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Five of the nine chapters can be accessed by clicking their titles:

A Preview of the Book

Passover in the New Testament

The Observance of Passover Today

Pentecost in the New Testament

The Observance of Pentecost Today

A PREVIEW OF THE BOOK

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., Andrews University

A PERSONAL NOTE: In this introductory chapter I relate the story behind the book, explaining what led me to change my mind regarding the continuity of the annual Feasts in the New Testament. This chapter provides also an overview of the book, giving a brief synopsis of each chapter.

One of the casualties of the rapid pace of modern life is the reading of good books. Many people buy books hoping to find time to read them, but never get beyond the first few pages. Reading only a portion of of a book often means missing what could be the most important part of its content.

Partly out of consideration toward those readers whose busy lifestyle makes it difficult to read through a book systematically to the end, and partly out of a desire to give at the outset an overview of the issues discussed, I have decided to give a preview of the content of the book at the beginning, instead of giving a summary of it at the end by way of conclusion. I hope this preview will help even those who intend to read the whole book by giving them an overview.

The Story Behind the Book. The inspiration to write this came from an invitation I received to speak on the Sabbath at the Jubilee 95, Friends of the Sabbath convention held near Los Angeles at the Dana Point Hotel Resort on May 28 and 29, 1995. The convention was organized by John Merritt, M. D., Medical Director of the Laguna Hill Hospital and a former board member of Ambassador University–an insitution of the Worldwide Church of God.

The convention was well attended by leaders and members of half-a-dozen seventh-day Sabbathkeeping denominations. The aim of the gathering was to reexamine the validity and value of the Sabbath in the light of the action taken early in 1995 by the leadership of the Worldwide Church of God to make the Sabbath, the annual Feasts, and tithing part of the Old Covenant legislation, and consequently no longer obligatory for Christians today.

During the convention Dr. Merritt asked me if I would speak also on the annual Feasts. The request caught me by surprise for two reasons. First, I was not prepared to speak on this subject, which I had not adequately investigated. Second, I have argued in my book The Sabbath in the New Testament that the annual Feasts of Israel were part of the ceremonial services of the Temple that came to an end with the sacrifice of Christ at the cross. I felt that presenting such a view publicly would only alienate those who had come seeking for a word of reassurance on the continuity of the Feasts. For these reasons I declined to speak on this subject.

Dr. Merritt did not give up on me. He encouraged me to pursue the study of the Feasts and offered me the opportunity to share my conclusions at a similar convention to be held at the end of December 1995, in San Antonio, Texas. I accepted the challenge, fearing, however, that my conclusions would prove to be disappointing to those Christians who believed in the continuity and value of the Biblical Feasts. Being free from teaching commitments at Andrews University from June to December 1995, I devoted every spare moment of these seven months to writing the book you are now holding in your hands.

Obectives of the Book. This book represents the first of a two-volume project dealing with the annual Biblical Feasts and their relevance for Christians today. The general objective of the two volumes is to trace the meaning and observance of the Feasts in Scripture and early Christian history. The more specific objective is to determine the continuity or discontinuity of the Feasts in the Christian church. This study serves as a basis for proposing some concrete ways in which the Spring Festivals of Passover and Pentecost can be celebrated today.

This first volume deals with the Spring Festivals, focusing especially on Passover and Pentecost. The second volume, which is scheduled for publication by December 1996, will examine the Fall Festivals, namely, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonment, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The many requests I have received for an early release of this study have encouraged me to divide this project into two volumes.

Suprising Discoveries. This research has been full of surprising discoveries for me. A first surprise was to find considerable interest in the relevance of Israel’s Feasts for Christians, not only among Messianic Jews who wish to retain their Jewish religious heritage, but also among those Christians who wish to rediscover their Jewish roots. An example of the latter is the book Celebrate the Feasts in Your Home or Church by Martha Zimmerman, a Lutheran educator. The author offers creative suggestions on how to celebrate the seven Feasts of Israel with a Christian perspective in a home or church.

A second surprise was to find a significant interest in the Feasts of Israel among Adventist members and scholars. In every church in which I presented my seminars during the latter half of 1995, I met some fellow believers who had been studying, and in some cases observing privately the annual Feasts. Similarly, at Andrews University I found several colleagues keenly interested in the study of the Feasts. In fact, some of them have been observing the Feasts privately.

