Here's Why Believers Should Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

Did you know that no matter what your background is you're called to keep the Biblical set apart times? These aren't just for people in the past or in the future. They aren't just for people who know for a fact their ancestors were the people in the Bible. They are for all of us and each set apart times presents a tremendous opportunity for spiritual growth! With each Biblical holiday that we take part in we learn more about the nature and character of YHWH, and we get to see these parts of Scripture come to life.

Why should we be keeping the feasts?

-We are told to keep these set apart times forever (Exodus 12:14). Do we really need any reasons beyond this? Following Scripture's instructions is in our best interest, whether that necessarily makes sense to us or not. The word tells us to participate in these things, and that should be reason enough - especially when it's something joyful like celebrating a holiday!

-We see the Messiah celebrating these times in Scripture. Many significant events in the Messiah's life happened around the feasts. Yahusha hosted a Passover meal (also known as the last supper), he had much to say at the Feast of Tabernacles, and even expressly told his brothers to go the festival. He rose from the grave on First Fruits, and commanded his disciples to stick around for Shavuot. And he should be our example, right? We are supposed to live like he did, and he celebrated the feasts!

-The New Testament tells us to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Even after the Messiah was ascended into heaven we are told to keep these festivals. By the way, Paul was not just talking to Jewish people here. Corinthians was written to Greek believers, so he didn't just mean for only Jewish people or people living in the land of Israel to celebrate these times. This is a New Testament passage telling us to keep the feasts.

-Scripture tells us not to let anyone judge us for doing this (Colossians 2:16). Why does the Bible mention this if it doesn't expect us to take part in these things? In his all knowing, YHWH knew we would be facing some peer pressure to not keep the feasts. I think that's why in Colossians he reminded us to not let other's opinions make our decisions for us, and to encourage us to take part in these days even when it isn't popular or convenient. We are not to let someone else's opinion change our resolve to keep these special times with our Creator!

-We gain a better understanding of Scripture by participating in these holy times. This is the difference between just reading about something and doing it for yourself. We can share in the experiences of Scripture and better relate to what the Israelites and our Messiah went through. By taking part in the festivals of YHWH we learn more of the Messiah's life, and can grow in prophetic understanding of these times. These times are not pointless or cutesy, they are in Scripture for a reason and we would all benefit to learn more.

-These are times of joy! I don't know anyone who would mind being happier or who wouldn't benefit from a more joyful heart. This is an opportunity for that! Life can be stressful and painful. Schedules can be jam-packed with drudgery. Relationships can be strained or hurtful. Scripture offers us a remedy for those things...and it's participating in the Creator's holy days. Leviticus 23:40 says these are times for rejoicing. If you need more joy in your life here is your opportunity.

The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts
Why Biblical Holidays are for All Believers

Hebrew Holiday Dates 2020 + Printable

Here are the 2020 Hebrew holiday dates! As usual, I'm providing a free printable so you can stick it in your planner, take it work, put it on the fridge, or whatever else you need to do to make sure that you'll be free to celebrate the special times of our Creator. All of these holidays are significant, and some of them are called Sabbaths in Scripture, which means we are instructed not to do any work on those days. I've made note of those so that you can plan accordingly. You can read more about no-work days here.

There are several different calendars out there for celebrating the feasts, and once again I'm giving you two sets of dates. My goal is not to convince you of one over the other (or even necessarily either of these), but to encourage you to pick a calendar to use so that you can honor Scripture's set apart times to the best of your ability. As always, pray about how you should live and be willing to make changes and adjustments as your faith grows.

Traditional calendar:

The traditional calendar has days going from sundown to sundown. Holidays start at sundown on the day listed. For example, Passover starts at sundown on April 9 and ends at sundown on April 10. The traditional calendar also gives an extra day for Shavuot and Yom Teruah, though Scripture treats both as one-day holidays.

Passover - April 8-9
Feast of Matzah - April 9-16
First Fruits - April 11-12
Shavuot - May 28-30
Yom Teruah - September 18-20
Yom Kippur - September 27-28
Sukkot - October 2-10


No work days:
First day of Matzah Week - April 9-10
Last day of Matzah Week - April 15-16
Shavuot - May 28-30
Yom Teruah - September 18-20
Yom Kippur - September 27-28
First day of Sukkot - October 2-3
Last day of Sukkot - October 9-10

Click here to download the traditional calendar Hebrew holiday dates.

