Questions
I was searching the net for something and I came across this article in an Adventist Paper in Australia but I know it is also happening in the US and Canada! Years ago Adventists have been taking part in Easter Sunrise Services with Babylon and even now we have seen reports of Adventists keeping Ash Wednesday and Lent even denying themselves of some pleasure for the forty days of lent! How come, "the church" says it is OK to keep these pagan feasts of the Catholic Church but not the Feasts ordained by God which He says are a "statute forever"!? Why are Adventists so terrified of God's Holy and Ordained Feasts?
. "Was the Lord's supper instituted in lieu of Passover?"
Yes, The Lord's Supper was instituted in place of the Jewish Passover in that the "sacrificial lamb" was replaced with the "bread & wine". We believe that because Jesus was making the "transition" to the New Testament Type at the Last Supper, there was no "roasted lamb" present. He; The Lamb of God was about to offer His "blood", "once for all" and the sacrifices came to an end. This event as recorded in Luke 22:15 & 16, says something that most people seem to miss. Jesus said:
"With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, Until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." According to Christ's own word, the Passover will not have it's final Anti-typical fulfillment until we reach our heavenly home! So even the Passover Type did not end at the cross! This is in harmony with Christ's Word in Matthew 5:18 "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." When will "ALL" be fulfilled? Jesus said, "until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." So what then was "nailed to the cross"? What was "taken away"?
What part of the "Law", came to an end at the cross?
Over and over again The Holy Spirit says: "The need for the service of sacrifices and offerings ceased when Type met Anti-type in the death of Christ."
The Faith I Live By page 106
"The need for the service of sacrifices and offerings ceased when type met Anti-type in the death of Christ. In Him the shadow reached the Substance. The Lamb of God was a complete and perfect offering. Types and shadows, offerings and sacrifices,had no virtue after Christ's death on the cross;..."
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald October 10, 1899
Now, some say when they read this quote: "see, it says: "Types and shadows, offerings and sacrifices, had no virtue after Christ's death on the cross;..." Did ALL, types and shadows end at the cross? No they did not all end as we shall show. A few moments ago we read the Word's of Jesus who said:" "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, Until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
Luke 22:15 & 16,
And; "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
Matthew 5:18
The only "types and shadows" that ended at the cross were those that pointed to His death! This The Spirit says many times. Here is the proof: Read and re-read this statement from The Great Controversy Page 399:
"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 of 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 Anti-type 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;
"These types were fulfilled, not only as to the event, but as to the time.." That time came "after" the cross! The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Wave Sheaf, were not "pointing to" His death but rather to His victory over sin and death! If, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Wave Sheaf "had no virtue after Christ's death on the cross;..."then it was "pointless" for Christ to observe them, "After the cross" with precise attention to the "day" and the "time" that He Himself had instituted 1500 years before!
It is so clear, that, the only part of "The Law" of "types & shadows" that "ceased" at the cross and no longer had "virtue" are the "animal sacrifices" and "the offerings and ceremonies" connected with them.
In The Blessed Hope,
Rich & Joyce
Does Jesus keep the Feast days now in heaven?
Jesus, began the Investigate Judgment on October 22, 1844, which was a Day of Atonement. This began the "Anti-typical Day of Atonement. We are involved with Him in this work, that is, while He is "cleansing the sanctuary" in Heaven, we have a work to do on earth to cleanse ourselves from sin by allowing The Holy Spirit to direct our way by the reading of His Word and obedience to all that "is written" therein. As you certainly realize, Christ is not in the same position as we are. We are sinners, He is the
"Sinless One".
So while Christ is observing the "Anti-typical Day of Atonement" with us in that respect, we are the ones to be benefited by observing the "earthly type" in anticipation of the full and final "finished" work of Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary. How are we benefited? We are told to set aside days for "prayer and fasting", what better time to do this than on the Day of Atonement which involves a total 24 hour fast!
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also another time of "putting away of sin", as for seven days we are reminded that we are saved by the "sinless" life of Christ and need to be "purified". It is a "memorial" of His saving power! Since Christ has promised to be with us by His Holy Spirit when ever "two or three" or more of His faithful meet for study and worship, He is there keeping the days with us. So in that sense Christ is "keeping" the feast days in Heaven! A VERY IMPORTANT POINT IS: "Type must meet Anti-type at the time pointed out in the symbolic service."
The Great Controversy page 399 - 400
Therefore: since Christ began the Judgment on a "Day of Atonement" He will finish the work of Judgment on a "Day of Atonement" in the "year" of His return. He is in the process of fulfilling the first part of the type and will complete it on A Day of Atonement according to the Sanctuary Service, which He Himself instituted! So as you already realize we have been shown the "time of year" that Christ will come!
In The Blessed Hope,
Rich & Joyce
We didn't know that "Weber" was "Jewish" but like you we do hope to be a part of the 144, 000 "living saints" at His return and we do believe we are "spiritual Jews" through Christ. However: that is not the reason for our encouraging people to study the Sanctuary Doctrine and the significance of the Feast Day Types! We think you must know the ignorance on this subject and the great importance of it as stated in GC p. 488. You are no doubt familiar with the following testimony of God's Spirit >
"In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored. The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired...."
Prophets and Kings page 678
As you see, The Sabbath, is especially mentioned but we would like to know what other "institutions" you think might be referred to?
Do you make the sacrifice of meat offerings?
No, can't stand the thought of killing a lamb! We are vegetarians and we do believe the Spirit's Testimony that the "sacrifices and ordinances ceased" with the death of Jesus. We keep the "Anti-typical Day of Atonement", even as we are commanded by, "confession of sin and putting them away" in preparation of the moment when Christ makes that final awesome decree! We are working "six days" and resting on the Seventh as God Commanded!
We would appreciate your thoughts on what "other" , "Divine Institutions" are to be restored?
In The Blessed Hope,
Rich & Joyce
Yes, we agree "the Ant-typical Feast of Tabernacles" will soon be fulfilled. The question is, in what manner will it be fulfilled?
Thanks for your responses! Let me answer this one first. True, there is only one reference we found to Ellen White keeping a "feast day" in April of one year. I do not have the reference handy. However: You know that God sends more light according to "time and place" as His people advance in obedience and as we near the end. In 1888 when the G.C. Brethren who opposed the messages of Jones and Wagner, tried to pass a resolution that nothing was to be taught in our schools and churches unless first approved by the G.C. "Leaders" (sounds like today); Ellen White wrote: "I stated that I was a stockholder and I could not let the resolution pass, that there was to be special light for God's people as they neared the closing scenes of this earth's history. Another angel was to come from Heaven with a message, and the whole earth was to be lightened with His glory. It would be impossible for us to state just how this additional light would come. It might come in a very unexpected manner, in a way that would not agree with the ideas that many have conceived. It is not at all unlikely, or contrary to the ways and works of God, to send light to His People in unexpected ways. Would it be right that every avenue should be closed in our school so that the students could not have the benefit of this light? The resolution was not called for.
--Letter 22, 1889.
"make them sinners"; certainly not. God leads a step at a time. He is a "Gentle Shepherd"!
"New Light", as you well know, is not new in the sense that it never existed, but is a recovery of that which has been "buried" by the "traditions and maximums of men". There is more to Sister White's statement that,
"It would be well .....have Feast of Tabernacles".
If we were to follow this instruction, on which "days" should we do it?
Naturally on the Feast of Tabernacles! Why shun the very "time" appointed by God to celebrate this Feast"? In that case then, we would be "keeping" The Feast of Tabernacles which The Spirit of God testifies it is well that we do so!
In The Blessed Hope,
Rich & Joyce