God appointed several festivals among the Jews. 1. To perpetuate
the memory of great events; so, the Sabbath commemorated the creation of
the world; the passover, the departure out of Egypt; the pentecost, the
law given at Sinai, &c. 2. To keep them under the influence of religion,
and by the majesty of that service which he instituted among them, and
which abounded in mystical symbols or types of evangelical things, to
convey spiritual instruction, and to keep alive the expectation of the
Messiah, and his more perfect dispensation. 3. To secure to them certain
times of rest and rejoicings. 4. To render them familiar with the law;
for, in their religious assemblies, the law of God was read and
explained. 5. To renew the acquaintance, correspondence, and friendship
of their tribes and families, coming from the several towns in the
country, and meeting three times a year in the holy city.
The first and most ancient festival, the Sabbath, or seventh day,
commemorated the creation. “The Lord blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it,” says Moses, “because that in it he had rested from all
his work,” Gen. ii, 3. See SABBATH.
The passover was instituted in memory of the Israelites’ departure out
of Egypt, and of the favour which God showed his people in sparing their
first-born, when he destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, Exod.
xii, 14, &c. See PASSOVER.
The feast of pentecost was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the
passover, in memory of the law being given to Moses on Mount Sinai,
fifty days after the departure out of Egypt. They reckoned seven weeks
from the passover to pentecost, beginning at the day after the passover.
The Hebrews call it the feast of weeks, and the Christians, pentecost,
which signifies the fiftieth day.
The feast of trumpets was celebrated on the first day of the civil year;
on which the trumpets sounded, proclaiming the beginning of the year,
which was in the month Tisri, answering to our September, O. S. We know
no religious cause of its establishment. Moses commands it to be
observed as a day of rest, and that particular sacrifices should be
offered at that time.
The new moons, or first days of every month, were, in some sort, a
consequence of the feasts of trumpets. The law did not oblige people to
rest upon this day, but ordained only some particular sacrifices. It
appears that, on these days, also, the trumpet was sounded, and
entertainments were made, 1 Sam. xx, 5–18.
The feast of expiation or atonement was celebrated on the tenth day of
Tisri, which was the first day of the civil year. It was instituted for
a general expiation of sins, irreverences, and pollutions of all the
Israelites, from the high priest to the lowest of the people, committed
by them throughout the year, Lev. xxiii, 27, 28; Num. xxix, 7. See
EXPIATION, _Day of_.
The feast of tents, or tabernacles, on which all Israel were obliged to
attend the temple, and to dwell eight days under tents of branches, in
memory of their fathers dwelling forty years in tents, as travellers in
the wilderness. It was kept on the fifteenth of the month Tisri, the
first of the civil year. The first and seventh day of this feast were
very solemn. But during the other days of the octave they might work,
Lev. xxiii, 34, 35; Num. xxix, 12, 13. At the beginning of the feast,
two vessels of silver were carried in a ceremonious manner to the
temple, one full of water, the other of wine, which were poured at the
foot of the altar of burnt offerings, always on the seventh day of this
festival.
Of the three great feasts of the year, the passover, pentecost, and that
of the tabernacles, the octave, or seventh day after these feasts, was a
day of rest as much as the festival itself; and all the males of the
nation were obliged to visit the temple at these three feasts. But the
law did not require them to continue there during the whole octave,
except in the feast of tabernacles, when they seem obliged to be present
for the whole seven days.
Beside these feasts, we find the feast of lots, or _purim_, instituted
on occasion of the deliverance of the Jews from Haman’s plot, in the
reign of Ahasuerus. See PURIM.
The feast of the dedication of the temple, or rather of the restoration
of the temple, which had been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes, 1 Mac.
iv, 52, &c, was celebrated in winter, and is supposed to be the feast of
dedication mentioned in John x, 22. Josephus says, that it was called
the feast of lights, probably because this happiness befel them when
least expected, and they considered it as a new light risen on them.
