THE FEAST DAYS AND —
The Ceremonial Law
Several years
ago, I prepared The Truth about the Feast Days–Part 1-3 [WM–608-610],
which many have found helpful. It contains a rather complete Bible study
on each of the yearly feast days.
But the
ceremonial law is, for some, a perplexing subject; and several requests
have been received for a far more complete Spirit of Prophecy study on the
subject and to what extent we are obligated, or even permitted, to keep
the ceremonial laws today. The following Inspired statements may help
clarify the matter.
The key points,
in the passages which follow, appear to be these:
• Every Old
Testament statute which pointed to the death of Christ (which therefore
was a "shadow law") was abolished at the cross.
•
Circumcision, although it does not appear to directly point to the death
of Christ, was also eliminated.
• By today
keeping the ceremonial statutes which were "nailed to the cross"
(Colossians 2:14-17 and Ephesians 2:11-15), we belittle Christ’s death
on our behalf.
The Spirit of
Prophecy rarely discusses the ceremonial law as a whole, without
mentioning that its observance was abolished at the cross.
It should be
noted that as soon as a type began to meet its antitype, the type was no
longer to be kept. That is why, today, we do not keep the feast of
trumpets, nor the day of atonement. Both began being fulfilled in the
nineteenth century.
The first set of
quotations, below, will be from the Conflict Series, since they provide
our basic understanding of the subject. After that, quotations from other
Spirit of Prophecy books will be given. A section on the feast of
tabernacles will conclude the compilation.
———————————
PATRIARCHS AND
PROPHETS
"The
Passover was to be both commemorative and typical, not only pointing
back to the deliverance from Egypt, but forward to the greater deliverance
which Christ was to accomplish in freeing His people from the bondage of
sin. The sacrificial lamb represents ‘the Lamb of God,’ in whom is
our only hope of salvation. Says the apostle, ‘Christ our Passover
is sacrificed for us.’ 1 Corinthians 5:7. It was not enough that the
paschal lamb be slain; its blood must be sprinkled upon the doorposts; so
the merits of Christ’s blood must be applied to the soul. We must
believe, not only that He died for the world, but that He died for us
individually. We must appropriate to ourselves the virtue of the atoning
sacrifice."—Patriarchs and Prophets, 277.
"Yearly
feasts were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were to
assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings of gratitude and
the first fruits of His bounties. The object of all these regulations was
stated: they proceeded from no exercise of mere arbitrary sovereignty; all
were given for the good of Israel. The Lord said, ‘Ye shall be holy
men unto Me’—worthy to be acknowledged by a holy God."—Patriarchs
and Prophets, 311.
"After the
completion of the tabernacle He communicated with Moses from the cloud of
glory above the mercy seat, and gave him full directions concerning the
system of offerings and the forms of worship to be maintained in the
sanctuary. The ceremonial law was thus given to Moses, and by him
written in a book. But the law of Ten Commandments spoken from
Sinai had been written by God Himself on the tables of stone, and was
sacredly preserved in the ark.
"There
are many who try to blend these two systems, using the texts that
speak of the ceremonial law to prove that the moral law has been
abolished; but this is a perversion of the Scriptures. The distinction
between the two systems is broad and clear. The ceremonial system was made
up of symbols pointing to Christ, to His sacrifice and His priesthood.
This ritual law, with its sacrifices and ordinances, was to be performed
by the Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ, the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Then all the
sacrificial offerings were to cease. It is this law that Christ ‘took
. . out of the way, nailing it to His cross.’ Colossians 2:14.
"But
concerning the law of Ten Commandments the psalmist declares, ‘Forever,
O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.’ Psalm 119:89 . . The law of God
is as immutable as His throne. It will maintain its claims upon mankind in
all ages . . While the Saviour’s death brought to an end the law of
types and shadows, it did not in the least detract from the obligation of
the moral law. On the contrary, the very fact that it was necessary
for Christ to die in order to atone for the transgression of that law,
proves it to be immutable."—Patriarchs and Prophets, 364-365.
"The
ceremonial law was given by Christ. Even after it was no longer to be
observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and
value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to
the work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law
glorious, worthy of its divine Originator."—Patriarchs and
Prophets, 367.
"On the
fourteenth day of the month, at even, the Passover was celebrated, its
solemn, impressive ceremonies commemorating the deliverance from bondage
in Egypt, and pointing forward to the sacrifice that should deliver
from the bondage of sin. When the Saviour yielded up His life on Calvary,
the significance of the Passover ceased, and the ordinance of the Lord’s
Supper was instituted as a memorial of the same event of which the
Passover had been a type."—Patriarchs and Prophets, 539.
DESIRE OF AGES
"Thus the
law for the presentation of the first-born was made particularly
significant. While it was a memorial of the Lord’s wonderful deliverance
of the children of Israel, it prefigured a greater deliverance, to be
wrought out by the only-begotten Son of God. As the blood sprinkled on
the doorposts had saved the first-born of Israel, so the blood of Christ
has power to save the world.
"What
meaning then was attached to Christ’s presentation! But the priest did
not see through the veil; he did not read the mystery beyond . . He did
not think that this babe was He whose glory Moses had asked to see. But
One greater than Moses lay in the priest’s arms; and when he enrolled
the child’s name, he was enrolling the name of One who was the
foundation of the whole Jewish economy. That name was to be its death
warrant; for the system of sacrifices and offerings was waxing old; the
type had almost reached its antitype, the shadow its substance."—Desire
of Ages, 51-52.
"All the
ceremonies of the feast were types of the work of Christ. The
deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an object lesson of redemption, which
the Passover was intended to keep in memory. The slain lamb, the
unleavened bread, the sheaf of first fruits, represented the Saviour."—Desire
of Ages, 77.