Torah to the Tribes' calendar:

This calendar uses daylight to daylight dates. This means Passover starts at daybreak on April 2 and ends at daybreak on April 3.

Passover - April 2
Feast of Matzah - April 3-9
First Fruits - April 5
Shavuot - May 24
Yom Teruah - September 16
Yom Kippur - September 25
Sukkot - September 30 - October 7

No work days:
First day of Matzah Week - April 3
Last day of Matzah Week - April 9
Shavuot - May 24
Yom Teruah - September 16
Yom Kippur - September 25
First day of Sukkot - September 30
Last day of Sukkot - October 7

Click here to download the Hebrew holiday dates from Torah to the Tribes.

Start planning to keep the Feasts this year!

8 Things Scripture Says About the Feast of Tabernacles

Eight things Scripture says about the Feast of Tabernacles:

1. It is for all generations. -Leviticus 23:41

This isn't just a holiday for the people that lived in Bible times, or in the future once the Messiah returns. It is for you, today! No matter what part of the world you live in or your family history, YHWH wants you to set apart his feasts.

2. There are eight days of festivities, and you don't work on the first or last day. - Leviticus 23:35-36, 39

Have you ever gone on vacation and stuffed your itinerary so full that you came home exhausted? I think our Creator saw that tendency coming and purposefully set aside a couple of days of rest for us during this special time. For most of Sukkot we are permitted to do professional work, errands, and whatever else needs done. However on the first and last days we are asked to set those things aside in order to rest and focus on YHWH.

3. We should dwell in booths during Sukkot. -Leviticus 23:43

The Hebrew word for booths is sukkah, the plural of that is Sukkot which is where we get the name for this holiday. Sukkah means a temporary dwelling. Scripture does not elaborate on exactly what this looks like, so I think there is room for self expression. So part of the Feast of Tabernacles is stepping out of our normal living arrangement. Take a road trip, pitch a tent in your backyard, go to the lake, put up a canopy to eat meals under, etc. Make it a point to not stick to business as usual this week.

4. We should rejoice. -Leviticus 23:40

Like the Israelites rejoiced in Nehemiah when they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles for the first time in generations after rediscovering Scripture's instructions, we should be overjoyed that we have instruction from the Living God on how we are to live! And you know what else? This holiday is not a burden or drudgery, it is genuinely fun! It's nice to be able to take off from work and spend time outdoors, and maybe even travel. It's also a time when we can grow more joy inside of ourselves. Keeping Scripture's instructions for the Biblical holidays and the Sabbath has made me a more joyful person in my daily life. Couldn't we all use more joy? This is a tangible way to promote that in ourselves and our families.

5. It is a reminder that YHWH made the children of Israel dwell in booths when he brought them out of Egypt. -Leviticus 23:43

Another reason we keep the Feast of Tabernacles is commemorate the history of YHWH's people, and to learn more of the Bible. The hands-on method of learning can help cement those truths in our hearts. Going to living history museums teaches children more about the ways of the past than just reading about it. Same thing with Scripture! By camping out during the Feast of Tabernacles, we learn a little bit what it was like to journey to the Promised Land. This time calls to mind the miraculous stories of YHWH's provision for his people, and teaches us to trust him more.

6. We should guard the Feast of Tabernacles. -Exodus 23:15-16

We shouldn't approach this time haphazardly, maybe celebrating if it works out. We don't get to say, "I know we should celebrate it but we are so busy/my friends aren't interested/my workplace won't cooperate." We are to guard this time. That means it's up to us to make space on our calendars and prioritize celebrating Sukkot. Be proactive and intentional about setting aside the time and resources needed to keep Scripture's instructions. Guard what is important!

