One of the Most Difficult Situations to Handle

Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore

April 26, 2026

Scripture Reading:  1 Samuel 12:10:

10) “And they [Israelites] cried unto the LORD, and said, We [Israelites] have sinned, because we [Israelites] have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us [Israelites] out of the hand of our [Israelite] enemies [Hazor, Philistines, and Moab], and we [Israelites] will serve thee [LORD God of Israel].”

You might recall that this was the verse that Harald used in his last message. I thought that it was appropriate also for this lesson. A modern updating of this verse would be:

And they [world-wide Israel nations] cried unto the LORD, and said, We [world-wide Israel nations] have sinned, because we [world-wide Israel nations] have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us [world-wide Israel nations] out of the hand of our [world-wide Israel nations’] enemies [Jews, descendants of Esau, Canaan, and Cain] and we [world-wide Israel nations] will serve thee [LORD God of Israel].

Who were the gods, Baal and Ashtaroth, that our ancient fathers worshipped?  Are these the same gods that are worshipped today? Will the prayer be repeated by ancient Israel’s children?

Baal: Worshipped in ancient Palestine and recognized as local deities of specific regions who were believed to control fertility, rain, and crops. Holidays celebrated with this god included Halloween, Lent, and Christmas.

Ashtaroth: Astaroth or Astarte or Ishtar is a corrupted derivative of the Canaanite/Phoenician goddess of love and fertility. She was known as the “Queen of Heaven.” Holidays celebrated with this goddess included Easter.

What did these last five sentences say?

When, as a young adult Christian I heard this startling news, I thought, “What was I to do?” I pondered this question for several years and decided that I didn’t want to keep any holidays that are not in the Bible. But as I attempted to refrain from celebrating these holidays, I was met with mild hostility from my family, friends, and practically the entire society.

My parents argued that it was a time of family get-togethers, besides a religious holiday. And after much discussion, we finally arrived at a compromise. I would arrange to come home and join the family at the Christmas dinner, which included their Christmas gift-giving to each other, but I wouldn’t give or receive any Christmas gifts. But my parents still gave me gifts; not as many as before, but they gave me at least one gift. This was the way that it was until they died. Ever since then, my wife and daughter (and I am fortunate that they quickly agreed with me), have had nothing to do with these holidays for almost four decades, after both sets of parents died.

This sermon is my view on which holidays or holy days are truly not Christian and why. It is my opinion and is not meant to cause anyone to be offended. It is not personal, it is factual. But it is one of the most difficult subjects to approach a family member or a close friend on. And one must approach them on this subject, if you don’t want to participate in all the activities of these two major celebrations, Christmas and Easter.

When one learns that the Jews are not the covenant seed of Abraham, but we are, then that changes the person’s religious world entirely. For the next step is to examine the holidays that the person may have kept their whole life and decide if they should keep them. The rest of this sermon is to explain why I do not celebrate the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter.

WHAT ABOUT THE VERSE IN ACTS 12?

Acts 12:3, 4:

3) “And because he [King Herod, the Edomite] saw it pleased the Jews [Edomite Judeans], he [King Herod, the Edomite] proceeded further to take Peter [Apostle] also, (Then were the days of unleavened bread).

4) And when he [King Herod, the Edomite] had apprehended him [the apostle Peter], he [King Herod, the Edomite] put him [the apostle Peter] in prison, and delivered him [the apostle Peter] to four quaternions of solders to keep him [the apostle Peter]; intending after Easter to bring him [the apostle Peter] forth to the people.”

Israel’s history is full of examples where most of God’s people worshipped the wrong holidays or holydays. One example would be the House of Israel (northern ten-tribe kingdom), who for almost one millennium forsook the:

Temple of God built by King Solomon and built two temples in their kingdom to replace God’s temple in Jerusalem,

Covenant made with King David, that David’s descendants would be the only ones qualified to be kings over Israel and replaced it with kings from the other tribes,

Levites as being the only ones allowed to be priests in Israel and replaced them with priests from other tribes,

God of Israel and replaced Him with gods from other nations, and

Celebration of the Feast Days that the God of Israel had given them, and replaced them with days that were similar, but were kept on other days.

