Thoughts on the Festivals

A few months ago a woman stopped me after hearing me witnessing. She wanted to express her frustration with the Church for it's (as a whole) not celebrating the Festivals. Her point was these Festivals pointed to the Messiah and now "are" to be used to confirm that Jesus is Messiah, the Christ.

Her point struck home within me. I was taken aback and began to question this possible failing in the expression of my faith. I ended up going to a Messianic Seder and I have to encourage everyone to take at least one of these in. If you are unfamiliar with them, you will be astounded. It has deeply strengthened my faith.

One of many valuable, interesting, challenging, and exciting things I learned there was that Jesus didn't drink the Cup of Elijah at the last supper (Passover feast). You can check all four of the Gospels and the rest of the NT and not find a single reference to Him drinking of the 4th cup. The 4th is the Cup of Promise - "I will make you My people." and is called the Cup of Elijah. Because Elijah was to come to prepare the way for Messiah.

Now a short side track to clear up a bit of confusion. Jesus did drink of the 2nd cup which is the cup of Judgement. After doing so He told those present that He would not drink the wine of that fruit again until His return. A couple of verses down you will then read about Jesus drinking the 3rd cup of wine! This is of course the cup of Redemption. When Jesus said He wouldn't drink of that cup (wine of that fruit) again He meant He would not carry out Judgement until His glorious return. (So all you people preaching that hurricanes and diseases are the judgement of God on a person, group or place stop now, these are products of Curse put on Creation because of Adam's sin. The target of that Curse is all of creation, any individual or group.)

OK So back on topic here. Now where in scripture do we see the Cup of Elijah was ever drank by Christ Jesus. Why? Because, since Christ was in the World then Elijah must have already come. He did come, John The Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah.

So what doest his have to do with the Festivals? Christ didn't drink the cup that pointed to (and celebrated the hope of) Elijah's coming because he had already come. We don't have to celebrate the festivals which point to and celebrate the hope of Christ's first coming because He has already been here.

To celebrate our hope of His coming is akin to denying He has already come. A farmer doesn't pray and hope for rain during or after the down pour. He may remember his hope, and celebrate that it was fulfilled, but he no longer has need to hope for it to happen. It already has. Our proof is the work of the Spirit, our Faith, transformed lives, the recorded history of His dwelling with us in the Word, and answered prayer - which wouldn't be possible if not for the the finished work of Christ at the Cross.