In 1981 Dr. Abraham Terian, then Professor of New Testament at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, conducted a seminar for doctoral students on the Feasts of Israel. Each student wrote a paper on one of the seven Feasts as part of the requirements for the course. These papers are informative not only because of their content but also because of their appreciation for the meaning and relevance of the Feasts for Christians today. One paper of 115 pages by Jon Paulien, now Professor of New Testament at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, reads like a dissertation.1 Paulien, like other scholars, finds allusions to the seven Feasts in the visions of the book of Revelation.2 In fairness I must say that none of the papers translates the appreciation for the theological meaning and relevance of the Feasts into concrete proposals for their observance today.

Ellen White and the Annual Feasts. A third surprise was to find supportive statements for the Feasts in the writings of Ellen White, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. For example, she comments on Acts 20:6 ("We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread"), "At Philippi Paul tarried to keep the Passover. . . . The Philippians were the most loving and truehearted of the apostle’s converts, and during the eight days of the feast he enjoyed peaceful and happy communion with them."3 Ellen White acknowledges also the importance of Pentecost for Paul when she writes that he shortened his stay at Ephesus, because "he was on his way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost."4 The implication of these statements is clear. Ellen White believed that Paul celebrated the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost.

In her book Patriarchs and Prophets, Ellen White devotes a whole chapter to "The Annual Feasts." Reflecting on their value for Israelites and Christians today , she writes: "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 journeying 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."5 In this statement Ellen White clearly recommends the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles by the church today.

A Wrong Assumption. A fourth surprise was to discover that I was wrong in assuming that the annual Feasts came to an end with the sacrifice of Christ, simply because they were connected with the sacrificial system of the Temple. I came to realize that the continuity or discontinuity of the Feasts is determined not by their connection with the sacrificial system, but by the scope of their typology. If the Feasts had typified only the redemptive accomplishments of Christ’s first Advent, then obviously their function would have terminated at the Cross. But, if the Feasts foreshadow also the consummation of redemption to be accomplished by Christ at His second Advent, then their function continues in the Christian church, though with a new meaning and manner of observance.

It came as a pleasant surprise to discover that the typology and function of the Feasts reach beyond the the Cross to the ultimate consummation of redemption. The typology of Passover, for example, was initially fulfilled when Christ, the true Paschal Lamb, was sacrificed to deliver us from the bondage of sin. Yet there is still a future and ultimate fulfillment of Passover at the End, when Christ will deliver His people from the great tribulation and invite them to participate in "the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev 19:9). Christ Himself pointed to this future fulfillment of Passover when He said: "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:16). In this statement Christ makes it clear that the ultimate fulfillment of Passover will be at the End with the establishment of God’s kingdom.

Another example is the typology of Pentecost which was initially fulfilled, as noted in chapter 6, when Christ was resurrected as the first fruits of redeemed humanity and poured out the early rain of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to launch the Christian mission. Yet, like Passover, Pentecost will be ultimately fulfilled at the End, when the Lord will pour out the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit for the final harvest of the earth (Rev 14:15-16).

The principle of "fulfilled and yet-to-be fulfilled" applies to the Sabbath as well. Elsewhere I have shown that the Old Testament Sabbath typologies of rest and liberation were initially fulfilled at Christ’s first Coming and will be ultimately fulfilled at the consummation of redemption to be accomplished at His second Coming.6 In His inaugural address in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:18), Christ proclaimed Himself to be the fulfillment of the Sabbath typology of redemption (Luke 4:21). Yet Sabbathkeeping "remains for the people of God" (Heb 4:9), because the ultimate fulfillment of the Sabbath rest and liberation will take place at Christ’s second Advent.

The realization that the typology of the Feasts, like that of the Sabbath, was initially fulfilled at Christ’s first Advent, but will be ultimately realized at His second Advent, caused me to take a fresh look at the continuity and desirability of Israel’s Festivals for the church today.

This new inquiry was spurred also by the realization that the Feasts of Israel were organized in two cycles around the Spring wheat harvest and the Fall fruit harvest. The Spring Festivals of Passover and Pentecost foreshadow the redemption accomplished by Christ’s first Advent. On the other hand, the Fall Festivals of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles point to the ultimate (eschatological) restoration to be realized at the second Advent. Since the Fall Festivals typify such End-time events as the preparation for the final judgment announced by the Feast of Trumpets, the final cleansing and disposition of sins accomplished figuratively on the Day of Atonement, and the final celebration of God’s salvation by the redeemed at the Feast of Tabernacles, their meaning and function must of necessity continue, because their antitypical fulfillment still lies in the future. These considerations led me to reexamine the meaning, value, and relevance of the Feasts of Israel for the church today.

