God hasn't set an obligatory, annual appointment for us around the ancient Feast of Tabernacles time of year. In the Gospel-economy, there's only one 'day' - and it's called 'Today'.
Other than that, the next great day will be the Day of His coming - which no-one knows, only the Father. Not only does no-one know the hour and day - it's not for anyone to know the time nor season either!
If someone weaker in the faith feels obligated in his conscience to observe special days and seasons, let him. In non-essentials we can live and let live.
But keep in mind - the entire Southern Hemisphere can't be synced with the Northern Hemisphere seasons anyway (and the ancient Jewish Feasts were intrinsically linked with the Northern Hemisphere seasons).
And even for people in the Northern Hemisphere, a number of the Feasts had to include pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to the altar, to offer sacrifices not for memorial but for atonement, and with genealogically-approved Levites officiating as priests. Those weren't optional requirements - and none of that is possible today; nor can it ever be relevant again in future, this side of the cross.
So for church-leaders to say that we have an appointment with God at a set time of the year, I think gives the wrong impression:
It implies that some degree of Old Covenant Levitical worship still has some place in the future and present.
It demonstrates a mis-application of Old Testament prophecy; a misunderstanding of the relationship between Prophecy and history; an imperfect grasp of the Apostles' doctrine. And if you think about it, the ramification of that is that it weakens the Scriptural and historical case we have for Jesus of Nazareth being both Lord and Christ.
It takes at least some of the focus off the Gospel-scheme of things - off of its pure message and power - when all along Christ is the only thing that avails towards anything.
Jesus Himself is all anyone needs!
Other than that, the next great day will be the Day of His coming - which no-one knows, only the Father. Not only does no-one know the hour and day - it's not for anyone to know the time nor season either!
If someone weaker in the faith feels obligated in his conscience to observe special days and seasons, let him. In non-essentials we can live and let live.
But keep in mind - the entire Southern Hemisphere can't be synced with the Northern Hemisphere seasons anyway (and the ancient Jewish Feasts were intrinsically linked with the Northern Hemisphere seasons).
And even for people in the Northern Hemisphere, a number of the Feasts had to include pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to the altar, to offer sacrifices not for memorial but for atonement, and with genealogically-approved Levites officiating as priests. Those weren't optional requirements - and none of that is possible today; nor can it ever be relevant again in future, this side of the cross.
So for church-leaders to say that we have an appointment with God at a set time of the year, I think gives the wrong impression:
It implies that some degree of Old Covenant Levitical worship still has some place in the future and present.
It demonstrates a mis-application of Old Testament prophecy; a misunderstanding of the relationship between Prophecy and history; an imperfect grasp of the Apostles' doctrine. And if you think about it, the ramification of that is that it weakens the Scriptural and historical case we have for Jesus of Nazareth being both Lord and Christ.
It takes at least some of the focus off the Gospel-scheme of things - off of its pure message and power - when all along Christ is the only thing that avails towards anything.
Jesus Himself is all anyone needs!
No comments:
Post a Comment