Re-enchanting Time: A Biblical-Theological Case for Church Holy Days

Does the Church Have Authority to Declare Holy Days?

(Note: There was a previous version of this essay that I posted. This is an updated version of that essay with new additions to it and snippets from my book that I’ve been working on the past year or so.)

Introduction

There are those times of the year.

You know what times of year I’m talking about. It’s those times of the year when you get a small, but very vocal minority of Christians who try desperately to convince other Christians that they have no authority to declare and celebrate holy days (Like Easter) not explicitly commanded in Scripture.

I wanted to write this post because I think this idea is worth engaging. I’ve been thinking deeply about it for a few years now. I’ve written about similar topics. I’ve done some podcasts on it, and I’ve actually decided to write a book on the topic because I’m convinced that this idea is dead wrong.

Why do I think it’s dead wrong? Why would I go against the grain of what some of the brightest minds in my own camp have argued?

To put it simply, I reject the idea that Christians have no authority to declare and celebrate holy days because I believe it is founded upon a is a failure to understand the responsibility delegated by God the Father Almighty to His Sons in redemptive-history. I believe that it also fails to comprehend the changes that have occurred throughout redemptive-history as well.

Let me explain my reasoning further. It is necessary that the reader push through and read the entirety of this post if they want to understand my argument.

The Creation and Purpose of the Lights

In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. We learn that the earth was without form and was void. Darkness was over the face of the deep. The Spirit of God hovered upon the face of the waters. And, then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. It is said that God saw the light and that it was good. He then divided the light from the darkness. He called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and morning the first day (Gen. 1:1-5). 

This is the first day of the Bible’s creation week. We learn in the first five verses of this grand story that God created the realm called heaven or the heavens. We also learn that at first there were no sun, moon, or stars in the sky to serve as timekeepers. The only light there was at this time was the light that emanated from the being of God. This need not be shocking, for we learn elsewhere in the Scriptures that God in His essence is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). We also learn that He is the Father of Lights (James 1:17). 

As the story progresses, we see the uncreated Father of Lights speak more lights into being. Lesser lights, to be sure. Created by the Uncreated Light. But lights, nonetheless. On the fourth day of creation, which parallels the first day of creation, God fills the realm of heaven with the heavenly luminaries, which are the sun, moon, and stars. 

The language that the Bible uses for these created lights is the greater light to rule the day (sun), the lesser light to rule the night (moon), and the stars (Gen. 1:16). We also learn their purpose in the story as well. Moses tells us that they were placed in the firmament of heaven by God to be for signs, for seasons, for days, and for years (Gen. 1:14). So, essentially, the greater and lesser lights were placed in the firmament heavens by God to be timekeepers - ruling over the day, night, seasons, and so on. That is their purpose, aside from reflecting the light of the uncreated Father of Lights (Is. 9:2). 

The Lights As Sons of God

As the story begins to unfold further, we learn that the sun, moon, and stars are also have a symbolic meaning as well. They symbolize celestial beings who were created by their Heavenly Father. This is why Scripture uses personified language when speaking about the lights ruling over the day and night. This isn’t the only place in Scripture that we see the lights spoken of as celestial beings who share this familial relationship with God. 

In Job 38:7, we learn that when God laid the foundations of the earth during the act of creation, the morning stars sang together, and the Sons of God shouted for joy. The English Standard Version says it this way: 

⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

⁵Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶On what were its bases sunk,

or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷when the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Do you see what’s going on here? This is called parallelism, which is a form of Hebrew poetry. The morning stars and the Sons of God are put in parallel with one another to draw a point of connection. The point of connection is that the astral bodies in the heavens are like the astral bodies of the angels. In other words, the stars are symbols that point to and remind us of these spiritual beings.

Adam and Eve As Lights 

Now, here’s the case that I want to make. Adam and Eve were an earthly representation of the sun, moon, and stars who were created by God to rule over God’s creation, which has implications later on down the road for timekeeping.

