Click here to go The Reluctant Messenger (Host Site)

The Lost Doctrines of Christianity

The Meaning of the Spring Holy Days

The festivals that occur in the spring are the Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost. Christ fulfilled the Passover's spiritual meaning with his First Coming.

Passover

God sent ten plagues on Egypt to force them to let the people of Israel go. The last and tenth plague was death for every firstborn in Egypt. No Israelite was harmed the night the tenth plague struck. God had given specific instructions to the people to sacrifice a lamb and smear part of its blood on the doorposts of their homes. That night, the death angel passed over every house marked with lamb's blood. It is a common but an incorrect assumption that the Passover is only for the Jews. It is very Christian and has deep spiritual meaning.

Christ the Passover Lamb

For centuries, the nation of Israel kept the Passover as instructed by God without really understanding the symbolism. For them, it was a memorial of the night they were spared by the Death Angel and were finally released from the bondage of Egypt.

Here is the command given by God:

Exodus 12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. KJV

God's commandment was to separate a lamb from the flock and to take care of it for four days. After four days, this sweet innocent lamb became like a member of the household. By the time they were to sacrifice it, it had become more like a pet than just some animal they were going to eat. This was to symbolize the precious relationship God had with Christ and how difficult it was for God to sacrifice his Son for mankind's sins. The difficulty that many of the families had in killing the sweet little lamb is just a hint at the agony God went through sacrificing his Son. Christ was killed during the day of Passover. The Last Supper with his disciples was at twilight the evening before. Later that night he was arrested. During the day, (God's calendar marks a day from sunset to sunset), he was crucified. Christ was literally mankind's Passover lamb because he was killed on Passover day. For centuries, the sacrificing of the lamb on the 14th of Nissan was a symbol, foreshadowing in advance, of Christ being the ultimate sacrifice so eternal death could pass over all of mankind.

Passover's Spiritual Meaning

Christ's sacrifice was the first step so mankind could have an intimate relationship with God the Father. Christ taught this and was killed for it. The Passover lamb was eaten, but Christ taught what the true spiritual symbolism meant. Christ baffled and confused his followers when he taught a message of eating his flesh.

John 6:47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." KJV

Later this symbolism became plain when Christ had his Last Supper with the disciples.

Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. KJV

Christ explained even further when he allowed his disciples to listen as he prayed to God the Father.

John 17:9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. KJV

He prays for his disciples to become one as he and the Father are one, and to be one with God. Christ was one with the Father for he obeyed the Father and submitted to the Law of God. This sets the stage to understanding the meaning of the seven days that follow right after Passover.

John 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Christ died so that by having one's sins washed clean one could have access to God the Father. Sins cut mankind off from God, but Christ died so all of mankind could be brought to God.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God… NIV

Later in the day when Christ's death occurred, there was a miracle that gave a strong message that access to God was now available to mankind.

Matthew 27:50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The Earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. KJV

Luke 23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the Earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. KJV

The curtain, or veil, was before the innermost part of the temple that represented the Throne of God. By law only the high priest could enter, and only at certain times. Now all had access to the throne of God, permission to approach God directly.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. KJV

Christ, the Passover Lamb, died so that all of mankind may have access to God. The eating of the unleavened bread on Passover night is symbolic of Christ within. Christ replaced the eating of lamb's flesh with his flesh, symbolized by the unleavened bread. The drinking of the wine is symbolic of Christ's blood, which represents the forgiveness of sins. Sin separates mankind from God. Now, even that barrier is gone. Christ instituted new symbols for keeping the Passover. The Passover is the most important memorial Christians can keep yearly, as instructed by Christ.

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. KJV

Every year Christians should assemble and partake of the symbols of Passover. Those symbols are the foot washing ceremony, the symbols of unleavened bread and the red wine.

Mark 14:22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. 25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." NKJV

It was Passover, not Easter, that was the right and proper way to honor Christ's sacrifice for mankind. Why did Christianity switch from observing the Passover, as instructed by Christ, to keeping the pagan holiday of Easter? Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, taught baptized Gentiles to keep the Passover. History shows that the churches in Asia Minor continued to keep the New Testament Passover long after most other churches had abandoned the practice for Easter. This became a controversy when Anicetus was the head of the Church of Rome in AD 154. Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, had a conference with Anicetus over questions concerning the Passover.

But Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and acquainted with many that had seen Christ, but was also appointed by apostles in Asia bishop of the church of Smyrna. He also was in Rome in the time of Anicetus and caused many to turn away from the heretics to the Church of God, proclaiming that he had received from the apostles this one and only system of truth

Polycarp discussed the Roman practice of observing a pagan festival in place of the Passover.

Neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed [the Passover] with John the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he had associated. (Ecclesiastical History, book IV, chapter 14, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1)

The controversy over the Passover showed up again 35 years later. Victor, the Bishop of Rome, tried to excommunicate every church that observed the Passover instead of Easter. The bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, held to the old custom handed from the Apostles. Polycrates wrote in a letter, addressed to the Victor and the Church of Rome, explaining how the tradition had come down to him.

But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates (a later bishop of Ephesus), decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him: "We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles…moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord…and Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr… All these observed the fourteenth day…the Passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates…do according to the tradition of my relatives… My relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven" [before the Feast of Unleavened Bread].

Days of Unleavened Bread

Leviticus 23:5 The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. NIV

Deuteronomy 16:8 For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the LORD your God and do no work. NIV

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, made it plain that Christians were to keep the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and explained their significance and new Christian meaning.

1 Corinthians 5: 7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. NIV

Christ is the Passover lamb sacrificed for mankind's sins. The Feast of Unleavened Bread represents a new life as Christians strive to remove sin from daily life.

Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. KJV

Christ's death, instead of finishing the plan of salvation, begins it. The rest of the Holy Days foreshadow the rest of God's great plan. The most important aspect of Christian living is the removal of sin from a Christian's daily life. The Seven Days of Unleavened Bread, which begin the day after Passover, symbolizes the removal of sin. Unleavened bread is bread free from yeast. Yeast puffs up and is the symbol of wickedness during the Days of Unleavened Bread. A Christian's goal is to be as free from wickedness as unleavened bread is from yeast. Ancient Israel kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a reminder that God brought them out of Egypt.

Exodus 12:16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. NKJV

Egypt represents bondage and slavery. Egypt also represents sin just as Sodom and Gomorrah does.

Deuteronomy 6:12 then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. NKJV

Revelation 11:8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt… NIV

Sin is a form of bondage and slavery.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say to you, Every one that practices sin is the bondman of sin. DARBY

John 8:34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. NIV

Christ was prophesied to come out of Egypt. Without Christ dying for mankind's sin, no one could come out of the bondage of sin. Christ came out of spiritual Egypt for us.

Matthew 2:14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Eating unleavened bread represents the perfect law, which is the opposite of malice and wickedness. Keeping the perfect law of God brings freedom.

1 Corinthians 5: 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. NIV

James 1:25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. NIV

The Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the keeping of God's commandments, which is another way of saying the putting away of sin.

Feast of Pentecost

The third festival for the spring goes by several names: Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, Feast of First Fruits and the Feast of Harvest. Pentecost means to count fifty. This name derives from how God commanded the Israelites to determine when the spring harvest feast was to be held. The Greek translations of the New Testament rendered it as Pentekostos, which means fiftieth.

Leviticus 23:15 "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. NKJV

God's Holy Days were planned to coincide with the harvest seasons, which is symbolic of the meaning of the Holy Days from a spiritual perspective. The Holy Days are a foreshadowing of God harvesting people into eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

Exodus 23:14 "Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty); 16 and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field. NKJV

For centuries, the people of Israel kept the Feast of Harvest as God commanded as a joyous occasion. The first fruits were an offering to God as a way to honor the blessing from God for a good harvest. In the New Testament, the new expanded meaning of this day signifies the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is how God is beginning the early harvest of all of mankind. Christ told his disciples that after he returned to the Father, he would send the Holy Spirit as a comforter. This came to pass on the Day of Pentecost after Christ's death on Passover.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. KJV

Pentecost looked forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit, which begins the early harvest of men. In order to be saved, one must have the Holy Spirit. Today is not the only day of salvation. This is expanded and clarified later in the section about the Last Great Day. Those that are called now make up the first fruits. This spiritual early harvest explains why Christ said, "The first shall be last and the last shall be first."

Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. KJV

In his Epistle, James compared Christians to firstfruits.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. KJV

The coming of the Holy Spirit was also the beginning of God's Church. God's Church throughout the ages is how God is performing a spiritual spring harvest. The greater harvest for the majority of mankind, such as the fictional Eskimo Nanook, is coming in the fall harvest.

The spring festivals illustrate to God's Church yearly that those He calls into His Church in this age are the "firstfruits"—the first group to be given God's Spirit and offered salvation—the relatively small beginning of His spiritual harvest.

To be one of the first fruits requires more than just saying that Christ is accepted as one's personal savior. In his Pentecost sermon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter laid out how the Holy Spirit is received.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." NKJV

There are three components to the Plan of God as it applies to becoming one of the firstfruits. [1–Be called by God. [2–Repent of sins. [3–Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Christ taught that now was not the only time of salvation. This is why Peter told called-out Christians:

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. NIV

What is repentance? Repentance is to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life. It is not only being sorry for past sins, but it is also a determination to remove sin from one's life completely.

Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. KJV

Baptism is the symbol that the old person is dead and that Christians begin new lives with Christ dwelling within in them.

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. KJV

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. KJV

However, the Plan of God is not over. The rest of the Holy Days prophetically spell out the remaining Plan of God and show how Nanook and the rest of mankind get saved.

The Fall Holy Days

The Lost Doctrines of Christianity

Christianity Not New

The Secret Teachings

The Original Religion

The Spirit Realm

Paradox of Genesis 1

The Spiritual Ruler of This World

The True Destiny of Mankind

The Doctrine of the Trinity

The Plan of God

The Meaning of the Spring Holy Days

The Fall Holy Days

The Kingdom of God

Watch the Main Page for any announcements concerning updates to this section.

Reincarnation Research Center

Hebrews 9:27 does not disprove reincarnation.

The Book of Revelation Teaches Reincarnation Part I

The Book of Revelation Teaches Reincarnation Part II

Pope Arrested for Believing in Reincarnation

Reincarnation in the Bible

More Scriptural Support for Reincarnation

Biblical Proof of Awareness after Death

Buddha: Proof of Reincarnation

Scientific Proof of Reincarnation

Reincarnation (old plan), Resurrection (new plan)?

Reincarnation: The Original Plan of God

Christian Reincarnation: The Long Forgotten Doctrine

Aquarian Gospel of Christ

Resurrection - The Amended plan of God

The Essenes

Christ Taught Reincarnation

---

Sabbath: The Amended Plan of God part 1

Resurrection: The Amended Plan of God part 2

The Sabbath is a Rehearsal

Sabbath and the Buddha

The Tao of Sabbath

Seven Sabbath Meditations

How to Meditate

Advanced Meditation

The Parable of the King's Diamonds

Chester's Oral tests

And God said...

Watch the Main Page for any announcements concerning updates to this section.

Hinduism | Taoism | Moses | Buddha
Christ | Sufism | 10 Gurus | Science