7. We shouldn't appear before YHWH empty-handed, but we should present an offering according to what he has given us. -Deuteronomy 16:16-17

Though we no longer sacrifice animals, we can still give an offering during the feast. If YHWH has given you more than you need, then give to his Kingdom. Donate money to a ministry or support a missionary. Do you have more possessions than you need? Give them away during this time. This can be a meaningful part of the feast as you look for ways to meet needs and learn more about the impact ministries and missionaries are having around the world.

8. It will be celebrated in the latter days. -Zechariah 14:16

Not only will the Feast of Tabernacles be kept when the Messiah is ruling on earth, but those nations that don't celebrate it will be cut off from rain. This shows how important this time is to the Messiah! He gives blessings to those who keep his set apart times.

We Fall for the Fall Feasts Printable

I wanted to offer a free printable as an easy way to decorate for the Fall Feasts. This captures a bit of the essence of all the fall holidays, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, so you can keep it around for the entire season.

We fall for:
tabernacles and trumpets
sukkahs and shofars
pumpkins and prayers
leaves and laughter
fires with friends
autumn anticipation
the fall feasts.

The we fall for the fall feasts printable is free for your personal use. Click here to download.

Have an amazing time of joy as you celebrate our Creator's set apart times!

Yom Kippur Scripture Reading List

Reading Scripture is an important part of preparing for any of the Biblical holidays! Since the Creator's holidays don't get the hype of the cultural ones with sections of decorations in stores or songs on the radio, saturating yourself in the pertinent Scriptures is a great way to build anticipation for these special times and to calibrate yourself to our Creator's calendar! Here are Scriptures to read for Yom Kippur. They would also be great to study on the day of or to have children act out as part of the festivities.

Yom Kippur Scripture Reading List:

Leviticus 16 - instructions for Yom Kippur.

Leviticus 23:27-32 - talks about Yom Kippur being a day of rest.

Numbers 29:7-11 - details the offerings to be presented to YHWH.

Psalm 32  - a Psalm about the blessings of having our sins be covered.

Isaiah 53 - prophecy of the Messiah being killed for our sins.

Jonah - this is traditionally read on Yom Kippur. The topic of repentance and forgiveness coincides with this set apart time.

Acts 27:9 - here is a mention of New Testament believers paying attention to the Biblical holidays, long after Yahusha ascended into Heaven.

Romans 5 - the Messiah's blood justifies us, and we are forgiven of our sins through him.

Hebrews 9-10 - this is a passage with many details on the Messiah's sacrifice and priesthood. It also calls for perseverance of our faith.

Hebrews 13:11-13 - talks about how the Levitical high priest would offer sacrifices on Yom Kippur and compares that to the Messiah's work. Calls our attention to Yahusha's priesthood over the Levitical.

1 Peter 1:2 - says that we are sprinkled with the Messiah's blood.

1 Peter 2:24 - says that the Messiah bore our iniquities on the tree and quotes from Isaiah 53.

1 John 2:2 - the Messiah is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Related posts:
The Meaning of Yom Kippur (Day of Covering)
Prayer and Fasting on Yom Kippur
Ephesians 1:7 Printable

Autumn Anticipation - Fresh Perspective on the Biblical Holidays

Is it legalism to celebrate the Biblical holidays?

If you are someone that keeps the Creator's set apart times, then chances are good that someone has told you that you're being legalistic. Or maybe you've heard about the Biblical holidays but you've always thought keeping them would be akin to picking up a giant burden of legalism?

I have been told by many well-meaning Believers that celebrating Passover, Sukkot, and the rest of the feasts is a burden that is just too heavy to bear. And that sure, while it's in the Bible, YHWH never intended us to be so excessive as to actually observe these times. And to be honest, I guess I used to feel that way too. But that was before I started celebrating. Now that I have experienced these things for myself and know the joy that comes from that I wouldn't want to go back to ignoring the times Scripture says to set apart. I don't find anything legalistic, overbearing, or unpleasant about them. It is meaningful and joyful to celebrate the holidays given to us by the Creator.

Every year I marvel at how many churches and ministries have special events going on during the Feasts. There are retreats and fall festivals during Sukkot. Ice cream socials and special worship nights happen on Shavuot. Every year a church down the road from us has a beef and noodle dinner (unintentionally) on Yom Teruah.

