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God's Days of Worship
God's Days of Worship
Since the Word of God doesn't sanction
the celebration of either Christmas or Easter and condemns the pagan embellishments
associated with these humanly devised holidays, how should Christians worship of
God? Do annual celebrations exist that Christians should observe?
God has given us seven annual festivals, or feast days, on which to worship and honor
Him. By observing them according to His Word, we can understand His ultimate plan
for humanity. Let us now take note of the days on which God revealed we should formally
worship Him. His festivals are far more significant than this world's holidays because
they reveal His plan for humanity.
The first commanded day of worship
Leviticus 23 lists all of God's commanded festivals in order. The first of God's
festivals is to be observed every week -- the weekly Sabbath day (Leviticus 23:3).
In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we find that God created man on the sixth
day (Genesis 1:24-31). "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had
done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then
God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His
work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2:2-3).
The Hebrew word for "rested" is shabath and is related to the word Sabbath.
Literally, God sabbathed, or rested; He ceased from the work of creating (Exodus 20:8-11).
In resting, God also blessed and sanctified the seventh day as a gift for mankind
(Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 16:29). To sanctify something means to make it holy. Since
God made the Sabbath holy (Exodus 16:23; 20:11; Nehemiah 9:14), He instructed those
who follow Him to remember to keep it holy by also resting (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Keeping the Sabbath, then, reminds us that God is our Creator.
Besides making the Sabbath for rest, God also revealed that the Sabbath is a day
of worship. In Leviticus 23 He told Moses: "Speak to the children of Israel,
and say to them: 'The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations,
these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath
of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath
of the Lord in all your dwellings'" (verses 1-3). Holy convocations are sacred
assemblies for worship.
When Jesus Christ came to earth, He did not come to abolish or weaken God's commands
(Matthew 5:17). He came to "exalt the law and make it honorable" (Isaiah 42:21). Jesus kept the Sabbath (Mark 1:21; 6:2; Luke 4:16; 6:6), as did the apostles
and other members of the early Church (Acts 13:14; 17:2). Gentile believers met with
them on the Sabbath (Acts 13:42,44; 18:4).
This blessing from God, enshrined as one of the Ten Commandments, did not change.
The seventh day of the week -- observed from Friday evening to Saturday eveningñcontinued
as God's commanded holy day for rest and worship. Even though people later initiated
a change to worshiping on Sunday, God's command was never rescinded, nor was there
biblical authorization for a change to the first day of the week.
This is only the briefest explanation of God's Fourth Commandment. If you would like
to discover much more about the biblical Sabbath, please request your free copy of
the booklet Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest.
Besides the weekly Sabbath, God gave His people annual festivals that correspond
with the harvest seasons of Israel. These were also "holy convocations"
to be observed at their appropriate times (Leviticus 23:4) and represent God's master
plan of salvation for humankind.
The Passover
Passover (Leviticus 23:5) is a reminder of how God took the lives of all the firstborn
Egyptian males (Exodus 12:7,26-29) but passed over the Israelites' homes because
they had placed the blood of a sacrificed lamb on their doorposts.
The blood of the lamb foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which spares mankind
from eternal death. In the New Testament, Christians came to understand that Christ
is the true Passover Lamb (compare Exodus 12:21 with 1Corinthians 5:7). In observing
His last Passover with His disciples, Jesus explained that the symbols of bread and
wine represent His body and blood, offered by Him for the forgiveness of our sins
(Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24).
Our observance of this annual occasion marking Jesus' death (1Corinthians 11:26)
reminds us that eternal life is possible only through Him (John 6:47-54; Acts 4:10-12).
His sacrifice is the starting point for salvation and the foundation of the annual
feast days that follow.
Feast of Unleavened Bread
In conjunction with the Passover, God instituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8). Historically it commemorates the ancient Israelites fleeing Egypt in such
haste they did not have time to let their bread rise (Exodus 12:33-34).
God commanded the Israelites to keep this festival by removing leaven (yeast) out
of their homes for seven days. The first and last days of this week-long festival
were specifically set apart as holy convocations -- days devoted to rest and assembly
for worship.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus identified leaven as a symbol of sin (Matthew 16:6-12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1). Thereafter members of the early Church continued
to observe this festival by putting leaven out of their homes for the week as a symbol
of the clean minds and attitudes God desires of His people (1Corinthians 5:6-8).
After accepting Christ's sacrifice for our sins, we must follow His example in practicing
righteousness.