A Way to Enrich Church Worship. Let it be known at the outset that my concern is not to resurrect a legalistic observance of the annual Feasts according to outdated Jewish rituals, but to enrich church worship by proposing a church calendar that focuses during the course of the year on the redemptive accomplishments of Christ’s first and second Advents. We cannot preach the whole Bible in one sermon. We cannot celebrate the whole story of redemption in one Sabbath. A church calendar patterned after the calendar of Israel can help us to do justice to all the important salvific acts of God.

Many pastors go for years without taking their congregation through the central truths of the history of redemption: the life, suffering, and death of Christ; His resurrection, ascension, inauguration of His heavenly ministry, and sending of the Holy Spirit; His pre-Advent judgment in heaven and His executive judgment on earth at the second Advent; the punishment of unpenitent sinners and the final restoration of this world. A church calendar patterned after the religious calendar of Israel challenges pastors and members every year to explore more fully each of these fundamental truths of the plan of salvation. It can also serve as a deterrent against the temptation to use the Sabbath religious services to promote various kinds of secular agendas.

At a time when many churches are seeking to bring about worship renewal by introducing into their church services jazzy music, drama, theatrical preaching, and loud-voiced congregational responses, a church calendar that focuses on the great truths of salvation challenges us to foster worship renewal by seeking for a deeper understanding and experience of what Christ has done, is doing, and will do for us. The celebration of the great saving acts of God commemorated by the annual Feasts can bring about worship renewal by making our worship experience God-centered rather than self-centered.

Value of Adopting the Biblical Calendar. To develop a church calendar patterned after the Biblical calendar is not as difficult as one may think. With minor changes in scheduling, some of the current religious observances can be made to coincide with the date of the Biblical Festivals. For example, the Spring and Fall "Spiritual Emphasis Weeks" which Adventists observe at about the time of the Feasts of Pentecost and Tabernacles could be made to coincide with the observance of these two important Biblical Festivals. On both occasions, our churches could be decorated with some of the produce of the season, as the Jews decorated their synagogues and homes. Seeing the fruits of the season in the church (not merely at the supermarket) as an object lesson for our worship experience during the Feasts of Pentecost and Tabernacles can serve as a forceful incentive to thank God for His bountiful blessings.

The Spring "Spiritual Emphasis Week" could be observed during Pentecost and be called "Pentecost Renewal Week." Connecting the Spring "Spiritual Emphasis Week" with the celebration of Pentecost would add to the week Biblical timing, authority, and meaning. The disciples’ preparation for Pentecost can serve as a model for the Pentecost Renewal Week by reminding us of the need to prepare our hearts as did the disciples of old. Today we sing, pray, preach, and talk about the need for a new Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Why not follow the example of the disciples, who spent ten days preparing themselves for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14) by spending at least a week seeking for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit?

In Bible times the Israelites brought their first fruits to the Temple both on the first and last days of Pentecost. On the first day, they brought a sheaf of barley to consecrate to God the harvest that was going to be reaped; on the last day, they brought their first fruits to express their gratitude for the harvest that had been gathered in. Like the Israelites of old, we too can bring to God at Pentecost a special thanksgiving offering for the material and spiritual blessings received. Traditionally, Adventists used to bring a special sacrificial offering at the conclusion of the "Spring Week of Prayer." In some parts of the world the practice still persists.

The celebration of Pentecost provides a Biblical basis both for the Spring "Spiritual Emphasis Week" and the ensuing special offering. By celebrating at Pentecost the blessings of the agricultural Spring harvest and of the spiritual gifts God has bestowed upon us, we can find in the feast the theological incentive to express our gratitude to God for His material and spiritual blessings through a special thanksgiving offering.

In the course of this study I will propose different ways in which the Biblical Festivals can be integrated into the church calendar. My proposals are not intended to be disruptive of church life, but rather to enrich the religious experience of members by celebrating during the course of the year the great redemptive acts of God. At a time when some Adventist churches are experimenting with "celebration" styles of worship, why not give theological substance to such styles, by taking time to study, proclaim and celebrate the great saving acts of God commemorated through the Biblical Festivals.

Limited Hope. It would be presumptuous on my part to assume that many Christians inside and outside my own Seventh-day Adventist church will be persuaded by this study to adopt the observance of the Biblical Festivals in addition to that of the weekly Sabbath. History teaches us that holy days cannot be easily changed or introduced without causing considerable controversy. It is not my intent to engender controversies, but rather to stimulate a new inquiry into the relevance of the Biblical Festivals for us today.

