Reply to David Clayton's "The Problem with Feast Keeping"

Questions and conversation about religious beliefs, Scripture, the Spirit of Prophecy, and Creation 7th Day Adventism
David Aguilar
Posts: 63
Joined: May 28th, 2012, 4:28 pm

Reply to David Clayton's "The Problem with Feast Keeping"

Postby David Aguilar » February 9th, 2013, 3:15 pm

Recently, Mr. David Clayton, publisher of the Open Face newsletter, published an edition in which the primary article was one entitled "The Problem with Feast Keeping." Being a feast keeper myself, I read the article with some interest. Of course, I know that Mr. Clayton is not, himself, a keeper of Yah's appointed times, so I was not surprised by his conclusion, or any of the particulars of what he said.

On the other hand, I was disappointed that his wording in places casts many if not all feast keepers in a somewhat negative light. In addition, the rebuttal that he gives to the practice seems to rest almost entirely on the idea that feast keeping is somehow akin to the Israelite practice of circumcision, which Paul teaches is no longer applicable to those who worship the Most High.

What follows is an email that I sent to him this afternoon, and I hope that all who see the beauty and blessings of Yah's appointed times will join me in prayer that it will find a favorable reception.

==========================================================================================================
Dear Mr. Clayton,

Greetings in the name of our Savior on this blessed Sabbath day.

I have just completed reading your article entitled “The Problem with Feast-Keeping,” as published in your most recent Open Face newsletter, No. 88, dated January 2013. I found it to be a very interesting document.

As a member of the Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church – a feast-keeping Adventist group – however, I am unable to agree with your ultimate conclusion, or many of the statements that you make within its contents. To be clear, I am not in disagreement with your position because I am a member of a group that accepts feast keeping as a Christian practice; I am in disagreement because of the reasons (based on the Bible) that my Church and others hold this position. Thus, it is not merely because of a tradition that I have accepted, but because none have successfully contradicted the Bible-based reasoning behind that doctrinal stand.

As I am sure we both accept, the Bible must be the foundation of our faith, therefore we must be able to say about everything we believe, not, “My Church believes X,” or (as Adventists) “Ellen white said Y,” but rather, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” and that settles the matter.

What, then, does the Bible, and specifically the New Testament, tell us about the feast days in particular?

To decide that, I actually want to begin where you do, in the Old Testament, where you speak of the Law, and give the example of Circumcision, where the type has met antitype (in Christ) and therefore is no longer applicable to the Christian’s practices. So far as it goes, that is true, and seems to constitute one of the main thrusts of your argument; however, feast keeping is not the same as circumcision, for a number of very important reasons.

Firstly, the feast days were given long before any law was handed down to humanity. We read of the very week of Creation, “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,’ and it was so.” (Gen 1:14, 15) As you may know, the first mention of heat or cold weather was after the flood in Noah’s day, (Gen 8:22) so the seasons of the uncorrupted earth were not like our own. Furthermore, the word “seasons” in Genesis 14 is the Hebrew term mo’edim, which means precisely “appointed time,” and is used uniformly in the Old Testament for the Feasts of the Lord.

The Bible indicates that the feast days – just like the Sabbath day – existed before the law, and had nothing initially to do with either the Law of Moses, OR the Covenant of Abraham (in which circumcision was first introduced). They certainly do not tie anyone in obligation to the 600+ requirements of the Mosaic code as you indicate some have been teaching in error.

You have indicated that several of your friends are feast keeping Adventists, so I would hope that they have attempted to explain some of this to you already. And yet, you only say that they are “sincere,” not that they have Biblically grounded reasons for their position, even if you – personally – do not agree with their conclusions. In this, I think you do your friends a disservice. Furthermore, when you dismiss their faithfully held activities as merely “works of the law,” just as most of Christianity dismisses our keeping of the Sabbath as merely a work of the law, you do them again a disservice that you would not like done unto you. I ask that you consider, with a spirit of love, what I have said.

