him with some questions after watching his 2-hour program on this topic on 3abn (on youtube). He has treated me nicer than any other “scholar” i’ve contacted among offical SDA employees, and if for that reason alone, i have a reason to want to like the book even before opening it. However the plethora of letters after his real name send up a slightly yellow caution flag before i flip the first page. In my brief life, i’ve found that the more letters there are behind someone’s name nearly always equals more arrogance and worldly thinking. And yes, that impression is mostly reinforced by this book. There are many instances where the “opposition” is called “ignorant” and their tool of choice – Strong’s Concordance – is savaged. Many “great scholars” of the world are quoted (which means nothing to me) and their suppositions are quoted as fact. To be fair, there is a lot of digging into the meanings of the words in the Bible, and he does believe in the entire Bible, unlike many of our “top theologians” who pick and choose which parts of the Bible they wish to believe.

The final analysis? He believes that the feasts are part of the ceremonial law, and that law is done away, so we know the feasts are done away also. However, there is no inspired proof given for that position. There are several errors of logic where he quotes some Babylonian author, and then accepts that as fact. He does a good service by showing that some of the Bible and SOP quotes used by feast-keepers to support their position are taken out of context or just false. He comes up with a new interpretation of Colossians 2:16, saying it is referring to pilgrimage, new moon and non-pilgrimage feasts. He shows that he will not accept any evidence in favor of feast-keeping, even dissing Ellen White in one instance. He strives mightily (and in vain) to link the feasts with animal sacrifices. He says to keep the feasts is to deny the atonement, then at the end of the book says it is OK for Jews to observe the feasts “merely as part of their cultural heritage”. This type of cut-and-paste theology is exactly what he accuses the feast-keepers of doing. My final impression is that he wants everyone to toe the official SDA position, whether that position is correct or not – just don’t rock the boat.

I sent him a email giving my “first impressions” on Dec. 26, 2011. After waiting more than a month for a reply, i sent him another email asking if he received my Dec. 26 email, and he replied that he had, and that he had sent a response. Sadly, i did not receive that response, and he did not offer to resend it. He asked me to read the book in detail and then reply again which i did, up to page 185, and sent him a reply to which there has not been a reply for almost 1 month now, so it looks like there will not be more communication between us.

Following are my notes (shown as “my”), things that struck me as either good or bad, but in some way important. Most of the following are actual quotes from the book, but not all. I have not capitalized most of them, as they are quotes taken from parts of sentences.
——————————————
There are 2 full pages just listing various translations used.
Br. du Preez has written a whole book to explain the sabbath in Colossians 2:16.
p.13 The Holy Spirit inspired … in their own words
“my”I believe the Holy Spirit dictated it, just as written in chapter 30 of the 1858 Great Controversy, and Testimonies volume26: “The scribes of God wrote as they were dictated by the Holy Spirit, having no control of the work themselves.”

p.22 Br. du Preez writes that we must follow Biblical methods

p.25 one could “mark” (the feasts) without observing them
“my”This starts a very troublesome assertion made several times in this book, one without any biblical support at all. That is – that while we can do something with the feasts to learn from them, we MUST NOT keep them. I fail to see any precedent for this in the inspired writings either.

p.26 The New Testament says these are “Jewish” feasts
“my”The New Testament also says salvation is “of the Jews”. So are we supposed to reject salvation because it is Jewish?!

p.29 disses Strong’s Concordance, completely rejecting it
“my”Strong’s is so vehemently dissed, that i checked the book cover to make sure the subtitle wasn’t something like “and throw away your Strong’s Concordance as fast as you can!”

p.29 Genesis 1:14 Mo’ed here simply means “fixed/appointed time”. Mo’ed is translated “assembly” about 2/3 of the time, and “festival” around 1/4
“my”This is very true. So my question is, how are we really supposed to view it? Is it wrong to view ALL these instances as connected somehow?

p.39 Proof text method of study is not good
“my”Perhaps true, but this is how the Seventh-day Adventist church was born, so to diss it now is basically saying that our church is based on a false method of bible study.

p.42 Hebrews 11:28 should say Moses instituted the Passover
“my”Perhaps true, but this starts a pattern in the book of subtly saying that you ignorant laypeople cannot understand the scriptures for yourself – you must have someone with a degree to determine what it means for you. This is directly related to the hard attacks on Strong’s Concordance – a layman’s tool.

p.44 Passover not universal. Created for literal nation of Israel

p.45 Festivals to be celebrated only in Jerusalem
“my”This argument is very weak. Jesus specifically told the lady at the well where to worship God – John 4:21

p.50 Lot’s unleavened bread just means he made it quickly
“my”Good point. Like if someone hungry came to my house suddenly, i may open a can of soup quickly for them. That doesn’t mean i’m keeping some kind of soup festival!