The first king of the House of Israel, King Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim, blended religions making a new worship system. As an example, King Jeroboam ordained a Feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, instead of the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when Tabernacles was celebrated by the Kingdom of Judah (1 Kings 12:32).

But this new Feast Day that Jeroboam personally devised was a vile affront to Almighty God. For his counterfeit religion remained infamous, the Bible repeatedly calling him the one “who had made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 10:31; 13:6; and 14:24). The House of Israel never turned back from this evil, even 200 years later, and God sent national captivity as judgment.

2 Kings 17:22, 23:

22) “For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam [the first king of the ten-tribe House of Israel] which he [Jeroboam] did; they [children of the ten-tribe kingdom] departed not from them [the false religion set up by King Jeroboam];

23) Until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.”

The Israelites were cut off from the anointed seed for over seven centuries, until they were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and rejoined with the Kingdom of Judah back into the covenant made with their father Abraham. The Bible tells us that we should never replace the worship system that God gave our fathers with some alternative practice. It won’t be acceptable to Him. As we read in Deuteronomy 12:30-31, we must adopt nothing that originated in false worship, being careful to follow exactly what God says to do. The House of Israel was the “prodigal son” of the parable that our Savior gave.

Deuteronomy 12:30, 31:

30) “Take heed to thyself [Israelites] that thou [Israelites] be not snared by following them, [nations which they conquered and now possess where they once lived; the seven Canaanite nations] after that they [Canaanites] be destroyed from before thee [Israel]; and that thou [Israel] enquire not after their [Canaanite] gods, saying, How did these nations serve their [Canaanites] gods? Even so will I [Israelite] do likewise.

31) Thou [Israelite] shalt not do so unto the LORD thy [Israelite] God: for every abomination to the LORD which He hateth, have they [Canaanite] done unto their [Canaanite] gods; for even their [Canaanite] sons and their [Canaanite] daughters they [Canaanites] have burnt in the fire to their [Canaanite] gods.”

WHAT ARE THE HOLIDAYS OF CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS?

Most Judeo-Christians and others in Christendom are unaware that there were churches that opposed the Catholic Church before the Protestant Reformation began. The Waldenses, were one group out of several that were taught by the Apostles, and they maintained their faith for about two millenniums. The Reformers held that the Waldensian Church was formed about 120 A.D., from which date on, they passed down from father to son the teachings they received from the Apostles.

The Waldensians differed in many ways from Roman Catholic doctrine and asserted that Christmas and Easter were brought into the Christianity by the Catholic Church. They separated from the Romanists as they differed on many of the church’s sacraments, like the Eucharist, and were therefore harshly punished by the Catholics from the 1200’s to the 1600’s. The Waldensians still exist today, primarily in the Piedmont region of Italy.

The Catholic Mass has been the dividing point of many non-Catholic religions for the Eucharist finds its roots in the worship practices of ancient Judaism. The Catholics believe that the early Christians, most who they say were Jewish (Edomites), naturally incorporated these elements into their gatherings. The Last Supper, celebrated by Jesus during Passover, further tied the Mass to Jewish (Edomite) traditions, as it was a ritual meal with prayers and blessings. The Eucharistic prayers of the Mass echo the Jewish berakah, a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over bread and wine. This connection, they say, highlights the continuity between the two Testaments.

Catholics also firmly believe that the liturgy of the Eucharist is the heart of the Mass, where Christ becomes present in the bread and wine. The Mass begins with the preparation of the gifts, where bread and wine are brought to the altar. The priest recites prayers rooted in Jewish blessings, then through the Eucharistic prayer consecrates the bread and wine. Catholics hold that after the priest gives his prayer the elements, the unleavened bread and natural wine, becomes the actual Body and Blood of Christ.