I could literally give you a hundred examples of things like this. Churches host potlucks and concerts. Youth groups camp out during Sukkot. Ministries have fund raising events or volunteer appreciation night. Does anyone think going to one of these things is being legalistic?

Really, do you think it's legalism to put together a special event? What if it's an event intended to honor YHWH or to bring his people together? Do you feel like that's something that shouldn't be done or something that the Creator wouldn't want?

If you don't currently celebrate the Biblical holidays, you should know that the celebrations are a lot like the above events. A night of worship, a beef and noodle dinner, or carnival activities would all be great ways to spend one of the set apart times...and if you don't have a problem with doing those things at other times of year, why is it a problem to do them when Scripture tells us to?

Recently there was a social media post by a popular Christian author about how excited she was for Labor Day and how she could get behind any holiday that calls for a day off. Well good news for her, there are seven days in Scripture where we are told to rest. (In addition to the weekly Sabbath.)

I truly believe that our Creator put a longing deep within each of us to celebrate his festivals, and that's why people go so nuts for Fall, are overjoyed at the thought of Springtime approaching, and are so ready for summer by the end of May...these are all times he has set apart for us. But if we don't know what his holidays are, or if we have believed the lie that these days are somehow bad, then that desire might end up manifesting as a love for pumpkin spice lattes, cute sweaters, and the leaves changing colors, or being excited for Labor Day. That longing is there for a purpose and The Creator has more for us at these times of year.

More on the Biblical set apart times:
You are invited to keep the Feasts!
What are the Biblical holidays?
Celebrate Yom Teruah
Honoring Yom Kippur as a Believer in Messiah
Why I started celebrating the Biblical holidays

Six Things You Can Do To Get Ready for the Fall Feasts

It's beginning to feel - just a little - like autumn. As the transition from summertime to the fall happens there is an undeniable excitement in the air. While most of the country would say that's because of pumpkin spice lattes, football season, and cozy sweaters, I can't help but see that the Creator intended this autumn anticipation to be for his set apart times.

Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot are coming up soon. Those ten days were created for spiritual significance and also as a time of tremendous joy! While many of us have been told that keeping the feasts is a burden too heavy to bear, I'm just not convinced of that. Vacation days, outdoor time in the beautiful fall weather, cookouts with delicious foods, bouts of laughter with friends and family, travel, relaxing evenings in the starlight, spiritual growth...those are things to celebrate. 

The Creator invites you to these special moments of joy with him. Here are a few things you can do to start preparing.

Six things you can do today to get ready for the Fall Feasts:

Prepare your calendar. If you don't know when the upcoming feasts are then now is the time to find out! Different groups use different calendars, pick one and go with it. Then free yourself up to celebrate! Put in for time off from work, let teachers know when your kids will be out of school, don't plan any major home projects, and clear other commitments from your schedule if need be. The most common dates that Land of Honey readers go by can be found here.

Make plans. How do you want to spend these holidays? Do you have a congregation nearby? Can you pitch in with planning for a group celebration? Would you like to travel to spend time with like minded believers? Now is the time to see about meeting with others. You could throw a stargazing party and invite friends and family to learn more about the feasts. Or you could take a camping trip for Sukkot. Whether home or away, you can plan for festive dinners, times of Scripture study, and fun activities and games throughout the feast times.  

Study to learn about Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Studying helps to build anticipation and excitement and there's always something new to be learned about YHWH's set apart times, no matter if you've celebrated before or not. Read through Leviticus 23 or do a word study on 'teruah' or learn what the Messiah had to say during Sukkot. You could also delve into a book such as Eddie Chumeny's The Seven Festivals of the Messiah.

Plan your sukkah. Once you've decided how to spend Sukkot, take some time to go over the logistics. Where are you going to put your sukkah? Will you need supplies to make it? If you'll be camping in a tent or camper, double check that your tent, sleeping bags, etc. are in good repair. If you're traveling away from home, make a packing list. Is the weather looking to be especially chilly or hot? Plan your supplies accordingly.

