“These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their seasons.” (Lev 23:4)
The Acceptable Year of the Lord
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Introduction and Overview
The annual cycle of the feasts of the Lord (in Leviticus chapter 23) is what Jesus referred to as “the acceptable year of the Lord;” which is not a jubilee.
In Luke 4:18, Jesus reads Isaiah chapter 61, applying it to His own mission on earth. He says “The Spirit of the Lord … has anointed Me to … preach the acceptable year of the Lord.’” Paul exemplifies all of this in Acts chapter 18.
The Greek word for preach in Luke has the same meaning as the Hebrew word for “proclaim” in Isaiah, a word that is repeated throughout Lev 23 as a commandment on each of us that we shall proclaim each of the feasts of the Lord.
One test of whether you are 100% Spirit filled is whether you proclaim the feasts of the Lord! If you are not, ask whether you understand Jesus’ mission.
Another test is whether you observe / practice the feasts of the Lord! If you are not, ask whether you understand your mission as a follower of Messiah.
The Feasts of the Lord are Part of God’s Law, Commandments, Statutes, Judgments, and Precepts
Jesus, His Disciples, and Apostles kept these very feasts during their entire lives, even after His Resurrection and Ascension.
The man of sin (2 Thes 2:3) falsely claims to substitute fake worldly holidays for God’s true holy days to deceive the ‘very elect.’ (Mat 24:24)
Feasts of the Lord (comprising the “Acceptable Year of the Lord”) are in the Old & New Testaments, continuing after the resurrection and ascension.
God’s true holy days are the “feasts of the Lord” in Old & New Testaments:
1. God’s Holy weekly seventh-day Sabbath. (Lev 23:1-3; Mat 24:20; 28:1; Jn 5:9-18; 7:21-23; Heb 4:4; 9-11; Rev 22:14)
Note: Mat 28:1 says the first day came after the Sabbath, not that the first day is now the Sabbath. In John chapters 5 and 7 Jesus is affirming the right to do good works on Sabbath; He is not abolishing it. (cf., Mat 5:18-19)
2. Passover. (Lev 23:5; Mathew 26:2-5; 17; 27:15; Mark 14:1-2; 15:6; Luke 2:41-42; 22:1; 23:17; John 2:23; 4:45; 5:1; 6:4; 11:56; 12:1; 12:12; 12:20; 13:1, 29; 18:39; 1 Corinthians 5:8)
3. Unleavened Bread, day 1. (Lev 23:6-8; Luke 22:1)
4. Unleavened Bread, day 7. (Lev 23:8; Luke 22:1)
5. Pentecost / Feast of First Fruits. (Leviticus 23:9-22; Acts 2:1; 18:21; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8)
6. Trumpets [a ten-day feast ʽten days of aweʼ]. (Lev 23:23-25; Acts 17:9)
7. Atonement [a fast]. (Lev 23:26-32; Acts 27:9)
8. Tabernacles I. (Lev 23:33-44; John 7:2-14)
9. Last Great Day (day after Tabernacles day 7). (Lev 23:36; John 7:37)
Jesus, His Disciples, and Apostles kept these very feasts during their entire lives, even after His resurrection and Ascension. (e.g., Acts 18:21) Apostles never heard of antichrist’s FAKE worldly holidays.
Jesus began His earthly ministry in the flesh by applying Isaiah chapter 61 to Himself; and, the chapter outlines His entire life and mission on earth: to keep, to teach, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Thus, He reaffirmed Godʼs system of religious truth.
Feasts of the Lord are critical. Jesus was crucified on the Passover. The feast of the Last Great Day symbolizes redemption in Him on Judgment Day.
Jesus turned this mission over to us, those worshiping in truth, to continue proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord —to walk as Messiah walked.
The feasts of the Lord are “statutes forever.” (Lev 23:14, 21, 31, and 41)
Christians must observe the feasts of the Lord as the true holy days (holidays) —God’s system of religious truth!
Remember, Jesus, His Disciples, and Apostles kept the feasts of the Lord throughout the New Testament, even after His resurrection and Ascension!
Acceptable Year of the Lord Does Not Mean a Jubilee Year
“Proclaim” specifically means to speak assertively, as accosting others. The acceptable year of the Lord does not refer to nor does it mean a jubilee year.
The commandment to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord is completely separate and totally different from the commandment to declare a jubilee year. (cf., Lev chapters 23 and 25)
The two distinct commands are: 1) unrelated; 2) given in different chapters of The Holy Bible; 3) symbolize and teach entirely different lessons for us; and,
4) dates of each are calculated differently.
“Jubilee” specifically means “clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarm:—alarm, blowing of the trumpets, joy, jubilee, loud noise, rejoicing, shouting, high, joyful sounding.”
Note: See: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, Electronic Edition STEP Files, 1998, Parsons Technology, Inc.
Why is “the acceptable year of the Lord” so important?
True vs. False Worshippers
Pray about it! Jesus warned us to worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
• Jesus and His Disciples and Apostles warn that a powerful antichrist system will arise with such strong delusion that it threatens to deceive the very elect! (Mat 24:24)
• “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Mat 7:23)
• Thus, Jesus warned that there are two types of people claiming to be Christians (Jn 4:23-24; Lk 4:14-22; cf., Is 61:1-2):
• Those who worship God in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23-24) by keeping the Ten Commandments and Feasts of the Lord (“Acceptable Year of the Lord,ˮ Lev 23:1-44) —the only way to worship in truth. (Jn 4:23-24; Lk 4:14-22; Is 61:1-2)
Note: These are those who receive eternal life.
• Those who worship God in spirit but in vain (Mat 15:9; Mk 7:7) by keeping the fake commandments and worldly holidays of the man of sin (2 Thes 2:3) —deceiving many to worship in vain. (Mat 24:24; Rev 13:1-10; 18; 22:15)
Note: These are those who burn in the lake of fire.
God’s system of religious truth has two main parts:
1. God’s times (9 perpetual feasts of the Lord/‘Acceptable Year of the Lord’).
2. God’s law (the Ten Commandments).
God’s times and law are the core of His system of religious truth— which is how you worship God in truth instead of in vain.
The prophet Daniel warned that the antichrist power would arise and think to change God’s “times and law.” (Dan 7:25)
The antichrist power is a sovereign nation, the Vatican City State, which thinks to change God’s times and law by:
1. Falsely teaching that Roman Catholic holidays are now the “feasts of the Lord.” (cf., Vatican II)
2. Falsely teaching that the Ten Commandments have changed (deleted the Second Commandment against idol worship; moved Commandment numbers 3-9 up a notch each; and, split the Tenth Commandment into two parts to make up for the lost Second one.
So important are God’s times that He commanded nine specific times as feasts (true holy days) to be observed perpetually, meaning both now on earth as well as in heaven after the fullness of times. (cf., Lev 23; Num 28 and 29; Zec 14)
Note: If you still feel enmity against keeping the feasts of the Lord, then you have not fully accepted Jesus’ grace which is defined as abolishing our enmity; that is, abolishing our opposition to His statutes, laws, etc…
Antichrist Teaches Lies Against Christ
Antichrist Teaches Lies Against Christ, Continued: Spirit of antichrist attempts to confuse the faithful and trick them into taking the mark of the beast leading to condemnation and hell fire. (cf., Rev 14:9-11)
The Vatican’s pretense to have authority to change God’s times and laws results in their dogma (fake 10 commandments & worldly holidays) which teaches lies against Christ’s Ten Commandments and true Holy Days!
In prophecy, a “beast” represents a kingdom or nation. (Dan 7:23) Thus, the beasts in the books of Daniel and the Revelation symbolize nations.
The ‘man of sin’ (2 Thes 2:3) has the number 666. (Rev 13:18)
Rev 13:1-10, 18; and 17:5 identify the Vatican City State, the world’s smallest nation (the Roman Catholic Church) as the Antichrist beast, because:
1. It is the only ‘Mother Church’ that is also a nation. (Rev 13:1; Dan 7:23)
2. Vatican City State has civil sovereign power and governance. (Rev 13:2)
3. Vatican City State commands worldwide worship. (Rev 13:3-4, 8; 14:9-11)
4. It fulfills all of the other corollary prophecies describing the beast power.
The prophet Daniel warned that the antichrist nation would arise and think to change God’s “times and law.” (Dan 7:25) The Vatican has done both.
The Vatican thinks to change times by teaching that the Catholic holidays are now the “feasts of the Lord” (Sunday, Easter, Christmas, Mary’s Octave (New Year’s Day), Cult of Saints (St. Pat’s / St. Valentine / All Saints Day, etc.).
What Was Nailed to Jesus’ Cross?
Will you worship in truth or your own carnal way?
Jesus came in the flesh to destroy your enmity (your opposition) against His law, Commandments, statutes, judgments, and precepts (His times and law). (Eph 2:15; Mat 5:17-20) Times are the feasts; Law is Ten Commandments!
Jesus nailed your enmity (opposition) against God’s times (feasts of the Lord) and law (Ten Commandments) to the cross.
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom 8:7; cf., Rom 8:3-4; 1 John 4:2-3)
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See a related study:
“The Feasts of the Lord in the Old and NewTestaments”
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