It is imperative for
believers to know, understand and believe the fact that Satan the devil wants
to be worshiped just as God is worshiped. Remember that when Jesus Christ was
led by the Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, the devil took
Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the
world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give
You if You will fall down and worship me" (Matthew
4:8-9).
The sad reality is that,
most believers are very naïve and are a bit too casual when it comes to worship,
they are not taking into consideration the fact that Satan seeks to be
worshiped just as God is worshiped and therefore, when one fails to appear
before God on the days, He has specifically ordained and choose rather to come
before Him on days that He has not ordained that they are automatically
worshiping the devil.
Because this is what
the Lord said; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the
LORD.” Now, the Lord did not leave us ignorant as to when we are to appear
before Him for this is what He said; “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” And, “These are the
feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their
appointed times” (Leviticus 19:20; 26:2;
23:2,4).
As one can clearly see,
the Lord has designated and ordained specific days for His people to appear
before Him to worship. To appear before the Lord on days He has not ordained is
unacceptable to Him for this is what He said; “When you
come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My
courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense (prayer) is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies --- I cannot endure
iniquity and the sacred meeting.”
“Your New Moons and
your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of
bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of
blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).
Please note carefully
that the appointed feasts which the Lord’s soul hates are not the Lord’s
ordained festivals because it is clearly stated; “When you come to appear
before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?” And it
is; “Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble
to Me, I am weary of bearing them.” So clearly these are not the Lord’s
appointed feasts but what has been established by man.
Even when one has been
granted the freedom to observe or not to observe the day, if they choose to
observe a day, they have to observe the day which the Lord has ordained and
not any day as one chooses for thus it is written; “One person esteems one day
above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in
his own mind. He who observes the day (not a day), observes it to the Lord; and he who does
not observe the day, to the Lord, he does not observe it” (Romans 14:5-6).
So why observing the
day and not a day so important? To understand the significance of observing the
day and not simply a day it is important that we understand why are we
observing certain days such as, independence and emancipation because as it is
written; “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).
So, if we are able to
grasp and understand the rationale and significance of why are we observing
days such as independence and emancipation for example then we should be able
to grasp and understand why we are to observe the Lord’s Festivals. We observe
these days to commemorate and express gratitude and thanksgiving for what transpired on that
particular day and perpetuating it for future generations and this is exactly the
reason why we are to observe the Lord’s festivals.
But there is more to
observing the Sabbaths than simply commemorating and perpetuating them, there
is a protocol, a prescribed manner on how they should be observed and this is
another area which needs to be addressed otherwise disunity will continue to
disrupt the church for, can two walk together unless they are agreed?
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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