Christmas, according to history books, was first celebrated in the fourth century in the Roman Empire when the Roman Catholic Church had its beginning. A special Mass was said for Christ on December 25th. But when did the Protestants start to celebrate this holiday. A few Protestant denominations (like the Lutherans and Anglicans) kept Christmas early on, but many others—specifically the Puritans, Quakers, Anabaptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and others—banned or rejected this holiday until the late-19th century. Historically, many Protestant groups did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, viewing them as “popish” or pagan-rooted inventions. But over time, they were re-adopted driven by cultural trends and traditions, rather than by Biblical ideology.

What! Many Protestant churches did not celebrate Christmas until about 150 years ago?

ARE CHRISTMAS AND EASTER CHRISTIAN?

In our Scriptural reading in the book of Acts 12:3, 4, “Who was King Herod?” who was mentioned. He was Herod Agrippa, the son of Aristobulus, grandson of Herod the Great; nephew of Herod Antipas who murdered John the Baptist. It says that Herod Agrippa did something that pleased his fellow Edomite Jews? What did he do?

He put the Apostle Peter in prison. This was the third time that Peter was arrested. He was given to the quaternions of soldiers to keep him, which were four Roman soldiers that guarded him in six-hour shifts. He was chained to two of the soldiers and watched by the other two. As the Bible says, Herod intended after “pascha” to being him [the Apostle Peter] forth to the people.”

Does the Greek word, “pascha” mean Easter? This word is translated 29 times in the New Testament; correctly as Passover 28 times, and only ONE time translated as Easter (Acts 12:4)!

In their Commentary on the Whole Bible, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown make this comment on Acts 12:4: 

“…intending after Easter--rather, ‘after the Passover’; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here).” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Acts 12.

But there is something else in these two verses that most in Christendom just ignore. What is it? In verse three it says that these were the “days of unleavened bread” and in verse four it says that “after Easter.” Herod would bring Peter forth to the people during the days of unleavened bread after Easter.

Here is the question that needs to be answered: How are the “days of unleavened bread” connected to “Easter.” When I celebrated Easter, the church that I was a member of, never mentioned anything about the days of unleavened bread. In fact, everyone in our church just ignored those days, or said they were Jewish Feast Days, and just observed what we believed was the Christian holiday of Easter.

It was many years later that I learned how one was to keep the days of unleavened bread. To celebrate the days of unleavened bread, you had to cast out of your home all leavened products and only eat unleavened bread for seven days. I tried to do this one year! What a disaster that was!

The Feast of Unleavened Bread goes back to when Israel suddenly was freed from slavery in Egypt and had to leave as soon as possible. They did not have time for any bread that they had before they left to “leaven.” But the Baptist churches that I was a member of wrongly believed that it was the Jews who were the Israelites of the Old Testament not the people that are impersonating – true pure-blooded Israelites. I was unaware at the time that the word “Jews” is not found anywhere in the Scriptures until the book of 2 Kings.

Almost all commentaries are unanimous on the translation of “Pascha” as Easter as being unfortunate and absurd. That translation was a deliberate mistake made by the translators and almost all commentaries go on and say that Easter was a pagan festival observed long before Christ was born. Easter is not a Christian name, but is derived from Ishtar, one of the Babylonian titles of an idol goddess, the “Queen of Heaven.” There is a Roman Catholic Church, within two miles of our church, that identifies Mary, the mother of Jesus, with the same title – the “Queen of Heaven”.

The commentaries go on and say that Easter, Christmas, Lady Day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Lent, Halloween, and other Babylonian festivals were all borrowed from the Babylonian religion and were all observed centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. None of these holidays have any relationship to Christ, Jesus, or Christianity!

What?!

So, are the commentaries right or wrong? Each person must decide for themselves. The small, independent, Calvinistic, pro-Scofield Bible, Baptist church taught me the truth about Christmas and Easter but left me with an indefensible position. For we believed that the Jews celebrated the Feast Days of God that are in the Bible, plus a few of their own (like Hanukkah and Purim), while the main-stream Christians worshipped pagan holidays, and we “Gentile Calvinistic Christians” didn’t worship any holidays or holy days at all.

