Rose Guide to the Feasts, Festivals and Fasts of the Bible by Paul H. Wright

Rose Guide to the Feasts, Festivals and Fasts of the Bible
by Paul H. Wright

ISBN-13: 9781649380210
Hardcover: 232 pages
Publisher: Rose Publishing
Released: July 15, 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Passover. Yom Kippur. Feast of Tabernacles. Rosh Hashanah. With all the ceremonies, festivals, and observances in the Bible, it’s hard to keep track of them all and remember why they’re important to our faith! But what if you could distill all this key information across dozens of chapters of the Bible into one solid, easy-to-read handbook with images, charts, and diagrams? It’s never been easier to get an expert look at the traditions, fasts, and feasts of the Bible: with this guide, 5 leading authorities on biblical celebrations and disciplines will help condense their research and historical knowledge into key takeaways that you can learn quickly and easily:

Solid overviews of the feasts, celebrations, and rituals kept in ancient Israel and the Old Testament

Historical background of the feasts and holy days in the centuries leading up to the New Testament

Summary of modern-day traditions kept by Jews today

Key takeaways of how messianic communities observe biblical feasts and holidays today

Presentation of how non-messianic Christian congregations have adopted the feasts into liturgies, theologies, etc.

God commanded Moses and the children of Israel to observe feasts and holy days as memorials to the great things that he had done in their lives. With expert research, clearly understand how these times of celebration are important to help us better see God’s complete picture and plan of redemption.


My Review:
This book looks at the regular fasts and feasts in the Old Testament period, in the New Testament Period, of modern Jews, of Messianic Jews, and of Christians. For the Old and New Testament sections, the authors explored how the pilgrim feasts were supposed to be celebrated and what the biblical evidence is for how the feasts were actually celebrated throughout the Bible (and if there were times when they weren't celebrated at all). They provided the context of the feasts and fasts: why they were celebrated, how they fit into a largely agricultural society, and how Israel was similar to and different from their neighbors. They talked about both feasts in general and the annual feasts. There were references to specific events in the Bible, to comments made in writings by others at that time, and to finds in archaeology. The book included some charts and pictures of things like the different foods mentioned in the feasts or a table set up for a modern Passover. Overall, I'd recommend this informative book.

The first chapters talked about: Sabbath, New Moon, Rosh Hashanah (New Year's Day), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Passover (Feast of Unleavened Bread), Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), and Sukkot (Feast of Booths), Purim, Hanukkah, and days of Fasting, and other holidays. Messianic perspective was given on the Sabbath, Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Feast of Weeks/Pentecost, Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Booths, Purim, Hanukkah. He also explained how the Spring feasts were fulfilled by Yeshua and the Fall feasts will be fulfilled in the future. He also talked about how Jesus celebrated these feasts in the New Testament. The Christian perspective covered how the early church celebrated these holidays and how that changed with time: Sabbath and Sunday, Passover and Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, Pentecost, Advent, Holy Cross Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Epiphany.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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