When you look at Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 closely you see that God creating the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1-2) corresponds with the generation of heavens and earth (Gen 2:4-7). God creating the light (Gen. 1:1-3) corresponds with God putting the man in the garden (Gen. 2:8-9). God dividing the waters above from the waters below with the firmament (Gen. 1:6-8) corresponds to the waters flowing out of Eden and dividing into four rivers that water the world (Gen. 2:10-14). God causing the dry land to rise from the waters corresponds to God giving dominion over the garden (Gen. 2:15-17). God fixing the lights in the firmament heaven as rulers and timekeepers corresponds to God creating a woman fit to be a helper to Adam (Gen. 2:18). 

God filling the heavens with animals corresponds to Adam naming the animals (Gen. 2:19-20). God making man in His image corresponds to Him making a woman in man's image (Gen. 2:21-23). God resting corresponds to man and woman being naked and unashamed together (Gen. 2:24-25). 

The parallelism and correspondence between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are no coincidence or mistake. It's intentional and theological. The intent of the author is to show that God created man as a microcosmic ruler who is like the light, and together with the woman is like the sun, moon, and stars who rule over the earth. This isn’t something that’s read into the text, it’s actually presented there and made use of later by other biblical writers. Whenever the Bible speaks of empires and rulers falling and it being analogous to the sun not giving its light, the moon turning to blood, and the stars falling from the sky, it’s rooted in this cosmic imagery that is found in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 (Is. 13:10; Dan. 12:3; Joel 2:10, 31; Matt, 24:29; Rev. 6:11-13).  

I’m not the only person to note this connection. James B. Jordan notes in his book Tree and Thorns: Studies in the First Four Chapters of Genesis: 

“The creation of man and the Garden in Genesis 2 is a microcosm of the creation of the world and cosmos in Genesis 1. The creation of Adam corresponds to the sending forth of light on Day 1, and his placement as guardian and ruler over and within the Garden corresponds to placing the sun in the firmament in Day 4. The two great lights placed in the firmament on Day 4 symbolize the man and woman.” 

Now, here’s where this has implications for timekeeping. One of the things that God intended for the sun, moon, and stars to do was to be for signs and for seasons. In other words, the sun, moon and stars were there to aid in timekeeping. In the same way, humanity, as a microcosmic version of the sun, moon, and stars, were supposed to order time as well. 

Israel As New Lights

Now, we all know how the story goes from there. Adam and Eve who were earthly representations of the light fell. They rebelled against the Father of Lights by listening to the voice of the serpent. 

But, that’s not how the story ends. Though the sun, moon, and stars fell, there would be new lights fixed in the firmament of heaven. There would be new timekeepers who would replace the fallen lights and who would rule over the creation on behalf of the Father of Lights. 

The new lights, we learn, would be the descendants of Abraham - the ones who would constitute the nation of Israel. We begin to see this explicitly worked out in the covenant promises given by God to Abraham. In these promises, the Father of Lights promised Abraham's sons who would be like the stars (Gen. 22:12, 26:4). 

We see this taken even further as the descendants of Abraham begin to multiply. Abraham begat Isaac. Issaac begat Jacob. Jacob begat Joseph and his twelve brothers. Jacob is renamed Israel by God, and his twelve sons would be the Patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Joseph, the youngest of Israel’s sons, had a dream (Gen. 37:9). He saw his brothers as stars, his mother as the moon, and his father as the sun, and they were all bowing to him. What does it mean that he saw his family depicted as lights in the firmament of heaven? Simply put, it is a depiction of Israel as the sons of the Father of Lights. This implies that they have replaced the fallen sons of God who were originally tasked with ruling over time. The descendants of Abraham will rule time now. This is why in Exodus 4:22, God will refer to Israel as his firstborn son. 

Commenting on this, James Jordan writes: 

“The astral bodies . . . are associated with the heavenly host, the angelic and human array around the throne of God. This follows from the fact that they are positioned in heaven. They represent the angelic host in Judges 5:20, Job 38:7, and Isaiah 14:13. They represent the human host of the Lord as well, as we see from the promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:5, reiterated in Genesis 22:17, 26:4, and Deuteronomy 1:10. . . Christians appear as stars in the world in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2:15). The fact that Abraham’s descendants were to be like stars implies they would not only be positioned in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6), but that they would rule. . .”