We failed to understand, like most in Christendom, that there were two different nations that were in the womb of their mother, Rebekah. We failed to correctly identify who were the descendants of Jacob/Israel and who were the descendants of Esau/Jews. Therefore, this independent, Calvinistic, pro-Zionist Baptist church knew what holidays were fraudulent, but what holy days were the so-called “Gentiles” to keep. The answer was, there weren’t any.

WHAT IS THE MASS?

The “Mass” or Eucharist is practiced in the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Catholic Church. The bread is unleavened and the drink is natural wine, for they believe correctly that the Last Supper was held during the Passover season. The word “Mass” is strictly a Catholic word and so is Christ(’s) Mass or Mass of Christ or as it is now popularized into one word: Christmas.

It would stand to reason, that the so-called non-Catholic denominations hate the Catholic Mass, because the Catholics believe that the Mass or Eucharist becomes the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ after the priest prays over the two elements in the communion. If they hate the Mass, why wouldn’t they hate the special yearly Mass of Christ – Christ’s Mass or Christmas(s)?

But instead, the non-Catholics love and support this special day of the year. In fact, I would say that Christmas is the Sabbath of America, as more businesses, schools, restaurants, merchants, gas stations, grocery stores, factories, etc., are closed than any other day in the entire year. And Christmas (December 25th, although the Orthodox Catholics celebrate it on January 7th) has become the great homecoming day when all almost non-Catholics become Catholic for a day.

Christmas has become nationwide in the United States that many of its people (85%) celebrate this holiday. A growing number of Americans say Christmas has been secularized or evolved to become a nonreligious holiday. But deciding where religious Christmas (expressed with hymns for the season, Nativity plays, and midnight Mass) ends and secular Christmas (Santa Claus and his reindeer, Christmas trees, and secular songs of the season) begins is a slippery task. Many “Christians” put up Christmas lights and Christmas decorations, have a Christmas tree, play Christmas music (many of the popular songs were written by Jews), give Christmas gifts and Christmas cards, and say “Merry Christmas” to each other.

Since the word “Mass” in religious usage means a “death sacrifice,” the impact of this fact is horrifying and shocking. For when the millions of people are saying “Merry Christmas,” they are unaware that they are literally saying “Merry death of Christ!”

What is so joyful? Why is Santa (he didn’t become popular in the United States until the mid-19th century) doing his “Ho, Ho, Hos?” Where do Santa’s nine reindeer come from? Why does this “god” in a red suit go down the chimneys? What about people who live in homes or apartments that have no chimneys? How does this all wise, kind “man” know if each child is good or bad? How does he go to every home on the entire planet in one day? And why, if its Jesus’ birthday, do everyone give gifts one to another, and not to the One whose birthday they say it is?

But if none of the Apostles, disciples, or early church members ever attended a Christmas service, or a Mass, why is it done now? In essence, the Mass is the ceremonial slaying of Jesus Christ repeatedly, followed by the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood (transubstantiation).

This point that Christmas is really the “Mass of Jesus Christ” is a very interesting point. My grandmother, on my mother’s side, was a member of one the Southern Baptist Churches, which hated the Roman Catholic Church and vice versa. But her finance was Irish Catholic.

Grandma refused to sign the papers that their children would be raised Catholic (this was common in those days), and her finance agreed to disregard what his Church said, and he was disowned by his family, got kicked out of the Catholic church, but they got married. But here is the point: I don’t think Grandma knew that Christmas was the Mass of Christ, for if she knew this, why would she keep this holiday? She wouldn’t; she was deceived.

WHAT DAY WAS JESUS BORN?

Are there any other foreign gods that were born on December 25th? There are 365/366 days in one year…why would Jesus be born, along with at least nine other pagan gods, on December 25th? The God of Israel is a jealous God. Why is December 25th not the correct day of His birth?

One way to find out when the birth of Jesus the Christ occurred, is to find when John the Baptist was conceived and then add fifteen months from that date. For Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit when John the Baptist was six months in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. So, John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus.