With regard to your position that feast keeping is somehow like circumcision, let us examine that if you will permit me a moment longer.

Circumcision was a practice “in the flesh,” (Rom 2:28) and not the spirit, indicating a particular physical family connection to Abraham, and later to Moses. Since the death and resurrection of Christ, it is indicated that “if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29) Thus, the law of circumcision was not put aside for any arbitrary reason, but because the purpose for which it was first instituted was fulfilled. There was nothing left for circumcision to do – for all who are Christ’s are now part of the Family – and any other use would be “against us,” making a division where Christ desires unity. Understanding why (because type met antitype) circumcision was abolished is very important for distinguishing it from God’s continuing blessings like the Sabbath and the rest of the moral law.

In short, circumcision met its antitype, and is therefore no longer a Christian symbol; and yet, a number of feast days have not yet met their New Testament fulfillments. We do not continue to kill a Passover lamb “for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:” (1Cor 5:7) And yet, if we read the very next verse, we are told, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (verse 8) Now, some have said that Paul is speaking here of the feast metaphorically, but if you look at the rest of the chapter, and a parallel passage in chapter 11, Paul is speaking about actual gatherings and meetings at spiritually significant times. You see, Paul, like any modern feast keeper, understands the difference between the “works of the law” (like the events of the Passover day) and the fulfillment of the appointed times (like the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which follows, and is often confused with, the Passover).

Genuine, Spirit-led feast keepers do not do the “works of the law” for any justification. There is a difference between the “Jewish economy,” which substitutes the blood of sacrifices for the sins of humanity, and the blessings for worship that have been with us from the days of the Garden of Eden with absolutely no alteration, being eternal just like the One who provided them for us.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, as described by Paul, is a time of putting away spiritual “leaven,” and uniting as a common community of faith, a characteristic most sorely lacking in Adventism and Christianity in this day. And why is it so? It is because we are not faithful to the instructions that God has given to us specifically to avoid or counter the problems we now observe. No curse comes without a cause, (Proverbs 26:2) and the cause for this disunity is a lack of faith, and lack of obedience to those very things that God has intended for the healing of our wounds. This is a very real and very current need, not something that has passed away into history like the rite of circumcision or its intention as a national identifier.

Similarly, other feast days have not yet met their antitypes either. The Feast of Tabernacles, for example, is a symbolic representation of humanity’s final escape from Babylon into the wilderness, where they “tabernacle” in rough structures, ever looking upward for their salvation to arrive. This is a last-day prophecy in symbolic form, and reading through the Book of Revelation with the symbolism of the Feast of Tabernacles in mind shows precisely the way that the final persecution of believers will unfold. Here, again, we have a difference between circumcision and feast keeping. One has fulfilled its purpose, and the other is yet pointing to future events that would be largely lost on us were we dismiss the practices that God has given to us for our enlightenment. These are not pagan “days and months” that we are discussing, (Gal 4:10) but God’s own spiritual convocations.

As Paul has said, the appointed times are “a shadow of things to come” in the future, (Col 2:17) not a shadow of things that are passed, even though the Body of Christ is a present reality. I will speak more of Paul’s involvement with the feast days in a moment.

You write that, “The very fact that a person feels that something is required in addition to Christ is an indication that such a person has not accepted Christ as being sufficient for all he needs.” I read this statement with some surprise, for surely you well know that this is one of the most common arguments against Adventism in general, and Sabbath keeping in particular. This is, as I term it, the “Sunday keeper’s argument,” and it can be applied as easily to the weekly Sabbaths as to the annual feasts. Now, the Adventist will correctly say, “The 10 commandments are not the same as the Ceremonial Law of Moses!” This is true, and we hope that those with whom we share this statement will be open-minded enough to consider it. Today I ask the same of you.