A new inquiry is needed because many Christian churches today still suffer from the radical anti-feast attitude of the Puritans who swept away all religious holy days except Sunday. The Puritans viewed the church calendar, which was filled with saints’ days and Marian feasts instituted by the Roman Catholic Church, as indicative of the apostasy into which the church had fallen. To rid the church of all the pagan superstitions which had become part of the popular piety, the Puritans did away with all the annual holy days. They believed that other days would compete with, rather than enhance, the observance of the Lord’s Day. The Festivals of the Old Testament, however, do not detract from the weekly Sabbath, but add importance to it, since they are patterned after it.

The effect of the Puritans’ rejection of all annual holy days, including Passover and Pentecost, was the secularization of the calendar. Gradually a new nationalistic calendar was developed which celebrates, not God’s saving acts, but national heroes or events: Washington’s Birthday, Independence Day, Mother’s Day, Labor Day, and Veterans’ Day. Even Thanksgiving, which is celebrated in November at about the same time as the harvest Festival of Tabernacles, is detached from its Biblical roots and viewed exclusively as an agricultural festival. By making our primary feasts nationalistic rather than theological, we have fallen into a cultural pattern which subordinates the Christian faith to nationalistic goals and aspirations.

We do not need to fear the agricultural Feasts of the Spring and Fall harvests of the Old Testament, because it is good and proper to thank the Lord of the harvest. Why should Thanksgiving be celebrated as a secular holiday when we have Biblical reasons for observing it as a sacred Holy Day? "Indeed," to use the words of James Jordan, "how do we dare to keep it out of the Church?"7

More important still, we do not need to fear the soteriological cycle of the Biblical Feasts, because they provide us with a marvelous opportunity to rejoice in the specific works of God and Christ for our redemption. The fact that God’s calendar was perverted with the worship of saints, Mary, and pagan practices is not a valid reason for rejecting its proper use. For some Protestants, it seems more important to be unlike Rome than true to the Bible. To respect the soteriological cycle of the Biblical Feasts does not mean to fall into legalism, but to listen to the teachings of the Word of God.

God Revealed in Human Time. To appreciate the value of the Biblical Festivals for today, it is important to remember that the heart of the Biblical message is that God has revealed Himself in human time by creating, redeeming , and ultimately restoring His creatures to a harmonious relationship with Him. The Christian faith is rooted in the belief that God has acted in human history. The Biblical calendar recognizes this fact and seeks to relate all time to the redemptive purposes of God.

The major events of the first Advent of Christ are commemorated by the Spring Festivals and those related to the second Advent by the Fall Festivals. As the major redemptive accomplishments of Christ pass in review perennially during the course of the year, it keeps us constantly mindful of all that the Lord has done and is doing for our sakes. While it is true that God does not reserve the communication of His grace to specific days, it is also true that God uses time to reveal Himself. He invites us to make ourselves free and available for Him at certain times so that we can experience more freely and fully the awareness of His presence, peace, and grace in our lives. A church calendar is more than an annual cycle of recurring festivals. It provides an opportunity to experience afresh what God has done in the past, is doing in the present, and will do in the future. It enables us to take the time which God has created and offer it back to God through Jesus Christ who has redeemed it.

The redemptive acts of God are commemorated in the the Bible weekly through the Sabbath and annually through the Feasts. The latter fulfilled three basic functions which are still relevant for Christians today. First, the Feasts commemorated the past mighty works of God. Second, they anticipated the future divine deliverance. Third, they motivated the people to live in the present obediently before a holy God. These functions are still relevant for Christians today.

Commemoration of the Great Works of God. The Feasts offered to the Israelites an opportunity to commemorate specific saving acts of God which revealed unique attributes of His character. On the Sabbath, the Israelites acknowledged God as their Creator (Ex 20:11) and Redeemer (Deut 5:12-15). At Passover, they especially praised God as their Deliverer from Egyptian oppression (Deut 16:1;Ex 12:13). At Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), they thanked God for being their Provider of the material blessings of the harvest (Lev 23:10, 18, 19). At the Feast of Trumpets, they acknowledged God as their Judge who would decide their destiny ten days later on the Day of Atonement (Num 29:7; Lev 23:29). On the Day of Atonment, they would celebrate the fact that God was their Vindicator and Restorer who had forgiven and cleansed them of their sins (Lev 16:14-15, 21). At the Feast of Tabernacles, they rejoiced that God had been their Protector throughout their pilgrimage to the Promised Land (Lev 23:43).

The commemoration through the annual Feasts of the saving acts and attributes of God can enhance the worship experience of Christians today as it did that of ancient Israel. There is a prevailing skepticism today about God being the Creator, Redeemer, Provider, Judge, Vindicator, and Restorer. Many think that God is dead or at least indifferent to what is happening in this world. This prevailing skepticism could well have been facilitated by the widespread abandonment of the Sabbath and annual holy days.

