A subscriber to our flagship publication, the Good News magazine, recently sent a letter to the United Church of God headquarters acknowledging the Church preaches the doctrine of keeping the Feasts of God, but asked, “While you teach them, do you actually keep them?”

Are these Feasts of the Lord still relevant today? And, if so, why do we keep them? Are they just “religious trappings,” or are we instructed to observe them for a specific reason?

In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, we see a scripture admonishing the nation of Israel to observe the Feasts of God. “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:2). The entire chapter then gives instructions from God as to the observances of these special feasts, and when we look closely at the festivals outlined, we learn a number of lessons. One of those lessons is particularly important in answering the question as to why we continue to observe them today.

While many mainstream churches simply neglect or ignore these festivals, the United Church of God continues to observe all of the feast days, including the Feast of Tabernacles, which takes place in the fall of the year in the northern hemisphere. But why?

Three specific words are used each time God reminds us the feasts, His feasts, are to be observed. So, let’s take a close look at God’s instructions. “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 23:4). The word holy as used in this verse refers to a sacred place or thing. The Hebrew is quodesh, from the root word meaning “to observe as ceremonially or morally clean.”

These feasts of the Lord, including the Festival of Tabernacles, are a blueprint of God’s plan for His entire creation.

Convocation refers to a “calling out, as in a public meeting.” In other words, “holy convocation” is a commanded sacred assembly of God’s people. But the word convocation means much more than this. It also means a rehearsal. The Hebrew is miqra taken from the root of the word qara. Why is that important? It means that each week on the Sabbath, and each year as we observe God’s annual Feast days, we are rehearsing His plan of salvation.

These feasts of the Lord, including the Festival of Tabernacles, are a blueprint of God’s plan for His entire creation, and as we continue to rehearse God’s way, God’s plan, we are, in effect, practicing what we preach! We are rehearsing for the Kingdom of God.

It is interesting to note the first scripture using the phrase holy convocation is found in Exodus 12:16. It refers to the keeping of the seven-day feast, the Days of Unleavened Bread. The last use of the phrase holy convocation is in Numbers 29:12, referring to the Feast of Tabernacles.

God set the plan in motion telling us to rehearse from the beginning of the plan at the Passover season to the final fulfillment of the plan, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day.

Jesus and the Holy Days

Jesus made it clear He came to do the will of His Father (John 5:30; 12:49-50). Jesus, the central character of God’s plan, the Messiah, observed and kept all of God’s commands, including the command to keep the Feast days. And the apostles observed them, even after Christ’s death and resurrection. In fact, the apostle Paul reminded the New Testament Church that all of the Old Testament writings were given for our learning (Romans 15:4). The word learning refers to both “knowledge and function,” the concept of not just acquiring information, but also acting on the information.

So, whether looking at Old Testament scripture or bringing Jesus into the picture, we still have the commandment to keep the Feasts. And each is a portion of the overall rehearsal God laid out to train us so we might be better equipped as kings and priests in His Kingdom.

Jesus, the central character of God’s plan, the Messiah, observed and kept all of God’s commands, including the Feast days.

God tells us to keep these holy convocations, these rehearsals of His plan of salvation in their seasons. We are to observe, to rehearse, to practice, and to continue to do so year in and year out. The fall harvest is the season designated by God for us to step back from our busy world for a brief period of time, and once again rehearse His marvelous plan of salvation, by observing the wonderful, spiritually uplifting Feast of Tabernacles.

One day, all this rehearsal, all this practice, will be over. Jesus Christ will be here, and it will be time to implement all those things we learned at rehearsal. This is why a holy convocation, a commanded assembly of God’s people, is to be proclaimed, observed and rehearsed. It is why we have the command to “preach the Gospel,” but not only to preach the Gospel, but to practice what we preach, including rehearsing God’s Kingdom at the Feast of Tabernacles!