Be open minded enough to consider a distinction that you have previously not understood. Be humble enough to acknowledge that God has never removed His blessing from ANY “day” that He has sanctified. Be willing to arouse the anger of some of your readers, should they learn that you are willing to look dispassionately and objectively at this Biblical institution. The Feast days are not the same as the ceremonial Law of Moses, even though some of that law was constructed around the symbolism of the feasts, precisely as much of that law was constructed around Sabbath observance.

You spend the next article in the newsletter describing the spiritual benefits of the 10 Commandments. That is good, but there are blessings that our Father wants us to have beyond these, such as keeping a good diet, exercising regularly, obtaining fresh air… none of these are explicitly “commanded” from Sinai, but they are a part of a natural, spiritual, law, and disobedience to this law will result in weakness and ultimately death.

I believe it takes a true Adventist, a true awaiter-for-Christ, to understand the real importance of the feast days. They are a time of preparation to meet the Son of Man in Sabbath peace. They are shadows of what is to come, prophetic blessings, that we should put away our leaven, and prepare for the harvest. For this reason Ellen White herself said:

“The directions that Moses gave concerning the Passover feast [a common but less accurate term for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, not the Passover day] are full of significance, and have an application to parents and children in this age of the world.” [Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, May 21, 1895, paragraph 1, emphasis mine]

“The Philippians were the most loving and true-hearted of [Paul] the apostle’s converts, and he enjoyed a peaceful and happy visit with them during the eight days of the Feast.” [Sketches from the Life of Paul, p. 196] This is a reference to Acts 20:6, where Paul was keeping the feast in Philippi, with a group of Gentile converts. They were faithful feast keepers, evidence that the appointed times were never seen as merely a “Jewish” institution.

Again, “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict! And if the people of the world then needed the light which God had committed to His church, how much more do they need it now!” [Testimonies for the Church Volume Six, page 39, paragraphs 3, 4; page 40, paragraph 2]

Again, while Mrs. White wrote that “the ceremonial observances” associated with many Old Testament practices “were to pass away,” [The Signs of the Times, July 29, 1897] she, like Paul, and like modern Adventist feast keepers, understand the distinction between the holy days, and those observances (e.g., the sacrifices conducted at the temple) with which they were connected later on during the time of Moses. There is certainly a difference between the way that feasts were kept in the Old and New Testaments, free from ceremonial observances and the shedding of sacrificial blood, but this does nothing to cast any doubt upon the blessings that God has provided to His people through their acknowledgement. How much more do we need them now, than Israel did then?

I am not using these quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy as proof that Adventists ought to be Feast keepers. Again, we must have a “Thus sayeth the Lord,” and therefore I am holding them up merely as further and clear support for the Bible’s position that all Christians benefit from keeping our Father’s appointed times in faith, having the “faith that works by love,” not being “justified by works.” It is not a “work of the law” to attempt to take advantage of the opportunities we have been given for spiritual development, nor is it an admission that Christ is “less” than all we need because we are eager to participate in the times that He Himself, in His divine wisdom, has given to us as gifts. Respectfully, THIS is the context in which the actions of the sincere and faithful feast keeper ought to be described, even in an article that, as you indicate, is not really intended to be a thorough examination of the matter.

The New Testament clearly supports the teaching that the early Christians observed the feast days. I have already shared with you the passage from Acts in which Paul kept the feasts with his gentile converts, as any respectable Bible commentary will readily confirm. I have already quoted his statements with regard to proper (but not absent) feast keeping. Feasts are to be kept free of spiritual “leaven” so that we may grow together as a unified people. There is no shadow of sin or legalism in this objective.

Christ Himself was a keeper of the feasts, just as He was a keeper of the Sabbath. He was, for all intents and purposes, a (feast keeping) Seventh Day Adventist. What does that say about the 144,000, who follow this Lamb withersoever He goeth? Regarding Paul, His most vocal evangelist in the first century, the Gentile physician Luke quotes him as saying to the Ephesians, “I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem; but I will return again unto you, if God will.” (Acts 18:21) His traveling companions such as Timothy (Acts 16:1-3), Titus (Galatians 2:1) and likely Luke himself (Acts 16:11), who were not “under the law” in any sense – Titus wasn’t even circumcised according to the Mosaic institution (Gal 2:3) – went right on up to Jerusalem with him. Can we say they were “commanded” to go? Certainly not. Can we say they received a blessing from their observance of the Biblical feasts? Certainly yes.