Starting when John the Baptist was conceived; six months later Jesus was conceived; and then nine months later Jesus was born; (mathematically—from the time of John the Baptist’s miracle conceivement, to the birth of our Savior would be 15 months: (when Mary visited Elizabeth who was 6 months pregnant when Mary got conceived + 9 months to the birth of her Son of God = 15 months.)

Have you ever wondered what these two women (who were cousins, Mary and Elizabeth) talked about and did during these three months that they lived together? The Bible doesn’t reveal anything about this.

Zechariah, John’s priestly father, served in the Temple with the priestly division of Abijah which was the 8th and 16th of 24 courses (1 Chronicles 24:10). This would place his service, according to Israel’s ancient calendar, during the 10th week of the year.

That would make it in March wouldn’t it…no, not according to the calendar used by ancient Israel. The Hebrew calendar’s new year begins in the spring not in the beginning of winter. As part of the division of Abijah, Zachariah served during the first two weeks of June, or the tenth week of the cycle. While he was on duty, he was chosen by lot—a once-in-a-lifetime honor—to enter the Temple and burn incense. During this service, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and announce the future birth of his son, John the Baptist. Fifteen months after this event happened would make it in September/October when Jesus was born; many say that it was on the Day of Atonement.

And has the average Christian ever thought about this:

Easter in held in the Spring in the northern hemisphere, in the Fall in the southern hemisphere.

Christmas is held in the winter in the northern hemisphere, in the summer in the southern hemisphere.

Yikes!

THE CALENDARS ARE DIFFERENT

The LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt when He designated Spring as the beginning of their new year and He also instigated Passover.

Exodus 12:2:

2) “This month [Abib; Nisan] shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”

On the tenth day of the first month, the Israelites were instructed to choose them a one- year-old male lamb with no blemishes and kill it as it approached the end on the fourteenth day (it was later afternoon; at sunset it would be the 15th day of Nisan). They were to put the blood of the slain lamb on the doorpost and lintels of the door and then roast the whole lamb and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs that evening (which was called Passover as the death angel PASSed OVER the homes that had the blood of the slain lambs on their doorpost). No racial stranger, uncircumcised male, or foreigner or hired servant were permitted to eat of it. Only the congregation of Israel was allowed to eat the Passover.

Exodus 12:43:

43) “And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron. This is the ordinance of the Passover: There shall no [racial] stranger eat thereof:”

Are the meals served at Easter and Passover the same? No, they are different.

Passover served roasted lamb, with bitter herbs, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and unleavened bread.

Easter serves mainly ham (which comes from an unclean animal-pig), some also include lamb, eggs (boiled, dyed, and/or deviled), hot crossed buns (leavened), carrot cake (leavened), lemon flavored desserts, potatoes, salad, etc.

Passover has strict restrictions on leavened food, while Easter does not. Passover focuses on the narrative of slavery to freedom, while Easter focuses on the resurrection. The first Passover meal was shortly after the slaying of the sacrificial lamb (the lamb was slain around 3 PM while the meal was eaten that evening which would be the 15th of Nisan on their calendar), while the Easter meal is eaten three days or a day and a half after the crucifixion of their Savior.

Jesus was buried right before the first day of the Sabbath of the First Day of Unleavened Bread – that would be right before our Wednesday night which was the beginning of their 5th day of the week. If Jesus was in the tomb three days and three nights (72 hours; right before their 1st day of the week, which was also a Sabbath Day), then He would have resurrected Saturday night, right before their first day of the week (our Saturday night/Sunday at midnight).

Are you confused yet?

Israel’s calendar was very different than ours. It began at sunset and not midnight. So, for example, Passover began at sunset on the 14th of Nisan and was over at the next sunset. At around 3 PM the sacrificial lambs were slaughtered, and their blood was put on the doorpost of the Israelites homes, and that evening the death angel appeared and spared (passed over) every Israelite, for they were saved by the blood of the lamb. The death angel, conversely, killed every first born in the land of Egypt for they had no sacrificial blood to save them.

So much for universalism.

