GOD'S HOLY DAY OFFERINGS
GOD'S HOLY DAY OFFERINGS
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD your God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty" (Deut 16:16).
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We must never let the Holy Days, God's foundational plan given to mankind as a road map to salvation and eternal life, become a peripheral issue. God's Sabbath and Holy Days are to be kept on the correct days - those found in Leviticus 23. Why would God inspire Moses to write down the specific days and months He wanted kept as "appointed times," if they were to be kept on some other days?
Keeping focused on God's Holy Days is a test of our obedience to His Word. Satan is out to deceive and peripheralize as much of God's Word as he can. Are we going to follow the traditions of men and the traditions that man has set in the Church, or are we going to follow what God's Word says?
We have heard some are teaching and believe the Holy Days, the new true moon and the days we keep them on, is a "peripheral issue." We can not trivialize God's Holy Days by thinking that it is not really important which day we keep them on. The meaning of "peripheral" in Webster's Dictionary is: "1. Something located away from a center or central portion (external); 2. Relating to, or being the outer- part of the field of vision."
God's Holy days are the ledger for understanding His plan for man's salvation. Those who practice keeping the Holy Days in their "peripheral vision" will always feel it's OK to postpone the Holy Days for a preparation day.
God's law and His written words are to be obeyed. That is why we are told to "prove all things" (1Thes. 5:21).
We have also heard some feel the Church of God, In Truth is "riding a hobby horse" on the POSTPONEMENT ISSUE. They compare us to the example of Mr. Armstrong talking about the two trees. To this day some still don't understand the importance of the two trees! Unfortunately they have trivialized that too!
If we continue clinging to the traditions of men, and the traditions that are set by men in the Church, postponing God's Holy Days and God's true new moon, then the tree of life that is mentioned in Rev. 22, has no significant meaning in our life. God says His Word is truth, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). It is to be obeyed! What God has put a period to, let's not put a question mark!
Let's look for a moment at another subject. This subject has been a tradition in the Worldwide Church of God for many years. Other Churches of God have just followed along with this man made tradition. Look in Deut.16:16-17. This is a very familiar verse that is read almost every Holy Day. "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall choose, in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee" (Deut. 16:16-17).
In the Good News magazine dated Sept. 1983, page 17, is the explanation of why a monetary offering is taken up on all seven of their traditional Holy Days. "In Deuteronomy 16:16-17, the command relates to ‘three times a year.' There are seven feasts in the year. Did God intend that four of them have no such command? No. The command refers to the three seasons or periods of the year when these special gifts are to be presented. Two of God's feasts, the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, are grouped together in the spring. God's third festival Pentecost, occurs in early summer. he final four festivals - The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day - are observed in the fall. (It should be noted that the seasons in which the Holy Days fall are based on the seasons in Palestine. The Holy Days occur in different seasons in other parts of the world, such as parts of the Southern Hemisphere). So the term ‘three times' in Deuteronomy 16: 16-17, refers to these three seasons and includes all the feasts. As a matter of convenience for the giver, and for those who receive and process the gifts, God's Church has TRADITIONALLY COLLECTED THESE OFFERINGS ON THE SEVEN HIGH DAYS. OR HOLY DAYS."
Go back and read the whole chapter of Deuteronomy 16. Read also Exodus 23:14-17 and Exodus 34:18-24. You will find only three Holy Days mentioned that commanded offerings are to be taken up.
The words "three times" in Deut. 16:16 means, "consecutive." The true meaning of Strong's #7969 for the word "three" and Strong's #6471 for the word "times," as defined in the New Browns-Drivers- Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon, is "one after another" - NOT SEASONS! Webster's Dictionary provides a similar meaning for "consecutive;" "One following after the other in order without gaps."
The Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are not mentioned in Deut. 16:16-17. If you wish, it is not wrong to give a free will offering on these two Holy Days, but giving an offering is only commanded on the following Holy Days: 1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread 2. The Feast of Pentecost 3. The Feast of Tabernacles. This is what your Bible says! This is just another example of what man and his traditions have added to God's Word! Obedience to God's Word is a lesson we are all going to have to learn and put into practice - if we are going to be used in God's Kingdom.
Satan is continually trying to make man think he is smarter than God and that his ways are better. So many try to "out righteous" God. It is careless and dangerous to assume such thoughts. God's ways are perfect. That is why we must never let the Holy Days, God's foundational plan given to mankind as a roadmap to salvation and eternal life, become a peripheral issue. Neither should we add to the three God commanded Holy Day offerings! "Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar" (Pro. 30:5-6).
Continue to pray that God's Spirit will lead us into truth!
James Russell
MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR, WHICH DAY TO GIVE HOLY DAY OFFERINGS!
MARCH 24TH 1st Day Unleavened Bread.
MAY 15th Pentecost
SEPTEMBER 17TH 1st day Feast of Tabernacles