p.51 strongly disses KJV

p.52 about Joseph keeping feasts – Ps 81:3-5 just means when Israel came out
“my”Good point. This text and the one about Lot with unleavened bread often used by feast-supporters are rightly shown not to have the meaning feast-supporters say they do.

p.58 distinctions are made between the 7th day Sabbath and the feasts
“my”Yes, there are distinctions, but it is also true that Leviticus 23 lists them all together, with the 7th day being the greatest one it seems.

p.60 Passover timing allowed to change by God, but not 7th day

p.69 no fire sacrifice on 7th day
“my”Interesting. But there were animal sacrifices specified especially for the 7th day too.

p.72 Mo’adim determined by humans not God because lunar
“my”Not sure about this one. It is interesting how God specifies the time to keep the 7th day very clearly, but not how to start a new year, or new month. But to say it is determined by humans is a bit over the top it seems.

p.74 7th day not a mo’ed
“my”I must study this one out more.

p.90 without actually participating in these literal animal sacrifices
“my”Br. du Preez has a completely different idea of this, because he believes that “ceremonial=festal”. But the Bible clearly states that the sacrifices and oblations were to cease in the middle of the week, without mentioning the feasts at all (Daniel 9:27).

p.94 to observe a feast day without a sacrifice is an illicit and illegitimate act
“my”Author’s interpretation, proved false by Daniel 9:27 and by the keeping of the feasts by our Lord, Jesus Christ, who never sacrificed any animals.

p.98 Isaiah 66:23 “new moon” should be “month”
“my”Perhaps true. The fact is that we will meet from month to month, and based on biblical precedent, the specific day would be the start of each new month.

p.103 Daniel 7:25 is not referring to appointed seasons
“my”Perhaps true. Covered more in p.245 review below.

p.105 Daniel 9:27 – terms “sacrifice” or “offering” refer to whole ceremonial system
“my”Somehow many of us SDAs equate sacrifices with ceremonial system, then lump the feasts in there somehow, and knowing that all sacrifices ceased at the cross, glibly throw out the feasts too, all based on a supposition. This verse says clearly what will cease in the middle of the week – sacrifices and oblations. Where is the word “feasts” or “festivals” or “statutes” used???

p.106 Jesus used hyperbole
“my”No. Jesus always spoke the truth.

p.106 give us our daily “bread” – accurately interpreted as “food”
“my”Here the author tries to show that “bread” is not just “bread”, but all food, so in the same vein “sacrifices and oblations” are not just that, but also the whole festal system. No inspired support is given tho. I disagree strongly with the assertion that this verse is best translated “food”. Perhaps i live in a culture where pig meat is the main article of food. So in my bible, Jesus’ prayer would be translated as “Give us this day our daily ham sandwich”!

p.115 6 of the 7 feast “sabbaths” are not called “shabbat” in the Hebrew
“my”This may be a big point against the feasts, but it is VERY interesting to note that ONE of the “festal” sabbaths (Day of Atonement) IS called “shabbat”!! That would mean that we must keep that day.

p.121 “forever” means until the Messiah
“my”Maybe, maybe not. There is no inspired evidence given.

p.125 RH 6-14-1898 Jewish ordinances
“my”Many times “ceremonial” is linked to the feasts without any, zero, inspired support. It is just assumed. This was my position on the feasts as late as summer 2011, as i had read other people’s works who ASSUMED that “ceremonial=feasts”, so dumped them all.

p.127 Jewish feasts are not Christian according to John.
“my”Please see comment above on p.26. To even think that a disciple of John would diss God’s statutes in any way really beggars belief. John would have instantly lost all influence over his countrymen, as they are specifically ordered in the bible to not accept anyone who breaks the law. This is why they hated Christ, because he kept the law perfectly in letter and in spirit. Perhaps the Holy Spirit chose to point these feasts out as “Jewish” in order to show that they were different from the pagan feasts? In Matt. 27 Jesus agrees that he is “King of the Jews”. By Br. du Preez’s logic here, we should reject Jesus, because he is not king of the Christians!

p.127-8 Bacchiocchi was a mess!
“my”Agreed! He wrote me once that parts of Psalms are not inspired!

p.137 Romans 12:1 says we are the sacrifice – this is dangerous cut and paste theology.
“my”We are a kingdom of priests, and as such, must have a sacrifice to offer. Of course we are the sacrifice. This is new light shining brightly on the sanctuary to open up its beauties 🙂

New Testament related
p.150 1Corinthians 5:7-8 admonition to keep the feast is obviously metaphorical
“my”Agreed. But that makes this all the more powerful, because the Holy Spirit is saying metaphorically that we are to keep the feast – this side of the cross!!