That night, which would be the beginning of Nisan 15th, was the first day of unleavened bread when they were commanded to depart Egypt. They had no time to make any leavened bread and had to take unleavened bread on their hasty journey. On the last day of unleavened bread (the 7th day) they crossed the Red Sea.

So, the Feast of Unleavened Bread represented an historical fact in Israel’s history and was always attached to Passover and never to Easter!

WHAT DO MOST COMMENTARIES AND THE INTERNET SAY ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND EASTER?

From Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, it says that:

“The term “Easter” is not of Christian origin. It is another form of Astarte, one of the titles of the Chaldean goddess, the Queen of Heaven. The festival of “Pasch” held by Christians in post-apostolic times was a continuation of the ancient Jewish [Israelite] feast, but was not instituted by Christ, nor was it connected with Lent. From this “Pasch” the pagan festival of ‘Easter’ was quite distinct and was introduced into the apostate Western religion as part of the attempt to adapt pagan festivals to Christianity.”

If you type into your computer: “Is Christmas a celebration of the Eucharist” you will get an AI answer that says,

“Yes, in Catholic and many Christian traditions, Christmas is fundamentally a celebration of the Eucharist, as the name literally means “Christ’s Mass.” It commemorates the Incarnation—God becoming man—and is celebrated through the Eucharistic sacrifice, where believers recognize Christ’s presence in the bread and wine, continuing the mystery of [H]is birth.”

Because sharing at the Eucharistic Table is a sign of unity in the Body of Christ, only those in communion with the Catholic Church may receive Holy Communion. To invite others to receive Holy Communion implies a unity which does not exist. 

If you type into your computer: https//focus.org/posts/what-is-christmas-for-catholics/ and look under the title: “What Does Christmas Mean”, one will read the following:

“The word Christmas comes from ‘Christ’s Mass.’ At its heart, Christmas is a liturgical celebration centered on the Eucharist, where Catholics gather to give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ.”

What most non-Catholics do not know is that every Catholic can have a special day like Christ has, i.e. their own Christ’s Mass, with their own name instead of Christ’s. He can have a special Eucharist for himself.

I first became aware of this when I went to the wake of a Catholic friend of mine whose father had just died. Next to his father’s coffin was a box with a note on top of it that said, “Offering for the deceased to have a Eucharist given to him in the near future.” I asked my friend what this sign meant.

He said that if enough money is given, then the Roman Church will give his deceased father a special Mass for him to lessen his days he has to serve in purgatory.

What?! I thought Martin Luther had straightened this out, but I guess I was mistaken.

Because souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves, they rely entirely on the prayers and sacrifice of the living, especially the Mass. Purgatory is defined by the Catholic Church as a purification to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joys of heaven. Most Catholics believe that most of their people go to purgatory first, before they enter heaven. They could be in purgatory for a long time until they possess the necessary perfection that is needed to enter heaven.

Yikes!

Under the article, “20 Ways to Get In to the Christmas Spirit (for Catholics)” is the following:

Set Up an Advent Wreath

Attend Daily Mass of Adoration

Start a Jesse Tree

Pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena

Simplify Your Gift Giving

Host a Nativity Play

Serve the Poor

Go to Confession

Pray a Family Rosary

Decorate with Religious Symbols

Sing Christmas Carols with a Purpose

Meditate on the O Antiphons

Practice Daily Acts of Kindness

Attend a Rorate Caeli Mass

Create a “Posada” Experience

Dedicate a Day to St. Nicholas

Foster Gratitude

Incorporate Sacred Music

Share the Christmas Spirit Offline

Spend Time with the Lonely

They say that Christmas is a season of hope, joy, and love. By focusing on Christ, serving others, and embracing Catholic traditions, one can cultivate a deeper, more meaningful celebration.

Mercy! Mercy!

ARE ANY OTHER CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS VALID?

Christmas and Easter are not God’s holy days as well as all the days leading up to them both. Like Ash Wednesday, Maudy Thursday, Good Friday, Lent, Epiphany, and Pentecost or Whitsunday, etc.