With regard to the discussion of the Law in the New Testament, Adventists have long been experts (and rightly so) on what was “nailed to the cross.” It actually comes down to a simple question. The Bible says, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, [Christ] took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” (Colossians 2:14) A valid question to ask is, “Was the Sabbath ever “against us,” or “contrary to us?” Absolutely not – it was intended for our blessing. It cannot, therefore, be included in those things that are no longer profitable for our understanding and use.

The question I ask now, is, “Were the feast days ever “against us,” or “contrary to us?”” Christ did not think so. Paul did not think so. The New Testament Christians, Gentiles and Jews alike, did not think so. Adventists are beginning to think, “Maybe it is not so.” Shall we consider it our “mission” to stand in their way? God forbid!

I do not wish to stay overly long on this topic, but there is one more thing I wish to share with you, if you will permit.

The writings from the early Church demonstrate beyond question that the Christians who were not corrupted by Rome were feast keepers. We find this interesting passage from The History of the Church, by well-known Biblical historian Eusebius, describing a time in which the Romanized Church was attempting to decide on a date for “Easter” Sunday. Here is Eusebius’ record of the testimony of a bishop named Polycrates, a scrupulous follower of the Gospel as he learned it through the Apostles, specifically John the Beloved, who wrote the last book of the Bible, and outlived all the others.

After listing the Apostles Philip and John, then bishops Polycarp, Thraseas, Sagaris, and Melito (all Biblical and post-Biblical heroes of faith) he says:

“All of these kept the fourteenth day of the month as the beginning of the Paschal festival [i.e., the Feast of Unleavened Bread that begins on the sunset ending that day], in accordance with the Gospel, not deviating in the least but following in the rule of faith. Last of all I too, Polycrates, the least of you all, act according to the tradition of my family, some members of which I have actually followed; for seven of them were bishops and I am the eighth, and my family have always kept the day when the people put away the leaven. So I, my friends, after spending sixty-five years in the Lord’s service and conversing with Christians from all parts of the world, and going carefully through all Holy Scripture, am not scared of threats. Better people than I have said: ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” [The History of The Church, p. 231, emphases added]

No sacrifices were made, no Old Testament ceremonial rituals were performed, but the days were “kept” and the leaven (in the case of this particular feast) was “put away.”

As I have observed, it is easier to make a case for Christian feast keeping than Christian Sabbath keeping in the first few centuries after the cross. Any examination of these appointed times must take into account the Scriptures, the historical documents and (to a less foundational, but still important, extent) the words of more modern inspiration.

So, having said that, what SHOULD the position of Christianity be with regard to the feast days? Clearly, they are not commanded. Clearly, they do not hold the same position in the World To Come as will the weekly Sabbath or (interestingly enough) the monthly New Moon days (Isa 66:23). Like every other prophetic symbol in the Scriptures, their importance will cease when type meets antitype, thus when the Christian has perfected the “unleavened” life of Christ (the Spring feast) and when the Savior returns to harvest the earth for His people (the Fall feast). Until then, they remain a shadow of things to come, and thus let no man judge us (or “warn” us, or attempt to dissuade us) in these things, as we are the very and spiritual Body of Christ. (Col 2:17)

There is a blessing in obedience to the Word of God, and I fear lest you, in your own sincerity, should turn some faithful souls away from a blessing – perhaps the very blessing that they need in order to endure to the end (Mat 10:22) – by telling them they are not obligated toward a “law” that is only tangentially connected to the keeping of the annual feasts. These may be the very blessings that the Almighty has ordained should be theirs, thus we ought to be careful lest we find ourselves disputing with the Lord. (cf. James 3:1)

May you receive my words in the Spirit with which they are intended, not of dispute or controversy, but of love and the sanctifying power of our Father and his Dear Son.