p.150 to keep the feasts is to deny Christ’s atonement (quote Kistemaker)
“my”Mr. Kistemaker is not Seventh-day Adventist, and obviously not inspired, yet his quote is used as fact. Why, Brother du Preez?

p.151 it’s good to research and commemerate the feasts but “it is to be rejected in terms of the actual observance of the set times”
“my”No inspired words are used to back this up. This is just conjecture on the author’s part.

p.158 Colossians 2:14-16 The Decalogue, health laws, and universal principles enumerated in the Torah were to continue – but the ceremonial law was done away with
“my”Again, no inspired proof.

p.159 The ceremonial law was against us
“my”What was given by God, and put in the side of the Ark of the Covenant was “against us”?! Of course, just like the 10 Commandments which were put inside the ark – if we break them, we are condemned as law-breakers.

p.160 ceremonial law “included all the rituals, festivals and feasts”
“my”Again, no inspired proof.

p.161 “these statutes” cannot be referring to the annual appointed seasons
“my”Again, no inspired proof.

p.161 there are three categories of laws – moral, civil, and ceremonial
“my”Maybe, maybe not. There is no inspired proof of this assertion.

p.164 the observance of festival, new moon, or sabbath

p.166 Strong’s must be jettisoned

p.168 Colossians 2:16 refers to pilgrimage festivals, new moons, and non-pilgrimage feasts
“my”Br. du Preez makes mighty efforts to distance the 7th day Sabbath from the “Sabbaths of the Lord”. Without doubt, he has done the most research on Colossians 2:16 of any of our denominationally-employed bible scholars today. I think this marking of 3 things listed in this bible verse into the 3 categories he does is unique to his research. I don’t believe that this text is using a common word “sabbaton” translated in the NT as “sabbath day” 37times, “sabbath” 22times, and “week” 7times suddenly allowed to be translated here as “non-pilgrimage feasts”. This interpretation will make us SDAs become even more of a laughing-stock among other Christians if we adopt this as our standard doctrine on this text. Why doesn’t the author show that the “no man” referred to in this verse is obviously talking about a wicked man? So we shouldn’t care what that wicked person says about our keeping of holy days, new moons, and sabbaths. To interpret Colossians 2:16 as doing away with any part of the law of God is taking it totally out of context.

p.175 Though it was not wrong for the Jew trained from his infancy in the law, for a period of transition, to observe some of these customs as mere customs… it was certainly wrong… to impose them upon the Gentiles
“my”Supposition by the author.

p.182 Paul went to Jerusalem not to actually observe the day
“my”Acts 18:21 says otherwise.

p.185 Ellen White wrote that Paul kept a feast – Thus, this event that she records will not change our Adventist beliefs, from a non-feast-keeping to a feast-keeping church
“my”This is incredible. What is the purpose of using her quotations at all then? Is it fair to just use her quotations that you believe support your position as “inspired”, and then reject her quotations that don’t support your view?

p.186 Feast-keepers are either ignorant….
“my”This word “ignorant” appears many times in this book. Probably it was used by the Pharisees to diss the disciples too – those “ignorant fishermen”.

p.187 We have already demonstrated that the inspired apostle Paul specifically stated that the ancient festal calendar as a “shadow” had met its fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the substance to which all the ceremonial law pointed
“my”Not demonstrated. Some words from non-sda “scholars” were used to “demonstrate” this, not inspired words.

p.188 saints participate in marriage supper of the Lamb

p.193 To continue these rites [i.e., including observing these obsolete annual set seasons}
“my”Obsolete? Where is the proof? Just repeating what some other author has to write about the feasts as fact does not make it fact. Please Br. du Preez, give inspired words to give evidence for your position.

p.203 …there are no triads in the entire Old Testament that include the weekly seventh-day Sabbath
“my”1Chronicles 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts…

p.208 (there were) 6 “semi-rest” days and one ceremonial sabbath
“my”There are no inspired words anywhere that call the feasts “semi-rest” days, or that the Day of Atonement was a “ceremonial” sabbath.

p.217 The feasts are not statutes
“my”Outrageous comment by the author! Regarding the Feast of Tabernacles, Leviticus 23:41 says: And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. [It shall be] a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.

p.218 these statutes cannot be referring to the annual appointed seasons
“my”The author says only the statutes to govern everyday life are referred to. RH 5-6-1875: According to Ellen White the statutes (a) govern everyday life (b) specify the duty of man to his fellow men (c) are dealing with things such as marriage, inheritance, and strict justice. So how can anyone say for sure that the feasts don’t fit into one of these 3 categories that God had Ellen White write? It looks to me that the feasts sure DO govern everyday life and specify duty to fellow men and deal with strict justice also.