Shop and prep for fun stuff. Honestly, get ready to have some fun! What special foods would you like to make or order? How about ordering or creating decorations for your celebrations? If you have kids, look into crafts and activities for them related to the feasts. Do you want to give gifts or maybe get a special Sukkot shirt for yourself? Do you need camping supplies or extra groceries? Make a list of what you need and get to the store or order those items to avoid the headache and hassle of squeezing it in at the last minute.

Take time to spiritually prepare. What would being emotionally and spiritually prepared for the feasts look like to you? Would it be studying the Scriptures to be as familiar as possible with these set apart times? Or taking some time to evaluate the past few months or year and setting goals for the season ahead? What about addressing emotional pain with the help of a counselor? Pray and ask YHWH what he is doing in your life at this time. I would also recommend taking some time to process these questions, and discussing them as a family or with someone supportive.

You still have plenty of time to plan to celebrate the Biblical holidays this fall! Even if you feel like you don't know what you're doing, I would encourage you to just start somewhere. Each year you celebrate one of YHWH's times you learn and grow! Don't miss out on these significant times to our Creator.

More about the upcoming Biblical holidays:
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets
Autumn Anticipation - Fresh Perspective on the Biblical Holidays
Bible Holidays Are For Bible Believers

How to Celebrate the Biblical Holiday of First Fruits (The Day the Messiah Rose Again!)

Let's talk about First Fruits! The third Biblical holiday of the year, First Fruits often gets overlooked in the shadow of Passover and Unleavened Bread. While it actually happens during the Week of Unleavened Bread, it deserves attention and celebration of its own.

As believers in Messiah, First Fruits is one of the most joyous days of the year because it commemorates Yahusha being raised back to life! After being killed on Passover, the Messiah rose from the dead three days later on the feast of First Fruits! When Paul mentions that the Messiah is the "first fruits of the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:20 he's not only saying that Yahusha was the literal first fruits offering to YHWH, but also that the Messiah is the third festival of the year.

What is First Fruits? Historically it has been a day when the first of the barley harvest is gathered in the land of Israel, which makes it similar to the harvest celebrations of Shavuot and Sukkot. The theme of celebrating what YHWH provides is significant throughout Scripture, and should be central in our lives. Most of us aren't barley farmers, but we can still celebrate the provision that YHWH supplies us in the form of jobs, finances, a place to live, groceries, a garden, days of rest, friends and community, etc. Of course the ultimate provision is forgiveness for our sins...no matter how ugly or awful, forgiveness is available to us through the Messiah's sacrifice.

What should you know about First Fruits? It happens on the day after Shabbat during the Week of Unleavened Bread. Because Passover doesn't always land on the same day of the week (on most calendars), it's important to note that First Fruits doesn't always land three days after Passover - but it did when the Messiah was executed. The Festival of First Fruits is the kickoff for the counting of the omer, where we count fifty days to get to the next set apart time, Shavuot.

Significant events have taken place at First Fruits:
-Israel crossed over the Red Sea after leaving Egypt in the Exodus story. (Exodus 3:18, 5:3)
-The Temple was cleansed and sacrifices were reinstated under the reign of King Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 29:17-18)
-Israel eats the first fruits of the Promised Land. (Joshua 5:10-12)
-Queen Esther foiled the plot of Haman. (Esther 3:12, 5:1)
-Noah's ark possibly came to rest on Mount Ararat after the flood on First Fruits.
-The resurrection of the Yahusha the Messiah. (Matthew 28)
-The walk to Emmaus, where Yahusha "expounded on all things concerning himself" from Scripture to a couple of his followers. (Luke 24:13-15)

All of these amazing events are a fresh start. Seeing your slave drivers swept away into the sea and leaving their land is a new beginning. The ark finally setting back down on the earth is mankind's second chance on the earth. Cleaning out the Temple, being saved from annihilation, eating from the Promised Land for the first time, and most importantly, the Savior being brought back to life? The freshest of starts, a blank slate. The trees bud, the flowers come up, and creation awakens. We are reminded that life starts all over again in the spring.

First Fruits is a time for:

1. Reading Scripture. Check out the stories of the empty tomb and read about the Messiah coming back to life. What did he have to say on the day of his resurrection? Wouldn't it have be amazing to hear him speak on the walk to Emmaus? Leviticus 23:9-14, Deuteronomy 26, and 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, would also be good to read.