Going on, Jordan continues:

“The astral bodies signified those who are glorified and exalted. While this is true of all the saints it is also true of all human rulers as well. Revelation 1:20 says that the rulers of the church are like stars, and Jude 13 says that apostate teachers are wandering stars. Long before this, in Genesis 37:9-10, Joseph had seen the rulers of his clan as sun, moon, and stars. We see this even today. The flag of the United States of America has fifty stars, for the fifty states of our nation. The flags of oriental nations include the rising sun. The flags of Near-Eastern countries feature a crescent moon. Sun, moon, and stars are symbols of world powers.”

And rule is exactly what Israel would do with their liturgical year full of feasts and festivals. Their liturgical year consisted of seven feasts starting with the Sabbath and moved to the Passover, which commemorated the angel passing over them in Egypt. After this, Israel celebrated there were three harvest festivals - First Fruits, Pentecost, and then Booths. There was also the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Trumpets. 

Speaking about these festivals, Dr. Peter Leithart writes: 

“Every year, Israel lives through the founding events of her history all over again. It’s a great teaching tool. Going through the rituals of Passover, Israelite children ask what it's all about, and their parents have a chance to retell the story of the exodus (Ex. 12:15-17). They don’t just tell the story but re-enact it. 

It’s more than a teaching tool. The feasts are ‘memorials’ (Ex. 12:14) like the offerings on the altar and the rainbow in the cloud. Feasts remind Yahweh of His promises. As they commemorate Passover, Israel asks Yahweh to liberate them from other enemies - Midian, Philistia, Babylon. As they keep the feast of Pentecost, they call on Yahweh to keep the Sinai covenant. 

The festival cycle also points ahead to Israel’s future and the worlds. As a harvest feast, the Feast of Booths expresses Israel’s hope that the Lord will gather the nations into His house. Its hope performed as liturgy. During the week of the Feast of Booths, the priests offer a total of seventy bulls on the altar (Num. 29:12-38). Seventy is the number of nations (Gen. 10). The Feast of Booths anticipates the time when Gentiles will offer themselves as living sacrifices to the God of Israel.”

Now, not only did Israel observe feasts given to them by the Father of Lights, but, they also were given authority by their Father to add festivals as well. This is a part of what the role of becoming a timekeeper entails. As one grows in maturity, they are delegated more responsibility. 

Later Israel’s leaders add festivals to the calendar. After the Lord delivers Israel from Haman’s plot, Mordecai establishes the annual festival of Purim to commemorate the great deliverance (Est. 9:20-32). During the Second Temple Period, the Maccabees defeat the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes and re-dedicate the temple to the Lord. They instituted the Feast of Dedication, known as Hanukkah, to celebrate the victory. In the New Testament, we see that Jesus celebrates the feast (John 10:22), so He must have thought it legitimate. 

The Dead Sea Scrolls 

This isn’t some novel idea. This isn’t some kind of theological or liturgical innovation. This thought that I am putting forth here is very ancient. So ancient, in fact, that it is found among the writers of what is known today as the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Second Temple Period which ran from roughly 586 BC when Cyrus of Persia decreed that the Jews return from exile to rebuild Jerusalem (2. Chron. 36:22-23) to AD 70 when the temple was destroyed by Vespasian. 

In the source called The Community Rule (1QSX1, 7-9) we see this very kind of thinking. It says:

“God has given them to His chosen ones

As an everlasting possession,

And has caused them to inherit

The lot of the Holy Ones. 

He has joined their assembly

To the Sons of Heaven

to be a Council of the Community,

A foundation of the Building of Holiness,

An eternal Plantation throughout all ages to come.”

Notice the thought here. It was the belief of the particular community writing this document that they had been joined to the assembly of the Sons of Heaven. This is exactly the same argument that I am making. Those who have come into the Covenant have been joined to the Council of the Community. They have inherited the lot of the Holy Ones, and now have the authority to do the things that the Sons of Heaven do – Which is ruling over time. 