p.220 cannot be message of truth because it is divisive
“my”ALL messages of truth are divisive! This is an incredible statement from a “scholar” of the Seventh-day Adventist church, the most divisive church among all the Christian churches!!!

p.228 Br. du Preez tries to link Passover with ceremonial law

p.200-220 Many Ellen White quotes for feast-keeping debunked (mostly spot-on)

p.230-240 Ellen White quotes about no independent moves

p.244 festal calendar enthusiasts tend to accept one aberrant belief after another like – future prophecy, sacred names, lunar sabbaths, anti-trinity, and pictorial Hebrew characters
“my”Mostly a true observation. Many of the Millerites went into aberrant beliefs too, but did that make their main message wrong?

p.245 disses idea that Roman Catholic Church abolished set times
“my”This can be easily disproved with a few minutes with Wikipedia reading the article on the 325ad Council of Nicaea where one of the biggest problems to solve was “settling the calculation of the date of Easter”.

p.245 says feast-keeping imitates rabbis, not the Bible
“my”Jesus kept the feasts. Jesus was a rabbi 🙂

p.246 those of Jewish descent can enjoy these ancient festivals as merely part of their cultural heritage, as long as this does not detract from Jesus the Messiah, or the typological thrust of these set times

p.248 quotes book “SDAs Believe”, then basically says if you don’t believe it, you’re not an authentic SDA!
“my”Typical strong-arm tactics when the evidence for your position is weak. I never find inspired authors resorting to this tactic.

p.249 destroys basically his whole argument against the feasts by admitting that Ellen White never directly addressed the specific issue of the literal observance of the festal calendar

p.251 “ceremonial law, which includes the festal calendar”
“my”Br. du Preez gives no proof.

p.252-4 a very strange “interview” with Jesus

p.255 Br. du Preez compares the early church “allegedly” keeping the feasts with apostacy!

p.255 Br. du Preez says there weren’t 7 “sabbaths”. It would have been more accurate for it to have described these as six “semi-rest” days and one ceremonial sabbath
“my”Now we need “scholars” to re-write the Bible for us???
=========================
All-in-all, i appreciate this book for showing the best “scholarly” view of how we should see the feasts. There are good points made regarding some of the texts that feast-keepers use to support their position which they take out of context. However, the condescending, arrogant tone is unfortunate. The comment on page 185 about we are not going to become a feast-keeping church bascially “no matter what” is incredible. If this book is the most scholarly we have as a Seventh-day Adventist denomination, and i believe it is, then it is obvious that there is a lot more study we need to make into the Statutes of the Lord, and the feast days.

28 thoughts on “Feast-Keeping and the Faithful by Ron du Preez review”

  1. I find your review highly disappointing. You state that Ron du Preez’ book, “Feast-Keeping and the Faithful” attempts to link feast keeping with the sacrifices, but does so “in vain”.

    Pretend for a moment that Ron du Preez does not exist. Focus on the Biblical exegesis he provided in his book:

    The Law of God was never abolished. Only the earthly remedial system was abolished, and changed over to a heavenly remedial system, where Christ as our High Priest “ever liveth to make intercession for us” (Heb. 7:25), because type had met antitype. The New Covenant era is the Antitype of the Old Covenant types. Therefore, all earthly festivals and ceremonies were intrinsically interconnected with the sacrificial system.

    The NIV translates Leviticus 23:37 thus:

    “These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies FOR bringing offerings made BY fire to the LORD.” (Lev. 23:37)

    This is similar to the Bible in Basic English:

    “These are fixed feasts of the Lord, to be kept by you as holy days of worship, FOR making an offering by fire to the Lord.”

    The somewhat more idiomatic New Living Translation (revised) has rendered it:

    “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals. Celebrate them each year as official days for holy assembly BY presenting special gifts to the Lord.”.

    Even before the publication of the King James Version, the sixteenth century Geneva Bible put it this way:

    “These are the feasts of the Lord (which ye shall call holy convocations) TO offer sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.”

    In brief, the appointed seasons are for sacrificing; these occasions were set up by God so as TO offer sacrifices.