Skepticism can be an outgrowth of forgetfulness. Neglecting the Sabbath, the memorial of creation, can lead people to become skeptical about their divine origin and destiny. Neglecting Passover, the memorial of redemption, can lead people to become forgetful and skeptical about God’s provision of salvation through Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Neglecting Pentecost, the memorial of the ourpouring of the early rain of the Holy Spirit to launch the Christian mission, can lead people to become skeptical about the outpouring of the latter rain to complete the Christian mission.

Neglecting the Feast of Trumpets, the reminder that we must all appear before the judgment seat of God (2 Cor 5:10), can lead people to live morally irresponsibly. Neglecting the Day of Atonement, the reminder of the final redemptive act of Christ who will cleanse His people and dispose of their sins at His second Advent (Heb 9:28), can lead people to despair of any solution to the sin problem that affects mankind. Neglecting the Feast of Tabernacles, the reminder of God’s past providential leading, can lead people to doubt God’s ability to lead us to the Promised Land.

Joyous Anticipation of the Future. The celebration of the Feasts was for the Israelites also a joyous anticipation of future deliverance. For example, the commemoration of the past Exodus at Passover served to nourish the hope and strengthen the faith in a future Exodus, when Israel will be finally and completely free (Is 43:15-21; 52:1-12; 55:12). At that time, the Lord will reign over all the nations who will go up in pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14:16-19).

The joy of that final pilgrimage to Jerusalem can be sensed by reading some of the "Psalms of Ascent" (cf. Ps 118; 122). "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad" (Ps 126:1-3).

John the Revelator saw in vision the eschatological celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the countless multitude of the redeemed stood before God’s throne "with palm branches in their hands" (Rev 7:9), as at the Feast of Tabernacles, singing: "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb" (Rev 7:10). By reminding us of the consummation of redemption, the Feasts can help us experience in the present a joyous anticipation of the future.

Motivation for Holy Living in the Present. The Feasts were also designed to motivate the Israelites to live in the present obediently and uprightly before God. Even the Psalms of joy sung on occasion of the Feasts (Ps 81:3) reminded the people of their ethical relationship with God. "O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!" (Ps 81:13).

The ethical implications of the Feasts are especially evident in the Feast of Trumpets and Atonement. The "blast of trumpets" (Lev 23:23) on the first day of the seventh month ushered in a period of repentance which lasted ten days, that is, until the Day of Atonement (Lev 23:27). During this period, the people were asked to "afflict" themselves (Num 29:7), that is, to repent and confess their sins. The outcome was the moral cleansing and elimination of sin through the ritual of the Day of Atonement, which restored the people to a new covenant relationship with God.

The prophets protested against the illusory security provided by the liturgy offered by unfaithful hearts: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies" (Amos 5:21; cf. Hos 2:13; Is 1:13). These rebukes were intended to appeal, not for the suppression of the Feasts, but for the moral reformation demanded by their true observance.

If the Feasts were needed in ancient Israel to constantly remind the people of their ethical relationship with God, they are also very much needed today when Christianity has become for many more of a profession than a practice. The Feast of Trumpets, for example, which summoned the Israelites to repent and confess their sins in preparation for the final judgment and cleansing of the Day of Atonement, can serve today to call upon Christians to "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come" (Rev 14:7).

The annual celebration of the Fall Feasts of the Trumpets and Atonement can give substance to our faith by reminding us that our relationship to God is based, not only on the profession, but also on the practice, of our faith. At the final judgment, Christ will invite into His kingdom "not every one who says to me ‘Lord, Lord, . . . but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt 7:21). By summoning us to prepare for the final judgment, these Feasts can give seriousness to our living. They remind us that our thoughts, words, deeds, and attitudes count for eternity. They teach us that the final judgment will reveal whether we have lived self-centered lives, ignoring God’s moral principles, or God-centered lives, reflecting His moral values. Christians today need to be reminded of the message of the final judgment, and the Fall Feasts of Trumpets and Atonement can effectively meet this need.

The Fall Feasts of Trumpets and Atonement should be of particular interest to Seventh-day Adventists, who believe in a pre-Advent judgment going on in heaven prior to Christ’s Return. The call of the first angel of Revelation 14:7 to "Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come" is in essence the eschatogical fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. As the ancient Israelites were summoned by the blast of the trumpets on the first day of the seventh month to prepare for the final judgment executed ten days later on the Day of Atonment, so God is calling us today to proclaim to all that "the hour of his judgment has come" in preparation for the final judgment to be executed by Christ at His coming.