"Then, said
the angel, ‘He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven
years].’ For seven years after the Saviour entered on His ministry, the
gospel was to be preached especially to the Jews; for three and a half
years by Christ Himself; and afterward by the apostles. ‘In the midst
of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.’
Dan. 9:27. In the spring of A. D. 31, Christ the true sacrifice was
offered on Calvary. Then the veil of the temple was rent in twain, showing
that the sacredness and significance of the sacrificial service had
departed. The time had come for the earthly sacrifice and oblation to
cease."—Desire of Ages, 233.
"He desired
to call attention to the sacrifice that was to crown His mission to a
fallen world. While the people were assembling at Jerusalem to celebrate
the Passover, He, the antitypical Lamb, by a voluntary act set Himself
apart as an oblation. It would be needful for His church in all
succeeding ages to make His death for the sins of the world a subject of
deep thought and study. Every fact connected with it should be verified
beyond a doubt. It was necessary, then, that the eyes of all people should
now be directed to Him; the events which preceded His great sacrifice
must be such as to call attention to the sacrifice itself."—Desire
of Ages, 571.
" ‘The
Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He
had given thanks, He brake it . . After the same manner also He took the
cup’ . . Christ was standing at the point of transition between two
economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of God,
was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He would thus
bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand
years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover with His
disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to be the
memorial of His great sacrifice. The national festival of the Jews was
to pass away forever. The service which Christ established was to be
observed by His followers in all lands and through all ages . . The
ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was given to commemorate the great
deliverance wrought out as the result of the death of Christ."—Desire
of Ages, 652-653.
ACTS OF THE
APOSTLES
"When the
brethren in Judea heard that Peter had gone to the house of a Gentile and
preached to those assembled, they were surprised and offended . . Peter
laid the whole matter before them. He related his experience in regard to
the vision and pleaded that it admonished him to observe no longer the
ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision, nor to look
upon the Gentiles as unclean."—Acts of the Apostles, 141.
"While the
apostles united with the ministers and lay members at Antioch in an
earnest effort to win many souls to Christ, certain Jewish believers
from Judea ‘of the sect of the Pharisees’ succeeded in introducing a
question that soon led to wide-spread controversy in the church and
brought consternation to the believing Gentiles. With great assurance
these Judaizing teachers asserted that in order to be saved, one must be
circumcised and must keep the entire ceremonial law.
"Paul
and Barnabas met this false doctrine with promptness and opposed the
introduction of the subject to the Gentiles. On the other hand, many of
the believing Jews of Antioch favored the position of the brethren
recently come from Judea.
"The Jewish
converts generally were not inclined to move as rapidly as the providence
of God opened the way. From the result of the apostles’ labors among the
Gentiles it was evident that the converts among the latter people would
far exceed the Jewish converts in number. The Jews feared that if the
restrictions and ceremonies of their law were not made obligatory upon the
Gentiles as a condition of church fellowship, the national
peculiarities of the Jews, which had hitherto kept them distinct from all
other people, would finally disappear from among those who received the
gospel message.
"The Jews
had always prided themselves upon their divinely appointed services, and
many of those who had been converted to the faith of Christ still felt
that since God had once clearly outlined the Hebrew manner of worship, it
was improbable that He would ever authorize a change in any of its
specifications. They insisted that the Jewish laws and ceremonies
should be incorporated into the rites of the Christian religion. They were
slow to discern that all the sacrificial offerings had but prefigured the
death of the Son of God, in which type met antitype, and after which the
rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation were no longer binding."—Acts
of the Apostles, 188-189.
"Before his
conversion Paul had regarded himself as blameless ‘touching the
righteousness which is in the law.’ Philippians 3:6. But since his
change of heart he had gained a clear conception of the mission of the
Saviour as the Redeemer of the entire race, Gentile as well as Jew, and had
learned the difference between a living faith and a dead formalism. In
the light of the gospel the ancient rites and ceremonies committed to
Israel had gained a new and deeper significance. That which they shadowed
forth had come to pass, and those who were living under the gospel
dispensation had been freed from their observance. God’s
unchangeable law of Ten Commandments, however, Paul still kept in spirit
as well as in letter.
"In the
church at Antioch the consideration of the question of circumcision
resulted in much discussion and contention. Finally, the members of
the church, fearing that a division among them would be the outcome of
continued discussion, decided to send Paul and Barnabas, with some
responsible men from the church, to Jerusalem to lay the matter before the
apostles and elders. There they were to meet delegates from the different
churches and those who had come to Jerusalem to attend the approaching
festivals. Meanwhile all controversy was to cease until a final
decision should be given in general council. This decision was then to be
universally accepted by the different churches throughout the
country."—Acts of the Apostles, 190.
"At
Jerusalem the delegates from Antioch met the brethren of the various
churches, who had gathered for a general meeting, and to them they related
the success that had attended their ministry among the Gentiles. They
then gave a clear outline of the confusion that had resulted because
certain converted Pharisees had gone to Antioch declaring that, in order
to be saved, the Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the law of
Moses.
"This
question was warmly discussed in the assembly. Intimately connected with
the question of circumcision were several others demanding careful study.
One was the problem as to what attitude should be taken toward the use of
meats offered to idols. Many of the Gentile converts were living among
ignorant and superstitious people who made frequent sacrifices and
offerings to idols."—Acts of the Apostles, 191.
"The
Gentiles, and especially the Greeks, were extremely licentious, and there
was danger that some, unconverted in heart, would make a profession of
faith without renouncing their evil practices. The Jewish Christians could
not tolerate the immorality that was not even regarded as criminal by the
heathen. The Jews therefore held it as highly proper that circumcision
and the observance of the ceremonial law should be enjoined on the Gentile
converts as a test of their sincerity and devotion. This, they
believed, would prevent the addition to the church of those who, adopting
the faith without true conversion of heart, might afterward bring reproach
upon the cause by immorality and excess.