The Feast of Pentecost
The third annual feast day is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16-21;
Acts 2:1). This festival, which corresponded with the first harvest of the season,
was the day God miraculously granted His Spirit to the New Testament Church (Acts 2).
Pentecost continues to remind us that God is the Lord of His harvest, choosing and
preparing the firstfruits of His coming Kingdom by granting them His Spirit (Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; Romans 8:23; James 1:18). God's Spirit empowers us with the love
of God, the motivation to obey Him, and a sound mind to discern His truth (2Timothy 1:7; John 15:26; 16:13). Only those led by God's Spirit are called the Sons of God
(Romans 8:9,14).
The Feast of Trumpets
The next feast day is the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24-25). Ancient Israel
understood that trumpets were used as a way of announcing special messages (Numbers 10:1-10).
The New Testament reveals a great event to be announced on this day with the sounding
of a trumpet: the return of Jesus Christ to earth (Revelation 8:2, 11:15). This day
also pictures a time when the dead in Christ will be resurrected to life (1Corinthians 15:52; 1Thessalonians 4:16) to reign with Him for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6).
The remaining feast days describe steps in the establishment of the prophesied Kingdom
of God on earth and judgment of humanity after Christ's return.
The Day of Atonement
The Day of Atonement is the next holy convocation (Leviticus 23:26-32). Observed
by fasting (verse 27, compare Acts 27:9), refraining from eating or drinking (Esther 4:16), this day represents humanity's need to be reconciled to God through the forgiveness
of sin.
At the return of Christ, Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1-3) so the nations can
be reconciled to the Father through Christ. Luke referred to this observance as "the
fast" in Acts 27:9.
The Feast of Tabernacles
The seven-day Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34) represents the next step in
God's master plan. This festival pictures the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4-6) known as the Millennium.
Isaiah describes this period as a time of peace when God's law will go out to all
nations from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4). Fierce animals' natures will change (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25), the earth will become highly productive (Isaiah 35:1), and, most important,
"the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the
sea" (Isaiah 11:9). With Satan's evil influence removed, all of humanity will
at last learn God's ways.
This perfect environment will be designed to offer all people the opportunity to
repent of their sins and come to God the Father through Jesus Christ. The Bible shows
that Jesus attended this important festival (John 7:2,10,14).
The Last Great Day
The final step in God's plan of salvation for all mankind is represented in a feast
day at the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:39). Called the eighth
day or the Last Great Day (John 7:37), this festival pictures the great judgment
of humankind described in Revelation 20:11-13. During this time all people who have
died not knowing God's plan for them will be resurrected to life to be given an opportunity
to respond to God's call.
Our Creator wants "all men to be saved" (1Timothy 2:4) and is "not
willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2Peter 3:9). Through this wonderful plan everyone will have an opportunity to know God's
truth, repent and receive salvation.
The Church of the first century followed Jesus' example of observing these days.
Peter and John urged the brethren to walk in Jesus' steps (1Peter 2:21), to "walk
just as He walked" (1John 2:6). They followed Christ's command to teach converts
to "observe all things that I (Jesus) have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).
Obedience or idolatry?
Observances that are rooted in paganism break the first two of the Ten Commandments.
Is God pleased when people claim to worship Him by adopting celebrations of pagan
gods and goddesses in man-made holidays while they ignore His commanded days and
ways of worship?
Celebrating the birth of the sun god or adopting fertility rites to other gods and
goddesses violates God's clear instruction: "You shall have no other gods before
Me" (Exodus 20:3).
Inventing religious feasts to replace those given by God contradicts His teaching:
"You shall not make for yourself an idol . . . You shall not bow down
to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God . . ."
(verses 4-5, New International Version). Substituting pagan customs and practices
for what God has commanded -- regardless of how well intentioned it might beñis idolatry.
Why would anyone choose to reject God's instructions and His marvelous feast days,
especially since God gave them to us to reveal our ultimate destiny? To discover
more about these magnificent festivals and how to observe them, be sure to request
your free copy of the booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.
You will find further proof that Jesus and the apostles observed these days and learn
much more about their significance in helping us understand God's master plan for
all of humanity.
Following the instruction and example of Jesus Christ, the apostles and the early
New Testament Church, members of the United Church of God continue to observe these
annual days. We welcome all who wish to join us in worshiping our Creator on these
great festivals of hope. We invite you to contact our nearest office to locate a
congregation near you.
©1999 United Church of God, an International Associtaion
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