The observance of the Feast of Trumpets can serve as a constant reminder of our mission to proclaim to the world that we are living in judgment time. Soon Christ "will appear a second time" (Heb 9:28), as the high priest appeared before the people of the Day of Atonement, "to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Heb 9:28).

Feasts Keyed to Seasons. It is significant that though the Feasts of Israel were primarily theological, commemorating specific saving acts of God, they were keyed to the Spring and Fall harvest seasons. Passover could not be celebrated until at least some of the barley was ready to be harvested and waved before the Lord. If because of weather conditions or a failure to make the necessary intercalation at the end of the lunar year, no barley was ripe, the rabbinical authorities would inform the Jews that Passover would be observed a month later. When Passover was moved up one month, all the other Feasts were moved accordingly, because Passover marked the beginning of the religious calendar.

God placed the celebration of the annual Feasts in conjunction with the Spring and Fall harvests, because these seasons could fittingly represent great spiritual truths. Physical experiences are used by God to help us conceptualize and internalize spiritual realities. The physical rest of the Sabbath, for example, helps us to apprehend and experience the spiritual rest of the Savior. The bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper enables us to symbolically accept the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.

One cannot help but appreciate divine wisdom in planning for Passover, the Feast of Redemption, to occur at springtime. The reviving of the earth at springtime provides the ideal setting to celebrate Passover, which commemorates the Springtime of Israel’s history, when God delivered the people from Egyptian oppression, and the Springtime of grace, when Christ was sacrificed to deliver us from the bondage of sin. "Every year at Passover," writes Alfred Edersheim, "God reminds us of the new life that has come to us through Christ’s death by setting before our eyes the spring when nature, which had been seemingly dead, bursts into bloom."8

Similarly the completion of the harvest season in the Fall, provides a fitting occasion to celebrate the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, all of which point to the future spiritual harvest of the redeemed that Christ will gather in at His second Advent. We can say that the Spring and Fall Festivals are like a compass whose needdle always points to Christ.

Today, most people no longer live in an agrarian society like that of the ancient Israelites, yet all are still responsive to seasonal changes. Spring is still the time of new beginnings which can remind us through Passover and Pentecost of the new life that has come to us through the redemptive accomplishments of Christ’s first Advent. Similarly, the Fall is still the completion of the harvest season, which can remind us through the Fall Feasts of the consummation of redemption to be accomplished by Christ’s second Advent. In His wisdom, God has keyed the unfolding of the plan of salvation to the Spring and Fall harvest seasons for pedagogical purposes. The beginning of the harvest in the Spring and the completion of the harvest in the Fall can serve as constant reminders of the redemption accomplished at the first Advent and yet to be consummated at the second Advent.

Procedure and Style. The procedure I have followed throughout the book consists of two major steps. First, I have traced Passover and Pentecost historically from the Old Testament into the New Testament and through the early Church. Second, I have used the survey as a basis for reflecting on the continuity and manner of observance of the Spring Festivals today. In formulating my conclusions I have tried to be sensitive to the witness of those early Christians who sought to be faithful to the teachings of the Word of God.

Concerning the style of the book, I have attempted to write in simple, nontechnical language. To facilitate the reading, each chapter is divided into major parts and subdivided under appropriate headings. A brief summary is given at the end of each chapter. Unless otherwise specified, all the Bible texts are quoted from the Revised Standard Version, copyright 1946 and 1952.

An Overview of the Book. Out of consideration for those readers who appreciate an overview of the structure and content of a book, I will briefly summarize the highlights of each chapter.The book consists of eight chapters, the first four devoted to Passover and the last four to Pentecost.

Chapter 1, "Passover in the Old Testament," traces the evolution of Passover from a private family memorial of the deliverance from Egypt to an elaborate and solemn sacrifice of the paschal lamb at the Temple in Jerusalem. In spite of its evolution, the underlying theme of Passover remained the same: the supernatural deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, which brought freedom and new life. During times of foreign oppression, hope ran high at Passover that soon the Messiah would come to liberate His people, even as the Lord had delivered His people from the Egyptian bondage in days of old. The Messianic hope of future deliverance nourished by the Passover celebration helps us to appreciate why Christ in the New Testament is our "Paschal Lamb" sacrificed at the Passover season to deliver Jews and Gentiles alike from the bondage of sin.

Chapter 2, "Passover in the New Testament," examines the time, nature, and meaning of the Last Supper that Jesus ate with the disciples. The time was the night before the official Passover. The Savior anticipated eating the Passover meal because He knew that He would suffer death as the true Paschal Lamb at the time of the slaying of the paschal lamb.