    However, it is abundantly clear that the Seventh-Day Sabbath of the 4th commandment was NEVER FOR offerings or sacrifices. What was it made for? It was made FOR “man” (Mark 2:26,27). Why were we to celebrate it? “FOR in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (Exodus 20:11)

    The festival feasts were “BESIDE the Sabbaths of the Lord”. This is the very NEXT verse after Leviticus 23:37 which just gave the reasons for the festivals:
    “BESIDE the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:38 )
    Thus, we see how when Paul in Ephesians 2:15, Galatians 4:10, Romans 14:5 and Colossians 2:14-17 provided clear stipulations for the abolishment of those commandments contained in “ordinances”, and were a “shadow” of things to come, he in NO way was thinking of the Ten Commandments which were completely beside the shadowy services that were interconnected with the sanctuary. If the Sabbath was not “for offerings and sacrifices”, then it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for it to be included with the other 11 festival “sabbaths” (pdf) which were tied to the sacrificial offerings, and absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for it to be a “substance” or “shadow” of Christ as Colossians 2:17 puts it. The Sabbath points backward to creation, and was instituted in Genesis 2:2,3 long before, sin, a Jew, or any Sinaitic covenant existed. The festival sabbaths that were for sacrificial offerings were shadows pointing forward to the cross—and all these met their substance, and therefore their earthly function needed to cease.

    Yes, it is true that there were times sacrifices were offered on Sabbath, but these sacrifices were not offered on the Sabbath because the Sabbath was the Sabbath. But because it happened to be #1. Something they added to that day, and #2. A number of times the festivals landed on the Sabbath making it a “high day”. But the Sabbath of the 4th commandment was never made “for” offerings and sacrifices. The 4th commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 tell us what the Sabbath was for, and it was for something that was “outside” of the Old Covenant. In fact, the Sabbath is mentioned as obligatory in Exodus 16, a whole month prior to when the covenant was made at Sinai.

    The earthly ceremonial festivals along with offerings and circumcision was a remedial law to deal with the problem of sin against the MAIN law. In other words, circumcision is not moral. It is only a ceremony to SYMBOLIZE the severing of the old man of sin and the flesh from our lives (see Col. 2:11; Rom. 2:29; Deut 10:16). But it is not the “base” law. The remedial/ceremonial law simply deals with the problem of sin, or “remedies” the problem of sin–against what? Against the MAIN law contained in the Ark of the Covenant–the laws which Christ came to amplify and magnify their vast spiritual meaning!

    We therefore see, that Preez has establish an unmovable scriptural point.

    The case is settled.

    The case is closed.

    All festival keeping has now been proven Biblically to no longer be binding.

    It is official.

    Continue to keep the feasts, and you will continue to insult Jehovah.

    ~ Lysimachus

  2. Hello Lysimachus,
    Your detailed reply is very welcome.
    And your tone is nice too until near the end.
    .
    However, you have not covered many of the main points why the feasts are still binding on us today.
    1. They were given by Jesus as God
    2. They were kept by Jesus as man
    3. They are part of the Statutes which we know for certain are still in force
    4. There is no place anywhere in the Bible or Ellen White’s writings to show that they have been done away
    .
    Please think about it Lysimachus —
    We Seventh-day Adventists choose to keep some of the Statutes today, but not others. Why?
    .
    To say that doing as Jesus did in keeping the feasts is to “continue to insult Jehovah” is saying that Jesus insulted Jehovah. Is this what you intended?
    .
    Please study a little deeper, and refrain from sweeping statements not supported by the Word of God 🙂

  3. Jesus kept the feasts because the feasts were not done away with until the cross…Col 2:14-17…(notice-new moon, drink and meat offering, Sabbath days, holy days). Now read these verses, Lev 23(whole chapter-mainly verses 34-37); 2Chron 2:4; 1Chron23:31-32; 2Chron 8:13. These are about feasts like the feast of tabernacles and unleavened bread, booths, etc. They contain the same wording found in Col 2:14-17. Col 2:14-17 mentions that these are a shadow of things to come…these feasts pointed to Jesus in some form or way.Take the Passover, Christ is our Passover Lamb…if we r keeping the feasts we are denying Christ especially the Cross…forgive me for the very direct typing approach I’m using a cellphone. It does not type the best.

  4. Hello Colten,
    I thot mostly like you until just last year. I found out from the inspired words and from history that i was wrong.
    .
    You say the feasts are a shadow, but there is no proof given that even if they are “a shadow”, which inspiration says they were not, nowhere does the Colossians 2 text say anything about abolishing anything. In fact, Paul himself in Acts 28 says “I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers”.
    .
    Your point athat Jesus did keep the feasts, and then abolished them, is very, very strange. Actually, you are admitting that we are to keep the feasts, because everyone knows that if we do exactly like Jesus, he will certainly let us in heaven to live with him forever, won’t he? Isn’t it those who DON’T do like him that he will reject?
    .
    Let’s be deeper students of the Word, and follow the Lamb wherever he leads us.

