Why should a Christian celebrate the biblical festivals?

For as long as I can remember, I have been in church. As the son of a pastor, we were there every Sunday morning, Wednesday night, often on Fridays, and especially during Christmas and Easter. I still remember going on vacation as a child and being shocked to discover we weren’t loading up and heading to church while vacationing at the beach on a Sunday.

With all of this emphasis on church attendance and the fact that God had done away with “the law”, fast forward 30+ years, and I was surprised to re-discover that God had special holidays. In fact, these “holidays” were appointed times where God was going to intentionally meet with His people.

God spoke to Moses, telling him to speak to the Israelites and say to them: There are special times that you must celebrate as sacred holidays to God. The following are my special times.
—Leviticus 23:1–2

Maybe you’re like me where you’ve read this verse so many times—or perhaps just glossed on past it—stick around as we explore the significance of these feasts for followers of Jesus.

A God Given Appointed Time

It’s in this book of Leviticus we find the often overlooked chapter 23, where God outlines seven events that the Israelites are to recognize, observe, and celebrate. The word used in the Hebrew Bible is “moed” which translates to “appointed time,” or “moadim” to refer to all seven appointed times. In our English translations, you’ll often see the word feast or festival used, because that’s the spirit in which many of these days (some last weeks!) are celebrated.

We’re used to our modern, Americanized calendar with all of the holidays that come with it: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and more. Yet here, centered around the ancient Hebrew calendar, we find a God who cares about his people so much that he designates seven events throughout the year so they can rest, remember Him, and enjoy the good life.

Don’t miss that—God, the creator of the universe, has declared specific days as set apart from the other days of the so that we can meet with Him. He did this because he wants us to rest in His provision, to give us intentional moments to remember how he’s delivered us and redeemed us, and to help us continually look forward to a coming day when He will return to restore all things.

Put simply, all of these biblical festivals point to Jesus as the Jewish Messiah

One of the objections I often hear is “But Jesus fulfilled the law—it’s done away with—so we don’t have to keep it any more.” While the purpose of this article isn’t to go into the nuances of the Mosaic covenant, I’ll ask a few simple questions: do you think the 10 commandments have been abolished?  Would you say that it’s no longer important to “not commit adultery”, “to not kill”, or to “honor your father and mother?”

Rather than argue about the validity of the law here, I’d like to propose a very simple idea. Is it possible that God, the creator of all things, gave His people a way of living that was for their good? For their blessing and not a burden? A way of living that gave the Israelites a tangible way to experience God with all of their senses?  

Too often we fall for the lie that God is an angry god, one who is waiting to punish us for getting it wrong. We’ve read the Bible and missing the overarching theme that God’s character is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering and full of loving-kindness to those who follow Him. And if we can accept this truth deep in our hearts, we begin to get a glimpse of the nature of God through these holidays that he gives his people to celebrate.

Set apart days

As we continue to read Leviticus 23, one thing begins to stand out—that these appointed days are holy. In Hebrew, “holy” means set apart—or “other.” This signifies that these days aren’t just like every other day of the year.  They’re sacred.  And if God is telling us something is a holy day on his calendar, they’re important and we should pay attention.

A helpful analogy is to think about a wedding anniversary. This isn’t just another day where you go through the motions—no! Think about how your significant other may feel if you ignored it, treating it like any other day. Would they be happy and valued or feel taken for granted? What would would you inevitably be communicating about your relationship? 

Similarly, these appointed times are given by God to his people Israel to communicate deep truths about himself as ruler of the world who chose them and the role they fill in God’s plans throughout history. For those of us who have been grafted into the wild olive tree through faith in Yeshua (Jesus),  we also have a chance to participate and witness the depth of God’s love and redemption.

Festivals that point to Jesus as Messiah

Which brings us to the third idea: Did you know that every single biblical festival points to Jesus as the Messiah? It’s almost as if God in all of His wisdom is giving us a rhythm to continually remind us of his plan of redemption and how it points to Jesus.

Just like the blood of a lamb spread over the doorpost of a home during the first Passover would cause the angel of death to passover during the tenth and final plague, Yeshua (Jesus) became our Passover lamb, his blood sprinkled over the doorway of our hearts makes us righteous before God, causing God to passover the curse of our sins.

With Shavuot or Pentecost, the long awaited prophecy of the new covenant of the Spirit came to pass while the early Jewish followers of Jesus were gathered in the upper room, likely recounting the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Spirit of the Living God hovered over each of them, empowering them to live out His ways, filled with love, joy, peace, patience, understanding and more.

Sukkot, the feast of tabernacles is a reminder that just like God’s presence dwelt among the ancient Israelites in the desert, covered by a shaky, impermanent tent, he also sent his son Yeshua (Jesus) to take on the frail human body and tabernacle among us. 

And with the Sabbath, it’s a weekly reminder that it’s only because of God’s miraculous provision that we are sustained and can enjoy the good life. That we don’t have to endlessly strive in this world. As Abraham Heschel puts it, we have “eternity in a day.” A day that reminds us of the Messiah’s work that covers us completely, where we no longer have to make everything happen on our own and we can trust that he will provide everything we need.

Let the feasting begin!

So if you want to join into an ancient rhythm of feasting, fasting, and ultimately meeting with the King of the universe during his appointed times, we encourage you to join in with all of Israel into the Jewish root you are grafted into and take a step into celebrating the biblical feasts in your home with family and friends.  

And if all of this feels daunting and unfamiliar, take a deep breath. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about embracing the Spirit, loving our Father, and trusting that He will guide us every step of the way. Don’t know where to begin? Starting with the Sabbath is a good first step.

As you participate in these celebrations given by the Creator, I promise you’ll come away from each moment with a greater love of our God and His ways.

May you be filled with joy and shalom as you follow His ways!