The plan and purposes of the Almighty
GOD, the LORD of Hosts, are revealed in the sequence of the celebration
of the Biblical Sabbaths and Feasts (Lev 23: Ex 23:14-7; 34:8-26;
Dt 16:1-17; Is 56; 58; Ezk 20:1-44; Ps 90; 96; Lev 16; Zech 14:16-9
& c.) which are the ordinances of GOD the Father (2Chr 2:4-6;
Heb 7:14-21; Rev 1:6).
This Plan of GOD begins with the
Lamb of GOD in the Passover (1Pet 1:18-21; Gen 3:15; 22:1-19;
Ex 12; 2K23:21; 2Chr 35:1-19; Heb 11:28; 1Cor 5:7; Rev 14:1),
which was foreordained from before the creation of the universe
(Rev 13:8; 1Pet 1:19-20; Rev 5:6-8, 12), thus also revealing to
us a vital example of the apostle's statement: "... the
Law is spiritual" (Rom 7:14; 1Cor 2:10-4; Ps 19:7; 119:97-100,
160).
Christianity persists in the philosophic
traditions of the Nicene Creed, the Cappadocians, Augustine, Aquinas,
Luther and Calvin in that it denies Jesus Christ as the Son of
God in a real sense (not a hypostasis or Person of the Trinity,
which logically leads into a metaphysical development making God
an impassable, pantheistic/panentheistic Intelligence ("God
is Thought and Thinker.") spoken of by some cosmologists
and process theologians who consider the concept of God further
than the polytheism of the catholic trinity).
The Scriptures persistently present
Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Matt 16:16; Jn 17:3; Acts 9:20)
and as having GOD as His Father (Jn 20:17; Rom 15:6; 2Cor 1:3;
11:31; Eph 1:3,17; Col 1:3; 1Pet 1:3; Heb 1:8-9; 2Jn 3; Rev 1:6;
3:5,12). The Son of GOD is His executive (Eph 3:9; Col 1:15-6;
Heb 1:2, 10-1). It is then quite apparent why Christ says:
... I am going to the Father, for
the Father is greater than I. (Jn 14:28)
In view of the above, the apostle
Paul consistently upholds the superiority of GOD the Father:
The universe was created with the
intent that the new earth should become the future location of
the New Jerusalem, which is the Bride and the Church (Rev 21:1-3;
2Pet 3:12-3; Isa 65:17; 66:22; Heb 12:22; Rev 19:7-8).
God's locational focus of His unfolding
Plan is the earth (especially Jerusalem), with the sun, moon,
and the stars all in a celestial order which creates the seasons
and hence harvests on the planet (Gen 1:14). The times (i.e.
cycles, seasons, Festivals) and the Law (Dan 7:25) were visibly
expressed in the creation (Gen 2:2-4; Job 38:33; Ps 74:16-7; 104:19;
136:5-9; 19:1-6) and therefore they manifest the will, purpose,
and Plan of GOD.
So the cycles of the weekly Sabbath
and the harvests remind God's people of the Father' Plan of Salvation,
which begins with the Lamb of God as the Passover sacrifice for
all humanity (Jn 3:16-21), includes the gathering of the Firstfruits
at Christ's coming (Rev 14:1-4), and ends with the offer of salvation
to all (Jn 7:37-8; Rev 20:5, 11-15).
Those called, chosen and enduringly
faithful (Rev 17:14) are children of God (and children of light
and of the resurrection at Christ's coming). They hate the darkness
of sin, whose author is Satan (1Cor 5:7-8; Eph 5:8; Jn 12:36;
Lk 20:36). As the firstfruits of GOD (Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4) they
are to be resurrected with the patriarchs, prophets, and all the
faithful of the past (Heb 11:39-40; 1Thess 4:13-16; Zech 14:1-5).
When people supposedly devoted to
God misrepresent God, as is the persistent historical warning
of the Scriptures, yet traditionalise His Feasts, GOD expresses
His abhorrence and deep disgust (Isa 1:13-14; Hos 2:11-13; Amos
5:21-26; 8:10).
Mainstream Christianity rejects the
Law of God, preferring its own traditions and assumptions, rejects
"times" (i.e., the Divine Festivals, contra the seasons
of man's tradition), and prefers its own misrepresentations of
the Plan of Salvation (e.g., Easter, Xmas).
"Both Scripture and Tradition
must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion
and reverence." (Catechism of the Catholic Church,
(St Paul's; 1994), Item 82). It is no wonder then that the sheep
are mislead, confused, and ignorant about the nature of GOD (Ex
20:1-3; Hos 13:4; Heb 1:1-3, 8-12). Furthermore, the Plan of
Salvation is altered and the problem of evil is not comprehended
(Matt 23:13; Jn 5:46-7; Rev 12:9; Eph 6:12; 2Cor 4:4; Gen 6:5;
Jer 17:9; Rom 8:7). Lev 23 lays out the spiritual patterns
of Christian observance in celebrating and acknowledging the Plan
of Salvation. Included in the descriptions are sacrifices (see
also Num 28-29). But the sacrifices all point to the fact that
Christ is the centre of these festivals, and He is our sacrifice:
We continue to look for the mysteries
of God hidden in Christ (Mk 4:11-2; 1Cor 4:1; 2:10) and that
are in the Festivals and commanded assemblies (Heb 12:22-24; 10:24-25)
... they have not known the Father
nor Me. (Jn 16:3)
... I came forth from the Father.
(Jn 16:28)
... My doctrine is not Mine, but
His Who sent Me" (Jn 7:16)
... You know neither Me nor My Father.
(Jn 8:19)
... the Father loves the Son, and
shows Him all things. (Jn 8:20)
... If God were your Father, you would
love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God. (Jn 8:42).
... you are Christ's, and Christ
is God's. (1Cor 3:23)
... the Head of Christ is GOD. (ICor
11:3)
... Then comes the end, when He delivers
the kingdom to GOD the Father. (1Cor 15:24,28).