  5. You never understood what I meant…when Jesus was living on earth the law(book of the law-law of moses, etc) was still abiding but when Jesus died that’s when the law was done away with…Jesus ate fish does that mean that we can eat fish…I need to get ready for work soon but the health message is very important for us to take heed to…especially since we r living in the anti typical day of atonement. I can go more in depth later.
    Have a good day…keep studying…and as I say, forward on our knees

  6. Yes Colten, I do understand what you meant. What you wrote is basically the same way i was thinking about the feasts until last year when my eyes were opened and i stopped leaning on human wisdom.
    .
    If you can show me from the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy that Jesus did away with the law, then please show that proof. We know from Jesus’ own words that none of the law will pass away until ALL is fulfilled, and heaven and earth pass away.

  7. I will look into it…can u show me in the Bible or SoP where it says that we don’t have to keep the feasts exactly like they did in the Old Testament

  8. Thank you for this calm assessment of Ron DuPreez’ book. We are SDAs and have been Feast Keepers since about 2002, after studying the subject from various angles.

    We have more recently written three books on the topic: The Elijah Message, Preparing for the Latter Rain and Jesus Gives Joy. We have also written a 12-page response to the two recent (Feb 2012) articles in the Adventist Review.

    The Feast message is gaining ground, as the opposition to it shows.

    God bless you, and don’t let them wear you down.

    Connie Dahlke

  9. No evidence is given for the position you have stated, Simon. None is given at the url provided either……
    .
    Please show from the inspired words that the Statutes of the Lord regarding the feast days has been done away with. I will gladly obey and follow.

  10. Simon, you have been busy commenting a lot today! (I deleted around 5 of his comments)
    .
    I suggest you think a little more before posting in the future.
    .
    Perhaps Daniel 9:27 is the verse you are thinking of? If so, yes, it is clear exactly what would be done away with in the middle of the week – the sacrifices and oblations. Please show where it says the “holy days”, or “sabbaths”, or “feasts of the Lord” are done away with.

  11. “”p.255 Br. du Preez says there weren’t 7 “sabbaths”. It would have been more accurate for it to have described these as six “semi-rest” days and one ceremonial sabbath
    “my”Now we need “scholars” to re-write the Bible for us???””

    Again, if he insists that there weren’t 7 “sabbaths” then why does he go out of his way trying to prove that the word Sabbaths (sabbaton) in Col. 2:16 refers to the 7 annual feasts and not the weekly Sabbath?

    Brother du Preez maketh no sense!

    Kevin McMillen
    Morgantown, WV
    kljcmc@comcast.net

  12. In Col. 2:16 the “no man” is obviously talking about those from the “sect of the pharisees which believed”

    Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.

    Anyone who has studied the Pharisees should know that when they spoke of the “law of Moses” they meant not only the written Law but also the oral Law.

    The oral law had just as much weight with the Pharisee as the written law did.

    So, anyone who has studied the Mishnah should know all the different rules and regulations the Pharisees had concerning eating, drinking, Holy Days, New Moons, and the Sabbaths.

    It was these Pharisees who were judging the gentile Colossians telling them that they weren’t eating drinking and keeping the days properly according to the traditions of the Fathers.

    Hence this is why Paul wrote:

    Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

    Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

    The Colossians were most certainly keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days, just as the Corinthians were, and the Galatians. Gal. 4:10

    It’s just that the Galatians were allowing the believing Pharisees to influence them and they were meticulously watching, and being very careful about what they did on the sabbath and Feast days.

    Look up the word for observe in Gal. 4:10.

    It is paratereo and it is only used 5 times in the bible. Once it’s translated observe, the other 4 times it’s translated watch.

    It is used when the Jews were watching Jesus to see if he would sin.

    It is a negative word meaning to meticulously watch, or scrupulously watch.

    There’s nothing wrong with keeping the days but we aren’t to scrupulously watch what we do as if our salvation depends on it.

    Some say the Galatians were going back to pagan days here in Gal. 4:10 but that doesn’t make contextual sense.

    Paul is admonishing the Galatians for thinking that their lawkeeping works could save them.

    Why would anyone who thought that law keeping would save them, why would they go back to pagan days?

    The weak and beggarly elements were trying to earn salvation with meticulous scrupulous religious practices.

    Keeping the Sabbath and Holy Days because we want to obey God, knowing that our salvation rests solely on Jesus is the proper way to keep days, not thinking that keeping them makes us any closer to God.

    Kevin McMillen
    Morgantown, WV
    kljcmc@comcast.net

  13. “”p.187 We have already demonstrated that the inspired apostle Paul specifically stated that the ancient festal calendar as a “shadow” had met its fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the substance to which all the ceremonial law pointed
    “my”Not demonstrated. Some words from non-sda “scholars” were used to “demonstrate” this, not inspired words.””

    Paul wrote Colossians in about 62ad. In Col. 2:17 he said that these “are” (present tense) shadows if things to come (future tense).

    No where does the bible call anything shadows of anything past.

    The Feasts and the weekly Sabbath day are shadows of things yet to come.

    Things that were yet to come in 62ad, over 30 years after Jesus’ death, and they are still yet to come today in 2013ad.

    Kevin McMillen
    Morgantown, WV
    kljcmc@comcast.net

  14. It truly saddens me that keeping the festivals has been such a matter of contention among SDAs in recent years. At a time when the message of the first angel should be proclaimed with power, opposition and division has hampered our evangelism. The question is who is opposing the true message of the first angel? In June 2011, I was studying revival throughout Scripture. I discovered that the reading of Torah was a central activity to each of seven biblical revivals. In nearly every case a festival was restored and celebrated. In my Daniel Seminar KJV cross references, at Rev 14:7 it gave Neh 9:6. This surprised me because we have always referred to Ex 20:8. When I read the context of Nehemiah 9 (8-10), I found a detailed description of the last recorded biblical revival. When I considered Revelation 14 to be a call to the earth’s final revival, I wondered how John quoted Nehemiah as if to reference a pattern to be repeated. Fear God and give glory to Him is also a call to define this revival with Hebraic context. It is time for SDAs to give the message we have been called to give with all the light that scriptural study brings. Feast keepers are no less SDAS as we give the Three Angels Messages. We do not seek to oppose our brethren we only seek to fear God and give glory to Him. We seek to live the message we bear. Christian said the Luke 10:27, this do and thought shalt live. “Worship HIM that made,” is understood in the greater context of Nehemiah when a call to worship HIM was a call to return to the covenant (Neh 10:29). We have more than a message, we have a prescribed lifestyle which settles us into the truth that we will not be moved (the sealing). Feast keeping is a small piece to a larger whole. It is “obedience to all HIS requirements.” It is rejoicing in the specifications of the law. The everlasting gospel to be given to all in Rev 14:6 does not exclude the invitations to action in verse 7. Our characters are to give HIM glory. Let us not oppose the very message we are called to give. Mal 4:4-6 is also declared to be the final revival. We must be on the right track if we interpreted John in Revelation 14 to call us to Remember the law of Moses with its statutes and judgments. It is the Elijah message. It is a call to true covenant worship, moving away from Baal (Babylon). Let us come into unity and action as a people.

  15. I hadn’t really made that connecion between the 3 Angels’ Messages and the holy days of the Lord before. Looks like that is a profitable line of study.

  16. I have been an SDA since 1955 and have a degree in Biblical History specializing also in Afrikan studies. Since a young child I was ardent student of Commentaries including the SDA. I had a lot of questions that SDA taught but did not make either Biblical sense or common sense. One were the Holy Days that YAHWEH very clearly stated that they belong to HIM. I also realize that the words feast means what is says and it what pagans do since they left keeping the original Holy Days of ELOHIM.
    I found that these Holy Days were pronounced even before man and sin. Gen 1:14
    Many including SDA’s who proclaim to keep do not seem to realize their significance and felt as those who do not observe to be related with animal sacrifice. What I see and relate to all animal sacrifice came because of sin and not the Holy Days.
    All who claim to keep the Holy Days do actually realizes that they are part of the Law know as Statutes which are fixed time that can only be given by ELOHIM. Fix time is only a part of YAHWEH’S ELOHIM Calendar which includes both the moon and the sun. Geology and Astrology also have been over look because most do not believe in a worldwide flood with the water rising all the up into the Lithosphere. The amount of water that was preserve surrounding the outer sphere of the earth also came down during the flood. With all of the water and the large land mass cause the earth to move from its original rotation around the sun and the moon could not rotate equally around the earth. ELOHIM had already prepare for this change and told man that now he will receive various type of climate. Gen 8:22 However, man was continue to use the original calendar they did not. ELOHIM also provided the New Year base on ELOHIM fix time, the ancient knew this but the Egyptian decided to change time using the sun as a calendar only. Others follow and the Roman did the same but it continue throw off yearly time and Gregory the Pope corrected the days but not the months, that why we have leap years which makes no sense. Because the sun and moon were off ELOHIM fix that it would be corrected every 19 years so a 13 month would be added. Again, YAHWEH fix time because of sin, HE stated clearly when man would be able to see a sliver of light on the New Moon it would always begin the month but to actual time the New Year begin has to do with the barley crop when it becomes ripen. This special grain crop ripen first among all of the grain crop and this happen in our time between late March to April. The barley in Israel must reach a certain stage in its ripeness that is called Abib and the next seen sliver of the moon is the beginning of the year. Ex 13, 4
    The final problem that I have with Holy Days keepers is the passover. The Jews after the Babylonian exile make up a lie that Holy Day keepers even today do not seem to understand, which make no sense Biblically. Exodus Chapter 12 gives the passover and the Fix Time of Unleavened Bread that had been forgotten. Bread without yeast is flat, so the yeast represent sin. The Jews claim that the passover is a day and it is not. It a supper ceremony that begins the Holy Convocation of Unleavened Bread. This ceremony or supper of roasting and eating a lamb was to be kept until YAHSHUA change it and made a New and final Supper. Matt 26:17-20 This Holy Convocation Day shows the saving power of THE ALMIGHTY ONES, they never was meant for sacrifice or sin. Sacrifices ceremonies was to show that sin causes death and only YAHWHEH’S SON A ELOAH could only die to redeem or buy man back from his fate that the Holy Law required-death! A short presentation of salvation of the Holy Days.
    Unleavened Bread – removal of all sin in order to be sealed,
    Harvest – the first-fruits (144,000) the final labor of souls,
    The Day of Atonement – man’s only sabbath so serious no type of work and to return making a complete u turn to ELOHIM, with man’s heart not just with the mouth, very serious day final sealing process takes place,
    The Ingathering – The final ingathering of souls the great multitude.
    Blessings!