"The
various points involved in the settlement of the main question at issue
seemed to present before the council insurmountable difficulties. But
the Holy Spirit had, in reality, already settled this question, upon the
decision of which seemed to depend the prosperity, if not the very
existence, of the Christian church."—Acts of the Apostles,
192.
"Once
before, Peter had reasoned with his brethren concerning the conversion of
Cornelius and his friends, and his fellowship with them. As he on that
occasion related how the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles he declared, ‘Forasmuch
then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed
on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?’
Acts 11:17. Now, with equal fervor and force, he said: ‘God, which
knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as
He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying
their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke
upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were
able to bear?’ This yoke was not the law of Ten Commandments, as some
who oppose the binding claims of the law assert; Peter here referred to
the law of ceremonies, which was made null and void by the crucifixion of
Christ.
"Peter’s
address brought the assembly to a point where they could listen with
patience to Paul and Barnabas, who related their experience in working for
the Gentiles. ‘All the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to
Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought
among the Gentiles by them.’
"James also
bore his testimony with decision, declaring that it was God’s purpose to
bestow upon the Gentiles the same privileges and blessings that had been
granted to the Jews.
"The
Holy Spirit saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile
converts, and the mind of the apostles regarding this matter was as the
mind of the Spirit of God. James presided at the council, and his
final decision was, ‘Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them,
which from among the Gentiles are turned to God.’ "—Acts of
the Apostles, 193-194.
"In this
instance James seems to have been chosen as the one to announce the
decision arrived at by the council. It was his sentence that the
ceremonial law, and especially the ordinance of circumcision, should not
be urged upon the Gentiles, or even recommended to them. James sought
to impress the minds of his brethren with the fact that, in turning to
God, the Gentiles had made a great change in their lives and that much
caution should be used not to trouble them with perplexing and doubtful
questions of minor importance, lest they be discouraged in following
Christ.
"The
Gentile converts, however, were to give up the customs that were
inconsistent with the principles of Christianity. The apostles and
elders therefore agreed to instruct the Gentiles by letter to abstain from
meats offered to idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from
blood. They were to be urged to keep the commandments and to lead holy
lives. They were also to be assured that the men who had declared
circumcision to be binding were not authorized to do so by the apostles."—Acts
of the Apostles, 195.
"As a
result of their deliberations they all saw that God Himself had
answered the question at issue by bestowing upon the Gentiles the Holy
Ghost; and they realized that it was their part to follow the guidance
of the Spirit."—Acts of the Apostles, 196.
"Not
all, however, were pleased with the decision; there was a faction of
ambitious and self-confident brethren who disagreed with it. These men
assumed to engage in the work on their own responsibility. They
indulged in much murmuring and faultfinding, proposing new plans."—Acts
of the Apostles, 196.
"Jerusalem
was the metropolis of the Jews, and it was there that the greatest
exclusiveness and bigotry were found. The Jewish Christians living
within sight of the temple naturally allowed their minds to revert to the
peculiar privileges of the Jews as a nation. When they saw the
Christian church departing from the ceremonies and traditions of Judaism,
and perceived that the peculiar sacredness with which the Jewish customs
had been invested would soon be lost sight of in the light of the new
faith, many grew indignant with Paul as the one who had, in a large
measure, caused this change. Even the disciples were not all prepared
to accept willingly the decision of the council. Some were zealous for the
ceremonial law, and they regarded Paul with disfavor because they
thought that his principles in regard to the obligations of the Jewish law
were lax."—Acts of the Apostles, 197.
"The
broad and far-reaching decisions of the general council brought confidence
into the ranks of the Gentile believers, and the cause of God prospered."—Acts
of the Apostles, 197.
"When
Peter, at a later date, visited Antioch, he won the confidence of many by
his prudent conduct toward the Gentile converts. For a time he acted in
accordance with the light given from heaven. He so far overcame his
natural prejudice as to sit at table with the Gentile converts. But
when certain Jews who were zealous for the ceremonial law, came from
Jerusalem, Peter injudiciously changed his deportment toward the converts
from paganism . . The church was threatened with division. But
Paul, who saw the subverting influence of the wrong done to the church
through the double part acted by Peter, openly rebuked him for thus
disguising his true sentiments."—Acts of the Apostles, 197-198.
"Peter
saw the error into which he had fallen, and immediately set about
repairing the evil that had been wrought, so far as was in his power. God,
who knows the end from the beginning, permitted Peter to reveal this
weakness of character in order that the tried apostle might see that
there was nothing in himself whereof he might boast. Even the best of men,
if left to themselves, will err in judgment . . this record of the apostle’s
weakness was to remain as a proof of his fallibility . . The history of
this departure from right principles stands as a solemn warning to men in
positions of trust in the cause of God, that they may not fail in
integrity, but firmly adhere to principle. The greater the
responsibilities placed upon the human agent, and the larger his
opportunities to dictate and control, the more harm he is sure to do if
he does not carefully follow the way of the Lord."—Acts of
the Apostles, 198-199.
"In his
ministry, Paul was often compelled to stand alone. He was specially
taught of God and dared make no concessions that would involve principle.
At times the burden was heavy, but Paul stood firm for the right. He
realized that the church must never be brought under the control of human
power. The traditions and maxims of men must not take the place of
revealed truth. The advance of the gospel message must not be hindered
by the prejudices and preferences of men, whatever might be their
position in the church.