2. Celebrating that the Messiah is alive! The greatest moment in history happened on this day. Rejoice and be glad! Spread the truth of this amazing act.

3. Recognizing and thanking YHWH for provision. Make a list of how much he really provides: material possessions, spiritual health, friends, physical nourishment, the positives of your environment, small things that make you smile. It's easy to overlook the many good gifts from him, make it a point to stop and acknowledge those today. Also remind yourself that he is providing for the needs of tomorrow as well.

4. Giving an offering. Pray about and discuss how you can offer first fruits of your own harvest. Tithing or donating money, giving your time to a good cause, and sharing your possessions are all ways to do that.

5. Remembering your heritage. Deuteronomy 26:5-11 gives the example of literally reciting the Israelite heritage of being rescued from slavery by YHWH when a person would hand their First Fruits offering to the priest. First Fruits is a time to remember both the story of the redemption of Israel as a whole, and also your personal story. Something along the lines of, "My life used to be like ______, but now YHWH has brought me blessings and - look - here I am able to celebrate his set apart times" fits well with the passage in Deuteronomy.

6. Blessing your spiritual leaders, foreigners, orphans and widows. Right after the above passage in Deuteronomy, Scripture makes mention of the tithing to the Levites, strangers in the community, and orphans and widows. What can you do to help these groups of people? Pastors, mentors, ministries, etc. all work hard to support your spiritual health, often at immense cost. Could you give them a gift or at least take the time to express your gratitude? How about those that could use support from you? What could you do to show them that they are loved and welcomed in YHWH's kingdom? 

7. Worship. Have a dance party to great praise music or fall to your knees in awe and reverence of YHWH. Celebrate the Messiah's victory and the amazing plan of redemption he has for us. Worship him on one of the greatest of days.

8. Feasting. The first harvest of the year is a big moment. Long before grocery stores, you lived off of the fruits of your last harvest until the next year. That could be scary when supplies start to dwindle and you're a ways out from the abundance of summer. The barley harvest was a collective sigh that even if there wasn't a lot in that moment there was more provision coming. Celebrate that with a special meal. If you're a gardener include the first bits of produce that are starting to come up in your part of the world. Depending on the year that's usually green onions, herbs, sorrel, fiddle heads, and asparagus for me.

9. Counting the omer. First Fruits is day one of the counting of the omer. Make a fun calendar or counter and mark off the first day as we lead up to Shavuot.

Happiest of First Fruits to you! Enjoy this amazing day of celebrating the unquenchable life to the Messiah!

Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Feasts

Why do I celebrate the Biblical holidays?

This was a slower process than the decision to honor the Sabbath day. Growing up, my mom had the wisdom to recognize the many problems with Easter being celebrated in the Christian church, so we turned to celebrating Passover in my early teens. It seems obvious in hindsight but it took us several years before we figured out we should keep the rest of the Biblical holidays as well. So what led to the change?

For me that spark came when I started seriously reading and studying Scripture. While I have consistently read my Bible since I was a preteen, I wasn't studying or being taught all of it. If you cherry-pick the popular Christian passages of Scripture, you are going to miss a lot.* Realizing that all Scripture is breathed by YHWH and intended to instruct us (1 Timothy 3:16), I knew I needed to study the whole book to see its instructions for me. Upon reading the Bible in a year I could see that not only are these holidays mentioned, but that their thread can be seen from Genesis through Revelation. (My personal learning and conviction was compounded by my small congregation that was also studying this - surround yourself with those seeking truth and working to be obedient to the word and your life will change.) And when I saw that the thought of celebrating YHWH's set apart times was exciting! To enumerate a few reasons...

I wanted to start celebrating the Biblical feasts because:

-Scripture commands us to. Once I checked out Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, and the many other verses on the feasts this was loud and clear! "This is a festival to YHWH throughout all your generations." (Exodus 12:14) I mean, really no reason beyond this is needed, right? Scripture says throw a party, so that is just cause to celebrate. If the word says to do something then it is in our best interest to do that. You don't have to be a scholar to realize that following Scripture's instructions is the wise choice to make.

