Why Don't LDS Celebrate the Israelite Holy Days?

[Dario_M]

I guess because we are no Israelites. 

Edited August 10, 2024 by Dario_M

[Pyreaux]

9 hours ago, 2BizE said:

There also aren’t Jewish rituals found in the Book of Mormon, which was written by Jews…

There is no temple theology in most of the Bible, that information was orally transmitted... unless you know what you are looking at. Like, Genesis 1 is a temple ritual, if you know the story, you know the backdrop and how to assemble the Tabernacle for the day of Atonement.

Temples are being built in the Book of Mormon, so it's not safe to assume nothing took place in them. King Benjamin’s assembly looks very much like a Sukkot celebration.

Edited August 10, 2024 by Pyreaux

[Calm]

10 hours ago, 2BizE said:

There also aren’t Jewish rituals found in the Book of Mormon, which was written by Jews…

[Pyreaux]

Some more notes: My Messianic Jewish Friends' Conspiracy Theory that Constantine created Sunday Worship

On the Seventh day, was when Adam was to do the works of God while God rested (Gen 2:2-3), as a temple text meant the priest sacrificed, no more works were need for the Tabernacle, it was ready. But then the next morning came, the priest came out and blessed the people and declared judgment, and everything was sent back to the first day, the day of light, everything restored to their original state of unity, before the world became divided and separated into their own kinds, unified, became one. So there was an ancient fusion of the Seventh and First days.

Eusebius quotes from the writings from 170 BC, by Aristobulus, an Alexandrian Jew who was a leading member of a High Priestly family (2 Macc 1:10), "God gave us the seventh day for rest... this could in reality also be called the first, and the begetting of the light in which all things are seen at the same time..." (Eusebias, Preparation of the Gospel 13:12).

The Sabbath (Day Seven) was a day to be remembered as the day God rested (Gen 2:2-3), there was no explicit command that it was a day to rest or worship until Moses comes with the lesser Law, which was a new Mosaic Covenant at Hareb. A covenant that was not made with the Patriarchs, they were spoken of as duties to remember the deeds of Moses, they were instructed to "keep the Sabbath day", as a reminder that they were once slaves in Egypt (Dt 5:2-3, 12, 15) to become law against exploitation, to let animals and slave rest, because Israel used to be enslaved (Ex 23:12).

This was a part of the religion of Moses, but beneath it was another religion of Abraham and the Patriarchs. Their Feasts of Unleavened Bread (Pass Over), Weeks, Tabernacles, are new memorial days to remember the deeds of Moses, grafted on to the older ways. The Dead Sea Scroll texts (read by the Christians, and rejected by later Jews), speak against the Israel, as having gone astray to new moons and Sabbaths and festivals. (1 Enoch 8:2, 4; Jubilees 1:14; Damascus Rule, CD III:13-14).

While the Old Testament tells us the days and months the festival are in relation to each other, there is nothing concerning what sort of calendar they were using. Their ancient solar calendar was abandoned in the Exile of Israel into Babylon, and they brought back a lunar calendar. Their days were reckoned from sunrise, then was altered to sunset. Deliverance came from the sun rise (Is 17:4; 33:2, Ps 46:6). The Lord is the sun (Ps 84:12) who rises over Jerusalem as a sign of deliverance (Isa 60).

The Christians claimed the older ways of Abraham tells us the laws given Moses were an inferior, secondary, a curse brought upon Israel because of their transgressions, over the original gospel as given to Abraham (Gal 13:19). Christ had been teaching them to not observe the customs of Moses (Ac 6:14; 21:21), even though He and the Apostles would meet in the Jewish synagogues on the Sabbath too preach (Ac 13:13:44; 17:1-2), he'd otherwise disregard Jewish customs.

To eat the "[epiousios] bread" (Mt: 6:11) the bread of tomorrow, looking to the great tomorrow when Christ will return, and everything will change to the glory of Day One. The Apostles concealed themselves from the eyes of the Jews, in secret met to observe "the first day of the week" even before they even knew that Christ had risen from the dead (Jn 20:19, 29). Because the day was not just a memorial of the day of the resurrection, it was a day already significant in the days of Creation, "And on the day which is called Sunday, there is an assembly in the same place of all who live in cities, or in country districts; and the records of the Apostles, or the writings of the Prophets, are read as long as we have time... Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, when He changed the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior, on the same day, rose from the dead." (Justin Martyr, Apologies, 1:67 [140 AD]).