This isn’t the only example. The Dead Sea Scrolls are full of statements like this. Here’s another. This one comes from the source called Blessings (1QSb=1Q28b). It says: 

“[For] He has chosen you [to] . . . and to number the saints and to [bless]

Your people . . . the men of the Council of God by your hand, and not

By the hand of a prince . . . 

. . . May you be as an Angel of the Presence in the Abode of Holiness to

The glory of the God of [hosts] . . . 

May you attend upon the service in the Temple of the Kingdom and 

Decree destiny in the company with the Angels of the Presence, in 

Common Council [with the Holy Ones] for everlasting ages and time 

Without end; for [all] His judgments are [truth]!”

Though we only have fragments of this text, we are able to gather the main thrust of the message. It was the belief of this particular community that they had been joined in the Common Council with the Holy Ones – The angels. They had been chosen by God to bless their people. They were to be like the Angel(s) of the Presence, which is a reference to Isaiah 63:9. There, Yahweh said that he had saved His people with the Angel of Presence. 

This is the way this particular community viewed themselves. They were to be like the Angel of the Presence who was a light who would bless the saints. And the reason why they thought of themselves in this way wasn’t some kind of pride or arrogance on their part. But rather because they understood that the story of Scripture was about them being made Sons of God by way of Yahweh’s covenant of grace.

Answering Objections

The most common objection raised against Sacred Timekeeping is in regard to men and authority. It goes something like this: “Man does not have the authority to declare any day holy. Because of that, we should not observe manmade holy days.”

Now, I must state my appreciation for this objection, because I understand the thought and intention behind it. 

Those people who make this argument are wanting to preserve God’s absolute sovereignty as the ruler of His creation. I can appreciate that. They’re also wanting to not fall into liturgical abuse. This is an unfortunate reality, and there are those in Mainline denominations like the Episcopalians and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) who treat Pride Month like a liturgical season with rainbow clerical stoles and all. This is an absolute abuse of Sacred Timekeeping, and none of us want to end up there. 

However, there are a few problems with this argument, as much as I appreciate it and have tried to steel-man it. 

The first problem is it’s simply unbiblical, and I suspect that those who make the argument don’t understand the full biblical-theological implications of what I’ve outlined in the earlier chapters.  The reality is that the sovereign God of creation has always delegated timekeeping to the sun, moon, and stars – The sons of God. This didn’t change, even when the original sons of God fell. God didn’t choose to take that responsibility back. Rather, he delegated it to the family of Abraham, who replaced the fallen stars as the sons of God. 

The second problem is that it is born out of ignorance of Scripture. I say this not to make fun, but to simply point out that Scripture is clear that God’s people, including Jesus, celebrated holy days that God Himself did not give. 

Let’s look at Esther 9:20-32. The text reads:

^“20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, ²¹ obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, ²² as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

²³ So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴ For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. ²⁵ But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. ²⁶ Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, ²⁷ the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, ²⁸ that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. ³⁰ Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, ³¹ that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. ³² The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.”

Now, for those who are unaware of what’s going on in Esther, let me take a moment to explain it to you. 

In Esther, a Jewish Leader named Mordecai insults an official to the Persian King Ahasuerus named Haman. Haman convinces King Ahasuerus that all of the Jews must be destroyed. Haman casts lots (purim in Hebrew) to set the date that the Jewish people would be destroyed. However, what Haman didn’t know was that King Ahasuerus’ wife and queen, Esther, was a Jew and the niece of Mordecai. She pleads on behalf of her people, and the King issues a decree that allows the Jewish people to defend themselves. 

In the end, the lot falls back on the head of Haman, and everything that was going to come upon the Jews came upon him and his family. Haman and his family were executed, and 75,000 attackers were put to the sword by the Jews. The victory was memorialized liturgically by the institution of a holiday called Purim by Mordecai. He sent letters to all of the Jews in the king's 127 provinces, and Mordecai and Esther obligated the people and their offspring to practice Purim two days every year.