The nature of the Last Supper was a special Passover meal, eaten without the paschal lamb, because Jesus wanted to institute a new Passover meal to commemorate His redemption from sin through bread and wine, the new symbols of His own body and blood soon to be offered "for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28).

The meaning of the Christian Passover is three dimensional. It points to the past by commemorating the suffering and death of Christ. It points to the present by confirming God’s covenant with His church. It looks forward to the future by nourishing the hope of the happy reunion with the Savior at the celebration of the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9).

The manner of the observance of Passover is uncertain. The New Testament offers only indirect indications of the observance of Passover, apparently because its observance was taken for granted. This gap is filled by documents of the second century which trace back the observance of Passover to the apostolic church.

Chapter 3, "Passover in the Early Church," addresses two questions. First, it examines the common arguments adduced to deny the continuity in the New Testament of Old Testament holy days, such as Passover. The study shows that such arguments are based on groundless assumptions. The sacrifice of Christ did not exhaust the typological function of Passover because Christ Himself said that its ultimate fulfillment will be realized at the final establishment of God’s kingdom (Luke 22:16). The discountinuity brought about by the coming of Christ is never interpreted in the New Testament in terms of abrogation of the Mosaic law, in general, or of holy days in particular. Rather, the meaning of discontinuity is defined in the light of the sense of continuity that is evident in the New Testament.

Second, the chapter examines the observance of Passover in early Christianity and notes the factors which contributed to the abandonment of the Biblical date of Passover (Nisan 14) and the adoption of Easter-Sunday. The study shows that this change affected not only the date of Passover but also its meaning and experience. In time, Easter became associated with numerous pagan practices and superstitions which are foreign to the meaning and experience of the Biblical Passover.

Chapter 4, "The Observance of Passover Today," first brings into focus the findings of the previous chapters by summarizing the six major supportive evidences for the continuity of Passover in the Christian church. Second, the chapter addresses the question of whether Passover should be observed at the first full moon after the Spring equinox (Nisan 14) in accordance with the Biblical date and apostolic tradition or on Easter-Sunday in accordance with the tradition championed by the Church of Rome. The conclusion is that to respect the Biblical date, typology, and meaning of Passover, one must observe the feast in accordance with the Biblical date of Nisan 14, which corresponds to the first full moon after the Spring equinox.

Lastly, the chapter offers some practical suggestions on how to make the celebration of Passover an authentic Christian experience in the home or in the church.

Chapter 5, "Pentecost in the Old Testament," examines the reckoning, meaning, and ritual of Pentecost in Old Testament times. The Feast was a joyous celebration of the Spring harvest that occurred seven weeks after Passover. By offering the first fruits of the harvest, the Israelites expressed their thanksgiving to God for His bountiful provisions. In time, Pentecost was transformed into a feast commemorating the giving of the law at Sinai which, according to Jewish tradition, occurred fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. The few ceremonies associated with the Feast of Weeks were designed to express gratitude for the material blessings of the harvest and for the spiritual blessings of the Law, which provides principles of life and happiness for God’s people.

Chapter 6, "Pentecost in the New Testament," reflects on the theological significance of the events that occurred on the day of Pentecost and examines the three New Testament references to Pentecost (Acts 2:1; 1 Cor 16:8; Acts 20:16), to establish whether the Apostolic Church observed Pentecost.

Pentecost is of fundamental importance to the origin and mission of the Christian. Chronologically and typologically, the Christian Pentecost is linked to the Old Testament Pentecost because it began on the very day of the Jewish feast as the spiritual harvest of the first fruits of Christ’s redemption. The Feast celebrates the crowning of Christ’s Paschal sacrifice in heaven, which was manifested on earth with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33)–the first-fruit of the spiritual harvest (Rom 8:23; James 1:18) procured by Christ’s redemptive mission. It commemorates the inauguration of Christ’s ministry of intercession in heaven and the founding of the Christian church on earth.

The few incidental references to Pentecost in the New Testament suggest that the feast was important for the Apostolic Church. Unfortunately, we are not told how it was observed. Later documents suggest that the Feast of Pentecost was observed by the Apostolic Church as a joyful celebration of the risen Christ who ascended to heaven as the first fruit in order to give the gifts of the Spirit to His Church.

Chapter 7, "Pentecost in the Early Church," surveys the meaning of Pentecost and the manner of its observance in the early Church. The Feast was characterized by a mood of rejoicing during the fifty days following Passover. What made Pentecost a most joyous season were the events commemorated during that period, namely, the resurrection, the ascension, the promise of Christ’s Return, the inauguration of Christ’s intercessory ministry, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the Christian mission. To express their joy and gladness, Christians refrained from kneeling, fasting, and mourning during the fifty days of Pentecost. By standing for prayer and singing, Christians were honoring the resurrection of Christ as well as the future resurrection of all believers.

