How the Feasts of the Lord Were Removed From the Church

Many in the church today do not understand their rich heritage of the faith.

Replacement theology, which assumes Israel plays no significant role in the body of Christ, has caused a division between the church and Israel. For the church, this has created a separation from the blessings she was intended to walk in. Many of these blessings are expressed, observed and released during the feasts of the Lord.

Passover Was Observed in the First-Century Church

The first believers in Yeshua — the first-century church — were primarily Jewish. More and more Gentiles joined “the Way,” and Jews and Gentiles came together as one. They fellowshipped, worshipped and celebrated the feasts of the Lord and Shabbat.

Yeshua called Himself “the way” in John 14:6, and the phrase was widely used through the Book of Acts (Acts 9:2; 19:23; 24:14, 22). As the Way grew, the Roman Empire at the time was fighting to keep control. Persecution was underway for those who were a part of the Way and anyone who didn’t submit to the Roman Empire.

The Mixing of Mindsets

The Roman Empire was under the mindset of Hellenistic thinking — many gods and pagan influence. The first-century church was of the mindset of one God. This didn’t mix well with Rome’s agenda. Over time, compromise began to take place in the church.

As a result, the Hellenistic mindsets and observances began to replace the feasts of the Lord. A mixture in the church spread. Eventually, Gentile church leaders thought it best to be set apart from the Jewish observances and adopt Roman observances in their place.

This happened over the course of time and in meetings such as the Council of Elvira (AD 306) and the Council of Nicaea (AD 325).

The Council of Elvira forbade Christians from receiving a blessing from the Jews, or Jews blessing their lands, which flies in the face of one of the purposes of the Jewish nation — to bless the nations.

In the Council of Nicaea, no Jewish bishops were invited. The Roman Emperor Constantine called the council together and urged them to disassociate from anything Jewish. The Western calendar for observing the resurrection of Yeshua was one of the outcomes of this council.

The Prophetic Component

The Bible is clear that we do not war against flesh and blood but against the powers and principalities of darkness (Eph. 6:12). These changes in times and observances were a scheme of the enemy.

The Bible also tells us in Daniel 7:25, “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time” (NKJV, emphasis added).

The enemy does not want anyone, especially the body of Christ, to know his plan of changing the “times and laws.” If the body knows his plan, they will reclaim what is rightfully theirs and operate in the authority and power they were designed to have.

As many believers are coming to understand the prophetic significance of the feasts of the Lord, the church is growing in spiritual influence and authority. Remember, this authority is not according to the world’s view of wisdom and knowledge, but according to God’s. In other words, when Jesus said, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10, NKJV), He was talking about God’s righteous reign and rule, God’s authority being released upon this earth. This is happening now.

The Passover and other feasts of the Lord give us insights and understanding, releasing the power upon God’s people to do His will on earth. The enemy hates this and has tried to stop it for years. But he is being exposed, and the church is rising up. We will walk in victory. We will place our feet beneath the Lord’s table, and we will enjoy the feast that is set before us in the presence of our enemies.

Curt Landry, founder of Curt Landry Ministries, and his wife, Christie, travel extensively, preaching and teaching about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Together, their passion is to empower families to live and leave kingdom legacies and understand their own personal heritage. Visit Curt’s website at curtlandry.com.

(Podcast episode link and desired date of release)

Please embed podcast title “Why Should Christians Celebrate Passover?”

Please embed bonus podcast title “What Do the 4 Cups of Passover Prophetically Represent?”