-Paul exhorts believers (even non Jewish ones) to keep these feasts. Many people have told met that the Biblical holidays are strictly an Old Testament thing and not needed after the Messiah came. Apostle Paul didn't think so and expressly told believers to keep the feasts (1 Corinthians 5:8). Both the Old and New Testaments tell us to do this. Think you're not invited because you don't come from the right gene pool? Nope, this instruction is for everyone. When Paul wrote this, he was actually addressing a Greek group of believers from Corinth. His target audience wasn't Jewish people or those living in Israel, and you don't have to meet those descriptions to celebrate.

-The Messiah and his disciples kept the set apart times. Remember those WWJD bracelets? Well one of the answers to that question is, "He would keep the feasts!" We see him doing this at the last supper for Passover, traveling to Jerusalem for a feast as a boy, and in John 7 at Sukkot. The cycle of the seven set apart times would have been foundational to his life, marking the seasons and the calendar. Just as we know that fall means back-to-school, leaves changing colors, and pumpkins and apples, he would have associated fall with getting ready for the fall feasts. I love how this gives us such an idea of what his days were like...picture him putting together a sukkah before the Feast of Tabernacles or counting the omer in the spring time, and making plans to celebrate the feasts.

-There is both historic and prophetic significance to each of these times. The Biblical holidays are action packed to say the least, from the Israelite exodus from slavery to the resurrection of the Messiah; the giving of the Torah to baptism in the Holy Spirit at Shavuot. Each set apart time is so rich because it symbolizes not only what YHWH wants us to remember regarding the past, but what is to come at those times in the future. Did you know when Yahusha said that no one knew the day or the hour of his return he used an idiom for the Feast of Trumpets? We can learn so much from the feasts.

-Wanting to honor YHWH. We host birthday celebrations and engagement parties, and award ceremonies because we want to honor people. What about a few days to honor the Creator? While we can do that through other means as well, we shouldn't neglect that he asked us to observe these times.

-Conviction. I've had no problem celebrating cultural holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, workplace/career milestones, high school homecoming, the Ohio State versus Michigan football game, and even completely made up days like 'National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day'...is it too much to ask to give YHWH's days a little attention? In fact, I'd willingly jumped into all of those other days because they sounded fun and (mostly) they held some significance. What am I saying when I reject the feasts of YHWH because I don't think they have meaning or could be celebrated with joy?

-Sincerely wanting to be a doer of the word. I don't know about you, but for me there came a time when I just got sick of letting myself off the hook with excuse after excuse for why we don't actually need to keep Scripture's instructions. Life is too short to live in half-hearted compromise. And if abundant life comes through the Messiah, shouldn't I align myself with his lifestyle and value system, at least to the best of my ability? YHWH deserves more than just my verbal praise, he desires that we show our faith by our actions. Celebrating a few times a year is a doable and joy filled way to do that.

I am so thankful to be able to honor and celebrate YHWH's set apart times. It is a great joy to have the seasons of my life revolve around Scripture. I wish I could adequately tell you how celebrating the feasts has enriched my faith and understanding of Scripture, but it has been so much more than I ever imagined. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us that we are to continually grow in the favor and knowledge of the Messiah, if you're feeling like you've been stuck or stagnant, keeping the feasts is an amazing opportunity to grow! All are invited.


*That really bad habit of skipping over large portions of Scripture leaves believers in the dark on many topics, and most live in complete ignorance that there are times of year that are set apart by the Creator for specific celebrations. This is compounded by bad translations (like Shavuot's misnomer Pentecost, or heaven forbid, calling Passover "Easter," or how a mention of it being "already after Yom Kippur" in Acts gets changed to "we had lost a lot of time"). If you have a poor translation of Scripture that you don't read all of or study, you are going to miss important blocks of Scripture, including these ancient festivals we are commanded to keep.

More on the Biblical Holidays:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

The Feast of Tabernacles: What it Means and Why You Should Celebrate

Fresh Perspective on the Biblical Feasts

What are the Differences Between Passover and Easter?