"Paul had
dedicated himself and all his powers to the service of God. He had
received the truths of the gospel direct from heaven, and throughout
his ministry he maintained a vital connection with heavenly agencies. He
had been taught by God regarding the binding of unnecessary burdens upon
the Gentile Christians; thus when the Judaizing believers
introduced into the Antioch church the question of circumcision, Paul knew
the mind of the Spirit of God concerning such teaching and took a firm
and unyielding position which brought to the churches freedom from
Jewish rites and ceremonies."—Acts of the Apostles, 199-200.
"These
false teachers were mingling Jewish traditions with the truths of the
gospel. Ignoring the decision of the general council at Jerusalem, they
urged upon the Gentile converts the observance of the ceremonial law.
"The
situation was critical. The evils that had been introduced threatened
speedily to destroy the Galatian churches.
"Paul was
cut to the heart, and his soul was stirred by this open apostasy on
the part of those to whom he had faithfully taught the principles of the
gospel. He immediately wrote to the deluded believers, exposing the false
theories that they had accepted and with great severity rebuking those
who were departing from the faith."—Acts of the Apostles,
383-384.
"From every
quarter were coming accounts of the spread of the new doctrine by which
Jews were released from the observance of the rites of the ceremonial law
and Gentiles were admitted to equal privileges with the Jews as children
of Abraham. Paul, in his preaching at Corinth, presented the same
arguments which he urged so forcibly in his epistles. His emphatic
statement, ‘There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision’ (Colossians 3:11), was regarded by his enemies as
daring blasphemy, and they determined that his voice should be
silenced."—Acts of the Apostles, 390.
"In the
earlier years of the gospel work among the Gentiles some of the leading
brethren at Jerusalem, clinging to former prejudices and habits of
thought, had not co-operated heartily with Paul and his associates. In
their anxiety to preserve a few meaningless forms and ceremonies, they
had lost sight of the blessing that would come to them and to the cause
they loved, through an effort to unite in one all parts of the Lord’s
work. Although desirous of safeguarding the best interests of the
Christian church, they had failed to keep step with the advancing
providences of God, and in their human wisdom attempted to throw about
workers many unnecessary restrictions. Thus there arose a group of men
who were unacquainted personally with the changing circumstances and
peculiar needs met by laborers in distant fields, yet who insisted that
they had the authority to direct their brethren in these fields to follow
certain specified methods of labor. They felt as if the work of
preaching the gospel should be carried forward in harmony with their
opinions."—Acts of the Apostles, 400.
"The
liberal contributions lying before them added weight to the testimony of
the apostle concerning the faithfulness of the new churches established
among the Gentiles. The men who, while numbered among those who were in
charge of the work at Jerusalem, had urged that arbitrary measures of
control be adopted, saw Paul’s ministry in a new light and were
convinced that their own course had been wrong, that they had been held in
bondage by Jewish customs and traditions, and that the work of the gospel
had been greatly hindered by their failure to recognize that the wall
of partition between Jew and Gentile had been broken down by the death of
Christ.
"This was
the golden opportunity for all the leading brethren to confess frankly
that God had wrought through Paul, and that at times they had erred in
permitting the reports of his enemies to arouse their jealousy and
prejudice. But instead of uniting in an effort to do justice to the one
who had been injured, they gave him counsel which showed that they still
cherished a feeling that Paul should be held largely responsible for the
existing prejudice. They did not stand nobly in his defense, endeavoring
to show the disaffected ones where they were wrong, but sought to
effect a compromise by counseling him to pursue a course which in
their opinion would remove all cause for misapprehension . . ‘Do
therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on
them; them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with
them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things,
whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou
thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law’ . .
"The
brethren hoped that Paul, by following the course suggested, might give a
decisive contradiction to the false reports concerning him. They assured
him that the decision of the former council concerning the Gentile
converts and the ceremonial law, still held good. But the advice now
given was not consistent with that decision. The Spirit of God did not
prompt this instruction; it was the fruit of cowardice. The leaders of the
church in Jerusalem knew that by non-conformity to the ceremonial law,
Christians would bring upon themselves the hatred of the Jews and expose
themselves to persecution. The Sanhedrin was doing its utmost to
hinder the progress of the gospel. Men were chosen by this body to follow
up the apostles, especially Paul, and in every possible way to oppose
their work. Should the believers in Christ be condemned before the
Sanhedrin as breakers of the law, they would suffer swift and severe
punishment as apostates from the Jewish faith.
"Many of
the Jews who had accepted the gospel still cherished a regard for the
ceremonial law and were only too willing to make unwise concessions,
hoping thus to gain the confidence of their countrymen, to remove their
prejudice, and to win them to faith in Christ as the world’s
Redeemer. Paul realized that so long as many of the leading members of the
church at Jerusalem should continue to cherish prejudice against him, they
would work constantly to counteract his influence. He felt that if by any
reasonable concession he could win them to the truth he would remove a
great obstacle to the success of the gospel in other places. But he was
not authorized of God to concede as much as they asked."—Acts
of the Apostles, 403-405.
"The
apostle showed that religion does not consist in rites and ceremonies,
creeds and theories. If it did, the natural man could understand it by
investigation, as he understands worldly things. Paul taught that religion
is a practical, saving energy, a principle wholly from God, a personal
experience of God’s renewing power upon the soul.
"He showed
how Moses had pointed Israel forward to Christ as that Prophet whom
they were to hear; how all the prophets had testified of Him as God’s
great remedy for sin, the guiltless One who was to bear the sins of the
guilty. He did not find fault with their observance of forms and
ceremonies, but showed that while they maintained the ritual service
with great exactness, they were rejecting Him who was the antitype of
all that system."—Acts of the Apostles, 451-452.
GREAT
CONTROVERSY
"The
slaying of the Passover lamb was a shadow of the death of Christ. Says
Paul: ‘Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.’ 1 Corinthians 5:7.