  17. If anyone is interested i self publish a spring to spring Scripture based calendar based on observance of barley ripeness in israel to start the year and projected post-conjunction 1st visible moon crescents (from israel) to start the months. Its a wall calendar and is based on observation rather than computation as the modern jewish calendar is. Therefore it can be a a couple days different than the jewish calendar or some years, a whole month different. I do feast-friendly / calendar friendly commentary in the space above the calendar where the pictures of puppies or mountain vistas usually go 🙂

  18. Comment concerning Scott’s APRIL 21, 2016 AT 3:18 PM comment noting that his website http://3rdangelfarmandpublishing.com/ is no longer working defunct.
    Many claim the Feasts can’t be from God because the beginning of the year is determined by man. This is true If we look horizontal instead of vertical to determine God’s calendar for the Feasts Days
    While studying how to determine the calendar several times praying for clarification from the Lord and each time He took me back to Genesis 1:14;
    14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
    The last time I asked He audibly answered; “What part of Genesis 1:14 is unclear?”
    I live in Pennsylvania and my family lives in southern California both have differing dates for barley harvests. It is true the Jews and Karites observed the local or Jerusalem barley conditions for their determinations but If you examine the all the verses that talk about abib, each one clearly says ‘abib in Egypt.’, ‘The grain was abib in Egypt.’ ‘abib in Egypt.’. Shouldn’t the grain observations only be made in Egypt?
    As stated/implied in Gen 1:14 the year is always based upon a revolution around the sun just as the month is based on the lunar cycle and the position of the stars/constellations also affirm the year. The most basic component, the day is also determined by the Sun. Lets face it, if you turn off the Sun you have no year, day, month or crop for that matter. Weather like draughts can affect the barley but never the annual solar cycle.
    The sun determines the start of the year but what event solstice/equinox, spring, summer, fall or winter should be used? It makes sense now that barley abib in Egypt is the pointer, the vital key to the answer needed as to the solar event to use as only the spring equinox will correspond with grain in egypt. The verse that was popped into my head was ‘the evening and the morning were the first day’.
    Equal night and day trigger beginning of the year in conjunction with the new moon and sunset is the Gen 1:14 method for determining the year. Jews are in a way correct for thinking you can calculate dates but the formula they use is wrong as they mingle it with human observation departing from the vertical signs stated in scripture.
    Lets all be united by the wonderful and powerful word of God! GBU

  19. Shalom, So we can then calculate the days of the week by just counting the work days, correct for example new moon day is the 1st day of the month, and it’s not a work day. so the 1st day of the work week would be the 2nd and the Sabbath on the 8th,

  20. Mark Muff, Agreed with everything in your post.
    Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about using the barley crop as the signal for the start of a new year. I’ve made that observation to many people, and usually they get upset and say something like: “How can you have barley to wave before the Lord then?!”

    That type of thinking is not logical or biblical. Just because God commanded to bring some object for a day he set apart as holy, does nothing to indicate that this object is somehow the marker for the start of a new year. Genesis 1:14 lays down the rules, and it is only the sun, moon, and stars that define the years, days, months, and seasons.

    Angel,
    no, there is nowhere in the Bible that says the new moon is a 7th day Sabbath. In fact, there is nowhere it even says that one is not supposed to work on the new moon. The new moon was a day in the Old Testament when they made animal sacrifices and met together, but since the cross it is a day to meet together. We will be doing this in the New Earth too according to Isaiah 66:23 ​From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.

    Please note that the 7th day Sabbath has been every 7th day since Creation week, thus refuting the idea of a 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, 1st… cycle.

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