Should We Keep the Feast Days?
How Does that Question Affect the Sabbath Day of the Week?

Here is an interesting verse that says Jesus wiped out something that was against us. Thus He nailed it to the cross:

14. having wiped out the handwriting of requirements (ordinances) that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:14

If we continue reading we find out that festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths are somehow connected with what were nailed at the cross:

15. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17. which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Colossians 2:15-17

So, what was it that was nailed to the cross? It seems to involve the Sanctuary service, feast days, and the Sabbath.

No one that I know of is killing animals in a sanctuary service. But there are some Christians who believe we should be keeping the Feast Days described in the Old Testament. They do not sacrifice animals but they would like to observe the days.

There are other Christians who say we should be keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath day rather than some other day. But other Christians say the seventh-day Sabbath day was nailed to the cross.

So, were the feast days and the Sabbath both nailed to the cross? On this web page we will explore what the Bible actually teaches about the Feast Days and the Sabbath. We will make use of a wider-range of Scripture than is usually considered.

This controversy is really over the confusion of two documents from the time of Moses. Let's look at these documents: The first document is one that God wrote with His own finger, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17). But before that, God Himself communicated with the people the very same Commandments.

When the people were given the Ten Commandments, they heard God speak to them in person! The experience was so awesome that it frightened them. God spoke to the people from the midst of the fire, to give them these Ten Commandments!

16. Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Exodus 19:16-17

God then spoke to them to give them His Commandments. Afterwards, the people responded:

18. Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.
19. Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." Exodus 20:18-19

It was later that God wrote the same Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone. So, this first document is the one document that God both spoke and wrote with His own finger, the Ten Commandments:

18. And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18

The Ten Commandments were put in a place of prominence. It was placed in the center of the Ark of the Covenant.

3. and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,
4. which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; Hebrews 9:3-4

So, the Ten Commandments were placed inside the Ark along with the manna and Aaron's rod. Thus, it is found in the very heart of the Temple and the Ark of the Covenant. The Sanctuary is pictured below:

The other document is a book of laws that Moses wrote.

9. So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. Deuteronomy 31:26

The Ten Commandments were placed in the center of the Ark. But they put the Book of Moses on the outside of the Ark.

24. So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,
25. that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying:
26. "Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; Deuteronomy 31:24-26

So the Book of Moses was also placed in the Most Holy Place but it was placed in a pocket, on the outside of the Ark. Thus, the Book of Moses does not have as high a prominence as the Ten Commandments.

Now when Moses later reminded the people of the experience of receiving the Ten Commandments, he also mentioned the other document that he wrote under God's direction. So, the statutes and judgments were only taught to the people through Moses:

11. "Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.
12. "And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.
13. "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
14. "And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess. Deuteronomy 4:11-14

So, when Moses would explain or remind how they had received the Ten Commandments at Mount Horeb, he also reminded them how they received the statutes and judgments, Moses clearly distinguished between Two groups of laws:

The Children of Israel were later made to wander 40 years because they didn't obey what was commanded to them. Now, God says it in a way so that there is no doubt that there are two different groups of laws:

8. "and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers--only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them." 2 Kings 21:8

Daniel also distinguishes the two laws. One from the voice of God, which is the Ten Commandments, and the other is the Law of Moses:

10. "We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
11. "Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. Daniel 9:10-11

So, it is easy to see that there are two sets of laws. The Ten Commandments given to us by God and also set before the people by God's servants the prophets; and the Law of Moses which contained the statutes and judgments.

We can see that "the law" (Ten Commandments) and "the law of Moses" (Ceremonial Ordinances) are different. There are no curses recorded in the Ten Commandments. But the law of Moses is filled with curses and judgments. Thus, the law of Moses was placed beside the Ark so that it may be a witness against the people:

24. So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,
25. that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying:
26. "Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; Deuteronomy 31:24-26

The curses and judgments found in the law of Moses described the penalties for the transgressions that the people might make. Thus the ceremonial law was considered to be against the people.

13. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14. having wiped out the handwriting of requirements (ordinances) that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

It was Moses who did the handwriting. Thus Paul is obviously speaking of the law of Moses when mentioning the handwriting of requirements or ordinances. Paul identified them as being against and contrary to the people because it was made to be a witness against the people. This is an important verse and we will come back to understand more of it.

On the other hand, Paul has glowing words to say about the law of the Ten Commandments. This is in spite of the fact that we have trouble with sin:

7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

12. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
13. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
14. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:7, 12-14

The Law was a blessing because it shows us what sin is.