Notice that Mordecai and Esther are not depicted as covenant-breakers, but rather covenant-keepers. Remember, Mordecai wouldn’t bow to Haman and would only bow to God. Also, notice that nowhere does God ever speak to Israel condemning Mordecai’s institution of this man-made holiday. Therefore, we can safely conclude that God was pleased with one of His sons acting as a microcosmic version of the sun, moon, and stars by taking dominion over time. 

Also, as a note. This isn’t the only case of man-made holidays being celebrated in Scripture. Hanukkah or the Feast of Dedication. This was a liturgical feast that was instituted in the intertestamental period by Judas Maccabee to commemorate their defeat of their enemies and the re-dedication and purification of the temple after it had been desecrated by Gentile enemies. This was decreed to be celebrated every December 25th and lasted for eight days.

So, where does this Feast appear in Scripture?

It appears in John 10:22-23. There we read of Jesus coming into the temple on the Feast of Dedication in the winter. The text says: “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the Temple, in Solomon's porch.”

Now, many have tried to make the case that even though the Feast of Dedication was mentioned, that didn’t necessarily mean Jesus was observing it. However, this is an argument from silence. Let’s speak of what we know: The fact that the feast is mentioned by John demonstrates that it was being used as a way to mark time (That’s what holidays are for). And the fact that it’s used narratively to tell the story of Jesus walking into the temple during the feast that was used liturgically to memorialize the purification and re-dedication of the temple would seem to add weight to the argument that it was being observed. 

Are We Papists? 

Another objection that I have noted is that anyone who advocates for a liturgical year is in danger of falling into Roman Catholicism by observing Papal holy days. 

The problem with this argument is that it’s inconsistent. Those who make this argument who are Western don’t realize that the very calendar that they use to mark time comes down to us from Roman Catholicism. Indeed, the Gregorian Calendar bears the name of the Pope who proposed it — Pope Gregory XIII. Are those who mark time using Pope Gregory XIII’s Calendar in danger sliding down the slippery slope to Roman Catholicism? I rest my case. 

Another problem with this argument is that it is based upon the genetic fallacy. It argues that something is bad on the basis of where it came from or from whom it came from. This logical fallacy uses existing negative perceptions to invalidate someone's argument without actually presenting a case for why the argument itself is invalid. 

Actually, I would propose that those who want to make this line of argumentation are actually putting themselves in greater danger than those who accept my position outlined here. The reality is that this position is calling for a radical reformation of the church, which is not what the reformers were attempting to do. The goal of the reformation was to reform the errors plaguing the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, not to break from it and start something radically new that rejected everything that came prior. 

Return of the Judaizers

Another significant error that I’ve noticed gaining more of a following is what I will refer to as judaizing. The argument for this position can basically be summed up like this: “Since the Gentiles have been grafted into Israel per Paul in Romans 11, we are now all obligated to keep the feasts and festivals of Israel. God never revoked these. Therefore, they are to be perpetually kept by the people of God.” 

On the surface, this argument seems to be very strong. However, there are significant problems with this position.

The main issue with this position is that like some of the others mentioned in this section, it is logically fallacious. This argument is a non-sequitur. While it’s certainly true that the Gentiles have been grafted into the covenant people of God, it does not follow that they must keep the feasts and festivals of ethnic Israel. Christ’s work does not make Gentiles ethnically Jewish. 

In fact, Paul devoted significant time to this very point in his writings because this same tendency was also around in his own day. Though he explicitly said that the Gentiles have been grafted into the covenant people (Rom. 11:11-24), he also explicitly said that the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile had been torn down and one new man had been created in Christ (Eph. 2:15). For this reason, he commanded the church to not let anyone pass judgment upon them in questions of food and drink or religious festivals (Col. 2:16). He also condemned those who tried to judaize the Gentiles in Galatia by saying that he wished that those who unsettled them by attempting to force the covenant marker of circumcision upon them would go ahead and emasculate themselves (Gal. 5:12). 

So, as we see, the conclusions of the judaizers do not follow their premise. This is why their arguments are flawed. Paul, who was a Jewish man who wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit of God certainly did not draw the same conclusions. The thing we must understand is that the thing that makes the new covenant new is that it is universal in scope. In other words, one does not have to become ethnically Jewish in order to join the covenant people as they did in the old covenant administration of the covenant of grace. 

Those who want to go back to the old covenant want to go back to a covenant that was put in place by angels (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2). The new covenant is more glorious as it is mediated by Christ who is greater than the angels (Heb. 1:5-14). Those who attempt to go back to the ethnic Israelite covenant trample underfoot the Son of God and profane the blood of the covenant (Heb. 10:29). There’s no need to go back, for we can now enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain which is his flesh (Heb. 10:19). One no longer needs to be ethnically Jewish for that to be a reality.

Lordship & Secularism 

Now I want to spend some time raising some objections of my own. I believe that the biggest issue with this position is that it abandons Christ’s lordship over time and gives it over to the realm of the secular at a practical level. 

Now, don’t misunderstand me. I know that those who make this argument will heartily confess that Christ is Lord. However, when it comes to the realm of time there appears to be cognitive dissonance. 

Recently I was involved in a conversation where Reformed, confessional men were saying things like “Ah yes, let's help God, since he forgot to direct his people in such a critical area of life.” And then, “So the Church–Not God–Created holy days. Super.” 

The problem with arguments such as these is that they’re not only straw-men, but fundamental misunderstandings of the liturgical year. I am unaware of anyone who has ever claimed that celebrating liturgical seasons somehow helps Christ become Lord. Rather, celebrating liturgical seasons is living in light of Christ’s lordship as a present reality. Christ is already Lord. Therefore, we structure the way we observe time to reflect this present reality – Following the principle of “on earth as it is in heaven.”

 The alternative is to give sacred timekeeping over to the secular realm. And, the problem with that is that it lands us in the same exact place as the Mainliners. Do we really want a culture that is at odds with Christ and his lordship in charge of setting apart holidays for us and our families? Lets not forget the fact that this isn’t a responsibility that God has given to the culture to begin with. Rather, He has given it to His sons who are acting as a microcosmic version of the sun, moon, and stars. It’s not the church vs God. It’s God giving his mature sons authority to rule on His behalf. 

Also, giving sacred timekeeping to the secular realm precludes the idea that Christ for some reason isn’t interested in being Lord of Time. But, What makes us think such a thing? He created time. Are we really going to say that Christ is not the Lord of something He Himself created? As Abraham Kuyper said, there’s not one square inch of creation that doesn’t belong to Christ. To assert otherwise is foolishness at best and unfaithfulness as worse. 

Conclusion

It is for these reasons that I believe that it is legitimate for the church to declare and observe holy days. We are the sun, moon, and stars. We are the timekeepers of the New Heaven and New Earth because we are the Sons of God. It is entirely legitimate for the church to declare and observe Holy Days. I don’t even think it’s illegitimated to baptize and plunder previously Pagan Holy Days as a means to evangelize and reveal Christ because He is the Lord of Time (Even though I don’t think that’s happening on Easter. More on that here).

The Rulers and the Principalities that were once over the nations have been disarmed (Col. 2:14–15). The strong man has been bound, and we are plundering his goods (Matt. 12:29) just like Israel plundered the goods of Egypt when they left in Exodus (Ex. 12:36). Because of that, we do not abandon the Lordship of Time to the realm of darkness. Dead gods don’t get to declare holidays. The Living God does, and He delegates that to us.

The only way to not come to that conclusion is to misunderstand the Story of God unfolding throughout redemptive-history and to want to purposely stay in immaturity.

To my strict Reformed friends who disagree, my word to them is that it’s time to grow up, friends. God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth is calling His Sons into maturity. The Father has given you dominion of part of His house. It’s time to come out of the bedroom, as intimidating as it may be, and into the fullness of the Father’s house and what He has prepared for us — Ruling and reigning over His house under His Kingly rule.