Today is the Sabbath, and not tomorrow, Sunday.
I pray that CHristians will have their eyes
opened to how important this day is. It doesn't
have to be like the Old Testament times, or
like it is for the ultra-orthodox who won't
drive on Saturdays. All it needs to be is a
day that we acknowledge to be His day, as
he ordained.
I know I constantly harp on Christmas, Easter
and the Sunday changed Sabbath as being
intolerable, and it annoys everyone, but,
I am so utterly convicted that these are
wrong, that it drives me nuts.
The reason they're wrong, in my eyes, is
that God gave us an outline of LAWS and
sacred guides, not for his benefit, but,
as a form of discipline for us.
In the garden, Eve and Adam violated his
word by choosing the one tree that he
told them was off limits. He gave them
bountiful choices, but, they yielded to
their own minds to do what seemed right
to them, then blamed it on the snake.
God gave Moses a relatively light burden
of laws, which still form the foundation
of a moral society. In addition, he gave
the priesthood rituals which would, in time,
lead to greater understanding of the strange
act of love he would exchange, by giving us
the sacrifice of Christ instead of rams
and bulls. To some, it was foolishness then,
and it is foolish now, but, to those of us
who respect God's authority, we see the
full beauty of that sacrifice.
Likewise, the handful of convocation and
sacred days he ordained for us to observe
were specific, and for all generations.
Passover and Tabernacles were included,
along with Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana,
the Atonement and High Holy days, when
each year we're given a new beginning.
In Zechariah 14, after the Messiah establishes
his kingdom in Jerusalem, he gives a command
to have the Feast of Tabernacles observed
once a year by the nations of the world.
I'll get more into why that is (why I think
so) and it's a beautiful study of grace, but,
in no way was Christmas justified in any
scripture. Easter/Ishtar/Isis is even
observed with the pagan nod to fertility
rites of the old religion, the same way
Christmas still clings to the pagan tree
decoration and excessive orgy of material
and sensual excesses. By Zechariah making
mention of Tabernacles, alone, it is a
very subtle but blatant sign that the
festivals which have fallen by the wayside
will be observed FINALLY. In fact, any
who do not observe Tabernacles will be
accursed. So the right days are important
to him as a test of loyalty.
Just like the fruit of the forbidden
tree seemed right to Adam and Eve,
we can't be continually in rebellion
over those things which originated in
the pagan traditions. Putting Christ's
name on them doesn't lessen their
abomination, but, adds to them.
I pray that we start to abide by God's
word, not our own traditions.
Christian churches should be no exception.
I'm not very articulate this morning, but,
I am troubled by the barrage of bunnies
and eggs of Easter, and it makes the Christmas
trees and pagan rites of winter compounded
in error.
What's ironic, and I'll get into it when
I reach the latter verses in Zech 14, is
that Tabernacles is what I consider the
original season for the birth and
celebration of the Messiah, and it's
whole purpose celebrates Christ's
deliverance.
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