So, the two laws had different authors, they were written on different material, and they were placed in different locations and they also had totally different content.

Not only is the Law of Moses against the people but it is also a shadow of good things to come. It described the earthy sanctuary and the various sanctuary services.

1. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. Hebrews 10:1

This verse is talking about the necessity of making sacrifices continually, year by year. So, this law is concerning the sanctuary service and feast days specified in the Law of Moses.

Now, if the law of Moses was a shadow of the good things to come that means it was a temporary law.

3. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.
4. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;
5. who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." Hebrews 8:3-5

Moses was divinely instructed to make all things according to the pattern he saw on the mountain. That means everything was a copy and shadow of the heavenly Sanctuary. So, since that sanctuary was a copy it is easy to see that it was a shadow of the good things to come. What they did in Old Testament times, Jesus later did for us:

9. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience--
10. concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
11. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Hebrews 9:9

So, the law was symbolic for the present time. It was symbolic for Christ's ministry. It involved various foods and drinks, washings and ordinances. We see in verse 10 that these things were imposed on the people until the time of reformation, or until Christ came as our High Priest of the good things to come.

In verse 11, we see that Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come. He came using the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. This temple is not of this world.

Thus, when Jesus came to this world, as we will see, the first earthly temple no longer remained functional. Jesus came with the good things to come. So, even though only the passover would be completed, Jesus had ushered in the function of the new Temple made without hands.

So, Jesus came to take away the first law, the law of Moses, so that He could establish something much better; Because the old law was only a copy or shadow of what was to come. It was symbolic for Christ's role in saving us.

8. Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law),
9. then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
10. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:8-10

When Jesus died on the cross, that signaled the end of the old law. The purpose of the earthly sanctuary was finished because Jesus had established the second sanctuary in heaven. Thus invisible hands ripped the veil of the earthly temple from top to bottom showing that God's presence would no longer be there.

50. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, Matthew 27:50-51

By His own actions God showed that the purpose of the Sanctuary and the old law were finished. That means all animal sacrifices are finished as well because there is now no earthly sanctuary for the atonement process. So, invisible hands ripped the veil of the temple from top to bottom showing that God's presence would no longer be there.

Now in Hebrews we see that perfection through the levitical priesthood was not obtained. That was why we need Christ as our high priest according to the order of Melchizedek:

11. Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
12. For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. Hebrews 7:11-12

Since the priesthood has changed, the law has also changed concerning the sanctuary service. Since even the law of Moses was symbolic for Christ's time, it had to be done away with so that a second and better covenant could be established.

6. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Hebrews 8:6-7

All these things point to a massive change in the law. Today, we no longer look to the earthly sanctuary but to Jesus in the heavenly Sanctuary.

1. Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2. a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. Hebrews 8:1-2

Jesus is our High Priest and we can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy, grace and help in time of need.

15. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus is only a prayer away and He always lives to make intercession for us!

25. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Learn more about the new covenant and the atonement of the new law. Also, find out more on how Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. If you want to know what the Bible says about the Atonement, click on the link to the left.

We have already seen that there were two documents. And we have also seen that the law of Moses was a shadow of good things to come. It was a copy of heavenly things and thus it was symbolic of the realities of heaven. It was also against the people of God. So, Jesus came to establish the second covenant to replace the first covenant by dying on the cross. The old sanctuary services were nailed to the cross.

But what about the Ten Commandments? Was that also nailed to the cross? Jesus had something specific to say about God's law:

17. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

Jesus said that not even one jot or one tittle will change from the law until all is fulfilled, such as, till heaven and earth pass away. That has not happened yet.

These verses cannot be referring to the law of Moses because massive changes have occurred. We saw that Jesus took away the first covenant so that He may establish the second! Thus the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom

But Jesus goes on to mention the commandments that He is speaking about:

19. "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19-20

He is speaking about keeping the commandments of God. In the rest of Matthew 5 Jesus names several commandments of the Ten Commandments, but He also mentions some other commands that deal with love for God and for man. But none of what He mentions includes the earthly services, ordinances, or feasts. Thus, Jesus is saying that the Ten Commandments are not changing.

Has the Biblical Sabbath ever changed? Are we still to keep it? What does the Bible teach? If you want to know what the Bible says about the Sabbath, click on the link to the left.

We have already seen that the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. That means Jesus took away the first covenant so that He could establish the second covenant.

Let's look at Colossians 2:14 again. Notice that the sentence is past tense: "The handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us."

14. having wiped out the handwriting of requirements (ordinances) that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:14

This handwriting of ordinances, that Moses wrote, has been wiped out or blotted out. It is something that was done away with and nailed to the cross.

16. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17. which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Colossians 2:15-17

So, what was nailed to the cross? It was the law of ordinances or handwriting of requirements that was nailed to the cross. These were ceremonial laws that involved feasts and festivals as found in the Old Testament. It dictated the eating of certain foods and drink and it included a new moon and ceremonial sabbaths.

In the Sanctuary services, they sacrificed sheep and goats for the forgiveness of sins. All these things pointed to Jesus and what He would do to save us. So these things were nailed to the cross because they were only a shadow of things to come. the lambs were a symbol of Christ so they were only a shadow what would eventually happen.

Now we can see sabbaths mentioned. But these were the ceremonial sabbaths that were an aspect of the festival and not the seventh-day. Many did not even occur on the Seventh-day Sabbath.

Paul says we are no longer judged by the meat offerings, drink offerings, and sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come. All these things are connected with the shadow of things to come, the feasts and festivals etc.

These ceremonial sabbaths are not the weekly Sabbath, but instead, they are the yearly Sabbaths of the feasts described in Leviticus 23:24-37:

24. Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath -rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.

32. It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath."

39. Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the first day there shall be a a sabbath -rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath -rest. Leviticus 23:24, 32, 39

These ceremonial sabbaths which were special yearly sabbaths, which occurred every year; They happened on certain days of the month. Each year they would be a different day of the week. When one of these ceremonial Sabbaths ended up being on the Seventh-day Sabbath, that Sabbath was called a high Sabbath.

Now in verses 37 and 38 these feasts are distinguished from the weekly Sabbath:

37. These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day--
38. besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD. Leviticus 23:37-38

Verse 37-38 says that these are the feasts of the Lord. . . that you are to do all these things, besides what you normally do, such as: to keep the Sabbath, your gifts, your vows, and your freewill offerings. So there are the normal weekly Sabbaths, gifts, vows and offerings; but in addition there were the feasts which included yearly ceremonial Sabbaths and new moons. The feasts were a shadow of Jesus and His death and ministry.

So the sabbaths mentioned in Colossians 2:16 is referring to the law of the yearly sabbaths, with all its meat and drink offerings, its new moon, these were the things which were nailed to the cross.

But the great Ten Commandment law with its weekly Sabbath was not affected by the "blotting out" of ordinances. As we saw in Matthew:

17. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

Not even a tittle or jot will pass from the law till all is fulfilled, till heaven and earth pass away! A jot or tittle is like the dotting of an "I". So the Ten Commandments are not passing away until after heaven and earth passes away!

Now, let's look at Galatians. In Galatians 2 we find that people came in teaching the people elements of circumcision and the Jewish law:

3. Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),
5. to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Galatians 2:3-5

Paul mentioned that they were trying to bring the new Christians into bondage concerning circumcism. This was highly political. When certain people came, the others suddenly started to act differently:

11. Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
12. for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. Galatians 2:11-12

We can see that this group did more than just to teach circumcision, they also would not eat with Gentiles even if they were Christians. (This is in accordance with the Jewish laws.) So, in the next Scripture, Paul asks the Galatians who has bewitched them. Did they receive the Spirit because they followed the law or is it because they heard the good news in faith?

1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
2. This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
4. Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?
5. Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? -- Galatians 3:1-5

In chapter four, Paul expands his topic to include the feasts and festivals of the Old Testament ceremonial law (the law of Moses). Paul asks them if they wish to be in bondage again because, as Paul said in Colossians, these things are connected with the shadow of things to come:

8. But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.
9. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10. You observe days and months and seasons and years. Galatians 4:8-10

The Galatians had come from a pagan background and they had been following ritualistic activities all their lives. So when various Jewish converts suggested that it would be good to observe the Jewish ceremonial legalistic form of worship, they fell naturally into doing just that.

So Galatians 4 and Colossians 2 involve the same issue. It is the feasts and festivals and we have also discovered that these feasts involve various ceremonial sabbaths. All these things were a shadow of things to come.

As we saw before, the great Ten Commandment law with its weekly Sabbath was not affected by the "blotting out" of ordinances:

17. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

The Ten Commandments are not passing away until after heaven and earth passes away!

22. "For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD, "So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23. And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD. Isaiah 66:22-23

And even in the new world the righteous will always keep the Sabbath with the Creator Himself! That is why God called it His perpetual covenant because it would last forever.

There are some who say that it was just the sanctuary services that were nailed to the cross, not the actual feast days themselves. So let's look into this a bit more.