Paul continued to teach them to meet on the "first day" (Ac 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2). Paul new they were being criticized by the Jews for what holidays they worshiped on "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days." (Col 2:16). Early Christians in compliance "We neither accord with the Jews in heir peculiarities in regard to food nor in their sacred days" (Justin Martyr, Apologies, Sec. 21, [200 AD]).

In the writers of the New Testament that wrote in Greek translated the phrase "first day of the week" 8 times as the "Sabbath", because these original writers knew it was the Christian's Sabbath. "On one day, the first day of the week, we assembled ourselves together." (Barderaven, 130 AD).

They were originally calling it the "eighth day" (Jn 20:26) that is the day "God in augurated a new world" (Epistle of Barnabas 15:8) it transcended normal time of the world, as a liturgical tradition of the original "first day". After the resurrection they were calling it the "Lord's day" (Rev 1:10). The original Greek word for "Lord's" here is the exact word use in the "Lord's Supper" (1 Cor 11:20).  The Didache (first century Christian worship manual) links these two, indicating that the Lord's Supper was observed on the Lord's Day (Didache 14:1).

Though Emperor Constantine of Rome was a member of a Sun-Cult that Emperor Aurelian espoused in 310 AD, some accuse him altering the day to worship to the first day by legislation in 321 AD because it was called by the pagan's "Dies Solis" (Sun Day). There is no evidence of this, history records this day was observed well before Constantine, before his death-bed baptism, history records he "observed the Christian Sabbath" not because it was his practice, and "this day was set apart for religious worship by the apostles themselves, and that, after the example of the church at Jerusalem, it was generally observed, we have unexceptionable testimony" (Mosheim's Church History, Book 2, Cent 4, Part 1, Chap 1:8; Book 1, Cent 1 Part 2, Chap 4:4).

Historians and clergy from long before Constantine was born testify of the meaning of that day. "We ourselves are accustomed to observe certain days, as for example, the Lord's day." (Origen, Book 3, Chap 23, [201 AD]).

"Why is it, you ask, that we gather on the Lord's day to celebrate our solemnities? Because that was the way the Apostles also did." (De Fuga XIV:II, 141 [200 AD])

"He, in fulfillment of the precept according to the gospel, keeps the Lord's day." (Clement of Alexandria, Book 7, Chap 12 [193 AD])

"Those who were brought up in the ancient order of things, have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath (Day Seven) but living in the observance of the Lord's day (Day One) on which our life was sprun by him and his death." (Ignatius, Epistle to the Mangnesians, Chap 9, [101 AD]).

Originally there were 2 great sacrifice days, Unleavened Bread (altered to Passover) and the Days of Atonement, during the spring and autumn equinoxes. Passover, a nomadic feast from Egypt (Ex 12:1-10) to a pilgrimage feast of King Josiah (2 Kg 23:22) a month earlier than King Hezekiah (2 Chr 30). Holy Days may have been decided by the king (1 Kg 12:32), with a solar calendar, and calculated by the High Priest's staff (Samarian Chronicle, Tolidah, Introduction), which was in the ark and lost in the Exile.

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I got to go, I'll be back to post some more

[JVW]

5 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

Some more notes:

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I got to go, I'll be back to post some more

Thank you for taking the time to share these. I'm actually copying them into a personal file that I can have around to refer to in the future, this is really interesting stuff.

There is a difference I see between the Sabbath day and the rest of the law of Moses. The Sabbath day was also enshrined in the Ten Commandments, which (I think) are more properly viewed as a marriage covenant that God made with Israel and not like the law of Moses which was likened to a taskmaster or curse. In the LDS church the conversion of the Sabbath day to meaning the Lord's day has been done for a long time now, they are completely synonymous now. And within the last few years the church leadership has placed an exceptionally strong emphasis on keeping the 4th commandment. So if I believe that they are prophets of God then the 4th commandment is outside of the law of Moses and is still in effect. Although Christ shifted the Sabbath day to the 8th/1st day (I think they are both poetic, but prefer the 8th day better b/c 8 is the number of renewal and rebirth) He didn't rescind the commandment to observe it.