Wait a minute. Isn’t Pentecost in the Bible. It sure is. “Pentecost” means 50; 50 days after the resurrection. But the Christian church does something unusual with the math as they celebrate Pentecost, which they say was the beginning of the Church. They say that Pentecost was seven weeks or 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. They count the first day as inclusive, i.e. they say that the resurrection was on a Sunday and the day of Pentecost was also on a Sunday; that’s only 49 days, not 50!

Pentecost was 50 days from the “waving of the first fruits,” which occurred at the time of Jesus’ death, which was very late on the seventh day till very early on the 1st day of the week. Seven weeks and one day later, a double Sabbath (48 hours) occurred each year in the Israelite calendar.  

How many Christians do you think know about this two-day Sabbath? It would change our Sabbath day each year, for example, from Saturday to Sunday, the next year to Monday, then to Tuesday, etc. So, what day of the week should we meet? Any day out of seven would be my answer. You cannot keep Israel’s Feast days on a different calendar!

And do Christians follow the rules of the first day Sabbath Day of journeying only about ½ mile? Who could go to church? Very few.

What is going on? Are you still confused!

WHAT ARE THE BIBLICAL HOLY DAYS?

As Pastor Jim said in his last sermon, there are seven major feast days of the LORD in the Bible. Here are the feast days that were given only to the descendants of Jacob/Israel, to no other people.

In the Spring was:

(1) Passover,

(2) Unleavened Bread,

(3) First Fruits,

(4) Pentecost, and

In the Fall was:

(5) Trumpets,

(6) Atonement, and

(7) Tabernacles.

Passover is the first Feast Day of each year. It occurred when Jacob/Israel was in servitude to the Egyptians in the latter part of their time in Egypt (215 years).

Passover (14th Day of 1st month; Abib/Nisan), was when the Israelites killed the Passover Lamb around 3 PM and put its blood on their doorposts. It took place in Egypt. Was fulfilled with the Crucifixion of Christ took place in Jerusalem.

First Day of Unleavened Bread: (15th Day of 1st month; Abib/Nisan), took place when Israel quickly left Egypt.

Feast of First Fruits (17th Day of 1st Month, Abib/Nisan; Not a Sabbath Day), commemorates the first barley harvest, acting as a “first fruit” or prototype of the larger harvest to come, which Christians interpret as Jesus being the first to rise from the dead. Modern-day Christendom celebrates this day as Easter, which always occurred on the first day of the week, our Sunday; but many believe He rose at the end of the seventh day (our Saturday). Fulfilled with the Resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem.

The last day of Unleavened bread (21st Day of Abib/Nisan): Occurred when Israel was in the Wilderness and was the day when they went through the Red Sea when it parted. Three more weeks and they began to eat manna from heaven.

Pentecost: Feast of Weeks or the beginning of the Wheat Harvest, Outpouring of the Holy Spirit: Always occurred on Israel’s first day of the week (our Sunday) and was a double Sabbath (8th day of the 3rd month, Sivan) in Jerusalem.

God married Israel at Mount Sinai and many years later the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 3000 Judahites at Jerusalem. The time from the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai to the Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2) is generally cited as approximately 1,300 to 1,500 years. While the two events are linked by the “Feast of Weeks,” the latter occurred in 33 A.D., marking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Mount Zion. The first Pentecost, which occurred at Mt. Sinai, which happened 50 days after the Exodus from Egypt. The Pentecost in Acts was 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. 

Trumpets: (1st Day of 7th Month, Tishri), Warning. The Shafar or ram’s horn was blown.

Atonement: (10th Day of 7th month, Tishri), Pre-Advent Judgment. Two goats are taken and one sacrificed for the sins of all the Israelites for one year. Every seven years all debts are cancelled. Every 50 years was a year of Jubilee year where all debts were cancelled, the land returned to its original owners, all slaves were set free.

The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles: (15th Day to 22nd Day of the 7th month, Tishri): The end of harvest celebration. God dwells with men. All of Israel enjoys the promised blessings of the kingdom of God.