In the Christian church, no festival appears to have been expressly
instituted by Jesus Christ, or his Apostles. Yet, as we commemorate the
passion of Christ as often as we celebrate his Supper, he seems by this
to have instituted a perpetual feast. Christians have always celebrated
the memory of his resurrection, and observe this feast on every Sunday,
which was commonly called the Lord’s day, Rev. i, 10. By inference we
may conclude this festival to have been instituted by Apostolic
authority.
The birth-day of Christ, commonly called Christmas-day, has been
generally observed by his disciples with gratitude and joy. His birth
was the greatest blessing ever bestowed on mankind. The angels from
heaven celebrated it with a joyful hymn; and every man, who has any
feeling of his own lost state without a Redeemer, must rejoice and be
glad in it. “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” Isaiah ix, 6. For this
festival, however, there is no authority in Scripture, nor do we know
that it was observed in the age of the Apostles.
On Easter Sunday we celebrate our Saviour’s victory over death and hell,
when, having on the cross made an atonement for the sin of the world, he
rose again from the grave, brought life and immortality to light, and
opened to all his faithful servants the way to heaven. On this great
event rest all our hopes. “If Christ be not risen,” says St. Paul, “then
is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is Christ
risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept,” 1
Cor. xv, 14, 20.
Forty days after his resurrection, our Lord ascended into heaven, in the
sight of his disciples. This is celebrated on what is called
Ascension-day, or Holy Thursday. Ten days after his ascension, our Lord
sent the Holy Spirit to be the comforter and guide of his disciples.
This blessing is commemorated on Whit-Sunday, which is a very great
festival, and may be profitably observed; for the assistance of the Holy
Spirit can alone support us through all temptations, and guide us into
all truth.
The pretended success of some in discovering the remains of certain holy
men, called “relics,” multiplied in the fourth century of the Christian
church the festivals and commemorations of the martyrs in a most
extravagant manner. These days, instead of being set apart for pious
exercises, were spent in indolence, voluptuousness, and criminal
pursuits; and were less consecrated to the service of God, than employed
in the indulgence of sinful passions. Many of these festivals were
instituted on a Pagan model, and perverted to similar purposes.
the memory of great events; so, the Sabbath commemorated the creation of
the world; the passover, the departure out of Egypt; the pentecost, the
law given at Sinai, &c. 2. To keep them under the influence of religion,
and by the majesty of that service which he instituted among them, and
which abounded in mystical symbols or types of evangelical things, to
convey spiritual instruction, and to keep alive the expectation of the
Messiah, and his more perfect dispensation. 3. To secure to them certain
times of rest and rejoicings. 4. To render them familiar with the law;
for, in their religious assemblies, the law of God was read and
explained. 5. To renew the acquaintance, correspondence, and friendship
of their tribes and families, coming from the several towns in the
country, and meeting three times a year in the holy city.
The first and most ancient festival, the Sabbath, or seventh day,
commemorated the creation. “The Lord blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it,” says Moses, “because that in it he had rested from all
his work,” Gen. ii, 3. See SABBATH.
The passover was instituted in memory of the Israelites’ departure out
of Egypt, and of the favour which God showed his people in sparing their
first-born, when he destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, Exod.
xii, 14, &c. See PASSOVER.
The feast of pentecost was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the
passover, in memory of the law being given to Moses on Mount Sinai,
fifty days after the departure out of Egypt. They reckoned seven weeks
from the passover to pentecost, beginning at the day after the passover.
The Hebrews call it the feast of weeks, and the Christians, pentecost,
which signifies the fiftieth day.
The feast of trumpets was celebrated on the first day of the civil year;
on which the trumpets sounded, proclaiming the beginning of the year,
which was in the month Tisri, answering to our September, O. S. We know
no religious cause of its establishment. Moses commands it to be
observed as a day of rest, and that particular sacrifices should be
offered at that time.
The new moons, or first days of every month, were, in some sort, a
consequence of the feasts of trumpets. The law did not oblige people to
rest upon this day, but ordained only some particular sacrifices. It
appears that, on these days, also, the trumpet was sounded, and
entertainments were made, 1 Sam. xx, 5–18.