[Pyreaux]

4 hours ago, JVW said:

Thank you for taking the time to share these. I'm actually copying them into a personal file that I can have around to refer to in the future, this is really interesting stuff.

There is a difference I see between the Sabbath day and the rest of the law of Moses. The Sabbath day was also enshrined in the Ten Commandments, which (I think) are more properly viewed as a marriage covenant that God made with Israel and not like the law of Moses which was likened to a taskmaster or curse. In the LDS church the conversion of the Sabbath day to meaning the Lord's day has been done for a long time now, they are completely synonymous now. And within the last few years the church leadership has placed an exceptionally strong emphasis on keeping the 4th commandment. So if I believe that they are prophets of God then the 4th commandment is outside of the law of Moses and is still in effect. Although Christ shifted the Sabbath day to the 8th/1st day (I think they are both poetic, but prefer the 8th day better b/c 8 is the number of renewal and rebirth) He didn't rescind the commandment to observe it.

The Church, as Paul says, has no regard for a day, the Sabbath to rest is a bit of an arbitrary day, a day of most convenience, Sunday as Western Christians, but we'll observe Saturday in Israel and Monday in Jordan.

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The Significance of Day One

The Six days of Creation in Genesis 1 was a Vision that Moses had while on the Mountain while in the cloud for six days (Ex 24:15-16) to be utilized as the six day pattern for setting up the Tabernacle (Ex 25:40). It is an abridged version of an older account now lost, for Moses' use, but other details are scattered through other Creation accounts in the Bible.

Genesis tells us that Day One was the creation of light (Gen 1:3) and neglects to say it is also the day the angel Sons of God were born, “generations [begettings] of the heavens” (Gen 2:4; see also Job 38:7; Jubilees 2:2) forging a council of the elohim, “the gods” (Psalm 82:1; Job 1:6). El Elyon, the Father gave one of the angel sons of God is own name, YHWH/The LORD, and designated him as his “first born” and commanded that all the other angels should worship him, preeminant Son of God (Heb 1:6). One of these other angel sons would not bow, and so he and the sons of darkness were cast from heaven to the earth, which was a sea of water (Job 26:5-13; Ezek 28:8; Exod 15:10-12; Isa 14:12; Luke 10:18; Rev 12:12). The Lord, YHWH, was made king of the angels in the council and wore a robe of light, the light of Day One (Psa 104:1-2) with the darkness cast out, thee\ heavens were made bright, pure, and the serpent was wounded (Job 26:16; Rev 12:9).

The Significance of Day Eight

The Enochian Literature says that Day One was named after the Lord, the Lord's Day, “This First created day I named after myself” (2 Enoch 28:5). It was also the Eighth Day, which transcends time, reverting back into Day One, “On the Eighth day, I likewise appointed, so that the eighth day of the week might be the first created of my week... so that the eighth day of the week might return continually.” (2 Enoch 33:1-2)”

In Hebrew, “seven” carries the meaning of completeness. “eight” is related to the word fatness, but also abundance, fertility, rejuvenation, transformation, resurrection. The Eighth Day has been a symbol for kingship, king and priestly death and resurrection into an angelic being, rebirth, angel birth. Aancient texts like Joseph and Aseneth frrm 200 BC, Joseph is portrayed saying, “I will go out today, because this is the day on which God began to make all his creatures [ktismata: living beings = angels in JosAsen 12:2] and on the eighth day, when this day returns, I will return.” (Joseph and Aseneth 9:2) Mean while, Aseneth repents in sackcloth and ashes and fasts for seven days until an angel comes to endow her in a white robe on the eighth day.

This ancient process in which people prayed and fast to prepare themselves to receive a revelation or to be converted (LXX, Dan 4:33a-b; 4Q Pr Nab 1:3). A day of reformation.

“Why is circumcision on the eighth day?”, asked Philo, “it is the number on which the creator of the universe made the world” (Philo, Questions on Genesis 3:49).