The sheaf of first fruits, which at the time of the Passover was waved
before the Lord, was typical of the resurrection of Christ. Paul says, in
speaking of the resurrection of the Lord and of all His people: ‘Christ
the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.’ 1
Corinthians 15:23. Like the wave sheaf, which was the first ripe grain
gathered before the harvest, Christ is the first fruits of that
immortal harvest of redeemed ones that at the future resurrection shall be
gathered into the garner of God.
"These
types were fulfilled, not only as to the event, but as to the time. On
the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, the very day and month on
which for fifteen long centuries the Passover lamb had been slain,
Christ, having eaten the Passover with His disciples, instituted that
feast which was to commemorate His own death as ‘the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world.’ That same night He was taken by
wicked hands to be crucified and slain. And as the antitype of the wave
sheaf our Lord was raised from the dead on the third day, ‘the first
fruits of them that slept,’ a sample of all the resurrected just, whose
‘vile body’ shall be changed, and ‘fashioned like unto His glorious
body.’ Verse 20; Philippians 3:21."—Great Controversy, 399.
OTHER BOOKS
"God’s
people, whom He calls His peculiar treasure, were privileged with a
two-fold system of law; the moral and the ceremonial. The one,
pointing back to creation to keep in remembrance the living God who made
the world, whose claims are binding upon all men in every dispensation,
and which will exist through all time and eternity. The other, given
because of man’s transgression of the moral law, the obedience to which
consisted in sacrifices and offerings pointing to the future redemption.
Each is clear and distinct from the other.
"From the
creation the moral law was an essential part of God’s divine plan, and
was as unchangeable as Himself. The ceremonial law was to answer a
particular purpose in Christ’s plan for the salvation of the race. The
typical system of sacrifices and offerings was established that through
these services the sinner might discern the great offering, Christ.
But the Jews were so blinded by pride and sin that but few of them could
see farther than the death of beasts as an atonement for sin; and when
Christ, whom these offerings prefigured, came, they could not discern Him.
The ceremonial law was glorious; it was the provision made by Jesus Christ
in counsel with His Father, to aid in the salvation of the race. The
whole arrangement of the typical system was founded on Christ. Adam saw
Christ prefigured in the innocent beast suffering the penalty of his
transgression of Jehovah’s law (Review May 6, 1875)."—6
Bible Commentary, 1094-1095.
"The
types and shadows of the sacrificial service, with the prophecies, gave
the Israelites a veiled, indistinct view of the mercy and grace to be
brought to the world by the revelation of Christ. To Moses was unfolded
the significance of the types and shadows pointing to Christ. He saw
to the end of that which was to be done away when, at the death of
Christ, type met antitype. He saw that only through Christ can man
keep the moral law. By transgression of this law man brought sin into the
world, and with sin came death. Christ became the propitiation for man’s
sin. He proffered His perfection of character in the place of man’s
sinfulness. He took upon Himself the curse of disobedience. The
sacrifices and offerings pointed forward to the sacrifice He was to make.
The slain lamb typified the Lamb that was to take away the sin of the
world.
"It was
seeing the object of that which was to be done away, seeing Christ as
revealed in the law, that illumined the face of Moses. The ministration of
the law, written and engraved in stone, was a ministration of death.
Without Christ, the transgressor was left under its curse, with no hope of
pardon. The ministration had of itself no glory, but the promised
Saviour, revealed in the types and shadows of the ceremonial law, made
the moral law glorious."—1 Selected Messages, 237.
"In this
ordinance [of the Lord’s Supper], Christ discharged His disciples
from the cares and burdens of the ancient Jewish obligations in rites and
ceremonies. These no longer possessed any virtue; for type was meeting
antitype in Himself, the authority and foundation of all Jewish
ordinances that pointed to Him as the great and only efficacious offering
for the sins of the world."—5 Bible Commentary, 1139.
"The
symbols of the Lord’s house are simple and plainly understood, and the
truths represented by them are of the deepest significance to us. In
instituting the sacramental service to take the place of the Passover,
Christ left for His church a memorial of His great sacrifice for man. ‘This
do,’ He said, ‘in remembrance of Me.’ This was the point of
transition between two economies and their two great festivals. The one
was to close forever; the other, which He had just established, was to
take its place, and to continue through all time as the memorial of His
death."—Evangelism, 273-274.
"Paul
desires his brethren to see that the great glory of a sin-pardoning
Saviour gave significance to the entire Jewish economy. He desired them to
see also that when Christ came to the world, and died as man’s
sacrifice, type met antitype.
"After
Christ died on the cross as a sin offering the ceremonial law could have
no force. Yet it was connected with the moral law, and was glorious.
The whole bore the stamp of divinity, and expressed the holiness, justice,
and righteousness of God. And if the ministration of the dispensation to
be done away was glorious, how much more must the reality be glorious,
when Christ was revealed, giving His life-giving, sanctifying, Spirit to
all who believe?"—6 Bible Commentary, 1095.
"The
passover pointed backward to the deliverance of the children of
Israel, and was also typical, pointing forward to Christ, the Lamb of
God, slain for the redemption of fallen man . . The passover had been
observed to commemorate the deliverance of the children of Israel from
Egypt. It had been both commemorative and typical. The type had reached
the antitype when Christ, the Lamb of God without blemish, died upon the
cross.
"He left
an ordinance to commemorate the events of His crucifixion . . Here our
Saviour instituted the Lord’s supper, to be often celebrated, to
keep fresh in the memory of His followers the solemn scenes of His
betrayal and crucifixion for the sins of the world. He would have His
followers realize their continual dependence upon His blood for
salvation."—3 Spiritual Gifts, 225, 227-228.
"There
were those in Paul’s day who were constantly dwelling upon circumcision,
and they could bring plenty of proof from the Bible to show its obligation
on the Jews; but this teaching was of no consequence at this time; for
Christ had died upon Calvary’s cross, and circumcision in the flesh
could not be of any further value.
"The
typical service and the ceremonies connected with it were abolished at the
cross. The great antitypical Lamb of God had become an offering for
guilty man, and the shadow ceased in the substance. Paul was seeking to
bring the minds of men to the great truth for the time; but these who
claimed to be followers of Jesus were wholly absorbed in teaching the
tradition of the Jews, and the obligation of circumcision."—6
Bible Commentary, 1061.
"We can
know far more of Christ by following Him step by step in the work of
redemption, seeking the lost and the perishing, than by journeying to old
Jerusalem. Christ has taken His people into His church. He has swept
away every ceremony of the ancient type. He has given no liberty to
restore these rites, or to substitute anything that will recall the old
literal sacrifices. The Lord requires of His people spiritual
sacrifices alone."—Review, February 25, 1896.
"The
gospel of Christ reflects glory upon the Jewish age. It sheds light
upon the whole Jewish economy, and gives significance to the ceremonial
law. The tabernacle, or temple, of God on earth was a pattern of the
original in heaven. All the ceremonies of the Jewish law were
prophetic, typical of mysteries in the plan of redemption.
"The
rites and ceremonies of the law were given by Christ Himself, who,
enshrouded in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, was
the leader of the hosts of Israel; and this law should be treated with
great respect, for it is sacred. Even after it was no longer to be
observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and
value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to the
work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law glorious, worthy
of its divine Originator. That which was to be done away was glorious,
but it was not the law instituted by God for the government of His family
in heaven and on earth; for as long as the heavens shall remain, so long
shall the law of the Lord endure."—6 Bible Commentary, 1095.
"In the
place of the national festival which the Jewish people had observed, He
instituted a memorial service, the ordinance of feet washing and the
sacramental supper, to be observed through all time by His followers in
every country. These should ever repeat Christ’s act, that all may see
that true service calls for unselfish ministry."—Evangelism,
275-276.
"There is
no discord between the Old Testament and the New. In the Old Testament
we find the gospel of a coming Saviour; in the New Testament we have the
gospel of a Saviour revealed as the prophecies had foretold. While the
Old Testament is constantly pointing forward to the true offering, the
New Testament shows that the Saviour prefigured by the typical
offerings has come. The dim glory of the Jewish age has been succeeded
by the brighter, clearer glory of the Christian age."—6 Bible
Commentary, 1095.
"In almost
every church there were some members who were Jews by birth. To these
converts the Jewish teachers found ready access, and through them gained a
foothold in the churches. It was impossible, by scriptural arguments,
to overthrow the doctrines taught by Paul; hence they resorted to the most
unscrupulous measures to counteract his influence and weaken his
authority. They declared that he had not been a disciple of Jesus, and had
received no commission from Him; yet he had presumed to teach doctrines
directly opposed to those held by Peter, James, and the other apostles.
Thus the emissaries of Judaism succeeded in alienating many of the
Christian converts from their teacher in the gospel. Having gained this
point, they induced them to return to the observance of the ceremonial
law as essential to salvation. Faith in Christ, and obedience to the
law of ten commandments, were regarded as of minor importance. Division,
heresy, and sensualism were rapidly gaining ground among the believers
in Galatia.
"Paul’s
soul was stirred as he saw the evils that threatened speedily to destroy
these churches. He immediately wrote to the Galatians, exposing their
false theories, and with great severity rebuking those who had
departed from the faith."—6 Bible Commentary, 1108.
"But there
is a law which was abolished, which Christ ‘took out of the way,
nailing it to His cross.’ Paul calls it the law of commandments
contained in ordinances.’ This ceremonial law, given by God through
Moses, with its sacrifices and ordinances . . was to be binding upon the
Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ as the Lamb of
God to take away the sin of the world. Then all the sacrificial
offerings and services were to be abolished. Paul and the other
apostles labored to show this, and resolutely withstood those Judaizing
teachers who declared that Christians should observe the ceremonial law."—Signs,
September 4, 1884.
"Paul . .
describes the visit which he made to Jerusalem to secure a settlement
of the very questions which are now agitating the churches of Galatia,
as to whether the Gentiles should submit to circumcision and keep the
ceremonial law. This was the only instance in which he had deferred to
the judgment of the other apostles as superior to his own. He had first
sought a private interview, in which he set the matter in all its bearings
before the leading apostles, Peter, James, and John. With far-seeing
wisdom, he concluded that if these men could be led to take a right
position, everything would be gained. Had he first presented the question
before the whole council, there would have been a division of sentiment.
The strong prejudice already excited because he had not enforced
circumcision on the Gentiles, would have led many to take a stand against
him. Thus the object of his visit would have been defeated, and his
usefulness greatly hindered. But the three leading apostles, against whom
no such prejudice existed, having themselves been won to the true
position, brought the matter before the council, and won from all a
concurrence in the decision to leave the Gentiles free from the
obligations of the ceremonial law."—6 Bible Commentary, 1108.
"The
Jews refused to accept Christ as the Messiah, and they cannot see that
their ceremonies are meaningless, that the sacrifices and offerings have
lost their significance. The veil drawn by themselves in stubborn
unbelief is still before their minds. It would be removed if they would
accept Christ, the righteousness of the law.
"Many in
the Christian world also have a veil before their eyes and heart. They do
not see to the end of that which was done away. They do not see that
it was only the ceremonial law which was abrogated at the death of Christ.
They claim that the moral law was nailed to the cross. Heavy is the veil
that darkens their understanding. The hearts of many are at war with God.
They are not subject to His law. Only as they shall come into harmony with
the rule of His government can Christ be of any avail to them. They may
talk of Christ as their Saviour; but He will finally say to them, I know
you not. You have not exercised genuine repentance toward God for the
transgression of His holy law, and you cannot have genuine faith in Me,
for it was My mission to exalt God’s law . .
"The
moral law was never a type or a shadow. It existed before man’s
creation, and will endure as long as God’s throne remains. God could
not change or alter one precept of His law in order to save man; for the
law is the foundation of His government. It is unchangeable, unalterable,
infinite, and eternal. In order for man to be saved, and for the honor
of the law to be maintained, it was necessary for the Son of God to offer
Himself as a sacrifice for sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us. He
died for us on Calvary. His death shows the wonderful love of God for man,
and the immutability of His law."—6 Bible Commentary, 1096-1097.
"This was
an important era for the church. Though the middle wall of partition
between Jew and Gentile had been broken down by the death of Christ,
letting the Gentiles into the full privileges of the gospel, the veil had
not yet been torn away from the eyes of many of the believing Jews, and they
could not clearly discern to the end of that which was abolished by the
Son of God. The work was now to be prosecuted with vigor among the
Gentiles, and was to result in strengthening the church by a great
ingathering of souls."—Story of Redemption, 303-304.
"The death
of Jesus Christ for the redemption of man lifts the veil and reflects a
flood of light back hundreds of years, upon the whole institution of
the Jewish system of religion. Without the death of Christ all this system
was meaningless. The Jews reject Christ, and therefore their whole
system of religion is to them indefinite, unexplainable, and uncertain.
They attach as much importance to shadowy ceremonies of types which
have met their antitype as they do to the law of the ten commandments,
which was not a shadow, but a reality as enduring as the throne of
Jehovah. The death of Christ elevates the Jewish system of types and
ordinances, showing that they were of divine appointment, and for the
purpose of keeping faith alive in the hearts of His people."—6
Bible Commentary, 1097.
"Paul .
. fully comprehended the difference between a living faith and a dead
formalism. Paul still claimed to be one of the children of Abraham,
and kept the Ten Commandments in letter and in spirit as faithfully as he
had ever done before his conversion to Christianity. But he knew that
the typical ceremonies [conducted at the Temple in Jerusalem] must
soon altogether cease, since that which they had shadowed forth had come
to pass, and the light of the gospel was shedding its glory upon the
Jewish religion, giving a new significance to its ancient rites.
"The
question thus brought under the consideration of the council seemed to
present insurmountable difficulties, viewed in whatever light. But the
Holy Ghost had, in reality, already settled this problem, upon the
decision of which depended the prosperity, and even the existence, of the
Christian church. Grace, wisdom, and sanctified judgment were given to
the apostles to decide the vexed question.
"Peter
reasoned that the Holy Ghost had decided the matter by descending with
equal power upon the uncircumcised Gentiles and the circumcised Jews. He
recounted his vision, in which God had presented before him a sheet filled
with all manner of four-footed beasts, and had bidden him kill and eat;
that when he had refused, affirming that he had never eaten that which was
common or unclean, God had said, ‘What God hath cleansed, that call not
thou common.’
"He said,
‘God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy
Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put
a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor
we were able to bear?’
"This
yoke was not the law of the Ten Commandments, as those who oppose the
binding claim of the law assert; but Peter referred to the law of
ceremonies, which was made null and void by the crucifixion of Christ.
This address of Peter brought the assembly to a point where they could
listen with reason to Paul and Barnabas, who related their experience in
working among the Gentiles.
"James bore
his testimony with decision—that God designed to bring in the Gentiles
to enjoy all the privileges of the Jews. The Holy Ghost saw good not to
impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile converts; and the apostles
and elders, after careful investigation of the subject, saw the matter in
the same light, and their mind was as the mind of the Spirit of God. James
presided at the council, and his final decision was, ‘Wherefore my
sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are
turned to God.’
"It was
his sentence that the ceremonial law, and especially the ordinance of
circumcision, be not in any wise urged upon the Gentiles, or even
recommended to them . . They saw that God Himself had decided this
question by favoring the Gentiles with the Holy Ghost, and it was left for
them to follow the guidance of the Spirit."—Story of Redemption,
306-309.
"The Jews
were so exacting in regard to ceremonial purity that their
regulations were extremely burdensome. Their minds were occupied with
rules and restrictions and the fear of outward defilement, and they
did not perceive the stain that selfishness and malice impart to the soul.
"Jesus does
not mention this ceremonial purity as one of the conditions of entering
into His kingdom, but points out the need of purity of heart."—Mount
of Blessing, 24.
"They
held, and still hold, the mere husks, the shadows, the figures symbolizing
the true. A figure for the time appointed, that they might discern the
true, became so perverted by their own inventions, that their eyes were
blinded. They did not realize that type met antitype in the death of
Jesus Christ. The greater their perversion of figures and symbols, the
more confused their minds became, so that they could not see the
perfect fulfillment of the Jewish economy, instituted and established by
Christ, and pointing to Him as the substance. Meats and drinks and
divers ordinances were multiplied until ceremonial religion constituted
their only worship.
"In His
teaching, Christ sought to educate and train the Jews to see the object of
that which was to be abolished by the true offering of Himself, the
living Sacrifice."—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 398.
"Christ’s
death and resurrection completed His covenant. [See first half of
Daniel 9:27.] Before this time, it was revealed through types and
shadows, which pointed to the great offering to be made by the world’s
Redeemer, offered in promise for the sins of the world. Anciently
believers were saved by the same Saviour as now, but it was a God veiled.
