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Biblical Festivals

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Festivals provide cultural anchors and milestones for people everywhere. They are compelling, and traditions surrounding them tend to pass from one generation to the next. The Lord knows this, so throughout biblical history He established festivals to anchor His people in gospel principles, and He has railed against festivals that lead His children astray. Image:Grape harvest.jpg

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Festivals provide cultural anchors and milestones for people everywhere. They are compelling, and traditions surrounding them tend to pass from one generation to the next. The Lord knows this, so throughout biblical history He established festivals to anchor His people in gospel principles, and He has railed against festivals that lead His children astray. The tendency of man from the beginning has been to attach festival celebrations to agricultural cycles and seasons. Thus, the traditional time of the celebration of Christmas has been erroneously scheduled to coincide with winter solstice, when the dead of winter is over and days begin to lengthen. Harvest, when crops have been gathered in, and people know there will be no starvation that winter, is a time for celebration in every culture. The onset of spring, when the earth is reborn, is a natural time to celebrate. Festivals logically celebrate the bounteous offerings of the earth (hence, water libations and wine fests), as well as fertility, both of the earth and the people who inhabit it. Festival celebrations naturally attract accouterments over time—special foods, costumes, decorations, songs, music, and ritual behaviors. Mostly, these accouterments reinforce the symbolism of the holidays, such as the Easter egg, a symbol of rebirth. These extras that multiply as festivals are observed can sometimes obscure the original messages of the feasts, but they also offer so much attraction, that they can ensure loyal observance, too. Image:Grape harvest.jpg