What are the Feasts of God and Why are they Important?

The feasts include Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Sabbath. It may be argued that these feasts are Jewish and solely part of the old covenant. However, the Lord's Word does not label them as exclusively Jewish; they are referred to as the Feasts of the Lord and are described as perpetual, which implies they are to continue forever. Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19). Examine the chart, and it becomes evident that not everything has been accomplished.

Feast	Meaning for us	When
Passover	Cross	March or April
Unleavened Bread	Cleansed from Sin	March or April
Feast of First Fruits	Resurrection	March of April
Pentecost	Church Age/ Gift of the Holy Spirit Given	Late May or Early June
Trumpets	Rapture	September
Atonement	Judgement	September
Tabernacles	Heaven	Late September or Early October

I eagerly anticipate the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, symbolizing Heaven for God's children. 

Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. We have been grafted onto the good olive tree. Israel was the original good olive tree, the chosen ones. We, being the wild olive tree, have been grafted onto the good olive tree through Jesus and adopted into the family. Therefore, as adopted children, it stands to reason that we should learn and follow the rules of our new family. When I saw follow the rules, I mean follow the heart of the rule, not the letter of the rule. There are many aspects that we can't do. Also, Jesus has filled the law of sacrifice. 

According to Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Hence, the Law is necessary to delineate the issue clearly. Indeed, we are saved by grace, but comprehending its full meaning is unattainable without grasping the Law or the rules that are beyond our reach without God's gracious aid. I am thankful that the need for sacrifices has ceased, as Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice.

     When we remember the feasts, it gives us a chance to show our children and others just how wonderful our God is. I love keeping the Feasts with my children. It gives me a chance to do hands on teaching of some difficult areas of the Bible. Most children and adults learn better when they are able to see, touch, taste, and hear. Many of the Feasts give a perfect chance to walk through the Old Testament while looking ahead to the New Testament.  As I have pointed out, Jesus did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill the Law. According to (Matthew 22:36 40), "Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

When you truly love someone and they invite you to spend time together, you make every effort to be there. Similarly, many profess their love for God but decline to participate in His feasts, which seems inconsistent. These feasts are not exclusive to Jews or limited to the Old Covenant. They serve as a reminder of God's deeds and a celebration of what He will do in the future.