They saw God’s mercy in figures. The promise given to Adam and Eve in
Eden was the gospel to a fallen race. The promise was made that the seed
of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, and it should bruise His
heel. Christ’s sacrifice is the glorious fulfillment of the whole Jewish
economy. The Sun of Righteousness has risen. Christ our righteousness is
shining in brightness upon us."—7 Bible Commentary, 932.
THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES
There are
several interesting facts about the feast of tabernacles.
It was also called the feast of ingathering, tents, or booths. (For
more information, see 2 Chron 8:13; Ezra 3:4; Zech 14:16, 18-19; Jn 7:2.
Also see Ex 23:16; Lev 23:34-36, 39-43; Deut 16:13-15; 31:10-13; Neh
8:1-18.)
• It is the
only one of the yearly feasts that, so far, has been totally unfulfilled.
This is because it is a type which comes after the day of atonement, and
prefigures the Second Advent. It is truly a gathering for Advent
believers.
• We are
encouraged to keep something like it today. We are told that it should be
a season of rejoicing. The emphasis, presented to us, is more on gathering
together to sing and converse together, rejoice and encourage one another
than to listen to sermonizing.
• Although it
can be kept today, we are not commanded to do so. In addition, we are not
told that, if kept today, it has to occupy a certain number of days or at
a certain period of time. Thus, a yearly gathering, of some sort, with
fellow believers would suffice. (The original began on the 15th of the
seventh month [Tisri], and lasted seven days; later 8 days.)
It should be
noted that we are never told to keep the typical feast of trumpets or the
day of atonement. That is because we are today living during the antitype.
We are now to be engaged in the antitypical work of spreading the final
message everywhere while putting away sin and preparing our lives for the
final atonement, when the Judgment passes to our names (see Great
Controversy, chapter 28; "The Investigative Judgment").
———————————
"In the
seventh month came the Feast of Tabernacles, or of ingathering. This
feast acknowledged God’s bounty in the products of the orchard, the
olive grove, and the vineyard. It was the crowning festal gathering of the
year . . This feast was to be pre-eminently an occasion of rejoicing.
It occurred just after the great Day of Atonement, when the assurance
had been given that their iniquity should be remembered no more. At
peace with God, they now came before Him to acknowledge His goodness and
to praise Him for His mercy. The labors of the harvest being ended,
and the toils of the new year not yet begun, the people were free from
care, and could give themselves up to the sacred, joyous influences of the
hour. Though only the fathers and sons were commanded to appear at the
feasts, yet, so far as possible, all the household were to attend them,
and to their hospitality the servants, the Levites, the stranger, and the
poor were made welcome.
"Like the
Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles was commemorative. In memory of
their pilgrim life in the wilderness the people were now to leave their
houses and dwell in booths, or arbors, formed from the green branches
‘of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees,
and willows of the brook.’ Leviticus 23:40, 42, 43.
"The
first day was a holy convocation, and to the seven days of the feast an
eighth day was added [in Neh 8:18], which was observed in like manner.
"At
these yearly assemblies the hearts of old and young would be encouraged in
the service of God, while the association of the people from the different
quarters of the land would strengthen the ties that bound them to God and
to one another. Well would it be for the people of God at the
present time to have a Feast of Tabernacles—a joyous commemoration
of the blessings of God to them. As the children of Israel celebrated
the deliverance that God had wrought for their fathers, and His miraculous
preservation of them during their journeyings from Egypt, so should we
gratefully call to mind the various ways He has devised for bringing us
out from the world, and from the darkness of error, into the precious
light of His grace and truth."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
540-541.
"The
Feast of Tabernacles was the closing gathering of the year. It was God’s
design that at this time the people should reflect on His goodness and
mercy. The whole land had been under His guidance, receiving His
blessing. Day and night His watchcare had continued . .
"This
feast was not only the harvest thanksgiving, but the memorial of God’s
protecting care over Israel in the wilderness. In commemoration of
their tent life, the Israelites during the feast dwelt in booths or
tabernacles of green boughs. These were erected in the streets, in the
courts of the temple, or on the housetops. The hills and valleys
surrounding Jerusalem were also dotted with these leafy dwellings, and
seemed to be alive with people.
"With
sacred song and thanksgiving the worshipers celebrated this occasion. A
little before the feast was the Day of Atonement, when, after
confession of their sins, the people were declared to be at peace with
Heaven. Thus the way was prepared for the rejoicing of the feast."—Desire
of Ages, 447-448.
"The
people of Israel praised God at the Feast of Tabernacles, as they
called to mind His mercy in their deliverance from the bondage of
Egypt and His tender care for them during their pilgrim life in the
wilderness. They rejoiced also in the consciousness of pardon and
acceptance, through the service of the day of atonement, just ended.
"But when
the ransomed of the Lord shall have been safely gathered into the heavenly
Canaan, forever delivered from the bondage of the curse, under which ‘the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now’
(Romans 8:22), they will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Christ’s great work of atonement for men will then have been completed,
and their sins will have been forever blotted out."—Patriarchs
and Prophets, 542.
"The time
chosen for the dedication [of the rebuilt temple] was a most favorable one—the
seventh month, when the people from every part of the kingdom were
accustomed to assemble at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
This feast was pre-eminently an occasion of rejoicing. The labors
of the harvest being ended and the toils of the new year not yet begun, the
people were free from care and could give themselves up to the sacred,
joyous influences of the hour."—Prophets and Kings, 37.
Is it possible that,
following the death of Christ, if we today observe any ceremony pointing
to the death of Christ, we crucify Him twice
(Hebrews 6:6 refers to returning to sinful habits: "They crucify . .
the Son of God afresh")?
Moses’ great sin was striking the rock twice (PP
418:1). After the first time (PP 411), he was only to speak to it.
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