With Christian regards and Agape love,
David Aguilar

User avatar
Lucan
Posts: 104
Joined: May 28th, 2012, 12:51 pm
Contact:

Re: Reply to David Clayton's "The Problem with Feast Keeping

Postby Lucan » February 9th, 2013, 7:12 pm

Thank you for sharing this. From an Adventist perspective, it's also worth noting that James and Ellen White both understood the camp meeting to be the fulfillment of the concept of feast-keeping, and referred to the camp meetings as feasts multiple times. As Creation Seventh Day Adventists, we have followed this by aligning the time of camp meeting with the appointed times mentioned.

James White, The Signs of the Times, June 8, 1876; quoted in 3BIO38 wrote:"This excellent meeting, with all its labor of preparation, anxiety, preaching, hearing, exhorting, confession of sins and want of Christ, its tears, deliverances, and joys, is now past. Those parents who brought their children to the meeting and saw them converted, and take the baptismal vow, are now glad that they brought them. Those who did not bring their children regretted their mistake. These annual feasts of tabernacles are gatherings of the greatest importance; and there should be a general turnout of all who may be benefited.


Ellen G. White, Bible Echo, Dec. 8, 1893 wrote:"The forces of the enemies are strengthening, and as a people we are misrepresented; but shall we not gather our forces together, and come up to the feast of tabernacles? Let us not treat this matter as one of little importance, but let the army of the Lord be on the ground to represent the work and cause of God in Australia. Let no one plead an excuse at such a time. One of the reasons why we have appointed the camp-meeting to be held at Melbourne, is that we desire the people of that vicinity to become acquainted with our doctrines and works. We want them to know what we are, and what we believe. Let every one pray, and make God his trust. Those who are barricaded with prejudice must hear the warning message for this time. We must find our way to the hearts of the people. Therefore come to the camp-meeting, even though you have to make a sacrifice to do so, and the Lord will bless your efforts to honour his cause and advance his work."


Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church vol. 2, page 575 wrote:"Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings. All should feel that God requires this of them. If they do not avail themselves of the privileges which He has provided that they may become strong in Him and in the power of His grace, they will grow weaker and weaker, and have less and less desire to consecrate all to God. Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus. He will come up to the feast. He will be present, and He will do for you that which you most need to have done."


Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church vol. 6, pages 38-40 wrote:"It is important that the members of our churches should attend our camp meetings. The enemies of truth are many; and because our numbers are few, we should present as strong a front as possible. Individually you need the benefits of the meeting, and God calls upon you to number one in the ranks of truth. . .

Anciently the Lord instructed His people to assemble three times a year for His worship. To these holy convocations the children of Israel came, bringing to the house of God their tithes, their sin offerings, and their offerings of gratitude. . . In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as God intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world.

With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with God, and to contemplate unseen realities.

If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict! And if the people of the world then needed the light which God had committed to His church, how much more do they need it now!"
- Lucan Chartier

Adriel
Posts: 463
Joined: May 29th, 2012, 8:41 pm

Re: Reply to David Clayton's "The Problem with Feast Keeping

Postby Adriel » February 23rd, 2013, 4:28 pm

Thank-you Bro. David for sharing this with us, and Bro Luke for the added quotes from SOP. Bro. David, Did you ever receive a response from David Clayton?

Elyna
Posts: 39
Joined: May 28th, 2012, 10:50 pm

Re: Reply to David Clayton's "The Problem with Feast Keeping

Postby Elyna » March 6th, 2013, 11:54 pm

Yes, I was doubly blessed by both the article and Br. Luke's comment. Thank you Br. David. Will share it with others when occasions arise.

SIs. Guerline


Return to “Doctrine and Theology”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests