The Bible and E.G. White on the FEASTs [the 3 Holy Convocations]: [Deut. 16:16, 2Ch. 8:13, Zech. 14:16]

Deuteronomy 16:16, Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: Deuteronomy 16:17, Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. Ellen White says some interesting things about the Feast Days. Please read this article I have compiled from the Spirit of Prophecy and then decide for yourself what it means. “Anciently the Lord instructed His people to assemble three times a year for His worship. To these holy convocations the children of Israel came, bringing to the house of God their tithes, their sin offerings, and their offerings of gratitude. They met to recount God's mercies, to make known His wonderful works, and to offer praise and thanksgiving to His name. And they were to unite in the sacrificial service which pointed to Christ as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Thus they were to be preserved from the corrupting power of worldliness and idolatry. Faith and love and gratitude were to be kept alive in their hearts, and through their association together in this sacred service they were to be bound closer to God and to one another. “In the days of Christ these feasts were attended by vast multitudes of people from all lands; and had they been kept as God intended, in the spirit of true worship, the light of truth might through them have been given to all the nations of the world. “With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with God, and to contemplate unseen realities. “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict! And if the people of the world then needed the light which God had committed to His church, how much more do they need it now!” {6T, 39-40} Ellen White said we need these holy convocations even more than ancient Israel did! I was amazed when I read this quote. I didn't know that she said that! It sounds to me like these Holy Convocations God gave are very important! What do you think? “A great work is to be accomplished by our camp meetings. The Lord has specially honored these gatherings, which He has called "holy convocations." {6T 70.3} When did God call these special meetings “Holy Convocations”? “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.” (Lev. 23:2) “These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” (Lev. 23:4)    What will these Holy Convocations do for us? I want to go through that first quote from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 6, phrase by phrase and we will see why we need these Holy Convocations even more in our time than Israel did; and we will see what they will do for us. You may refer back to the quote at the beginning to see where each of these phrases are stated. What did they do at these special times: 1.        They met to recount God's mercies. 2.        To make known His wonderful works. 3.        And to offer praise and thanksgiving to His name. 4.        And they were to unite in the sacrificial service which pointed to Christ as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Someone may object to the last item on the list since we no longer perform sacrifices. But let's think about this. Do we still have a High Priest? Yes, Jesus is our High Priest. Do we still have a sacrifice that cleanses us from sin? Yes, Jesus is “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) He was offered once for the sins of the world. So we must not discard the meaning of this just because we don't perform animal sacrifices anymore. What these special days will do for us if we keep them. 1.        We will be preserved from the corrupting power of worldliness and idolatry. 2.        Faith and love and gratitude will be kept alive in our hearts. 3.        And through our association together in this sacred service we will be bound closer to God and to one another. 4.        If we keep these festival times as God intends, the light of truth might through us be given to all the nations of the world! Why do we need these special holy days: 1.        They are necessary for the spiritual life of God's people. 2.        God's people need to turn away from their worldly cares. 3.        To commune with God. 4.        And to contemplate unseen realities.  “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!” What will happen to you if you don't keep them?  “With those who lived at a distance from the tabernacle, more than a month of every year must have been occupied in attendance upon these holy convocations. The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people. They needed to turn away from their worldly cares, to commune with God, and to contemplate unseen realities.” Two of God's Feasts (Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of Tabernacles) were a week long. Remember, Ellen White said, “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!” So instead of shortening our camp meetings to only a few days, we should, in these last days of peril and conflict, lengthen our Holy Convocations to more than a week. Indeed, Ellen White recommends two or three weeks! “If our camp meetings are conducted as they should be, they will indeed be a light in the world. They should be held in the large cities and towns where the message of truth has not been proclaimed. And they should continue for two or three weeks.” (6T, 33) “Every individual should be upon the ground the first day of the meeting, prepared to remain until the closing service...One full week is none too long a time to devote exclusively to the service of God, having the mind withdrawn from worldly interests and concentrated upon spiritual things; but to abridge the one week to two or three days is robbing God of time which should be spent in his service.” [RH 07-10-79 para. 3] p. 137, Para. 4, [1879MS].  “At these yearly assemblies the hearts of old and young would be encouraged in the service of God, while the association of the people from the different quarters of the land would strengthen the ties that bound them to God and to one another. Well would it be for the people of God at the present time to have a Feast of Tabernacles--a joyous commemoration of the blessings of God to them. As the children of Israel celebrated the deliverance that God had wrought for their fathers, and His miraculous preservation of them during their journeyings from Egypt, so should we gratefully call to mind the various ways He has devised for bringing us out from the world, and from the darkness of error, into the precious light of His grace and truth.” {PP 540.6} Why would it be good for us to have a Feast of Tabernacles? 1.        The hearts of old and young would be encouraged in the service of God. 2.        The association of the people from the different quarters of the land would strengthen the ties that bound them to God and to one another Are you ready to have a Feast of Tabernacles! Are you becoming inspired to want to share in God's Festivals? Now let's look at another similar quote. “Would it not be well for us to observe holidays unto God, when we could revive in our minds the memory of his dealing with us? Would it not be well to consider his past blessings, to remember the impressive warnings that have come home to our souls, so that we shall not forget God? The world has many holidays, and men become engrossed with games, with horse-races, with gambling, smoking, and drunkenness. They show plainly under what banner they are standing. They make it evident that they do not stand under the banner of the Prince of Life, but that the prince of darkness rules and controls them. Shall not the people of God more frequently have holy convocations in which to thank God for his rich blessings?...” {SpTEd 80.1=short for: special testimonies on education} What should we do during these Holy Convocations? 1.        Consider God's past blessings. 2.        Remember the impressive warnings that have come home to our souls. Why should we do this? 1.        So that we shall not forget God! What will happen if we do not have these Holy Convocations? 1.        Will we forget God? 2.        Will we forget the impressive warnings that have come home to our souls? 3.        Will we eventually drift away to stand under a different banner? Shall we not keep holy festivals unto God? Over and over Ellen White uses the language of the Feasts to describe how we are supposed to have similar days of rejoicing and recounting God's blessings. “… If men can become so excited over a match game of cricket, or a horse-race, or over foolish things that bring no good to any one, shall we be unmoved when the plan of salvation is unfolded before us? Let the school and the church henceforth have festivals of rejoicing unto the Lord.” {SpTEd 82.1} “Well would it be for us to have a feast of tabernacles, a joyous commemoration of the blessings of God to us as a people. As the children of Israel celebrated the deliverance that God wrought for their fathers, and his miraculous preservation of them during their journeyings from Egypt to the promised land, so should the people of God at the present time gratefully call to mind the various ways he has devised to bring them out from the world, out from the darkness of error, into the precious light of truth. We should often bring to remembrance the dependence upon God of those who first led out in this work. We should gratefully regard the old way-marks, and refresh our souls with memories of the loving-kindness of our gracious Benefactor.” {RH, November 17, 1885 par. 14} “Brethren and sisters, it would be better, far better, for you to let your business suffer than to neglect the opportunity to hear the message that God has for you at this time. You need every ray of light; for you are acquainted with the truth only in a measure, and need to become better qualified to give a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Come with your Bibles in your hands. You cannot afford to lose one such privilege as you are now favoured with, and we entreat you not to disappoint us by staying away from the [camp] meeting…?” (Bible Echo 12-08-93, p. 458,) Question: What shall we do with these holy days? Shall we nail them to the cross? Shall we say we don't need them anymore because we are now living under the New Testament? “The Lord saw that these gatherings were necessary for the spiritual life of His people.” More Quotes: “God gave direction to the Israelites to assemble before Him at set periods, in the place which He should choose, and observe special days wherein no unnecessary work was to be done, but the time was to be devoted to a consideration of the blessings which He had bestowed upon them. At these special seasons they were to bring gifts, freewill offerings, and thank offerings unto the Lord, according as He had blessed them. The manservant and maidservant, the stranger, the fatherless and widow, were directed to rejoice that God had by His own wonderful power brought them from servile bondage to the enjoyment of freedom. And they were commanded not to appear before the Lord empty. They were to bring tokens of their gratitude to God for His continual mercies and blessings bestowed upon them. These offerings were varied according to the estimate which the donors placed upon the blessings they were privileged to enjoy... Thus their hearts were revealed. Besides these special religious feast days of gladness and rejoicing, the yearly Passover was to be commemorated by the Jewish nation. The Lord covenanted that if they were faithful in the observance of His requirements, He would bless them in all their increase and in all the work of their hands. {2T 573.1} “God requires no less of His people in these last days, in sacrifices and offerings, than He did of the Jewish nation. Especially should those whom God has prospered render to Him the things that are His... “Let all who possibly can, attend these yearly gatherings. All should feel that God requires this of them. If they do not avail themselves of the privileges which He has provided that they may become strong in Him and in the power of His grace, they will grow weaker and weaker, and have less and less desire to consecrate all to God. Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus. He will come up to the feast. He will be present, and He will do for you that which you most need to have done.” {2T 575.2}    “Do you want to find Jesus? He is at the feast. You may find him here. He has come up to the feast. There are men and women that have brought him with them; and now we want you to press through, and touch the hem of his garment, that you may receive of the virtue that is found in him, and triumph in the God of your salvation.” {RH, August 17, 1869 par. 5} “In our camp-meetings Jesus is present with his gracious invitations; and if, on the last day of the feast, he is specially near, and his mercies and blessings are more forcibly brought home to us, how great the loss of those who fail to be present! On the very day of all others when they should be present, they are hasting to their homes; and thus failing to drink of the living waters, their souls are unrefreshed. ... “Anciently God commanded his people to assemble three times a year, and from every city from Dan to Beersheba the people came to these annual feasts. The one at the commencement of the season was to entreat God's blessing upon their families, their lands, their flocks, and their herds. The one at the close of harvest was the crowning festal gathering, to bring their offerings to God. The land had yielded its increase, the harvest had been gathered into their granaries, the first-fruits had been stored, and the people came with their tributes of thanksgiving to God, who had thus richly blessed them. Joy and rejoicing were there combined with the solemnities of a holy and sacred convocation. "Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God, in the place which the Lord shall choose; because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice."... “We have our convocation meetings yearly, and all who possibly can attend them should feel under obligation to do so. If they neglect to improve the opportunities to obtain a better knowledge of the truth, and to become more thoroughly in earnest in their efforts to perfect Christian character, they will be held responsible for the light, and privileges, and blessings which they might have had. Their case is nearly as bad in the sight of God as that of those who attend the meetings but fail to improve by the light and blessings there received. {RH, July 10, 1879 par. 14}    “Every camp meeting should be an object lesson of neatness, order, and good taste...Everything should be so arranged as to impress both our own people and the world with the sacredness and importance of the work of God. The regulations observed in the encampment of the Israelites are an example to us. It was Christ who gave those special instructions to Israel, and He intended them for us also, upon whom the ends of the world are come. We should study carefully the specifications of God's word and practice these directions as the will of God...” {6T 34.4}     “A great work is to be accomplished by our camp meetings. The Lord has specially honored these gatherings, which He has called "holy convocations." {6T 70.3} (Note: this phrase appears only three times in the Bible. Every single time it refers to the Feasts.) “These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” (Lev. 23:4) “If the children of Israel needed the benefit of these holy convocations in their time, how much more do we need them in these last days of peril and conflict!” {6T, 39-40} Come, brethren and sisters, to these sacred convocation meetings, to find Jesus. He will come up to the feast.” {2T 575.2}  “We must not for a moment think that there is no more light, no more truth, to be given us. We are in danger of becoming careless, by our indifference losing the sanctifying power of truth, and composing ourselves with the thought, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." Rev. 3:17. While we must hold fast to the truths which we have already received, we must not look with suspicion upon any new light that God may send.” p. 310, Para. 4, [GW15]. When did Ellen White write the above quote, found in the book Gospel Workers? She wrote it in 1915, the year of her death. Remember, the angel told Ellen White, "If light come, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God.” {1T 116.1} Let us not reject the light and receive condemnation! Following is a chart of the times and durations of each of God's Feast Days: Feast Day: Date: Duration: Purpose: Passover night: Abib 14 One evening Passover supper: To remind the people of Israel how God had delivered them from slavery. (This was replaced by the Lord's Supper) Lord's Supper: To remind us of how Jesus has delivered us from the slavery of sin. Unleavened Bread: Abib 15 7 days (1st day and 7th day are Sabbaths) A reminder that we must put away all sin out of our lives (leaven being a symbol of sin). Pentecost: 50 days later 1 day, which was to be kept as a Sabbath A celebration of the Former Rain and a time of praying for the Latter Rain. Trumpets: 1st day of the 7th month 1 day, which was to be kept as a Sabbath A day of rejoicing and heart preparation for the Day of Atonement. Day of Atonement: 10th day of the 7th month 1 day, which was to be kept as a Sabbath A day of heart searching and confession of sins. Tabernacles: 15th day of the 7th month 8 days, the first day and last day were to be kept as Sabbaths A joyous celebration of God's bountiful blessings during the year – a time for us to bring gifts and thank offerings to God. A lamentation on worldly festivals: In this country, Satan has in a most striking manner enthroned himself to control the leading men in the government of the nation. The education which they have received from childhood is erroneous. Many things are regarded as essential which have a most injurious effect upon the people. The many holidays have had a baleful influence upon the minds of the youth; their effect is demoralizing to the government, and they are entirely contrary to the will of God. They have a tendency to encourage an artificial excitement, a desire for amusement. {SpTEd 86.1} {FE 311.3} God's holy days do not encourage an artificial excitement, a desire for amusement. “…The customs and practises in the cities unfit the minds of the youth for the entrance of truth. The liquor-drinking, the smoking and gambling, the horse-racing, the theater-going, the great importance placed upon holidays,-- all are a species of idolatry, a sacrifice upon idol altars. If people conscientiously attend to their lawful business upon the holidays, they are regarded as mean-spirited and unpatriotic. The Lord cannot be served in this way... {SpTEd 87.1} {FE 312.1} Holidays are evil! Through the observance of holidays the people both of the world and of the churches have been educated to believe that these lazy days are essential to health and happiness; but the results reveal that they are full of evil, which is ruining the country. The youth generally are not educated to diligent habits. Cities and even country towns are becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah, and like the world in the days of Noah. The training of the youth in those days was after the same order as children are being educated and trained in this age, to love excitement, to glorify themselves, to follow the imagination of their own evil hearts. Now as then, depravity, cruelty, violence, and crime are the result. {SpTEd 92.2} {FE 317.1} May God bless you and help you make a right choice to serve the Lord Jesus! AMEN.