The Counterfeit (Catholic/Protestant) Church has several excuses for not observing Christ’s explicitly-commanded Holy Day festivals that occur throughout the year.  First and foremost among their excuses is the “Law-nailed-to-the-cross” ruse which God exposes for what it is throughout the Holy Scriptures.  This ministry repeatedly highlights the church’s explanations for her rebellion against her supposed Savior.  Another church “truth” relative to God’s Holy Days is found in Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches (4:10,11).  Here he admonishes them using words which, at first glance, would indeed seem to confirm the church’s rejection of Holy Day (festival) observances.  It reads: “You observe days, and months, and times, and years.  I am afraid of you.  Perhaps I have worked with you in vain.”  Days, months, times, years?  Is that not in line with God’s Holy Day observations that come on certain days, in certain months during certain times of the year?  Yes, indeed it is.  But let us not stop studying to show ourselves approved of God (2 Tim. 2:15).  In other words, let’s go “fine print” hunting.

As the Scriptures and church history have proven, Satan is the great counterfeiter.  Note how he established Sunday as the counterfeit SABBATH, and how he established Easter as the counterfeit PASSOVER, and how he arranged for the day to begin at midnight instead of at SUNDOWN, and how he begins each MONTH according to a man-generated calendar instead of the Lord’s moon cycle.  And let us not forget how he changed Christ’s THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the tomb (Wed. sundown through Saturday sundown) to Tammuz’s Friday night through Sunday morning–1 day and two nights–stay.  And let us remember the devil’s change of the time when SALVATION is offered mankind from Christ’s return to as soon as the prescribed ritual is completed.  And we must not ignore the church’s changing of the time of one’s REBIRTH from the time of the first resurrection to the instant that one finishes the salvation ritual.  AND THE CHURCH UNWITTINGLY BOWS TO SATAN’S BOGUS “TIMES” BECAUSE SHE REFUSES TO BELIEVE GOD’S WORD AND REJECTS THE FEW WHO DO.  SATAN HAS SOLD HER AN ENTIRE COUNTERFEIT RELIGION–LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL.  As we will see, this sale required her to accept a Jesus other than the Biblical Son of God, which she gladly did.

So what was going on in the churches of Galatia that had some of the people observing the wrong days, months, times, etc?  By taking the time to study the Lord’s “fine print” we learn that Satan, through his false prophets, had convinced some of the people to return to worshiping heathen gods and obeying their rules and customs.  Let us read how Paul addressed this problem back in chapter one, verses 6-9: “I marvel (am exasperated) that you have so soon TURNED (away) from Him who called you unto the grace of Christ TO ANOTHER GOSPEL.  Which is not actually another gospel, but rather a PERVERSION (counterfeit) OF THE TRUE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.  But if we (apostles), or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than the gospel we (apostles) have preached to you, let such a one be accursed” (condemned by God).

Now let us return to 4:8-10 where Paul reminds them of what they were before they came to Christ: “… when you did not know God you served them (heathen gods) who are not true gods.  But NOW that you know the true God and are known by Him, WHY HAVE YOU TURNED AGAIN TO THE WEAK AND BEGGARLY PRACTICES AND BELIEFS AND ARE AGAIN IN BONDAGE TO THEM.  YOU (AGAIN) OBSERVE (HEATHEN) DAYS, MONTHS, TIMES AND YEARS.” 

Notice that some of the former heathen were worshiping and obeying their former heathen gods “AGAIN.”  They had gone back to observing heathen days, months, times, etc.  Again we see Satan’s skill at counterfeiting by which he substituted heathen days, months, times and years for God Holy Days IN GOD’S CHURCH.  Nothing has changed.  As Paul told the people in the church at Corinth, if someone came along offering “another Jesus,” they would embrace him (2 Cor. 11:4, 13-15).  Notice what Paul wrote about those who had lured the people back to the “weak and beggarly elements” of heathenism: “For these are false apostles, deceitful workers who pretend to be apostles of Christ while Satan presents himself as an angel of light.  Therefore it is not surprising that his ministers present themselves as ministers of righteousness, who will be judged according to their works.”  Tens of thousands of silver-tongued, mega-church pastors, famous evangelists and missionaries will soon face Biblical reality.

THE MODERN DAY (LAODICEAN) CHURCH HAS EMBRACED ANOTHER JESUS AND REFUSES TO RETURN TO THE JESUS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.  Catholics and Protestants are false Christians, children of Satan whom he has deceived into believing that they are the children of God.  They have rejected His strait gate (church) and His narrow way (Law) that leads to eternal life.  Instead they have entered Satan’s wide gate (church) and are walking his broad (no Law) way that leads to death (Mat. 7:13,14).  They have rejected God’s Truth (Word/Law) by which His people are sanctified (set aside for holy works)–John 17:17.

So why did God institute the festivals as described in Genesis 1:14: “And God said: Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them (lights) serve as SIGNS FOR THE FESTIVALS, THE DAYS AND THE YEARS.”  We have here the ultimate statement relative to the purpose of the sun and the moon.  They are equal partners in the formulation of the Lord’s calendar.  Each has its part to play in the timing of the Lord’s festivals which come throughout the year.

So why did the Godhead establish the festivals?  The answer is found in Nehemiah 8:2,3,7b,8.  Here we find Ezra the priest reading the LAW to those who had congregated before him for the purpose of LEARNING THE WAYS OF GOD.  The people had come to hear the reading of the Law so that they could UNDERSTAND THE WAYS OF THE LORD, WHICH INCLUDES THE HOLY DAYS.  THEY HEARD THE LAW READ IN ORDER TO LEARN ABOUT THE LORD.  THE LORD AND HIS LAW ARE ONE.  WHEN ONE LEARNS GOD’S LAW THEY LEARN ABOUT GOD. THE WRITTEN LAW IS GOD HIMSELF IN WRITTEN FORM.  JESUS WAS GOD AND HIS LAW IN HUMAN FORM.  GOD’S TRUE SAINTS ARE GOD, CHRIST AND THEIR LAW IN HUMAN FORM.  Jesus said that when people saw Him they saw the Father.  So we must be able to say that when people see us they see Him.  BUT BEAR IN MIND THAT THE PEOPLE DID NOT BELIEVE JESUS WAS GOD’S SON, WHICH IS WHY THEY PUT HIM TO DEATH.  THEY THOUGHT HE WAS AN IMPOSTER BECAUSE HE DID NOT FIT THE PROFILE OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE SON OF GOD WOULD BE.  NOTHING HAS CHANGED.  RELIGIOUS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO REJECT GOD, HIS CHRIST AND HIS SONS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WHAT THE CHURCH EXPECTS THEM TO BE.  AGAIN, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SATAN OVER PROFESSING CHRISTENDOM.  L.J.