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From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Thursday, June 19, 1997 12:31 AM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Israel's Unfaithfulness in Keeping the F


From:          "James Miller" <jmmiller@miworld.net>
To:            "Hebrew Roots" <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject:       Israel's Unfaithfulness in Keeping the Festivals


Dear Eddie,

We have been studying the festivals during our Wednesday Bible 
study (what a BLESSING!!!) and noticed that for many years Israel did 
not keep the festivals as ordered by G-d. This was based on 
Nehemiah 8:17 which says,

"And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity
made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son
of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was
very great gladness." 

    Since the days of Joshua they hadn't built booths. Is it a safe assumption
then that they hadn't celebrated any part of Sukkot or was it just the
building of the booths that they had neglected since they had taken
possession of the Promised Land?

From Eddie:
**************
 
I believe that it should be interpreted that they didn't keep any aspect of Sukkot.

From James:
****************

The first part of Nehemiah 8 indicates that all of the returned exiles
assembled on Rosh HaShanah (both days) so that the Law could be read to
them. Based on Nehemiah 8:8 the people had to be given understanding of
what was being read to them. Since this occured during Rosh HaShanah it
seems plausible that at least part of the Law that was read to them was
about the keeping of this feast. The people's response to the reading of
the Law was weeping because of their past failure to keep this feast.

If they did indeed fail to keep Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot, did they fail to
keep the other festivals also?

From Eddie:
**************

I believe it is a safe assumption to say that the answer is Yes.

From James:
***************

Except that I understand how prone man is to walk away from the statues
and ordinances of G-d, I wonder how Israel failed to keep the feasts of G-d
(assuming they did based on Nehemiah 8), since He had specifically told
them to keep these feasts forever.

From Eddie:
***************

For the same reason that the Church has failed to keep the 
Biblical feasts even though they were given as ETERNAL ordinances 
FOREVER.  (Lev 23:14, 21, 31, 41)

God mentions FOUR times in the Lev 23 which describes the feasts 
that they are to be KEPT FOREVER. 

Christmas and Easter are NOT mentioned in the Bible as being
Festivals unto G-d.

The Church as committed the SAME sins as ancient Israel through 
ignorance, rebellion and tradition. 

The sabbath was to be kept FOREVER also (Ex 31:16).

During the Messianic Age, G-d will REQUIRE ALL NATIONS to keep 
the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16-17).

The SABBATH and NEW MOON will be kept during the days of the 
"new heaven and new earth" (Isaiah 66:22-23).     

From James:
****************

Am I off track here or are these observations based on Nehemiah 8 
correct?

From Eddie:
**************

I believe that you are right. In (Joshua 5:1-6), the 
children of Israel went 40 years without circumcising their children.

In II Chronicles 30, the PASSOVER was instituted after not 
being celebrated for many years. So, yes, your understanding is 
correct.

From James:
****************

The newsgroup has been a real blessing. Thank you Eddie, and thank you in
advance for your response.

G-d's Richest Blessings to You,

James Miler

***********************************************************************

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