Chapter 8, "The Observance of Pentecost Today," considers the continuity, time, meaning, and manner of observing Pentecost today. The study shows that Pentecost, like Passover, is a remarkable typological feast, which began in the Old Testament as the celebration of the blessings of the Spring harvest and continues in the New Testament as a celebration of the spiritual harvest of souls reaped by Christ’s redemptive ministry.

Pentecost still should be observed today as a season to be thankful for material and spiritual blessings. We can be thankful Christ arose as the first fruits of redeemed humanity (1 Cor 15:20). We can be thankful Christ ascended to heaven to begin a special intercessory ministry on our behalf. We can be thankful for the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are made available to us through the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary.

We can express our thankfulness to God during the season of Pentecost in a variety of ways. Some may wish to follow the custom of the early Christians by standing rather than kneeling for prayer both at home and in church to honor the risen, exalted, and interceding Savior. Others may wish to express their thankfulness to God during the fifty days of Pentecost by singing songs of thanksgiving during their private and public worship. Others may wish to express the joy and gratitude of the Pentecost season by decorating their homes and churches with flowers.

During the seven Sabbaths from Passover to Pentecost, pastors could deliver a series of sermons focusing on the redemptive accomplishments of Christ’s first Advent. By taking time every year during the Pentecost season to deepen the understanding of vital aspects of Christ’s redemption, we can gain a greater appreciation, understanding, and experience of the great truths of the plan of salvation.

Acknowledgments. It is most difficult for me to acknowledge my indebtedness to the many persons who have contributed to the realization of this book. Indirectly, I feel indebted to the authors who have written on the Biblical feasts. Their writings have stimulated my thinking and broadened my approach to this subject.

Directly, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to church members, doctoral students, and colleagues at Andrews University who took time to share with me ideas and papers. Several ministers of the United Church of God who learned about this project graciously sent me books and papers dealing with the Feasts. To each one of them I wish to express my gratitude for their helpfulness and encouragements.

A special thanks to Dr. John Merritt for challenging me to undertake this research and for inviting me to share its findings at the Jubilee 95 convention in San Antonio, Texas, on December 23-26. Had it not been for the inspiration and encouragement of Dr. Merritt, I doubt I would have ever undertaken this project.

Paricular thanks to Joyce Jones and Madeline S. Johnston for correcting and improving the style of the manuscript. Both of them have worked many hours on this manuscript, reworking sentences so that they would sound more English and less Italian.

Last but not least, I need to express my special thanks to my wife, who has been my constant source of encouragement and inspiration for the thirty-four years of our married life. She saw little of me while I was researching and writing this book. Without her love, patience, and encouragement it would have been most difficult for me to complete this project in so short a time.

NOTES ON PREVIEW OF THE BOOK

1. Jon Paulien, "Rosh Hashannah, The Feast of Trumpets and Its Application in the New Testament," Paper submitted to Dr. Abraham Terian in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the course NTST 689, Andrews University, 1981.

2. See Jon Paulien, "The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation," Andrews University Seminary Studies 35 (1995), pp. 245-264. Among other scholars who see the Feasts represented in the vision of the book of Revelation, are: D. T. Niles, As Seeing the Invisible (New York, 1961), pp. 62-95; W. Hurtado, "Revelation 4-5 in the Light of Jewish Apocalyptic Analogies," Journal for the Study of the New Testament 25 (1985), p. 114; Lucetta Mowry, "Revelation 4-5 and Early Christian Liturgical Usage," Journal of Biblical Literature 71 (1952), pp.75-84; Leonard Thompson, "Cult and Eschatology in the Apocalypse of John," Journal of Religion 49 (1969), pp. 330-350; M. D. Goulder, "The Apocalypse as an Annual Cycle of Prophecies," New Testament Studies 27 (1981), pp. 342-367.

3. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, California, 1960), pp. 390-391. Emphasis supplied.

4. Ellen G. White, Redemption: or the Teaching of Paul, and His Mission to the Gentiles (Battle Creek, Michigan, 1878), p. 65.

5. Ellen G. White, The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets (Mountain View, California, 1958), pp. 540-541.

6. See Samuele Bacchiocchi, Divine Rest for Human Restlessness (Rome, 19980), pp. 134-145.

7. James B. Jordan, Christianity and the Calendar (Niceville, Florida, 1988), p. 97.

8. Alfred Edersheim, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services (London, 1874), pp. 178-179. Emphasis supplied.

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