Brief Notes on Various Topics
Should YEHOVAH God's people today be concerned about observing the "New Moon" festivals? Were New Moons -- the first day of each Biblical month -- observed in ancient times? How were they observed by ancient Israel? What about in New Testament times? Will New Moons be observed in the Messianic Age, the World Tomorrow?
We read an astounding thing in the book of Colossians, which thousands of YEHOVAH's people have overlooked, ignored, and misunderstood. In their attempt to refute the gainsaying and heresy of those who try to do away with YEHOVAH's laws and holy days, they have stumbled and overlooked a vital TRUTH!
Notice this remarkable passage! Paul writes, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival [margin, "FEAST DAY"] or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance [lit., "body"] is of Christ" (Co1. 2:16-17). The King James Version says in these verses: "Let no MAN, therefore, judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of a sabbath day, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is [note: these italics are not in the original, meaning the word "is" has been supplied by the translators and is not in the original Greek version] of Christ."
Let us notice three things in these verses. First, we are to allow no human being -- Gentile, or Jew, rabbi, or minister -- to "judge" us regarding these things, or to sit in judgment over us.
Secondly, these days -- festivals of YEHOVAH God, new moons, and sabbath days -- are (present tense, meaning they STILL EXIST and have not been done away or abolished!) "shadows" of things to come. That is, they all foreshadow and picture elements in YEHOVAH's plan, future events still to come. Therefore, they have great meaning and significance for us,
We read an astounding thing in the book of Colossians, which thousands of YEHOVAH's people have overlooked, ignored, and misunderstood. In their attempt to refute the gainsaying and heresy of those who try to do away with YEHOVAH's laws and holy days, they have stumbled and overlooked a vital TRUTH!
Notice this remarkable passage! Paul writes, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival [margin, "FEAST DAY"] or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance [lit., "body"] is of Christ" (Co1. 2:16-17). The King James Version says in these verses: "Let no MAN, therefore, judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of a sabbath day, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is [note: these italics are not in the original, meaning the word "is" has been supplied by the translators and is not in the original Greek version] of Christ."
Let us notice three things in these verses. First, we are to allow no human being -- Gentile, or Jew, rabbi, or minister -- to "judge" us regarding these things, or to sit in judgment over us.
Secondly, these days -- festivals of YEHOVAH God, new moons, and sabbath days -- are (present tense, meaning they STILL EXIST and have not been done away or abolished!) "shadows" of things to come. That is, they all foreshadow and picture elements in YEHOVAH's plan, future events still to come. Therefore, they have great meaning and significance for us,