The feast of expiation or atonement was celebrated on the tenth day of
Tisri, which was the first day of the civil year. It was instituted for
a general expiation of sins, irreverences, and pollutions of all the
Israelites, from the high priest to the lowest of the people, committed
by them throughout the year, Lev. xxiii, 27, 28; Num. xxix, 7. See
EXPIATION, _Day of_.
The feast of tents, or tabernacles, on which all Israel were obliged to
attend the temple, and to dwell eight days under tents of branches, in
memory of their fathers dwelling forty years in tents, as travellers in
the wilderness. It was kept on the fifteenth of the month Tisri, the
first of the civil year. The first and seventh day of this feast were
very solemn. But during the other days of the octave they might work,
Lev. xxiii, 34, 35; Num. xxix, 12, 13. At the beginning of the feast,
two vessels of silver were carried in a ceremonious manner to the
temple, one full of water, the other of wine, which were poured at the
foot of the altar of burnt offerings, always on the seventh day of this
festival.
Of the three great feasts of the year, the passover, pentecost, and that
of the tabernacles, the octave, or seventh day after these feasts, was a
day of rest as much as the festival itself; and all the males of the
nation were obliged to visit the temple at these three feasts. But the
law did not require them to continue there during the whole octave,
except in the feast of tabernacles, when they seem obliged to be present
for the whole seven days.
Beside these feasts, we find the feast of lots, or _purim_, instituted
on occasion of the deliverance of the Jews from Haman’s plot, in the
reign of Ahasuerus. See PURIM.
The feast of the dedication of the temple, or rather of the restoration
of the temple, which had been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes, 1 Mac.
iv, 52, &c, was celebrated in winter, and is supposed to be the feast of
dedication mentioned in John x, 22. Josephus says, that it was called
the feast of lights, probably because this happiness befel them when
least expected, and they considered it as a new light risen on them.
In the Christian church, no festival appears to have been expressly
instituted by Jesus Christ, or his Apostles. Yet, as we commemorate the
passion of Christ as often as we celebrate his Supper, he seems by this
to have instituted a perpetual feast. Christians have always celebrated
the memory of his resurrection, and observe this feast on every Sunday,
which was commonly called the Lord’s day, Rev. i, 10. By inference we
may conclude this festival to have been instituted by Apostolic
authority.
The birth-day of Christ, commonly called Christmas-day, has been
generally observed by his disciples with gratitude and joy. His birth
was the greatest blessing ever bestowed on mankind. The angels from
heaven celebrated it with a joyful hymn; and every man, who has any
feeling of his own lost state without a Redeemer, must rejoice and be
glad in it. “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” Isaiah ix, 6. For this
festival, however, there is no authority in Scripture, nor do we know
that it was observed in the age of the Apostles.
On Easter Sunday we celebrate our Saviour’s victory over death and hell,
when, having on the cross made an atonement for the sin of the world, he
rose again from the grave, brought life and immortality to light, and
opened to all his faithful servants the way to heaven. On this great
event rest all our hopes. “If Christ be not risen,” says St. Paul, “then
is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is Christ
risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept,” 1
Cor. xv, 14, 20.
Forty days after his resurrection, our Lord ascended into heaven, in the
sight of his disciples. This is celebrated on what is called
Ascension-day, or Holy Thursday. Ten days after his ascension, our Lord
sent the Holy Spirit to be the comforter and guide of his disciples.
This blessing is commemorated on Whit-Sunday, which is a very great
festival, and may be profitably observed; for the assistance of the Holy
Spirit can alone support us through all temptations, and guide us into
all truth.
The pretended success of some in discovering the remains of certain holy
men, called “relics,” multiplied in the fourth century of the Christian
church the festivals and commemorations of the martyrs in a most
extravagant manner. These days, instead of being set apart for pious
exercises, were spent in indolence, voluptuousness, and criminal
pursuits; and were less consecrated to the service of God, than employed
in the indulgence of sinful passions. Many of these festivals were
instituted on a Pagan model, and perverted to similar purposes.