Aaron's burnt offering that consecrated him to the High Priesthood was on the eighth day (Lev 8:1-9:24)

Purifiction rites were complete on the eighth day (Lev 14:6; 15:13-14).

When Solomon was made King, the reborn as a Royal Priest after Melchizedek (Psa 110:3-4; 1 Chr 29:20-25) was an observance of the eighth day (1 King 8:2-66).

The day of Kingmaking, Shemini Atzeret, the Eighth Day, is a High Sabbath, the last holy day (Lev 23:36; Num 29:35) and signifies the last days, the end of the harvest, and the beginning of the rains, thus it is also called “the Day of Judgment for Rain” The Jewish Book of Why p254-255). Jesus called it “the last great day” (John 7:37).

On the Day of Atonement, the seventh day the High Priest makes atonement which goes into the night, and on the morning of the eighth day, he reemerges to declare judgment, this is called , “The Great Day” (LXX, Isa 1:13; Aristides Apology 14:4)

The Great Day is the eighth day that John the Revelator saw in his vision, the angel High Priests emerge from the Heavenly Holy of Holies on the “Lord's Day” (Rev 1:10). His location is in verse 9, and the occasion is on verse 10, and by “Lord's” he is referring to Christ's Lordship. John says they broke bread on the “first” and the “eighth day” (John 20:26).

The Day of God (2 Pet 3:7). The Day of Judgment (2 Pet 2:9). The Day of the Lord (2 Pet 3:10), The Day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:10; 2:16).

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6 is the number of beasts, as beasts were made on day 6 of creation. But it's also the number of humans, men, flesh, sacrifice. 

7 is the number of completeness, as creation was completed on day 7. But also, literally, "swearing (an oath)".

8 is the number of fatness, a surplus (to completeness), abundance, fertility, and transformation. Because the 8th day transforms into the 1st day, the day of oneness and angel birth. So, 8 is also associated with initiate angel-rebirth and resurrections.

In apocalypses, beasts refer to men and men were divine.

Beast = men; a ram with two horns = the two kings of Media; the ten-horned dragon = the ten Roman rulers; the lamb with seven eyes = human Jesus and his seven archangels.

Men = divine; the man Gabriel = the angel Gabriel; the Son of Man = Son of God; 70 shepherds = the 70 elohim.

When beasts become men = men become gods. Noah was a white bull who became a man when he was told a secret = Noah transfigured and walked with God; Moses was a white sheep who became a man on Mount Sinai = Moses was transfigured on Mount Sinai.

In ancient times, initiations used to take 7 days, in black sackcloth and ashes before the 8th day when they'd wash and get their white robes in the dawn hours of next Sunday. 8 carries a meaning of God's acceptance; 8 days the get circumcised; 8 years to be baptized; 8 days for Aaron to be initiated a priest; 8 days for Aseneth to dawn white wedding robes; 8 days Jesus waited on a mountain to be endowed in his white temple priest's robe and made Peter, James and John swear to secrecy. John's "Lord's Day" is the 8th day of the Day of Atonement, the Sunday morning the High Priest returned with Judgments.

 

Edited August 14, 2024 by Pyreaux

[JVW]

15 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

The Church, as Paul says, has no regard for a day, the Sabbath to rest is a bit of an arbitrary day, a day of most convenience, Sunday as Western Christians, but we'll observe Saturday in Israel and Monday in Jordan.

My wife has traveled to Hong Kong and while attending church there learned that the specific building she attended had church services every day because the local worker only get one day off a week and they don't get to choose which day it is. So their Sabbath day is whatever day they have off and the LDS church accommodates that by having services daily.

[Pyreaux]

1 hour ago, JVW said:

My wife has traveled to Hong Kong and while attending church there learned that the specific building she attended had church services every day because the local worker only get one day off a week and they don't get to choose which day it is. So their Sabbath day is whatever day they have off and the LDS church accommodates that by having services daily.

I didn't know that. Awesome. We are told to do the sacrament "often", reminds me of why the church uses of water instead of juice, aside a poison scare, it "mattereth not what you eat or drink", as WWII soldiers did the sacrament with potato peals.

[Pyreaux]

Hi

Edited August 17, 2024 by Pyreaux