CONCLUSION

What days are Christian Holy Days? Are Christians to keep Christ’s Mass and Easter and/or are we to keep the seven Feast Days in the Bible? The first Four Feasts, all in the Springtime, were fulfilled and should no longer be required to be kept in my opinion.

That is (1) Passover, (2) Feast of Unleavened Bread, (3) Feast of First Fruits, and (4) Pentecost. One can keep them as a time of getting together and remembering what amazing things God did with our people. There is nothing wrong in having fellowship, with lots of preaching and making reacquaintances, but it can’t be kept in the same manner that our ancient fathers kept them. For example, Passover is no longer the time commanded to sacrifice a lamb, as the true Lamb of God has already made His sacrifice for His people and there is no need for any other.

Do Christians think that Jesus was murdered at the same time the Passover lambs were being slain? There were over 364/365 other days he could have been killed, but He died on the very same day, and at the very same hour the Passover lambs were being slain.

What are the odds of that happening?

Do Christians ever think that Jesus was resurrected at the same time as the Feast of First Fruits occurred. There were over 364/365 other days in which he could have been resurrected but He was resurrected at this very time.

What are the odds of that happening?

Do Christians ever think that the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit” occurred at the same time as the Feast of Pentecost? There were over 364/365 other days of the year in which the Holy Spirit could have been given to His people. But it was at this very time.

What are the odds of that happening?

Do Christian ever think that Jesus was born at the same time as …December 25th, but that is not the same time as any holy Feast Day. It is the day of at least nine pagan gods’ birthdays. Don’t you think that He would have been born on one of the Feast Days? Probably on the Feast of Atonement?

What are the odds of that happening?

The last three holy days in the Bible are Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. But how does one celebrate these holy days today. They don’t keep them like ancient Israel had to:

Trumpets: It was a holy convocation with no regular work permitted. Priests blew ram’s horns or silver trumpets to warn of judgment and gather the people. Special burnt offerings were presented, including a young bull, a ram, seven lambs, and a goat for a sin offering.

Day of Atonement: The day started with a strict fast and rest from work. The High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the entire nation. Two goats were used to cover Israel’s sins. Every seven years on this day, all debts were forgiven to Israelites; while in the 50th year, was the Jubilee year, where all homes were restored to their original owner.

Feast of Tabernacles: People left their homes to live in temporary booths or tents for seven days in the city of Jerusalem, near the Temple of God, commemorating the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Extensive animal sacrifices were given.

How can you keep these holy days as our ancient fathers did? You can’t, for God’s Temple is no more and animal sacrifices are no longer required. They can be kept looking forward to what will happen on these days in the future.

I have found that when individuals leave CI, most are soon celebrating Christendom’s two most popular religious holidays—Christ’s Mass and Easter. No number of facts will sway them or many family members, friends, or acquaintances from keeping these “popish” or pagan holidays. Nothing that you can say will convince them that the Mass of Christ is wrong to celebrate. It is just like it was in the House of Israel many centuries ago. There is a power of the spirit of the Mass of Christ that prevails in most cases.

And there is one more point to consider. Pew Research Center survey found that 81% of non-Christians in the United States celebrate Christ’s Mass, testifying to the holiday’s wide acceptance. Americans who are religiously unaffiliated (atheists, agnostics, and people who describe themselves, religiously as “nothing in particular”; 87% celebrate Christmas. While people of other faiths, Asian American Buddhist (76%), Hindus (73%), and Jews (32%) also celebrate Christmas.

What?!

How much longer till this verse comes to pass?

1 Samuel 12:10:

10) “And they [world-wide Israel nations] cried unto the LORD, and said, We [world-wide Israel nations] have sinned, because we [world-wide Israel nations] have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us [world-wide Israel nations] out of the hand of our [world-wide Israel nations] enemies [Jewish, descendants of Esau] and we [world-wide Israel nations] will serve thee [LORD God of Israel].”

I have concluded that if you want to worship the God of the Bible you will have to realize that you are part of a remnant and you must be prepared to live a life full of rejection. But you are never alone, for our God is always with you if you obey Him.

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel.